"Bastard... this guy... has no martial virtue!"
"It was a group beatdown!"
Senju Tobirama's face was quite comical at the moment.
His face was a full size larger than before, looking like a real pig's head.
But on his pig-like face was a complex expression.
Yesterday's match couldn't really be considered a group beatdown.
After all, Senju Tobirama was an envoy from Konoha. Uchiha Makoto dared to fight him because he was the Lord Light Shadow.
And the ANBU ninjas' status... so they were just there to back Uchiha Makoto up, acting as a cheerleading squad.
It was only at the end, when Uchiha Makoto was straddling Senju Tobirama, pummeling his face with his fists, that the ANBU ninjas opportunistically joined in and kicked Senju Tobirama a few times.
Soon, Senju Tobirama replayed yesterday's battle in his mind.
This battle could be considered the first proper exchange between the two.
But it wasn't a life-or-death battle.
So neither side used their ultimate moves. Uchiha Makoto didn't use Susanoo, and Senju Tobirama didn't use his powerful forbidden techniques.
In that small space, the two of them used all the taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu they could.
Including the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Although the sealing barrier of the Lord Light Shadow's building was aimed at space-time ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique was only suppressed to the point where it could only be used within the building, effectively creating an artificial cage that prevented anyone from getting in or out.
So the Flying Thunder God Technique was still usable in battle.
But even though the Flying Thunder God Technique was indeed a divine skill, it couldn't change the outcome of the battle.
After all, not everyone was Namikaze Minato.
Namikaze Minato had not only improved and optimized the Flying Thunder God Technique, speeding up its activation, but his own combat awareness, battle analysis ability, and reaction speed... were all at the top tier of the ninja world. He could seize the slightest opportunity to hit you in the face with a Rasengan.
And Senju Tobirama... his movements were too slow!
Uchiha Makoto's Sharingan saw through all of Senju Tobirama's moves, suppressing his actions throughout the entire fight.
Even a surprise attack with the Flying Thunder God Technique was easily dodged by Uchiha Makoto.
In the end, Senju Tobirama was pulled into close quarters by Uchiha Makoto and trapped in a close-combat fight.
After nearly a hundred exchanges, Senju Tobirama's hands were sore and weak, and his breathing became uncontrollably chaotic and heavy. At the moment he gasped for breath, their eyes met.
This was a major taboo when fighting against the Uchiha clan.
With a single genjutsu from Uchiha Makoto, his powerful dōjutsu instantly disrupted Senju Tobirama's chakra, causing him to fall into a daze.
Although Senju Tobirama reacted quickly, regaining his senses in almost two or three seconds.
But because the two were too close.
By the time Senju Tobirama came to his senses.
Uchiha Makoto was already on top of him, his fists raining down on Senju Tobirama's face. The Akatsuki Village ANBU ninjas certainly knew how to seize an opportunity, and at this moment, they all rushed forward to punch and kick Senju Tobirama.
"Hiss... it hurts... this bastard."
"Although it wasn't a life-or-death duel, and I have many powerful forbidden techniques hidden... Uchiha Makoto is the same..."
"In a non-lethal situation... I was actually suppressed the entire time!"
"Uchiha Makoto's strength... it seems I'm no longer his match."
Senju Tobirama was not a sore loser.
A loss was a loss.
Yesterday's exchange was enough for him to infinitely raise his expectations of Uchiha Makoto's strength.
An abnormally large amount of chakra, and powerful dōjutsu—Uchiha Makoto had definitely awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
His reaction, speed, strength, and taijutsu moves were also impeccable.
A true hexagonal warrior.
Under normal circumstances.
Senju Tobirama felt that if he wanted to defeat Uchiha Makoto, he would have to win by using a previously unseen forbidden technique like the Flying Thunder God Technique, exploiting an information gap, just as he had defeated Uchiha Izuna.
"I need to speed up the research on those few techniques..."
"Otherwise, if I really have to face Uchiha Makoto on the battlefield in the future, it will be troublesome!"
Such a huge gap in strength made Senju Tobirama worried—there was no reason for Uchiha Makoto to be this strong!
Being a Kage was definitely a tough job. Various complicated affairs would inevitably take up most of a Kage's time, including, of course, a lot of training time.
A slow increase in strength was inevitable, and it wouldn't be surprising if one's strength even regressed.
Senju Tobirama had a deep understanding of this.
His body was aging, and his various physical functions were declining.
And because he was often buried in work and neglected his training, it was already very difficult to maintain his current level of strength.
So Senju Tobirama had focused more of his energy on ninjutsu research.
Powerful forbidden techniques could well compensate for the loss of combat power due to the lack of training time.
But Uchiha Makoto was very strange.
Before he had left the Uchiha clan, Senju Tobirama had never even heard of his name, so his strength must have been ordinary (a Jonin is just a grunt).
But... now...
Uchiha Makoto was not the same person he was back then!
"Why is Uchiha Makoto's strength still advancing by leaps and bounds when he's in the office working every day and not training!"
"And he even punched me in the face!"
"Those ANBU ninjas from Akatsuki Village are all bastards too. If it weren't for them, how could I have been beaten so badly."
Senju Tobirama started muttering to himself again.
Just then.
Uchiha Makoto and his men came to the kennel where Senju Tobirama was staying, coming face to face with the resentful Senju Tobirama.
"Tobirama, I've come to see you!"
"Uchiha Makoto, you naturally evil Uchiha brat, you still dare to show your face in front of me!"
"Hmph... why wouldn't I dare? You deserved it yesterday. Who told you to kick my door... Now several rooms on my office floor are damaged. You have to compensate me for this. I'll deduct it from this year's profits from the cannery!"
"Dammit, believe it or not, I'll kill you!"
Senju Tobirama's swollen pig-head immediately glared with wide eyes.
Not only had he been beaten up by Uchiha Makoto, but now he had to pay compensation?
Is there any justice in this world?
Is there any law!
But with his current pig-head face, the way he shook his head while threatening looked even more comical, making Uchiha Makoto's mouth curl up in a mocking smile, and he couldn't help but hum lightly.
And Senju Tobirama became even more furious.
Uchiha Makoto immediately took a step back. He didn't want to fight again—what was the point of this kind of fight?
"Don't be so hasty, Tobirama. I've brought a medical-nin for you."
"The people from Kirigakure and Iwagakure are coming to Akatsuki Village tomorrow. How can you meet people looking like this?"
"At least you have some conscience!"
Hearing these words, although Senju Tobirama's face still showed an indignant expression, he lowered the hand that was preparing to form seals.
The medical-nin following behind Uchiha Makoto then walked up to Senju Tobirama, stretched out his palm, and used medical ninjutsu to reduce the inflammation and swelling on his face.
After more than half an hour of treatment.
Senju Tobirama's swollen face was mostly healed. The medical-nin then applied a special ointment to his face, and by tomorrow, the injuries on his face would be almost completely gone.
Afterward, Uchiha Makoto waved his hand to dismiss the irrelevant people and sat down opposite Senju Tobirama.
"Let's talk business."
"The people from Kirigakure and Iwagakure are coming tomorrow. Although we've communicated several times, to be on the safe side... let's confirm some details one last time."
"Mm... business!"
"....."
The two quickly entered work mode.
They talked until the afternoon before Uchiha Makoto stood up and bid farewell to Senju Tobirama.
"That's all for today!"
"I'll be heading back first. See you tomorrow."
The two still tacitly gave each other the middle finger.
...........
The next day.
Uchiha Makoto walked out of his large villa, wearing his official robe, and with Senju Tobirama, came to the main gate of Akatsuki Village.
They didn't wait long.
The people from Iwagakure appeared in Uchiha Makoto's line of sight.
During a brief welcoming ceremony.
The two sides exchanged pleasantries.
"Tsuchikage, long time no see!"
"Lord Light Shadow, still as dashing as ever. A truly formidable young man!"
The First Tsuchikage and Uchiha Makoto had met before. Meeting again, the two acted like old friends.
But their real relationship... the gentle and amiable Uchiha Makoto really wanted to send him on a dirt airplane in the middle of the night.
Afterward.
Uchiha Makoto had Senju Tobirama first escort the people from Iwagakure to the Six Kage Building in Akatsuki Village.
The Six Kage Building was in the core area of Akatsuki Village.
And to enter the core area, one had to inevitably pass through several of Akatsuki Village's most prosperous streets.
And then the First Tsuchikage's worldview shattered to a certain extent.
"This, this, this... this is Akatsuki Village..."
"Unbelievable."
The First Tsuchikage knew that Akatsuki Village should be stronger than Iwagakure.
But no matter what.
Akatsuki Village had also just experienced a very large-scale war.
Kumogakure had suffered heavy losses, but how much better could Akatsuki Village be?
Kumogakure was fighting on its home turf, while Akatsuki Village was on a long-distance expedition, fighting with a huge logistical line.
The explosive tag tactic was famous for a time.
When an explosive tag went off, it was truly worth its weight in gold!
To ensure the morale of the ninjas, Akatsuki Village's logistics were extremely luxurious.
They even had a constant supply of ice cream in the summer, truly treating every ninja like a young master from a great family.
Fighting a war like this would definitely squander all the resources Akatsuki Village had accumulated over the years.
And Akatsuki Village should have also had hundreds, or even nearly a thousand, casualties. The subsequent compensation, pensions, various rewards, and the cost of retraining ninjas were not small sums.
Kumogakure did indeed pay Akatsuki Village a sky-high compensation of twenty billion ryo, but... it was in installments!
For Akatsuki Village, which had squandered all its resources, this money was like distant water that couldn't quench a nearby thirst.
In the First Tsuchikage's view, Akatsuki Village should be in a rather desolate state, and it would take a year or two of recuperation to recover its former glory.
But he never imagined that the state Akatsuki Village presented was what he was seeing now.
Is this a ninja village?
Anyone who didn't know better would think it was the capital of a country!
They had all established their villages at around the same time, and the Land of Earth was also one of the five great ninja nations.
On what grounds could you, Akatsuki Village, fight a large-scale war and still develop to this extent!!
"Hmph... I feel a little better."
Senju Tobirama, who was leading the way, had been watching the First Tsuchikage's expression.
Evidently.
He was very satisfied with the First Tsuchikage's reaction.
The speed of Akatsuki Village's economic development was simply too fast, it could almost be described as a miracle.
And Konoha and Akatsuki Village were in the same country, so information was relatively accessible. Even so, Senju Tobirama was dumbfounded the first time he came to Akatsuki Village. Iwagakure was several countries away from Akatsuki Village... First Tsuchikage, you have to have a taste of this too!
"You flatter me..."
"Your Konoha... is probably even more prosperous than Akatsuki Village."
Noticing Senju Tobirama's gaze.
The First Tsuchikage's expression immediately became somewhat awkward.
The shocked look on his face when he looked at the bustling street just now was just like when he was a child and entered the capital of the Land of Earth for the first time, looking like he had never seen the world.
This was really too embarrassing!
And Konoha was a village even stronger and more prosperous than Akatsuki Village!
So he could only say to Senju Tobirama with a sheepish smile.
"Ahem... that... that... of course!"
"Let's go, we're almost at the negotiation venue!"
Senju Tobirama's mood instantly soured.
Fortunately, he had always worn a serious, deadpan face, so his expression didn't reveal any flaws, and he quickly covered up the topic.
"The next village to take off economically will be Konoha!"
"Sooner or later, Konoha will surpass Akatsuki Village!"
"Even if I'm called a copycat dog, I won't hesitate!"
Senju Tobirama, walking at the very front of the group, swore silently in his heart.
...........
Almost at the same time.
The people from Kirigakure also appeared.
After a similarly brief exchange of pleasantries.
Uchiha Makoto led the First Mizukage into Akatsuki Village, also to the Six Kage Building.
Inside the venue.
The various major and minor powers of the ninja world were scattered on chairs according to their relationships, whispering and discussing today's negotiations between Kirigakure and Iwagakure.
The First Mizukage, who had entered the venue with Uchiha Makoto, was now somewhat dizzy.
The prosperous scene of Akatsuki Village made him feel incredulous.
Konoha was already considered at the forefront of development in the entire ninja world, but its economic development was still far behind Akatsuki Village's, let alone Kirigakure.
And the situation in the venue before him also left him baffled.
To this, Uchiha Makoto did not answer directly, but instead swept his eyes over the crowd before him.
In Uchiha Makoto's design, the Six Kage Summit would be held regularly by the six ninja villages of the five great nations to decide the direction of the ninja world, while the other ninja forces of the ninja world would be participants.
And the ninja forces in the venue this time...
After receiving the news that Uchiha Makoto had spread, they immediately rushed over to listen in on the negotiations.
Kirigakure and Iwagakure were both among the top great ninja villages in the ninja world. These negotiations would largely determine the future situation of the ninja world... After all, if they couldn't reach an agreement, it was very likely to escalate into a war!
For them.
If they could take this opportunity to get a sense of Kirigakure's and Iwagakure's attitudes in advance, and thereby predict the future situation of the ninja world and make some preparations, it would definitely be something to applaud.
"Not bad... a lot of people came..."
"When this place is full... Akatsuki Village will be able to rally a hundred responses to a single call!"
Uchiha Makoto looked at the various forces of the ninja world in the venue, a smile appearing on his face.
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