The Cloud shinobi operated with a clear, practiced coordination. Each one held a designated role, communicating through gestures and glances honed by missions together. Their efficiency alone made them dangerous.
But Kushina Uzumaki refused to remain a passive protected burden behind Aomizu. She wasn't some fragile civilian or a kunoichi who shrank away from combat. She was a ninja — and she wanted to fight.
"Aomizu," she called out sharply, eyes burning with determination, "leave those three genin to me."
She was referring to Killer Bee and his two teammates, Motoi and Hiko. Now that she had finally mastered the Rasengan, she brimmed with confidence. Against three young Cloud shinobi, she believed she could handle them with ease.
Aomizu studied her for a moment. Kushina wasn't reckless — she was fired up, and more importantly, she had the power to support her confidence. He nodded.
"Don't overdo it."
Kushina grinned. "I won't!"
With a deep inhale, she formed the familiar cross-shaped hand seal.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
In a burst of smoke, dozens of clones appeared, surrounding her like an army. Every single clone formed a swirling Rasengan in their palms before storming toward Killer Bee's group.
Motoi and Hiko froze in shock.
Killer Bee clicked his tongue. "Tch… here she comes!"
He unsheathed two blades, channeling Lightning Release chakra until both swords crackled with a piercing buzz. This was the result of his insane training over the past month — techniques he had specifically polished to fight Aomizu.
Supersonic Vibrating Lightning Release Blades.
The blades vibrated at such high frequency that they could cut through materials even more cleanly than Wind Release. Anyone struck would not only be sliced but also paralyzed by the electrical discharge.
He hadn't expected to use the technique here, and certainly not on Kushina… but he had no choice.
With a roar, he lunged toward the incoming clones.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In pure taijutsu, Kushina was no match for Killer Bee. The clones rushed him with Rasengan after Rasengan, but their movements were unrefined. Killer Bee sliced through them, destroying clone after clone. The battlefield erupted with bursts of smoke as they disappeared one by one.
In less than a minute, more than half of Kushina's clones were erased.
But the remaining clones succeeded in pinning Motoi and Hiko in place, forcing them on the defensive.
Kushina seized the opportunity.
Her main body flashed forward, Rasengan roaring in her hand, as she dashed straight toward Killer Bee's blind spot.
"Got you!"
Her attack came from behind — a perfect ambush.
Killer Bee spun at the last second, his blade screeching as it intercepted her attack.
BOOM!
The Rasengan detonated, the shockwave blasting both of them backward. Kushina skidded across the dirt. Killer Bee rolled once before regaining his footing.
Again, their clash resulted in a stalemate.
Just like in their first encounter in the Forest of Death.
---
On the opposite side, Motoi and Hiko were being forced into a corner. Kushina's dozens of clones overwhelmed them, Rasengans screaming through the air.
"Damn it!" Hiko shouted, barely deflecting a strike.
"We can't keep up!" Motoi yelled. "There are too many— aaah!"
Just as the two were about to collapse under the pressure, Killer Bee broke away and rushed to support them. His twin blades danced, slicing through the remaining clones and dispersing them in seconds.
But Kushina didn't back down.
With a deep breath, she pressed her hands together again.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
A massive burst of smoke erupted — this time, more than a hundred clones materialized.
Motoi and Hiko's faces went blank.
They could barely handle a dozen clones earlier. Now they were facing an entire army.
"Killer Bee!" Motoi cried. "We can't fight this!"
Killer Bee grit his teeth. "Just stick to the plan and follow my lead!"
He straightened his posture, ready to coordinate with his teammates again.
---
While Kushina kept three of the Cloud shinobi occupied, Aomizu launched his own offensive. The enemy held numerical superiority, and if he didn't eliminate one quickly, the situation would become impossible to control.
Aomizu spread his fingers.
Universal Pull.
Troy was yanked toward him instantly, dragged helplessly by the gravitational force.
Aomizu targeted Troy first for a reason.
The Fourth Raikage's physical strength was monstrous, and Dodai's Lava Release granted him exceptional defense. Troy's Magnet Release was the biggest variable — and removing him would simplify the battlefield significantly.
But Troy didn't panic. Even mid-flight, he unleashed the full might of his Magnet Release. A powerful magnetic force shot out, instantly magnetizing Aomizu's body.
Dodai immediately followed with a barrage of kunai and shuriken.
He didn't need to aim. Every single blade curved automatically toward Aomizu like guided missiles.
Aomizu tensed.
If he tried to dodge, the weapons would follow anyway. If he used Shinra Tensei, the Raikage — already poised like a hunting predator — would take advantage of the cooldown and crush him.
This was the true face of ninja combat.
Once a weakness was exposed, opponents would exploit it relentlessly.
Unless someone possessed enough overwhelming power — power like Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha — there was no room for mistakes.
Aomizu's lips curved into a cold smile.
"You really think this is enough to kill me?"
In an instant, his body transformed.
Metallic plates rippled across his torso. Mechanical arms erupted from beneath his cloak, unfolding with a clanking mechanical rhythm.
A moment later, the arms opened — revealing missile ports.
Troy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What—?!"
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Missiles launched in rapid succession, streaking through the air like burning comets.
These were no ordinary weapons.
They were manifestations of the Asura Path, one of the Rinnegan's Six Paths — technological weapons summoned directly from another dimension.
To the Cloud shinobi, however, it appeared as though Aomizu had performed grotesque body modifications.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The missiles detonated mid-air, destroying the incoming kunai and shuriken before they could reach him.
Several missiles also flew toward Raikage A and Dodai, but both protected themselves.
The Raikage dashed forward, lightning cloaking his massive frame as he attempted to rescue Troy.
Aomizu didn't let him.
"Almighty Push."
The Raikage was blasted away again, his attack completely halted.
With Troy still pulled helplessly toward him, Aomizu shifted his mechanical arms.
A single missile chamber glowed.
"Goodbye."
The missile fired directly into Troy's chest.
BOOOOOOM!
Troy's body was engulfed in flames, the explosion echoing through the battlefield.
"TROY!!!"
The Raikage's roar shook the ground.
His rage was primal and overwhelming. Troy was more than a shinobi under his command — he had been a trusted partner, a loyal friend. To see him executed before his eyes, without dignity or hesitation, ignited a fury unmatched by anything before.
Lightning crackled violently around him as he prepared to unleash his full power.
But at that moment—
---
Far from the battlefield
Deep outside Konoha, hidden beneath layers of stone, sealwork, and natural camouflage, lay a secret research base.
Only two people knew of this place:
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
And Tsunade Senju.
Inside the sterile chamber, Tsunade stood alone, studying the corpse of the mysterious White Zetsu.
She had refused to participate originally, preferring to avoid tedious research and spend her days gambling and drinking. But when Hiruzen invoked his authority as Hokage, she reluctantly accepted.
At first, she approached the task with apathy.
But lately… something had changed.
Her amber eyes sharpened as she examined the cell samples under the microscope once more.
Within the strange white humanoid's body, she sensed a familiar signature — a faint, but undeniable echo of her grandfather's power.
Wood Release.
Tsunade's fingers tightened.
No one understood Hashirama's cells better than she did.
She had assisted in the Wood Release experiments decades prior, back when they still held hope of reproducing the First Hokage's unique ability. Though she regretted the outcomes, her medical expertise had been essential.
Now, as she analyzed White Zetsu cells, that knowledge resurfaced.
There was no mistaking it — the cells contained Wood Release potential.
But unlike her grandfather's dangerously aggressive cells, the Wood Release signature in White Zetsu was incredibly mild, hidden deep within its strange genetic structure.
Without careful examination, it would be almost impossible to detect.
But Tsunade found it.
And the implications chilled her to her core.
Someone… somewhere… recreated Hashirama's power.
White Zetsu didn't just have similar chakra.
It contained a gentler, controlled version of Wood Release.
Even if the ability was faint, the fact it existed at all meant someone outside Konoha possessed advanced, forbidden knowledge — knowledge that should never have left the village.
Tsunade inhaled sharply.
"Just who… leaked Hashirama cells into the outside world?"
Her mind immediately went to the only two people in Konoha capable of such a betrayal:
Danzo.
Orochimaru.
But before she could sink deeper into speculation—
BOOM!
A violent tremor shook the entire base.
Tsunade's eyes widened.
That wasn't a natural earthquake.
It was the unmistakable shockwave of ninjutsu — powerful ninjutsu.
And it was close.
Too close.
Tsunade straightened immediately. Something was happening. Something big.
And without hesitation—
She sealed the research room and dashed toward the origin of the blast.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)