Looking down at the fallen Raikage, Mochizuki Hui couldn't help but reflect. If he hadn't already known how to counter Ay's "strongest spear and shield," he might have had a gruelling battle ahead.
He would have had to pull out all the stops, from genjutsu to light-based sword techniques. But defeat? That had never crossed his mind.
Hui was confident—there were few left in the shinobi world who could best him now.
Even with his prior knowledge of Ay's weakness, Hui had approached the fight with the utmost respect. That's why he had come himself, not leaving the job to a clone. Only his true form could fully wield the power of his Heavenly Eye, which had been essential in this fight.
In a sense, the battle had been decided from the very start. Hui's knowledge of Ay's abilities created a critical advantage. The Raikage was powerful, but the information gap was insurmountable.
"Now, only Ōnoki remains," Hui murmured, wondering how the battle with his clone and Ōnoki was progressing. "But my shadow clone carries ninety percent of my strength—it should be enough to handle him. Right?"
With that, he approached the incapacitated Raikage and applied a Binding Seal. Although Ay was clearly exhausted and couldn't fight back, Hui didn't want to risk any surprises. After all, a desperate shinobi could be unpredictable.
He had no intention of killing Ay, so after binding him, Hui used medical ninjutsu to stop the bleeding. Without treatment, Ay would likely have bled out.
Hoisting the Raikage over his shoulder, Hui began leaping back toward Uzushiogakure.
As he moved, a thought struck him—he should further improve his shadow clones, perhaps finding a way to share vision or even synchronize thoughts with them. But would that cause mental strain? He sighed, mulling over the complexities of the technique.
Meanwhile, his final clone had just wrapped up its battle.
"Cough… I lost three years ago, and now, three years later… I lose again," Ōnoki muttered, his hands braced against the ground as he struggled to catch his breath, looking worn and battered.
His face was pale and damp with sweat, and tears streamed from his eyes, leaving a stinging sensation in his heart. A fresh scar ran from his left shoulder to his lower right ribs, still bleeding.
He was utterly drained—his chakra reserves nearly depleted.
"You must have known that in the three years since our last fight, I'd only grown stronger," Hui's clone said, towering over him as if reclaiming victory from three years prior. "Don't worry; I'm not going to kill you. You still have your uses."
Ōnoki looked up, incredulous. "I'm puzzled. Why haven't Ay and the Kazekage returned yet? Don't tell me your shadow clone could hold out against both of them for this long—that's impossible. Did you lead them into some trap when you fled?"
As Hui's clone gazed at Ōnoki in silence, a wave of relief swept over the Iwagakure shinobi, sensing that Hui wasn't planning to end his life.
He wasn't sure why Hui had spared him or what "use" he could be, but he wasn't about to question his fortune.
"A trap? If that's how you want to interpret it, sure," Hui replied.
Hui let Ōnoki think what he wanted; there was no need to clarify the truth and unnecessarily spark the old man's pride.
Hui's clone, though nearly as strong as his original form, still held only ninety percent of his full power. If Ōnoki decided to fight with desperation, it could prove costly.
"So it's true… Hui, I'm curious. Even if you've managed to capture me, what's your plan for Uzushiogakure's current situation? Are you foolish enough to think you could use me as leverage to negotiate for the village's safety? If that's your aim, forget it. They'd prefer I die here rather than be used as a bargaining chip by you."
Ōnoki attempted to gather his chakra to stand, but the effort was futile—Hui had sealed his chakra, rendering him powerless.
In his mind, Ōnoki replayed the battle and the techniques Hui had used.
He'd been struck by that same binding seal that had immobilized Ay, as well as by the overwhelming force of Hui's "Silver Moon" and "Light" techniques. Hui's arsenal was vast, with each jutsu one that an ordinary shinobi would spend a lifetime perfecting.
Witnessing Hui's continued growth and the breadth of his abilities, Ōnoki couldn't shake the bitter feeling that he was looking at the next Hashirama or Madara.
"No, I don't have any such intention. But you'll understand what I have planned soon enough. For now, just follow me back to Uzushiogakure," Hui replied, urging Ōnoki to walk ahead.
Defeated, Ōnoki had no choice but to obey.
Back in Uzushiogakure, the battle had already ended. With Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and their reinforcements, the allied shinobi from various villages were forced to surrender after sustaining heavy losses.
Those who remained alive realized that continuing the fight would only mean certain death. Reluctantly, they surrendered, hoping that once Ay, Ōnoki, and the Kazekage returned, they might still serve as hostages in negotiations.
Hiruzen and Danzo understood this motivation and accepted the surrender.
"Danzo, keep an eye on these prisoners. I'm taking a team to go support Hui," Hiruzen said, his voice tinged with urgency. His concern for Hui's safety was evident.
"No, leave them to White Fang," Danzo replied, decisively.
At this stage, his heart was still free from the darkness that would later consume him, and he was just as anxious about the young prodigy, Hui—the light of Konoha.
"Alright, White Fang, watch over them. We're going," Hiruzen agreed. He turned to Sakumo, who nodded in acknowledgment, prepared to guard the captives.
But Sakumo's lips curved into a slight smile as he turned to Hiruzen and Danzo. "I don't think you'll need to go anywhere."
The two Kage-level shinobi froze, looking at Sakumo in confusion.
Sakumo wasn't looking at them, though. His gaze was fixed on the distance. "Because the Deputy Commander has already returned."
Hiruzen and Danzo spun around, eyes widening at the sight before them.
From afar, Mochizuki Hui was approaching with calm, measured strides, carrying the unconscious body of the Third Kazekage over one shoulder. With a few leaps, he landed gracefully before the assembled shinobi.
Hui gave a slight nod. "No need to go anywhere. My clone and main body will be back with Oniki and Ay in no time."
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