An eight- or nine-year-old boy, holding up an enormous city with a single hand, shone with dazzling light. He floated there, his clothes fluttering in the wind, carefree, like a true child of the heavens standing above the world.
Two men stood beneath his feet. Looking up at him and feeling the oppressive weight of the city above, they could barely breathe. Awe welled up in their hearts.
Moments ago, they had doubted his strength. Now, faced with this sight, their shock was beyond words.
The captain from Kumogakure realized his rudeness earlier. He dropped to one knee. "Little brother, please help us!"
He did not dare mention negotiations.
The Iwagakure ninja did not want to kneel. But when Shigeo's eyes met his, he also bent down. "Please help us!"
Shigeo gazed out to the distance where the fog was clearing. "You don't need to beg me. Zero-Tails and Wuyouhua have gone to attack your villages. They'll lose anyway. Go home."
"No. If that happens, our mission will fail. No matter what, please help us!" The Kumogakure captain lowered his head. His tone was earnest.
He regretted everything. If he had agreed to Shigeo's terms earlier, he wouldn't have to grovel now.
The Iwagakure captain, though unwilling, thought of the cost of failure and also bowed. "We were rude before. Please, lend us your aid."
Shigeo sighed softly. "Fine. Since you're so sincere, I'll accept. Wu Mang, prepare the document. Have them all sign."
"Yes!" Wu Mang ran across the water carrying a file folder.
The two captains hesitated at the paper, but time was short. They skimmed through: after Shigeo defeated Wuyouhua and Zero-Tails, the Five Great Villages would no longer persecute Wuwang Castle or the descendants of the Sky Country.
They signed. Wu Mang carried the file to the shore. Shigeo left a wood clone to hold the city and ran toward the coast.
The shinobi parted quickly to give him space as he landed like the wind.
"Shigeo, do you really have a way?" Kakashi asked uneasily.
All eyes turned to him. So many had failed to bring down Wuyouhua. Could he succeed?
"Of course. First, the witch."
He unrolled a scroll, formed seals, and pressed his hand on a mark. "Wuyouhua is already dealt with. We just wait for Zero-Tails to appear."
"What! That simple?" jaws nearly hit the ground.
The Iwagakure captain rolled his eyes. "I knew it. Pretending to be a god, but nothing to show. You're tricking us. What is that? Some scribble? Is it sealing? Summoning? Ridiculous."
The Kumogakure captain frowned. "Little brother, are you fooling us? Could it really be so simple? What if she isn't here at all and you just want us to believe it? If we tried this, would you believe us?"
Others shook their heads, watching him as if he were mad.
"I said it. A kid can't have a solution. Lies!" the Iwagakure ninja complained in his heavy accent.
Shigeo stayed calm. He turned and sat on a reef. "Why rush? Just wait here."
"Wait? Waste time with him? We should chase Wuyouhua and Zero-Tails instead. Let's go…" the Iwagakure ninja shouted.
Kirigakure's squad turned to leave, ready to report back.
The Kumogakure captain grew angrier. Remembering how he had knelt earlier only made it worse. "Shigeo! If you don't give us an explanation, we'll march into Wuwang Castle now. That witch's nest—destroying it will bring us no blame!"
He pointed at the floating castle supported by Shigeo's clone.
Shigeo's eyes narrowed. His voice dropped. "Oh? You want to slaughter helpless civilians? Fine. Try."
He twitched his fingers. Instantly, thousands of Shigeos appeared across the sea, standing on the waves, hovering in the air, all staring coldly at the beach.
Silence fell. You could hear a pin drop.
They didn't know all his abilities. But they knew one thing: he had lifted an entire city.
"No matter what, I believe in Shigeo. If he says Wuyouhua is injured, then she is. If he says wait, we wait," Might Guy declared.
Kakashi looked at Guy, then smiled faintly and nodded. "I agree."
Time stood still. Some remained unwilling. Others quietly left. No one could act against him.
Five minutes later, Anbu rushed in. "Zero-Tails and Wuyouhua have returned!"
The sea roiled. Battleships emerged. Sky-ninja appeared overhead. Demon-masked fighters and Fagui warriors advanced toward Wuwang Castle, with Zero-Tails behind them.
Shigeo tossed the last peanut into his mouth, rose to his feet, and said softly, "See? They're back."
Everyone was shocked, but relieved. By the timing, the enemy had not yet reached any ninja village.
Indeed, Wuyouhua and Zero-Tails had left their city in high spirits, planning to strike Kirigakure first, then sweep across all Five Villages and rule the shinobi world.
But as they marched, Wuyouhua's head throbbed. All the Fagui warriors and demon-masked men clutched their heads, some going berserk, some turning on each other, as if struck by a plague of madness.
(End of Chapter)
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