บท 138: Chapter 138

While Kinkaku and Ginkaku continued their conversation, a ninja approached quickly from the distance, coming to a stop before the two.

"Lord Kinkaku, Lord Ginkaku, this message is from the Second Raikage," he announced respectfully, bowing as he handed over a scroll.

Kinkaku took it, unfurling the message with a smirk. "Mochizuki Hui has arrived."

At this, Ginkaku's grin spread wide. "Then let's find that kid and finish him off."

"Move out! Target: Mochizuki Hui!" Kinkaku called out, leading his elite squad toward the location specified in the intelligence report.

That location was where Hui was now.

Unaware of the meeting held by the four Kage and the fact that Kinkaku and Ginkaku had been sent to eliminate him, Mochizuki Hui remained focused on his mission.

But even if he had known, he likely would have laughed it off. The powers of Kinkaku and Ginkaku were undeniably formidable—no, it was the Sage of Six Paths' tools that were truly formidable.

However, that power only held if one didn't know how those tools worked. The moment one understood their secrets, they could be countered. Used without the element of surprise, they were reduced to the level of mere Jonin weapons.

To think that Kinkaku and Ginkaku planned to use these tools against him—it was almost laughable.

"Commander, we've been here a whole day now, and no one's shown up yet. Could it be that you miscalculated?" one of the ANBU inquired.

Before Hui could respond, another ANBU smacked him on the head. "Idiot! How could you doubt the Commander? When has he ever been wrong?"

After chastising his teammate, he turned to Hui with a sheepish grin. "Right, Commander?"

"Brown-noser," muttered the female ANBU under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Mochizuki Hui chuckled and replied, "They'll be here soon." He said it confidently, knowing that his senses had detected a presence observing them from afar—a ninja who quickly retreated without engaging.

It was a clear sign they were being tracked, and he was certain their enemy would make a move soon.

At this, his team's eyes brightened.

"Can you believe it? Someone actually dares to come after the Konoha's Ghost! Can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see the Commander!" one of the ANBU murmured, a smirk hidden beneath his mask. The others grinned too.

Hui's expression grew serious. "Here they come—two o'clock, nine kilometers out. Two Kage-level ninjas… and twelve Jonin."

His team stiffened at the news. That was a formidable force.

"Seems they're here for me. You all should find a safe spot to wait this one out," Hui instructed. Against such an array of enemies, his team would only be a liability.

"Understood!" Without hesitation, they moved to fall back to safety, aware that they would only hinder him if they stayed.

Once they had left, Mochizuki Hui leapt into the treetops, activating his heavenly eye. The distant figures came into clear view.

"Kinkaku and Ginkaku?" he muttered, immediately recognizing them. A quick deduction led him to a likely conclusion—they were here to kill him.

With Kinkaku and Ginkaku both in the mix, it was almost too obvious.

"So… finally," he murmured, a cold smile forming on his lips. He had been waiting for a chance like this.

He knew these two all too well and had once even thought they'd be the ones to kill Tobirama Senju during the First Great Ninja War. But upon realizing the timeline had shifted, he had sighed in relief.

Even so, he'd always carried a nagging sense of unease. History tended to correct itself, and while he was confident he could change Tobirama's fate in the future, there was still a chance—however small—that Tobirama could fall to Kinkaku and Ginkaku.

The best way to prevent that was to eliminate these two entirely and seize the Sage tools for himself.

That thought had been with him for years, though he hadn't had a chance to act on it—until now. And now, they had come to him.

Without another moment's hesitation, Hui activated his Shadow Avatars, two figures splitting from his form. Each clone carried ninety percent of his full power.

Don't think they're the same Shadow Avatars as they were a year and a half ago.

Though their number and strength may look unchanged, Mochizuki Hui's power had increased drastically since then. His current Shadow Avatars could easily crush his former self from a year and a half ago.

"Well, it's about time. I'll handle these two!" one of the avatars said eagerly.

"Handle them? What are you talking about? I'll take one; you take the other. The original can sit back and enjoy the show," the second avatar chimed in.

Really, all three were Hui, each sharing his battle-hardened personality.

"Fine, I'll leave them to you," the real Mochizuki Hui said, unconcerned.

Though he knew Kinkaku and Ginkaku's abilities inside and out, the ninja world was unpredictable—no one ever showed all their cards.

Especially not legendary figures like Kinkaku and Ginkaku, who appeared so briefly in the series, their full abilities were still shrouded in mystery.

Thus, caution was wise.

Shadow Avatars differed from Shadow Clones in that they retained ninety percent of his strength, making them perfect for probing these unknown threats.

"Understood!" The two avatars nodded, launching themselves in the direction of Kinkaku and Ginkaku's squad at high speed.

Meanwhile, Kinkaku and Ginkaku continued advancing with their team, drawing closer to Mochizuki Hui's location.

Finally, the two sides met.

"Mochizuki Hui!" Kinkaku called out, halting as he laid eyes on one of the unmasked avatars.

"Just as they said—you really do have exceptional sensory abilities," Kinkaku observed, smirking. "Then let's see what the Ghost of Konoha can do!"

With that, he motioned, and the twelve Jonin rushed forward to attack the avatar.

But just then, a voice rang out from behind them.

"Sage Art: Wind Style—Rasenshuriken!"

They looked up to see another Hui leaping into the fray, a giant, spinning chakra shuriken forming in his hand.

The pressure radiating from it made Kinkaku and Ginkaku's expressions shift instantly.

"Not good," they thought, quickly transforming, cloaking themselves in the chakra of the Nine-Tails as they dashed away at full speed.

The twelve Jonin weren't as fortunate. Heartbeats raced as some instinctively turned to flee, some threw up defensive jutsu, and others stood frozen in shock.

In the sky, the second Hui hurled the massive Rasenshuriken forward with killing intent, watching as it sailed through the air.

Then, a brilliant white light exploded outward, swallowing everything in a colossal, blinding sphere of destruction.

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