The door opened in the Land of Waves, in a secluded courtyard. Hanabi, who was practicing the Gentle Fist, turned to see Neiki carrying a remarkably proportioned blonde woman into the basent.
He ca back out a minute later.
"Neiki-nii, will you teach the Gentle Fist?" Hanabi ran over and hugged Neiki, looking up at him pleadingly.
"Sorry, Hanabi, I have sothing to deal with right now," Neiki said, patting Hanabi on the head.
Over in Kirigakure, Neiki's real body was confronting so foes. After delivering Tsunade back, this clone needed to return to the main body and replenish so of its chakra.
Since perfectly integrating Hashirama's cells, Neiki's chakra reserves have increased significantly. However, after fighting intensely with both Konoha and Kirigakure for a long ti today, despite the minimal chakra consumption of the Flying Thunder God Technique and his swordsmanship, the high frequency and intensity of the battles drained him. Even though Neiki had deliberately slowed down during the Konoha ninjas' attack led by Tsunade, his overall chakra consumption was still significant.
Moreover, in the upcoming battle against Kirigakure, he couldn't repeat the sa swordsmanship and Flying Thunder God combination, as it would reveal his identity.
Wood Release is a chakra-intensive Bloodline Limit, especially considering Neiki was planning to unleash a major attack on the Kirigakure ninjas.
"Brother, many people died on the island today…" Hanabi tugged at Neiki's clothes, unable to hold back her words.
"Yes, I know," Neiki nodded.
The little girl was smart. She probably guessed what Neiki planned to do. Given the small size of the Land of Waves and the few significant events happening on the island, she hoped Neiki would stay and not clash with those people.
However, Neiki's "I know" was clearly a decisive answer.
"Can I co with you?" Hanabi asked, unable to change Neiki's mind.
"You're too weak."
"Oh." Hanabi's straightforward answer made her lower her head and let go of Neiki.
Sword Clone: Release!
As Neiki finished the hand seals, the clone in the courtyard dispersed into a cloud of white smoke and vanished.
Hanabi stood alone, dazed for a long ti. She then wiped her tears, stood up, and resud her rigorous training.
…
Sensing the returning chakra in a northern forest of the Land of Waves, the azure eyes beneath Hashirama's mask flickered continuously.
His voice was high and bold.
"Co on…"
"Flatten ."
Behind him, the twisting white tendrils grew rapidly, intertwining and rging, reaching 2 ters, 4 ters, 8 ters, 15 ters, 30 ters. They entangled like writhing worms, forming a screen of tendrils, waving toward the sky. Nurous small eyes blinked on these white tendrils.
The terrifying shadow of the mature Byakugan God Tree lood over them all.
"I feel a bit nauseous," a Kirigakure ninja expressed his body's reaction to this bizarre plant.
"What… is this thing?" Kisa's eyes widened.
"Is this also a Wood Release ability?" i Terumi frowned, puzzled. Despite her experience, she had never seen anything like this.
"It feels more like a summoning beast…"
No one knew what this tall, bizarre tree was, but it didn't affect the confidence of most Kirigakure ninjas, who believed the enemy was just one person and they could still win.
How many geniuses like Neiki, who could take on so many alone, could there be in this world?
Even if there were, the chance of encountering them continuously wasn't high, right?
Such thoughts effectively suppressed the deep-seated fear many Kirigakure ninjas felt facing this unknown monster.
The masked man leaped back lightly, landing on one of the God Tree's tendrils. His voice was calm and clear: "Your battle with Konoha caused many innocent deaths in the Land of Waves."
"And now you want to eliminate the last hope of the Land of Waves…"
"I do not advocate violence for violence's sake, but sotis, only the sa level of violence can make so people restrain their use of violence."
"Only the sa level of killing can make so people revere life."
"Only when the blade strikes them will arrogance bow to death."
"In this battle, please use your blood to console the many innocent lives lost in the Land of Waves."
After speaking, Hashirama exhaled slightly, looking at the stunned expressions of the Kirigakure ninjas before him. The God Tree's temporary evolution to maturity consud a lot of Byakugan essence. If the essence stored within the tree weren't enough, it would draw the life force from those in the Land of Waves implanted with Byakugan seals.
However, Hashirama didn't want to go to such lengths for this battle. Not out of pity but because the life force of the populace wasn't as pure as the Byakugan essence. Excessive absorption could negatively impact the future growth of the God Tree's sapling, so a quick battle was preferable.
"Aren't you coming over?" Seeing no movent from the Kirigakure ninjas, Hashirama shook his head.
"Then I'll co to flatten you!"
The white tendrils slowly unfolded, the nurous eyes on them rotating before locking onto their targets. In their pupils, tiny white needles began to gather.
Hashirama, arms crossed, looked down and uttered a few words:
"Byakugan: Needle Strike!"
In the next mont, countless white needles shot toward the Kirigakure ninjas like rain.
"Not good, dodge quickly!" i Terumi's face changed as she swiftly retreated. However, so needles seed to anticipate her movent, accurately striking her landing spot, and aiming for the back of her head.
At the last mont, i Terumi, detecting the faint sound of the needles cutting through the air, deflected them with her kunai.
But others weren't so lucky.
The range of these white needles wasn't large, and their intensity was manageable, but they were extrely precise, like the kunai thrown by experienced elite ninjas, forcing them to be on guard.
Many moved quickly, dodging most of the needles, thinking they were safe, only to be hit by needles that had anticipated their landing points, resulting in injuries. So unlucky ones were fatally wounded by the needles.
So tried to use ninjutsu to dodge, but didn't expect the needles to co in waves, waiting for their defensive ninjutsu to end before striking.
Agonizing screams filled the forest.
"Another wave is coming!!"
"Be careful!"
"Ahh—help !!" A Kirigakure ninja scread, his leg pierced by a needle, rendering it immobile. Upon closer inspection, a small section of tree roots had grown from his wound, extending into the ground, causing excruciating pain and immobilizing him as he desperately hacked at the roots with a knife.
However, with the second wave of needles imminent, how could he survive?
i Terumi's face darkened. Those injured in the first wave of needle strikes all exhibited the sa phenonon: strange roots growing from their wounds, severely hindering their movents.
If nothing was done, they were almost certain to die in the second wave of needle strikes!
Without hesitation, i Terumi and a few uninjured Jonin ford seals and released Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!!
A massive wave rose, blocking many of the needle strikes, but i Terumi quickly noticed that so Kirigakure ninjas were still being killed by hidden needles that found gaps in the water wave.
As the water surged, i Terumi turned, seeing the countless eyes on the God Tree still poised with needles.
She realized sothing.
"Those eyes… they can independently judge the timing of their attacks…"
That's why they were so precise.
That's why they were so cunning.
So eyes even pierced the gaps in the water waves, successfully targeting the Kirigakure ninjas.
…What kind of bizarre ability is this?
i Terumi felt a twinge of fear.
Seeing the third wave of needle strikes approaching.
"We can't let him continue like this!!"
This large-scale destructive jutsu was deadly for most ninjas without sufficient strength. Realizing this, i Terumi grew furious, instructing her subordinates to maintain the water barrier while she charged towards Hashirama and the God Tree.
Hashirama watched the "ant" rapidly approaching him, a trace of mockery flickering in his masked eye hole before it vanished, replaced by a serene, compassionate gaze.
Hashirama was a good person.
He reminded himself.
"Do you regret killing so many in the Land of Waves?" he asked i Terumi with a rciful tone.
"I regret not killing more!!" i Terumi replied angrily.
Then don't bla .
Hashirama nodded, satisfied, and commanded the God Tree for a third wave of Needle Strikes against the wounded Kirigakure ninjas.
Below, i Terumi inhaled deeply, unleashing a torrent of molten lava from her mouth towards Hashirama and the God Tree.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
The God Tree was preparing to attack, leaving Hashirama to defend. But as long as there was enough chakra, it wasn't difficult.
"Wood Release: Ranking Technique!"
…
While the silent battle between Kengakure and Kirigakure raged in the Land of Waves, a globally significant war had been ongoing on the western border of the Land of Fire.
It was the war between Iwagakure and Konoha, ignited by Iwagakure's declaration of annihilating Konoha, sparking the Fourth Great Ninja War.
The battlefield was in the Land of Rain, a strategic choice by both nations, following the tacit agreent that while major countries fought, they wouldn't let minor ones gain an advantage.
The Land of Rain's constant rain mirrored its unending war.
Even without direct involvent from major countries, the divided Land of Rain struggled to find peace.
Now, amidst the ongoing conflict, a pair of hidden hands seed to be consolidating the Land of Rain's potential forces, much like Neiki's actions in the Land of Waves, brewing a surprise for the invading Iwagakure and Konoha.
"Konoha's temporary command post is in the southeast of the Land of Rain, led by one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya," Konan reported, pausing before continuing.
"Including recent reinforcents, they have over three thousand ninjas in the Land of Rain, with five hundred being rcenaries from other countries. This is unprecedented in previous wars. Even in a stalemate, the proud Konoha ninjas wouldn't typically resort to hiring outside help."
"Upon investigation, I found these rcenaries weren't hired by Konoha officially, but by various Konoha clans using their own funds and connections. These rcenaries fight for those who paid them, not for Konoha itself."
"This situation arose because Konoha issued a warti decree ranking ninjas by rit, with the highest achiever possibly becoming the Fifth Hokage. This drove many Konoha clans to madness."
"They are forming factions internally and seeking external allies to gain more rit on the battlefield and compete with candidates like Jiraiya and Tsunade for the Fifth Hokage position."
Konan's lips curled in a mix of mockery and pity as she spoke to the man beside her.
"After the rebellion of Neiki and the Uchiha, Konoha is like a drowning man, desperately trying to grasp at anything."
In the darkness, a pair of purple, chaleon-like eyes slowly opened. The man, who had been contemplating, tapped the table and spoke slowly:
"This is a rare opportunity. Since Konoha is so desperate…"
"We, the Akatsuki, are essentially a rcenary group…"
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