The next day, snow drifted from the sky.
People already dressed thickly now wore an extra, heavy layer.
The Konoha's experts who had received the message at the front lines... Minato, Kohinata Mukai, the Hyuga brothers, Ino-Shika-Cho's Clan Heads, Aburame Shibi, Inuzuka Tsume... along with hundreds of elites, had rushed back overnight.
At the Sunagakure's delegation residence.
Everyone had stayed up all night, anticipating the dawn.
But as time passed, reaching nine o'clock, still nothing had changed. Disappointment and despondency began to set in.
"Liar!"
Someone in the crowd spat the word angrily.
Yashamaru looked over. It was a fifteen-year-old girl.
Her name was Aki, an elite puppeteer who had come to learn Medical Ninjutsu.
Yashamaru frowned slightly, then relaxed, going over to console her. "Aki, what are you saying?"
"Liar, the captain is a liar!" Aki shouted her accusation. "He said if we held on until today, he'd take everyone back together. But nothing happened."
"Today has just..."
"How can we possibly all return safely and unharmed in a situation like this?"
The question from behind silenced Yashamaru, who had intended to soothe everyone's spirits.
Yes, in a situation like this, how could they all return safely and unharmed?
They weren't blaming Ryuji for failing to take them back, but for giving them hope in the first place.
They were all elite Shinobi, long accustomed to life and death. But Ryuji had encouraged them again and again, given them hope for life, then failed to deliver on his promise, letting that hope shatter.
These emotional ups and downs were the most torturous.
Swish!
The main house door slid open.
Ryuji walked out, hands tucked in his sleeves, followed by Aka, Gin, Kana, Kuro, Karura, and the four Jonin captains leading the escort team.
The scene instantly fell silent. The girl who had just cursed wore a timid expression.
But then, as if throwing caution to the wind, she stepped forward. "Yes, I called you a liar! You liar, why did you..."
"What are you talking about?"
Ryuji looked at the girl, bewildered.
"I..."
"Forget it, no time for nonsense." Ryuji interrupted whatever the girl was about to say, looking at the others. "Didn't I say yesterday that if we held on until today, we'd be safe? Why are you all just standing around dumbfounded? Hurry up and pack your things!"
"Huh?"
Everyone looked utterly confused.
Yashamaru glanced around. "B-but... how are we safe now?"
"The people coming to pick us up have arrived. Quickly pack all the luggage you want to take. Also, dismantle all the war machines in the courtyard and store them away. Don't leave anything for Konoha."
"This..."
Everyone looked at each other, still completely baffled.
Seeing this, Ryuji gave a light chuckle. "Look at the sky!"
As his words fell, the sky darkened. The snow stopped.
Everyone instinctively looked up. High in the sky, at an impossible-to-determine distance, floated a continent. Countless, densely packed black dots were descending from it.
...
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!!!"
Shrill alarms blared over Konoha Village.
Countless villagers panicked and fled.
The streets, the rooftops… everywhere was filled with Shinobi rushing back and forth.
The Hokage Tower.
The Third Hokage stood by the window, staring outside in shock.
"So that's it... so that's it... so that's it..."
At this moment, the mystery of why Ryuji didn't choose to flee Konoha but instead holed up in the suburban residence was finally solved.
He wasn't isolated and without support; he had external reinforcements that present-day Konoha was completely unable to withstand.
Looking at the unknown number of puppets equipped with propulsion devices flying over Konoha and wreaking havoc everywhere, the Third Hokage felt as if the sky were collapsing.
"Hokage-sama!"
Several Anbu's members entered the room, reporting intelligence.
"The enemies are all autonomous puppets. Estimated numbers around five thousand!"
"Hokage-sama, these puppets are extremely strong. Even when damaged with great difficulty, they can self-repair."
"Hokage-sama..."
Listening to one piece of bad news after another, Hiruzen felt deep regret.
'I should have killed him when he first came to Konoha!'
—Senki Ryuji, Sunagakure's Jonin, genius puppeteer.
Ever since Minato's failed mission to Roran, he had recognized the threat this man posed.
Especially after learning that a powerful Shinobi like Gin was actually his creation, this sense of crisis had grown stronger, his desire to eliminate Ryuji becoming more apparent.
But hindered by the overall situation, he had delayed taking action.
He knew that if Ryuji was allowed to develop, this day would come sooner or later. He just hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
Otherwise, even at the risk of war with three Great Shinobi Villages simultaneously, he would have killed Ryuji.
"Hokage-sama, all departments are awaiting your orders!"
A subordinate's voice brought Hiruzen back to the present.
He looked at the four Anbu watching him with expectant eyes, took a deep breath, and calmly issued commands. "Have the Sealing Squads coordinate with all Shinobi Teams. Use sealing techniques to deal with the puppets. Also, assemble all the village's top fighters. We'll put on gas masks and go after Senki Ryuji."
"Yes!"
...
'So this is your trump card, Ryuji-kun!'
Watching the chaotic scene outside the window, Orochimaru sank into thought once more.
From a young age, he had witnessed life, death, and separation, comprehending the fragility of life, desiring immortality and eternal youth.
But achieving this wish was too difficult.
Even with the support of Konoha, the Shinobi World's foremost village, realizing this goal was difficult.
Moreover, Konoha would not support experiments that defied conventional ethics and morality.
But Ryuji could.
With the level of technical prowess he had displayed, he could undoubtedly fulfill Orochimaru's wish for immortality.
As a fellow researcher, he would surely understand and support conducting those unconventional experiments.
If he pledged allegiance to him, his ideal would definitely be realized.
However,
Although Orochimaru was an anomaly as a Shinobi, he also shared common ground with ordinary people.
Namely, things he held dear.
Besides the wish for immortality, he respected and loved Hiruzen, who had taught him Ninjutsu and cared for him for nearly thirty years. He loved Jiraiya and Tsunade, who had shared life and death with him, joys and sorrows.
Even the village he personally felt indifferent toward held the grace of his birth.
Even an anomaly like him was willing to strive for it.
Pledging allegiance to Ryuji meant abandoning these cherished things.
On one side, ideal; on the other, cherished things...
Both were things humans most deeply desired. Discarding either would bring sorrow, regret, even lifelong remorse.
Orochimaru had to carefully consider.
'Should I pursue my ideal, or protect the cherished things before me?'
Watching the autonomous knight puppets glide past the window, seemingly ignoring him, Orochimaru's heart subtly leaned toward a certain direction.
Bang!
The hospital room door was roughly thrown open. A somewhat disheveled, breathless Tsunade stood there.
His thoughts were dragged back to reality.
Orochimaru looked at her calmly. "At a time like this, Sarutobi-sensei should be gathering elites to prevent Ryuji from being retrieved onto the Floating Continent. Why have you come here?"
"This place isn't safe. I'm taking you to a shelter first."
Having said that, Tsunade's breathing steadied somewhat. She entered the room, lifted Orochimaru onto her back, and jumped out the window.
"That is so very much like you."
Orochimaru murmured softly, his leaning heart pulled back.
...
In a dim room.
After receiving his subordinate's report, Danzo's face darkened. "For something that big to fly is already incredible. To also possess navigation capability..."
"Danzo-sama, what should we do now?"
Danzo's gaze shifted to the Root's member who had asked. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Has Yamanaka Keito's consciousness returned?"
"It has."
"Is that so? It seems Senki Ryuji still has some reservations. Then, this time..."
"But Keito's consciousness isn't intact. He's completely mad."
"..."
Danzo fell silent.
If Ryuji had returned Keito's consciousness intact, it would indicate he still cared about Konoha's reaction; this incident could be considered over.
If not, it would mean regardless of Konoha's response, he was unafraid, prepared to fight Konoha to the death.
But returning the consciousness, yet leaving him mad… what did that signify?
"If he cared about Konoha's reaction, he wouldn't do something guaranteed to provoke Konoha. If he didn't care, he wouldn't return the consciousness at all. What exactly is going on..." Danzo sank into contemplation.
Then, he thought of something, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
"He doesn't care about Konoha itself, but about the consequences of destroying Konoha."
If an alliance like Kumo, Kusa, and Iwa destroyed Konoha at great cost, no one would pay it much mind.
But what if Konoha was destroyed effortlessly?
Such power would undoubtedly alert and terrify the entire Shinobi World, leading to a united front against him.
...
Inside the Sunagakure's delegation residence, everyone excitedly discussed.
"Hey, hey, is that Floating Continent from our village?"
"Are there any other villages in the Shinobi World with a floating continent?"
"Seems like the Land of Sky had one!"
"The Land of Sky was destroyed during the Second Shinobi World War."
"No, I mean, it's astonishing that a floating continent appears over Konoha. Wasn't the Floating Continent supposed to be in Roran, deep within the Land of Wind?"
"I'm shocked too. For something that massive just to fly is amazing enough. To also have navigation capability..."
"Yeah, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who could have imagined this?"
"..."
Listening to the discussions, a faint smile appeared on Ryuji's face.
Who doesn't enjoy hearing praise?
Though everyone was praising the Floating Continent, not him personally… but the Floating Continent was designed and built by him, Senki Ryuji.
"Master, if we don't prepare soon, Konoha's people will arrive."
Aka reminded him quietly by his ear.
"Hmm, you're right." Ryuji snapped back to attention, nodded, and roared, "What are you all still standing around for? Hurry up, pack everything! Get ready to go home together!"
"Ohhhh!!!"
Everyone reacted, starting to dismantle the war machines.
As for luggage... that had been packed long ago.