Kitazawa activated his Byakugan. Every ridge, every chakra signature within several kilometers came into focus like ripples on a still lake.
Not far off—northwest along the mountainside—he spotted two chakra sources. Their levels were modest: one Special Jōnin, one Chūnin.
Kitazawa's expression tightened thoughtfully.
Rock blue powder was a rare medicinal mineral—highly prized, but temperamental. It took roughly half a month to mature after surfacing, which meant Iwagakure wouldn't harvest it immediately.
Instead, they'd post guards until the right time came.
And those two ahead of him… were likely the watchers.
Kitazawa moved silently in that direction. When he neared, he suppressed his Byakugan; skilled sensory types could sometimes feel when they were being observed through it.
He crouched behind a ridge, peering over.
A middle-aged shinobi and a younger one sat on a boulder, chatting lazily, unaware of their impending misfortune.
Right beneath them, a patch of dull green moss glistened faintly in the sunlight.
Kitazawa's eyes narrowed. Rock blue powder.
But judging from its hue, it wasn't yet mature—probably a few days short.
He rubbed his chin, considering.
Waiting here that long would be a complete waste of time.
That left only one efficient solution—take the whole rock.
Once back in Konoha, he could replicate the mineral's natural conditions and cultivate it himself.
Decision made, Kitazawa stepped out from the shadows casually, one hand resting loosely behind his back.
"Who's there?!"
Both Iwagakure shinobi leapt to their feet instantly, spreading apart to flank him.
"Nirvana Temple."
Kitazawa's fingers brushed through the air. Soft white feathers began to drift down like snow, glimmering faintly as they fell.
The two men instinctively looked up—fatal mistake.
"Genjutsu…!" the older one realized too late, but his words slurred as sleep overtook him.
In the next instant, Kitazawa blurred forward—two swift strikes, and both dropped silently to the ground.
He exhaled softly. "Good night."
Drawing Zangetsu, he channeled chakra into the blade. Lightning crackled faintly along its edge.
One clean slash split the stone at its base with surgical precision. The boulder loosened, and Kitazawa sealed it neatly into a summoning scroll.
Just as he tucked the scroll away, a prickle of danger crawled up his spine.
He turned—and froze.
Hovering above the slope was a short, elderly man with a pointed nose and a stern gaze. Floating beside him was a small black-haired girl, about Naruto's age.
Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki.
And his granddaughter—Kurotsuchi.
Kitazawa's system flickered to life:
Mission Triggered: Encounter with the Third Tsuchikage
Objective: Stall until Konan arrives
Reward: Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique
Accept?
Kitazawa's lips curved slightly. "Accept."
Ōnoki hovered in the air, his tone calm.
"If this old man hadn't decided to stretch his legs with his granddaughter today, you really would've walked away with that rock blue powder."
His eyes gleamed—calm, utterly confident.
Kitazawa sighed inwardly. After spending too much time with Tsunade, her luck's clearly rubbing off on me in all the wrong ways.
Still, it wasn't just bad fortune. This area was practically at Iwagakure's doorstep. Even a small disturbance would reach Iwagakure.
At least, the mission prompt meant fate wasn't completely against him.
"Kurotsuchi," Ōnoki said evenly, "stand back."
The little girl obediently hopped off the boulder, though her eyes lingered curiously on Kitazawa.
Ōnoki intended to capture him first—and talk later.
Kitazawa's gaze sharpened. "Too slow."
He inhaled deeply.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall!"
A torrent of chakra gathered in his throat before he exhaled it violently.
A massive column of water erupted from his mouth, swelling and expanding until it crashed down from above like a tidal wave. The roar of rushing water filled the mountains, shaking birds from the trees.
The jutsu wasn't just for offense—it was a signal. Konan would sense the chakra disturbance immediately.
Ōnoki's pupils contracted. "Tch."
Without hesitation, he created two clones. The duplicates grabbed the unconscious guards and vanished down the mountain.
The real Ōnoki scooped Kurotsuchi into his arms and retreated from the waterfall's destructive range, his small form gliding effortlessly over the deluge.
"So amazing!" Kurotsuchi gasped, eyes wide as she stared at the massive cascade swallowing half the mountainside.
"Stay here," Ōnoki ordered sternly as he set her down. "And don't move."
He turned back toward Kitazawa, frowning.
"…He's not running?"
Most shinobi would have used such a large-scale jutsu as cover for retreat. Yet there Kitazawa stood—arms relaxed, water churning violently around him, watching with calm amusement.
Ōnoki floated closer, stepping lightly onto the water's surface. "You… are Kitazawa, aren't you?"
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You've heard of me, old man?"
Ōnoki's expression hardened. The memory clicked into place.
That overwhelming Water Release—he'd seen it once before, in the reports from the war against the Hidden Mist.
Back then, only one shinobi from Konoha had unleashed such raw water power.
Fourth Mizukage Yagura—he'd met personally. Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumī—female.
That left only one possibility.
Ōnoki's lips pressed into a thin line. "…The Fifth Hokage's disciple."
Kitazawa smiled faintly, water swirling around his boots like coiled serpents.
"Not bad for your age, Lord Tsuchikage," he said lightly. "Guess introductions aren't necessary, then."
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes. "You've got guts, boy. But guts alone won't save you."
Kitazawa rolled his shoulders, the air around him rippling faintly with chakra.
"I'm not planning to be saved," he replied with a calm smile. "I'm just stalling for someone."
Ōnoki's brows furrowed. "Stalling?"
Before he could ask further, a shadow passed overhead—fluttering white paper forming angelic wings against the sky.
Konan had arrived.
And Kitazawa's grin widened.
A massive Water Dragon roared to life behind Kitazawa, surging forward with crushing force.
"Hmph. Senju Tobirama's Water Release, is it?"
The Third Tsuchikage narrowed his eyes, instantly confirming Kitazawa's identity.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"
Ōnoki's right arm hardened into stone, veins of chakra pulsing through it like molten veins. With a single punch, he shattered the Water Dragon into shards of mist.
He moved again in the blink of an eye.
The old Tsuchikage vanished and reappeared behind Kitazawa, his stone fist already swinging.
Kitazawa turned, his aura flaring. Super Strength.
The two fists collided with an ear-splitting crack.
The shockwave ripped through the air, scattering dust and debris for dozens of meters.
Ōnoki's face tightened. The raw power behind Kitazawa's punch was monstrous—his arm trembled, cracks spiderwebbing through the stone coating his fist.
If this continues… I'll lose my arm.
Without hesitation, he kicked back, retreating sharply through the air.
Kitazawa exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. Then, in a fluid motion, he drew Zangetsu.
"Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!"
He vanished and reappeared behind Ōnoki, his blade igniting with flame as he swung. A burning arc of fire slashed through the air toward the Tsuchikage.
"Earth Release: Rock Arm!"
Ōnoki spun midair, slamming his palms together.
A massive arm of solid rock burst from the ground, fingers splayed wide as it intercepted the flaming slash.
The blade of fire split across the stone, exploding into sparks.
Kitazawa didn't let up.
"Chidori!"
Blinding lightning flared in his right hand, crackling violently.
But Ōnoki was faster.
"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"
The ground beneath Kitazawa heaved violently.
In an instant, he was lifted several meters into the air, his footing disrupted.
Kitazawa smirked. "Smart."
"Chidori Nagashi!"
Electricity burst from his body, spreading outward in a sphere of crackling energy.
The surge of lightning scorched the surrounding rock, forcing Ōnoki to dodge upward.
The old Tsuchikage's eyes flashed.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"
Once more, his right arm turned to stone—this time, however, his chakra flared even more fiercely.
"Earth Release: Super Weighted Rock!"
The rock expanded, darkening as its mass multiplied.
Ōnoki's body blurred, propelled by the increased momentum, his punch roaring down like a meteor.
Kitazawa's Byakugan flared. He sensed Konan's chakra approaching fast.
Perfect timing.
"Then I won't hold back."
"Senju Chakra Mode!"
Golden markings rippled across his body as chakra surged to an even greater level.
The air itself seemed to tremble under the pressure.
Ōnoki's eyes widened. "What—?!"
Their fists met again—this time, the impact was thunderous.
The ground exploded beneath them, stone shattering like glass.
Ōnoki's arm buckled under the overwhelming force, the shock traveling through his body and launching him backward like a rag doll.
He crashed into the earth, sending cracks spidering for hundreds of meters around.
From above, Konan arrived just in time to see the aftermath. Her eyes widened.
The Third Tsuchikage—one of the most respected shinobi in the world—had been overpowered.
Ōnoki's mastery of Earth and Dust Release was legendary. To see him knocked back so violently—it defied belief.
"Hand," Kitazawa called without looking back.
Konan descended in a flurry of paper wings, catching his outstretched hand and hoisting him skyward.
Ōnoki gritted his teeth. "Trying to escape? Not that easily."
His body glowed faintly. "Earth Release: Super Light-Weight Rock!"
He shot upward after them, faster than expected.
"Hold me," Kitazawa said calmly.
Konan blinked once, then quickly wrapped her arms around him.
Kitazawa brought his hands together in a rapid series of seals.
"Compound Ninjutsu—Hurricane Vortex!"
Water and wind chakra erupted in perfect synchronization—waves spiraled into motion as wind sharpened and compressed them.
Within seconds, a towering tornado—over ten meters wide—swelled into existence, ripping through the clouds.
The storm blotted out the sun.
Ōnoki's expression changed instantly. "Not good!"
He could already see where the massive vortex would hit—straight into the mountain's flank.
If that force reached Iwagakure, it would trigger a catastrophic landslide.
"Earth Release: Golem!"
Ōnoki dropped back down, forming seals at blinding speed.
A colossal rock golem rose from the ground, standing between the tornado and the village.
It braced itself, crouching low, as the howling vortex slammed into its back.
Boom!
The explosion of sound echoed through the entire valley. Wind and debris whipped into a violent storm, shaking the very mountain beneath them.
Ōnoki and Kurotsuchi, protected behind the golem, were unharmed—but the shock left the girl pale and trembling.
"Are you all right, Kurotsuchi?" Ōnoki asked, softening his tone.
"I-I'm fine," she managed, though her voice quivered.
"Good." The old Tsuchikage smiled faintly. "Train hard, and one day, you'll be the one shaking mountains like that."
Kurotsuchi clenched her fists, eyes fierce despite her fear. "Mm! I'll definitely get stronger than Grandpa—and when I do, I'll teach that Kitazawa a lesson!"
Ōnoki chuckled, pride gleaming in his eyes.
Just then, a squad of Iwagakure shinobi arrived, led by a towering man with a broad chest and a serious face.
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
Ōnoki waved them off lightly. "We're fine. Take the wounded and unconscious to the medical unit."
Kitsuchi stepped forward, staring at the ruined terrain in disbelief. "Father… who were you fighting? You actually used The Golem."
The other Iwa-nin murmured in shock—Ōnoki rarely resorted to such large-scale defense unless facing a true monster.
Ōnoki dusted off his robes and sighed. "Kitazawa of Konoha."
Gasps rippled through the group.
"The rumors didn't exaggerate," Ōnoki continued quietly. "If anything… they were far too modest."
He recalled the overwhelming chakra, the seamless transitions between elements, and the sheer destructive creativity of Kitazawa's fighting style.
Water Release, Lightning Release, Wind Release—each used masterfully.
His physical strength rivaled Tsunade's. His swordsmanship was precise.
And that final Compound Ninjutsu—Hurricane Vortex Jutsu...
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Seven natures," he murmured. "Could it be… another Hiruzen?"
A rare frown crossed his face.
Kitazawa had no bloodline limit, no kekkei genkai.
But his versatility—and the frightening adaptability behind it—was something even the Five Kage had to respect.
"Troublesome man," Ōnoki muttered under his breath, watching the dissipating clouds in the distance.
Then he turned away, the faintest smile curling his lips.
"…But a fascinating one."
"Kitazawa? Tsunade's student—the Fifth Hokage's disciple?"
"Is his strength really that overwhelming?"
"I heard his Water Release rivals that of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi… but I always thought that was just Konoha exaggeration."
The Iwagakure shinobi broke into uneasy murmurs, shock rippling through the group.
Kitsuchi frowned. "Then what was he doing here in Iwagakure?"
Ōnoki's gaze drifted toward the distant sky where Kitazawa had vanished. "Searching for rock blue powder."
He exhaled slowly. "And he succeeded. He took it right under my nose."
Kitsuchi's expression darkened. "Should I send a squad to pursue and capture him?"
Ōnoki shook his head, the motion weary but resolute. "No. We'd lose more men than it's worth. For someone to steal from me—personally—and leave unscathed… that alone proves his caliber."
Kitsuchi hesitated, then nodded. "He really is something else."
Ōnoki didn't respond, but his eyes softened slightly. It had been a long time since anyone had made him feel this kind of frustration.
Inwardly, the old Tsuchikage sighed. Konoha… that cursed village is overflowing with talent again.
While Iwagakure had many capable shinobi, what it lacked were those rare, game-changing individuals—the kind who could shift the balance of nations on their own. The kind worthy of being called Kage.
His mind wandered to one such soul: Deidara.
A genius of Iwagakure, brilliant and fearless—but utterly consumed by his obsession with explosions. From a young age, he'd blown up more of the village than its enemies ever had. In the end, Ōnoki had no choice but to exile him for the village's safety.
And now even he's disappeared into the wind, Ōnoki thought bitterly.
High above the clouds, Konan soared through the air, the wind whipping at her paper wings.
Below her, Kitazawa sat calmly in her grasp, his black hair shifting in the breeze.
She couldn't help but recall the massive hurricane he had unleashed moments earlier. Its scale, its destructive precision—it was far beyond what the Akatsuki's intelligence had described.
Our data on him is incomplete, Konan realized grimly. His strength… surpasses even what we feared.
In the Akatsuki, only Nagato and the masked man—Uchiha Madara—could match him with confidence.
She glanced down again. Kitazawa looked utterly unbothered, even serene, despite the fact that he'd just fought the Third Tsuchikage.
He, meanwhile, was silently enjoying the ride. The wind brushed against his face, and from behind came the soft warmth of Konan's hold. Because she needed both arms to stabilize her jutsu, she was pressed close, arms around his chest.
A first-class view and first-class company, Kitazawa mused with an inward grin.
Konan's voice broke the silence. "Did you retrieve the rock blue powder?"
"Yeah," Kitazawa replied casually. "It's still unripe, though—needs two more days to mature. After that, I'll start refining it. Should take about a week to complete the medicine."
Konan nodded, her tone calm as always. "…Thank you." She hesitated, then added, "Between the blood-increasing grass and this rock blue powder, what kind of reward do you want?"
The first ingredient had been secured through Anbu under Kitazawa's orders; this second one, though, had required him to face Ōnoki himself.
Kitazawa chuckled. "Money's not a problem for me right now."
He thought for a moment, then said, "These two ingredients are pretty valuable, though. How about this—you owe me two mission favors instead."
Konan blinked, surprised. Then she nodded. "All right."
But inwardly, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy.
"Not short on money," he said—as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
She knew he had investments: Gato's shipping company, the underwater exploration team… but even she didn't know the full extent of his wealth. What she didn't realize was that Kitazawa wasn't selling ore—he was selling jewelry refined from it.
After clearing Iwagakure's borders, they descended and landed in a secluded valley.
Flying was fast, but far too conspicuous. One look up and anyone could spot them.
Konan released him gently and stepped back half a pace.
"Thanks for the lift," Kitazawa said with a small smile. "Now that we've got the rock blue powder, let's head back to Konoha."
At that moment, glowing text appeared before his eyes:
Current Mission: Stall for time until Konan arrives.
Reward: Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique.
Status: Mission complete. Reward issued.
Kitazawa's lips curled slightly. "Perfect."
The Rock Fist was an excellent Earth Release—he'd seen Ōnoki use it twice.
It turned the user's arm to solid stone, increasing both weight and impact power.
A kind of Earth Release version of Tsunade's monstrous strength, Kitazawa mused.
A new idea sparked in his mind—
What if I combine the two?
The resulting power made him smirk just imagining it.
All things considered, the encounter with Ōnoki hadn't been a loss at all. If anything, it was a profitable venture.
By the time they reached Konoha, dawn light spilled across the horizon.
"Go rest, Konan," Kitazawa said, waving a hand casually. "You've earned it."
Konan gave a small nod. "Mm." With that, she vanished into the shadows, returning to the Anbu base.
Kitazawa exhaled and stretched. "Finally."
He turned toward his home.
The moment he opened the door, a familiar voice greeted him.
"You're back?"
Kurenai appeared almost immediately, her crimson eyes soft with relief.
Kitazawa smiled. "When did you all get back?"
"We arrived last night," she said. "The trip was smooth—no trouble at all."
"That's good to hear."
He walked up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist with an easy familiarity. "How's Shikamaru?"
Kurenai thought for a moment. "Surprisingly different. On the way home, he actually volunteered for watch duty and patrol rotations."
Kitazawa's lips twitched. "Let's see how long that lasts."
Still, he was pleased. If Shikamaru could maintain this motivation, Asuma's future might just be rewritten.
"Oh, right—here."
Kurenai handed him a scroll. "These are the ninjutsu we extracted from the Jōmyaku Clan's bodies."
Kitazawa unrolled it briefly. Bee-based control techniques.
He chuckled. "Not my thing. I'm not raising bees."
Kurenai smiled faintly. "Didn't think you were the type."
He smirked, closing the scroll. "No—but I might just find someone who is."
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