The Third Raikage snorted coldly.
His gaze locked onto Ōnoki.
Others might fear Ōnoki, but he didn't.
The Third Raikage possessed the fastest speed. Even though Dust Style was very strong, it had to hit its target first.
"You killed my village's ninja, invaded my Land of Earth. Are you trying to start a war with our Land of Earth?"
Ōnoki's calm voice came out, his gaze solemnly watching the Third Raikage.
Hearing these words, the Third Raikage was so angry he laughed.
What shameless distortion of right and wrong, turning black into white.
He was clearly the invader, yet spoke as if so innocent!
How shameless!
The Third Raikage crossed his arms, taking a deep breath.
"Start a war? You condone your subordinates, invade my Land of Lightning, kill my village's ninja. You're not afraid of starting a war, so why would I be?"
"Proof!"
Ōnoki floated in midair, his white robes fluttering in the chakra currents.
The Third Raikage turned around.
"You want proof? Then follow me!"
Having said that, the Third Raikage rushed toward the northeast direction.
"Should we go too?"
Roshi and Han dispersed the tailed beast chakra from their bodies and came to Ōnoki's side.
"Go!"
Ōnoki snorted coldly.
"I want to see what this proof is that made the Third Raikage come personally!"
Ōnoki then flew toward the northeast direction.
Han and Roshi exchanged glances, then followed closely.
All the way to the border.
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes, looking at the location the Third Raikage pointed to, the scorched earth beneath his feet.
Lava Style?
The Third Raikage's right arm muscles bulged, Lightning Style chakra crackling at his fingertips.
"Lava Style. In the entire shinobi world, besides your Iwagakure's Four-Tails Jinchuriki, who else can do this?"
Roshi's face was full of disbelief upon hearing this.
"This is absolutely impossible!"
"Since I was injured, I've been in the village the whole time. I absolutely haven't been here!"
"Ridiculous!"
The Third Raikage's Lightning Style armor suddenly erupted, blue electric light shattering the surrounding rocks into powder.
"What degree of injury would affect a tailed beast Jinchuriki?
Ōnoki, if you're going to make up stories, you should find a decent excuse!"
Ōnoki's brow furrowed into a knot.
He slowly descended beside Roshi.
"You really haven't left the village recently?"
Hearing this, Roshi's face looked constipated.
"You had people watch me so closely. How could I possibly have gone out?!"
The corner of Ōnoki's mouth twitched slightly.
Ever since Roshi and Han returned injured to the village, Ōnoki had them kept under watch.
Only after their injuries completely healed did he let them leave.
All told, they'd been released for less than a day.
Looking at these corpses below, they had clearly been dead for a long time. In any case, definitely more than a day.
Then how to explain this Lava Style??
Roshi was stunned, then jumped up in rage.
"I told you! This wasn't me. If it really was me, why wouldn't I admit it?!"
Seeing Roshi like this, Ōnoki also fell silent.
Based on his understanding of Roshi.
Roshi shouldn't be lying. But what was going on with this Lava Style?
The Third Raikage crossed his arms, his muscles gleaming with metallic luster in the lightning.
"Nice performance."
He sneered.
"But your Iwagakure spy roster couldn't be fake, could it?"
He pulled out a scroll from his chest.
"In the hideout we raided, we found your Iwagakure contact book!"
Ōnoki's pupils suddenly contracted.
He naturally knew about this hideout, but it had already lost contact yesterday.
This reaction was precisely captured by the Third Raikage. He not only sneered but pressed his advantage.
"What? Didn't expect us to find this?
It clearly records that you were preparing in three days to..."
"Kurotsuchi!"
Ōnoki suddenly interrupted loudly.
A burly young man walked out from behind the distant rock wall.
"Father."
Kurotsuchi's face was full of respect, a ninja pack strapped to his back.
The Third Raikage's Lightning Style armor rippled slightly. He guardedly sized up Kurotsuchi.
"What's the meaning of this?"
Ōnoki floated to his son's side, his palm resting on Kurotsuchi's shoulder.
"In the name of Iwagakure's Tsuchikage, I send my only son Kurotsuchi to Kumogakure as a hostage.
If this matter is proven to be Iwagakure's doing, do with him as you please."
This action made the battlefield instantly silent.
Even the Iwa-nin treating the wounded stopped their movements.
The Third Raikage's eyebrows rose high. In the history of the Five Great Nations, there had never been a precedent of a Kage-level figure using a direct blood relative as guarantee.
"Lord Tsuchikage, this cannot be. This matter was something we were falsely accused of..."
An ANBU captain anxiously stepped forward two steps.
"Silence!"
Ōnoki shouted sternly.
He continued speaking to the Third Raikage.
"Lord Raikage should understand that the Four Nations Alliance's plan to attack Konoha is extremely important.
And how long has it been implemented now?
At this critical juncture, what reason would Iwagakure have to cut off our own retreat?"
The Third Raikage's Lightning Style armor gradually subsided, but the wariness and suspicion in his eyes didn't diminish at all.
He wouldn't easily trust others' one-sided words, especially when that person was an enemy nation's Kage.
"Look at this."
Ōnoki flung out an intelligence scroll from his sleeve.
The scroll unfurled in midair, revealing a deployment map of Konoha's northern defense line, with Iwagakure's seal stamped in the corner.
The Third Raikage caught the scroll, discovering it detailed Konoha's troop movements across various battlefields.
"Look at the second one too!"
Following Ōnoki's gaze, the Third Raikage opened the second scroll.
Inside was actually detailed intelligence on Uchiha Chiya.
The Third Raikage's brow furrowed slightly. As he read deeper into the content, he became increasingly alarmed.
"It seems Lord Raikage understands now."
Ōnoki's voice suddenly became low.
"When this old man was young, I personally witnessed the power of the Uchiha's Mangekyō eyes."
His floating height unconsciously lowered somewhat, as if the weight of the memory prevented him from maintaining his levitation.
The Third Raikage put away the scroll, his lightning-like gaze staring directly at Ōnoki.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Uchiha Chiya resembles someone too much."
"Who?"
Ōnoki paused before answering.
"Uchiha Madara."
When Ōnoki spoke this name, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
A trace of worry appeared on the aged Tsuchikage's face.
He finally sighed.
"Lord Raikage, you don't want to see Konoha dominate the shinobi world alone, with another Uchiha Madara, do you?"
He pointed toward Roshi and Han.
"Uchiha Chiya has already been able to use the legendary Uchiha Mangekyō technique. If it weren't for him..."
"How could Roshi and Han have been injured?"
"The legendary Susano'o is not something we can block."
The Third Raikage fell silent.
Previously he had already received word that Iwagakure's forces had been beaten back by the Uchiha.
But he hadn't expected there would be so much explosive content involved.
Uchiha Madara...
He naturally knew this name.
That was an existence that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
The Third Raikage's palm gripped the scroll tightly.
The battlefield atmosphere became subtle.
Iwagakure's medical ninja took the opportunity to transfer the wounded to the rear. The Kumogakure forces also came to the Third Raikage's side.
Seeing the Third Raikage deep in thought, the surrounding people didn't dare approach.
They quietly stayed by his side.
After about five more minutes.
The Third Raikage looked toward Ōnoki.
"Cooperate?"
He suddenly spoke.
Hearing this answer.
A smile appeared on Ōnoki's face.
It seemed the Third Raikage was also a person of insight!
"Cooperate!"
The Third Raikage's fists clenched with crackling sounds.
"I don't mind flattening the Land of Fire together!"
Ōnoki showed a relieved expression, but immediately became grave again.
"Before that, regarding Uchiha Chiya's intelligence..."
"I'll have ANBU share it."
The Third Raikage interrupted him, his cloak sweeping up in a sharp arc as he turned.
"But don't think this matter ends here. Kurotsuchi must return to Kumogakure with me!"
Kurotsuchi looked toward his father. After receiving an affirmative look, he silently walked toward the Kumogakure forces.
As he passed by Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"Tell your Jinchuriki, if they need sparring they can come find me anytime!"
The Third Raikage turned his head to glance at him but said nothing.
Roshi awkwardly released his hand.
Ōnoki floated before the Third Raikage. Their gazes clashed in midair.
"Lord Raikage."
Ōnoki's voice was so soft only they could hear.
"If we don't unite, when the Uchiha and Konoha's eyes watch from behind, the ones bleeding will only be us."
"In half a month, I will lead the village's elite to attack the battlefield where the Uchiha Clan is located.
Only if the Uchiha side suffers casualties might Uchiha Chiya appear.
I hope at that time, I can see your elite forces!"
The Third Raikage didn't answer. He turned and made a gesture. The Kumogakure forces immediately formed up and withdrew.
Kurotsuchi walked in the middle of the formation. Looking back, the last scene he saw was Ōnoki unrolling a scroll against the sunset.
The Uchiha clan crest on it looked like dripping blood in the twilight glow.
"The Uchiha Clan's talent truly makes one jealous!"
━━━━━━━━━━━━
❤️ Enjoying the Story?
⭐ Every 500 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter!
📖 Read 120 chapters ahead on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
Thank you for your support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━