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[NTU] [ARC-20] Chapter : 272
🕑 Added 2025-03-13 07:14:26 +0000 UTC"You sure know how to run!"
Standing at the edge of the battlefield, Toshiro frowned as he gazed into the dense forest ahead, clicking his tongue in frustration.
In the end, he hadn’t killed Obito. Partly because he hesitated, unwilling to go through with it—and partly because Black Zetsu had shown up.
He had more pressing matters—namely, catching up with Black Zetsu.
Of course, that didn’t mean he had let Obito go completely free.
Before leaving, he had discreetly marked Obito’s Kamui Space with the Flying Thunder God Seal.
No matter where Obito fled, as long as he came within range of Toshiro’s range, his location would be exposed.
As for Black Zetsu—that slippery bastard really knew how to vanish. He had only been delayed for a moment, yet Black Zetsu had already disappeared without a trace.
"Tch… Guess I'll check on the battlefield."
Reluctantly, he decided to abandon the chase.
"Wouldn’t want any surprises happening over there."
With a sigh, he pushed aside thoughts of Black Zetsu and rushed back toward the heart of the battlefield.
"What... is happening here?"
As soon as Toshiro arrived at the battlefield, he was met with a bizarre sight.
Sarutobi Hiruzen—his thin frame darting across the battlefield—was desperately dodging relentless attacks from a group of Kiri ninjas.
Yet, behind these very Kiri ninjas, another faction of Kiri ninjas was chasing them down, launching attacks as if they were their true enemies.
Adding to the absurdity, a contingent of Konoha ninjas was frantically trying to rescue the Sandaime, only to be blocked by two separate groups of Kiri ninjas standing in their way.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Kiri ninja forces had seemingly vanished, possibly retreating. Even on Konoha’s side, a large number of shinobi had broken away, likely in pursuit.
"What a... spectacular mess."
Sighing at the sheer chaos, Toshiro swiftly moved to the battlefield's perimeter.
"Mimura, mind explaining what the hell is going on?"
"Hokage-sama...?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Mimura froze for a moment before turning toward Toshiro. His eyes widened in shock, his tone hesitant.
"Is it really... you?"
His previously grim expression instantly brightened, as if he had just found his anchor amidst the madness.
"Of course. I only disappeared because I used a special jutsu to evade the explosion."
Toshiro brushed off the concern with ease before shifting his gaze toward the battlefield.
"More importantly, it looks like Sandaime's reaching his limit."
His eyes locked onto Hiruzen, who was drenched in blood but still maneuvering skillfully, dodging the relentless attacks of the Kiri ninjas. Yet, given his age, he clearly wouldn’t be able to last much longer.
"The Kiri ninjas... seem to be fighting amongst themselves."
Mimura observed the battlefield below, his voice measured.
"Some of the bloodline clan ninjas, under the guise of ‘rescuing’ the Mizukage, are actually attacking him. Meanwhile, other Kiri ninjas are genuinely trying to save him—but in doing so, they’ve clashed with their own comrades."
After explaining the chaotic situation, Mimura turned his attention back to Toshiro. He hesitated for a moment before clenching his jaw and cautiously suggesting:
"Hokage-sama… Should we intervene and stop them?"
As he spoke, Mimura carefully observed Toshiro’s expression, searching for any subtle shifts in his demeanor.
"Are you trying to convince me to step in and save the Sandaime?"
Toshiro’s voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to his words.
Toshiro couldn't help but chuckle at Mimura's cautious demeanor.
'This new advisor of mine is quite the character,' he mused internally. 'He wants me to save the Sandaime, yet he’s treading carefully to avoid offending me.'
Mimura hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Your subordinates… your people…" He took a deep breath and continued, "The Sandaime is a crucial figure in maintaining stability among 'certain individuals.' If something happens to him here, it could damage your reputation."
His tone grew heavier as he pointed toward the chaos below.
"And if that happens, those individuals may take the opportunity to stir up trouble again. If things spiral out of control, Konoha could end up in the same state as the Kirigakure."
It wasn’t that Mimura felt particularly inclined to save the Sandaime, but watching the Kiri ninjas turn against each other struck a chord with him.
If Hiruzen were to fall, his supporters would undoubtedly blame Toshiro. The resulting division could shatter the fragile peace within the village.
Toshiro didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he gazed down at the Kiri ninjas relentlessly chasing Hiruzen.
"The Kiri ninjas are finished," he stated flatly.
Rather than answering Mimura’s question directly, he observed the infighting below—men who, despite facing an external enemy, couldn’t put aside their own conflicts.
“The divide between the civilian ninjas and the noble clans of Kiri has been completely shattered,” Toshiro observed. “Even with time, this rift will be difficult—if not impossible—to mend.”
Regardless of who held power, Kiri would inevitably be plagued by the conflict between these two factions. Power struggles of this nature were rarely resolved through reason.
And now, with both sides having shed blood and nurtured deep-seated hatred, reconciliation seemed even more unlikely.
“It may take generations—only when their children and grandchildren come of age—before we see whether the Kiri can ever find unity again.”
Hearing Toshiro’s words, Mimura sighed, his expression tinged with sorrow.
This kind of internal bloodshed—where comrades turned against each other—was the worst kind of tragedy. It was precisely why he had pleaded with Toshiro to intervene.
“Hokage-sama, please… for the sake of Konoha’s peace and stability.”
Toshiro met Mimura’s gaze but did not scold him for advocating on Hiruzen’s behalf. Instead, he weighed the situation carefully, considering the potential consequences.
“Don’t worry,” he finally said, his tone measured. “That old man… he won’t fall so easily at the hands of these people.”
—
"These Kiri ninjas... they just won’t give up!"
As he evaded yet another relentless pursuit, Hiruzen briefly entertained the thought of simply letting go—allowing the Kiri ninjas to take the life of their own Mizukage.
That way, he could escape.
But he knew better. The moment he released Yagura, Kiri would pin the blame on him.
Even if a new Mizukage were to rise, they would still use the same fabricated accusation to rally their forces and manipulate both internal and external affairs.
"A real damned hot potato," he muttered under his breath.
Despite exerting all his strength and dragging a half-dead burden along, he was still unable to break past the Kiri ninjas’ blockade.
And now, as the last reserves of his chakra dwindled, his expression darkened.
He couldn’t afford to throw his life away for Yagura.
No—he needed to return to Konoha, restore order, reclaim his power… Take back the title of Hokage.
"Sandaime... you seem a little weak."
Just as he was about to give in and let Yagura’s fate be decided by Kiri, an unexpected voice rang out behind him.
—
"Uchiha... Toshiro!"
The moment he heard that voice, Sarutobi Hiruzen—exhausted beyond measure—froze in shock.
This guy... wasn’t he dead?
But while the revelation left Hiruzen momentarily stunned, the Kiri ninjas showed no hesitation.
They couldn’t care less about Uchiha Toshiro. Right now, they had only one goal: kill the Fourth Mizukage. Everything else was irrelevant.
"Ten-Finger Piercing Bullets!"
A deadly barrage of attacks shot toward them, but before they could land—
"You should be calling me the Godaime Hokage!" Toshiro’s voice carried a teasing edge as he raised his Gunbai, a thin layer of chakra coating its surface. With a flick of his wrist, he effortlessly deflected the incoming strikes.
"Katon: Flame Destruction."
Without forming a single hand seal, Toshiro exhaled a wisp of fire. Then, with a sweeping motion of his fan, the small flame erupted into a blazing ring that enclosed him and the Third Hokage.
As he waved the fan once more, the fiery barrier expanded outward, forcing the surrounding Kiri ninjas to retreat.
"The Uchiha Gunbai..."
Hiruzen's gaze lingered on the brilliant, flickering flames, watching as Toshiro wielded them with effortless control—each motion of his fan dictating the fire’s dance.
A glimmer of understanding flickered in Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes. With the legendary Uchiha Gunbai in his grasp, Toshiro’s claim to the Hokage title was undeniable.
As for the younger man’s teasing, Hiruzen simply chose to ignore it.
"You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
Toshiro’s sharp gaze swept over the Kiri ninjas, who, despite being pushed back, were still intent on attacking. His irritation was evident.
Had it not been for his consideration of these Shinobi as the potential foundation for the Kirigakure’s future stability, he would have wasted no time in eliminating them outright.
"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu"
Without forming a single seal, Toshiro exhaled a massive fireball nearly 20 meters in diameter. It surged forward, barreling toward the leading Kiri ninjas.
At the same time, he swung the Gunbai, unleashing a powerful gust of wind.
Boom!
The already enormous fireball, now fueled by the fan’s hurricane-like wind, expanded by nearly a third, its velocity increasing dramatically. With the sheer force to incinerate everything in its path, it carved a deep, scorched trench—five to six meters wide—through the battlefield, bearing down on the Kiri ninjas.
For a brief moment, silence fell.
Even the most fanatical Kiri ninjas, those who had been willing to die in their pursuit of the Fourth Mizukage, faltered.
Faced with the overwhelming scale of Toshiro’s Fire Release, self-preservation instinct kicked in, and they scrambled to evade.
A grim atmosphere settled over the battlefield as the Kiri ninjas encircled Toshiro, the Sandaime, and the unconscious Yagura.
Even Yagura’s loyal subordinates, who had been relentlessly pressing forward, hesitated. Their uncertain gazes flickered toward Toshiro, wary of what he might do next.
"Sleep."
Toshiro had no intention of wasting time in a pointless standoff.
His scarlet Sharingan flared ominously, the glow intensifying as his chakra surged.
"This genjutsu..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s voice held a trace of disbelief as he observed the enemy forces.
One by one, the Kiri ninjas’ eyes dulled, their bodies slackening as they succumbed to the genjutsu. Within moments, over thirty shinobi—each an elite of Kiri—collapsed into an unnatural slumber.
Hiruzen’s expression darkened.
The sheer scale of the genjutsu was beyond anything even he, a seasoned veteran, had ever witnessed.
