Chapter 166: He’s Back!
BANG!
“What is Konoha trying to do?”
“What are they planning!”
Kumogakure.
A deafening roar shook the Raikage’s office.
His lone arm slammed onto the desk, and the poor thing shattered on impact.
Mabui stood beside him, watching calmly.
She’d expected this.
As the Raikage’s secretary, she knew his temper better than anyone. The fact that he’d managed to hold back until now was already impressive.
She quietly gathered the scattered documents, letting out a small sigh.
To be honest, she couldn’t really blame the Raikage-sama for losing it this time.
Konoha had gone too far.
Looking out the window, Mabui rubbed her forehead. The information that had trickled out of the ninja world over the past few years made one thing clear:
Konoha’s recent moves were about to shake the entire balance.
“Raikage-sama.”
“I won’t say anything else until you’ve calmed down. I just need to remind you of one thing.”
“Before you start smashing things again, please look at your hand.”
She sighed softly as she spoke.
Look at his hand…
Inside the empty sleeve, only half an arm remained.
The Raikage’s face darkened as he sank back into his chair.
A lesson carved into him with blood.
Even if he was angry, what could he do?
Slumping back, he let out a long, frustrated exhale.
Finally calming down?
Mabui let out a quiet breath of relief.
“And Raikage-sama, we really have no grounds to blame Konoha for this.”
“We can only swallow the humiliation.”
She glanced at the documents in her hands and gave a bitter smile.
Here’s how things stood.
In recent years, the ninja world had seemed peaceful on the surface.
The Five Great Nations all appeared to be recovering.
But behind the scenes, plenty was happening.
Rumors had long circulated that many smaller villages and nations had already pledged allegiance to Konoha in secret.
But rumors were rumors—without precedent, no one had taken them seriously.
Yet now, several small countries bordering the Land of Lightning had openly announced that, starting today, they would accept Konoha’s restructuring and reforms, effectively acknowledging Konoha as their patron.
This news directly threatened the Land of Lightning’s interests.
For the major nations and their shinobi villages, aside from domestic resources and missions, the biggest source of income came from the yearly peace fees paid by the smaller nations.
And for ages, these small nations had relied on larger powers, hoping that when great nations fought, the flames of war would pass them by.
The Land of Fire had the same system. But until now, the payment had always gone to the Land of Fire’s Daimyo—not to Konoha. Now Konoha was stepping in directly.
They were even turning those small nations into Konoha’s dependents.
What were they trying to do?
This move severely threatened every other nation’s interests.
A few days ago, the Raikage had sent a squad to collect the customary peace fees from the small nations bordering the Land of Lightning.
But today, what returned were Kumogakure shinobi on stretchers—every one of them with their legs broken.
And the message delivered alongside them only added fuel to the fire:
“Trespass again and you will be killed.”
The humiliation sent all of Kumogakure into an uproar.
A provocation—a blatant, unrestrained provocation.
For a moment, the Raikage almost marched out himself to crush that country.
But in the end, he held back.
Aside from venting in his office, he had no other options.
Just as Mabui said, they had no right to complain this time. They had no grounds to be angry.
Think of it this way.
A small nation wants peace. It wants to keep war from touching its borders.
Who it chooses to pay, whose protection it seeks—that’s its choice.
If the Land of Lightning couldn’t fulfill that role, then turning to the might of Konoha was perfectly reasonable.
Which meant…
Kumogakure had no move to make.
Attacking that small nation would be the same as attacking Konoha.
And if that brat in Konoha got angry enough to bring the fight to Kumogakure, what would they use to stop him?
After all these years… just how strong had that brat become?
“Actually, Raikage-sama, there’s no need to worry.”
Standing before the desk, Mabui suddenly smiled.
“Konoha’s actions can only lead to two outcomes.”
“First, all the small nations and minor ninja villages bow their heads and become Konoha’s dogs. Then Konoha uses that massive influx of resources to grow at incredible speed, until one day the other four great villages can no longer withstand the pressure and also become Konoha’s dogs. At that point, Hakken Yoru will have succeeded.”
“Because he will have corrected the chaos, achieved complete unification, and his name will go down in history as the hero of the entire ninja world.”
Mabui was sharp. She’d accurately deduced Konoha’s intentions from their actions alone.
And her reasoning was flawless.
This truly was Hakken Yoru’s and Konoha’s ultimate plan.
“But the same logic cuts both ways.”
Her expression shifted, a bright smile spreading across her face.
“His methods will also infuriate the other great nations—just like you are now.”
“Great nations are great because they possess overwhelming military strength that smaller countries can’t compare to.”
“If the day comes when the four great villages can no longer tolerate Konoha’s dictatorship, war will follow.”
Her expression grew serious as she pointed to the Land of Fire on the map.
Compared to the end of the Third Shinobi World War a few years ago, Konoha’s territory had expanded by nearly a third.
That monstrous outline looked as if it intended to swallow the entire ninja world.
“But if you try to swallow too much, you end up choking yourself.”
Her eyes glinted as her voice lowered. “Have you forgotten? This same situation occurred when the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, ruled Konoha.”
“Putting aside whether Hakken Yoru’s combat strength matches Hashirama Senju’s, even if he had that level of dominance, Konoha can only advance along the first path while he’s still alive.”
“But Hashirama Senju was far more easygoing than Hakken Yoru—he even voluntarily brought out the tailed beasts to sell.”
Mabui paused, almost laughing.
Buying something from them, then using that very thing to kill their people.
Did Hashirama really never think ahead?
“So what happens after he dies?”
“When the four great villages’ resentment toward Konoha reaches its peak, and their strongest pillar is already gone…”
After he dies?!
The Raikage froze, suddenly understanding.
Yes.
Even the man called the God of Shinobi eventually died, so what about that brat?
A brat with no bloodline at all!
Hakken Yoru could rule for a few decades at most. Without the vitality of the Uzumaki or Senju clans, how could he hope to accomplish in one lifetime what even the First Hokage could not?
Of course, the First Hokage never intended to unify the ninja world.
Madara Uchiha, on the other hand, did.
Yet what puzzled the Raikage to this day was that, according to Kumogakure’s historical records, the First Hokage had sensed Madara’s ideals as a threat. Their differing philosophies drove Madara to even consider destroying Konoha.
Then the two fought.
Two peak-level fighters—one killed, the other heavily injured.
How foolish.
Their battle alone carved out a canyon.
With power like that, how could any other village hope to withstand them?
“You’re right. He will die.”
“Just like Hashirama Senju.”
The Raikage nodded firmly.
“So instead of focusing on the powerful Hakken Yoru, we should shift our attention to Konoha’s next generation—maybe even the generation after that.”
Mabui continued, “And for that, I have a proposal.”
“In less than a year, Konoha’s two famed prodigies—the son of Minato Namikaze and the second son of the Uchiha clan leader—will graduate from the Ninja Academy.”
“That same year, it will be Konoha’s turn to host the Chūnin Exams. They will invite the Land of Lightning to participate.”
“We take that chance to record those two prodigies’ combat strength. In my opinion, neither is likely to surpass Hakken Yoru. And as long as they don’t surpass him, after that man dies, the Land of Lightning will have its chance to rise.”
Her full analysis delivered, Mabui exhaled deeply.
This strategy was the result of an entire day and night without sleep, ever since she learned that Konoha had taken control of the surrounding small nations.
For now, endurance was their only path.
Wait for time to strip away Konoha’s peak strength, then the great war would erupt.
And Kumogakure was far from the only one displeased with Konoha.
Even if Konoha survived the combined assault of the four great ninja villages, it would likely be left as weakened as it had been after the Third Shinobi World War.
Balance would return.
…
“Not a bad plan.”
“But unfortunately… unbelievable as it sounds, Ken-san has never once lied to me.”
“He said… he will not die.”
“So your strategy won’t have any effect at all.”
Above the Raikage Tower of Kumogakure, a lone figure stood, murmuring to himself.
He was now a full head taller than when Hakken had left.
In just a few years, he had grown far more mature.
The wind brushed across his face, as if memorizing Itachi’s features.
And as fate would have it…
The Forest Country on the border of the Land of Lightning was one of the regions under his jurisdiction.
And those who had gone there yesterday… he was the one who dealt with them.
To prevent Kumogakure from retaliating, he had followed from afar, wanting to see the Raikage’s reaction.
The hot-headed Raikage hadn’t disappointed him. He’d erupted in anger.
But the presence of his secretary forced him to suppress it.
She even suggested waiting for the right time, then uniting the other villages to attack Konoha.
Casting one last glance at Mabui, a unique pattern flashed through Itachi’s pupils before his body dissolved into a flock of crows, vanishing from sight.
…
“Finally back.”
Outside a ruined cavern somewhere within the Land of Fire, two figures landed, hand in hand.
One had long black hair cascading over his shoulders, a black blade at his waist and a sake gourd at his side drawing the eye.
The other had skin pale as snow and white pupils that curiously took in their surroundings.
Hakken Yoru and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
How long had it been? Hakken no longer remembered. But it had certainly not been short.
Only recently had he finally finished absorbing the immense energy of the giant Tenseigan.
Absorbing it wasn’t enough; the real task was mastering that violent power, turning it entirely into his own. Only then could he consider the transformation complete.
How had Ōtsutsuki Toneri been defeated by Naruto?
Not because the Tenseigan was weak, but because Toneri had only just awakened it. His understanding of its power had barely scratched the surface.
Even so, the newly awakened Toneri had already commanded several devastating techniques.
The Golden Wheel’s blazing blade, capable of piercing the moon. The Silver Wheel’s overwhelming tornado.
And the Tenseigan Chakra Mode, its eerie green glow unsettling to the core.
Especially the Truth-Seeking Orbs behind him—proof that once the Tenseigan awakened, one foot was already stepping into the Six Paths realm.
Of course, it had taken Hakken so long not only because of the Tenseigan.
He had also traveled through several of Kaguya’s dimensions, searching for various things.
It ate up time.
But not too much.
Because now, with the power he possessed, no one could restrain him.
A faint blue light flickered in his gaze as his star-like eyes shifted to Kaguya beside him.
The Tenseigan.
With their long-established rapport, Kaguya understood immediately what he intended. She stepped behind him, pressing gently against his back as her form melted into him, becoming wedge power.
“My lord, allow me to witness your world.”
Her voice drifted through his mind, soft as flowing water.
With her body and will completely surrendered, she placed all her hopes on this man.
For the first time, facing the future threat of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, she no longer felt fear.
So this was what it felt like to have someone to rely on.
After absorbing the Tenseigan, her strength had also recovered significantly.
Perhaps fate had already settled this. From the moment he took her hand and pulled her from the moon’s core, she had been destined to become his strength.
“Haa…”
Gripping the sake gourd, Hakken took a heavy swig as his long hair billowed in the wind.
“Almost time.”
Whoosh—
His figure vanished, appearing in the sky the next heartbeat.
Konoha…I’m back.
…
“If I ever die, it’ll definitely be from boredom.”
Konohagakure.
Outside a certain hot spring.
A white-haired old man slumped on the ground, looking utterly drained. Pen and paper in hand, he stared at the blank page, unable to squeeze out a single decent idea.
Swish.
A figure dropped beside him.
“Jiraiya-sama, the quality of your recent work has gone downhill.”
“And it’s always the same poses over and over. There’s really nothing interesting left to see.”
Same white hair, but this man carried himself with much more flair. Despite the blazing heat, he insisted on wearing a mask, and his forehead protector hung lazily over one eye.
Kakashi Hatake.
Lately, he’d grown even lazier.
ANBU kept filling with elite members, so Team Owl only handled high-difficulty missions now—like organizing intelligence from the small countries and minor hidden villages.
And because Konoha needed time to digest all that intel, progress wasn’t fast.
Naturally, that left Kakashi with plenty of free time to read Icha Icha Paradise.
Unfortunately…
The quality was atrocious.
It couldn’t even spark the slightest interest anymore. At night, before bed, he had to rely on editions from years ago just to function properly.
At this rate, he was worried something might genuinely stop working.
“I can’t do anything about it,” Jiraiya groaned. “You know Konoha’s rules. Forget collecting material—even trying to take a normal bath near a women’s bathhouse gets me monitored.”
There was truly no way around it.
Naruto’s constant “Pervy Sage!” shouting had probably burned that nickname into the villagers’ minds as well.
“I’ll wait until that brat comes back before finishing the next volume of Icha Icha Paradise. I need to go out and find some inspiration first.”
He shook his head and sighed deeply.
Kakashi didn’t push him. Authors got writer’s block—it was normal. Once the ideas came back, he still looked forward to reading the results.
Whoosh!
Just as they were wallowing in gloom, a crimson blur burst down from the sky with a thud. Looking closer, it was Kurama.
“The boss is back!”
Shouting the words mid-air, it shot toward Konoha’s gates at a speed nearly matching Minato Namikaze’s!
“Boss? Who’s its boss?”
Jiraiya scratched his head, then suddenly froze. He exchanged a look with Kakashi—and both vanished instantly.
Five years.
He had finally returned.