Naruto: The Age of Ninja Swords Begins in Kumogakure

"Kid, that's enough!"

After flying for several minutes and healing her injured bones with medical ninjutsu, Tsunade spread her wings and swooped down.

The greatsword in his hand extended into a purple chakra blade over thirty meters long, crackling with lightning, clearly enhanced with lightning release to increase its cutting power.

Tsunade even enhanced herself with the Super Heavy Rock Technique to further boost her offensive power.

However, just as it charged down and was about to strike with its sword, the One-Tailed Dharma Form suddenly clasped its hands together, and the next moment, its enormous body disappeared and appeared above Tsunade, with Tsunade in the center of its huge claws.

The claws, which had been loosely closed, suddenly snapped shut, and then the massive body crashed down heavily.

"The Desert Layer Burial Seal!"

The image of Shukaku quickly transformed into a three-tiered pyramid, covered with the same incantations found on the image of Shukaku, possessing an extremely strong sealing effect.

This was the final, deadly move that Tamura Hiroshi had prepared for this teacher.

"Tsunade lost?"

After waiting for a while, seeing that Tsunade hadn't yet rushed out of the pyramid, Kushina felt her worldview was crumbling.

Tsunade actually lost to a brat.

The others were also very surprised, not expecting that Tamura Hao had this method.

"It should be able to be sealed off."

With a pale face, Tamura Hiroshi emerged from the pyramid, looked at the pyramid covered with incantation marks, and thought that it should be able to be sealed.

Shukaku used this to seal Madara Uchiha, and even Madara Uchiha had to rely on Susanoo to break it.

He had reached his limit by now, having exhausted all the chakra in the Yin Seal, and was now channeling his last bit of chakra into the seal.

"As expected, it couldn't be sealed off!"

Suddenly, as if sensing something, he sighed and quickly leaped away.

The next moment, a purple blade of energy burst forth from the pyramid, splitting the entire pyramid in two. Immediately afterward, a figure flew out—it was Tsunade.

At this moment, Tsunade was in a terrible state. Her twin tails were all loose, the Yin Seal was broken, and the Hundred Healings Technique was working on her whole body.

It was precisely because of this all-out burst of energy that the seal was broken.

"Kid, when did you brand me with the Flying Thunder God mark?"

With a flap of its wings, it appeared in front of a traitor in the next moment, picked him up, and its delicate face became more ferocious.

That traitor just turned the tables using the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the technique is right there on him.

"When I treated you last time, teacher."

Tamura Hiroki smiled weakly and replied.

"Where is the brand placed?"

Tsunade pressed for further answers, her expression becoming even more ferocious, and decided to cut off the branded flesh afterward.

Tamura Hao didn't say anything, but just glanced at Fat Sheep Teacher's headlights.

"You brat, go to hell!"

Following the gaze of that traitorous disciple, Tsunade looked down, paused for a moment, and then threw a punch.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, a deep, human-shaped crater appeared in the ground, looking dark and quite frightening.

Tsunade continued to gaze at her imposing figure, gripping her greatsword even tighter in her hand. After hesitating for a long time, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to strike.

"Tsunade, you've lost."

At that moment, Akimichi Torifu used his butterfly wings to fly down and looked at Tsunade with a smile.

Last night, after Dingzao and the others came back, they talked about Xiaohao's improvement and his confidence. Before they set off, he made a bet with Tsunade.

As long as Xiao Haozi can force him to unleash his full power, he will win; and Tsunade's attack just now was definitely her full power.

"I'll join the war."

Tsunade closed the Yin Seal, feeling quite frustrated.

I've been outsmarted by that brat again.

Nara Shikaku and the others immediately flew down and pulled Tamura Hiroshi out of the human-shaped pit. Tsunade's punch had been quite severe; the armor on his torso was completely shattered, and his chest was deeply dented.

Of course, these injuries were nothing to Tamura Hao, who was already using chakra threads to straighten and reassemble the broken bones from the inside.

Under the influence of life force, the broken bones healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the skin and muscles also recovered rapidly.

After confirming that Tamura Hao was alright, Nara Shikaku and the other two went to clean up the traces of their previous fight to prevent anyone from discovering anything.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

Tamura Hao then channeled all the remaining chakra back into his body, and after cleaning up all traces, the group returned on the Ninja Hawk.

After returning, they all went about their own business. Tsunade even went to study the corpse of that Steel Release ninja, as she was very interested in it.

"Isn't Minato-senpai in the fortress?"

After a hearty meal, Tamura Hiroshi arrived at Nara Shikaku's dormitory, where Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi were also present.

He was a little surprised that Kushina Uzumaki had gone to watch the battle; logically, she should have been entangled with Minato Namikaze.

"According to intelligence, Sunagakure has dispatched two powerful individuals to support the front lines, replenishing the top-tier combat power lost due to the absence of the One-Tailed Jinchuriki."

Minato-kun has investigated, and at this stage, he's the only one on our side suitable for this kind of mission.

Nara Shikaku replied that he was also looking forward to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki meeting again, wondering if Minato would still be able to maintain his composure then.

Although these methods are somewhat dirty, power struggles are inherently dirty, and compared to their petty tricks, those other people's methods are even dirtier and more ruthless.

"Support from Sunagakure? Is it the Chiyo siblings?"

Tamura Hao immediately thought of the brother and sister, who were veteran powerhouses of Sunagakure and of the same generation as the Second Kazekage.

"I don't know. Our information about Sunagakure is incomplete, but as long as it's not a Jinchūriki, it's fine."

Yamanaka Inoichi shook his head slightly. As someone who was in charge of intelligence work, he knew more about this.

However, he didn't care about the support from Sunagakure; at most, it would only be Kage-level combat power. What they were really worried about were the Jinchuriki of the Tailed Beasts.

Those Tailed Beast Balls kill a lot of people when they land, which is the most troublesome thing.

The Sand Village only had one tailed beast, and they had already killed it, so the upcoming war would be much easier.

"Next, we only need to hold off one of their strong opponents; we can't show too much."

Nara Shikaku pointed out that this war was not simply a matter of who won and who lost; it was also complicated by many other issues.

For example, the position of the Fourth Kazekage in Sunagakure. They also need to use war to determine the Fourth Hokage, so they have to consider more issues.

"I will be careful."

Tamura Hao naturally understood this. He could show his potential, but he had to keep a low profile regarding his strength. He couldn't let the things he showed outwards be out of those people's control, otherwise he would definitely be schemed against.

"Actually, showing more of yourself can have some benefits, but it's a bit risky."

After a moment of silence, Nara Shikaku finally decided to speak.

Yamanaka Inoichi tacitly formed hand seals to sense the situation, and only after confirming that there were no problems did he nod to indicate that the topic could continue.

"As long as it works, that's fine. At worst, I'll just expose the Flying Thunder God Technique."

Tamura Hao doesn't mind taking some risks. As long as he's cautious enough at this stage, no one in the ninja world can kill him openly.

Unless the age spots come out and invite him to dance.

"Lady Tsunade's hemophobia has been resolved, but she still doesn't have much interest in the Hokage position. We need to find an opportunity to provoke her."

They were having a real headache dealing with Nara Shikaku. They wanted to promote him to the position of Hokage, but he just didn't seem interested.

This has both advantages and disadvantages for them. The advantage is that the succession to Xiao Hao will be much smoother in the future, at least he won't be as power-hungry as the Third Hokage.

The downside is that it greatly increases the difficulty of elevating him to the position of Hokage.

"You mean to recreate the story of Tsunade-sensei's brother and her boyfriend?"

Tamura Hiroshi seemed to be thinking about this; it was indeed a good idea.

"Lady Tsunade has long harbored resentment and even hatred towards those people, but she has been suppressing it. At least, if that resentment is brought out and guided, it will be enough for her to compete for the Hokage position."

This is the only option at the moment.

"The people on that list are willing to make sacrifices for this."

The matter of the list being compiled by Shan Zhonghai was originally something Uncle Qufeng had instructed them to search for problematic individuals within the clan, and there were quite a few of them.

"Shikaku-nii, you make the arrangements. I'll cooperate fully, but it would be best to provoke Hiruzen Sarutobi into sending people to make a move. That Danzo Shimura won't be of much use."

Tamura Hiroshi felt it was time to act, and the best thing to do was to use this to find a handle on Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"I'll try to lure out that old man's son; he's much easier to deal with."

Nodding, Nara Shikaku also felt that it would be better to let Hiruzen Sarutobi take action, thereby completely severing the master-disciple bond between Lady Tsunade and that old man.

This itself is not difficult to do. With Hai Yi's increasingly skilled Spirit Transformation Technique as an aid, many things can be accomplished without leaving any trace.

The four discussed the matter for a long time before parting ways. Tamura Hao didn't concern himself with it and continued his training, occasionally giving guidance to Uchiha Obito and Kakashi, while also asking Kakashi for advice on swordsmanship.

As for Nohara Rin, she is currently learning higher-level medical ninjutsu from Shizune and the others; her role is that of a medical ninja.

Minato Namikaze wasn't good at this, so Rin Nohara's improvement wasn't significant. Minato brought Rin here this time with the intention of having her learn from Tsunade.

"Clang clang clang..."

On a training field, Tamura Hao calmly defended against the combined attacks of Guy, Obito, and Kakashi, wielding an axe and shield.

Of the three, Might Guy is the strongest. Even without opening the Eight Gates, his strength alone is still astonishing.

The superhuman strength technique he cultivated differed from Tamura Hao's. It wasn't a skill-based approach, but rather a rigorous training method. Through years of practice, he transformed the application of superhuman strength into an instinctive part of his body, and the results were just as good.

However, this has some drawbacks, namely that it cannot generate explosive power beyond its limits, and the explosive power is almost constant.

This might be a shortcoming for others, but it's nothing for Might Guy, who has the Eight Gates and has no shortage of explosive power.

Coupled with his exquisite staff skills, the destructive power he displayed made Kakashi feel immense pressure.

Secondly, there's Kakashi. He has already mastered the Chidori Stream, and when combined with the White Fang Ninja Sword, it's incredibly sharp. Even Tamura Hao wouldn't dare to use his body to directly confront its edge.

Then there's Obito Uchiha. Although he was a little weaker than Kakashi, the difference wasn't significant.

Obito Uchiha, having awakened the three-tomoe form, was still very strong, definitely a Special Jonin.

If it weren't for his physical condition and chakra holding him back, he could definitely have reached the level of an elite Jonin.

Furthermore, Obito Uchiha is secretly learning Kakashi Hatake's Chidori, and he only needs to train in the nature transformation of lightning to master it.

However, Tamura Hao is even stronger. He wields an axe in one hand and a shield in the other, making him adept at both offense and defense. Even when surrounded by three people, he can still fight back and forth.

Of course, this pair of axe and shield is much more advanced. Although it does not incorporate chakra-conducting metal, the materials used are extremely hard. It is a weapon that Tamura Hao made for himself in his normal state.

After fighting fiercely for an unknown period of time, Obito and Kakashi had no choice but to retreat and cease hostilities.

The main problem was that his chakra and stamina were running out. Looking at the two who were still fighting fiercely, he couldn't help but think they were crazy.

Those two have incredible stamina; they seem to have no fatigue after fighting for so long, not even breaking a sweat.

However, having witnessed their training methods, they could understand that one's physical strength must be exceptional to undergo such inhuman training.

The two fought fiercely for a long time, until Tamura Hao finally stopped and sent Might Guy flying with his axe, along with his staff.

"I lost again, so my punishment is to do a handstand and circle the mountain city a thousand times!"

Might Guy sighed in disappointment, then suddenly seemed to be injected with adrenaline, flipped over, and ran upside down with his hands on the ground, disappearing in a flash.

After glancing at the two who had resumed their fight after resting, Tamura Hao went to the side, picked up his thermos, took a swig, and finally let out a long, satisfying breath.

"Obito and Kakashi improved very quickly."

At that moment, a figure walked over; it was Minato Namikaze.

Minato Namikaze was very pleased to see the two students sparring.

After arriving here, all three students found their own paths. Kakashi completed the technique ahead of time, and Obito also awakened the Sharingan, specifically the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Rin is also learning from Tsunade-senpai, and she will definitely become an excellent medical ninja in the future.

"Minato-senpai!"

After nodding and greeting Minato Namikaze, Tamura Hiroshi turned his gaze back to the two men.

"They are all very talented, especially Obito. Kakashi is also excellent, but his inner conflict is a problem."

"It's much better than before."

Minato Namikaze was aware of this problem, but it could only be changed gradually. Moreover, Kakashi had changed a lot since the first time he was seen. He believed that as long as he continued, he would eventually be able to overcome that shadow.

"Hao, did you seal the Two-Tails' chakra?"

Suddenly the topic of the Two-Tails' chakra came up. The Third Hokage had written to him asking him to investigate.

After all, the power of the tailed beasts is very dangerous; they can easily go berserk and out of control if one is not careful.

"A portion of it was sealed, mainly to be used in conjunction with a secret technique."

Tamura Hiroshi did not deny it, and pointed out that it was to be used in conjunction with the secret technique, rather than to seal it directly.

"The power of the Tailed Beasts is dangerous, so don't try it rashly. You can talk to Jiupin when you return to the village later."

Minato Namikaze expressed his concern, as he had high hopes for the boy, considering him even more outstanding than Kakashi.

"Thank you, Minato-senpai, I will go."

"Your talent is excellent; it's only a matter of time before you reach my level. Why did you suddenly decide to risk borrowing the power of a tailed beast?"

Minato Namikaze couldn't understand this. According to the information he got from Kumogakure, the amount of Two-Tails chakra he obtained was not much, far less than that of the entire Tailed Beast.

However, the risks of using the tailed beast's chakra will not decrease, making it a losing proposition.

"Minato-senpai wanted to become Hokage, and so does I. Of course, I have to work hard."

When expressing his dream of becoming Hokage, Tamura Hao appeared very honest and showed a firm determination.

"You also want to compete to become Hokage?"

Minato Namikaze was a little confused. "You're only eleven years old, okay?"

"Not the fourth, but the fifth Hokage. Once you retire, Minato-senpai, I will strive to become the fifth Hokage."

In any case, none of Minato's three disciples were qualified to become Hokage. Obito was a member of the Uchiha clan, Kakashi had the White Fang's suicide behind him, and Rin's aptitude was limited.

"The future Fifth Hokage will definitely have to be chosen from among others, and as the grand-disciple of the Third Hokage, I believe I am qualified to compete."

He shook his head slightly, indicating that he was eyeing the Fifth Hokage. At the end, Tamura Hao also mentioned his status as the grand-disciple of the Third Hokage.

This means that he is a third-generation member of the "red lineage," one of their own.

"Hao, you are indeed the most outstanding among the next generation."

After a moment of silence, Minato Namikaze agreed, but his gaze turned to the two students who were sparring and training.

Both of their identities are indeed problematic. As for the Uchiha clan, it goes without saying that they definitely cannot become Hokage, as too many people oppose it, including the Third Hokage and others.

Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake, died under suspicious circumstances. Even Kakashi himself found it strange. As a core member of the Akimichi family, Tamura Hiroshi must know some of the hidden details.

That was definitely a huge secret, one that even he dared not touch.

Kakashi's path to becoming Hokage is virtually impossible unless all those other Hokage pass away.

"Minato-kun!"

Just then, a gentle voice came from behind.

Minato Namikaze turned around upon hearing the voice and found a red-haired woman, which puzzled him.

"Who are you?"

Thinking back, I realized I had absolutely no recollection of this person.

"Oh, come on, I'm Kushina. Thank you for saving me back then, Minato-kun."

Kushina Uzumaki's pretty face was flushed. Although she was eventually taken away by the Third Raikage, she was still very grateful for Minato Namikaze's rescue and often thought of him over the years.

"Kushina? You're still alive!"

That name shocked Minato Namikaze. How could Kushina still be alive?

"Tsunade-sensei never gave up investigating Kushina all these years. After learning that Kushina was still alive, she returned to the village and asked our Ino-Shika-Cho clan to help plan a rescue. In the end, we took advantage of the battle between Iwagakure and Kumogakure to capture the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and exchanged him for Kushina."

Tamura Hao, standing to the side, offered a comment, firmly pinning the blame on Fat Sheep Teacher's head.

This was agreed upon beforehand; everything is Teacher Feiyang's will.

Upon receiving confirmation, Minato Namikaze was thrown into turmoil.

In the past, he would have been overjoyed to see Kushina return safely, after all, she was his first love and the white moonlight in his heart.

But now he has a girlfriend, and they are even discussing marriage.

Kushina's return at this moment...

"Minato-kun, I bought two tickets at the movie theater. Want to go see something?"

Seeing Minato Namikaze stunned, Kushina Uzumaki stepped forward and invited him, her face flushing even more.

"I...I still need to report the mission to Senior Qufeng."

Minato Namikaze, whose mind was in complete turmoil, made an excuse and quickly turned to leave.

"I'll be waiting for you at the movie theater!"

Kushina Uzumaki didn't think much of it and said, "See you at the movie theater."

"I never knew you had such a gentle side, Kushina-neechan. You weren't just faking it, were you?"

Tamura Hao then sized up Kushina Uzumaki, who looked like she was in love at first sight. He had never seen her like this before, and it was quite novel.

"Mind your own business!"

With a disgruntled glare, Kushina Uzumaki rushed off to the movie theater.

She took her first date with Minato very seriously and even dressed up specially before going out.

"As a tool, you've done a good job!"

Tamura Hao, however, revealed a satisfied smile, quite pleased with Minato Namikaze's reaction just now. Clearly, this tactic had worked, throwing Minato's mind into disarray.

Indeed, the most ruthless tactic is winning hearts and minds! (End of Chapter)