134 CH - 131 Death of the Third Mizukage!
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Paper Style: Rain of Blades. Its effects bore a resemblance to Wood Style's Deep Forest Emergence, an attack that covered a vast area. The primary distinction lay in the nature of the attack – the paper blades were formed by chakra and assaulted from all directions. Furthermore, the scattered paper or blades on the ground could reassemble and continue their assault, akin to the growth of Wood Style vines. While 'Tsunami of Paper' might be a fitting name for this jutsu, Akihiko felt that a simpler name like 'Rain of Blades' was more apt.
Nevertheless, there were drawbacks to this powerful technique. Unlike the natural growth of wood-style trees, Akihiko had to divide his attention to maintain control over the jutsu, which could be mentally taxing. Fortunately, his consistent training over the years allowed him to manage this effectively. Without this training, his chakra, body, and spirit might not have been up to the task.
Reflecting on his progress, Akihiko contemplated the potential for future improvement. He also made a mental note to explore the possibility of Sage Mode in the future.
At that moment, the sound of coughing echoed in the area. Akihiko walked over to the incapacitated Third Mizukage, who struggled to speak between his coughing fits.
"Your power...*cough, cough*... it's unexpectedly formidable," He spoke with a sense of understanding in his eyes, acknowledging Akihiko's overwhelming strength.
*cough, cough, cough* The Third Mizukage, coughing violently, trying to lift his head as he gazed at Akihiko."You could be called a demigod in the ninja world, and your power... it's enough to make even a Kage like me fear."
It seemed that the Third Mizukage had grasped a deeper understanding, as he continued, "The Grass Village seems to have given rise to an extraordinary figure. Perhaps... Hanzo's dream will be fulfilled through you."
Unable to contain himself any longer, the Mizukage let out a 'pft' sound, spitting out a mouthful of blood, before falling lifeless.
Akihiko sighed and shook his head, feeling somewhat drained. Controlling so many swords had taken a toll on him.
At this moment, the Grass Ninjas who had followed Akihiko returned. One of them bowed to Akihiko and spoke, "Leader."
Akihiko inquired about the report of the battle, "How did it go?"
The Grass Ninja provided an update, saying, "Only fewer than fifty Mist Ninjas managed to escape. Regarding the Legendary Swordsmen, Fuguki escaped by himself, Raiga was killed, and Jūzō fled with the others."
Akihiko listened to the situation and then replied, "No need to pursue them further. Let everyone come back. We have other matters to attend to next."
He considered the situation, thinking, 'One dead and two fleeing is enough.' Chasing them could pose risks for the Grass Ninjas. Akihiko didn't want to divert the Mist Village's attention from their ongoing battle with the Sand Village towards their Grass Village and potentially attract the Mist Ninja's vengeance.
Akihiko's expression shifted to a smile as he scanned his surroundings and announced, "Our allies have arrived!"
His statement initially puzzled those present. They wondered if the allies were the Rain Ninjas. However, they soon understood the implication and promptly shifted into a defensive stance, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
As expected, it didn't take long for several Leaf Village ANBU to appear on the scene. Among them was Minato, who observed the Grass Ninjas and their leader with a complex expression.
This time, Leaf and Mist Ninjas had brokered peace and concluded their war, even agreeing to let the Mist Ninja pass through the Land of Fire. Their initial plan had been to deceive the Grass Village, mirroring the Grass Village's tactics during the Battle of the Kannabi Bridge.
However, they hadn't anticipated that the Grass Ninjas would initiate a conflict within the Land of Fire. Minato wondered if the Mist Ninja's operation had been exposed. He couldn't help but think, 'We shouldn't have underestimated the Grass Village's intelligence-gathering abilities.'
But, Unbeknownst to them, this intelligence had been gathered by White Zetsu, not the Grass Ninjas.
Speaking of Which, At this juncture, White Zetsu, feeling threatened and entangled in this war, had opted to flee secretly. He had little choice but to make his escape. After all, this audacious Akihiko had attempted to recruit him. Didn't he comprehend that all White Zetsus were merely tools of the great Uchiha Madara, including himself?
What's more, Akihiko was essentially blackmailing them, even coercing them to go into battle under the organization's banner. This guy was acting quite impertinent. Shouldn't he show respect to his senior White Zetsus?
"First, he threatens us to deliver a message, then he forces us to plant explosive tags, and now he's trying to recruit us, the tools of Madara. I'll be sure to inform Madara about this when I return," the main body of White Zetsu muttered on behalf of all the other White Zetsus with a strong sense of righteousness.
Hence, after completing this battle mission and enduring various perplexing tasks, White Zetsu made the firm decision to escape directly without informing Akihiko.
Meanwhile, at this moment, all the Konoha Ninjas stood in astonishment at the aftermath of the battle, their eyes taking in the sight. A flurry of questions buzzed in their minds. Were those explosive tags? Why were there so many of them? And what kind of wide-range attack jutsu did the Grass Ninja leader employ?
It was important to note that they hadn't come here with the intention of taking any action against the Grass Ninjas. They had been drawn to the area simply due to unusual commotion.
"If there's nothing else, we'll be on our way. Thanks for Konoha's assistance," Akihiko waved to the Grass Ninjas and, turning around, took a deep breath. Under the gaze of the Konoha Ninja, he declared in a loud voice, "We've emerged victorious in this war between the Mist Village and the Grass Village!"
His words were met with an eruption of jubilant cheers, filling the scene with triumphant enthusiasm.
The Konoha Ninjas, in contrast, remained motionless, their expressions impassive as they watched the Grass Ninjas depart. Yet, a hint of melancholy shone in their eyes. Unlike during the First Great Ninja War, this time, the Grass Ninjas had successfully defended themselves and emerged victorious. It was a most unexpected turn of events, and Minato couldn't help but display a fleeting trace of resignation on his face.
As he watched Akihiko and his Grass Ninjas, Minato's thoughts drifted to the recent incident with Obito. He considered himself fortunate that the Hokage had ultimately chosen not to blame him. Otherwise, he might have been detained and questioned by the Interrogation Department Ninjas by now.
However, the remarkable strength displayed by the Grass Ninjas had caught him by surprise. In particular, he couldn't help but fixate on the Grass Ninja with crimson eyes, experiencing a hint of curiosity about their identity. Nevertheless, it was a fleeting thought as he shook his head and muttered, "It appears that this time, all four major ninja villages are going to experience significant losses."
At that very moment, just as Minato was getting ready to report the situation back to the village, Akihiko unexpectedly turned back, addressing him directly.
"Oh, one more thing, Minato Namikaze!" Akihiko called out, offering a familiar and inviting hand gesture. "If things ever get too difficult for you in Konoha, remember that the Grass Village doors are always open to you."
Minato found himself gazing at the Grass Village leader with a mix of astonishment and bewilderment. Akihiko's peculiar sense of humor was quite something. There was no way he would even consider leaving Konoha.
However, a curious feeling washed over him as he watched the few Grass Ninjas with red hair. Although it was fleeting, he couldn't shake the sense of familiarity they evoked. Yet, as he observed the Grass Ninjas genuinely retreating this time, he gestured for his team to do the same and uttered with a hint of resignation, "Let's head back as well!"
As for the Grass Ninja leader's recruitment offer, it went largely unheeded, as no one took it seriously.
…
As Akihiko wrapped up the battle on his front, he couldn't help but be surprised by the status of the other battlefields. Contrary to his initial expectations, the reports indicated that the situation was far from disastrous. In fact, it appeared that his allies were more than holding their ground; they seemed to be making progress.
Notably, the area where Kakuzu was involved in the conflict appeared to be on the brink of gaining control over the battlefield against the Stone Village. Akihiko had initially been taken aback when he learned of Kakuzu's participation in the battle, but he quickly reminded himself of Kakuzu's occasionally tsundere nature.
Akihiko sighed and mused to himself, "Kakuzu, you truly are remarkable. No wonder you can still survive until now from the old era."
After a moment of reflection, Akihiko raised his hand and announced decisively, "Let's go. It's time to bring an end to this war."
…
On the battlefield between the Grass and Stone villages, the dynamics differed considerably from Akihiko's tactical ambushes. Here, the Grass Ninjas found themselves in a challenging position against the relentless assault by the Stone Village forces.
For Stone Village, the Grass Ninjas' resilience and strength also came as a bit of a surprise. They had initially underestimated the power of the Grass Ninjas. Furthermore, the revelation that the Uzumaki clan, which was previously thought to be extinct, had resurfaced in the Grass Village raised new concerns.
Originally, the situation had seemed favorable for the Stone Village. With their superior numbers and the joint efforts of the four major ninja villages putting pressure against the Grass and Rain Villages, it appeared that breaking through the Grass Village defenses was only a matter of time.
However, Out of nowhere, a mysterious figure suddenly appeared on the battlefield, leaving all the Stone Ninjas in a state of shock and terror. This Grass Ninja was adorned in a black suit covered in strange black patterns that none of the Stone Ninjas could comprehend. Try as they might, they found it impossible to defeat him, and he had swiftly seized control of the entire battlefield. Even the elite Jonin of the Kamizuru clan, highly respected within the Stone Village, proved no match for this mysterious Grass Ninja.
It seemed that only the Third Tsuchikage held the power to vanquish this formidable adversary. As Kakuzu, having defeated the Stone Ninja commander once again, he held the commander in one hand and observed the other Stone Ninjas surrounding him, he spoke without any change of expression, "How dare you ask money from me?"
The Stone Ninjas who had encircled him nervously swallowed their fear. It finally dawned on them who this monstrous figure was, the Head of Finance of the Grass Village. A chilling realization washed over the Stone Ninja as they finally comprehended the identity of this fearsome adversary.
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