Chapter 164: Ōnoki's Wrath
Just like before, Uchiha Sihu calmly took a sealing scroll from his robe, storing the Six Paths Sage Tools—even their ornate display racks—inside.
The bulge it left beneath his cloak made his silhouette uneven, but he paid it no mind. His mood tonight was far too good for such trivialities.
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Far Away — Iwagakure
In stark contrast, far to the northwest, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of Both Scales, could not find a shred of peace.
The hour was late; the moon hung high above the cragged peaks of Iwagakure, casting long shadows across the stone-built council hall.
Ōnoki sat alone at the head of the table, his small hands clasped behind his back, his brow furrowed so deeply it seemed carved in rock.
He was waiting—impatiently—for the village elders to assemble.
He had just received news so disturbing that even his seasoned heart quaked.
Reports claimed that Konohagakure had launched a sudden assault on Kumogakure, and that the newly appointed Fifth Hokage had personally appeared there, declaring the destruction of the Hidden Cloud Village.
The details after that… were unknown.
Their spy embedded in Kumogakure had sent only that final message—then nothing. Every attempt to reestablish contact had failed.
The silence spoke volumes.
The only logical conclusion was grim:
Kumogakure might truly have been destroyed. Their spy—eliminated with the rest.
And that thought chilled even Ōnoki.
Just a week ago, that same spy had sent another report: the Fourth Raikage himself had departed the village, leading a strike force toward the Land of Fire's border. Their mission—raiding Konoha's outpost and seizing its treasury.
That operative held a high position within the Cloud, privy to secrets most spies could only dream of. The report was detailed, authentic.
At the time, Ōnoki had almost admired the Raikage's audacity.
But there was something else—something far more personal—gnawing at him.
His student, Deidara, had vanished.
Though he often mocked that hot-headed artist and called him a fool, Ōnoki knew the truth in his heart—Deidara had been his pride, the successor he was grooming to become the next Tsuchikage.
Even when Deidara's experiments caused chaos in the village, Ōnoki had merely scolded and expelled him—still ensuring he was provided with food, shelter, and resources.
Had it been anyone else causing such havoc, Ōnoki would have stripped their chakra and buried them in stone.
But not Deidara.
Now that same student had disappeared without a trace.
And tonight's news—Kumo's destruction—only made the Tsuchikage's blood boil hotter.
Ōnoki's cheeks twitched as he paced the stone floor, his tiny frame radiating a pressure that silenced the very air around him.
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The Council Convenes
One by one, the elders entered the chamber.
Each bowed quietly, taking their places in the semicircle of stone chairs, careful not to draw Ōnoki's glare.
The Tsuchikage was not known for patience, especially in this mood.
Finally, his son, Kitsuchi—a towering man beside his diminutive father—cleared his throat gently, bringing Ōnoki back from his thoughts.
The old man turned, his face dark as thunderclouds.
He climbed into the high-backed seat at the head of the table, his short legs dangling above the floor—a sight that might have seemed comical, if anyone dared to laugh.
No one ever did.
This was Ōnoki of the Two Scales, the man who had carried Iwagakure into its golden age through wars and blood.
His size meant nothing. His shadow loomed over nations.
Ōnoki's voice broke the silence like stone grinding against stone.
> "You've all heard the report. Let's discuss what should be done."
The elders exchanged wary glances.
One of them—an older man with a shrewd glint in his eyes—spoke first.
> "Tsuchikage-sama, has the news been verified?
Hidden Cloud has always been formidable, and… Konoha is not what it once was. The Sannin are gone, the Uchiha clan rebelled and killed the Third Hokage—"
He smirked faintly.
> "This so-called Fifth Hokage should be praying he isn't invaded.
Does such a weak Konoha really have the strength to destroy Kumogakure?"
A few elders nodded in quiet agreement, murmuring assent.
Ōnoki's expression darkened.
> "Enough!"
The single word cracked like a thunderclap. His killing intent filled the chamber, suffocating all argument.
He glared around the table, voice cold as mountain ice.
> "Didn't I already say? It wasn't only the spy's report.
Merchants escaping from the Land of Lightning's border confirmed the same story.
Hidden Cloud has vanished. The evidence aligns perfectly."
Ōnoki slammed a fist on the stone table, veins bulging on his temple.
> "This news is ninety-nine percent certain, and yet you still babble about its authenticity?
Idiots! You question reality itself!"
Silence fell again, heavy as granite.
No one dared meet his eyes. The outspoken elder bowed his head, pale and trembling.
Ōnoki looked at them—these supposed leaders of Iwagakure—and felt only bitter disappointment.
He had raised this village to glory, but after his death… what then?
If these timid fools inherited it, Iwagakure would crumble to dust.
Deidara's absence gnawed at him again, a sharp ache pulsing in his jaw—pain that flared whenever he clenched his teeth in frustration.
The old man winced, then snarled.
> "Speak! Have you all turned mute?"
The echo of his shout lingered in the stone hall.
Finally, only one dared respond—Kitsuchi, his son.
> "Tsuchikage-sama," he said carefully, "wasn't it the Fourth Raikage who led an attack against Konoha's border not long ago?
Perhaps this… is the Fifth Hokage's retaliation."
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed, thoughts stirring behind that aged gaze.
Maybe… Kitsuchi had a point.
But if Konoha truly had that kind of power—enough to erase a Great Village—then the balance of the entire shinobi world was about to
change.
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To be continued…
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