The Land of Water, Near Kirigakure
Lucas soared through the sky, his Float-Float Fruit ability allowing him to fly effortlessly toward Kirigakure.
As he passed over a valley, his Observation Haki suddenly alerted him—there were several powerful presences hiding below.
Curious, Lucas descended quietly to the ground, choosing to observe rather than act immediately.
Inside the chat group, the others were also intrigued.
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Huh? A lot of strong people hiding near Kirigakure? Something interesting must be happening!"
Lucas: "Yeah, Kirigakure hasn't been exactly peaceful lately. But this doesn't seem related to Sunagakure."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "How is that possible? That woman approaching is a ninja from Sunagakure, and not just any ninja—she's a Kage-level shinobi! If someone like her steps into enemy territory, you can bet she's up to something."
From the dense mist ahead, a beautiful woman emerged. Her outfit was bold and revealing, exuding confidence. The Sunagakure forehead protector on her head confirmed her identity.
A moment later, a Kirigakure ninja approached her with a friendly smile.
Kirigakure Ninja: "You must be Pakura from Sunagakure. I was sent by Kirigakure to escort you."
The female ninja nodded and, after a brief conversation, followed him deeper into the mist.
Inside the chat group, reactions varied.
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Wait… did I just hear that right? She's here to form an alliance with Kirigakure? Then why are there so many hidden Kirigakure ninjas nearby?"
Golden Lion Shiki: "Maybe they're just making sure she doesn't get killed in their own territory. You know, standard safety measures."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Don't be ridiculous! Kirigakure is not like Konoha. We don't pull weak stunts like that!"
Senju Tobirama : "Yeah, what's even worth extorting from Kirigakure? It's a backwater village! Sure, they have some bloodline clans, but the success rate of them being kage-level is horrible."
Before the argument could continue, the situation below took a sharp turn.
The Kirigakure ninja's expression suddenly darkened. Without warning, he pulled out a kunai and stabbed the unsuspecting Sunagakure kunoichi.
Pfft!
The sound of metal piercing flesh echoed through the valley.
Pakura gasped in pain, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Why?! I came here to form an alliance on behalf of Sunagakure!" She staggered, clutching her wound, blood staining her garments.
The chat group fell silent for a moment.
Then—
Senju Tobirama : "Well, well. Looks like there's a faction in Kirigakure that doesn't want this alliance to happen."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Wait… you mean they deliberately hired someone to assassinate the envoy?"
Senju Tobirama: "Exactly. If Sunagakure's messenger is killed by Kirigakure's own ninja, then no matter how much Kirigakure tries to explain, Sunagakure won't believe them. It's a classic internal sabotage move."
Senju Tobirama: "Reminds me of what happened in my time with Cloud Shinobi."
Senju Hashirama: "Wait, what happened back then?"
Senju Tobirama smirked, his tone filled with nostalgia.
Senju Tobirama: "I went to Cloud Shinobi Village with my men to form an alliance and end the war. But the hardliners in Cloud Shinobi didn't want peace, so they ambushed us during the signing."
Uchiha Madara : "And let me guess… you conveniently avoided the attack, but the Second Raikage got killed?"
Senju Tobirama frowned.
Senju Tobirama: "I had suspicions that the Second Raikage was involved in the setup, so I kept my guard up. I wasn't about to warn him about something he might've planned himself!"
He sighed.
Senju Tobirama: "But to my surprise, the ones behind the attack were actually Golden Horn and Silver Horn. They assassinated the Raikage and then turned their blades toward me."
Uchiha Madara: "Heh. So, you let him die."
Senju Tobirama: "I didn't let him die. I just prioritized my own survival. Cloud Shinobi fell into chaos after their Raikage was killed, and I took the opportunity to retreat with my men."
Senju Tobirama : "Honestly, I considered it a win. The alliance failed, but Cloud Shinobi weakened itself with internal strife. Konoha benefited either way."
Lucas: "And then…?"
Senju Tobirama: "Golden Horn and Silver Horn weren't fools. They knew just killing Raikage wouldn't be enough—they had to eliminate me too, or else Konoha would discover the truth."
Senju Tobirama: "They led a full-force hunt against me. In the end, I had to sacrifice myself to ensure my men escaped."
As Tobirama recalled his past, the Kirigakure situation was unfolding in a strikingly similar way.
Lucas smirked.
Lucas: "Looks like history is repeating itself. The hardliners in Kirigakure don't want peace with Sunagakure, so they're eliminating the chance at an alliance."
Gengetsu Hōzuki : "Damn it. And here I thought my village would be different from Konoha!"
Senju Tobirama : "Different? Please. You guys have the same disease as Konoha—internal power struggles that never end."
Lucas continued to observe as the injured Sunagakure kunoichi staggered back, trying to defend herself.
But more Kirigakure ninjas emerged from the mist. Their intent was clear—they were going to ensure she never left this valley alive.
Pakura, also known as the Burning Sand, stared at the Kirigakure ninja in front of her, disbelief clear in her eyes.
"Alliance? How naïve! Kirigakure and Sunagakure have always hated each other. Did you really think an alliance was possible?" The Kirigakure ninja sneered, his tone mocking.
Pakura's heart sank.
"The mission you accepted was never real—it was just an excuse Sunagakure's higher-ups used to deceive you."
Her pupils dilated.
The Kirigakure ninja continued, his voice dripping with cruelty. "The truth is, you were sent here to die. Your death is meant to appease our village's anger. Of course, killing you alone won't erase the hatred between our villages, but your 'sacrifice' serves a purpose—both for Kirigakure and for Sunagakure's leadership."
Inside the chat group, the revelation sent shockwaves through the members.
Chat Group
Senju Tobirama: "So that's how it is… I thought she was like me, but she's actually Hyuga Hizashi's case."
Lucas: "No, she's neither you nor Hizashi. She's more like Konoha's White Fang."
Senju Tobirama : "Konoha's White Fang?"
Lucas: "Exactly. She's a hero of Sunagakure, strong enough to rival the Kazekage. She had both the strength and the reputation to rise in the village's ranks… but she lacked the necessary connections—the so-called 'Will of the Wind.'"
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "So Sunagakure saw her as a potential threat and decided to get rid of her? By handing her over to Kirigakure, they kill two birds with one stone—appease an old enemy and eliminate a political rival."
Lucas : "Exactly. If they're going to execute one of their own anyway, they might as well make her death 'useful' for the village."
Golden Lion Shiki: "Shihahaha! The higher-ups in the ninja world are really something else. Their combat skills might not be great, but their scheming is top-tier."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "I don't get it. Kage-level ninjas aren't easy to come by. Why would Sunagakure just throw away one of their strongest?"
Senju Tobirama: "Because the Land of Wind has an unbeatable advantage. No matter how weak Sunagakure gets, no other country will dare invade them. They're surrounded by desert, which acts as a natural defense. This makes their leadership complacent."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Tch. I still think it's a waste. They don't have Konoha's strength, but they sure have Konoha's disease—constantly losing their strongest to internal politics."
The Konoha members in the chat group fell silent.
That comment hit too close to home.
Senju Tobirama : "Infighting happens in every village. Even Kirigakure has its fair share of betrayals."
Gengetsu Hōzuki : "Oh, I admit Kirigakure has infighting. But nowhere near as bad as Konoha. Look at your history—Uchiha Madara, Konoha's White Fang, Uchiha Shisui, the entire Senju and Uchiha clans... you lost some of the greatest shinobi to your own politics."
Gengetsu Hōzuki : "Let's be real—if Konoha didn't self-destruct so much, you could've conquered the entire ninja world by now."
Uchiha Madara : "Hah. But Konoha's problem was already there from the start. It was built on contradictions. If it wasn't for all the internal fighting, things would've been different."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Good thing you guys do fight, though! Otherwise, the rest of us wouldn't stand a chance!"
Outside World – Pakura's Fate
As Pakura processed the truth, her expression shifted from shock to bitter resignation.
She had been betrayed.
Before she could fully react, the Kirigakure ninja suddenly moved—his kunai flashing as he lunged at her.
Shink!
The moment he struck, the rest of the hidden Kirigakure assassins leapt into action, kunai and shuriken filling the air like a deadly rain.
Pakura, already injured, had no chance to resist. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Instead of the pain of death, she heard the sharp sound of metal colliding.
She opened her eyes and saw it—a shimmering golden barrier had formed around her, blocking every attack.
"Who?!" The ambushers shouted in anger, looking for the one who had interfered.
Step. Step. Step.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Lucas.
The Kirigakure ninjas wasted no time—they immediately launched their next wave of attacks.
Kunai and shuriken rained toward him.
Clang!
A vibrant green energy flared around Lucas. The proto-form of Susanoo emerged, easily deflecting all projectiles.
The Kirigakure shinobi hesitated for a moment but quickly switched to ninjutsu.
"Water Style—Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style—Water Wall!"
"Fire Style—Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
"Wind Style—Great Breakthrough!"
The battlefield was instantly engulfed in elemental destruction.
Lucas, however, didn't even flinch.
Raising a single finger, he unleashed a high-pressure jet of water—Water Release: Water Severing Wave!
A blinding, razor-sharp stream of water cut through the entire battlefield.
The mountains and rivers themselves bore the scars of the attack, deep cuts forming in the rock as if it had been sliced by a blade.
The Kirigakure shinobi were either shredded to pieces or instantly incapacitated.
Inside the chat group, Gengetsu Hōzuki was freaking out.
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "STOP! STOP! Those are Kirigakure shinobi!"
Lucas: "Yeah, I know. So what?"
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Give me one good reason why you should wipe them out!"
Lucas: "I didn't accept a commission from you, and I'm not bound by any deals. If I want to kill a few Kirigakure ninjas—or wipe out Kirigakure entirely—that's my choice."
System Notifications
Ding! Gengetsu Hōzuki has sent an exclusive red envelope [Hydrification Technique] to Lucas.
Ding! Gengetsu Hōzuki has sent an exclusive red envelope [Steaming Danger Tyranny Boy] to Lucas.
Ding! Gengetsu Hōzuki has sent an exclusive red envelope [Water Gun Jutsu] to Lucas.
Gengetsu sighed in frustration but had no choice but to bribe Lucas to spare Kirigakure.
Lucas: "Regretting not giving me these sooner, huh?"
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "…Shut up."
Lucas: "Don't worry. I won't destroy Kirigakure. In fact, I'll even help them solve a major problem while I'm here."
Gengetsu wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or terrified.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Lucas finished eliminating the attackers and walked over to Pakura.
He knelt beside her and activated medical ninjutsu, beginning the process of healing her wounds.
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