Chapter 525 - 61-65

After subduing the Four-Tails, Shūichi let out a long breath, though he could also feel the weight settling into his body.

Four tails was indeed much more powerful than just one!

This wasn't about combat strength, but rather the sheer quantity of chakra.

The amount of chakra from the One-Tail was roughly comparable to Asuka's, which was about nine times Shūichi's current chakra reserves.

But when Shūichi estimated the upper limit of the Four-Tails' chakra, it was around forty times his own.

Astounding!!!

One could only imagine how terrifying the chakra reserves of the Nine-Tails, with all nine of its tails, would be.

And as for the Ten-Tails...

This is why, looking to the future, the path forward still lies in mastering natural energy.

But first, he had to increase his own chakra capacity!

"However, as my physique continues to improve, my chakra limit should soon match or even exceed that of the One-Tail, reaching the level of a tailed beast."

"At that level, the amount of chakra would place me on par with only a select few in the current shinobi world—like the Third Raikage, the future Fourth Raikage, Sage Mode Jiraiya, Nagato, or Uzumaki Kushina."

As Shūichi pondered this, he continued to acclimate himself to the Four-Tails' power.

The Fire Nether Chains he used prevented both the Four-Tails and One-Tail from accessing their own chakra while simultaneously siphoning off their chakra. This chakra was filtered through the Eight Trigrams Sealing system, becoming a source of stamina for Shūichi.

This system was similar to how tailed beasts could absorb natural energy to replenish their strength.

Now, Shūichi had two massive chakra batteries—more than enough for most situations!

With the One-Tail and Four-Tails within him, he'd rarely run out of chakra.

However, Shūichi remained fully aware of one thing: the tailed beasts were still external powers. His body's strength needed continual improvement and further excavation.

His ultimate goal was the level of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!

Right now, he was still two or three major physical upgrades away from reaching that level.

It truly made one appreciate the terrifying power of the First Hokage.

...

"Let's move!"

After taking a moment to adjust, Shūichi accepted the scroll from Uchiha Shisui's hands.

"Shūichi, shouldn't you take a break first?" Asuka asked with concern, and Shisui nodded in agreement.

Shūichi smiled. "The sealing technique is strong enough, and my body will adapt quickly. Don't worry."

The three of them set out, and about 20 minutes later, they encountered a small squad of Iwa-nin.

"It's Konoha's Blue Flash!"

"What's he doing here? Isn't Rōshi supposed to be dealing with him?"

...

The Iwa-nin stared wide-eyed at Shūichi, cold sweat pouring down their faces.

"Retreat!"

The leading Iwa jōnin immediately ordered a retreat, slamming his hands to the ground to rapidly reshape the terrain in front of them. At the same time, he replaced himself with an earth clone, while his real body escaped underground.

Seeing this, Shisui couldn't help but laugh. "Shūichi, it seems just showing up is enough to defeat the Iwa-nin."

Shūichi chuckled. "If only it were that easy."

"Let's chase them!"

The three leaped forward, quickening their pace.

As Shūichi's presence spread, news of the Four-Tails jinchūriki Rōshi's defeat also swiftly circulated among the Iwa forces.

At the same time…

Kakashi, who had detoured north and crossed into the Land of Grass from the Land of Waterfalls, suddenly halted. He raised his hand, signaling Obito to stop as well.

"Is there an enemy nearby?"

Obito looked around but found nothing.

Hidden underground, the Iwa-nin Majoji smirked to himself. "Just two kids? How underwhelming. Still, for them to detect me... maybe they're not entirely incompetent."

Though Kakashi wasn't a sensory ninja, he had an exceptionally keen sense of smell and was skilled at observing traces. He snorted lightly, "Be careful. If you start crying in fear, I won't be saving you."

A direct hit to the heart!

Obito bristled, about to retort, when Kakashi's hand erupted in lightning, accompanied by the loud chirping of birds.

"So... so much chakra!"

"This technique..."

Obito was stunned, having never seen Kakashi use this move before.

"I'm going in. Stay alert."

With another reminder, Kakashi leaped forward, the area around him crackling with explosions as he moved at lightning speed.

Seeing this, Majoji was equally shocked. "So fast... this guy is no joke... but neither am I!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

A barrage of shuriken flew out.

Surrounded by electric currents, Kakashi moved swiftly, kunai in hand, deflecting the incoming shuriken with ease.

Only then did Obito snap out of his daze, quickly pulling out his own shuriken and throwing them to intercept.

Clang clang clang!

Every kunai Majoji had thrown was blocked by Obito's projectiles.

In a few blinks of an eye, Kakashi had already dodged the frontal attack from Majoji's clone and appeared behind it, swiftly dispatching the clone.

Poof!

The clone dispersed.

"As expected, just a clone."

"Next!"

Kakashi continued his assault, his incredible speed allowing him to eliminate Majoji's clones one by one.

"Die!"

The real Majoji appeared, blade in hand, charging toward him.

Obito's eyes widened as he watched.

In a split second, the electrical currents surrounding Kakashi expanded outward, paralyzing Majoji's movements and slowing his speed. Kakashi sidestepped the incoming strike, circled around, and drove his right hand through Majoji's chest, piercing his heart.

The Chidori required speed to deliver a powerful blow, but Kakashi's perfected Raikiri—the lightning cutter—didn't. In this case, he used Chidori first, followed by Raikiri to maximize its lethality.

The strength of Raikiri was greater, but he couldn't instantly activate it. However, his Chidori had already reached the point where no hand signs were needed.

...

Kakashi withdrew his hand, and Majoji collapsed to the ground.

Uchiha Obito stepped forward, still in shock.

The fight just now was something he couldn't have managed at all.

"Hurry up," Kakashi barked after taking a couple of breaths.

Obito quickly followed suit.

The two moved through the dense mushroom forest, then waded through a stream.

Suddenly, Kakashi stopped again, raising his hand in a signal.

Obito tensed up, "Are there more enemies?"

"Where?"

Just as he wondered, several bamboo tubes shot down from above.

Reacting swiftly, Obito formed hand seals and released a massive burst of flames, burning the falling bamboo projectiles and sending them crashing into the water, causing a spray of droplets.

"Watch out!"

Kakashi shouted as he drew his blade and launched himself toward the Iwa-nin emerging from the bamboo thicket.

Clang clang clang!

The two clashed mid-air, exchanging blows.

Obito looked up, only to feel a sudden sharp pain in his neck as his body went limp.

At that moment, Kakashi landed and called out, "Obito!"

"We're taking him with us!"

An Iwa-nin named Daishi chuckled, then he and another Iwa-nin, Hiwa, leaped away with Obito in tow.

"Damn it!"

Kakashi gritted his teeth.

"My father always said, 'Never abandon your comrades'... Even if he's a crybaby, I can't just leave him behind."

Determined, Kakashi took off in pursuit of the Iwa-nin.

…

"That brat's actually chasing us," Daishi noted, glancing back.

Hiwa added, "That sword... It looks like the one Konoha's White Fang used. Could he be the son of the White Fang?"

"In that case, no need to hold back."

"I'll stay behind to deal with him. You focus on getting the information out of this kid."

Daishi halted, and Hiwa stopped as well, turning back to caution him, "Don't underestimate him. It seems Majoji might already be dead."

Just then, a flash of lightning appeared behind them.

Both Iwa-nin were startled, "So fast!"

Daishi quickly made hand seals and vanished from sight, while Hiwa sensed danger and released Obito before leaping away.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and sparks flew.

Kakashi appeared, retrieving the unconscious Obito and retreating a short distance.

Meanwhile, his Lightning Clone was already engaging Hiwa, but there was still the other enemy skilled in concealment.

"Obito!"

Kakashi stayed alert, on guard. "This guy's even managed to erase his scent. I'll have to rely on sound and air movement."

Suddenly, his ears twitched. In a flash, Kakashi turned, swinging his blade, White Fang.

Slash!

Blood splattered, some of it landing on the unconscious Obito's face.

A gash appeared on Daishi's chest as he landed on a tree branch, his expression dark. "This brat is no pushover... I'll have to take my time."

With that, his body faded into invisibility once again.

At the same time, Kakashi's Lightning Clone finally exploded, the shockwave sending Hiwa to the ground, screaming in agony.

"Now's my chance!"

Kakashi dashed forward as Obito slowly began to regain consciousness. He opened his eyes just in time to see Kakashi moving to finish off the downed Hiwa, only to suddenly turn and parry another attack.

Clang!

More blood splattered, and Kakashi grimaced as he staggered back to Obito's side.

A long cut ran across Kakashi's left abdomen, blood soaking his clothes.

"Kakashi!"

Obito cried out, quickly getting up to support him.

"Go... You're no match for him."

Kakashi clutched his wound, eyes locked on Daishi, who had just reappeared.

Daishi had one kunai blocking Kakashi's blade and had inflicted the wound with another. Clearly, he had planned to strike when Kakashi was distracted by the downed Iwa-nin.

"No..."

Obito shook his head, gritting his teeth. "I won't abandon a comrade!"

Kakashi, enduring the pain, argued, "But if you stay, we'll both die!"

Tears streamed down Obito's face as he bit his lip. "Even if I die, I won't be a coward! I'm a Uchiha!"

On the other side, Daishi turned his gaze to both of them, "Sharp instincts for a brat... As expected of the White Fang's son."

"But this is where it ends for you."

With those words, he vanished again.

Kakashi shouted, "Go now! If the other one recovers, you're done for!"

"And don't tell me your eyes are tearing up from dust again!"

Obito didn't respond. He stood, wiped his tears behind his goggles, and gripped his kunai tightly. "I won't bring shame to the Uchiha name!"

"Die!"

With a sudden turn, Obito thrust his kunai forward with both hands.

"How... how is this possible?"

Daishi reappeared, looking down at Obito's kunai.

Obito raised his head, revealing crimson eyes—the fully formed two-tomoe Sharingan.

"A... Sharingan!"

Daishi muttered in disbelief.

Obito pulled the kunai out and, with a swift motion, slashed across Daishi's neck.

Thud!

The large body collapsed to the ground.

Obito turned to look at Kakashi.

"These eyes..."

Kakashi gasped, "You awakened your Sharingan!"

Obito nodded, "Kakashi, now it's my turn to protect you!"

Kakashi took a deep breath. "Then let's take this chance to finish off that other enemy!"

"But be careful, he's already recovered."

Obito nodded and charged toward the fallen Hiwa.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Several shuriken flew forward, followed by Obito quickly forming hand seals.

Hiwa, who had barely recovered, narrowly dodged the shuriken as he leaped to his feet.

Although he had regained some of his strength, his body wasn't as nimble as before.

Avoiding Obito's Great Fireball Technique once more, Hiwa found himself face-to-face with Obito.

Both wielding weapons—Hiwa with his dual swords, Obito with his dual kunai—they engaged in a furious exchange.

Clang clang clang!

As they fought, the weakened Hiwa retreated, thinking to himself, "This Sharingan... he's completely different from before... This kid..."

...

At the same time, high above Kannabi Bridge, one of Shūichi's shadow clones, transformed into a hawk, suddenly sensed something. "Kakashi and Obito?"

"What are they doing here?"

"I can't sense Rin's chakra—she's probably been left back at the main medical camp," the shadow clone deduced. Without waiting any longer, it dispelled its transformation mid-air, plummeting toward the ground at high speed. To cushion the descent, lotus petals bloomed beneath its feet at intervals, softening the fall.

"Above us!"

"Watch out!"

"It's Konoha's Blue Flash!"

The Iwa-nin's voices echoed in alarm.

Thanks to intel previously obtained from Sunagakure, they had been keeping an eye on any airborne threats. They were aware that Shūichi possessed abilities similar to their own Third Tsuchikage, capable of aerial assaults.

Thus, when Shūichi descended to a certain height, the Iwa-nin detected him.

Figures appeared from hidden positions on both ends of the bridge, as well as on its surface.

"That guy's been watching us all along, waiting until our supplies were almost here before making his move…"

The Iwa-nin squad leader's expression darkened as he gave orders: "Everyone, prepare defensive jutsu! We must protect this bridge at all costs until the supplies are safely delivered to the Land of Grass."

"Understood!"

The Iwa-nin responded in unison and quickly formed hand seals.

At the ends of the bridge, they created semi-circular earth domes to shield the bridge, though they could only cover part of it.

Meanwhile, below the bridge, more Iwa-nin combined their Earth Release techniques to raise thick stone walls on both sides, nearly touching the bridge.

On the bridge itself, others used their chakra to transform earth into mud, which expanded and solidified into towering walls along the bridge surface.

One by one, the Iwa-nin leaped onto these walls and used Earth Release to create sharp stone spikes, crisscrossing the high walls with deadly defenses. Additional spikes jutted upward from the walls, making the area even more treacherous.

Witnessing this, Shūichi couldn't help but admire the Iwa-nin's skill in defensive techniques.

Moreover, intelligence was truly crucial.

Had they not obtained the intel from the Sand, the Iwa-nin wouldn't have been able to prepare such an elaborate defense, even if they had anticipated an attack.

Opening his palm, Shūichi summoned a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, which immediately began to glow with the power of Lava Release.

"Lava Release: Rasenshuriken!"

With a flick of his arm, the spinning Lava-infused shuriken flew downward at high speed.

"He's attacking!"

"Get ready!"

"We can't let that jutsu explode near us!"

The Iwa-nin commander shouted, urging his already exhausted comrades to eat soldier pills and push their chakra to the limit.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Dragon!"

Multiple stone dragons soared into the sky, colliding with the falling Rasenshuriken.

Crack! Crack!

One by one, the stone dragons shattered.

But there were enough of them. They charged forward, eventually destabilizing the Rasenshuriken. The lava core in the center exploded, forming a massive orb of molten light that engulfed the stone dragons.

Moments later, a scorching windstorm swept through the area. The Iwa-nin raised their hands to shield their faces but still squinted upward, trying to see what was happening in the sky.

When the roaring explosion subsided, the dust suddenly parted, and the Iwa-nin's eyes widened in horror.

Another Lava Release: Rasenshuriken was falling, this time directly toward Kannabi Bridge.

"That bastard…"

"There's no time!"

The Iwa-nin commander gritted his teeth and reluctantly gave the order, "Scatter!"

They had no choice but to rely on the defenses they had built earlier.

Soon enough, the Rasenshuriken struck the side of Kannabi Bridge, first hitting the long, sharp stone spikes extending from the earth walls.

But under the Rasenshuriken's relentless spinning, the spikes were ground to dust, shattering into pieces.

"Damn it, we can't stop it!"

"Is that really the real Shūichi?"

"Wasn't Lord Roshi supposed to be keeping him busy?"

The Iwa-nin looked on in despair, realizing that their defenses were utterly ineffective against the jutsu.

As the Rasenshuriken finally crashed into the walls, it detonated in a massive explosion. The molten core expanded rapidly, consuming the walls and the bridge itself.

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed across the sky, the blinding light outshining the sun.

Not far away, within the borders of the Land of Grass, Kakashi and Uchiha Obito, who had just finished dealing with their own enemies, looked up toward Kannabi Bridge.

"Kakashi, did you feel that?" Obito asked, excited.

Kakashi, his face pale, nodded slightly, "It should be Shūichi making his move."

Obito grinned, "Looks like our mission is complete."

He turned his attention back to the task at hand, speeding up his work to bandage Kakashi's wounded abdomen. "Good thing Rin gave you this medical kit. Otherwise, we'd be in trouble."

"If Rin were here, she'd be able to treat your injury even better."

Kakashi fell silent for a moment, then said, "Thank you, Obito."

Obito, finishing the bandage, scoffed, "Don't look down on me anymore!"

"Though, I admit, you are stronger than me. If it weren't for you… you saved me first, then I saved you. So, we're even."

After all, it was his lack of strength that had led to him getting captured by the Iwa-nin, resulting in Kakashi's injury.

But Obito raised his chin proudly, "Kakashi, I've awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan now. Soon, I'll catch up to you!"

Kakashi nodded seriously, "I'll be waiting."

The two locked eyes, their rivalry as intense as ever, but now with a deeper bond.

Before long, they looked away, and Obito asked, "Kakashi, what should we do next?"

"Are we going to regroup with Shūichi?"

"What about your injury? Is it okay?"

Kakashi gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, "I'm fine."

"Let's go meet up with Shūichi!"

At Kannabi Bridge.

The Lava Release: Rasenshuriken melted two-thirds of the bridge, leaving a massive gap in the middle, as if a giant beast had taken a bite out of it.

It had to be said, the Iwa-nin's defenses were somewhat effective.

They managed to prevent Shūichi's jutsu from fully achieving its intended impact.

However, taking advantage of the ensuing chaos, Shūichi swiftly pierced through the defenses from above, descending to the underside of the bridge before the Iwa-nin could react to the explosion of his Rasenshuriken.

"Stop him!"

"Don't let him destroy the bridge completely!"

The Iwa-nin shouted as they rushed toward Shūichi.

The bridge was still salvageable with some Earth Release techniques to patch it up.

Shūichi's figure flickered, and as he landed on one of the bridge's pillars, he slapped his hand down, summoning an explosive tag.

This wasn't one he carried on him; it was summoned directly through a summoning technique.

One Iwa-nin spotted the explosive tag and immediately formed hand seals, releasing a gust of wind to blow it away.

But Shūichi swiftly dodged, and before long, a series of explosive tags began appearing in rapid succession around the first one. The first tag had already started to detonate, setting off a chain reaction.

Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!

A series of explosions unfolded, shattering one of the bridge pillars. The shockwaves collided with the gust of wind, sending debris flying in all directions.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Numerous attacks whistled through the air, sealing off all of Shūichi's possible escape routes.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Kakashi and Obito appeared at the edge of the Land of Grass.

"It's Shūichi!"

"He's surrounded!"

Obito exclaimed in shock.

"Let's go help him!" Kakashi shouted. He was just about to leap forward when the pain in his abdomen flared up, causing him to stumble.

Obito quickly supported him, "You stay here! I'll go help Shūichi!"

"No need!"

Shūichi's voice suddenly rang in their ears as his figure appeared next to Kakashi.

Back at the bridge, all of the Iwa-nin's attacks had missed their target.

"There he is!"

"Konoha's reinforcements have arrived!"

"Chase them!"

The Iwa-nin shouted, immediately using Body Flicker Techniques to pursue them.

Watching the approaching Iwa-nin, Shūichi calmly instructed, "Obito, take Kakashi and retreat. I'm just a shadow clone."

"And retrace your steps!"

Obito quickly nodded, "Got it!"

He then supported Kakashi as they retreated.

Shūichi glanced back at the two of them, a small smile forming on his face.

It seemed like something had happened between them—something he wasn't aware of. There was a noticeable change in their dynamic.

Turning back to face the Iwa-nin, Shūichi began to retreat slowly, leading them further away.

His chakra was running low now, and the best strategy was to draw the Iwa-nin's attention away, ensuring they wouldn't pursue Kakashi and Obito.

Meanwhile…

On the frontlines, after Shūichi's appearance, the Iwa-nin squads began retreating, continuously regrouping. Their depth of defense against the Konoha-Suna alliance was steadily collapsing.

However, when it came to tactical coordination, the Iwa-nin were still quite skilled. Despite being forced to retreat, they used terrain manipulation to slow down Konoha and Sand's advances. Even though they were retreating, they hadn't completely broken down.

The only time they were utterly helpless was when facing Shūichi and the team under his command.

No matter how strong their defenses were, they were nothing in front of Shūichi.

…

That night, Konoha and Sand withdrew their forces after the day's battle.

Shūichi also received a message from Orochimaru, summoning him back to the main camp.

"The leader of Kusagakure is dead. The new leader is Mugen. They've completely aligned with us and will be joining our efforts against Iwa," Orochimaru said bluntly as Shūichi entered.

Shūichi nodded. He wasn't surprised.

Kusagakure had no other choice.

If they sided with Iwa, Shūichi would be the first to wipe them out.

Still, Mugen becoming the new leader of Kusagakure?

Interesting!

But Shūichi didn't dwell on it and asked, "Orochimaru-sama, I assume that's not the only reason you called me back?"

Orochimaru nodded, "Of course."

"You've already dealt with the Four-Tails. According to the old man's orders, you're needed on the front lines at the Kumo battlefield."

Shūichi asked, "What about Minato-sensei?"

Orochimaru replied, "He's still on the Mist battlefield for now."

Shūichi nodded, "Understood. I'll set off tomorrow."

The situation in the Land of Grass was already decided. Unless Onoki personally intervened or mobilized five to six, or even seven to eight thousand more troops, there was no way Iwa could hold the Land of Grass.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision to transfer him might not be solely for dealing with the A-B Combo. It's likely also intended to avoid a direct confrontation between him and the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

At that moment, Orochimaru asked, "Shūichi-kun, do you think the old man will negotiate with Iwa-nin?"

Shūichi thought for a moment, then shook his head, "It depends on how things go with the Kumo and Kirigakure fronts."

"If he negotiates with Iwa alone, it would be a betrayal of our ally, Suna."

"If there's to be peace talks, it must be done alongside Suna. We need to wait until they've advanced into the Land of Birds, forcing Iwa to concede part of its interests there."

"A win-win situation will ensure the alliance lasts."

Of course, Shūichi didn't say the other part of his thoughts: If Suna doesn't get a share of the spoils, how can they be expected to help us bite later?

Orochimaru, however, caught on to this underlying meaning, chuckling, "Suna is like a wolf. You not only need enough strength to keep them in check but also have to throw them a bone to keep them satisfied."

"Shūichi-kun, you'd make an excellent beast tamer."

Shūichi shook his head, "Training a single summoned beast is exhausting enough. That's something the Hokage should be thinking about."

"Orochimaru-sama, I'll head to the medical team now."

Orochimaru nodded, watching Shūichi leave, but also silently reflecting on the deeper meaning behind his words.

Little did Shūichi know, his casual remark had sparked a deeper contemplation in Orochimaru. But since Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent him to the Kumo front, there was no need to overthink it.

Arriving at the medical unit, Shūichi first found Kakashi.

"Shūichi!"

Seeing him, both Obito and Kakashi greeted him warmly.

Shūichi smiled and asked, "How are your injuries?"

Kakashi replied, "No major issues, nothing vital was hit."

Uchiha Obito grinned, adding, "It was handled personally by Lady Nonō, so there's no problem at all."

Shūichi nodded and, looking at Obito, smiled and congratulated him, "Obito, congratulations on awakening your Sharingan!"

Obito scratched his head in slight embarrassment, "You noticed, huh?"

He had been trying to think of how to show off his new ability.

Shūichi chuckled, "I'm a sensory ninja. Of course, I can sense that your chakra is different now."

"Huh?"

Obito was taken aback, "My chakra is different?"

Shūichi nodded and gave a brief explanation, "Awakening the Sharingan usually happens when someone experiences emotional trauma, causing a mutation in their chakra, which then alters their optic nerves and eyes. That's how the Sharingan and its tomoe evolve."

"Think of it as a form of yin release nature transformation."

Obito, looking puzzled, asked, "Shūichi, why does it seem like you understand the Sharingan better than the Uchiha?"

Even Kakashi was curious.

Shūichi shook his head, "It's not that I understand the Sharingan better than the Uchiha. I just have a deeper understanding of nature transformations."

"Besides, don't forget, Shisui is my teammate, and he's already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan."

Obito nodded in realization, "Ah, that makes sense. Shisui is indeed incredible—he's a genius well-known within the clan."

Patting Obito on the shoulder, Shūichi smiled, "You're not bad either, Obito. Keep it up."

"And Kakashi, take care of your injuries. I'm heading to the Kumo front soon."

"Kumo?"

Both of them were startled. Kakashi asked, "Does that mean we've already won here?"

Shūichi shook his head, "We've gained the upper hand, but it's not over yet."

"Don't worry. I'm sure Minato-sensei will be here soon as well."

Without further explanation, Shūichi waved goodbye and left. He still had to say farewell to Nonō Yakushi and the others.

As Shūichi departed, Obito suddenly asked, "Kakashi, do you think I'll ever become as strong as Shūichi? I heard he captured Iwa's Four-Tails!"

He hadn't known what a Tailed Beast was before, but now he understood.

Kakashi thought seriously for a moment before replying, "First, try to surpass Uchiha Shisui."

Obito snorted, "I'll surpass you first, you smug jerk!"

"Kakashi, now that I've awakened my Sharingan, I'm not the same. If you don't step up, you'll be my defeated rival in no time."

Kakashi shot back sarcastically, "I heard genjutsu is the most powerful aspect of the Sharingan. Maybe work on mastering that first."

Obito's face immediately fell.

He was notoriously terrible at genjutsu!

So, from the Academy until now, he had focused on perfecting the Fireball Jutsu and taijutsu.

"Who said the Sharingan has to be used for genjutsu?"

Obito retorted, "The Sharingan has incredible insight, allowing you to see through enemy movements and even their chakra flow."

"Hmph, smug Kakashi, you don't understand the true power of the Sharingan."

...

Night fell over Iwagakure, but the Tsuchikage's office remained brightly lit.

Onoki's face was grim.

Not only had the Kannabi Bridge been destroyed, but the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi, was also missing.

Considering what had happened to the One-Tail, it wasn't hard to guess—Roshi had likely been taken down by that brat, Hoshita Shūichi.

In other words, Iwagakure had lost the Four-Tails!

This was something Onoki found hard to accept.

To him, the Four-Tails was far stronger than the One-Tail.

And Roshi's control over the Tailed Beast's power was far superior to Sunagakure's Jinchuriki. Despite preparing in advance based on the information they had on Hoshita Shūichi, the result was still the same as what happened with Suna.

"Send word to the front lines. Tomorrow, I'll go there in person!" Onoki decided after a brief moment of contemplation.

Kitsuchi opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words to dissuade his father. He nodded, turning to make the necessary arrangements.

…

Morning arrived quickly. As Shūichi set out for the Kumo battlefield, Onoki also prepared to depart, accompanied by his son, Kitsuchi.

However, just as they stepped out of the Tsuchikage building, an Iwa-nin suddenly appeared, blocking their path.

"Tsuchikage-sama, an urgent situation has arisen at the border. The Third Raikage of Kumogakure himself is leading a surprise attack with an army. It seems they've already breached our front lines."

Both Onoki and Kitsuchi were stunned.

The Third Raikage personally leading an assault?

Has he gone mad?

Moreover, Kumo was still fighting Konoha—why would they choose this moment to attack Iwa?

"Damn it..." Onoki gritted his teeth, "That bastard Raikage… he chose this moment to…"

Kitsuchi struggled to understand, "Why would the Third Raikage attack us now? Could it be they're trying to seize the resources of the small nations like the Land of Frost, Land of Rice, or Land of the Moon?"

Onoki snorted coldly, "These battle-hungry fools… their ambitions are boundless. That's the only explanation."

"They see us being squeezed by both Suna and Konoha and think they can take advantage."

With that, he turned and headed back to the Tsuchikage building, issuing orders along the way: "Kitsuchi, you go to the Land of Grass immediately. Have them fall back to defend our borders."

"As for the Land of Birds, be on guard against Suna. The moment Kumo moves, the Fourth Kazekage won't be able to resist the temptation."

"If the situation becomes untenable, retreat for now!"

Kitsuchi nodded without hesitation and quickly set out.

Meanwhile, Onoki returned to his office, issuing a series of mobilization orders to gather his forces.

"That fool Raikage dares to invade the Land of Earth... I'll make sure he regrets it!" Onoki stared at the map, continuously directing his troops.

...

While Konoha and Suna were securing one victory after another in the Land of Grass, the name of Konoha's "Yellow Flash" spread like wildfire on the Kirigakure battlefield.

Namikaze Minato dashed from one battlefield to another, leaving the Mist-nin in complete disarray wherever he went.

They simply couldn't stop him. No one could.

The Flying Thunder God Technique wasn't something that could be countered by merely avoiding the Flying Thunder God kunai.

And Namikaze Minato's mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique was far more refined than Hoshita Shūichi's.

Just by tossing a kunai, Minato could dominate the battlefield!

No one could be on guard against the Flying Thunder God kunai all the time, and even without it, Minato's Body Flicker Technique was top-tier.

In just one day, the Mist-nin lines were broken three times—an efficiency far beyond what Shūichi's shadow clones could achieve.

Previously, Shūichi's shadow clones, along with Pakura, had been harassing the Mist-nin, preventing their advance and forcing them to retreat repeatedly. Eventually, Yagura Karatachi himself led an elite squad to specifically target Shūichi's shadow clones and Pakura, managing to hold them off.

However, Shūichi couldn't maintain his shadow clones for too long, especially from such a great distance, so he had already dispelled them.

Now that Namikaze Minato had arrived, the situation changed drastically.

Even Yagura, a master of Water Release, could only retreat in defeat, suffering heavy losses among his elite forces.

In just three days, the Mist-nin were forced to retreat over and over. On the eastern front, they were driven off the mainland entirely, while on the southern front, they retreated into smaller nations like the Land of Tea, being completely expelled from the Land of Fire.

...

As the situation across the ninja world shifted, Shūichi, along with Shisui and Asuka, took a day and a half to travel directly from the Land of Grass to the Kumo front in the northern part of the Land of Fire.

After resting in the rear for a night, the trio arrived at the front lines the next morning.

"Shūichi-sama, you're finally here!"

"Lord Shūichi!"

"This is great! Now that Lord Shūichi is here, the Kumo-nin won't be able to act so arrogantly!"

…

Shūichi's arrival caused a wave of excitement among the Konoha forces, boosting their morale instantly.

Although it had been a long time since Shūichi had returned to the village, news of his achievements on the front lines had continuously reached Konoha, inspiring everyone.

Recently, his fame had even surpassed that of renowned commanders like Jiraiya and Orochimaru, with many Konoha ninjas seeing him as the strongest contender for the position of Fifth Hokage.

Some even believed that calls for him to be named the Fourth Hokage might arise.

At this moment, the commander of the Kumo front was the veteran Konoha Jonin, Mimura Yamakaze. He had originally been in charge of the defense on the western border of the Land of Fire, but after Orochimaru led his troops north, Yamakaze had been reassigned to the Kumo front.

Thus, he was no stranger to Hoshita Shūichi.

After listening to Mimura Yamakaze's report on the situation at the Cloud Shinobi battlefield, Shūichi had a good grasp of Kumogakure's strategic objectives.

Their goal was clearly the smaller nations in the northern region of the Land of Fire, such as the Land of Fields and the Land of the Moon, which usually commissioned their tasks to Konoha.

Of course, Kumogakure's ambitions didn't stop there; they also aimed to take a bite out of the Land of Fire itself.

However, Konoha's resistance had been fierce. Despite retreating into their own territory, they had successfully repelled three waves of intense attacks from Kumogakure, forcing a stalemate in the war.

According to intelligence, during this deadlock, Kumogakure was actively engaging with the daimyos of these small nations, trying to establish an effective sphere of influence.

It was clear that Kumogakure, even if unable to grab a chunk of the Land of Fire, intended to first devour these smaller nations to satiate themselves.

The greatest headache for Konoha in this war was undoubtedly the "AB Combo"—Killer B and A.

One was a Jinchūriki, the other a powerful lightning-style ninja with beast-level chakra.

This duo was just as frustrating for Konoha as Shūichi and Minato Namikaze were for Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure—almost impossible to deal with. Only through sheer numbers and impeccable coordination could they be contained, but at great cost.

Whether it was Killer B's reputation or the deadly speed of A in his Lightning Chakra Mode, both were well-earned.

Having understood this, Shūichi spoke up, "Yamakaze-senpai, leave the AB Combo to me. I've crossed paths with them before back at the Hot Springs Village."

Mimura Yamakaze nodded but cautioned, "The Third Hokage specifically transferred you from the Grass Shinobi battlefield for this task. However, even if you have the chance to capture the Eight-Tails, don't do it."

"That's a directive from the Third Hokage."

"If you were to capture the Eight-Tails, after already taking down the Four-Tails, both you and the village would be under immense pressure."

Shūichi laughed. "Senpai, taking down the Eight-Tails isn't easy. After all, he's guarded by a Raikage candidate."

In terms of raw chakra, the Eight-Tails was second only to the Nine-Tails.

Moreover, capturing it was not just about strength; the Eight-Tails' ability to sever its own tails and escape made it incredibly hard to pin down.

Not to mention, there was also the future Fourth Raikage, who could rival the speed of the Flying Thunder God technique.

Still, if the opportunity arose, Shūichi wouldn't hesitate to seize the Eight-Tails.

As for the pressure, he could always return half of the beast and use it to negotiate something from Kumogakure.

"Shūichi, two powerful chakra sources are approaching!" Asuka suddenly warned.

Shūichi immediately activated his Sensory Technique and smiled, "The AB Combo is here!"

Just as he spoke, a signal whistle rang out ahead.

It was a warning from the Konoha ninja on the front lines.

"They're really here!"

Mimura Yamakaze leapt forward. "Let's go!"

Shūichi and his two companions quickly followed.

Moments later, at the front lines, Shūichi saw his old foes.

"That guy from the Hot Springs Village..."

Killer B's eyes narrowed from behind his sunglasses, while A locked onto Shūichi. "You're the Blue Flash of Konoha, Shūichi Hoshita?"

Shūichi nodded slightly. "We meet again."

"The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer B, and A, son of the Third Raikage."

Inside Killer B's mind, the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, warned him, "B, be cautious of this one. He's even more dangerous than last time."

"And I sense strong malice coming from him."

Killer B nodded. "Word is, he captured Sunagakure's One-Tail. Maybe he's here because he also got Iwagakure's Four-Tails?"

"Can you sense the One-Tail and Four-Tails?" asked Killer B.

"I can't. The seals block me from sensing them, but be careful nonetheless," replied Gyūki.

This was the Eight-Tails' instinctive warning.

Meanwhile, A, recalling their previous defeat, was filled with fighting spirit. "Everyone, stay back! This guy is ours!"

Killer B, in his usual rhythm, chimed in, "Shūichi Hoshita, this time Big Bro and I will take you down, fool! You fool!"

Shūichi chuckled. "Funny, that's exactly what I was going to say."

As he finished speaking, Shūichi's right hand brushed against his tool pouch, and a barrage of Flying Thunder God kunai scattered in all directions.

In response, A's body was instantly engulfed in a fierce lightning aura, transforming into a moving bolt of electricity.

However, unlike the last time Shūichi had seen him at the Hot Springs Village, A now wore cylindrical bracers on both arms.

His new look matched exactly how Shūichi remembered him.

In a split second, Shūichi's limbs crackled with electricity, and the chirping of Chidori filled the air as lightning enveloped his entire body.

At that moment, both the Konoha and Kumogakure ninja were stunned.

Especially the Kumogakure shinobi—Shūichi's current form looked almost identical to the Lightning Chakra Mode.

"So, you've mastered Lightning Style too."

"Let's see who's faster!" A sneered before charging at Shūichi like a lightning bolt.

Shūichi flicked his wrist, launching a Flying Thunder God kunai infused with Wind and Fire Chakra.

A tilted his head slightly, effortlessly dodging it.

But in the next instant, Shūichi vanished from A's sight, reappearing behind him with the Totsuka Blade slashing down.

A was startled.

At the same moment, Killer B made his move, silently extending an octopus tail toward Shūichi, only for it to be bound by a Chain erupting from the ground.

It was Asuka.

Next to her, Uchiha Shisui had already activated his Sharingan and cast a Genjutsu on Killer B.

"B!" Inside Killer B's mind, Gyūki smacked him on the head, waking him up from the illusion.

Shisui was inwardly shocked. "As expected of a perfect Jinchūriki—the reaction speed is incredible. I couldn't control both him and the Eight-Tails at once."

"And the Eight-Tails' power is way too strong."

Previously, Shisui had barely managed to control the One-Tail and its host. But with Killer B and the Eight-Tails, he found it impossible to dominate both simultaneously.

However, even the brief distraction caused by Asuka and Shisui was enough to rob A of his support.

Boom!

A's massive body was sent flying, but he quickly rebounded, flashing back to the Kumogakure side in a few blinks.

Still, unseen by the Konoha shinobi, a charred slash mark now marred A's back.

The Kumogakure ninja behind him widened their eyes in shock.

"He... he injured A in a single strike!"

"That's a combination of Wind and Fire Style... This guy is using both Wind and Lightning Style simultaneously!"

"No wonder Raikage-sama issued the order to retreat at the sight of him!"

...

A Kumogakure ninja shouted, "A, should we retreat?"

A responded in a deep voice, "No need. This small injury is nothing."

"I've figured out his tricks!"

He then asked Killer B, "B, are you alright?"

Killer B's eyes locked onto Asuka, and he nodded. "Sealing techniques and Sharingan, fool! Idiot! They're specifically designed to deal with me!"

"But that's nothing for the great Killer B, Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, fool! You Idiot!"

As he spoke, his octopus tail gave a powerful tug, snapping the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Asuka was startled. "This guy... No wonder he's a perfect Jinchūriki. The power of the Eight-Tails is far greater than the Four-Tails and the One-Tail."

Uchiha Shisui added, "They're also highly skilled in countering the Sharingan. Truly troublesome opponents!"

Confirming that Killer B was unharmed, A commanded, "B, be careful of those two. I'll take care of Shūichi!"

His eyes scanned the Flying Thunder God kunai scattered around. "He can teleport to wherever these kunai are?"

"Then, as long as I keep an eye on these places, avoid his kunai and the blade in his hand, I should be fine."

"Let's see whose attacks are faster and more precise!"

With that thought, A let out a light shout and charged toward Shūichi again.

Shūichi remained still, waiting until A was right in front of him before tossing the Flying Thunder God kunai from his left hand.

In a flash, Shūichi disappeared, reappearing atop a tree, then flickered again.

But A had anticipated this, turning quickly, raising his left arm to block Shūichi's Totsuka Blade with his bracer, while swinging his right fist at Shūichi in a brutal counterattack.

It was a clear move of mutual destruction, or even a sacrifice of his hand to take down his opponent.

At the same time, Killer B attacked again, all eight of his octopus tails lashing out.

Asuka's Adamantine Sealing Chains managed to bind seven of them, but one tail still shot straight toward Shūichi.

With his Genjutsu ineffective, Uchiha Shisui activated his curse seal and unleashed a massive Fireball Jutsu at A.

Whoosh!

Shūichi vanished, causing Killer B's attack to miss.

The moment Shūichi disappeared, A spun around, swinging his right arm with full force. With a loud boom, his strike collided with Shisui's Fireball Jutsu, shattering it and sending flames scattering in all directions.

A immediately shifted his focus and charged toward Shūichi, who had reappeared atop another tree.

This time, Shūichi switched to his Fire Style Chakra Mode, as he had no advantage against A in terms of Lightning Style.

Blue Flame Waterfall Blade!

Shūichi swung his sword down, unleashing a massive energy slash.

This attack caught A off guard. He quickly raised both arms to block.

Boom!

The shockwave surged, and A was forced to his knees as the force of the slash drove his legs into the ground. However, his Lightning Chakra Armor and bracers managed to withstand the attack.

Before Killer B's octopus tails could reach him, Shūichi vanished again, reappearing to the side. A dragon's head appeared on his shoulder, firing twin beams of energy.

Flame Dragon's Breath!

Crash!

Killer B snapped two of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, using one tail to shield A and another to strike at Shūichi.

At the same time, three Shisuis appeared around Killer B—one on each side and one behind, each poised to stab with a short blade. But suddenly, all three paused.

Because Killer B had positioned three of his own blades in front of them—one in each hand and the third held by an octopus tail, hovering just behind one of Shisui's clones.

"Go ahead, stab me!" Killer B said coldly. "This is war. I'm prepared for anything!"

Uchiha Shisui couldn't help but admire him. "As expected of Killer B!"

In the next instant, Shisui's clones vanished, and he flickered back to Asuka's side.

Shūichi also dodged Killer B's tail and returned to Konoha's ranks.

On the other side, the octopus tail that Killer B had used to shield A had been severed by Shūichi's Flame Dragon Breath.

But it was this very act that allowed A to avoid being hit by the Flame Dragon's Breath.

In this second clash, the AB Combo once again fell into a disadvantage.

Shūichi's squad—victory!

...

"These three are really troublesome, fool! you Idiot!" Killer B exclaimed, sweat forming on his forehead.

His sense of pain was linked with the Eight-Tails, so having a tail severed felt almost as painful as losing a leg.

A retreated and asked, "B, how are you holding up?"

Killer B, still full of fighting spirit, replied, "Big bro, I'm totally fine."

"But it looks like we'll have to go all out against these three!"

Just then, a voice called out from the Kumogakure side.

A Cloud ninja shouted, "A, B, Raikage-sama has ordered us to retreat!"

A was reluctant but shouted back, "Got it!"

He glared at Shūichi Hoshita. "If you ever dare to target the Eight-Tails, I won't let you off!"

Shūichi's gaze sharpened. "Anyone who dares to target Konoha, I won't let off either."

"So, you'd better retreat. Otherwise, I won't mind killing a few more people."

"To be honest, as a medical ninja, I'm actually in need of more bodies for research."

"After all, it's highly unethical to kill people just for research purposes."

"But taking down invaders? Now that's just making good use of waste."

These words made A's fury explode. "This bastard… damn it!"

Killer B snorted, "You're really shameless, fool! Idiot!"

Shūichi chuckled lightly. "I'm just thinking of the advancement of medical technology for the entire ninja world."

"Of course, as the donors of those corpses, Kumogakure will deserve some credit as well!"

A, now thoroughly enraged, shouted, "You evil brat, I'm taking you down right now!"

"B!"

With that command, A charged again.

As A rushed toward him, Shūichi's Fire Nether Chains activated, bursting from the ground and grabbing hold of A as he sped forward. At the same time, with a swift movement and the rattling sound of chains, Shūichi's Totsuka Blade slashed toward A.

Uchiha Shisui and Asuka also moved into action.

Shisui launched a Genjutsu followed by a powerful Fireball Jutsu, while Asuka used her Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Killer B's tails, coated in Tailed Beast Chakra, shot out in response. Explosions erupted, and chains snapped. A was sent flying backward, wrapped in one of Killer B's tails, landing in a large crater where he had stood moments before.

Shūichi's attack missed its mark, and he immediately retreated.

"Not bad for the future Fourth Raikage…" Shūichi thought to himself.

Despite his Fire Nether Chains, A had managed to break free in that brief moment.

Still, that short amount of time had been enough.

Unfortunately, even with Asuka and Uchiha Shisui teaming up, they hadn't been able to completely hold back Killer B, who had pulled A out of danger at the last moment.

Shūichi had been targeting A first because his speed was too overwhelming. Even with Shisui's three-tomoe Sharingan, he couldn't keep up. Asuka also lacked the battle experience needed to control A, making it impossible for them to deal with Killer B while A was still in the fight.

"Big bro, these three are too tough to handle. Let's retreat for now!" Killer B suggested.

A, having narrowly escaped defeat again, nodded in agreement and led the Kumogakure forces in retreat.

As they withdrew, the Konoha ninjas erupted in smiles.

"As expected of the Blue Flash! He completely suppressed the AB Combo."

"What an incredible battle!"

"Kumogakure won't be acting so arrogant now!"

"Exactly! We're definitely winning this war!"

"Speaking of which, once Minato-sensei arrives, the Yellow Flash and the Blue Flash together should be enough to deal with the AB Combo, right?"

The Konoha ninjas chatted among themselves, their morale soaring.

Shūichi turned to Mimura Yamakaze. "Senpai, we can advance our front lines now."

Mimura Yamakaze nodded and remarked, "The Third Hokage was right to send you here!"

Just Shūichi's small three-man squad was enough to stand in for a hundred Konoha ninjas.

...

In Sunagakure, inside the Kazekage's office.

Shūichi's shadow clone once again met with the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, getting straight to the point. "The Cloud ninjas have already invaded the Land of Earth, and… the Third Raikage himself is leading the attack."

"Kazekage-sama, this is the best opportunity for Sunagakure!"

With that, Shūichi's shadow clone dispersed in a puff of smoke.

At the end of August in the 45th year of Konoha, the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure personally led his troops north, once again invading the Land of Birds.

Almost at the same time that the Sand shinobi invaded the Land of Birds, Namikaze Minato arrived at the Land of Grass from the Land of Fire.

By then, Iwa-nin had already retreated from the Land of Grass and set up defenses at the ruined Kannabi Bridge. They used the natural barrier of the massive gorge around the bridge to defend, blocking the Konoha-Sand-Grass alliance from advancing further.

It had to be said that the Iwa-nin, led by their elite commander Higashi Shibito, were formidable, making it difficult for even Orochimaru and Chiyo to break through their defenses.

In a large tent, Konoha's Orochimaru, Sunagakure's Chiyo and Ebizō, and the Grass shinobi leader Muway held a three-way meeting. The recently arrived Namikaze Minato was also present.

Chiyo suggested, "Since the Iwa-nin's defense, aided by the natural terrain, is hard to break through, why not change our approach and attack from the direction of the Land of Rain?"

Orochimaru nodded slightly, "The Land of Rain is indeed an option. The battlefield has already extended into the Land of Rain."

"However, we must also keep the Iwa-nin forces tied down here, or the situation will not change."

The Grass shinobi, Muway, quickly added, "Iwa-nin's strength hasn't been greatly diminished yet. With the power of our village alone, we can't hold them off."

Facing Iwa-nin alone would be a disaster for them, as Iwa-nin had a deep hatred for them after being dragged into this war.

Orochimaru and Chiyo both understood this.

Orochimaru said, "Konoha's main forces will continue to hold the Iwa-nin here in the Land of Grass, while splitting off a part of our forces to flank them from the Land of Rain."

"As for Sunagakure, I believe you can move directly through the Land of Rain into the Land of Earth, to attack the Iwa-nin in the direction of the Land of Birds, putting pressure on them."

Chiyo nodded. That was her plan as well.

What she feared most was Konoha interfering in the Land of Birds. Hearing Orochimaru's words put her at ease, and she said, "Then it's settled. We'll leave the Iwa-nin here to Konoha and the Grass shinobi!"

"With the Raikage putting immense pressure on Iwa-nin, we might be able to force the Tsuchikage to surrender."

Orochimaru chuckled, "Given the Third Tsuchikage's personality, that will be difficult."

"Unless the Third Raikage forces him to commit the majority of his forces."

Ebizō added, "Ōnoki has a stubborn and hard-headed temper. He might use peace talks to stall for time."

Chiyo snorted, "Then we'll make sure he has no choice but to surrender!"

Orochimaru agreed, "It's best if Sunagakure captures the Land of Birds before Iwa-nin can deal with the Raikage's invasion."

Chiyo nodded seriously, "We will."

With all three sides in agreement, the meeting ended. After seeing Chiyo and the others off, Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato returned to their tent.

Minato asked directly, "What's our next move?"

Orochimaru responded, "We'll break through the Iwa-nin defenses."

"Force them into peace talks, even if just to buy time."

"Iwa-nin needs time, and we also need to redirect some of our forces to the Cloud-nin battlefield."

"Although Shūichi-kun is there, he can only hold off the AB Combo. If we want to completely expel the Cloud-nin from the Land of Fire, or even drive them out of the smaller nations like the Land of Rice Fields, that small force won't be enough."

Minato nodded, understanding Orochimaru's strategy. "Then let's launch the attack tomorrow!"

"Once we get close enough, just throw the kunai, and leave the rest to me!"

Orochimaru laughed, "Then we'll leave it to you, Minato."

Minato smiled in return and said, "Also, thank you for taking care of Shūichi before."

"I didn't take care of him."

Orochimaru was blunt, "Shūichi-kun's strength might already surpass yours as his teacher."

"But he now has two Tailed Beasts. Minato, you'd better be prepared."

These words carried a heavy meaning.

Minato understood and nodded solemnly. "I'll be careful."

"With me, Jiraiya-sensei, Tsunade-senpai, and you, we should be fine."

Orochimaru smiled playfully, "Minato, don't forget, I'm still part of Root."

Minato replied, "But you're also the Third Hokage's disciple, and one of the Legendary Sannin."

"You and Shūichi are comrades who work well together."

After saying that, Minato bowed slightly, "I'll go prepare now."

As Minato's figure disappeared into the distance, Orochimaru chuckled to himself, "Unknowingly, Shūichi-kun has already woven a vast web within Konoha!"

"At this rate, it seems there's no one better suited to be the Fifth Hokage than him."

He then turned his gaze towards Konoha, as if his eyes could penetrate the tent and see all the way to the Hokage Tower. "Has the old man already made up his mind?"

...

The night passed swiftly.

The next day, at Kannabi Bridge, across the collapsed structure, the Konoha-Grass shinobi alliance faced off against the Iwa-nin.

Konoha had gathered not only Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato, but also powerful Jōnin like Uchiha Fugaku and Hyūga Hiashi, who had rushed over from the Mist-nin battlefield alongside Minato.

Their goal was to completely crush the current Iwa-nin forces, forcing them into peace talks, so they could redirect more resources to the Cloud-nin threat.

"Earth Style!"

Orochimaru shouted the order.

Immediately, Konoha and Grass shinobi who could use Earth Style jumped into the gorge, quickly forming hand seals.

"Earth Style: Multiple Earth Flow Walls!"

Rumble!

Several large earth walls rose up from the ground, continuously growing in height.

At the same time, the Iwa-nin on the other side threw a barrage of weapons at the Konoha and Grass shinobi below, launching a high-ground assault.

Konoha and Grass shinobi on their side also retaliated, either standing on the gorge's edge or jumping into the gorge to intercept and block the Iwa-nin's attacks.

The Earth Flow Walls served as a springboard for their movements.

Soon, the strategy began to show results.

Minato shouted, "Everyone, just throw the kunai and flash bombs as far into the Iwa-nin ranks as you can! Leave the rest to me!"

Orochimaru quickly ordered, "Do as Minato says."

"Move out!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Konoha shinobi, using the Body Flicker Technique, advanced across the Earth Flow Walls.

Led by Uchiha Fugaku, Hyūga Hiashi, and other Jōnin, along with Orochimaru himself providing cover, they approached the Iwa-nin.

Once close enough, they threw kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, along with flash bombs, deep into the Iwa-nin ranks.

As the flash bombs exploded with blinding light, Namikaze Minato's figure instantly vanished.

"Ah!"

"Scatter!"

"It's Konoha's Yellow Flash!"

...

At that moment, Namikaze Minato flickered continuously among the Iwa-nin, and with each appearance, a scream would ring out as another Iwa-nin fell.

Finally, the Konoha shinobi understood how Minato had earned the title "Yellow Flash"!

In just a few moments, Minato single-handedly broke through the Iwa-nin defense line, allowing a large number of Konoha and Grass shinobi to charge across to the other side.

The already undermanned Iwa-nin forces quickly crumbled.

Despite his reluctance, the commander, Higashi Shibito, had no choice but to order a retreat.

However, Orochimaru didn't order a relentless pursuit. Instead, he seized the defensive position that the Iwa-nin had built, turning it into his own stronghold.

The Grass shinobi also swiftly brought up the people and supplies they had prepared in advance and began the reconstruction of Kannabi Bridge.

Orochimaru planned to station a small force here, along with the Grass shinobi, to hold the line, preventing an Iwa-nin counterattack while using it as a logistics route. This position would also serve as the fallback point for Konoha shinobi engaged in battle against Iwa-nin in the Land of Earth.

This strategy would shorten their frontlines and save manpower. Along with support from Root in the Land of Rain, it could free up one to two thousand troops to reinforce the Cloud-nin battlefield.

While Konoha and the Grass shinobi were expanding their gains, the Sand-nin were also making rapid progress.

In terms of overall strength, the Sand-nin were already superior to the Iwa-nin, and with a numerical advantage, the Iwa-nin were steadily pushed back.

Of course, this was partly because the Iwa-nin weren't putting up fierce resistance.

When Ōnoki issued his orders, he had little confidence in holding onto the Land of Birds.

In the blink of an eye, September arrived.

The Sand-nin completely expelled the Iwa-nin from the Land of Birds, pushing into the Land of Earth and even linking up their battlefield with Konoha's.

However, despite the favorable situation, both Konoha and the Sand-nin simultaneously paused their advance to press for peace talks.

---

Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office.

Ōnoki's face was grim as he looked at the two peace proposals his son, Kitsuchi, had brought back.

These weren't peace proposals; they were outright threats!

"Those bastards... damn it!"

Ōnoki gritted his teeth. Konoha and the Suna were taking advantage of their situation.

Kitsuchi, full of frustration, said, "Father, under the current circumstances, we might have no choice but to agree to a temporary peace."

"We need to concentrate our forces on dealing with the Cloud first, or things will get even worse."

The Third Raikage had personally led an army into the Land of Earth, creating a huge problem. It had already shaken the Land of Earth's daimyo's support for Iwagakure.

Ōnoki snorted coldly, "Then you will represent me in the peace talks!"

"Make Konoha withdraw back to the Land of Fire, and the Suna leave the Land of Birds!"

Kitsuchi was taken aback but quickly understood.

It was just a stalling tactic to buy time during the negotiations.

"I understand!"

Kitsuchi nodded and left.

Ōnoki then turned his gaze to the map, where several red lines marked the movements of the Third Raikage.

They crisscrossed in every direction, as if the Raikage was treating the Land of Earth like his personal playground.

This had caused severe damage to the Land of Earth, which was also the reason for the daimyo's growing dissatisfaction.

"If they don't want to leave, then they'll stay here forever!"

Ōnoki's eyes gleamed with malice.

He was determined to set a trap, ensuring the Cloud ninjas couldn't escape.

---

While the Iwa-nin battlefield was seeing continuous victories, on the Cloud-nin front, Shūichi was relentlessly engaging the AB Combo alongside Shisui and Asuka.

However, after their first encounter, the AB Combo had gained a new ally: Dodai, the Lava Release user.

Now it was a three-on-three fight!

Dodai's experience, the unique properties of Lava Release, and his quick casting speed made Shūichi and Shisui both take notice and feel the pressure.

With the addition of Dodai, the advantage they once had quickly vanished.

Nevertheless, by keeping the AB Combo occupied, Konoha's frontline stabilized completely.

With reinforcements continuously arriving, Konoha's strength only grew stronger.

Meanwhile, Shūichi kept seeking out the AB Combo for daily confrontations—not just to keep them tied down but also to sharpen his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Facing such powerful opponents greatly accelerated his progress with the technique, far more than fighting weaker opponents ever could.

As time passed, mid-September arrived.

Konoha organized its first counteroffensive, forcing the Cloud-nin to retreat again.

At the same time...

As the negotiations between Konoha, the Suna, and the Iwa entered a new stage, Namikaze Minato returned to Konoha for a brief rest, bringing Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin with him.

They weren't the only ones—many Konoha shinobi who had originally fought against the Sand-nin and Mist-nin, over a thousand in total, returned to Konoha for recovery and to prepare for reinforcements on the Cloud-nin battlefield.

...

Inside the Hokage Building's conference room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane were all present.

Danzo's expression was grim as he spoke firmly, "Even if we proceed with peace talks with the Iwa, we absolutely cannot give up the benefits we've already gained. Otherwise, the deaths of the shinobi who fought for the village will be meaningless."

"We are now in a position of absolute superiority. There is no need for us to make any concessions to the Iwa."

"As for the Four-Tails, I absolutely refuse to return it to the Iwa!"

Koharu Utatane added, "Hiruzen, maybe we should reconsider. Previously, we agreed to return the One-Tail to the Suna to gain their support, but this time, there's no reason for us to compromise with the Iwa."

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could respond, Danzo interrupted, "In my opinion, we shouldn't have returned the One-Tail to the Suna either."

"Shūichi may have claimed that he can safely extract the Tailed Beasts in three years without dying, but what if something goes wrong?"

"Hiruzen, do we really want to risk losing such an exceptional talent?"

At this moment, Danzo seemed to have completely forgotten that he once called Shūichi a 'naturally evil brat' in front of Hiruzen.

"And if Shūichi succeeds, then there's even less reason to return the Tailed Beasts."

Danzo's words came with passionate conviction as he continued, "With the One-Tail and the Four-Tails in our hands, we could experiment and create perfect jinchūriki."

"If we succeed, the village will gain two powerful forces. Even if we face a similar crisis in the future, we wouldn't be so vulnerable."

As a staunch follower of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Danzo had always supported Tobirama's belief that the Tailed Beasts should never have been distributed to other villages.

In Danzo's mind, such powerful assets should be securely controlled by Konoha alone.

If Konoha had all nine Tailed Beasts, so what if they were surrounded by the other four Great Shinobi Villages?

Hearing Danzo's words, both Homura and Koharu were deeply tempted. Even a jinchūriki like Roshi, with his imperfect control over the Four-Tails, was still a formidable force.

Though Konoha possessed the strongest of the Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails, its immense power made it difficult to control, rendering much of its strength unusable. By contrast, the One-Tail and the Four-Tails were far more manageable.

Sensing his two old friends' wavering hearts, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly. He didn't mention that it was Shūichi who had initially proposed returning the One-Tail, instead silently shouldering the responsibility himself.

But his voice was firm, "Holding onto too many Tailed Beasts will only invite attacks from other villages. Even if we control the One-Tail and the Four-Tails, we cannot withstand a combined assault from the other four Great Shinobi Villages."

"Even Takigakure would feel threatened and might join them."

"Even if we could fend off such an attack, how many of our shinobi would we have to sacrifice?"

"How many children would we have to send to the battlefield?"

"A war like that would be utterly meaningless."

Danzo glanced at Hiruzen. He knew that once a decision had been made, his old friend would not change his mind. Still, he pressed on, "Shūichi is also favored by the daimyo. If we lose him because of this decision…"

Hiruzen interrupted with a deep, resolute voice, "I, as the Hokage, will take full responsibility for all consequences."

"Moreover, once we repel the Cloud, I will step down from my position as Hokage!"

Danzo's heart leapt with joy at these words, though his face betrayed no sign of it.

Homura and Koharu, however, were shocked.

Koharu quickly said, "Hiruzen, you don't need to go that far!"

Hiruzen sighed, "We're all getting older. It's time for the younger generation to take over."

Hearing this, both Homura and Koharu fell silent.

Yes, they were indeed getting old.

This war had made it all too clear, and it was indeed time for them to step down.

Homura spoke, "Since you've already made your decision, let's leave it at that."

"But as for the next Hokage, we'll need to carefully consider the candidate."

Hiruzen nodded, "Don't worry, I've already given it some thought."

After Danzo and his group left, Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to the Hokage office. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "Shinnosuke, summon Minato for me."

"Understood!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's voice came from outside the door.

A moment later, Minato Namikaze knocked and entered, "Lord Third Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly and said, "Iwagakure is already gathering heavy forces, and it's only a matter of time before Kumogakure retreats, so I will expedite the peace talks."

Minato nodded in understanding.

Sarutobi continued, "Because of this, I plan to use the Four-Tails as a bargaining chip for the negotiations with the Iwa-nin."

This was within Minato's expectations, but he still asked, "Will it be handed over as soon as the peace is agreed upon?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, "That depends on the outcome of the negotiations."

"However, to end the war quickly, some concessions are inevitable. Since we already have the One-Tail, releasing the Four-Tails shouldn't have any negative impact on Shuichi."

"When you reach the Kumogakure battlefield, you'll need to explain this to Shuichi and hope he understands the village's predicament."

Minato nodded. "I understand."

Hiruzen then added, "There's something else you need to prepare for, Minato."

"Once the war is over, I will step down as Hokage. At that time, I will nominate you to the Daimyō to become the Fourth Hokage."

Minato was taken aback, "Lord Third Hokage, you're still in your prime. There's no need to step down so soon!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, at 54, was indeed not considered particularly old. The Third Tsuchikage and Third Mizukage were both older than him.

Hiruzen smiled slightly, "You performed excellently in this war and have grown enough."

"Moreover, when the village fails to gain benefits, the Hokage must take responsibility."

"Besides, while I'm still not too old to act, I can guide you in your early days as Hokage, ensuring a smooth transition."

"This matter is settled. Be prepared, Minato!"

Minato solemnly nodded, "Yes, I understand!"

...

After leaving the Hokage building, Minato walked slowly.

After the brief excitement subsided, he calmed down and thought deeply, "It seems Danzo put pressure on the Third Hokage. Is he using the return of the tailed beasts as an excuse?"

"Come to think of it, it was Shuichi who first proposed returning the tailed beasts to Sunagakure..."

Minato frowned slightly, "If Shuichi can't solve the problem within three years, we'll have to find another way."

"I must make preparations in advance."

"The Tailed Beast experiments..."

...

Three days passed in a flash. After enjoying a brief time of peace at home with Kushina Uzumaki, Minato once again set out on his journey.

This time, he didn't bring Kakashi and his team, but instead led a portion of the reinforcements northward.

As for Kakashi's team, they continued under Kakashi's leadership, heading south to fight against the Mist-nin.

On the Kumogakure battlefield.

"Minato-sensei!"

Seeing Minato, Shuichi's face lit up with joy.

"Shuichi, you've grown a little taller."

Minato smiled as he approached Shuichi and then asked, "How's the battle going?"

Shuichi responded, "We're slightly ahead, but due to a lack of manpower, we can't push further."

Minato saw through the situation, "Shuichi, you haven't shown your full strength yet, have you?"

"If your main body is holding off the A-B combo, there shouldn't be anyone capable of stopping your clones, right?"

Shuichi smiled, "Sensei, you're underestimating the A-B combo. Plus, they've added a Lava Release user, who can transform chakra into rubber. His defense is formidable, whether against Lightning, Fire, or Wind styles."

Minato remained unfazed and asked, "Shuichi, are you planning to capture the Eight-Tails?"

Shuichi's expression grew serious, "It's nearly impossible, but I still have to try."

"Even if we have to return it in the end."

Minato nodded, speaking with determination, "Leave that competitive son of the Third Raikage to me!"

Shuichi grinned, "That was exactly my intention!"

...

An Hour Later

As Shuichi appeared on the front lines, the A-B Combo and Dodai quickly showed up as well.

Everyone had gotten used to these encounters over time.

However, today was clearly different.

Namikaze Minato immediately waved his hand, scattering numerous Flying Thunder God kunai across the battlefield.

The Cloud-nin were all too familiar with this fighting style.

Dodai's eyes narrowed instantly, "That hair color... could it be..."

Not only him, but the other Cloud-nin also noticed it.

"That teleportation technique... Could it be Konoha's Yellow Flash?"

"Dodai, we're in trouble now."

"Should we retreat?"

Dodai looked serious as he addressed A, "A, we should pull back for now. The person next to Shuichi must be his teacher, Namikaze Minato, the Yellow Flash who also uses that teleportation technique."

A's gaze landed on Namikaze Minato. "The same teleportation technique... This is the guy who single-handedly completed the mission to reclaim the Nine-Tails back then."

"Now I definitely have to face him, and it's best to settle things once and for all."

Killer B chimed in, "Don't worry, with Big Bro and me here, there won't be any issues! Fool! You fool!"

Even if they couldn't win, they wouldn't let their morale drop. The A-B Combo had never run from a fight since their debut.

Besides, they had become fully accustomed to this teleportation technique over time.

A then commanded, "Dodai, take some people and stall that Uchiha and the troublesome woman."

Dodai nodded reluctantly.

"Now… Charge!"

Electricity crackled around A's body as he rushed straight toward Namikaze Minato.

As he moved, Shuichi activated his Fire Release Chakra Mode. His body soared into the air, purple lotus flowers blooming around him as he cut through the sky, aiming directly at the Eight-Tails, Killer B.

At the same time, Uchiha Shisui and Asuka also rushed forward.

Dodai immediately led two Cloud-nin to intercept them.

Meanwhile, other Konoha and Cloud ninjas engaged in battle, all subconsciously steering clear of the center of the battlefield.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A series of chakra-covered tails lashed out toward Shuichi like spears, attempting to pierce him.

Shuichi, with his full strength unleashed, danced through the air like a blue-violet butterfly, deftly avoiding the tails. Then, he activated his technique, Fire Nether Chains.

Clang, clang!

Chains shot out, coiling around the flailing tails, binding them tightly. The Tailed Beast Chakra on the tails began to crumble and dissipate bit by bit.

At this moment, Killer B had already entered a partial Tailed Beast form. He opened his mouth and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb straight at the airborne Shuichi.

Shuichi raised his left hand, and a sealing formula spread outward from his palm. As the Tailed Beast Bomb reached him, space around it warped, and the bomb vanished without a trace.

"B, this guy is hiding more power! As I suspected, both the One-Tail and Four-Tails are inside him. He's even more dangerous than before!"

Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, bellowed in warning.

This was a move that Shuichi had never revealed before.

"I get it!"

"But I won't let him succeed. Those chains won't be enough to bind me, ya fool!"

Killer B roared, pulling with all his might, yanking Shuichi toward him, determined to crush him.

Just as Shuichi transferred the Tailed Beast Bomb, he created two shadow clones.

One shadow clone used the Fire Nether Chains to bind Gyūki's tails, while the other clone shot toward Killer B. Just as Killer B was about to strike the clone with his massive, Tailed Beast-enhanced hand, the Fire Nether Chains activated again, binding his limbs and head.

"Damn it!"

Killer B found himself unable to move.

"Leave it to me!"

Gyūki immediately took control, opening his mouth as another Tailed Beast Bomb quickly formed, aimed directly at Shuichi. At the same time, his immense strength surged, causing the chains binding him to rattle as if they might break at any moment.

"As expected of the Eight-Tails."

Shuichi's true body appeared next to his shadow clones. Raising his hand, he once again transferred the Tailed Beast Bomb. In an instant, he appeared on top of Gyūki's head.

Spirit Transformation Jutsu!

Demonic Realm – Palace of Memories!

Both the struggling Eight-Tails and Killer B were instantly drawn into an illusion.

This genjutsu was another ability Shuichi had kept hidden all this time.

Unlike Iwa-nin, the Cloud-nin had not received any intelligence from Sunagakure about Shuichi. They believed he relied on sealing chains to capture Tailed Beasts.

But in reality, the key to Shuichi's success in capturing the One-Tail and Four-Tails was his genjutsu.

With both Gyūki and Killer B under his control, Shuichi's two shadow clones immediately began extracting the Eight-Tails' chakra.

However, the Eight-Tails' chakra was much stronger than that of the Four-Tails, making the extraction process far more difficult.

On the other side of the battlefield, A and Dodai were shocked to see Killer B being controlled. They immediately tried to abandon their current fights and rush to help.

"A, your opponent is me!"

Namikaze Minato's figure appeared in front of A, thrusting a Rasengan toward him.

A crossed his arms to block it.

Boom!

A was sent flying, but after rolling on the ground a few times, he quickly got back up and charged toward Killer B again.

Swish!

Namikaze Minato once again appeared in front of him, blocking his path.

"Damn it…"

A furiously charged again.

...

On the Other Side

Meanwhile, Dodai was also anxious but managed to stay composed, using his Lava Release to hold his ground against Uchiha Shisui.

In contrast, another Cloud-nin had already been defeated by Asuka, who immediately made her way to the top of the Eight-Tails and used the Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind it, allowing Shuichi's shadow clones to fully focus on extracting the Eight-Tails' chakra.

Time passed bit by bit.

The chakra of the Eight-Tails was being drawn out little by little, while A remained unable to break through Namikaze Minato's blockade, and Dodai couldn't overcome Uchiha Shisui either.

Unfortunately, less than 15 minutes later, Cloud-nin reinforcements arrived.

Atop the Eight-Tails, Shuichi opened his eyes and said to Asuka, "Retreat!"

Asuka nodded and immediately withdrew the Adamantine Sealing Chains before pulling back.

Shuichi then created clones to intercept the incoming Cloud-nin while leaping down from the Eight-Tails, joining his shadow clones in the struggle for control.

Moments later, the Eight-Tails and Killer B finally broke free from Shuichi's spirit clone's illusion, regaining control of their bodies.

At that point, Shuichi had only managed to extract one-fifth of the Eight-Tails' chakra.

"I'm not that easy to deal with, you fool, idiot!"

Killer B struggled fiercely, but even so, Shuichi continued to pull the Eight-Tails' chakra out bit by bit.

The Eight-Tails, however, was still bound by the Fire Nether Chains, making it difficult to unleash its full power.

"B, I'll use that move. Be ready to break free from his seal!"

The Eight-Tails bellowed.

Killer B nodded instantly, "Got it!"

In the next moment, the chakra that Shuichi had been extracting snapped, and what he pulled into his body was just an octopus tentacle instead.

Substitution with a Severed Tail!

Roar!

The Eight-Tails let out a thunderous roar, shattering the chains.

Shuichi immediately vanished, reappearing beside Asuka.

Almost simultaneously, Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Shisui also withdrew.

The other Konoha and Cloud-nin halted their engagements as well, each side retreating to face off from a distance.

A flashed over to Killer B's side, "B, are you alright?"

Having reverted from his Tailed Beast state, Killer B was panting heavily, "I'm fine, big bro."

"That guy tried to take Eight-O, but he didn't succeed, you fool, idiot!"

Dodai, with a grave expression, remarked, "I didn't expect his genjutsu to be even stronger than that Uchiha's."

Because of his previous experience dealing with the Uchiha, he had managed to avoid falling under Uchiha Shisui's genjutsu. However, he couldn't break Shisui's teleportation technique either.

"No wonder he managed to capture both the One-Tail and the Four-Tails. That kind of combination is just too strong."

Dodai sighed in frustration before calling out, "A, we should retreat!"

This time, A nodded without hesitation. Although he was competitive and eager for revenge, he knew continuing would risk Killer B losing the Eight-Tails.

"Retreat!"

A led the Cloud-nin in retreat, and Shuichi's team didn't pursue.

Namikaze Minato, looking a bit tired, approached Shuichi and asked, "Shuichi, how did it go?"

Shuichi shook his head, "To fully extract the Eight-Tails, I would need at least one or two hours of uninterrupted time."

His Spirit Transformation Jutsu was enough to trap Killer B and the Eight-Tails in an illusion, but extracting the Eight-Tails' chakra required a lengthy process.

He estimated that even an hour wouldn't be enough, as the Eight-Tails' chakra was far too immense.

Namikaze Minato nodded, "It seems we won't be able to capture it."

"With the situation as it is, the Cloud-nin won't allow the Eight-Tails' jinchuriki to act alone anymore."

Shuichi agreed but wasn't disappointed. There would be future opportunities.

This time, extracting one-fifth of the Eight-Tails' chakra was still quite an achievement. Although it didn't contain the Eight-Tails' consciousness and would be consumed once used, it was enough for research purposes.

Plus, the experimental base was still nurturing the horn of the Eight-Tails, and this chakra could be used to feed it.

...

In the following days, Shuichi's team was tasked with holding back the A-B Combo, while Namikaze Minato led the Konoha forces in a full-scale counteroffensive, achieving successive victories.

Without the A-B Combo, the Cloud-nin had no one who could stand up to Namikaze Minato.

Additionally, reinforcements from Konoha kept arriving, gradually replenishing Konoha's depleted forces.

Time flew by, and it was now November of the 45th year of Konoha.

In the Land of the Moon, Shuichi, who had just finished a major battle, was resting with his eyes closed when Namikaze Minato suddenly appeared.

"Shuichi, the Third Raikage has died in the Land of Earth!"

Shuichi opened his eyes, unsurprised.

However, Uchiha Shisui beside him was shocked, and Asuka couldn't help but exclaim, "The Third Raikage is dead?"

Namikaze Minato nodded, "Iwagakure took advantage of the peace talks between us and Sunagakure to gather a large force. The exact details are still unclear, but the Third Raikage is indeed dead. This information came from Iwagakure, but we've also confirmed it with the Cloud-nin."

Asuka said, "The Third Raikage's son is already incredibly powerful, with chakra reserves rivaling that of a Tailed Beast. The Third Raikage must have been even stronger, so how could he have died in the Land of Earth? It's unbelievable."

"Could it be that the Third Tsuchikage made a move?"

Namikaze Minato couldn't answer that, as Konoha had yet to receive concrete intelligence.

Uchiha Shisui then asked, "Minato-sensei, does this mean the Cloud-nin will retreat?"

Namikaze Minato shook his head, "The Cloud-nin have long decided on a successor, so there won't be any internal conflict. They won't retreat anytime soon."

"But in retaliation, their next target will likely be Iwagakure."

Shuichi inquired, "Since Iwagakure took down the Third Raikage, I assume the war in the Land of Grass won't be ending anytime soon either?"

Namikaze Minato nodded but reassured him, "Don't worry. While it won't end quickly, the outcome won't change."

"It's already incredibly difficult for Iwagakure to restore the situation to what it was before. But Shuichi, you should be prepared to lose the Four-Tails."

Shuichi nodded, "Don't worry, Minato-sensei, I understand."

In fact, this suited him perfectly.