Mabui felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She stood there like a wooden statue, her mind a complete blank, not even noticing when Shisui left. She didn't even know how she left the Imperial City or how she returned to the Allied Shinobi Forces' camp.
"Mabui-sama?"
"What's wrong?"
"Are you alright?"
Mabui snapped back to her senses. Her mouth was dry, and her heart was still pounding wildly. She was deeply flustered and shocked.
Recalling everything Shisui had done and said, he was actually helping her, as if he wanted her to lead Kumogakure to side with the Uchiha. This coincided with her own thoughts, so it wasn't much of an issue.
The important thing was... had Gaara really died?
Resurrection of the dead?
Did the Uchiha clan actually possess such a terrifying ability?
Why tell me?
What benefit does it bring the Uchiha clan?
What exactly is Shisui planning?
Has the Uchiha split?
Is he not worried I'll tell?
No, even if I said it, no one would believe me.
Could he be bluffing?
Mabui's mind was a tangled mess but she was certain of one thing. At the very least, she had to investigate whether Gaara had really died.
—
Hall of Contemplation, basement.
Hiromi was still on the side, controlling violent Chakra, attempting something.
Shisui and Shikaku were chatting while playing a game of shogi.
"What did you see?" Shikaku asked.
"After the war ends, the general trend will be set. Even hatred will become weak and powerless in the face of the inevitable." Shisui said calmly.
"So you're cherishing Kumogakure's talent?"
"Those people are only part of Kumogakure for now."
"Aren't you afraid Hiromi will want to pull them up by the roots?"
"If Hiromi wants to, I won't stop him. I'm just giving Kumogakure a chance to survive, the rest depends on each individual's choice." Shisui said with a smile.
Shikaku revealed a slight smile as he placed a piece on the board. "Checkmate."
Shisui: "..."
—
It was very quiet inside the Uchiha Imperial City but outside, it was filled with rage.
The Allied Shinobi Forces stared at the familiar faces before them, their eyes nearly bursting with fury.
"Third Raikage-sama!"
"Second Mizukage-sama!"
"Fourth Kazekage-sama!"
Not just the great villages, there were many people from small villages as well. Their strength might not have been overwhelming, but it was enough to provoke them.
"Uchiha!!!"
Fueled by hatred, the Allied Shinobi Forces exerted 120% of their strength in an attempt to defeat these Edo Tensei summons, but they were utterly crushed. The Allied Shinobi Forces were thwarted and deeply dejected.
Only those from Sunagakure wore smiles.
"It seems the Uchiha clan is truly at its wits' end, forced to use such a depraved forbidden jutsu." Baki said, looking toward the Uchiha Imperial City with a cold smile.
There were always ways to deal with these Kage-level figures. As for whether they would Edo Tensei other figures, they didn't believe the Uchiha could manage it. After all, if the Uchiha could do that, they would have won long ago. Why would they still be in this stalemate?
Now, as long as they eliminated these Edo Tensei summons, they could wipe out the Uchiha clan. Evidence of Kumogakure defecting to the Uchiha had been fully collected, they would then join forces with the other small villages to attack and eliminate Kumogakure. Once Kumogakure was gone, besides Kirigakure, which village would be stronger than Sunagakure?
Hahahaha!
—
Kumogakure Camp.
Mabui glanced at the joyful Sunagakure ninjas, her expression grim. They knew nothing, yet were filled with ambition. Indeed, the ignorant and uninformed were the most terrifying.
She looked toward the Uchiha Imperial City, her eyes flickering. A few minutes later, she made up her mind.
"Gather all Jonin for a meeting!"
"Yes!" The Kumogakure ninja immediately notified their Jonin.
—
Uchiha Imperial City.
Although the Uchiha clan no longer had to fight, the frustration in their hearts only grew.
They knew that this solution was already very considerate of them. But it was precisely because of this consideration that they felt like they had become a burden to the Uchiha clan.
Hatred, resentment, anger, powerlessness...
All these negative emotions converged, accelerating their progress toward the Mangekyo.
When the first pair of Mangekyo appeared, their pressure was not relieved at all. Instead, it increased greatly.
"Why did someone else awaken it, but not me?"
"Is it because I don't hate enough?"
Oppression weighed down on every Uchiha like a mountain in their hearts, forcing them closer and closer to the Mangekyo.
The extremism of the clan members made even the Mangekyo users who knew the truth feel a bit afraid.
"If they find out you guys caused this on purpose, they won't let you off easy, will they? When that time comes, even if it's Hiromi, they'll probably trip you up in the shadows, right?"
Fugaku: "What does it have to do with me? This was Itachi and Shisui's idea."
Itachi: "My Imperial Guard is gone, what power could I possibly have?"
Shisui: "Yeah, I did it."
"???"
The Mangekyo users looked at him in shock.
Who knew how heinous it was to keep the clan in the dark just to make them awaken the Mangekyo?
Even if it was for a good cause, it still bred resentment.
"This is a great opportunity to strengthen the Uchiha clan. If we don't take the chance to awaken the Mangekyo, are we just going to let those clan members die for nothing? If we don't produce a few more Mangekyo, how will we explain things to them once they're resurrected?" Shisui sneered.
The Mangekyo users: "..."
Hearing Shisui say it like that, they actually felt like they should thank him instead. This made them feel that Shisui had become somewhat terrifying.
Toying with people's hearts...
"If you keep this up, who else are you going to use your Kotoamatsukami on?" One clan member complained."
"Even so, it's better than Clan Head Fugaku's Mangekyo ability." Shisui replied.
Fugaku: "..."
Is it my fault? I'm studying politics now too, so the future I can see has definitely increased, okay.
—
Compared to the relaxation of the Mangekyo users, the anger of the Allied Shinobi Forces, the ambition of Sunagakure, the struggle of Kumogakure, and the depression of the Uchiha clan... it was like a never-ending nightmare.
A month passed, feeling like a lifetime.
Facing these Kage-level opponents, the Allied Shinobi Forces deeply felt their own helplessness.
Sunagakure's ambition began to turn into frustration due to a month of zero progress. Through the suppression of this past month, Kumogakure's struggle allowed them to witness the terrifying power hidden within the Uchiha, leading them to realize that their only way out was indeed what Mabui had said.
Amidst the Uchiha clan's depression, pairs of Mangekyo began to appear. Setting aside Hiromi, the clan now had twenty-one Mangekyo users, making even Orochimaru itch to apply for a Mangekyo for research. Then, after being beaten up by ten Mangekyo users, he regretfully abandoned that beautiful idea.
On the other side, Sasuke, who was chasing Naruto, felt increasingly powerless and pained. He prayed every single day and night that he could catch up and bring Naruto back. Unfortunately, he got his wish, but not entirely.
—
Amegakure.
Raichi's group of six had a relatively smooth start to their tracking. But after discovering the Six-Tails Jinchuriki and the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, things became difficult.
After searching for a month, following subtle clues, they arrived here—the Amegakure that had once been destroyed by Hiromi.
One could no longer see the appearance of a village. It was covered in thick granite, and one could still feel the terror of the high-temperature lava flow from that time.
Raichi's eyes were filled with yearning. Although she didn't have Lava Release or even Fire Release Chakra Mode, as a Lightning Release user, she hoped to develop an even more powerful form based on her lightning. Her requirements weren't high, she just wanted a form similar to the Flame Emperor Form.
That form... is so cool!
Raichi's eyes were a bit dazed.
Meanwhile, the other clan members' eyes held only fanaticism. Phrases like "As expected of Hiromi!", "Hiromi is so strong!", and "Hiromi is too amazing!" flashed wildly through their minds.
Only Sasuke continued to search with a dark expression but luck did not seem to be on his side.
Eventually, an Uchiha found it.
Raichi split the granite open, revealing a massive cavern inside. This time, instead of the usual two corpses appearing, there was only one. A twelve-year-old blonde boy lay there, lifeless.
Sasuke's pupils shrank as he stared in disbelief. He had anticipated this, but when the scene actually unfolded, he was still unwilling to believe it.
A clan member stepped forward to investigate, couldn't help but look at Sasuke, and finally said to Raichi, "Confirmed, it is indeed Uzumaki Naruto."
Raichi nodded and searched for clues around the area with the other clan members, deliberately leaving space for Sasuke.