Naruto: The Age of Ninja Swords Begins in Kumogakure

Chapter 195 Sage Hanzo

Senju Orange Water made arrangements to keep the incident of Rope Tree awakening Wood Release a secret, but still underestimated the methods of Sarutobi Hiruzen and others. The information had already been sent back to Konoha in the first instance, and then the trio was shocked.

"Hiruzen, we can't wait any longer. The Senju clan has reappeared with Wood Release, and it's the grandson of the First Hokage. Once the news gets out, we'll be in a very passive position."

Koharu, who was usually so composed, and Mitokado Ero, who kept wiping her glasses, both revealed their inner anxiety.

Hiruzen had previously stated that he would pass on his position, but at that time it was more of a scheme and manipulation. Now, the Senju clan has produced a Wood Release user, who is also the grandson of the First Hokage.

If this news gets out, the position of Hokage will definitely go to the Senju clan.

Whether it's the Thousand Hands Orange Water, Tsunade, or Nawaki, they are all at a great disadvantage to them.

The First Hokage's prestige in Konoha was unimaginably high. Even though they had been trying to eliminate his influence over the years, both openly and covertly, and even promoted him as the strongest Hokage, the results were still minimal.

Even if their faction collapses, the problem is too serious, and the rope tree must be eliminated as soon as possible.

"I have already relayed the message to Danzo."

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, feeling extremely agitated.

Putting aside whether Danzo could eliminate Nawaki, the aftermath of destroying Nawaki would be difficult to handle. Sometimes, a mere suspicion is enough for some people to make a judgment.

In fact, he had long considered getting rid of Nawaki because the Senju clan proposed that Nawaki become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, which he would never allow. He had even made arrangements, but Nawaki managed to evade the plan and alerted Tsunade and the others.

After that, the matter was left unresolved. Fortunately, Lady Mito was considerate of the bigger picture and did not seal the Nine-Tails inside Nawaki.

But who would have thought that Rope Tree would awaken Wood Release, which was even more dangerous.

Even if Nawaki couldn't apply Wood Release to the level of the First Hokage, he could still rival the Nine-Tails, and even be able to restrain it.

Then there's the significance of Wood Release itself, which is even more difficult to handle.

"Danzo alone is probably not enough."

Mitomon Homura expressed his concern about Danzo's competence, noting that he had botched the last war in the Land of Whirlpools.

"I've arranged for other people to handle this."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag of his cigarette. He had made arrangements the moment he received the information, and informing the two of them now was simply to cooperate in eliminating any subsequent impact.

"It's good that there are arrangements."

The two breathed a sigh of relief, but remained worried.

Nawaki, having awakened Wood Release, will inevitably be protected. Eliminating him under the protection of the Senju clan will not be easy, not to mention leaving no evidence against him.

"What we need to pay more attention to now is the meeting of the Four Kage in Amegakure, which is being held by the Hidden Cloud Village, the Hidden Stone Village, the Hidden Sand Village, and the Hidden Mist Village. They must be plotting against us."

Hiruzen Sarutobi changed the subject to something else. They had previously received information that representatives from the four great ninja villages were gathering in Amegakure, and that even the Third Kazekage and the Third Tsuchikage were present, which made him very uneasy.

They had all left by then, but yesterday we received intelligence that the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Kazekage have set off for the Land of Rain.

Meanwhile, the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Kazekage were collecting special metals in the village, including high-quality ninja tools that had already been forged.

These are all too unusual; there must be a secret involved.

"That's more like making a deal."

Xiaochun, who was switching dorms, had some suspicions, and those suspicions were quite ominous.

"I also guess it's most likely Sage Technique. Since the Hidden Cloud Village conquered the three holy lands, it must have obtained their Sage Technique inheritance, which other ninja villages would definitely be envious of."

Would the Hidden Cloud Village really offer that kind of power for trade?

Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't quite sure. He knew very well the power of Sage Mode, and if he obtained it, he certainly wouldn't pass it on, let alone to other ninja villages.

Moreover, the information transmitted back from Iwagakure and Sunagakure indicates that they are only collecting special metals, which Kumogakure needs.

"Can we sabotage their deal?"

Mitokado Homura looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, thinking that it would be great if he could disrupt the trade between the four great ninja villages.

"That's in Amegakure, and it's where four Kage-level shinobi have gathered, plus Onoki's Dust Release. Unless we can gather all our forces together for a brute-force attack, we'll be in trouble."

Shaking his head, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that was impossible.

The alliance of the four great ninja villages is now in a dominant position, while Konoha is in a very passive position, with its strongest members locked up on the four battlefields.

"Is it possible to obtain Sage Mode from Jiraiya and Orochimaru?"

Koharu changed her mind. Since she couldn't stop it, she would try to obtain the magic as well.

The only ones we can work on now are Jiraiya and Orochimaru, who are contractors of Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave.

"I'll find an opportunity to talk to Orochimaru."

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally decided to go find that disciple, at least to try out that Sage Art Seal.

The three discussed this until late at night before parting ways. When Hiruzen Sarutobi returned, he went to the basement, which was covered with layers of barriers. There, a figure was sealed with sealing chains. It was the Second Tsuchikage, or more precisely, the Second Tsuchikage's reanimated form.

After receiving the partially perfected Impure World Reincarnation from that disciple, he set about summoning the Second Tsuchikage.

As for the flesh and blood of the Second Tsuchikage, it was collected when the Second Tsuchikage and Onoki came to Konoha and were stopped and injured by Madara Uchiha. The Second Tsuchikage collected some blood when he went to investigate and then sealed it away.

I've collected quite a few similar powerful, flesh-and-blood second-generation teachers.

After becoming Hokage, he obtained this sealed legacy and did not hand it over to Danzo, which is why he attached such importance to the Impure World Reincarnation.

Unfortunately, the Impure World Reincarnation technique is not perfect; it cannot perfectly restore the user's original strength, nor can it be perfectly controlled, making it much less effective in actual combat.

The sealed Second Tsuchikage merely glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi as he descended, remaining silent, but his eyes held a hint of mockery.

He has been imprisoned here for over a month. What they want is the Dust Release fusion technique, but he will absolutely not give it to them.

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, simply watching the Second Tsuchikage who was sealed and bound.

It's impossible to persuade them with words. The only option now is to use illusion, but ordinary illusion won't work; it has to be an illusion enhanced by the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Moreover, after acquiring a pair of Mangekyou Sharingan, he was able to forcibly control the Edo Tensei using the powerful eye power of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

There's no need to control too much; just having a few Kage-level powerhouses is enough.

But getting a pair of kaleidoscopes isn't easy; you have to wait patiently.

It seems that Mingjing is planning a decisive battle, and perhaps an opportunity can be found then, but we will have to wait for a while.

Leaving aside Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts, Danzo Shimura on the other side was also quite serious after receiving the information from his good friend.

Although he obtained Wood Release and underwent significant mutations due to Dark Chakra, it was ultimately obtained through illegitimate means.

Using this method would inevitably draw criticism and hinder the competition for the Hokage position.

As the grandson of the First Hokage, Nawaki's awakening of Wood Release was perfectly legitimate. Coupled with his status, he would undoubtedly garner a lot of support in the village once the news spread.

"We need to get Iwagakure to attack first."

After a moment's thought, Shimura Danzo made up his mind: he should first send the Iwagakure ninja army to attack, so that he could take advantage of the chaos to eliminate the target and leave as few traces as possible.

He was put on the defensive during the last war in the Land of Whirlpools, and he absolutely cannot afford to make another mistake this time.

"Orochimaru must not find out."

Then he thought of that business partner again, and Shimura Danzo immediately ruled him out.

Orochimaru is not only Nawaki's teacher, but also a childhood friend and teammate of Tsunade, with a deep bond between them.

Orochimaru has only partially broken ties with Hiruzen, but his relationship with Tsunade remains good. He would definitely not agree to harm Nawaki, and if he finds out, he will most likely stop him or even inform Tsunade.

Therefore, we must take precautions.

"Are they trading immortal techniques?"

His thoughts turned to Amegakure, where he had naturally received information about the Four Kage Summit and knew that the one representing Kumogakure was his most favored subordinate.

It's unclear whether a transaction involving Sage Mode is taking place. Although he obtained the Sage Mode seal from Orochimaru, he hasn't yet received the true Sage Mode inheritance.

The power of immortal arts is immense; I must obtain it.

"I heard the teacher messaged again?"

At that moment, a magnetic voice rang out, and Shimura Danzo knew without turning his head that it was Orochimaru.

"He told us to find out the contents of the Four Shadows meeting as soon as possible and to find an opportunity to sabotage it, which sounds easy."

Danzo Shimura sneered and began to talk about the Four Kage Summit, but naturally he couldn't reveal his plans for Nawaki.

"I heard that the representative sent by Kirigakure this time is likely the Three-Tails Jinchuriki. Aren't you planning to take him away?"

Orochimaru licked his lips, showing some interest in the tailed beasts.

According to his numerous investigations, the tailed beasts seem to be somewhat related to the Sage of Six Paths, and he wants to capture one of them for research.

"Don't make a move now. Of the four fronts, the eastern one is the most stable. If we provoke Kirigakure, they will definitely send more troops to attack. Once that front is breached, we won't fare any better here."

Danzo Shimura was somewhat tempted, but ultimately rejected the idea.

What he wanted was to become Hokage. Only by becoming Hokage could he carry out more plans, and even destroy all the ninja villages and unify the ninja world.

His true source of confidence lies in the dark power of the Box of Elysium and the Great Fusion Plan of the Sage's Bloodline. If successful, he will possess power surpassing that of the First Master.

Back then, no one in the entire ninja world could withstand me, so for now, stability is the priority.

Putting aside the external schemes, Tamura Hao in Kumogakure constantly adapted to the ability to levitate, integrating it into his own combat system, and his speed indeed improved significantly.

Of course, this only refers to movement speed.

On the appointed day, a complex array of magical symbols was drawn in an empty room.

Hanzo, whose injuries had begun to heal, walked in and sat in the center. Following Tamura Hao's instructions, he used chakra to imprint on the jutsu array, creating his own jutsu array. He then wrapped the blood, which served as a medium, in his abdomen and sealed it at the navel.

This is the best place to seal the Sage Mode seal, and this is how Orochi Kabuto will be in the future. A white snake will then extend from his abdomen to help him maintain Sage Mode for a long time.

The celestial magic seal began to operate shortly after being sealed, starting to erode Hanzo's body, while a white-scaled snake grew from his abdomen.

The chilling Sage Chakra flowed throughout his body, and white snake scales covered Hanzo's body, greatly enhancing his physical abilities.

While this mutation reaction cannot enhance ninjutsu, it greatly enhances taijutsu, making it no less effective than a perfect Sage Mode.

Even previous injuries were further healed, since Sage Chakra itself can activate body cells and improve various functions, including recovery ability.

The process of erosion was naturally not very friendly. Even with Hanzo's willpower, he almost couldn't help but scream out in agony, feeling as if every cell in his body was being torn apart and crushed.

Even so, he still followed the boy's instructions to refine his chakra to resist the erosion of the Sage Art curse seal, and integrated his own chakra into it to gain a certain degree of control.

This continued for over an hour before the power of the Sage Art Seal stabilized. Hanzo was soaked in sweat, as if he had been pulled out of the water, but his eyes shone brightly, clearly indicating that he had felt the enhancement from the Sage Art Seal.

"Truly worthy of being called divine magic!"

Hanzo couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, but even more so, excitement.

He finally obtained the power of immortal arts, although it was only a half-finished product, but he could be considered to have barely entered the field.

Moreover, this change in the magic seal gave him an idea: to take the venom sac of the salamander from his body and transplant it into the white snake body with the magic seal, so that he would not have to worry about being poisoned himself.

"The erosion of the Sage Art Seal is continuous. When Hanzo-senpai maintained the Sage Art Seal, he had to maintain a sufficiently strong chakra to resist the deep erosion caused by the transplant. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if his own chakra was suppressed by the power of the Sage Art Seal."

Only by truly cultivating to the level of an immortal can one avoid this kind of alienation and corruption. The original intention of creating this immortal technique seal was to replace the medium of cultivating immortal techniques like the Dragon Cave; combat is only secondary.

Tamura Hiroshi cautioned that this kind of alienated advancement is a double-edged sword and must be carefully controlled.

"It's normal for shortcuts to have hidden dangers."

Hanzo said he understood, as the other person had mentioned this before.

Moreover, compared to the perilous cultivation medium like the Dragon Cave in the inheritance of immortal arts, this immortal arts seal is much gentler.

Furthermore, with the help of this immortal incantation, I was able to sense the existence of natural energy, which is the foundation of immortal cultivation.

In the past, even sensing it was impossible, let alone drawing, absorbing, and fusing it to create Sage Chakra.

"These are special metals I've gathered, many of which are spoils of war I acquired in the past."

After confirming that the Sage Art seal was working properly, Hanzo took out a sealed scroll he had brought. Inside was a total of half a cubic meter of special metal, mostly finished high-quality ninja tools.

Ninja tools are generally made of steel, but high-quality ninja tools are mixed with special metals to enhance their hardness and sharpness.

Some top-tier ninja tools even incorporate chakra-conducting metals, such as his own scythe.

He has fought countless battles, big and small, along the way, and naturally has accumulated a considerable amount of spoils.

Happy trading!

Tamura Hiroshi took the scroll with a broad smile.

"I need to go back and get used to the power of this magical seal."

Hanzo didn't linger. He got up and left, eager to test the power of this sage seal.

At least understand the detailed improvement range so you can better control it during future battles.

Don't let imperfect control lead to an over-aggressive burst of power that results in you charging straight into your opponent's kunai; that would be laughable.

In addition, we need to try to develop the power in that blood medium to see if we can obtain the ability to levitate and become invisible, as well as the toxin that can create illusions.

These all require exploration and experimentation.

As he walked, he suddenly glanced at a patch of ground and a puddle beside it. Hanzo didn't dwell on it and quickly left.

After Hanzo left, a head popped out of the puddle; it was Tongcao Yeren.

A head also peeked out from the soil nearby; it was made of yellow earth.

"He's spotted us!"

Tongcao Yeren was very strange. As far as he knew, Hanzo seemed to have no senses, and given the distance, it should have been impossible for him to be discovered.

"That seems to be the celestial magic seal mentioned in the intelligence; Hanzo did indeed make a deal with him."

Huang Tu paid more attention to the large white snake that had just emerged from Ban Zang's belly. Although its position was wrong and its number was small, it was clearly a kind of magical seal.

The fact that Hanzo was able to discover their hiding place is likely related to the Sage Art Seal he obtained.

Where is Yekura hiding?

Tongkusa no Erito looked around but didn't find Yekura, which puzzled him.

The three of them were left behind with the same mission, and they had even communicated before. Hanzo's sudden visit to that person must be unusual, and Yekura should have noticed it too.

"That woman has been acting strangely these past few days; I don't know what she's doing in her room."

Huang Tu muttered something, then his head disappeared into the ground.

Now that it's confirmed that Hanzo obtained the Sage Art Seal from that person, there's no need to stay any longer. Besides, his father will arrive tomorrow, which is the agreed-upon time for the transaction.

Tongkusa no Erito did not linger, while pondering how to deliver the information to the arriving Yagura the next day.

Although Yagura Karatachi is young, he is a genius and the Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails. He is now a true Kage-level shikigami and a disciple of the Third Hokage. That is why he became the representative of this Four Kage Summit. This summit is in charge, and he is just an assistant.

Unbeknownst to the two, Yekura did notice Hanzo's unusual behavior but ignored it, as she was currently focused on training her Rasengan.

I must master this no-seal ninjutsu before that lecherous brat leaves. As for intelligence gathering, I can just ask that lecherous brat tonight; there's no need to waste time and take risks.

"The Fire Release: Rasengan is still easier to master."

Looking at the Fire Release: Rasengan in her hand, Yekura felt quite troubled by the Wind Release: Rasengan.

While Wind Release is best suited for the Rasengan and has the greatest power, it is also the most difficult to control.

When wind-style chakra is rotated to that extent, even the chakra's owner would find it difficult to avoid being cut.

That's not just an external injury; it affects the cellular level and can even damage meridians and acupoints. If it's not treated properly, your arm could be ruined.

While the Fire Release: Rasengan is less powerful, it is much easier to control.

Even so, the power of this Fire Release: Rasengan reached the level of an S-rank ninjutsu, which is the same as the power of his five Scorching Release: Fireballs after fusion.

Furthermore, this Rasengan can increase in size by increasing the amount of chakra injected, thereby increasing its power, making its potential much higher.

"It consumes too much energy; I'm afraid only people like those from the Uzumaki clan can use it effectively."

Feeling that a third of her chakra had been depleted, Yekura was quite frustrated.

This ninjutsu is very powerful, but it also consumes a lot of energy. I'm not the kind of ninja with a huge amount of chakra, so it's very difficult for me to use.

Fortunately, this kind of hand seal ninjutsu can be maintained indefinitely, and the consumption of maintaining it is not high. It is also quite good to control the battle with chakra threads.

"You lecherous brat, just give up!"

As she thought about it, she couldn't help but think of that lecherous brat, and Ye Cang let out a soft snort.

She will use this Ninja World War to rise to a high position in the village. Don't even think about trying to subdue me through treacherous schemes.

I would never go to Kumogakure with you. It would be more like you marrying into the family instead.

(End of this chapter)