A massive crack erupted from the ground where Tsunade's fist struck, snaking its way toward the Takigakure ninja.
"Ah!"
The weak Takigakure ninja were caught off guard, several of them tumbling into the fissure while only a handful managed to avoid the devastating blow. It was painfully clear that this group of ninja lacked the strength to pose any real threat.
"Help!" the lead Takigakure ninja cried out, scrambling for support. One of his subordinates fumbled to retrieve a firework from his robes and quickly lit it, sending a signal into the sky.
Kawakaze made no move to stop them. This suited him perfectly—it would save the trouble of searching through the village one by one.
Tsunade, standing beside him, quickly discerned his intent. She straightened and watched coldly as the situation played out, daring any of the Takigakure ninja to attack.
Moments later, reinforcements arrived from deeper within the village. Leading them was a middle-aged man with a commanding presence, his expression dark and his posture tense. He was likely the current Village Head.
"Ninja from Konohagakure," he began, his tone laced with barely restrained anger, "it's not right for you to come to Takigakure and harm my people."
His fury was palpable, though tempered by the knowledge that his village was too weak to mount a meaningful retaliation.
"You even sent someone to kill my grandfather!" Nawaki snapped, unwilling to let the man speak as though Takigakure were innocent.
"Your grandfather?" The Village Head's brows furrowed in confusion before realization dawned on him. Could this be about that incident? Fear crept into his mind—had Konoha come for revenge? That assassination attempt had occurred more than two decades ago, and back then, he had only been a mid-level ninja with no authority.
"You're the descendant of Lord Hashirama?" he asked, his tone softening, reflexively using an honorific for the God of Shinobi. He hoped to defuse the tension, though his unease remained palpable.
"Hmph." Nawaki's snort was all the answer he gave.
"Enough."
Kawakaze stepped forward, cutting through the tension with a calm yet firm tone. "Village Head, we haven't come to Takigakure for revenge. We're here for something else."
The Village Head's gaze narrowed. "What is it you want?"
Before Kawakaze could answer, the earlier Takigakure ninja interjected bitterly, "He wants the Seven-Tails."
"That's right," Kawakaze said smoothly. "If the Village Head can release his attachment to it, Konoha will ensure no further disputes between us."
Kawakaze's voice carried the weight of authority, though his reasoning was blunt. He felt no guilt invoking Konoha's name. After all, once Tsunade became Hokage, this action would carry retroactive justification.
Besides, from Kawakaze's perspective, Konoha wouldn't lose sleep over such a small matter. To a giant like Konoha, Takigakure was no more than a bothersome ant. And when an ant bites an elephant, the elephant rarely notices, let alone retaliates.
"Aren't you afraid that Konoha will arouse the anger of others?"
The Village Head, cautious and shrewd, immediately attempted to leverage the potential backlash from other great nations.
"Don't worry about that. I have my own plan," Kawakaze replied dismissively. "You just need to tell me if you're willing to hand it over."
Kawakaze preferred to avoid unnecessary chaos, so diplomacy was his first choice.
"Sorry," the Village Head said without hesitation. "The Seven-Tails is the foundation of Takigakure. I cannot hand it over to you."
His refusal was firm. Surrendering the Tailed Beast would strip the village of its last hope, severing its roots entirely.
"Then don't blame me for being rude."
In the blink of an eye, Kawakaze vanished from sight and reappeared behind the Village Head, his Eight-Sided Han Sword resting against the man's neck. The speed and precision of his movement left no room for resistance.
"Let go of the Village Head!"
The Takigakure ninja surged forward in a panic, their fear evident. The Village Head was the strongest ninja in their village, yet he had been rendered helpless in an instant.
"If you hand over the Seven-Tails, I can let you live," Kawakaze whispered coldly into the Village Head's ear.
Tsunade and the others stood by, watching silently. This had all been planned in advance.
"Alas," the Village Head sighed heavily, the weight of his helplessness clear. "It's not that I won't hand it over, but the Seven-Tails is unstable. The seal on our altar has weakened over time. If it is removed, the Seven-Tails will go berserk, and Takigakure will be destroyed in an instant."
Despite his terror, the Village Head's priority remained the safety of his people. The Tailed Beast's uncontrollable power was a far greater threat than Kawakaze.
"Oh, then I'll help you solve it," Kawakaze said with a sly smile, his tone dripping with confidence.
This was an opportunity. The Village Head's hesitation confirmed Kawakaze's suspicions that Takigakure itself was struggling to maintain control over the Tailed Beast.
After all, Kawakaze thought, a weakening seal is just a disaster waiting to happen.
"How can I trust you?"
The Village Head, though acknowledging Kawakaze's strength, remained skeptical. The Seven-Tails was not something easily controlled, and he couldn't risk the safety of his village on a gamble.
Deep down, he held onto a faint hope that one day, someone from Takigakure could become a proper Jinchūriki, restoring the village's lost glory. Years ago, their pride had blinded them. They had believed that possessing the Seven-Tails made them exceptional, only for their advantage to disappear when Hashirama distributed Tailed Beasts to other major nations.
Out of resentment, or perhaps arrogance, Takigakure's leadership had made the grave mistake of sending someone to assassinate Hashirama—a decision that had left lasting consequences.
The Seven-Tails had never found a suitable Jinchūriki. Instead, it had been imprisoned using the seals provided by the Land of Whirlpools.
After that land's destruction, Takigakure had watched helplessly as the seal weakened over time. Despite their efforts to construct a new sealing altar, its effectiveness had waned over the years.
Now, the altar was on the verge of collapse. If the Seven-Tails were removed, there was no guarantee it wouldn't immediately go berserk.
"I can use the Flying Thunder God Technique to keep the battle away from your Takigakure," Kawakaze said coolly, cutting through the Village Head's hesitation. "This way, even if I fail, your village will remain unharmed."
The confidence in his voice left no room for doubt.
"What do you say? I'll take this trouble off your hands."
Kawakaze pressed the sword against the Village Head's neck just slightly more, enough to draw a thin line of blood.
"Village Head, give it to him. The Seven-Tails is not as important as you,"
the group of Takigakure Ninja spoke one after another. Despite the dire situation, it was clear the Village Head still held their trust and admiration.
"Fine, you can have it," the Village Head said reluctantly, a mix of unwillingness and relief evident in his tone. With a sword at his neck, refusal was no longer an option.
He consoled himself with the thought that, even if he died, the Seven-Tails would remain in the village. In his mind, there was no way Kawakaze wouldn't eventually find it. Death is a terrifying prospect for most, and only a select few, driven by unshakable faith, can face it without fear. He knew he had yet to reach that level. Survival was the more tempting path.
"If only you'd done this earlier. Why ruin the peace for nothing?"
The Eight-Sided Han Sword vanished from Kawakaze's hands, its blade no longer a threat. Still, he silently made it clear that any further hesitation would result in a different outcome.
"Let's go. I'll take you there."
The Village Head, expressionless despite his injury, touched his wound and began leading Kawakaze deeper into the village.
Meanwhile, the Takigakure Ninja glared at Kawakaze, their hearts filled with fury.
"Wait by the lake before you leave," Kawakaze instructed, ignoring the hostility around him as he addressed Tsunade and her companions.
He had already prepared for this moment, planting Senbon marked with the Flying Thunder God Technique along the way. If the Tailed Beast launched a destructive attack, he could redirect the battlefield to a safer location, sparing the village from devastation.
"Good," Tsunade replied, turning to leave with the young boys. Leaping gracefully through the waterfall, she showed no concern for Kawakaze's safety.
"Does your village still have any Hero Water?" Kawakaze asked as he caught up with the Village Head, his tone calm but curious, as though he hadn't just held a sword to the man's throat moments earlier.
"No, there isn't," the Village Head replied quickly, casting a wary glance at Kawakaze. Suspicion flickered in his mind. Was this Konoha Ninja here to uncover all of Takigakure's secrets? Why did he want everything of value?