Sunagakure.
Aside from the crumbling cliffs in the distance and the thunderous crash of falling stones echoing through the air, there was only silence.
Each tumbling boulder sounded like a drumbeat in everyone's mind. Whether it was the Suna shinobi or the reanimated former Kage, all stood frozen, stunned into stillness. Only the Konoha ninjas remained composed.
Even Tobirama Senju had disbelief in his eyes.
What kind of speed was that?!
The same thought echoed in everyone's mind.
It had happened in an instant, so fast they couldn't even register it. Kaede had vanished from sight, and the next moment, the Second Mizukage was already sent flying.
Standing closest, Chiyo felt a chill grip her heart. The chakra threads she had attached to Kaede were instantly obliterated the moment he entered Six Paths Mode.
At this moment,
Kaede stood precisely one step ahead of where the Second Mizukage had been, his leg still extended from a kick before slowly lowering it.
That simple pose clarified what had happened. It was a physical strike delivered at a speed that defied understanding.
As Kaede gently set his foot down, he turned his head slightly toward Chiyo.
Just that single glance sent a chill shooting down her spine. Goosebumps erupted all over her body, and a soul-deep sense of crisis surged up within her.
She locked her eyes on Kaede, her guard raised to the maximum.
But,
It was useless.
Kaede's figure vanished before her very eyes.
By the time he reappeared, he was already at her left side, delivering a sweeping kick.
The world once again seemed to slow to a crawl.
Under the extreme time dilation, one could just barely see Kaede's glowing golden leg arcing through the air, slamming into Chiyo and sending her hurtling away.
The First Mizukage, the First Kazekage, and the others couldn't even move their heads fast enough to follow. Even their pupils, slowly shifting from Kaede's original position to where Chiyo flew, moved at a crawl.
Whoosh!
Golden light wrapped around Chiyo as she was blasted away.
Just like the Second Mizukage, her body shattered midair into countless fragments. The golden light streaked to the far end of the battlefield, striking the peak of a wind-eroded mountain at the edge of Sunagakure and causing it to explode in a thunderous blast.
Under the stiffened gazes of the reanimated Kage, the mountaintop crumbled amid a rising mushroom cloud of smoke and debris.
"You got distracted," came a sudden voice.
It rang in the First Mizukage's ears like a whisper from death itself.
Startled, his eyes darted to where Chiyo had been, only to find Kaede gone once more.
He tried to turn around, but the moment he moved even slightly, a foot slammed into his back.
Boom!!
Another Kage shattered in midair.
This time it was the First Mizukage, a legendary ninja who had ended the Warring States era and surpassed the Kage level. Yet, before Kaede's godlike speed, he had no chance to respond, no time to form seals, no time to unleash even a single jutsu.
Even Uchiha Obito, standing nearby with his Mangekyo Sharingan active, couldn't follow Kaede's movements.
He could barely trace the golden flashes across space, just enough to see motion, but far from clearly.
Obito stood in silence.
He wasn't too shocked, at his peak, even he could overpower all the Kage present. Kaede, far stronger than him, was doing the same as expected.
What silenced him was the envy bubbling in his heart.
He had once dreamed of this, to effortlessly crush enemies on his own, to stand proud under the awe-filled eyes of allies and foes alike, to win Rin's admiration as the Hokage…
But that dream was now forever beyond him.
Sizzle...
As Kaede struck down Chiyo, the First Mizukage, and the Second Mizukage, the particles of their shattered forms began to flow and gather.
The first to begin reforming was the Second Mizukage, slowly taking shape again.
Seeing this, Tobirama snapped out of his daze and called out to Kaede:
"It's Edo Tensei, they need to be sealed or they'll regenerate!"
"Too much trouble," Kaede replied calmly.
He extended his right hand, a black Truth-Seeking Orb twisted into shape, transforming into a long black spear, which he immediately hurled.
Swoosh!!
The spear pierced through the Second Mizukage's reforming body and exploded into rippling black waves, completely disintegrating him.
The other Kage's expressions changed dramatically.
They could tell that Kaede's spear was made from multiple chakra nature transformations, at least four, maybe more.
It was terrifying.
Far beyond even Hashirama's Wood Release.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Kaede summoned another Truth-Seeking Orb, which also morphed into a spear and pierced Chiyo's reforming body, shattering her as well.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!!"
Just as Kaede formed a third spear to throw at the First Mizukage's remains, the First Kazekage made his move. He clasped his hands and roared.
Massive chakra surged out from him, gathering in his mouth before launching as a long blue-green spear of wind toward Kaede.
On closer look, that spear was made from countless fine wind blades condensed into a single line, powerful enough to rip through anything.
Everyone's eyes tracked it toward Kaede.
They thought Kaede would dodge with that overwhelming speed, but he didn't.
He simply waved his hand casually.
Buzz!!
That terrifying spear, capable of skewering even Tailed Beasts, shattered like paper in the face of Kaede's effortless motion.
"Impossible…!"
"That was the Wind Cutter Technique… it even pierced Shukaku's Tailed Beast Bomb before!"
The Second Kazekage's eyes went blank.
He had seen that technique pierce right through the One-Tail before, cutting it cleanly in half. And yet now… Kaede had brushed it aside like it was nothing.
"This ends here," Kaede said flatly.
Another Truth-Seeking Orb formed into a sword in his hand.
Had there been more time, he wouldn't have minded playing with these old Kage like Madara had, but Black Zetsu was likely already conquering the other villages and capturing the remaining Tailed Beasts. It was time to go.
Swoosh! Swoosh!!
Kaede's figure flickered across the battlefield.
The First Kazekage, Second Kazekage, Third Mizukage… even powerful former Kirigakure shinobi, all were struck down, their reanimated bodies freezing before shattering apart one by one.
In an instant,
The entire group of former Kage was wiped out.
"Wait, "
Tobirama's pupils shrank slightly.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Kaede appeared behind him, his Truth-Seeking Sword transforming into a spear and launching.
Tobirama tried to use Flying Thunder God to escape, but he was a fraction too slow.
The spear pierced through him, pinning him to the ground.
"Apologies, Lord Second."
Kaede pressed his hand down.
Black sealing runes emerged and wrapped around Tobirama's body, sealing it in place.
Tobirama tried to raise his hand and speak.
"Wait a—"
Zzzt!
The sealing marks snapped shut, silencing him as his body collapsed into a black thread.
With that done, Kaede turned to face the last remaining opponent, Uchiha Obito, who was still facing off with Kakashi.
It was then that he noticed something odd: Kakashi, Obito, Kurenai, and the others were all staring at him strangely.
Kurenai opened her mouth to say something… but couldn't get the words out.
"What's wrong?" Kaede asked, confused by their looks.
When no one answered, he turned to Kakashi.
Kakashi scratched his head awkwardly.
"…Ah, no, it's nothing… really, this is fine…"
After all, the Second Hokage was already dead, sooner or later, he had to be sealed. With Kaede around, they didn't need Tobirama's power anymore.
"Let's just leave it at that."
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria