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Chapter 158 - NT 158: The Fear of Iwa Ninjas

The Konoha encampment buzzed with jubilation.

They had secured a resounding victory, and for now, aside from the sentries on guard, the Konoha ninjas were permitted to celebrate.

But come tomorrow, they would need to regain their focus and plunge back into the war.

Night fell.

Tengen strolled through the Konoha encampment, gazing at the stars above, his thoughts drifting to his former world.

Perhaps that world was one of these countless stars, Earth, as it was called.

Yet in this world, Tengen didn't feel out of place. From the moment he accepted its reality, he had integrated fully.

Here, there was joy, sorrow, laughter, and grief.

With all the facets of life, how could Tengen not belong?

But even as his strength grew, a persistent thought lingered in his heart, never abandoned.

"Perhaps, when my power reaches a certain level, I'll be able to achieve it." Tengen murmured, a strange glint in his eyes.

"Tengen, what are you thinking about?" Uzumaki Kushina asked, approaching him.

"Nothing much." Tengen said with a shrug.

"You're definitely thinking about something." Kushina said, eyeing him. "I never imagined you'd have the Mangekyō Sharingan and now Wood Release too. Could it be your ancestors had Senju blood?"

"Who knows?" Tengen chuckled. "As for Wood Release, I only awakened it recently."

That much was true. His Wood Release had indeed been triggered recently, unlocked through some mysterious means.

"Awakening it so recently and already so powerful? You really are a monster." Kushina said, glancing at him. "But I've got you beat in one way, I still have some family left."

"Family, huh?" Tengen smiled. "Alright, Kushina, no need to cheer me up."

"Who's cheering you up?" Kushina shot him a playful glare. After a few steps, she turned back. "Hey, Tengen, if something's on your mind, you can tell me. I'm a good listener, you know."

"Thanks, Kushina." Tengen said with a gentle smile, shaking his head.

"Get some sleep soon." He called, waving.

"Got it." Kushina replied from a distance.

"The ninja world, huh? One day, I'll uncover all its secrets." Tengen said, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The Iwagakure encampment was steeped in an eerie silence.

The heavy losses they had suffered were only part of it. The sting of their crushing defeat at Konoha's hands weighed heavily.

This failure would take time to recover from.

More critically, word from the escaped Iwa ninjas brought chilling news.

The powerful Wood Release technique had been unleashed by the very ninja they feared: Tengen.

At first, they refused to believe it. But the accounts of the survivors confirmed the truth.

How could it be? Tengen not only wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan but now possessed the First Hokage's Wood Release.

Both powers had reached a pinnacle, with Wood Release on such a vast scale that it rivaled the First Hokage's.

Fear gripped the Iwa ninjas' hearts. Tengen had shattered their courage.

If they faced him again, their strength would likely falter.

It all came down to Tengen.

Had it been any other ninja wielding Wood Release, they might have coped better.

But it was Tengen, the one who struck terror into their hearts.

"Can we defeat Konoha? Can we defeat Tengen?" This question haunted most of the Iwa ninjas.

Inside a tent, two figures sat: Ōnoki and his son, Loess.

"Father, Rao and Han haven't returned." Loess said quietly.

"They were likely defeated by Tengen." Ōnoki said, his voice hoarse. Tengen's name weighed like a boulder on his heart.

"So they're in Konoha's hands now." Loess said, his face paling.

"Yes." Ōnoki confirmed grimly.

"How could this happen?" Loess said. "Is Tengen really that terrifying, to wield Wood Release as well?"

"We didn't underestimate Konoha. We underestimated Tengen." Ōnoki said slowly. "I don't even know if Wood Release is the extent of his power."

"Could he have even more abilities?" Loess said, incredulous. "He's only nine years old."

"Indeed, only nine." Ōnoki nodded.

"Could he truly be a god reincarnated?" Loess couldn't help but wonder.

"Loess, leave me for now." Ōnoki said, waving a hand. "I need to think."

"Yes, Father." Loess said, exiting the tent. Silence returned, broken only by Ōnoki's faint breathing.

"Tengen, Tengen… why must it always be you?" Ōnoki's eyes flickered with fear and icy resolve, a storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

In Konoha, night had fallen, but Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the Hokage's office.

He had received good news, news of their triumph in the war against Iwa.

"Killing nearly a thousand Iwa ninjas, a true victory." Hiruzen said, a smile spreading across his face. "Tengen, you've exceeded my expectations, and you've done so flawlessly."

"What's more surprising is that you possess the Wood Release kekkei genkai." Hiruzen said, taking a deep breath. "Something neither of those two clans achieved, you, an outsider, have accomplished."

"The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan and Wood Release." Hiruzen said, his smile widening. It was his happiest moment since the war began.

"But…" Hiruzen's thoughts turned to the Kumo-nin's offensive.

"What will happen on that battlefield?"

Knock, knock.

"Hokage-sama." A voice called from outside the door.

***

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