Bab 111: Chapter 111: The Strongest Kazekage in History! [Bonus Chapter]
"This guy actually knows medical ninjutsu…"
"Lady Pakura knows him…"
"Yeah, it's from that mission in the Land of Rivers. This kid is very dangerous, don't let your guard down!"
"Is the Kazekage really coming?"
"Should we launch a sneak attack? Use smoke bombs and genjutsu together. We just need a few seconds."
"Absolutely don't do that! He's too fast!"
The one explaining was Madai, who had also fought Shūichi before. He was also Maki's father.
At that moment, Maki was frozen in place. Someone who was roughly her age was already a dangerous figure, someone her father had warned her about!
"This guy…"
Maki, standing quietly among the Sand ninja, stared at Shūichi, vowing to remember this person—the one who so effortlessly toyed with her comrades. One day, Maki swore, she would surpass this man and pay him back in kind…
She clenched her fists, making a silent oath to himself.
…
Shūichi, however, paid no attention to Maki anymore. Why bother with Maki when Pakura was around?
"Pakura, you've become even more beautiful over the years!"
Shūichi was letting himself loose—after all, this was just a shadow clone.
Pakura was briefly stunned, then her face turned cold.
Was this brat flirting with her?
"You should worry more about how you'll get out of this situation," she said icily.
Shūichi, unconcerned, replied, "Simple. Once I get what I want, it'll all be over."
Pakura frowned. "Aren't you afraid of sparking a war between our villages? Of being punished by Konoha?"
Shūichi scoffed. "A war, just from this?"
"If it happens, then it was inevitable."
"And Pakura, don't keep bringing up war so casually. If you're not careful, you'll lose your respect for it."
"War has always been a terrifying thing…"
One of the Sand ninja couldn't hold back his anger. "Then why are you doing this if you know it's so terrible?"
"Release them immediately, and we'll let you leave unharmed!"
Shūichi shrugged. "Sorry, but I'm just a shadow clone."
"And besides…"
Looking at Pakura, Shūichi smirked. "Rasa must've already gone after my real body, hasn't he?"
The Sand ninja weren't without sensory ninjas, after all.
Pakura snorted. "Since you know that, you should understand that you're in the Land of Wind. You can't escape from here."
Shūichi's gaze sharpened, then he smiled. "We'll see about that… He's here!"
The Third Kazekage had arrived!
"Kazekage-sama!"
…
As the respectful voices echoed, the crowd parted, and the Third Kazekage, renowned as the strongest Kazekage in history, walked forward.
"Shūichi Hoshita... you're the one who wanted to see me?"
The Third Kazekage looked at Shūichi.
Shūichi nodded. "Third Kazekage, you must already know my purpose, right?"
The Third Kazekage paused, then nodded in realization. "So that's what this is about... I see. What's your connection to him?"
Shūichi sighed inwardly and replied, "I'm friends with his son, and he once taught me swordsmanship. He's like a mentor to me."
"I see."
The Third Kazekage nodded slightly, then said directly, "Yes, you've come to the right person."
"Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, was indeed killed by me."
"However, as a shinobi, he should have already understood this would happen."
Shūichi remained expressionless and gave a slight nod. "Of course."
"Then, Third Kazekage, have you made your peace with what's to come?"
The Kazekage's gaze instantly sharpened. "Oh?"
"Are you here to assassinate me?"
"Although I must admit, you're quite exceptional. Most ninja at your age, even me, could not have achieved as much as you have."
"But you're still not enough!"
Shūichi nodded again. "That may be true, but who's to say unless we try?"
"You don't mind my challenge, do you, Kazekage-sama?"
The Third Kazekage replied, "Young boy, I admire your courage, and I'll indulge you."
"But first, release them!"
Shūichi stepped back. "Of course."
Pakura immediately gestured, and several Sand shinobi rushed forward to rescue the hostages.
Madai, after checking on the captives, exclaimed in surprise, "He's skilled in sealing techniques too! Get them back to the village at once and let the sealing squad handle it!"
Ahead, after his subordinates were freed, the Third Kazekage raised his hand, forming a clone without needing to make hand signs. "This is just your shadow clone, right? In that case, I'll use a clone too."
The Third Kazekage carried himself with grace.
But Shūichi couldn't help but think to himself: Isn't this how Sasori of the Red Sand will kill you in the future?
Still, that didn't matter now.
This was an excellent opportunity—even if it was just a clone.
It was time to witness the power of a Kage!
Shūichi's focus sharpened, and he fully concentrated on the battle.
Zing!
The Anbu sword on his back and the Totsuka Blade at his waist were drawn simultaneously.
Sizzle!
Blue lightning crackled over his body.
Boom! Boom!
The ground beneath his feet exploded as stones and sand scattered.
All of this happened in an instant. The moment his twin blades were unsheathed, Shūichi was enveloped in lightning, his feet blooming like a lotus as he shot forward like a bullet.
"So fast!"
Madai's pupils dilated. "This guy… He's much faster than before. I can't keep up at all."
On the other side, even Pakura looked shocked.
Even the Third Kazekage was a bit surprised. "That speed isn't far off from Konoha's White Fang."
Up ahead.
Without needing to form seals, the Kazekage's clone summoned iron sand, which shot forward like a dense rain of needles, filling the sky and targeting Shūichi.
Shūichi, charging forward, leaped into the air, unleashing five or six blazing white fireballs that rained down on the clone.
Pakura's expression changed. "His fire-style jutsu… rivals my scorch release? How is that possible?"
Boom! Boom!
One by one, the fireballs exploded, but they were all blocked by shields formed from the iron sand.
However, Shūichi had already appeared behind the Third Kazekage's clone. The Totsuka Blade, glowing blue, cut through the iron sand, while the katana thrust toward the clone's back.
At the last moment, the iron sand on the clone's back gathered and solidified, stopping the blade, which had been reinforced by Shūichi's Blue Flame Sky Blade technique, from piercing through.
But the iron sand forming senbon (needles) was already shooting toward him.
Shūichi's figure vanished, reappearing to launch an attack from a different direction.
The Sand ninja, including Pakura and Madai, were stunned.
"He's too fast!"
They could only catch a glimpse of Shūichi's form the moment he attacked. At all other times, they saw only flashes of lightning and afterimages.
"This guy… he's grown so much, so quickly," Madai broke into a cold sweat.
"If I faced an opponent like him, I'd have to use long-range, large-scale jutsu. If he got close, I'd be cut down before I could even react."
"His strength has already surpassed that of an ordinary jōnin."
Madai made his assessment.
Pakura, watching closely, also found herself sweating. Her eyes struggled to keep up with Shūichi's movements. "With that kind of attack, I'd be forced to defend constantly. I couldn't counter like the Kazekage does."
"His fire release is even hotter than my scorch release... This guy is a freak!"
The Third Kazekage, observing the battle, also had a change of heart.
He had to admit, he had underestimated this brat from Konoha.
And apparently, the 30 million ryō bounty from Iwagakure had also underestimated him.
"Who would have thought that after the death of Konoha's White Fang, someone with even greater potential would appear."
At that moment, the Third Kazekage's murderous intent flared.
But unfortunately, this was only a shadow clone.
Even so, he silently gave thanks. "Good thing Rasa led the team to pursue him, otherwise…"
Meanwhile, Shūichi was also realizing how tough the Third Kazekage was.
His iron sand defense was incredibly strong, and since it was a kekkei genkai (bloodline limit), he didn't need hand seals to attack, making his strikes fast, with a broad area of effect, limiting Shūichi's speed advantage.
Even though Shūichi hadn't used techniques like Flame Dragon's Breath, Inferno Lotus, Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, or Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken, if he couldn't create an opening in the Third Kazekage's defense, even with his real body in Wind Style Chakra Mode, he wouldn't be able to break through.
If it were a real fight between their actual bodies, the Kazekage would likely widen the distance, giving himself more time to react.
"No wonder they call him the strongest Kazekage in history…"
Shūichi now truly understood the power of a Kage.
Although both used magnet release, Rasa, whom he had fought earlier, was nowhere near this level.
But after so many years, Rasa had likely made considerable progress. Who knew if he had developed his own Gold Dust techniques by now?
Continuous attacks drained Shūichi's chakra rapidly, and seeing that he couldn't break through the Kazekage's clone's defense, he suddenly retreated, plunging his twin blades into the ground.
"Inferno Lotus, open!"
The earth cracked as fissures spread rapidly, encircling the Kazekage's clone. Moments later, columns of fire erupted from the cracks, blooming like lotus petals.
However, due to his chakra being depleted, the flames were merely orange this time.
But they were infused with wind release.
As the lotus bloomed, the resulting explosion wasn't just a normal fiery blast—it was accompanied by petal-like blades of flame.
However, just as Shūichi was about to unleash this move, the Kazekage's clone had already started setting up a defense. Iron sand spread beneath his feet, preventing the flames from engulfing him.
Around him, the iron sand formed a circular shield, and he even condensed it into a massive iron block that smashed into the exploding lotus, preventing it from creating a sealed-off, blazing inferno.
Without that enclosed space, the flames couldn't fully envelop the area and choke out the oxygen.
Otherwise, while the iron sand defense could block the explosion, the lack of air and the scorching heat would have harmed the shadow clone.
As expected of the Third Kazekage!
Shūichi sighed inwardly, then stood up. "Kazekage-sama, I've learned much from this battle..."
With that, his figure burst into a puff of smoke.
The Third Kazekage dispelled his own clone and then told Pakura and the others, "For any future missions, if you encounter him, you have permission to retreat."
The Sand ninja around him were visibly shaken but remained silent.
With that kind of strength, they truly couldn't handle him alone.
After a moment of uneasy silence, Pakura spoke up. "Kazekage-sama, what about Rasa?"
The Third Kazekage shook his head. "It's too late. But Rasa is similar to me in style; he'll be fine."
...
Unexpectedly for the Third Kazekage and Pakura, the group led by Rasa, who were pursuing Shūichi's true body, had not managed to catch up with him.
Although they had sensory ninjas with them, the target had already gone beyond their range.
On the ground, there were no traces left by Shūichi at all.
Despite his frustration, Rasa had no choice but to admit they had completely lost track.
"What a troublesome guy…" Rasa frowned.
"Captain, what should we do now?" a Sand ninja asked.
With no signs to follow, it was impossible to continue tracking him.
Rasa could only say, "The mission has failed, retreat!"
...
Under the night sky, Shūichi landed by the edge of a small oasis, not far from where a crow was drinking water.
Placing his fingers on the ground to sense his surroundings for a moment, Shūichi smiled. "Looks like they've retreated…"
Sitting down, he took out a sealing scroll, retrieving solider pills and a mixture of salt and sugar water to replenish his energy. Just as Shūichi finished storing away the scroll, the memories from his shadow clone flooded back.
"I actually fought the Third Kazekage, though it was only a shadow clone…"
Shūichi was surprised, as he hadn't planned on engaging with the Third Kazekage before he left.
However, his shadow clone had done quite well.
"The Kazekage's strength is truly impressive. His abilities are well-rounded, excelling in both offense and defense, and he's equally strong in single combat and crowd control."
"His attack speed isn't slow either, and he can launch attacks in overwhelming volumes."
"For Sasori of the Red Sand to kill him with puppets, it must have involved a surprise attack and poison to have any chance of success."
"After all, iron sand is a natural counter to puppets…"
As Shūichi absorbed the memories from his shadow clone, he frowned. "Sakumo-senpai was indeed killed by the Third Kazekage… The Kazekage shouldn't have any reason to lie, but I doubt that's the whole story."
"That puppeteer… could it be…"
Shūichi's eyes widened in shock. "Sasori of the Red Sand?"
The Third Kazekage working together with Sasori?
Is that even possible?
Shūichi thought carefully. "I remember Chiyo mentioning that Sasori attempted to assassinate the Third Kazekage three times, and all of them failed."
"At this point, he must have already left Sunagakure… Sasori should be about four or five years older than me and Kakashi, around the same age as Shinnosuke. Right now, he should be around fourteen or fifteen years old…"
"Sasori's motive for assassinating the Kazekage—wanting him as a puppet—stems from the death of his parents, who were killed during the Second Shinobi War while the Third was in power. And the person responsible for killing his parents, Konoha's White Fang, died before he had a chance to get his revenge."
Shūichi took a deep breath. "So, by changing White Fang's fate, did I also change Sasori's?"
"Has Sasori already left Sunagakure?"
Thinking about this, Shūichi briefly considered, "Should I infiltrate Sunagakure again to investigate Sasori?"
But then he quickly dismissed the idea. "Forget it…"
Sunagakure would definitely be on high alert now, and it would be far too dangerous, even for a shadow clone.
"I don't need to personally go to Sunagakure to gather intel on Sasori. Konoha likely has spies there as well. Just obtaining information on Sasori shouldn't be a problem."
After resting enough, Shūichi stood up and headed towards the rendezvous point he had previously agreed on with Minato and the others.
...
The next morning, at the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers, Shūichi, who had rested for two hours atop a small hill, suddenly opened his eyes.
They've finally arrived!
Soon, Minato and the group appeared in Shūichi's sight, and he quickly leaped down the hill.
Seeing Shūichi unharmed, Minato finally let out a sigh of relief.
Obito, unable to contain his curiosity, immediately asked, "Shūichi, how did things go on your side? We couldn't find any useful information at all!"
Shūichi nodded silently, then looked over at Kakashi.
Rin's gaze was filled with concern as she looked at Kakashi.
Kakashi, however, had already composed himself, and when Shūichi looked at him, he calmly said, "This is a shinobi's duty. I'm prepared."
Hearing this, Shūichi said, "Sakumo-senpai has passed away. I confirmed it from the Third Kazekage."
The Third Kazekage!
Everyone was shocked.
Minato said in a serious tone, "The strongest Kazekage in history, with the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai, capable of controlling iron sand… He definitely has the strength to defeat Sakumo-senpai."
Yūhi Shiwei sighed. "I didn't expect the Third Kazekage to personally get involved."
It was rare for a village's Kage to personally participate in a mission, except in Kumo, where the Raikage often took action. In most other villages, the Kage rarely left the village.
After all, a Kage represented the pinnacle of a village's strength. If a Kage had to personally take action, how dire must the situation have been?
At this moment, Kakashi was in a daze, silent tears streaming down his face.
Although he had mentally prepared himself for his father's death, now that he had received confirmation, he couldn't help but break down.
"Kakashi…"
Rin's heart was full of worry, but she didn't know how to comfort him.
Even Obito, who often argued with Kakashi, was at a loss for words seeing him like this.
It was the first time he had seen the usually arrogant Kakashi in such a state.
Earlier too, it was the first time he had seen Kakashi, normally so cool and composed, acting so anxious.
For some reason, Obito felt an unfamiliar sense of frustration, an overwhelming feeling of… helplessness.
Looking at Kakashi, then at Minato and the others, Obito couldn't stand the heavy atmosphere any longer. He blurted out, "Since… since we know who the culprit is, can't we avenge him?"
Avenge him?
Yūhi Shiwei and Kaku Inuzuka exchanged glances but remained silent.
Minato patted Obito on the shoulder and said, "It's not that simple. He's the Kazekage of Sunagakure."
"Infiltrating Sunagakure and killing their Kage would be incredibly difficult."
"And even if the Third Kazekage left the village, he'd still have guards with him."
"Taking down someone like him isn't something a single squad can achieve."
Shūichi then turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi, there's another piece of information."
Kakashi quickly wiped away his tears and looked at Shūichi.
Shūichi continued, "I infiltrated Sunagakure and spent almost a month gathering intel on the Third Kazekage's movements, especially whether he had been involved in any missions with Chiyo. The information shows that he hasn't."
"He's mostly been operating within the Land of Wind, accompanied only by his personal guards."
Minato pondered for a moment before saying, "So the puppeteer who accompanied the Third Kazekage wasn't Chiyo."
"That makes sense. With the Third Kazekage present, a puppeteer wouldn't be as crucial."
"After all, Chiyo isn't the only high-level puppeteer in Sunagakure."
Shūichi nodded. "You're right, Minato-sensei. But the key point is about Sakumo-senpai's body."
"I suspect the Third Kazekage was hiding something."
Obito immediately asked, "So… can we retrieve Sakumo-senpai's body from Sunagakure?"
Shūichi shook his head. "That's not possible, and I don't believe the body is even in Sunagakure."
Everyone looked puzzled. Obito asked, "Shūichi, what exactly do you mean?"
Minato then asked, "Shūichi, how did you get this information from the Third Kazekage?"
(End of Chapter)
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