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[NTU] [ARC-20] Chapter : 271
🕑 Added 2025-03-11 16:34:17 +0000 UTC"Shit, what's going on?"
As Toshiro's consciousness snapped back into his body, his gaze locked onto the barrage of exploding tags soaring toward him. For a brief moment, he froze, struggling to process the sudden chaos.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Obito—and in that instant, he understood.
"Summoning: Release!"
Spotting the deep gashes and bloodied wounds on Shiromari’s head, Toshiro wasted no time. With a swift hand seal, he dismissed his summon in a burst of chakra.
Unlike Orochimaru, who treated his summoning beasts as disposable tools, Toshiro valued loyalty. Shiromari had fought hard for him—it wasn’t an option to let it be obliterated by a sea of explosive tags.
Bang!
A massive cloud of white smoke billowed outward as Shiromari vanished from the battlefield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment the summoning dispersed, Obito triggered the detonation. In an instant, a relentless wave of explosions erupted around Toshiro, shaking the battlefield with violent force.
**Within the Kamui Dimension**
"This time, he’s really dead for sure!"
Obito exhaled sharply, his body relaxing as he transitioned from real-time into his personal dimension.
He had just unleashed over 100,000 exploding tags in a single assault. Even with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, there was no way Toshiro could have survived such an overwhelming explosion—not without ample preparation.
"At the very brink of death, and yet he still took the time to dismiss his summon... How utterly ridiculous."
Obito couldn’t comprehend it. Did Toshiro realize his fate was sealed and decide to give his summoning beast a chance at survival?
Or was there something else at play?
Just as Obito let his guard down, convinced his greatest obstacle had finally been eliminated, a familiar voice cut through the silence behind him.
“You… seem a little too pleased with yourself.”
Bang!
A massive fist crashed into Obito’s back before he could even turn around.
Pfft!
The sheer force of the impact sent him flying, his feet lifting completely off the ground as blood sprayed from his mouth.
Impossible.
How had Toshiro entered the Kamui dimension?!
At that moment, a mouthful of blood burst from Obito’s lips as he staggered from the sheer force of the blow.
“Damn it…”
Toshiro, standing a few meters away, crossed his arms and scoffed.
"You’ve come a long way over the years, kid."
His sharp gaze fell on Obito, who lay sprawled on the ground in an undignified heap—like a defeated dog.
"But to think you’d dare use exploding tags against your own elder brother—and in such an absurd quantity, no less.”
A hundred thousand exploding tags… Even for him, that level of destruction was difficult to endure without proper preparation.
It wasn’t as insane as Konan’s six hundred billion… but still.
Obito struggled to his feet, coughing violently. More blood splattered onto the ground, but he barely seemed to notice. His single Sharingan locked onto Toshiro in disbelief.
"Why... are you here?"
This was his Kamui dimension. No one should have been able to enter without his power.
Last time, Toshiro’s Yin Release clone had managed to slip in only because Obito himself had opened a portal. That had already been unexpected.
But now?
How had he done it?
'But how...? I was careful this time. I didn’t bring anything with me. How did he get in?'
Obito's thoughts raced as he struggled to make sense of the situation. His Kamui space was supposed to be impenetrable—his personal domain. Yet, Toshiro stood before him, as if reality itself had been rewritten.
"How did you..."
Toshiro smirked, his expression unreadable. "Simple. I used my eye power."
There was no need to keep it a secret. Obito would have figured it out sooner or later anyway.
"Did you really think you could sit back and relax just because you have an alternate dimension and a special eye technique?"
Obito clenched his fists. He had always considered Kamui an untouchable safe haven—his greatest trump card. But now...
Toshiro hesitated for a brief moment, contemplating whether to end this here and now.
Should I take this opportunity to kill him?
Obito was a madman, driven to reshape the world in the name of Rin. His obsession had led to countless tragedies. Logically, eliminating him now would be the best course of action.
And yet...
Toshiro couldn't bring himself to do it.
Despite everything, Obito was still... Obito.
But knowing that someone like him was constantly scheming in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike… that wasn't something he could just ignore.
—
**Outside World**
The deafening explosions had finally subsided. A thick cloud of smoke and dust hung over the battlefield.
When the Sandaime arrived at the scene, he was met with a massive crater, deep and scorched, its edges still smoldering. But of Toshiro, there was no sign.
"Raizou," he called out, his tone sharp. "Where is the Godaime?"
His eyes scanned the wreckage, searching.
But there was only silence.
"The Godaime... he... he..."
Raizou’s voice trembled as he stared into the massive crater—nearly thirty meters wide and more than ten meters deep. His hands clenched into fists, his breathing unsteady. He struggled to form the words, his gaze shifting toward the motionless figure of the Fourth Mizukage lying nearby.
Karatachi Yagura had been dealt an unfortunate hand. He had barely regained control of his body before the catastrophic explosion engulfed him.
He hadn’t even had time to process what was happening.
Though he had been spared from the very heart of the blast, he was still caught far too close. Unlike Toshiro and Obito, he lacked the means to withstand such devastation.
Had it not been for the sheer bulk and defensive nature of the Three-Tails, the explosion’s shockwave alone might have torn him apart.
Even so, he had succumbed to unconsciousness, his body battered and weakened.
"Are you saying... the Godaime Hokage… has fallen?"
Hearing the barely contained sadness in Raizou’s voice, the Sandaime’s expression shifted—his sharp eyes flickering with something unreadable.
There was no confirmation. No body. No final words.
Just a void where Toshiro should have been.
His gaze swept across the scene—scorched earth, shattered stone, lingering embers.
But of Toshiro himself, there was no trace.
He gazed into the massive crater before him, his expression unreadable. Then, activating the Sky Cover Array, he extended his senses, scanning the surrounding area.
It seemed… Toshiro was truly gone.
There was no trace of him anywhere.
Recalling the sheer destructive force of the explosion, the Sandaime’s old, weary eyes suddenly sharpened—gleaming with a piercing intensity not seen in years.
"Raizou, secure the Yondaime Mizukage!"
A subtle, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he issued the command. He didn’t even bother to conceal it—there was no need.
With Toshiro gone, order would soon be restored in Konoha. There was no more need for caution, no need to mask his emotions.
The unexpected development had arrived like a gift, but as a seasoned Hokage, he knew better than to waste time reveling in fortune. He seized the moment instantly, focusing on the true priority.
Before dealing with the so-called "rebels" waiting in Konoha, he needed to subdue the Fourth Mizukage.
With Yagura under his control, he could end the war with Kirigakure swiftly and decisively.
"…Understood!"
After a brief hesitation, Raizou chose not to oppose the Sandaime’s directive. He stepped forward, positioning himself over Yagura, prepared to restrain the critically wounded Fourth Mizukage, who was barely clinging to life.
"Be careful. Don’t let him die!"
The Sandaime’s sharp gaze lingered on Yagura, his brows knitting together as he issued the warning.
Yagura’s condition was dire. Though he had managed to survive the explosion by relying on the Three-Tails' power, his body had suffered grievous damage. His breaths were shallow, each one seemingly more labored than the last.
This man was the key to ending the war. If he were to die—especially at Konoha’s hands—it would create a whole new set of complications.
"Quick! Save the Yondaime!"
A sudden, desperate shout rang out, shattering the tense silence.
In the next instant, seven or eight Kiri ninjas charged forward with reckless abandon, their eyes burning with determination.
Obito, in his time controlling Kirigakure, had masterfully exploited the village’s internal strife.
Though many from the noble bloodline clans loathed him with a passion, there were just as many civilian-born ninja who had risen under his rule and saw him as their unwavering leader.
Now, those loyalists were willing to throw themselves into the fire for Yagura—regardless of the cost.
At the sight of Konoha’s forces attempting to take Yagura away, the Kiri ninja’s faces drained of color.
If anything happened to the Fourth Mizukage, his most devoted followers knew their fate upon returning to the village would be grim. With desperation setting in, they charged forward, seemingly willing to stake their lives on this battle.
"Kill! Eliminate these Konoha shinobi and rescue the Yondaime!"
Already primed for combat, the Kiri ninjas wasted no time. As soon as they spotted Sarutobi Hiruzen and Raizou, they lunged at them without hesitation.
"Damn it, are these Kiri ninjas insane?"
Raizou, positioned near Yagura, found the enemy somewhat restrained—likely because their priority was saving their leader rather than outright slaughtering him. But Sarutobi Hiruzen received no such leniency.
To rescue their Fourth Mizukage, the Kiri ninja threw themselves at the Third Hokage with reckless abandon, their frenzied attacks momentarily forcing him onto the defensive.
Fortunately, as their reinforcements poured in, Konoha’s elite shinobi also arrived, swiftly intercepting Yagura’s loyalists and locking them in combat.
Seizing the moment, Hiruzen steadied his breath and turned to Raizou.
"I’ll take Yagura. You hold them off and buy me time to break through!"
Without waiting for a response, the Third Hokage closed in on the unconscious Yagura, seized him by the collar, and led the charge toward the battlefield’s edge.
However, events often unfold in ways no one anticipates.
"Damn it, are you trying to kill your own Yondaime Mizukage?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen barely managed to sidestep a bone blade aimed at his chest, but before he could catch his breath, another assailant emerged from the water below, striking with deadly precision.
A blade sliced through the air, targeting not him—but Yagura, still unconscious in his grasp.
"What the hell are you people doing?"
With a swift motion, Hiruzen pulled his arm back, narrowly avoiding the strike. His gaze swept over the Kiri ninja encircling him, and his weathered face darkened.
Hōzuki, Kaguya, Terumi… these weren't just any shinobi. They were descendants of Kirigakure's most powerful bloodline clans—its very foundation.
And yet, these bastards didn’t seem to care whether their Mizukage lived or died.
Of the ten attacks launched, nearly all were aimed directly at Yagura.
"We are trying 'rescue' the Yondaime. Even if he's just a corpse, he belongs to Kirigakure."
"We don’t have much time. If we hesitate, those guys will arrive!"
Despite Hiruzen’s words, the Kiri ninjas remained unfazed. Instead, they exchanged brief glances, silently reaching an agreement.
Then, as one, they rushed forward, blades flashing.
"Recover the Yondaime! We cannot let him fall into Konoha’s hands!"
This was nothing more than a ploy to save face. Before making a move, they had even fabricated an excuse—claiming to fight in the name of the Fourth Mizukage.
"Kill them! The Mizukage has been murdered by Konoha! Avenge him!"
The Kiri ninjas, eager to incite chaos, seized the moment, pinning Yagura’s supposed death on the Sandaime.
They shouted about rescue and revenge, but their actions told a different story. Kunai, ninja swords, and devastating ninjutsu were all aimed not at Hiruzen but at Yagura himself.
"These bastards..."
The Sandaime’s lips curled in frustration. He was no fool—he saw through their intentions immediately. The Kiri ninja weren’t trying to save their Mizukage.
They were trying to eliminate him and blame Konoha for it.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled a barrage of shuriken, his fingers forming rapid seals. In an instant, their numbers multiplied, creating a flurry of spinning blades that briefly forced the Kiri ninja back.
Teeth clenched, Hiruzen glared at the attackers and growled through gritted teeth:
"I will never let you succeed!"
No matter what, he could not let the Fourth Mizukage die in his hands.
If that happened, there would be no way to salvage peace between Konoha and the Mist.
