As the massive mushroom cloud over Akagi Mountain continued its slow, steady ascent, the Konoha shinobi stood frozen, their necks craned like a flock of startled chickens.
Gradually, some regained their senses, while others began to mutter the names of various gods under their breath.
"Praise Amaterasu..."
"Susanoo-no-Mikoto, is this your messenger descending upon the world?"
"May the Rabbit Goddess, Kaguya, protect us."
"..."
Slowly, a consensus began to form around the name of a foreign deity.
"Daikokuten."
"The Daikokuten Bug."
"Yes, that's it. The Daikokuten Bug!"
The fervor of the ninja soon transformed into a rhythmic, thunderous chant: "Daikokuten! Daikokuten-chu!"
Nani? Tetsumaru stared blankly. This is clearly my Mushroom Bug. What the hell is a 'Daikokuten Bug'?
"Daikokuten-chu!"
"Daikokuten-chu!"
Tetsumaru, as per usual, folded immediately. Fine, it's just a name. It's not important. You guys have the numbers, so I guess you win.
Two hours later, the "mushroom" had finally dispersed with the wind, leaving behind a battlefield that looked like a desolate wasteland.
The entire upper half of Akagi Mountain had been scorched black. Thick, acrid smoke continued to pour from the dense network of tunnel entrances; in some places, jets of flame were still erupting. Columns of black, white, and gray smoke swirled around the shattered summit.
Orochimaru stared at the flaming vents. It was blindingly obvious that there would be no survivors. A single insect had wiped out over four thousand ninja. Even with the defensive advantage of the terrain, such a feat was utterly staggering. It truly did deserve the title of the "Daikokuten Bug"—the Bug of the Great Black Heavens.
Unlike the rank-and-file ninja, Orochimaru—who had been groomed as a potential Hokage—realized that Tetsumaru's decision to reveal this insect was far from simple.
From this day forward, Konoha's perception of Aburame Tetsumaru would undergo a radical shift. He was no longer just a man who could control swarms or fight armies; he possessed the power to destroy entire villages. His status would inevitably be placed in the same category as a Tailed Beast.
Even the Hokage would have to treat him with distance and respect, wary of causing offense. Offensively, he could interfere in Konoha's internal affairs to protect his clan's interests; defensively, he could hold his own territory and live a life of absolute freedom.
"Orochimaru-sama, please declare Akagi Mountain a forbidden zone," Tetsumaru said, approaching his commander with a serious expression. "After my Mushroom Bug is planted, it leaves behind a massive amount of 'toxic residue.' No one can get near it for a long time."
"So, the Daikokuten Bug is truly that terrifying? How long will the toxicity last?"
"..."
We're really sticking with that name, aren't we?
"On the surface, two or three months. Inside the tunnels... I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps a year or two."
Orochimaru smiled thinly. "Heh, I see. I will issue the prohibition order. It's just as well; we'll let Iwagakure deal with that headache. It has nothing to do with me anymore."
Under Orochimaru's command, the Konoha army finally resumed their march toward the northwest. They bypassed the smoldering ruins of Akagi Mountain, pressing ever closer to the Hidden Rock Village.
That night, an untold number of messenger hawks, summoning beasts, and carrier birds took flight from the Konoha camp. Some flew back toward the village, some east toward the Land of Lightning, others northwest to Iwa, and southwest to Suna.
Beyond those with clear destinations, even more messenger animals of unknown origin took flight.
Following Orochimaru's orders, the ANBU exerted every effort to intercept them. They captured dozens of embedded spies—not just from the other four Great Villages, but from the Land of Fire's Daimyo, the Fire Temple, the Bounty Stations, and various mercenary groups.
"A grand army of ten thousand from Konoha, and we managed to have over a hundred spies mixed in. How embarrassing," Orochimaru chided the ANBU squad leader without mercy. "Your work is clearly insufficient. You must be more diligent."
"My deepest apologies, Lord Orochimaru. We have failed you," the masked commander replied, bowing repeatedly in shame.
However, the clever ANBU captain made no promises about totally eliminating spies in the future. He wasn't about to promise the impossible, lest it be used against him as a crime later.
Fortunately, a ninja arrived with a report. Taking the chance, the captain, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, bowed one last time and beat a hasty retreat.
Watching the back of his teacher's eldest son, Orochimaru felt a wave of profound dissatisfaction. How did Sensei raise his children? He's produced a son who thinks of nothing but power struggles.
The position of Hokage was never meant to be the hereditary property of a single clan. The First Hokage had been an idealistic and pure leader, but the Second had been an idealistic yet ruthless pragmatist.
Tobirama Senju had created a system of checks and balances where various departments supported and countered one another, elevating the position of Hokage to a heights that required immense skill and prestige. Only someone who survived layers of screening and trials—possessing the perfect blend of strength, luck, and reputation—could sit firmly on that throne.
A single clan simply couldn't produce such a leader generation after generation.
Pushing his teacher's family drama aside, Orochimaru focused on the reports. His current concern was the Hidden Rock: the Tsuchikage Onoki, and the Jinchuriki of the Four and Five-Tails.
The following day, a report arrived from the rear. Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane, had left the village with over a thousand reinforcements. They were expected to rendezvous with Orochimaru's legion in four days. It was clear: the "Mushroom" of Akagi Mountain had shaken the village to its core.
Despite expecting this outcome, Orochimaru was still slightly stunned. Good grief... the Third Hokage has actually left the village.
Once the Hokage arrived, command of the army would naturally shift. Orochimaru decided to change the legion's objective from the Rock Village to the Tannoura Valley.
He would have the entire army wait in this famous Land of Earth battlefield for the Hokage's arrival—and for Onoki's counterattack. This would be the place where the war was decided.
After all, the Third Hokage's goal wasn't to wipe Iwa off the map, but to force them into submission and end the war. A decisive battle at Tannoura would achieve exactly that.
Orochimaru had no objections. He was an executive, not the Hokage. The Hokage saw more intel and weighed more interests than he did; Orochimaru wasn't in a position to question those judgments.
Even if, in his own mind, he felt that when you have the chance to eliminate an enemy, you should strike with a lethal blow to ensure they never rise again.
The Hokage's party moved faster than the official notice suggested. After two days of non-stop travel, they arrived at Akagi Mountain on the third day. By then, the fires inside the tunnels had mostly died down, and the smoke had cleared. The gruesome sight of the mountain—shattered by the "Mushroom"—was laid bare. Hiruzen and his retinue were left in collective awe.
To put it simply: Akagi Mountain was shorter, crooked, and charred. The summit looked like a scoop of ice cream that had melted and then refrozen. It was a repulsive, unsettling sight.
The sheer, inhuman power on display was breathtaking. Amidst the crowd, Danzo's face was darker than the scorched rock. He was filled with regret. Had he known this would happen, he wouldn't have dismissed Tetsumaru for being too "loud" for Root's style. When Hiruzen had chased him away from the boy back then, he should have fought harder to keep him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Akagi Mountain in silence for a full hour. Finally, a smile touched his lips. He led the group onward, reaching the Konoha camp at Tannoura a day later.
After a warm exchange with his disciples—which involved a stern lecturing of Jiraiya and a heap of praise for Orochimaru—the Hokage smoothly took command of the legion.
His first act was to have the ANBU lead him through the camp to visit the soldiers. He boosted morale by declaring: "This valley will be the final battlefield against the Rock. After we win, we are all going home!"
The Hokage's presence and his words ignited a fire in the ninja. They were itching to charge out, crush some Rock ninja skulls, and head home with glory.
Through his Domain Field Barrier, Tetsumaru watched the Hokage's footsteps heading straight for him without a single deviation. He knew exactly what was coming.
Smiling, Tetsumaru met with the Hokage. He cheered like any ordinary ninja, even vying for a handshake.
Well, it was a little different. Standing at two meters and ten centimeters, Tetsumaru could reach over three rows of people to thrust his hand in front of the Hokage, giving the old man quite a start.
Once Hiruzen realized who it was, his face broke into a broad, grandfatherly beam. He spoke to Tetsumaru with great kindness.
"Ah, Tetsumaru! We owe the victory at Akagi Mountain to you. Thanks to your 'Daikokuten Bug,' we took it in one stroke. You have done a great service for Konoha."
"You flatter me, Lord Hokage. I merely did my duty."
"The fact that Konoha has such excellent shinobi makes me truly proud. The Will of Fire has a worthy successor."
"I still have much to learn from you, Lord Hokage. You are the true embodiment of the Will of Fire."
"Good, good. Keep up the hard work."
"I will not disappoint your expectations."
The Hokage moved on, greeting other ninja and calling almost every high-achiever by name—even the Uchiha were not excluded.
This significantly softened the Uchiha's perception of the Hokage. The Hokage is actually so kind and approachable. He doesn't look down on us at all.
Our relationship with him used to be so strained... there must be another reason.
A group of red-eyed Uchiha shifted their gaze and spotted Danzo Shimura trailing behind the Hokage. This was the man whose relationship with the Uchiha was truly abysmal.
The Uchiha slapped their palms together. Of course! It must be Danzo causing all the trouble. Hmph!
After seeing the Hokage off, Tetsumaru returned his full focus to his Secret Technique: Domain Field Barrier. Through the eyes of his insects, distinct targets were appearing one after another.
The mushroom at Akagi Mountain had drawn everyone out. The Third Hokage was here, and on the opposite side, in the Iwa camp, the Third Tsuchikage had arrived. Only the Tsuchikage himself could make a rock a hundred meters in diameter fly through the air carrying hundreds of elite ninja.
Besides the Hokage and Tsuchikage, the mountains on either side were being secretly occupied by the Third Raikage and the Third Kazekage, each accompanied by a few Jonin. Tetsumaru had dealt with these two enough times to recognize their chakra signatures instantly.
Now, only the Third Mizukage was missing. If he showed up, they could just hold a Five Kage Summit right here tomorrow after the battle and sign the peace treaties.
Unfortunately, the Mizukage wouldn't be coming; their internal civil war was far more pressing.
Aside from the Tsuchikage, a chakra signature had appeared in the Iwa camp that made all of Tetsumaru's Kidaichu and Kikaichu tremble with primal fear. That meant a Jinchuriki had arrived.
Regrettably, Tetsumaru didn't have a natural talent for chakra sensing, so he couldn't tell if it was Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, or Han.
Dawn broke. After a hearty meal, the Konoha ninja marched out of camp and drew up their lines.
Hiruzen Sarutobi wore his traditional battle armor and helmet, with his Hokage haori draped over the top. He walked steadily to the front of the formation and his hands blurred into seals.
Summoning Jutsu!
After a burst of white smoke, a large gorilla wearing clothes and wooden sandals appeared.
Hiruzen said warmly, "Old friend, let us fight side-by-side today."
The gorilla replied with even more enthusiasm, "It's been too long! Let's have a real blast today!"
With a puff of smoke, he transformed into the Adamantine Staff, landing firmly in the Hokage's grip.
Hiruzen spun the massive staff a few times before slamming it into the ground and leaping onto the top. He surveyed the Rock's formation, then turned back to his own troops and bellowed:
"All ninja skilled in the Summoning Jutsu, bring forth your beasts! Let the Rock witness our power!"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Jiraiya slammed his palms onto the ground.
Summoning Jutsu! Gamabunta appeared amidst a cloud of smoke that filled the sky. He raised a hand to shade his eyes and looked at the Iwa lines. "Whoa, whoa. This is a big one."
Next came Manda, hissing and demanding sacrifices from Orochimaru.
Then Baku appeared, swinging its long trunk and letting out an ear-splitting roar.
Finally, the Wind Giant Insect made its entrance. It was the tallest of all the summoning beasts, and the earth trembled with every step it took.
"The Mountain Giant! The Mountain Giant Insect is out!" a group of bug-obsessed Aburame ninja cheered at the top of their lungs.
Again? Do I even have naming rights for my own pets anymore?!
Tetsumaru turned around and yelled at his clansmen, "That is my Wind Giant Insect! Not a 'Mountain Giant'!"
The Aburame ninja gave him a flat look and went right back to chanting the name they liked. I like your bug; what does that have to do with you?
"Mountain Giant Insect!"
"Mountain Giant Insect!"
Clearly, the more majestic name was a hit with the Konoha troops. They immediately discarded "Wind Giant Insect" in favor of "Mountain Giant Insect." Grandeur was the only metric that mattered.
Fine. Whatever.
Tsuchikage Onoki looked at the massive figures rising on the opposite side, and his mood soured instantly. His hands flew into seals.
Earth Style: Ultra-Light Weighted Rock Jutsu.
The rock Onoki was standing on began to float. A massive boulder, a hundred meters in diameter, rose into the sky, appearing even more imposing from above.
"Iwa ninja! Do not let them outshine us!" Onoki roared. "Raise the Earth Mountains!!"
With a series of thunderous rumbles, pillars of earth rose from the ground. Standing atop these artificial mountains, the Rock ninja looked down on the summoning beasts, feeling that they weren't so intimidating after all. Their morale soared.
Finally, Onoki gave a quiet order to the ninja beside him. "Old friend, you should begin as well."
"Mm." The Jonin, Kuro-wan, removed his forehead protector and handed it to the Tsuchikage. "Give this to my family as a memento. In the coming battle, even iron might not survive."
With that, Kuro-wan marched to the edge of the floating rock. He paused, taking one last look toward the Hidden Rock Village and Onoki.
"Farewell, Onoki. Farewell, Iwagakure."
Without looking back, he stepped off into the open air, plummeting toward the ground.
Suddenly, a surge of chakra so violent and insane erupted that even non-sensors could feel it. The sheer malice and evil of that energy were enough to make one's skin crawl.
In an explosion of power, a strange creature—a bizarre hybrid of a dolphin and a white horse—appeared on the battlefield.
Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, had entered the fray...