Naruto: Hiding in the Anbu Until I Became a Super Kage

Chapter 496: Marching Towards Death

Uchiha Obito saw Ōnoki's death, his heart filled with fear.

Ōnoki was one of the most influential figures in the shinobi world for the past twenty years, and even he had died.

A spatial vortex appeared in Uchiha Obito's right eye, and he vanished instantly.

When he reappeared, he was already beside the Third Raikage.

"Raikage, retreat quickly! Ōnoki was killed by Fox!"

The Raikage was in a standoff with Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uzumaki Kushina.

Uzumaki Kushina was manageable, merely possessing strong recovery abilities, but Sarutobi Hiruzen was extremely troublesome.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's Lightning and Wind Release proficiency was top-tier in the shinobi world. Not only was his taijutsu combined with the Adamantine Staff difficult to deal with, but he could also use Wind Release to counter Lightning Release and use his own Lightning Release to neutralize the Raikage's.

Sarutobi Hiruzen possessed an enormous chakra reserve, and from a distance, he would use the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack to create terrifying explosions.

The Raikage felt he was clearly stronger than Sarutobi Hiruzen but just couldn't find an opportunity to deal a decisive blow.

Hearing that Ōnoki was dead, the lightning flickering around the Raikage became unstable.

The core of the Anti-Konoha Alliance was Ōnoki. Though proud, the Raikage knew he didn't have the ability to manage so many alliance affairs.

"Ōnoki is dead..."

It was still hard to believe.

Uchiha Obito placed his hand on the Raikage's shoulder, and the two vanished using Kamui.

Sarutobi Hiruzen gasped for breath, powerless to stop the Raikage's escape.

He hurriedly went to check on Uzumaki Kushina.

Uzumaki Kushina's shoulder had been pierced once by the Raikage's hand blade; the wound revealed her shoulder blade.

Sarutobi Hiruzen used Body Flicker to appear beside Uzumaki Kushina, asking with concern, "Kushina, relax, disperse the Nine-Tails chakra cloak. I'll treat you."

Green medical chakra appeared in his palm, repairing Kushina's wound.

Uzumaki Kushina saw that the Hokage-sama actually knew medical ninjutsu. Upon second thought, it wasn't surprising that the Professor of Ninjutsu would know medical ninjutsu.

If... if Kushina didn't know the truth about the Uzumaki clan's extermination, she would definitely think the Third Hokage-sama was a gentle Hokage.

Not long after, Yōkō landed, holding Ōnoki's corpse.

Sarutobi Hiruzen ended the medical ninjutsu because Uzumaki Kushina's wound was already healing at a visible rate.

He stood up, staring at Ōnoki's corpse, feeling a heavy sense of shared mortality.

Ōnoki, this Tsuchikage who had competed with him for over twenty years, had actually died in Konoha Village.

His chest was pierced by over twenty wooden spears, the corner of his mouth stained with dirty blood, his expression rigid and twisted.

"Fox, properly prepare Ōnoki's body. After the war ends, return Ōnoki's remains to Iwagakure."

Yōkō nodded and said, "As it should be. Up until his final moment, Ōnoki was a respected opponent. Hokage-sama, what I want to say is that we should take advantage of Ōnoki's death to completely end the Third Great Shinobi War. It's time to counterattack."

"Good. After over two months of stalemate in the Third Great Shinobi War, it's time to enter the counterattack phase," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

"However, Fox, there's one thing I disagree with you on. Let's go to the Hokage's Office to discuss it in detail."

Yōkō's heart sank. "What matter?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at Uzumaki Kushina and waved to the distance.

Anbu Black Ant appeared with a squad.

"Black Ant, first protect Princess Kushina. Minister Fox and I have some matters to discuss."

Uzumaki Kushina lowered her head uneasily.

For a moment just then, she felt the Hokage-sama and Minister Fox were even more terrifying than the Raikage.

The two seemed to have some conflict, and it didn't seem like something that could be resolved in a few words.

But shouldn't the village's high-ranking officials be wholeheartedly striving for Konoha? Why was there conflict?

Uzumaki Kushina didn't know the reason, thinking she must tell Minato or Tsunade-nee about this matter.

Hokage's Office.

Yōkō sat on the sofa, waiting for Sarutobi Hiruzen to speak.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was waiting for someone.

Soon, Yamanaka Kari hurriedly entered the Hokage's Office.

Seeing Yamanaka Kari, Yōkō understood what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to discuss.

Sarutobi Hiruzen motioned for Yamanaka Kari to hand the scroll to Fox.

Yōkō took the scroll and saw it was about the various levels of resistance from the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools.

Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Fox, I know you've privately established an organization called the Three Gods Religion. A Three Gods shrine has been built in the capital of the Land of Whirlpools, and Konoha can project considerable power into the capital of the Land of Whirlpools. Therefore, you believe there's no need to continue stationing Guardian Ninja for the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools."

"Among the Guardian Ninja of the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools, there are six jōnin and six special jōnin. It's reasonable to recall these powerful forces for the war. But now the war has taken a turn. I disagree with rashly discarding the Guardian Ninja system like this."

"Not only I disagree, but the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools disagrees, and the Daimyō of the Land of Fire also disagrees after learning about it."

"Shrines or temples are indeed convenient and will be a great asset to Konoha in the future, but the Guardian Ninja cannot be discarded either."

"Nara Rokaku is managing the affairs of the Land of Whirlpools while commanding the frontline war."

"After Konoha withdrew the Guardian Ninja, several rebellions occurred within a short period. Many serfs and sailors dissatisfied with the Daimyō and nobles of the Land of Whirlpools, upon hearing the news, actually took up farming tools and oars to resist the nobility."

"Without the violent suppression of ninja, those serfs and sailors will bring bloodshed and chaos."

"The Daimyō of the Land of Fire is very concerned about this matter. He demands that Konoha retract the wartime policy, continue protecting the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools, and especially not touch the Guardian Ninja system of the Daimyō and nobles of the Land of Fire."

Yōkō frowned, looking at the names appearing on the scroll: the Daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, the Interior Minister of the Land of Whirlpools, the Minister of the Treasury of the Land of Fire, and so on.

He had no feelings towards daimyō.

But after transmigrating for so many years, Yōkō believed this was a distorted, sick world.

Ninja possessed ninjutsu that could kill everyone outside the village. Nobles used missions to nurture ninja and also used missions to violently suppress all opposition.

The ninja villages were shrouded in death, filled with ninja suffering from traumatic stress syndrome. Outside the villages was also shrouded in death, so much so that peacefully harvesting wheat was a stroke of luck.

Productivity was so poor that Konoha ninja eating meat was a luxury.

However, Yōkō's views and Sarutobi Hiruzen's views were vastly different.

Sarutobi Hiruzen considered maintaining the Guardian Ninja tradition and considered that the Sarutobi clan could not give up the fat piece of meat that was the Guardian Ninja.

Yamanaka Kari, as a ninja of the Yamanaka clan, due to Purple Cat's relationship, could be considered Yōkō's firm supporter within Konoha Village. But he couldn't give up the rich benefits of the Guardian Ninja and had been striving to restore the Guardian Ninja of the Land of Whirlpools.

Yōkō believed he couldn't persuade them, and there was no need to persuade them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke again, "Fox, I know you have a good relationship with the nobles of the Land of Rivers, especially the noble Koishi Chisa. For her sake, you wouldn't truly abolish the Guardian Ninja system, right?"

"Konoha cannot be without the Guardian Ninja system, Fox. You've gone too far in this matter."

Yōkō thought to himself that he had new arrangements for Chisa. He hoped Chisa could adapt to the new order as soon as possible, not cling to the so-called glory of the Koishi daimyō family.

But he felt these arrangements were unnecessary to discuss with Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The shinobi world would soon be plunged into turbulent and dramatic changes.

Not only would the Five Great Shinobi Villages undergo drastic changes, but the daimyō and noble systems would also march towards death.

Yōkō said, "Hokage-sama, let's discuss the Guardian Ninja system later. My point is to seize the opportunity and completely end the Third Great Shinobi War. I will go to the Land of Grass to deal with the Iwa-nin. You and Princess Kushina go to the Land of Hot Water to deal with the Kumo-nin."

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not hesitate, "Agreed. However, have an Uzumaki ninja follow each of us. If Konoha is attacked, the two of us must be able to return to the village at any time."

"Of course, I will arrange it, Hokage-sama."

(End of Chapter)