As usual, Tsuchikumo assisted the Raikage in handling the village's affairs. Whether it was the Third Raikage or the Fourth Raikage, their personalities were strikingly similar, and neither was particularly adept at managing political matters. This was where Tsuchikumo's expertise in internal affairs came into play.
Although it was somewhat troublesome to transport administrative documents from the village to the front lines for processing, the existence of the "Heavenly Transmission Technique" allowed them to circumvent this inconvenience.
Tsuchikumo looked at the pile of documents covering his desk and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. At this moment, he truly felt the need to cultivate a successor. He was nearly sixty years old, and despite maintaining good health, he was, in fact, a contemporary of the Third Raikage. If the Raikage continued to struggle with these matters, it would be necessary to train someone specifically for internal affairs to secure the future of Kumogakure.
This person couldn't be too powerful, as that would pose a risk of usurping power. As Tsuchikumo gazed out of the tent's window at the snowstorm outside, his expression grew distant. The image of a girl appeared in his mind—Mabui. She was gentle yet resolute, loyal to the Raikage, meticulous in her work, and always mindful of the bigger picture. She was the perfect candidate.
However, at that moment, a figure who caused Tsuchikumo to slightly furrow his brows entered his tent. The reason was simple: the person before him exuded an aura of darkness, as if he were a twisted madman who might deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
"You've finally come," Tsuchikumo said calmly, looking at the man before him.
"Heh, I never expected that even on the front lines, our esteemed Raikage's advisor would still be buried in such paperwork. Truly, you must be exhausted," the man with long, flowing black hair and a thick purple rope tied around his waist remarked with a slight smirk, immediately understanding what Tsuchikumo had been doing.
Tsuchikumo paid no attention to the sarcasm in the man's words. The two of them were fundamentally different. Orochimaru had come to Kumogakure to evade Konoha's pursuit, using the village as a shield against Konoha's retaliation. Meanwhile, Tsuchikumo needed Orochimaru's combat prowess and intelligence to tie down Konoha's elite forces. Their cooperation was purely based on mutual benefit.
"You probably didn't expect Konoha's counterattack to be so fierce, did you?" Tsuchikumo's words naturally referred to Orochimaru's joint operation with Sunagakure to assassinate the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, which not only ended in failure but also resulted in the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, losing an arm to Kakashi. As for Orochimaru's so-called Otogakure, it was now nothing more than a name.
"Heh, the old man's actions were indeed unexpected," Orochimaru replied, his golden vertical pupils glancing at Tsuchikumo. For Orochimaru, Hiruzen's response had been surprising—he hadn't expected the Hokage to react so strongly. It almost reminded Orochimaru of the Hokage's former glory as the "Professor."
"Enough talk. According to the plan, at noon tomorrow, we will march south and strike Konoha. I hope you will be there as agreed," Tsuchikumo said bluntly, clearly unwilling to engage in further conversation with Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru personally joined the battle, along with the Raikage and Killer B (奇拉比), they would have three elite fighters. How could Konoha possibly resist? Tsuchikumo couldn't see any way they could lose. Moreover, they had already coordinated with Sunagakure to attack simultaneously. With a two-pronged assault, Konoha would be unable to defend both fronts.
"Heh, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Orochimaru said, signaling his agreement. Then, under Tsuchikumo's silent gaze, he left the tent. Orochimaru's golden snake-like eyes scanned the heavily patrolled Kumogakure camp, a sneer playing on his lips. Among the Cloud ninja, only Tsuchikumo could be considered a noteworthy figure. The rest were nothing more than cannon fodder. Even the famous Fourth Raikage was nothing but a reckless fool. But even Tsuchikumo, the Raikage's trusted advisor, couldn't escape the shackles of being a ninja.
Not long after Orochimaru left, Tsuchikumo failed to notice a shadowy figure silently appearing behind him.
"Hello~~~" A playful yet eerie voice rang out behind Tsuchikumo.
"Who's there?!" Tsuchikumo's expression changed drastically as he immediately turned around!
However, when he saw the person before him, his face turned pale. The thought of killing this individual, which had been lingering in his mind, now surged to its peak.
Thud...
Blood gushed out as a black arm pierced through Tsuchikumo's chest from behind!
"You!" Tsuchikumo's face turned ashen, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes were filled with disbelief. Although he wasn't as strong as the Raikage, he was still an elite jonin. The fact that the enemy had managed to pierce his body from behind in a single move, even after he had heightened his alertness to the maximum, was shocking. This guy... had been hiding his true strength all along!
Indeed, the war had escalated so rapidly within just three months, and now it seemed that this person had been pulling the strings behind the scenes. With Tsuchikumo's death, Kumogakure would...
War... chaos... all of this was part of a larger scheme.
Tsuchikumo's eyes widened in desperation. His will to survive surged, surprising even Black Zetsu.
"I can't die yet..." Tsuchikumo staggered toward the tent's entrance, blood and fragments of internal organs trailing behind him. Even as he collapsed to the ground, he continued to crawl forward. He wanted to call for help, but the blow from behind had destroyed his lungs. He could feel his breathing becoming labored, like a broken bellows.
"How interesting," Zetsu said as he stepped forward, pressing his foot firmly against Tsuchikumo's back. No matter how much Tsuchikumo struggled, it was futile.
"People should be more cautious. The clever ones never live long," Zetsu sneered. Tsuchikumo's body, along with the blood and organ fragments on the ground, slowly sank into the earth.
The black-and-white figure of Zetsu began to shift and change, eventually taking on Tsuchikumo's appearance. Just moments ago, Zetsu had absorbed Tsuchikumo's chakra, allowing him to use his unique transformation technique to perfectly mimic Tsuchikumo's form. This transformation was so flawless that even the Byakugan wouldn't be able to detect it.
Now, Zetsu had become the new "Raikage's Advisor." The internal affairs of Kumogakure and the command of the front-line troops had fallen into his hands. With over a thousand years of experience, Zetsu's ability to imitate someone was second to none.
"Tsuchikumo" calmly watched as the body on the ground disappeared completely. He then stepped out of the tent and addressed the Kumogakure ninja standing guard outside.
"Tsuchikumo-sama," the guard said respectfully.
"You, go clean up the tent and air it out," "Tsuchikumo" ordered without a change in expression.
"Yes, sir."
As the guard entered the tent, "Tsuchikumo" allowed a faint smile to creep onto his face before walking away. Now, he needed to find the Raikage and immediately launch a full-scale attack on Konoha.
Fight, fight. Let the battle grow more intense, let more people die. It would be best if Orochimaru, Jiraiya , the Raikage, and even Sakura all perished. And those on the battlefield in the Land of Rivers—Chiyo, Homura Mitokado, Shikaku Nara —let them all die as well! Only when these powerful individuals were wiped out would the Akatsuki's goals be achieved. With the major forces' elites significantly weakened, the Akatsuki's plan to collect the tailed beasts would proceed smoothly.
--
Jiraiya's long white hair whipped around in the cold wind. Although he had anticipated a decisive battle, he hadn't expected it to come so suddenly and without warning. It had caught him off guard. Moreover, Kumogakure hadn't employed any tactics—they had simply marched their forces out to confront Konoha head-on.
Jiraiya's black-and-white eyes flickered with confusion. The enemy's actions were too strange compared to their previous behavior. Even with the Raikage's brash personality, Jiraiya found it hard to believe that he would act so recklessly. However, since the enemy was already at their doorstep, Jiraiya had no choice but to respond. A sudden, direct confrontation might actually work in his favor. Based on Sakura's earlier words, a swift resolution was the best option. Quickly defeating Kumogakure would allow them to turn their attention to Sunagakure, bringing the war to an end.
As for Kiri, if they dared to make a move after that, they would be out of their minds.
But the current situation with Kumogakure forced Jiraiya to prepare for the worst. Tsunade was leading troops to defend the border. If they called for her support now, it would be too late. Even if Tsunade came alone, there wouldn't be enough time. Moreover, Kumogakure's bold move suggested that the "A-B Combo"had reunited.
The Eight-Tails...
Jiraiya slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, his gaze filled with determination.
So what if it was the Eight-Tails?
Today, Jiraiya would slay the Eight-Tails!
On the endless snowy plains, the forces of Konoha and Kumogakure faced each other. Together, their numbers didn't even reach twenty thousand. Yet, these fewer than twenty thousand ninjas could easily crush an army of a million ordinary soldiers. This was the power of ninjas—especially when organized into large, coordinated units.
The cold wind howled, and snow fell heavily. Neither the Konoha nor Kumogakure ninjas showed any sign of discomfort in the freezing weather. Their faces were filled with unwavering resolve. They were machines of war, born to kill.
Sakura stood beside Jiraiya, calmly observing the scene before her without a hint of emotion.
"Sakura, look at all of this," Jiraiya said, his arms crossed, his voice steady. "When you stand at a high enough position, even a single decision can affect the fate of tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people. Perhaps even more... If you want to stand at the top, you must bear the responsibility for everyone."
Jiraiya's words didn't faze Sakura. Her expression remained unchanged. Her emerald-green eyes glanced back at the figures standing not far away—Karui, Ino, Sasuke, Shino... and at the end of the line, Kiba, who was looking at her.
The young girl's lips parted slightly as she spoke softly, revealing her thoughts:
"This world has been in chaos for too long."
"Jiraiya, this world needs someone to unite it into a single nation."
"Even if that nation only lasts for a few years, a decade, or a few decades."
"But once the precedent is set, future generations will continue to strive for the unification of this world."
Jiraiya frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Sakura's words. He believed that everyone should live their own lives, not be forcibly united under a single nation.
"Sakura, this world needs peace..." Jiraiya began, but Sakura interrupted him.
"The value of peace is revealed through war."
"Just as a healthy person cannot understand the suffering of the seriously ill."
"A compassionate god needs a wicked demon to contrast against."
"Good requires evil."
"There is no such thing as eternal peace. If there were, those living in peace would not understand its value."
"They would take everything for granted."
"And eventually grow numb."
"Then, at some point, that peaceful world would be ignited by the flames of war."
Sakura's words left Jiraiya speechless. But with the decisive battle imminent, he had no time to argue with her. He decided to have a proper discussion with her after the battle.
"Jiraiya!" The Raikage's booming voice, amplified by chakra, cut through the snow and wind.
"Konoha has used its resource advantages to restrict exports to other nations, causing suffering and starvation across the ninja world!"
"Now, Kumogakure raises the banner of justice, determined to crush Konoha and distribute its resources to the world!"
"If you have any conscience, surrender now, and I will spare you!"
The Raikage's words surprised Sakura. This brute was speaking so eloquently—had someone coached him?
"Hahahaha!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, his voice filled with mockery.
"Raikage!"
"Kumogakure has repeatedly provoked Konoha, and out of compassion, we have chosen not to retaliate!"
"But you must understand that there are limits!"
"Once, twice, but not a third time!"
"The resources of the Land of Fire belong to the Land of Fire!"
"Since when do you have the right to dictate how we use them?"
"I can do whatever I want with my possessions!"
"If I want to throw them to the dogs, and you want them, go fight the dogs for them!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Jiraiya's taunting words caused the Konoha ninjas to stifle their laughter. His response effectively dismantled the Raikage's attempt to justify his actions under the guise of justice. This wasn't the first time Kumogakure had done this—they had done the same in all three Great Ninja Wars. There was no need for proof.
Just like the Raikage's reckless personality, Kumogakure ninjas were known for their impulsiveness. If they lacked something, they simply took it by force. But to think that Kumogakure ninjas were only reckless was a fatal mistake.
"Jiraiya, times have changed!"
"The resource restrictions have caused widespread outrage!"
"If you execute Sakura, the mastermind behind this, right now, I will immediately withdraw my troops!"
The Raikage's words caused a stir, and almost everyone's eyes turned to Sakura. Was the Raikage suggesting that this war, which had engulfed the entire ninja world, had been instigated by a girl barely twelve or thirteen years old? At such a young age, she had such sinister intentions?
The Witch of Konoha?
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