บท 120: The Taste of War
"Glug, glug, glug…"
Stacks of high-quality firewood were neatly arranged under the bathtub, intertwining with the flames, producing a crisp, crackling sound.
The medicinal liquid in the tub was boiling hot, bubbling happily. Fuma hummed a tune, lying comfortably within, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation after months of tension.
Despite the soothing sensations his body experienced, Fuma's mind couldn't truly unwind. He was thinking about the state of the Shinobi world and Madara, who lurked in the shadows.
The current state of the Shinobi world resembled a powder keg, ready to explode with just a single spark.
If war broke out again, it would be far more intense than the previous three-nation conflict, likely engulfing the entire Shinobi world.
Iwagakure's arms race had created population pressures, Kumogakure harbored ambitions to unite the Shinobi world, Sunagakure was on the verge of bankruptcy, and even the broken Kirigakure needed to release internal conflicts onto external enemies to maintain its rule.
Among the Five Great Hidden Villages, only Hiruzen might still be dreaming of peace, while the other Kages harbored ambitions for war, secretly preparing for battle for quite some time.
Fuma's gaze was profound. Though Konoha was currently powerful, it was also on the verge of facing backlash.
Hiruzen and Danzo, the still-living Sakumo, and Fuma himself alongside Orochimaru made up five formidable shinobi with Kage-level strength within Konoha's reach…
Then there were Jiraiya and Tsunade, training in the Sacred Land of the Sages, who were also regarded with caution by the intelligence networks of other villages and not simply as typical Jōnin.
Moreover, Minato, who had been growing in secret, would soon give all traditional ninjas a taste of despair, sending shockwaves through the entire Shinobi world.
With Konoha's current strength, if a world war were to erupt, the other villages would likely unite to target Konoha first, preventing it from seizing the opportunity to swallow up the entire Shinobi world.
In the original timeline of the Third Great Ninja War, the other four great hidden villages, after briefly probing Konoha, had torn into each other with even greater ferocity than they directed at Konoha.
As a result, the worst losses suffered by Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure had nothing to do with Konoha but were inflicted during their skirmishes with each other.
If war were to break out again, a critical issue would be the fall of Amegakure, which had served as a buffer zone for Konoha. Without it, Konoha would face the direct threat of invasion by the other hidden villages.
"What I need is the chakra of the Tailed Beasts from each village—that's the priority above all else… I must first confirm the effects of the Box of Ultimate Bliss to determine my next step toward self-enhancement…"
Fuma's heart harbored a desire for war as well; it would provide him with an excuse to hunt the Tailed Beasts of other villages without drawing too much attention.
Fuma's body, having been transformed by the Box of Ultimate Bliss, was akin to the Gedo Statue, needing to absorb the Tailed Beasts into his flesh to evolve further.
However, if any village lost such valuable resources to an enemy, they wouldn't take it lightly. Thus, he required the cover of war to shield him from unnecessary interference.
"Sarutobi and Danzo, those two—after years of foulness in Konoha—should be cleared out during the war if I can ally with two or three major ninja clans…"
"Though I didn't expect Danzo to seek death like this… sealing the Nine-Tails within himself, the very thing that would draw Madara's attention—it's a fool's errand…"
Fuma stroked his firm chest, where a scar, not yet fully healed, remained—a mark from the core of a near point-blank Planetary Devastation, twisted into his muscles.
The power of the Rinnegan had left an indelible memory; it was indeed a force akin to that of a "god."
"Currently, Madara, after his failed attempt to seize the Box of Ultimate Bliss, is a shadow of his former self, likely no longer able to act personally, though he would never abandon his Moon's Eye plan."
Fuma closed his eyes, contemplating as he tried to view things from Madara's perspective.
"To control the Gedo Statue, one needs the powers of both the Senju and Uchiha… Nagato has likely already been swayed by him, but if Madara intends to revive himself, he'd surely prepare a backup plan."
"Although the Uchiha Clan has isolated themselves, there remains the risk he might take action directly."
After a while, Fuma shook his head.
"Indeed, with a mindset like mine, it's hard to imagine the schemes of this ultimate madman of the Uchiha Clan."
"Yet one thing's clear—the Nine-Tails, linked by his summoning contract, would be his first choice as a successor…"
Fuma's lips curled into a smile as he thought of Danzo's sour face. If Danzo knew he'd soon be the most important person in Madara's sights, would he feel honored? After all, even his teacher hadn't received such an "honor."
Danzo's very existence served as a scarecrow in Konoha, standing idly by, waiting for Madara's next move.
"Whoosh—"
Fuma rose from the bathtub, towel in hand, drying the water droplets on his skin. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, appraising his muscular form.
"Not bad—still quite handsome…"
His chest was broad, his abs sharply defined, his back spread out like a bat's wings, his biceps bulged, and his thighs were thick without excess.
His skin glistened with a mysterious sheen in the sunlight, resembling a living statue of an ancient Greek god.
Compared to before, Fuma's regular height had reached two meters. Though his frame seemed slightly slimmer, it exuded a newfound strength.
After surpassing the boundaries of human physiology, Fuma had ascended into the realm of "beasts," with an internal cycle unlike that of ordinary people, reaching another level.
In terms of longevity alone, Fuma could rival the Tailed Beasts, outliving every ninja in the Shinobi world…
Fuma sighed, missing the times when he would've been greeted by a familiar pair of "bazonkas" in such a post-bath moment. Now, in the empty room, there was a hint of loneliness.
"Senjutsu… it's indeed a difficult skill to master…"
Tsunade had been training in Shikkotsu Forest for half a year, yet had not returned.
Even Jiraiya, who had been familiar with Senjutsu from a young age, struggled to use it in battle, requiring the support of two Sage toads even in middle age.
Though Tsunade's chakra control was exceptionally refined, qualifying her for Senjutsu, it still wasn't an easy path to tread…
In any case, with the Shinobi New Year approaching, Tsunade would surely return to reunite with Fuma.
At that point, Fuma would gain firsthand intel on Senjutsu, able to guide Tsunade while also exploring his own use of natural energy.
Fuma sat on the nearby sofa, breaking the wax seal on Orochimaru's secret message and reading it carefully.
After a long while, he smiled with satisfaction.
"Orochimaru never disappoints; being friends with someone like him is a real pleasure…"
After Fuma had given him the remnants of the Ten-Tails, Orochimaru had successfully cultivated a particularly vicious breed of parasitic insects, sparking a frantic response from the Aburame Clan.
Orochimaru had then summoned these parasitic insects back to a lab familiar to Fuma, informing the Aburame Clan Head that he was not responsible for this matter.
If they wanted them, they would have to negotiate directly with Fuma.
"What a perfect partner—he doesn't claim credit, produces results, is devoted to research, and even has administrative skills…"
Fuma marveled at Orochimaru's tact and made plans for him.
"If an opportunity arises, I'll hunt down an Otsutsuki on the moon—it would be the perfect body to gift to Orochimaru…"
Dressed in loose sportswear, Fuma slipped on his sandals, picked up a bag of laundry detergent, and headed toward the Konoha Police Force.
Although he couldn't be sure of Danzo's relationship with Hiruzen, it didn't prevent him from getting a bit of warm-up exercise.
Meanwhile, Danzo was seething with anger, scolding his Root shinobi furiously.
"You useless bunch! Can't even keep an eye on a regular Jōnin—what good are you!"
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