After securing the final desired promise, Makoto left the Four Violet Flames Formation with satisfaction.
"Konan-nee," he called up to the angel in the sky. "Mission accomplished. Tell Deidaira who's waiting outside the village to come in now. It's showtime."
"Mizukage, Tsuchikage," he addressed the two Kage on the roof. "Feel free to help clean up the battlefield. Don't be shy."
After giving instructions, Makoto headed in the direction Gaara had taken.
He wondered if Naruto had successfully deployed his Talk No Jutsu yet, or if they were still in the "punching each other" phase.
...
On the Rooftop.
Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi had been watching the show like VIP spectators.
Although they stood conspicuously at the highest point, the chaotic battlefield below maintained an unspoken agreement: Don't touch the Kage.
Konoha ninjas were too busy fighting giant snakes.
Sound and Sand ninjas were too scared to provoke two more Kage-level monsters.
So, the women were left alone.
Hearing Makoto's words, the two exchanged glances.
"Mizukage," Kurotsuchi said, adjusting her gloves. "I'll leave this to you. I've only recently become a Kage, so my abilities are still somewhat... lacking. I don't want to accidentally kill the allies."
"Anyway, I'll take my leave first."
WHOOSH.
Kurotsuchi flew away using the Light-Weight Rock Technique, zooming off toward the village gates.
Her words were half-truth.
She was indeed weaker than Mei.
But the real reason she left was because she heard Makoto mention Deidara.
She wanted front-row seats to the explosion show!
"Sigh," Mei Terumi pouted. "Leaving me all alone here to do the heavy lifting. How irresponsible."
She sighed softly, her breath creating a mist.
Then, she casually formed a single hand seal.
"Water Style: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
She spat a massive pillar of water from her mouth. It expanded mid-air into a literal tsunami that crashed onto the streets of Konoha below.
The surging torrent swept away groups of Sound and Sand ninjas like ants in a flood.
As for whether any Hidden Leaf ninjas got caught in the crossfire? Oops.
Not her problem.
Large-scale ninjutsu are inherently indiscriminate. The fact that she used plain water instead of acid or lava was already incredibly merciful.
"Well done, Mizukage! Go! Go!"
Inside the barrier, Hashirama Senju was jumping up and down, waving his arms like a cheerleader.
"..."
Mei Terumi glanced over and immediately developed a headache.
Here she was, working like a laborer, spraying water everywhere to save their village, while a bunch of old men, perverts, and dead man walking watched comfortably from inside a force field.
"You there, Jiraiya!"
Tobirama Senju sat cross-legged on the roof tiles, glaring at the white-haired sage.
"We're trapped inside and can't get out," Tobirama barked. "But you're outside! Why are you watching the show instead of helping with rescue efforts? Are you that useless?"
'If I can't scold my brother, I'll scold this pervert instead!'
"Uh, Lord Second," Jiraiya scratched his head nervously. "I've already summoned the giant toads from Mount Myoboku to help. Gamabunta is handling the snakes. I'm staying here to keep an eye on Orochimaru."
"Forget it," Tobirama sighed. "Monkey, come here. Let's talk."
He decided to give his disciple a few final instructions before the Edo Tensei was released.
"Sensei," Hiruzen obediently walked over, bowing.
"Monkey, you've kept your promises to that Makoto fellow without issue," Tobirama said sternly.
"But you should understand what needs to be done as the Hokage. Blind trust is for fools."
"I understand, Sensei. Actually, we've already received some intelligence brought back by Kakashi earlier."
"Oh?" Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "That's good then. You must determine whether this 'enemy' truly exists, or if Makoto fabricated such a boogeyman to fulfill his own ambitions."
Tobirama felt deeply troubled.
If Makoto's claims were false, having such a manipulative mastermind as an enemy was terrifying.
But if his claims were true... then how fearsome must this enemy be to require Makoto to go to such length?
"Sensei, I understand," Hiruzen nodded. "Actually, Orochimaru was right about one thing—the wind in the Hidden Leaf has been still for far too long."
"After this is over... I plan to retire. I will pass the Hokage position to either Jiraiya or Tsunade."
As soon as Hiruzen finished speaking, Tobirama glanced at Jiraiya outside the barrier.
"Give it to Tsunade," Tobirama said instantly.
One was a perv from the Red Light District.
One was a gambler.
They'd already seen what the pervert was like.
They hadn't seen the gambler yet—but at least there was still hope she wasn't this pathetic.
"Yes, yes! Nidaime-sama is absolutely right!"
Hearing this, Jiraiya frantically nodded his head.
"Old man! If you want to retire, give it to Tsunade! Whatever you do, don't give it to me! I'm unqualified! I'm lazy! I'm lecherous!"
What a joke.
He didn't want to go from "researching" every day to stamping paperwork every day. The only perk of being Hokage was the Crystal Ball for peeping, but the workload wasn't worth it.
"However, Hiruzen," Tobirama added coldly. "If Tsunade shows no signs of being willing to return to the village during this crisis... then you should pass it to Jiraiya after all."
"Huh?" Jiraiya froze.
"If she abandons the village when it's burning," Tobirama said, "then she has forgotten the Will of Fire. Such a person cannot be Hokage. At least this pervert is here."
"Hmm." Hiruzen nodded solemnly.
...
In the Forest.
Naruto was engaged in fierce combat with Gaara who had transformed.
His right side was fully consumed by the Shukaku.
He looked like a nightmare.
Sakura was pinned to a tree by sand, unconscious. Sasuke was on the ground, exhausted after using the Chidori twice, his chakra was drained.
Temari watched from a hidden branch in the shadows, terrified.
The fight reached its climax.
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto summoned hundreds of clones and they charged toward Gaara in a wave of orange.
SWIPE.
Gaara swung his giant sand claw, shattering the clones like glass.
Though Gaara's mind remained deranged, through the battle, he had come to a realization.
'Kankuro is a liar.'
The Hidden Leaf shinobi didn't target backsides! They attacked from the front like idiots!
Gaara roared, shredding more clones.
All he wanted now was slaughter!
No more fear about his ass.
"TAKE THIS!"
Suddenly, an impassioned voice shouted from directly behind him.
Naruto's real body had somehow maneuvered to his blind spot under the cover of the clone army!
"This is the secret Taijutsu technique Kakashi-sensei taught me!" Naruto yelled, clasping his hands together in the Tiger Seal.
"KONOHA HIDDEN TAIJUTSU OUGI!"
'Oh no! Oh no!' Gaara's eye twitched.
He instantly regretted not listening to his brother.
Kankuro was right! It's real!
"THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!!!"
Temari, watching from the tree, went pale.
Her expression shifted rapidly—from embarrassment to horror to pity.
'But Naruto doesn't know Chidori' she thought desperately. 'So it should be fine, right? It's just fingers...'
Gaara also hoped for this.
But as the "attack" connected, all he felt was the icy cold sensation of steel.
'This is—the texture of a kunai!'
'Wait... why is it getting hot?'
BOOM!!!
Gaara's ass exploded.
'That wicked brat had actually attached a Paper Bomb to the kunai before shoving it in!'
"AGHHH!" Gaara screamed, launching into the air like a rocket.
Seeing this, Temari froze stiff.
'So... it was real. Konoha was truly depraved.'
"Good thing I made it in time."
A voice sounded directly behind Temari's ear.
"Let me take a photo of this famous scene—it'll make a great gift for when he becomes Kazekage later."
CLICK.
"DON'T STAB MY ASSS!!!!"
Temari shrieked.
She leaped onto a nearby tree branch like a startled cat, protectively covering her ass with both hands.
Only after landing did she realize it wasn't a Leaf ninja.
It was Makoto.
Makoto stood there, holding a camera, looking at her with deadfish eyes.
"Who wants to stab your ass?" Makoto asked, offended.
"Don't falsely accuse people like that. I have standards you know!."