"There were others?" Ōnoki breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they had leads, they could explain to Kumogakure.
Before they could react, a flurry of projectiles whistled through the air. Dozens of Kumogakure ninjas, radiating killing intent, descended upon the battlefield.
"Raikage-sama, we detect Raikage-sama's chakra signature here," a sensor ninja reported, his expression grave after forming hand seals. "And significant bloodstains. The Third Raikage-sama was severely injured."
Using a specialized sensing technique, they found traces of blood beneath the soil where the Raikage had been killed. The earth heaved, revealing more blood.
Ōnoki's face fell. He hadn't expected Kumogakure's reinforcements to arrive so quickly, or to possess such skilled sensors.
"Good. Whoever injured my father, hand them over. Or face Kumogakure's wrath," A said coldly, his expression grim. He'd prepared for the worst, but the reality was far worse.
"A, let me explain. We just arrived," Ōnoki said, his face pale. "We saw the Third Raikage kill himself."
Kill himself?
The Kumogakure ninjas' faces darkened. That was a terrible excuse.
"Damn it, Ōnoki! Are you Iwagakure mocking us?!" A roared, his voice laced with fury. "I'll see if you can make me believe this ridiculous story."
With a thunderous roar, A unleashed a lightning bolt at Ōnoki, who could only brace himself.
Three days later, the Konoha gates basked in the morning sun. Two guards, weary after a night shift, stood watch.
"Tozai, don't fall asleep. The Hokage has issued a high alert," the older guard, around forty, warned, shaking off his drowsiness.
"Tōyū-senpai, I understand," Tozai slapped his cheeks, trying to stay awake. "Senpai, what do you think about the Uchiha clan's sudden announcement of the Fourth Hokage election? Who will win?"
The Uchiha elders had presented the First Hokage's will, forcing the election, originally scheduled after the Third Shinobi World War, to be held earlier. The major battlefronts were temporarily quiet, and many shinobi had been recalled, including powerful members of the Konoha Eight, elite jōnin, and even the Hyūga clan from the battlefield with Iwagakure. Konoha was tense.
"I hear Jiraiya-sama and Minato-sama have the most support," Tōyū said, rubbing his nose. "The Uchiha clan is reportedly pushing that madman. Other clans—Inuzuka, Hyūga, Sarutobi—have candidates, but I don't see anyone matching those two." He was nearing retirement, so he had time to speculate.
But his eyes widened as a figure appeared beside him.
"He… he's back," Tozai whispered, his face paling. He activated his communication seal. He stood guard, wary of the seemingly spectral youth.
"Heh, a lot has happened while I was gone. Lead the way," Kai said warmly. He wasn't concerned about Konoha's changes, but since it involved him, he'd see what Danzo was up to.
"You… you're going in?" Tozai was startled. The rumors painted Kai as a ruthless monster. This calm demeanor was unexpected.
"Tozai, take him. I'll stay here," Tōyū said gravely. Guiding Kai seemed dangerous, but the Konoha gates were crucial, and Tōyū trusted Kai wouldn't attack the village before the election.
Tozai hesitated.
"Don't worry, I'm not interested in men. I just want to see what kind of drama they're cooking up," Kai patted Tozai's shoulder, tensing his muscles. He started walking towards the village. Tozai, after a nod from Tōyū, followed.
The streets were deserted. Tozai, tense and alert, led the way. He'd heard about Kai's exploits, but this was his first encounter.
"Practicing Lightning Release: Shadow Clone?" Kai pointed to a jutsu scroll peeking from Tozai's pouch. "You need to synchronize hand seals and chakra transformation. You can pre-form the lightning chakra and then perform the jutsu. Otherwise, you'll waste chakra or fail."
Tozai froze. He'd recently exchanged battle merits for the Lightning Release: Shadow Clone jutsu. But he'd been struggling to master it. Kai's words were a revelation. He hadn't expected Kai, younger than him, to pinpoint his problem so easily.
"You… you know Lightning Release: Shadow Clone?" Tozai asked, excited. Clones were essential for reconnaissance and survival on the battlefield.
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