Bab 31: The World's Reaction
Lightning Country.
Raikage Building in Kumogakure.
In the Raikage's office.
The imposing A, the Third Raikage, stood in front of his office window. His dark skin contrasted with his light gray hair and pointed beard. The lightning bolts crossing the sky intermittently illuminated the room, reflecting off his golden armor.
With a grunt of frustration, A turned to his desk.
"Damn it!" he roared, his eyes burning with anger. "Those Sunagakure ninjas are a real disappointment. Chiyo, Ebizō, Rasa... all useless."
He took a report and crumpled it in his fist. "Three thousand troops! Three thousand! And a single ninja crushed them like they were insects."
BOOM!
The desk trembled under the impact of his fist. Wood splinters flew through the air as the document shattered between his fingers.
A took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
"Konoha barely suffered casualties," he muttered to himself. "But Suna... Suna is finished."
"Is Konoha a nest of geniuses?" he growled. "Bah! Just like that old bastard Ōnoki, always underestimating Kumo."
Despite his state, a shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the reports about Luo Lei's mysterious Kekkei Genkai.
"That Luo Lei..." he muttered, clenching his fists. "Such devastating power must come at a price. Like the Jinchūriki, it's surely a double-edged sword. Ha, I bet he can't even control who he kills."
Suddenly, he turned, his eyes shining with determination. "But it doesn't matter how many tricks they have up their sleeve! This war will be ours!"
"I, who can tame the Hachibi itself, will fear nothing and no one!"
With decisive steps, he approached a map on his desk. "The Soup Kingdom is in chaos. Perfect! We'll send Yugito to support Ai and Killer Bee. Let them feel the power of our Jinchūriki!"
A smiled. "With Tsunade leading Konoha, we'll have a good fight. But when we crush them, nothing will stop us from invading the Land of Fire!"
His expression turned serious for a moment. "Although we can't let our guard down with Iwa and Kiri. That old fox Ōnoki and the cunning Mizukage... I can't risk leaving Kumo unprotected."
A cunning smile appeared on his face. "If they think I'm just muscles without brains, they're in for a surprise. With Suna out of the game, we just need to defeat Konoha, Iwa, and Kiri. And then, Kumogakure will reign supreme!"
A raised his fist to the stormy sky, his voice resonating with ambition. "I, the Third Raikage, will go down in history as the greatest leader Kumo has ever known! My name will be remembered for generations!"
_______
Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Village, was shrouded in perpetual fog. Its tall, narrow buildings were lost in the mist, creating a mysterious landscape. The humid, salty air from the nearby sea permeated every corner of the village.
In the heart of Kirigakure, the Mizukage's mansion rose above the other buildings.
On the top floor, the Mizukage's office offered a panoramic view of the village.
Suddenly, the silence of the office was broken by a strident voice.
"WHAT?! This can't be true!"
"The Sunagakure ninjas were massacred like insects?!"
"A single ninja, he alone massacred an entire army?!"
Inside the office, behind his desk, was a man with delicate features.
He was a middle-aged man, with long black hair. His eyes, as deep blue as the ocean, were wide open, reflecting disbelief. He wore standard Kirigakure attire.
With trembling hands, the Mizukage held an intelligence report, with an astonished look.
Kirigakure had been waiting patiently, watching as Konoha and Sunagakure wore each other down, preparing to enter the conflict at the right moment. But now...
"Konoha... damn it!" he growled, hitting the desk. "How is it possible they've found someone like that? This Luo Lei... where did he come from?"
Rising abruptly, he began to pace around the office. Trying to calm his mind.
"What do I do now?" he asked aloud, his voice laden with anxiety. "Do we get involved in this war or do we stay on the sidelines?"
He stopped in front of a map of the nations, his eyes scanning the territories. His fingers traced the outline of Kirigakure, stopping at the village symbol.
"The Second War..." he murmured. "We stayed on the sidelines then, and the world barely noticed our absence. What would happen if...?"
Suddenly, he hit the map with his fist, causing the glass protecting it to crack. "No! To hell with that!" he shouted. "Kirigakure will never be ignored again!"
With his eyes, cold as ice. He stood at his full height, his presence filling the room with a palpable intensity.
"Well, ghosts of past Mizukages," he declared to the air. "For years we have prepared our village in the shadows. If we don't act now, the world will forget we exist. But no more!"
A cruel smile appeared on his lips as he approached the window, observing the mist-shrouded village. "Kirigakure is no longer the weak village it once was. We are strong, we are powerful, and it's time for the world to know it."
"Let the mobilization begin!" he ordered,
"I want the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist ready for combat by dawn! Let the ANBU prepare! The Hōzuki Clan, the Kaguya Clan, all clans... let them get ready for war!"
______
At the same moment, deep in the Cemetery Mountain, a dark and forgotten cave hid from the world's eyes.
The air there was heavy and humid, laden with the smell of decay.
In the heart of this cavern, barely illuminated by the faint glow of a few torches, stood a wooden throne.
Seated on this throne, like a living relic of a bygone era, was an old man.
His skin, pale and wrinkled like a raisin, hung from his bones as if life itself was slipping from his body. His hair, long and white as snow, cascaded over his shoulders.
"Cough, cough..." The harsh, dry sound of his cough echoed in the cavern, breaking the silence.
Each cough seemed to shake his fragile body, as if he could crumble at any moment.
His eyes remained closed but his face was expressionless. At first glance, he seemed a man on the brink of death, ready to give his last breath and join the Pure World.
However, there was something more. Something intangible but undeniably present. An aura of power and pride surrounded the old man, like an invisible cloak of authority.
It was as if, despite his deteriorated physical appearance, his spirit remained indomitable, defying death itself.
This was not just any old man waiting for his end. No, this was Madara Uchiha, a living legend of the world. A man whose name was only whispered with fear and respect, whose feats had shaped the world.
Suddenly, the silence of the cave was interrupted by a sound, as if the earth itself was coming to life. From the rocky ground, a black figure began to emerge.
"Madara-sama," said the creature with a respectful voice, "Something has happened."
Madara, still with his eyes closed, sketched a tired smile. "Oh?" A harsh voice sounded. "Has the War shaken our plans, Zetsu?"
Zetsu shook his head, his smile widening. "No, Madara-sama. It's something... more interesting."
"In the battle of Kikyoyama, Konoha has obtained a crushing victory. A certain Luo Lei, vice-captain of the ANBU, has single-handedly massacred an entire Sunagakure army."
Madara's eyes opened slowly, revealing a 3-Tomoe Sharingan. "A single man? Fascinating. Tell me more, Zetsu."
Zetsu approached. "This Luo Lei beheaded more than 100 Jōnin, 628 Chūnin, and 1,035 Genin. And that's not all. It's rumored that he has awakened some kind of Kekkei Genkai. His eyes, Madara-sama... they say they can shoot heat rays."
"What?" Madara's voice, normally serene, broke with surprise. "How is that possible?"
His wrinkled face, which rarely showed emotions, now reflected amazement.
This Luo Lei... Madara couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement at the idea of such a strong man. Although he knew he couldn't compare to himself in his prime, for the current world, this child was undoubtedly a monstrous existence.
What disturbed him most was that, in his previous investigations, Luo Lei hadn't shown anything extraordinary. Yes, he was peculiar, like Minato Namikaze, but nothing that made him stand out enough to be considered in his plans. That's why he had dismissed him.
But now... a mysterious Kekkei Genkai? Madara couldn't help but let a battle-thirsty smile appear on his lips.
"Interesting," he murmured with anticipation. "The world is finally starting to be a bit more... stimulating."
Shaking his head, as if weighing the implications of this new information. When he spoke again, his voice had regained its deep tone.
"In that case, Zetsu," he ordered, "add Luo Lei to our watchlist. This ninja has awakened my curiosity."
Zetsu, with his perpetual smile, nodded obediently. "As you order, Madara-sama." With a movement, the creature sank into the ground, disappearing as mysteriously as it had arrived.
Once alone, Madara closed his eyes again. "I hope you don't interfere with my plans, Luo Lei," he muttered.
"Otherwise..."
After all, he had planned for decades, and he wasn't going to allow a newcomer, no matter how powerful, to ruin everything.
________
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