"Kakashi, you three head out first," Tatsuya said, one hand still gripping the now limp form of Hiruko, who had gone as soft as a pile of mud. He leaped forward, landing before Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke. As he landed, Tatsuya's gaze couldn't help but sweep over Ran and the other two subordinates of Hiruko.
Not far away, Ran and his two companions huddled together, their expressions a mixture of fear and dejection, not daring to make any rash moves. To some extent, after undergoing Hiruko's fusion and modification process, the personalities of these three had been greatly affected. Many of their current actions and thoughts leaned more towards animalistic instinct than human reasoning. The overwhelming power Tatsuya had just displayed had completely crushed their will to fight. Faced with Tatsuya, the three of them had already surrendered from the depths of their hearts.
"Tatsuya, what do you plan to do with him?" Kakashi's gaze lingered for a moment on Hiruko, who was being held effortlessly by Tatsuya, then he asked in a low, serious voice. Seeing his former senior in such a pathetic state, Kakashi's expression was understandably complex.
"They still have their uses to me. For now, I won't be taking them back to the village," Tatsuya replied frankly, shrugging his shoulders. In the world of Naruto, Hiruko was a rare talent in the field of scientific research, and more importantly, he possessed the Chimera Technique that Tatsuya coveted. To simply bring him back to the village and have him disposed of as a rogue ninja would be a considerable waste.
Hearing this, a complicated look flashed across Kakashi's face. This guy… he was being so blatantly audacious! After looking at Tatsuya for a moment, Kakashi finally said, "Alright then. In that case, I'll take them and complete the mission first." With that, Kakashi didn't linger any longer and turned to head back towards the merchant caravan.
Behind him, Naruto and Sasuke looked as if they wanted to say something to Tatsuya. Tatsuya simply waved his hand, directly motioning for them to leave with Kakashi. A few minutes later, the figures of the three of them leaped away, disappearing among the rock formations.
Only after Kakashi and his team had departed did Tatsuya turn his head again to look at Ran and the other two.
Swoosh~
Just then, the sound of air being cut echoed, and Suijin, dressed in his black and gold-trimmed uniform, appeared beside Tatsuya.
"It's all taken care of," Suijin stated, his voice calm and indifferent as he appeared at Tatsuya's side.
Seeing Suijin suddenly appear, Hiruko, still dangling limply from Tatsuya's grip, felt his pupils constrict sharply. That attire… It was the Divine Court! In an instant, a multitude of connections and terrifying possibilities flashed through Hiruko's mind.
"Take them. Let's go," Tatsuya nodded, then gestured towards Ran and his two companions with a slight inclination of his head, his voice soft. The moment his words fell, Tatsuya's figure had already vanished from the spot.
With Tatsuya gone, Suijin turned his attention to Ran and the other two. In Suijin's eye sockets were a pair of striking, sky-blue eyes, as brilliant and captivating as gemstones. Looking into those eyes, Ran and his companions felt an instinctive, primal danger.
Suijin extended his right hand towards the three of them, and a powerful suction force immediately emanated from his palm. The bodies of the three subordinates were pulled irresistibly towards Suijin, floating through the air. Feeling this sudden, overwhelming attractive force, the expressions of Ran and the others changed drastically. However, none of the three made any move to resist. They could clearly sense that those piercing blue eyes had locked onto them firmly; if they made even the slightest unusual movement, they would likely face utter annihilation.
And so, the three of them were drawn directly to Suijin's side. Immediately after, with a flicker of movement, all four of them vanished from the spot.
Just moments after they had departed, the round, pot-shaped building that had served as Hiruko's lair was completely obliterated in a series of violent explosions.
More than ten minutes later, a series of figures leaped onto the scene. One of them was carrying an unconscious man. These several dozen individuals were all dressed in the attire of Iwagakure ninja. The unconscious man being carried was precisely the Iwagakure scout who had fled earlier.
"The battle is completely over," the leading Iwagakure ninja said gravely after surveying the ravaged scene for a moment.
"Captain, what do they mean by this?" another Iwagakure ninja beside him asked. "Since they already discovered Juntaro's presence, why did they only knock him out?"
"This is their warning to us," the leading Iwagakure ninja replied after a moment of silence.
After searching the area for a while longer and finding nothing of further significance, the group of Iwagakure ninja quickly departed.
Iwagakure. Tsuchikage's Tower.
"Lord Tsuchikage, Hiruko and his subordinates have been defeated. Their current whereabouts are unknown," an Iwagakure ninja reported to the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, in his office.
"What were the casualties on Konoha's side?" Onoki's eyes glinted slightly as he asked in a low, serious voice.
The Iwagakure ninja replied, "There were no casualties on Konoha Village's side."
"Hmm? Was it Kakashi?" Onoki asked, a surprised look on his face.
The Iwagakure ninja shook his head. "No. It was Konoha Village's secret technique user, Tatsuya Akimichi. He had been following that team all along. According to the report from our ninja who went to investigate, Tatsuya Akimichi's strength is immense! Hiruko was almost completely powerless against him." As he spoke the last sentence, an undeniable look of horror flashed across the Iwagakure ninja's face.
Over these past few years, Iwagakure had had numerous clandestine dealings with Hiruko. The fact that Hiruko and his group were able to establish a base near Mount Shumisen on the southern border of the Land of Earth was also the result of Iwagakure's tacit, covert approval. Iwagakure was very familiar with Hiruko's strength. This was a powerhouse whose abilities were definitely not inferior to that of a Kage. Yet, such a formidable individual had been utterly helpless in the hands of Konoha's Tatsuya Akimichi! Such an outcome was incredibly difficult to accept.
Onoki didn't reply immediately upon hearing this, and a heavy silence fell in the room. After a moment, seeing that the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, still showed no intention of speaking, the reporting Iwagakure ninja continued, "Lord Tsuchikage, during this operation, our scout was knocked unconscious not far from the battlefield. It was likely the work of that Tatsuya Akimichi. Judging from the way he fought against Hiruko, it is highly probable that Tatsuya Akimichi has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique."
As these words fell, Onoki's expression changed. The Flying Thunder God Technique! That legendary space-time ninjutsu, which the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had once utilized to its absolute zenith, had actually reappeared! And the one wielding it was Tatsuya Akimichi!
The Akimichi clan's Butterfly Mode secret technique. Ryuchi Cave's Sage Art. The space-time ninjutsu, Flying Thunder God Technique. So many devastatingly powerful abilities concentrated in one individual—the extent of his strength was almost beyond the imagination of most people in the ninja world. No wonder Hiruko had been so utterly powerless against him.
Could it be that Konoha Village was truly about to produce another peerless powerhouse capable of dominating the entire ninja world? This world… it truly favored Konoha Village too much!
The silence in the room persisted for more than ten minutes before Onoki finally spoke slowly, "Have Kitsuchi immediately send a formal inquiry to Konoha Village, condemning their clandestine actions on the border of the Land of Earth. Demand that they give Iwagakure a reasonable explanation. At the same time, immediately send a formal request for a meeting with Kumogakure. It is time for me to personally meet with the Fourth Raikage."
"Yes, sir!" The reporting Iwagakure ninja immediately acknowledged the order and departed.
One month later, two major, impactful pieces of news began to circulate throughout the ninja world.
Konoha Village and Iwagakure had clashed on the border of the Land of Earth, and relations between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire had once again become extremely tense.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, and the Fourth Raikage, A, had completed a formal meeting in the Land of Frost. The two villages officially announced an alliance.