Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 411 Please hold your ground and await reinforcements

The Fourth Raikage's recent experience at the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Lightning was nothing short of frustrating.

The anticipated aid discussions turned into unilateral warnings and constraints, and the previously harmonious atmosphere vanished, replaced by veiled caution and admonitions.

The so-called aid was also casually shelved by the other party, and the meeting ended unhappily. The Fourth Raikage barely managed to suppress his anger and not lash out on the spot.

Compared to the daimyo of the Land of Earth, the daimyo of the Land of Lightning is indeed fearless.

Unlike the resource-scarce and harsh daimyo-controlled Land of Wind and Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning is second only to the Land of Fire in national strength, and the armed forces directly controlled by the daimyo's government are also quite formidable.

More importantly, since most Raikages throughout history have been straightforward and martial arts enthusiasts, they are not good at political maneuvering.

Moreover, the Daimyo had indeed provided substantial support to Kumogakure in the past, providing money and manpower as needed, which resulted in a very high level of belonging and loyalty among the villagers.

If the Fourth Raikage dared to have any improper thoughts like Hyuga Kumokawa, not only would the Daimyo's mansion resist, but there would probably be a huge wave of opposition within Kumogakure as well.

Unless he dares to defy the world and use Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, to suppress him by force, but that would undoubtedly be a crazy act of self-destruction.

This is precisely what frustrates and annoys the Fourth Raikage the most.

He was furious at Hyuga Kumokawa's actions for bringing him this trouble unjustly, resentful of the daimyo's cold-heartedness in turning his back on him so easily, and frustrated that he could only swallow his anger.

This was incredibly frustrating for him, given his hot temper!

If it weren't for Tu Tai repeatedly urging him to calm down, he would have already flipped the table with those idiots!
"..."

Hii, who was following closely behind the Fourth Raikage, opened his mouth, wanting to say a few words of comfort, but before he could speak, his instincts as a sensory ninja suddenly went off.

“Boss!” Xi’s voice suddenly turned serious, interrupting Raikage’s anger.

Almost at the same instant that Xi shouted the warning, the Fourth Raikage's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, landing firmly on a thick tree branch like a rock.

All the anger on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by vigilance and calmness as he turned his gaze in the direction Xi had warned him about.

The earthen platform also stopped almost simultaneously, silently moving to the flank of the Fourth Raikage to form a simple defensive formation.

From the shadows, a figure slowly emerged.

The newcomer was tall and slender, with long, dark green hair. He wore a black robe, a ring symbolizing divine authority on the ring finger of his right hand, and a pendant hanging from his chest.

It was a strange symbol consisting of an outer circle and an inner triangle.

This is precisely the hallmark of an evil cult.

In his hands, he held two strangely shaped weapons, their slender blades irregularly forked, like branches of lightning, their edges gleaming with a chilling light.

Their unique shapes made the earthen mounds instantly recognizable as they came from.

"Thunder Blade Fang?"

Tsuchida's eyes narrowed to slits as he said in a deep voice, "You are... a rogue ninja from Kirigakure, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Raiga Kurosuki?"

Black Hoshiraiga?

"Humph."

The Fourth Raikage glanced at Raiga's black robe and the necklace on his chest, and sneered, "Look at his mismatched attire, he has clearly become a lackey of the Jashin Cult."

"It's ridiculous that the 'Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist', who are supposed to be strong, have actually stooped so low as to join the evil god cult."

"And he also brought along a brat who's barely out of school."

The Fourth Raikage looked at Raiga Kurosuki's shoulder, where a boy with long purple hair was sitting, and said coldly, "Did you appear before me to die?"

"Heh." Raiga Kurosuki chuckled, revealing a set of sharp teeth. "Lord Raikage, you're in a bit of a temper. Did you suffer some injustice somewhere?"

boom!
Before he could finish speaking, a burst of violent lightning chakra erupted.

The Fourth Raikage vanished from his spot with a loud bang.

The speed generated solely by physical strength has already surpassed the dynamic visual capture limits of most ninjas.

Lightning Release: Heavy Flow Burst!
His right fist, crackling with dazzling lightning, carried a terrifying aura capable of shattering mountains, and slammed straight at Black Hoshino Raiga's face. If this strike landed, it would be enough to pulverize even fine steel.

However, just as the Fourth Raikage tensed his muscles and was about to exert his power, Ranmaru, who was sitting on Raiga's shoulder, turned his originally clear eyes into blood red.

Red eyes...

No, it's a Blood Curse Red Eye that has been modified by 'Blessing Blood'.

Blood Ninjutsu: Blood Coagulation Binding!

In Ranmaru's vision, the trajectory, speed, and even pressure changes of the blood flowing through the Fourth Raikage's body were crystal clear.

The moment the Fourth Raikage unleashed his power, Ranmaru's pupils contracted slightly, and his invisible eye power crossed space, directly affecting the blood flowing within the Fourth Raikage's body.

hum!
Just as the Fourth Raikage was pushing his speed to its peak, he suddenly felt as if an invisible giant hand was gripping his blood, causing it to surge wildly and boil against the walls of his blood vessels.

This sudden loss of control from within his body caused the power he had gathered to momentarily falter.

In the blink of an eye, the Fourth Raikage abruptly stopped his charge, his figure retreating at an even faster speed than when he attacked, landing steadily back in place in front of Hiyori and Tsuchikage.

"Boss!" Xi and Tutai exclaimed simultaneously.

At this moment, countless fine, spiderweb-like cracks and bloodstains appeared on the bronze skin of the Fourth Raikage.

Especially in areas with dense blood vessels, such as the neck and arms, tiny beads of blood seeped from the pores, as if some force had just tried to tear him apart from the inside.

Although it was just a superficial injury, this scene was enough to terrify the two who knew the Fourth Raikage's formidable physique.

“Raiga…” Ranmaru gasped slightly and whispered, “His body is so strong. My eyes can barely move, they can’t break through his blood vessels.”

Raiga Kurosuki licked his lips, his eyes flashing with excitement and seriousness, and laughed, "After all, he is the Fourth Raikage, not comparable to those small fry from before."

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, and the "Thunder Blade Fang" in his hand crackled with scarlet arcs of electricity, emitting a strong bloody stench and restlessness.

"Shall we continue fighting, Raikage?" Raiga Kurosuki stared intently at the Fourth Raikage. "Or are you interested in hearing our 'proposal' now?"

The Fourth Raikage stood still, slowly raising his hand to wipe away the beads of blood seeping from his cheek.

Looking at the crimson stain on his fingertips, his sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he began to seriously examine the combination before him.

A boy with a strange eye technique that can manipulate blood, and a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist whose abilities are unclear.

The former's abilities were somewhat troublesome. After all, no matter how strong his physique was, his eyes, such a vital organ, were still vulnerable. In just a moment, he felt his eyeballs become bloodshot.

However, the opponent's ability seems to require "gazing" to activate, and if I go all out, the opponent can't keep up with my speed.

However, the latter, Raiga Kurosuki, a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, already possessed considerable strength, though his specific abilities and power are currently unknown...

Thinking of this, the lightning on the Fourth Raikage's body gradually subsided, but the oppressive feeling that was so tangible did not dissipate.

"One minute," the Fourth Raikage said coldly. "I'll give you only one minute to explain why you're here."

--------

Bang!Bang!Bang!
In Kirigakure, a thick, impenetrable crimson mist hangs over the river and through the forest, the air thick with a nauseating smell of rust and a bone-chilling cold.

Within this crimson blood mist, only heavy, muffled thuds could be heard, constantly emanating from the depths of the mist—the sounds of sharp weapons violently colliding and clashing.

Two burly figures appeared and disappeared in the blood mist, colliding and separating again at an astonishing speed, the turbulent air currents stirring up the surrounding blood mist.

Swish!
One of the figures used the recoil from the hard-fought battle to retreat rapidly, escaping the area of ​​blood mist and landing on the river surface, creating ripples beneath his feet.

It is none other than Kisame Hoshigaki, who has now become the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails.

He looked at the sharkskin in his hand, which was making him feel nauseous and vomiting. A slightly ferocious smile appeared on his shark-like face, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

Like the Samehada in his hand, his skin also had patches of dark purple scars left by the blood mist, as if it had been burned by strong acid.

Swish swish!
The other Hidden Mist ninjas also escaped from the blood mist in a rather disheveled state.

Their situation was even worse; in addition to the purple sores of varying sizes covering their bodies, a layer of frost emanating a chill had formed on everyone's clothes and skin.

The chill penetrated deep into their flesh and bone, and they felt as if half of their bodies had lost sensation. They shivered involuntarily, their faces pale, their eyes filled with shock, anger, and solemnity as they stared at the blood mist.

Within the blood mist, the outlines of two figures gradually became clear. The one walking in front was a familiar figure to them.

Kirigakure Kiren, Momochi Zabuza.

He wore a black robe, a ring symbolizing divine authority on the ring finger of his right hand, a pendant of the heretical cult hanging on his chest, a decapitation sword slung over his shoulder, and a fierce look in his eyes.

Half a step behind him was a slender boy with delicate features so striking that it was almost impossible to tell whether he was male or female.

He had no weapon in his hand, yet he was surrounded by a visible chill that even caused the water beneath his feet to freeze.

"Hehehe..." Kisame let out a low laugh, "I really didn't expect this, Zabuza."

"After so many years of defection, you actually dare to come back, not only bringing an ice-elemental brat with you, but also joining the evil god cult."

"What are you two doing together, a 'stray dogs' duo?"

He grinned and sneered, "One is a ghost who failed to seize power and fled in a sorry state, and the other is an orphan whose clan was wiped out and who has nowhere to go. You two are really a perfect match."

Kisame is very good at turning words into knives, precisely stabbing the other person in the most painful spot.

However, the expected anger did not appear. Not even a ripple appeared on the faces of Zabuza Momochi and Haku, as if they could only hear the buzzing of mosquitoes.

The guillotine that had been chipped on his shoulder was gradually repaired under the watchful eyes of Kisame and the others, gleaming with a sharp, cold light.

The Broken Blade - Decapitation Blade can absorb iron from the enemy's blood, thus repairing itself and absorbing blood to restore its strength, and is therefore regarded as an unbreakable blade.

But there was no blood for it to absorb, yet it was inexplicably repaired just like that.

Is it a new ability, similar to the blood mist used by the opponent?

"Kisame." Zabuza's voice remained icy. "I didn't come here to engage in a war of words with you."

"I am here on behalf of the Church of God, in my capacity as the bishop of the Land of Water, to discuss cooperation with the Fifth Mizukage."

"Hmm?" Kisame's shark-like eyes narrowed. "Cooperation?"

He immediately thought of the thorny issue concerning the daimyo of the Land of Water that Mei Terumi had been discussing with him frequently recently.

Now, as the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and head of the Anbu, Kisame is a true core member of the Hidden Mist Village and is naturally very aware of the predicament Mei Terumi is facing.

Although Mei Terumi is quite strong, she is still too young, and her experience and achievements are not enough to convince people.

Having endured the brutal period known as the "Village of Blood Mist," Kirigakure was riddled with internal factions, leaving a deep and lasting legacy of corruption, making the situation inherently turbulent.

Without the support of the highly experienced master and Mei Terumi, the three-tailed jinchuriki, she wouldn't even be able to hold onto the position of Mizukage.

After all, unlike in the original work, Mei Terumi was unable to work with Ao to expose the truth about Yagura Karatachi being controlled by illusions and to stop the "Bloody Mist Village" policy. Without this merit and prestige, it would indeed be difficult to convince the public.

Now that Hyuga Kumokawa has taken control of the Land of Fire, external pressures have followed one after another.

While the daimyo of other major powers still try to maintain the old balance of "one village per country," the daimyo of the Land of Water is clearly more ambitious.

He was not content with "one country, one village" and planned to emulate Hyuga Kumokawa, but the difference was that he wanted to replace the "Kage" as a daimyo.

Recently, it has repeatedly tried to interfere in the affairs of Kirigakure, revealing its intention to completely bring Kirigakure under its control, and its methods are becoming increasingly forceful.

She even cultivated many supporters within Kirigakure, attempting to undermine Mei Terumi's power from within.

At this sensitive time, the cult of evil gods approached us, claiming they wanted to "cooperate"...

Beside Kisame, the few Kirigakure ninjas clearly realized something as well. Some of them had their eyes flickering involuntarily, and they had already begun to make plans in their minds.

But just as people's hearts were wavering...

puff! !
A muffled thud, like a sharp blade slicing through flesh, abruptly shattered the brief silence!
However, it was not Zabuza and the other two who took action.

It's Kisame!
He suddenly turned halfway, and the Samehada sword in his hand swept out with a shrill sound.

The two Hidden Mist ninjas standing behind him didn't even have time to show a look of astonishment before their bodies were easily cut and torn apart like paper!
Blood mixed with fragments of internal organs gushed out, instantly staining a large area of ​​the river red!

The other Hidden Mist ninja's expressions changed drastically. Without hesitation, they leaped backward, instantly creating distance between themselves and Kisame. They roared in shock and anger, "Kisame! What are you doing?!"

"Hmph, I brought you all here precisely to clean house."

Kisame sneered, "As for the others, I can only apologize; you heard things you shouldn't have heard."

He himself is a twisted product cultivated in the "Village of Blood Mist".

Just like when he and his teammates were on a mission and were surrounded by Konoha's Morino Ibiki and others, they knew that it was impossible for all of them to escape.

Therefore, to prevent his comrades from falling into Konoha's hands and leaking information, he did not hesitate to kill all his teammates and escape by jumping off a cliff.

Of course, his actions were not out of loyalty to Kirigakure, but because of orders. The ninjas trained in the "Village of Blood Mist" have no emotions and only obey orders.

The order given to him by the Watermelon Pufferfish Demon was to protect the village at all costs, even if it meant killing his comrades.

So Kisame later killed him too, because Kisame discovered that Suigetsu Hobutaki was betraying information about the village.

Later, when he was feeling lost, Yagura Karatachi, who had already broken free from the illusion, found him and asked him to stay by his side.

It wasn't until Yagura died before his eyes and Kisame became the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki that he truly took protecting Kirigakure as his mission.

As before, he still doesn't hesitate to kill his comrades in order to protect Kirigakure.

The only difference is that he acted of his own volition, not on anyone's orders.

"Damn it! This madman!"

"Run! Go find the Great Name Palace..."

The other Hidden Mist ninjas turned and fled without hesitation.

But Haku, who had been standing quietly beside Zabuza, moved.

He raised his palm, placed it in front of him, and exhaled.

call!
The exhaled blood condensed into icy mist, rolling out like clouds, carrying a bone-chilling cold and a bloody stench, rapidly spreading towards the few Hidden Mist ninjas!

Blood Ninjutsu: Frostnagi.

Where the blood mist passed, the crackling sound of freezing echoed incessantly.

The once rippling river surface froze into solid ice at a visible speed, and the Hidden Mist ninjas who were about to use the Body Flicker Technique were completely enveloped by this extremely cold blood mist.

Their legs were the first to be corroded and frozen by the blood mist. Frost spread rapidly upwards along their limbs, and wherever it passed, the flesh instantly died.

In the blink of an eye, the ninjas transformed into several dark red ice sculptures, frozen in terror, standing motionless on the ice.

boom! Click!

Kisame swung Samehada to shatter the ice sculptures, making sure they were all dead. He then turned to Haku and said with interest, "This is so different from the ice jutsu I know."

Haku ignored him, and Zabuza stepped forward, blocking his gaze from Haku, and said impatiently, "Can you take us to see that woman, Terumi Mei?"

“Sure.” Kisame grinned, not minding at all. “Come with me.”

------

Jugo, the bishop of the Land of Earth; Raiga Kurosuki and Ranmaru, the bishops and priests of the Land of Lightning; and Zabuza Momochi and Haku, the bishops and priests of the Land of Water.

Only the two individuals involved know the specifics of what they said to Onoki, the Fourth Raikage, and Mei Terumi.

The daimyo of the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Water only knew that a large-scale rebellion would suddenly break out in the capital a few days later.

The rebels were led by Jugo, Raiga Kurosuki, and Zabuza Momochi, and included a large number of ronin, rogue ninja, and bounty hunters who were dissatisfied with the status quo and wanted to take advantage of the chaos.

Their plea for help to the ninja village received the same reply.

—The Tsuchikage, Raikage, and Mizukage have accepted Hyuga Kumokawa's invitation to participate in the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Fire and are unable to return immediately to provide assistance. Your Highness, please hold your ground and await reinforcements.

(I've made up for the 10,000-word daily reading, please vote with monthly tickets QAQ)

(End of this chapter)