"This is… Wood Release."
Saemon's pupils dilated in shock. Born at the end of the Warring States period, he had never witnessed the legendary power of Hashirama Senju firsthand. Still, he had heard the tales. Yet, here it was—Wood Release, displayed by Kakuzu of all people.
While he stood frozen in awe, a voice from nearby jolted him back to reality.
"What's the meaning of this, Kakuzu? Is that a threat?" one of the Sunagakure shinobi demanded.
The ultimatum Kakuzu had issued moments before still lingered in their minds. It didn't sit well with the battle-hardened shinobi of Sunagakure. One of the Five Great Nations, their pride wouldn't allow them to be cowed by a single man.
Some advised Saemon to dismiss Kakuzu's words outright, calling them empty threats. The more extreme voices suggested sending a large force to raze Kakuzu's laboratory to the ground.
As Saemon hesitated, uncertain, a sharp gust of wind rushed past him. Turning, he saw one of Sunagakure's messengers racing toward them, urgency etched on his face.
"What is it? Did Konoha launch an attack on our camp while we're away?"
"That's impossible! We made meticulous preparations before we left."
"If they did, we'll return and crush them!"
The messenger reached them, panting heavily. His expression alone made the severity of the situation clear.
"Commander! We're in grave danger! The village has been hit with large-scale attacks, and several key outposts within the Land of Wind have been bombed. Casualties have already surpassed a hundred!"
"What?!"
The words stunned every Sunagakure shinobi present. Saemon felt a chill run down his spine as his gaze drifted toward the towering tree Kakuzu had created with his Wood Release. Dread settled in his heart.
As the commander of the battlefield, Saemon was well aware of one ironclad rule: Sunagakure's Second Kazekage, Shamon, had sworn to secure the rear so the frontlines could focus on the fight. If the village itself faced minor disturbances, Shamon would have quelled them immediately.
For the situation to escalate to the point where frontline troops were informed, it could only mean one thing: the threat had grown too massive to contain.
When the Wood Release finally dissipated, its energy flowed back to Kakuzu, hundreds of miles away.
Standing atop a rocky outcrop, Kakuzu slowly opened his eyes.
Unlike the Shadow Clone Technique, Wood Release embodied the caster's true essence. Through it, Kakuzu had witnessed the devastation of White Tree Town and caught a final glimpse of Hanabusa.
Hanabusa was beyond saving. Now, Kakuzu could only seek retribution—to make amends for himself and for her.
From the moment he left the Shikkotsu Forest and learned that White Tree Town was besieged, Kakuzu understood one thing: Saemon's assessment wasn't wrong.
Sunagakure had sent 4,000 troops. Iwagakure and Konoha had deployed similar numbers. Over 10,000 shinobi surrounded White Tree Town.
Kakuzu's laboratory, or the entire town for that matter, could be obliterated in a single coordinated assault. Even if he managed to kill Saemon and the commanders of the other villages, it wouldn't change the outcome.
War was a stage for both visionaries and opportunists. If one commander fell, another would rise. Should the new leader rally their troops with the resolve of avenging their fallen comrades, the battle for White Tree Town would only grow fiercer.
Kakuzu spared Saemon for one reason: to keep Sunagakure in check. Should they test his patience again, his wrath would send them straight to the Sage of Six Paths.
For now, his focus was on the Kazekage. The man responsible for Hanabusa's death would pay dearly.
...
Kazekage's Office, Sunagakure
Second Kazekage Shamon glared at the mounting casualty reports on his desk. His face twisted with rage as his chakra flared, the dragon-shaped energy above him roaring in tandem.
Frontline troubles were one thing. Now, his own village was under attack, and the casualties numbered in the hundreds.
As the Kazekage, he had to take decisive action.
"Kakuzu, you bastard!" Shamon roared, slamming his fist onto the desk and reducing it to splinters.
One of his advisors stepped forward, hurriedly gathering the scattered documents.
"Lord Kazekage, we can't let Kakuzu continue his rampage. We must find him and eliminate him immediately."
Shamon nodded, his fury unabated. Killing Kakuzu was the only way to quench his anger.
But where was Kakuzu?
Forcing himself to calm down, Shamon sat back and began analyzing the rogue shinobi's motives and possible whereabouts.
...
Southeastern Land of Wind
A small Sunagakure unit, comprised of several dozen elite shinobi, moved silently under the cover of night.
This group was no ordinary force—they were Sunagakure's secret weapon, a squad designed to strike swiftly and decisively.
Their leader, however, was an unusual figure.
It was a couple. The man, named Kazuo, was most notable for his short, fiery orange hair. His wife, Tachibana, was also a ninja born and raised in Sunagakure. Though both were relatively young, they were among the strongest of Sunagakure's new generation. Their mastery of puppet techniques was unparalleled, and together, they had assembled an entire puppet brigade. This brigade was meant to be deployed in a surprise attack against Konohagakure.
However, as they advanced, Kazuo, the commander of the unit, suddenly ordered the group to halt.
Tachibana looked at him in confusion. "What's wrong? Are we changing targets?"
Kazuo shook his head. "No, our objective to attack Konoha remains unchanged. But before we proceed, there's someone we need to deal with."
"Who?" Tachibana asked.
Kazuo raised his hand slightly, revealing a thin chakra thread emerging from the vast expanse of golden sand. As the thread was pulled, a puppet scorpion crawled out of the sandpile.
Staring at the puppet, Kazuo explained, "My puppet detected a powerful, unfamiliar presence about ten kilometers away. That kind of aura is definitely not from Sunagakure."
"So, you think it's...?"
"Exactly. I suspect it's Kakuzu."
Though only a few days had passed, Kakuzu's infamy had already spread like wildfire through Sunagakure. Even the puppet brigade had received orders from headquarters: if Kakuzu's presence was confirmed, all other missions could be set aside to prioritize eliminating him.
Hearing Kazuo's declaration, Tachibana had no objections. Still, she voiced her concern.
"I've heard Kakuzu's strength is overwhelming. Shouldn't we request reinforcements from headquarters first?"
Kazuo chuckled at her suggestion. "Tachibana, are you joking?" He gestured to the puppet brigade behind him. "Dozens of us can't take down a single Kakuzu? That would be underestimating us far too much. Besides, there's another issue: this brigade was deployed covertly. If we request reinforcements, we'll risk exposing our mission entirely."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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