Kusuo held his sword and prepared to head north. Tsunade rushed to block him. "Stinking brat, what do you think you're doing?"
"Going to annihilate the Hidden Stone Village."
Kusuo didn't shy away from it at all, openly telling Tsunade his thoughts. In fact, his idea was very simple, very direct. Since he was being bothered so incessantly, it was better to just flatten the source directly, to wipe out the Hidden Stone Village just like the Sand Village. That way, it would be a hundred problems solved. Without the pressure from the Hidden Stone, the forces on this battlefield would be greatly reduced. The Konoha side could then devote themselves wholeheartedly to the other battlefields, facing the ninja of the other villages.
"No!"
Learning that Kusuo still wanted to annihilate the Hidden Stone, Tsunade was stunned by this idea. Without a second thought, she shook her head and refused. "We have already slaughtered one village. Our reputation in the ninja world is already quite unfavorable. Many people, although they don't say it, will surely blame you in their hearts. Secondly, the Hidden Stone is not like the Sand Village. They have numerous ninja and even more powerhouses. Even if you fear no one, a cornered dog will still jump over a wall. What if they abandon their village and dispatch all their ninja to seek revenge? Even if you have great abilities, your loved ones will inevitably suffer a vicious attack!"
As a person in power, she saw things more long-term. Tsunade was explaining to Kusuo the unwritten rules of why one couldn't just go on a slaughtering spree in the ninja world, hoping that he could see the stakes clearly. Some things, once done, would anger both gods and men, and he would be targeted by too many people.
But Kusuo remained unmoved. As a swordsman, his conviction was incomparably firm. No matter how much Tsunade said, she could not change his mind.
"What they think of me... what does it have to do with me?"
"The people I want to kill... no one can stop me!"
Leaving these two cold sentences behind, Kusuo's face was so calm it seemed to have no emotion. The Will of Fire, or loyalty and protection for the village... for him, it didn't exist at all. As for his relatives, besides the people he cared about, who would naturally have his protection, everyone else was dispensable.
"You!" Tsunade's willow-like eyebrows stood on end. She was choked by his words. At that moment, the magnificent scenery on her chest trembled violently. As the Fifth Hokage, she couldn't even order the people of her own village around. She was helpless, and so angry. Kusuo, you really are a big bastard~
"Even if you don't consider yourself, you have to think about Hinata and Hanabi," she said. "With the name of a crazed murderer, are you willing to let your whole family live in the fiery revenge of the Hidden Stone Village from now on? What if one day you're not there? Even if Konoha's defenses are good, if there's a moment of negligence, it will really be over."
"..."
Kusuo fell silent. What Tsunade said was not without reason. Although his strength was great, so great that he did not fear anyone in the ninja world—even if the Sage of Six Paths himself were to arrive, Kusuo would dare to draw his sword and cut him down—but the people around him were still a little weak.
It was precisely for this reason that Kusuo, on one hand, had considered this point and had systematically taught Hinata and the others the breathing method to improve their strength.
Besides, killing too many people... would indeed have an impact on his own heart. The powerful murderous aura he currently had, although he could control it now, there was no guarantee there wouldn't be problems in the future.
It was a very simple logic. A human feels nothing when stepping on an ant because their strengths are not in the same dimension at all. It was the same for him now. For him to kill those ordinary Iwa ninja was as simple as stepping on ants, effortless. But he had lived on Earth, and now he lived in the ninja world. If he always regarded those with weak strength or ordinary people as ants and slaughtered them wantonly, his mentality would definitely become twisted. Because he was also a person, living with people. In the long run, a person with a twisted mentality is either a madman or a murderer.
And Kusuo still wanted to live a good life with Hinata and the others.
"I understand," he said faintly, then passed by Tsunade who was blocking his path.
Tsunade turned anxiously to look at his departing back. She sighed. For a moment, she didn't know if the stinking brat had listened to her words or not. This stinking brat... he mustn't fall into the path of evil!
...
"Grandpa! What's wrong with you?"
Stunned. Completely stunned.
Kurotsuchi's spirited little face was filled with shock, and also panic. She watched as Onoki flew back to the village, clutching his severely injured chest and staggering all the way. This was the first time she had ever seen her grandfather so seriously injured.
Behind him were a large number of fleeing ninja, most of them with disheveled clothes, covered in dust, in a pathetic state.
"Cough, cough..." Glancing at Kurotsuchi, Onoki coughed, wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, and waved his old hand. "Quick! Order everyone to go to the shelters to take refuge! Cough, cough, we can't stay in the Hidden Stone Village anymore! Tell everyone to quickly disperse and flee, run as fast as you can, as far as you can, don't stay here!"
"That man... will come at any time."
He was afraid. The Third Tsuchikage, who had once shaken the ninja world and was famous in his own right, the old man Onoki with his Kekkei Tōta "Dust Release," who was a standout among all the Kage in terms of strength... now, he had been beaten into fear by Kusuo's swordsmanship. It was just like when he had seen Madara Uchiha. This time, Onoki was so scared his liver and gallbladder were splitting. His face was filled with terror and anxiety, as if some great disaster would befall them if they didn't leave.
Although Kurotsuchi didn't understand what her grandfather had encountered, she could guess that he had likely returned in great defeat. So, one order after another was carried out. In less than half an hour, the entire Hidden Stone Village was in chaos.
"You go too, quick!" Onoki saw his granddaughter Kurotsuchi still by his side, and his old face fell as he reprimanded her. His son Kitsuchi had already met with misfortune over there. He had already had to send off his son in his old age; now his granddaughter could not meet with misfortune as well.
"I'm not going! I want to stay with Grandpa! I want to protect Grandpa!" Kurotsuchi wouldn't listen, her lips pouting, her large, clear black and white eyes filled with stubbornness.
"You! Sigh!" Onoki didn't know his granddaughter's temper. His trembling finger pointed for a long time, but in the end, he could only sigh and give up.
The situation gradually became chaotic. Onoki flew alone in the sky, his face looking much more weary. Looking at the once-prosperous village now in this state, he felt a trance-like feeling of things having changed. "Sigh," he sighed again. The time of change... was just a week.
Ever since that boy had joined the battle, everything had changed. "Everything has changed!"
Suddenly, a magnificent sword aura came from the distant sky. It gradually magnified within their field of vision, and finally, it slashed heavily onto the surrounding wall of the Hidden Stone Village.
BOOM!
A world-shaking slash. It was as if it had cut the world open. The tall and tough surrounding wall, which had been enhanced countless times by Earth Style ninjutsu, collapsed with a roar after that one strike. Shattered stones and tiles fell to the ground, kicking up a sky full of dust.
When the dust had settled, a figure in red appeared before their eyes.
"Enemy attack!"
"Alert!"
The commoners had already fled safely, and a large number of genin and chunin had also fled. Now, only a hundred or so elites were left guarding the village. The moment they saw Kusuo appear, they immediately sounded the alarm.
Swoosh. Onoki's gaze darkened. He flew alone in front of Kusuo and said in a deep voice, "We, the Hidden Stone Village, surrender. You, Konoha, can make any demands. As long as it is within our ability, we will certainly comply."
At this critical juncture... a monster of Kusuo's level... just with his own strength, he could change the entire battlefield, just like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha back then. Just as unreasonable, just as powerful. So powerful that it could change the pattern of the ninja world. For the sake of the village, for the villagers, for his former students and subordinates, Onoki hoped to end things on good terms.
But unexpectedly, "Alright," Kusuo said faintly.
Alright? The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, felt as if he had misheard. Really? How could he agree to my request so easily? Could it be that my old eyes are failing me, that I was beaten silly in the last battle and my hearing is now having problems?
"I said, alright," Kusuo said calmly again.
An eye for an eye. In any case, the Iwa-nin on the battlefield had basically been killed by him; there was nothing left to avenge. But...
"I have one condition." Kusuo looked at Onoki again, his tone firm, as if if Onoki didn't agree to this condition, he would annihilate the village at any time.
Onoki's eyes darkened. He didn't understand what kind of medicine Kusuo was selling in his gourd. But since the other party had agreed to his surrender, then there was room for negotiation. "Alright! Let's hear it! This old man will do his best to agree to your request!"
"Mm." Kusuo grunted, then placed his sword diagonally at his side and began to state his conditions.
"First, hand over all the jonin and higher-level ninja who participated in the war. I will deal with them."
"Second, the Land of Earth will surrender completely and lead its troops to assist the Land of Fire in the war, without any second thoughts."
"Third, send hostages to Konoha Village, and... the Tsuchikage will commit suicide to atone for his sins."
These three conditions were spoken from Kusuo's mouth without any emotion, yet each one made Onoki's heart sink.
"Lord Tsuchikage, we are willing! You don't have to worry about our lives!" A group of Iwa jonin who had escaped with their lives all stood out and said to Onoki with righteous indignation, with an attitude of sacrificing themselves for the good of the village, not avoiding disaster for their own sake.
Onoki was so moved he was old and teary-eyed, tears streaming down his face as he flew in the air.
"No! I don't agree to the third condition!" Just then, a slender figure rushed over. She was heroic and beautiful, her pair of legs very springy. "Grandpa! You can't commit suicide!"
At this moment, everyone finally reacted to the content of the third condition. The Tsuchikage... committing suicide to atone for his sins.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (270 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (240 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (110 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (120 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (290 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (120 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (140 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(70 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (180 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (140 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (100 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (70 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (100 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (120 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (120 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (85 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (110 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (110 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (80 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (80 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (60 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (60 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (60 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (60 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.