Yet a select few defied that rule.
Minato Namikaze was one — the Flying Raijin had already made him nearly unbeatable.
Might Guy was another: the Eight Gates could wound even Six Paths Madara.
That was nothing short of a miracle.
But right now, Guy was still far from those legendary days.
To most, he was just a laughingstock — a failure mocked and dismissed by all.
“Kurenai?”
Ryuu was unsurprised to see Guy here — but Yūhi Kurenai?
That was unexpected.
She was a genjutsu specialist; why would she be training taijutsu?
“Maybe she’s refining her chakra control… or her reserves are low too?” he wondered silently.
Genjutsu worked by disrupting and overriding the flow of chakra within the opponent’s mind — it demanded far finer control than most other arts.
Still, the thought passed quickly.
Whatever her reason, it was none of his concern.
Guy and Kurenai glanced over, equally surprised — Uchiha rarely came to the training grounds.
Ryuu gave them a brief nod, then turned to his own drills.
Thud — thud — thud!
Huff — huff — huff!
Before long, the clearing rang only with the sound of effort.
…
Iwagakure — The Tsuchikage’s Office
Ōnoki, known as Ōnoki of the Two Scales, hovered in mid‑air using Ultra‑Lightweight Rock Technique.
He had no choice — he was so short that if he sat normally, the desk would hide him entirely.
Before him stood Iwagakure’s highest ranking: Iwa, Akatsuchi, Bunya… and Han, the Five‑Tails Jinchūriki.
“Kannabi Bridge is gone.
Supply lines are severed.
Our troops stationed in the Land of Grass will hold out no more than three days!”
“To push forward without resupply is impossible.
We cannot force our way into Konoha — they need not even fight us head‑on; delay alone will starve us out.”
“Yet if we retreat… this war is lost!”
“Lord Tsuchikage — we must know your decision!” Bunya pressed anxiously.
All eyes turned to Ōnoki.
The war hung on a knife’s edge.
Ōnoki hovered with arms crossed, deep in thought.
Then he looked down, his gaze steel‑hard:
“All units advance at full speed.
Cross the Land of Grass and strike Konoha with every ounce we have!”
Iwa, Akatsuchi, and the others stared in alarm.
The cost would be catastrophic — enemy resistance, Konoha’s full force, and no supplies to sustain them.
It made no sense.
“Lord Tsuchikage… surely this is unwise?” Bunya chose his words carefully.
It looked like pure recklessness.
Ōnoki raised a hand, silencing him.
“Wait — hear me out.”
“Without supplies, we have already lost — only the timing differs.
We cannot defeat Konoha’s main force in open battle.
Not anymore.
“But we are not yet out of options.
Victory now demands risk — a bold stroke to turn the tide.”
His eyes blazed with sharp resolve.
“This full advance is a feint.
I intend to make Konoha believe we are lashing out in desperation.”
“When they see us surging through the Land of Grass, they will mobilize their armies to meet us.
The village will be left exposed.”
“The Yellow Flash, Shisui of the Body Flicker — they will march to the front.
The Third Hokage will remain, as he always does.”
“At that moment, I will lead a strike team straight into Konoha — and seize the Hokage himself.
With their leader in our hands, how can this war end in anything but our favor?”
As the plan unfolded, his listeners were stunned — and deeply impressed.
To strike at the heart of the enemy and capture their leader… it was breathtaking audacity.
“Lord Tsuchikage — is that not far too dangerous?” Iwa asked, concerned.
This was Konoha — the strongest village in the world.
“Konoha’s strength is waning,” Ōnoki countered firmly.
“Hiruzen is old.
The Sannin are gone.
The White Fang is dead.
Draw Minato and Shisui away… and the path opens.”
Confidence radiated from him.
He was the only Kage who could fly — and the only one who wielded a Kekkei Tōta, a power above even Bloodline Limits.
An aging Hiruzen Sarutobi would be no match for him.
“Monday to Friday – Update 3 Chapters a Day”
“Saturday and Sunday – Off”