Muren Uchiha glared viciously at Kazuyama. He never imagined that bastard could find so many excuses to shield himself.
But thinking about it, if Kazuyama were easy to handle, Muren wouldn't have fallen to this state.
"Hmph, you all just believe whatever he says."
"When Takigakure waged war on Amegakure back then—who do you think pushed that from the shadows?"
"And Hanzō of the Salamander—who do you think killed him?"
"He died by that bastard's hand. Kazuyama is the type who never lets go of a grudge. Once you've offended him, you'll never have peace!"
"Raikage, if I'm not wrong, during the Third Shinobi World War, your Kumogakure suffered the worst, didn't you? You even ended up buried in massive debt. Aren't you curious who was behind all that?"
"Don't forget his nickname in the Ninja World—Kazuyama, the Ghost! A ghost who doesn't act human!"
"There's nothing he wouldn't dare to do! Your missing Turtle Island, your massive debts—who knows, maybe it was all his doing!"
Muren Uchiha was truly going out swinging before his death—dragging Kumogakure's dirty laundry into the open.
Losing resources, being in debt… Look at the Fourth Raikage's face—it was pitch black now.
"You damn Uchiha!"
"How do you even know these things?!"
"I'll kill you!"
Lightning crackled over the Raikage as he nearly dashed forward. If Rasa and Ōnoki hadn't held him back, he would've charged already.
But Muren only let out a cold laugh, completely unfazed, and continued:
"And the insect plague and snake infestation that broke out in the Land of Earth back then—"
"Kazuyama was the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki. You all know what the Seven-Tails is, don't you?"
"And he's also Orochimaru's disciple. Snakes? Hmph—you all know he's seen them often enough."
"So maybe the Land of Earth's disasters were his doing as well!"
That did it.
Ōnoki—who had just been restraining the Raikage—lost his composure. He released him and turned sharply toward Kazuyama.
Right—why hadn't he thought of it earlier?
The disasters in the Land of Earth might really have been caused by this bastard.
Back when the snake infestation occurred, he had suspected Orochimaru, since he was the only one who worked with snakes. Later, Kazuyama also appeared.
But the insect plague had overshadowed that suspicion, so he dropped it for the time being.
Now that he knew Kazuyama was the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki, he suddenly felt Muren's words made sense.
As for Muren… He didn't actually know whether Kazuyama caused any of that. Even if he didn't, Muren didn't care anymore. If the incidents were unclaimed, then Kazuyama could shoulder all of them.
Kazuyama: Tsk tsk… yeah, those actually WERE me.
"Hey hey hey, gotta say—you bastards really did your homework on me."
"But it figures. With someone sneaky like Black Zetsu around, investigating wasn't hard."
"Raikage, Ōnoki—don't look at me like that."
"And even if I did do it, so what?"
"It was wartime. I belonged to Konoha. You all could attack us, but we weren't allowed to strike back?"
"So let's drop the ancient history."
Kazuyama didn't care in the slightest. Even if he admitted everything—what could they do?
How many years had passed since the Third Shinobi World War? They wouldn't cling to it forever.
"Hmph, Muren Uchiha, enough."
"Kazuyama may be annoying, but he's right. Those events are long over."
"If we start tallying old accounts, wasn't Sunagakure harmed enough?"
"That bastard even stole our Assault Squad Captain before becoming a ghost—she's his wife now."
"There's no point dragging up the past."
"Kazuyama, what are you waiting for? Deal with him already."
"This battle has dragged on long enough."
Just speaking about Kazuyama's past deeds filled Rasa with frustration.
Kazuyama had done plenty to Sunagakure—abducting Pakura, ambushing Rasa, sabotaging their offensives multiple times.
But all that was long past. No need to reopen old wounds.
With Rasa's words, both the Raikage and Ōnoki sighed helplessly. What could they say?
War back then was cruel. Even if Kazuyama did those things, they couldn't change it now. He was simply doing his duty for his side.
"The Kazekage is right."
"Even if those things happened during the war, there's nothing more to say."
"If anything, we can only say Kazuyama has no bottom line at all. Shameless and brazen—capable of anything others wouldn't dare."
"But the past is the past. Kumogakure accepts it."
"However—Kazuyama, I won't argue about anything else. But Yugito—she comes back to Kumo with me!"
The Raikage couldn't stand Kazuyama for a second longer—but he had no alternatives. He couldn't beat him, nor outmaneuver him. It was frustrating beyond words.
And his demand immediately reminded Ōnoki:
"That's right! I agree with this brat. You have to return Rōshi and the Five-Tails to us as well!"
Kazuyama widened his eyes at the combination of brute and old man, then exploded:
"Are you kidding me?! You two really teamed up?!"
"The battle isn't even over and you're already scheming?!"
"Ōnoki—fine, your teacher was the Second Tsuchikage, Mū. He schemed every day, and in the end he schemed himself into death together with the Second Mizukage."
"But you—Raikage? Why are YOU joining in?!"
"The war is practically over! The tailed beasts and Jinchūriki were victims! And you still want to interfere? Dream on!"
"When it's over, they'll go wherever THEY want!"
Kazuyama's voice boomed across the battlefield, stunning both Raikage and Ōnoki into silence.
Before they could react, Kazuyama stood, raised both hands—
And instantly engulfed Muren Uchiha in crystal.
"Muren Uchiha, you've said enough. I get it. You just want to make my life miserable."
"Too bad—it didn't work. Come on, go meet Madara Uchiha."
"I still can't figure out why he chose you. What a disappointment."
Before anyone could respond, Kazuyama clenched his fists.
Muren Uchiha turned into a crystal statue—
—and shattered.
His remains dispersed into fine dust, carried away by the wind.
With that, the opposing force was completely annihilated.