Three days later.
The forces of Kumogakure finally reunited with those of Iwagakure.
Seeing the state they arrived in, with pale faces and exhausted bodies, Ōnoki couldn't help but hold his breath.
It's too miserable!
"What the hell has happened to you?"
"Those Konoha bastards!" Darui roared, his face twisted in fury. "They've been chasing us relentlessly..."
For the Kumo shinobi, these days had been endless torture.
As they advanced with their families towards Iwagakure, Konoha's forces gave them no respite.
The two sides fought fiercely many times!
However, when Kumogakure was ready to fight to the death with Konoha, Konoha would retreat.
When Kumogakure started to move forward, the people of Konoha would rush up again and entangle Kumogakure.
Again and again.
When they finally reached Iwagakure, there were just over ten thousand people left, including women and children.
How many of them were actually fit for battle?
Onoki was silent.
"Darui, you are now the Raikage. So there is something I want to discuss with you," Ōnoki said, a complicated expression on his face. "At first, I wasn't going to accept this idea. But after seeing the state you guys have reached... I think it's our only hope."
"What is it about, Tsuchikage-sama? Tell me straight away," Darui requested, feeling a bad feeling.
But could there be anything worse than his current situation?
…
When the remnants of Kumogakure reached Iwagakure, Konoha's troops stopped their pursuit.
They regrouped with Jiraiya taking command as general, with Fugaku as his second in command.
Not only Konoha, but also Kirigakure and Sunagakure were sending reinforcements.
The final battle was about to begin.
…
Amegakure.
"Tsk, tsk, the decisive battle is about to begin!"
"Uchiha Funan, this guy, really intends to unify the shinobi world!"
"Should we do something?"
"Yeah, with that guy's temper, I don't think he will let us go after unifying the shinobi world. Oh, no, there is one person he will definitely let go. Maybe, life will be better!"
Several gazes were directed towards Konan.
She, expressionless, remained silent.
"Okay! What's happening in the shinobi world has little to do with us. Our plan is about to be completed." Nagato said, "Tobi, where is the Eight-Tails?"
Brother Tobi was wearing a mask so his expression couldn't be seen, but his trembling body revealed his extreme fury.
"He ran away."
"Did he run away?" Nagato's voice rose in disbelief. "Didn't you say that you had everything under control this time? How could the Eight-Tails have managed to escape again?!"
Brother Tobi's face under the mask was fierce.
What could he say?
He made a deal with Uchiha Funan and paid such a painful price, but in the end, the Eight-Tails ran away...
The other people in Akatsuki also had strange expressions.
Nagato, in a deep voice, asked, "Did Uchiha Funan intervene to stop you?"
"...No!"
Nagato: "..."
You are a waste!
"If you want, I can take care of this." Deidara spoke with some hesitation. "Anyway, I have nothing better to do."
"Shut up, kid!" Sasori gave him a fierce look.
Damn idiot! Don't you see the situation we're in? The two leaders are talking, and you're butting in?! Do you think your life is too long?
Deidara pursed his lips and said nothing.
Of course he understood the situation, but he just didn't care.
After a brief silence, Nagato asked, "Any clues as to the whereabouts of the Eight-Tails?"
"None." Obito had already accepted his humiliation. He had already lost all dignity in this matter anyway.
"After he escaped from my hands, he disappeared without a trace."
Nagato frowned. "Is it possible that he has returned to Kumogakure?"
"I don't think so," Obito replied. "When Konoha went after the remnants of Kumogakure, they used a tailed beast. They even launched a Tailed Beast Ball, but he never appeared."
Nagato remained silent.
"So what do we do now?" Deidara couldn't help but speak again. "Why don't we start the plan already?"
Nagato and Obito exchanged a glance.
Start now?
There is no single real tailed beast, it is all tailed beast chakra.
This is fucking torture!
"Let's give it a try," Nagato finally decided.
"It will only be a matter of time. If we fail…" His voice grew colder. "I will go to Uchiha Funan myself and retrieve the tailed beasts."
…
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure and Konoha had gathered over forty thousand shinobi.
A sea of shinobi darkened the horizon.
They didn't even need to do anything; their very presence was a threat.
On the village wall, five figures watched the assembled army: Ōnoki, Darui, Orochimaru, Hiruzen, and Danzo.
The five of them stood in a line, looking at the crowd with serious expressions.
"Have you made a decision?" Orochimaru was the first to speak. He looked at the others with a sly smile. "Say now whether you are going to do it or not. If you don't agree, I will leave first."
"Leave?" Darui raised an eyebrow and looked at him indifferently. "You'd better stay, Orochimaru. I don't think the army out there will welcome you with open arms."
Orochimaru just smiled disdainfully. Then he clasped his hands together and a coffin began to rise from the ground.
Everyone present frowned slightly.
Orochimaru gently touched the coffin with one hand and said with a smile, "I found that you seem to think too highly of yourself and too lightly of me. Let me make something clear to you two, I am the stronger side. Not only do I have the Impure World Reincarnation Army, but I have him as well!"
With a snap, the coffin opened, revealing the person inside.
Hiruzen, Danzo, and Onoki were stunned.
Especially Onoki, his expression was faintly filled with fear.
"He… he…"
"Orochimaru!"
"You can't believe it, right?!" Orochimaru let out a triumphant laugh. "I even have him!"
"The man whom even the God of Shinobi himself had to tread carefully around!"
His name: Uchiha Madara!
Orochimaru watched Uchiha Madara's body with fascination.
Even as he lay motionless, an overwhelming presence emanated from him, as if he could awaken at any moment and plunge the world into chaos.
His mere existence was enough to strike terror into the hearts of those around him.
Ōnoki frowned grimly, gritting his teeth. "How the hell did you get this?"
When the masked man appeared claiming to be Uchiha Madara, no one took him seriously. In fact, even Uchiha Fūnan had proclaimed himself Madara at one point.
Only a fool would believe such nonsense!
But now, Orochimaru had used Impure World Reincarnation to revive the real Madara.
And not only that, he had brought it back to his youth.
A deathly silence enveloped everyone present.
Orochimaru let out a strange laugh.
"It took me quite a bit of effort to dig it out," he said with obvious pride.
"You're crazy!" Onoki exclaimed, furious. "Do you really think you can control him? You're wrong! You've just unleashed a disaster of unimaginable proportions!"
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh and said, "Senju Hashirama was even stronger than him, and yet I revived him with the Impure World Reincarnation. I didn't see you guys being so terrified then. Besides, Uchiha Fūnan is also too powerful. His power is not much inferior to Madara's."
Onoki had a gloomy face and did not speak.
Orochimaru looked at those present with a cold expression and declared: "Now, gentlemen, I believe you have understood that it is I who call the shots here. I suggest you treat me with due respect."
Onoki exchanged a glance with Darui and nodded slightly.
As for Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō...
Haha!
They were strong, yes, but with only a couple hundred subordinates, they were barely worthy of being in the meeting. Let alone having a say in the decisions!
They both knew it, so they remained silent, relegated to a corner.
"Fine, we accept that you lead this operation," Onoki conceded, but then pointed at Madara's body and added gravely, "I'm only warning you one thing... Don't wake him up!"
Orochimaru smiled eerily. "Relax. I won't use him... at least not until the last moment."
He is the one who is most afraid of the Impure World Reincarnation.
"Okay... Now let's talk about my proposal. Have you thought about it?"
"We accept." Darui sighed, muttering. "I just hope the previous Raikage don't tear me apart for this..."
Orochimaru laughed. "As a Kage, your primary duty is to protect your village, is it not?" He turned to Hiruzen with a smirk. "Isn't that right, sensei?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked gloomy and didn't speak.
Shimura Danzo suddenly said, "Orochimaru, I can also make a deal with you."
"You?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and stared at Danzo like a snake.
"Yes, I do," Danzō replied calmly. "Don't forget that I also support scientific research. I have several laboratories abroad, and in them... bodies that might interest you for the Impure World Reincarnation."
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"Whatever you ask for, it's a deal."
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