(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited
smoothly. sp.atreon/INeedRest)
*************
Colt decided not to have Sasuke hand over the Dark Fruit.
Instead, he ordered him to keep it.
The seas could be chaotic, but not too chaotic.
The Summit War was the perfect opportunity Colt had been waiting for a ti when the combined forces of the World Governnt, pirates, and the Revolutionary Army could be obliterated.
A decisive battle of such magnitude couldn't happen yet.
Blackbeard's as a pawn-oh, that card needed to be played at the right mont.
Sasuke, with Ace in tow, didn't return directly to Whitebeard's side.
Instead, they ventured to Paradise, where they sought out Deidara and purchased his latest creations.
Deidara, though visibly displeased with Sasuke, begrudgingly sold him a batch of weapons.
Scientific research wasn't a cheap endeavor, and he and Sasori had been stretched thin for funds.
"Hey, are you the big brother of that Straw Hat kid?"
Sasori's eyes darkened as he sized up Ace. The tail of his puppet, Hiruko, swayed nacingly. "Ah, I am. Do you know Luffy too?" Ace responded, startled but flashing a hearty smile.
"Yes, and that's perfect. I still have a score to settle with that Straw Hat kid."
With that, Sasori prepared to strike.
Ace didn't know what was going on, but he remained unfazed as ignited his fists in a blaze of fire, and the tension escalated instantly.
Sasuke frowned and stepped between them, shielding Ace.
"Sasori, explain yourself. Don't act rashly."
Sasuke wasn't afraid of Sasori or Deidara's strength, but since they were working under Colt,
the consequences of a fight between them would be dire-especially for Ace.
Sasuke knew all too well how fiercely Colt protected his people.
The scar on his chest was a constant reminder of Colt's ruthlessness.
Sasori hesitated, a flicker of fear in his eyes, but eventually recounted the events.
****
A few days earlier, Luffy and his crew had ventured to the Florian Triangle.
By coincidence, Sasori and Deidara had been away fundraising for their research.
Upon their return, they found their lab destroyed and their experintal materials stolen. Sasori was livid, and the incident left him searching for the straw hats.
The stolen "experintal material" was none other than Brook, the user of the Yomi-Yomi no Mi.
A body that was dead but whose soul remained immortal-an invaluable subject to Sasori. Hearing the story, Ace didn't know the stolen material was brook. He just assud it was research stuff. In that case, he felt Luffy was at wrong.
Even if he knew, considering Sasuke knew these guys sohow, then they could have at least talked before recking their lab.
It was undoubtedly Luffy's fault.
Breaking into soone's lab, wrecking it, and then leaving without a second thought? Ace knew such behavior would infuriate anyone.
"I'm sorry. We'll compensate you for this, but we didn't bring enough Berries this ti," Ace said earnestly. "Once I return to the Whitebeard Pirates, I'll send you a proper apology gift."
For Sasuke's sake, Sasori reluctantly accepted the apology.
****
After returning to the Whitebeard Pirates, Whitebeard-still seething over Ace's near-death encounter with Kizaru-joined forces with Marco and the others to launch an attack on the G- 5 branch.
There, they clashed with Aokiji and Naruto, who had been waiting for them.
****
anwhile, in the ninja world, monuntal news shook the peace that had lasted for years. The Ninja Coalition Forces were being reassembled, signaling the onset of a world war. Konoha had undergone dramatic transformations.
Ever since Colt forced the hidden villages to relocate and rebuild near Konoha, the once-vast surrounding forests had been halved, replaced by four new villages.
Initially, the Five Great Ninja Villages were distinctly separated, with each city maintaining a respectable distance.
Over ti, however, the boundaries blurred, rging into an unprecedented supercity.
This outco was both inevitable and a testant to the efforts of humanity.
A godlike figure with unparalleled power suppressed all dissent, rendering past hatreds aningless and irrelevant.
Thanks to Senju Hashirama's relentless persuasion, even the hidden villages eventually accepted this reality.
Perhaps in a few decades, the concept of hidden villages would vanish entirely, replaced by the Five Departnts: Fire, Thunder, Earth, Water, and Wind.
They were called that, but the tradition could simply vanish by changing its na.
****
At the heart of this super city stood the council hall. Despite its grandeur, the chamber felt empty, with only a dozen key figures present.
Surprisingly, the person presiding over the eting wasn't Hashirama or Kaguya Otsutsuki.
It was Hyuga Hinata.
The once-shy girl had blossod into a confident and commanding leader.
Her delicate appearance belied the imnse strength she possessed, and her piercing blue eyes were as beautiful as they were dangerous.
Years ago, during a duel between Hashirama and Madara, their clash had nearly destroyed the
city.
It wasn't Naruto or Kaguya who stopped them, but Hinata.
From that mont on, everyone recognized the hidden power Colt had entrusted to her-
eyes that rivaled even the Rinnegan.
"Everyone," Hinata began, her calm voice commanding attention.
"Colt has sent word that we need at least 10,000 elite ninjas to form a coalition and enter the
New World as pioneers."
"I've called this eting to discuss how each departnt will contribute to this force.
Additionally, Kaguya and I will personally join the expedition. We also need to select
soone to oversee the ninja world in our absence."
The room buzzed with excitent.
Ninjas, though accustod to peace, were drawn to the thrill of life-and-death battles. The prospect of entering a new world was irresistible.
The Raikage impatient as ever, stood first, his booming voice breaking the silence.
"Our Thunder Departnt is prepared to send 5,000 elite ninjas, all with at least Chūnin-level
strength and proficient in Haki. Of course, if more are needed, we'll gladly contribute. The ninjas of the Thunder Departnt fear no war!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)