Chapter 124: Chapter 124: White Zetsu Invades Kumogakure
Kumogakure was bustling with activity.
The arrival of the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning to meet with the Fourth Raikage had bolstered the spirits of every shinobi in the village.
After an extensive and private discussion, news began to spread.
The entire village, from the highest-ranking officials to the youngest genin, strongly condemned the vile actions of the Land of Fire and Konohagakure. Kumogakure was now fully prepared for war.
The Daimyō himself declared that he would confront the Daimyō of the Land of Fire personally, demanding accountability for Tobirama Senju's audacious actions.
...
Raikage's Office
"Your Excellency, please take care."
The usually hot-tempered Raikage was uncharacteristically polite as he bid farewell to the diminutive middle-aged man, the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning.
"Raikage-dono, rest assured," the Daimyō said with a light smile. "You have my full support in the conflict with Konohagakure. I will also ensure the Daimyō of the Land of Fire addresses this matter properly."
Has the Daimyō of the Land of Fire lost control of his own shinobi village?
Though his face was calm, the Daimyō's thoughts were anything but.
Before chakra and shinobi existed, the world was ruled by Daimyōs. These rulers were often interconnected through political marriages, forming a web of blood ties.
Even when shinobi villages clashed, these conflicts rarely crossed certain boundaries.
But recently, Tobirama of Konohagakure had utterly obliterated Iwagakure and, as if that weren't enough, declared that he wanted the Raikage's head on a platter.
A shinobi village represented a nation's military might. The Kage was the supreme commander. For Tobirama to demand the Raikage's head was a direct insult to the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning—a public slap in the face!
Has the Daimyō of the Land of Fire been completely subjugated by his Hokage?
"We will never lose to Konohagakure!" the Raikage, A, declared, his voice brimming with conviction.
The Daimyō, satisfied, departed amidst the protective formation of his guards.
Once the Daimyō was out of sight, A let out a deep sigh.
Despite his rugged appearance, the Raikage was no reckless brute. When brute force wouldn't suffice, he could strategize with the best of them.
Even so, the news that Tobirama Senju had singlehandedly destroyed an entire shinobi village left him with a chilling sense of despair.
Sending Darui to Konohagakure with a peace proposal had been his reluctant concession.
But Tobirama wasn't interested in peace.
With negotiations off the table, Kumogakure had no choice but to prepare for an all-out war.
A knew that the Daimyō's confrontation with the Land of Fire was unlikely to achieve much. A man capable of wiping out an entire village wouldn't lose sleep over the protests of a mere Daimyō.
In the days of the Warring States Period, when Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama reigned supreme, no Daimyō dared to speak out against them.
"Raikage-sama…"
Behind him, the senior members of Kumogakure wore somber expressions, their eyes fixed on A's broad back.
Unlike Konohagakure, there was no meddlesome Council to hinder the Raikage's authority.
After dealing with the rebellion of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, A's word was law in the village.
"Are Bee and Yugito secure?" A asked, scanning the faces of his advisors.
"Yes, Raikage-sama," Mabui replied. "Both of them are on Turtle Island."
Tobirama's primary target was the jinchūriki. A would never surrender his adoptive brother.
To safeguard them, he had moved Killer Bee and Yugito Nii to Turtle Island long before preparing for war. He had also instructed them to stay apart to minimize risk.
Turtle Island was fortified with significant defenses, and both Bee and Yugito were perfect jinchūriki. A was confident they could handle themselves.
Additionally, Mabui's Heavenly Transfer Technique would allow A to reach them instantly if needed.
"Keep a close watch on Konohagakure's movements. Report to me immediately if there's any sign of military action," A ordered.
"And be vigilant against their flying shinobi! Tobirama used the Flying Thunder God Technique to infiltrate Iwagakure. We can't let that happen here."
At the mention of the Flying Thunder God, A's jaw tightened.
Years ago, Namikaze Minato had earned the title of "Yellow Flash" with that technique, coupled with his Rasengan. The younger version of the Strongest Tag-Team had suffered a bitter defeat at his hands.
That jutsu was despicable—unpredictable, unfair, and utterly infuriating!
A couldn't imagine Tobirama being any slower than Minato, though he was confident in his own speed, honed through years of lightning-enhanced training.
"Prepare every shinobi in the village for battle! If Konohagakure dares to attack, we'll make sure they never leave. Tobirama Senju thinks he can trample Kumogakure? Dream on!"
With that, A slammed his fist into his desk, shattering it into splinters.
"Yes, Raikage-sama!"
The senior shinobi nodded and dispersed to carry out their tasks.
Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted outside.
"Boom! Hisssss!"
The Raikage's office door burst open, and a frantic shinobi stumbled inside, nearly falling over.
"What's going on?"
Everyone turned to the panicked messenger.
"Lords! Outside—outside! Monsters are crawling out of the ground!"
"What monsters? Is this an attack by Konohagakure?"
Without waiting for further explanation, A charged out of the office.
What he saw left him momentarily speechless.
Kumogakure was in chaos. Shinobi poured into the streets, launching ninjutsu left and right, while civilians were hurriedly evacuated to shelters.
The enemy was… monstrous.
Emerging from the ground were countless identical white creatures.
They looked humanoid, but their bodies were grotesque—jagged fangs, malformed limbs, and in some cases, gaping maws on their stomachs or heads resembling pitcher plants.
"What the hell are these things?"
The shinobi were just as horrified.
These creatures were unlike anything they had ever encountered.
What was worse, their numbers were staggering, and they continued to emerge, far outnumbering Kumogakure's shinobi.
Individually, each creature was about as strong as a chunin, but some of the fused variants wielded devastating power.
"Stop them! Protect the village!"
A wasted no time giving the order. The shinobi leaped into action, engaging the white monsters head-on.
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