Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki Chapter 279: Remote Control

"If I rember right, the Third Mizukage participated in the Five Kage Summit."

"Was he really this weak?"

"Hmph, just like I said back then—what Five Kage? Just a bunch of slightly stronger ninjas."

"They're all rookies."

"This Third Mizukage was useless—he wasn't even as good as that brat, Ōnoki of the Two Scales."

Madara Uchiha was thoroughly annoyed, but no matter how much it bothered him, there was nothing he could do now—the man was already dead.

Still, his irritation quickly faded, replaced by a cold smile.

He ford a one-handed seal. His Sharingan spun rapidly, transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan, then into the Rinnegan. A gleam flashed through his eyes...

At that sa mont, on the coast of the Land of Frost...

Kazuyama Gekkō stood over the Third Mizukage, completely unaware of the danger creeping up on him.

He was still mulling over the new ability he had just earned—Draw a Circle and Curse You.

Curses were almost unheard of in this world. After all, this was a world of ninjutsu, not so cartoonish fantasy.

But since it was a reward from the system, he couldn't help but feel curious. He was even thinking about trying it out on soone.

Just as he turned around, sothing strange happened.

"Kazuyama! Watch out!"

Chōi's urgent voice suddenly rang out.

Kazuyama's gut clenched. A powerful sense of danger exploded from behind him.

"Dodge!"

Without hesitation, he tried to activate Flying Thunder God to escape—but his body didn't respond.

He couldn't move at all.

"Damn it! Genjutsu...Binding?!"

"No way!"

Binding Genjutsu was an unusual type of Genjutsu. It left the victim conscious, but completely immobilized.

"Chōi! Chōi!"

Kazuyama called out to Chōi in his mind, but there was no response.

Clearly, Chōi had been caught in the Genjutsu too.

Suddenly, the supposedly dead Third Mizukage began to rise slowly, his eyes now bearing concentric circles.

Rinnegan!

Kazuyama's heart dropped.

What the hell did Madara Uchiha do to him? The man was dead—how could he still move?

No—this wasn't Genjutsu. As Kazuyama stared, he spotted a black rod embedded in the Mizukage's chest.

Now it made sense. This was a backup plan Madara had planted in advance.

He was remotely controlling him using the power of the Six Paths!

That damn bastard!

"Kazuyama Gekkō... heh heh..."

"Die!"

The Third Mizukage suddenly spoke, then pulled out a kunai and lunged for Kazuyama's throat.

"Oh no! Chōi, you bastard! Wake up!"

Kazuyama scread internally, hoping Chōi would snap out of it—but he had no real confidence. After all, Uchiha eyes controlling a Tailed Beast? That was practically routine.

And this was Madara Uchiha.

The kunai closed in—less than ten centiters from his throat.

Suddenly, a surge of crimson chakra burst from Kazuyama's body.

The wave of chakra broke the paralysis, and he regained control.

"Get the hell off !"

Like Naruto launching the Truth-Seeking Orb, Kazuyama roared and unleashed a Leaf Great Whirlwind, kicking the Third Mizukage flying.

He dashed forward, arm outstretched, and grabbed for the black rod in the Mizukage's chest.

The move caught Madara by surprise—he hadn't expected this brat to pinpoint the issue so quickly.

In that mont, Kazuyama's threat level in Madara's eyes rose dramatically.

He was no longer just a slightly annoying brat—he had beco soone with the potential to truly interfere with Madara's plans.

From "must kill" to "erase from existence."

As the black rod was ripped out, the Rinnegan faded from the Mizukage's eyes, leaving only a lifeless gray. His body collapsed to the ground.

"Bastard! Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!"

A torrent of searing flas erupted from Kazuyama's mouth, surging down toward the Mizukage's body.

The blast was so intense it launched Kazuyama into the air.

The flas lted the surrounding ice and snow, and in monts, the Mizukage's body was reduced to ash.

[Ding! Detected that the host incinerated the corpse out of rage. A master at destroying evidence! Mont of silence for the Third Mizukage—tornted by both Madara Uchiha and the host. Special reward: Ninjutsu Amplification 5.]

At that mont, the Third Mizukage's value had been completely squeezed dry by Kazuyama.

Driven by fury, Kazuyama's Fire Release was so powerful it even caused the ground to partially collapse.

As the flas faded, he stood there, panting heavily.

But there was no ti to rest—he imdiately entered his inner world to check on Chōi.

What he saw left him stunned.

"Chōi! You..."

Earlier, Chōi had been caught in the Genjutsu just like him, but sohow managed to break free at the last second. Kazuyama had been curious about that.

Now, that curiosity was replaced by deep emotion.

Chōi looked terrible. His entire body was covered in insects, gnawing at him nonstop.

In just a few minutes, his body had already suffered visible damage. Even in an inner world made of chakra, damage was still damage.

Chōi's eyes glowed red. He was gasping for air.

"Kazuyama, you're awake."

"Chōi, what the hell are you doing?! Stop this now!"

Kazuyama surged with Tailed Beast chakra and obliterated all the insects on Chōi's body.

That move made Chōi howl in pain.

"Aaah! My ergency rations!"

"Kazuyama, I'm fine. If it weren't for those rations, we would've been toast this ti."

Chōi slowly explained what had happened. At the start, he had been hit by the Genjutsu, but as a Tailed Beast—and an insect—he had a backup plan.

Before the illusion took hold, he split off a portion of his chakra.

With that, he activated a batch of stored insects—specifically from the Abura Clan—and ordered them to eat him alive. The external pain and destruction helped snap him out of the illusion.

The problem was, there weren't many bugs, so it took so ti for the damage to build up.

Kazuyama was deeply moved. Chōi might act unreliable most of the ti, but when things got serious, he really ca through.

At that mont, Kazuyama's bond with Chōi deepened again.

Man and bug stared at each other—then spoke in perfect sync:

"Brother! I'm not falling in love with you!"

"You're ugly!"

And the next second, the two burst out laughing.

Sotis, being in sync is just that simple.