"Father, this is bad!"
"Konoha has started to assemble its troops!"
"But from the looks of their movements, they're not planning to attack our Land of Earth at all!"
News that Konoha's grand army was marching toward the Land of Snow quickly reached the Hidden Stone Village, which had been on high alert.
Onoki hurriedly took the intelligence report from Kitsuchi and strode to the map. His eyes swept over Konoha's line of march, and he instantly locked onto the location of the Land of Snow.
"This is bad!"
"Konoha's target this time is Kumogakure!"
"Quick! Assemble the entire army and prepare to move out!"
After realizing Konoha's true objective, Onoki immediately ordered his forces to gather. Kitsuchi, standing beside him, looked puzzled and asked:
"Father, since Konoha's target isn't us, why should we send troops to aid Kumogakure?"
Onoki paused, his mind mulling over the current state of the Shinobi Alliance—it was merely a verbal agreement with no real binding power. He looked at Kitsuchi with a grave expression and said in a low voice:
"Do you think Kumogakure can hold out if we stand by and do nothing? We and Kumogakure are like grasshoppers on the same rope; we must join forces to resist Konoha's army. Once Konoha crushes Kumogakure, the strength of Iwagakure alone will be utterly insufficient to stop their offensive."
Onoki's words were a wake-up call for Kitsuchi. He came to his senses, recalling how they had previously failed to even break through Konoha's main forces. Faced with the full might of Konoha's army, they would have no room for resistance.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Kitsuchi no longer hesitated. He immediately began to assemble the troops, preparing to dispatch them to reinforce Kumogakure.
Meanwhile, within the borders of the Land of Lightning.
"Hmph! Let them come!"
"Do they really think our Kumogakure is a soft target?!"
"Assemble the entire army! We will defend the village to the death!"
Upon learning that Konoha's target was Kumogakure, the Third Raikage waved his hand, his tone brimming with confidence, showing not a hint of fear. Kumogakure's forces assembled in an instant.
Kumogakure's military strength was originally on par with Konoha's, but under Aoki's leadership, Konoha's power had advanced by leaps and bounds, and the gap between the two had already widened.
Even so, upon receiving news of Konoha's army bearing down on them, the people of Kumogakure remained unfazed. The entire army quickly gathered, ready to fight to the death under the command of the Third Raikage.
On the other side, on the road marching toward the Land of Lightning, Aoki's thoughts were entirely focused on the members of the Chat Group.
Over the past few days, he had been intermittently following the messages in the group, where everyone was sharing their respective progress.
In the chat interface:
Senju Hashirama: Hahaha, I've already taken all the minor nations! Only the four great nations are left!
Madara Uchiha: Hashirama, you're still a step behind. I've already taken control of the Land of Water!
Senju Hashirama: Damn it! Madara, how are you so fast?
In the group, Hashirama and Madara bickered as usual, and no one else could get a word in. Aoki silently watched their interaction.
As the group owner, Aoki would also occasionally update his own progress.
Aoki: On my way to the Land of Lightning!
Senju Tobirama: Preparing to attack Kumogakure? That's fast.
Tsunade: Oh my god, I haven't even finished conquering the surrounding minor nations!
Tsunade (with glasses): I'm doing okay over here. The minor nations have been subdued, but the price of hiring Akatsuki to attack the four great nations is something I really can't afford!
Minato Namikaze: Wait, how is everyone so fast? I haven't even started yet!
Uchiha Obito: No wonder the group owner is in first place. I'm impressed by this speed!
Hatake Kakashi: It seems a genius is no match for a god after all. I can't even handle the nearby minor nations. I'm still too weak!
Aoki quickly scrolled through the replies in the group, his eyes scanning each message. What concerned him most was the progress of Madara Uchiha and the First Hokage.
One had taken all the minor nations and the Land of Water, while the other, after clearing out the minor nations, was also about to make a move on the major ones. Aoki knew in his heart that he had to speed up.
With this thought, Aoki activated Heavenly Hand Power and headed straight for Kumogakure.
After he left, the Konoha army also quickened its pace, marching rapidly.
Above Kumogakure, a pitch-black spatial gate suddenly appeared. Aoki emerged from it, looking down at the village below, feeling slightly surprised—all of Kumogakure's ninja were in a state of combat readiness, and the Third Raikage was even flickering with lightning.
"Hmph! Space-Time Ninjutsu!"
"No wonder you dare to be so arrogant, Fourth Hokage!"
Seeing Aoki's sudden appearance, the Third Raikage's gaze hardened. Although he was wary of Space-Time Ninjutsu, as the strongest Raikage in history, clad in his Lightning Release Armor and wielding the Hell Stab, he felt no fear.
"You dare to come alone!"
"I'll kill you first, then lead my army to flatten Konoha!"
Before his voice had even faded, the lightning around the Third Raikage surged, and he shot straight toward Aoki in the sky.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz—
"Lightning Release: Hell Stab!"
In an instant, the Third Raikage closed the distance, his lightning-wreathed fingers aimed directly at the space between Aoki's eyebrows, looking as if they would pierce his skull in the next second.
Facing the charging Third Raikage, Aoki's eyes instantly revealed the Rinnegan and the Tenseigan. Now that both eyes' powers were fully mastered, he could perfectly control gravitational and repulsive forces. The combined power of his two eyes was far beyond what a single Eye Technique could achieve.
He gave the Third Raikage a faint glance and abruptly unleashed a powerful Repulsive Force. The Third Raikage, who had just rushed in, was struck as if by lightning and sent plummeting straight toward the ground.
BOOM!
With a tremendous roar, the Third Raikage crashed into the ground like a bomb, and countless bolts of lightning erupted in an instant.
"!"
"Lord Third Raikage!"
The people of Kumogakure below saw the scene clearly. Before the two sides had even clashed head-on, the Third Raikage had already been sent flying.
The future Fourth Raikage A, along with Killer Bee and others, immediately rushed to the side of the massive crater the Third Raikage had created, peering into it with anxious faces.
Under everyone's worried gazes, the Third Raikage, still wreathed in lightning, slowly stood up from the crater. He shook his head at their concerned looks, signaling that he was fine, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
But Dodai noticed that the hand the Third Raikage usually favored was now held behind his back. A sense of foreboding welled up in his heart. He was about to speak but met the Third Raikage's warning gaze.
Dodai instantly understood and shut his mouth, but his worried eyes remained fixed on the Third Raikage.
At this moment, the Third Raikage stared grimly at Aoki in the sky. His left hand, hidden behind his back, had been severely injured by that sudden Repulsive Force, hanging at a twisted and grotesque angle. Even he himself had not expected such an outcome.
His pride, the strongest spear and the strongest shield, had been utterly powerless against this force. Just as the Third Raikage was contemplating a counter-strategy, A roared in anger:
"How dare you! Killer Bee, get ready to move!"
"Charge!"
The Fourth Raikage instantly activated his Lightning Release Armor and, calling out to Killer Bee, was about to charge forward, but Killer Bee suddenly froze in place.
The Eight-Tails' anxious warning echoed in his mind:
"Killer Bee! Don't fight this guy!"
"His eyes! Those are the eyes of the Six Paths Sage!"
Hearing the Eight-Tails' words, Killer Bee hastily grabbed the Fourth Raikage, who was about to charge out. At the same time, the Third Raikage also shouted to stop everyone.
"Don't come any closer!"
"This guy's abilities are bizarre!"
Hearing this, the Fourth Raikage reluctantly abandoned his charge, and everyone looked down at the motionless village of Kumogakure below.
Aoki slowly raised his hand. Ever since obtaining his new power, he had wanted to try developing new ninjutsu. Those jutsu that had left a deep impression on him were the primary focus of his research after awakening the Rinnegan.
And now, possessing both the Rinnegan and the Tenseigan, he could precisely control Yin Release Chakra. It was the perfect time to test this new ninjutsu.
His palm opened, and Yin Release Chakra began to gather. A pitch-black Spiraling Sphere gradually formed in his hand. As more Chakra was poured into it, the Spiraling Sphere's color grew deeper, like thick ink, and it was surrounded by a halo of light.
Aoki looked down at the Spiraling Sphere in his hand, then his gaze shifted to the Third Raikage and the others below.
"This is a souvenir for Kumogakure!"