Chapter 283: We Meet Again
Konoha Village, Ninja Academy.
In a corner of the playground, Tenten was half-squatting, facing a particularly fat white cat.
"Chubby kitty, did you eat everyone's lunch?"
"Meow~ I would never steal food... Burp..."
Tenten was helpless. She looked out over the playground, where a certain person was running for dear life.
"Oh!! 98 more laps, I won't be hungry even if I don't eat lunch!!!"
"Chubby kitty, later..."
Before Tenten could finish speaking, a teacher on the playground shouted loudly.
"First-year students, you may go out for lunch today! Those whose parents are not home can come to me for a lunch allowance!"
In a hidden corner not far away, Hiruzen and Sakumo were observing Tenten.
"Is there anything special about that little girl? Why is Elder Masahiko's pet with her?"
Sakumo hesitated for a moment. "Elder Masahiko's Taobao Shop... seems to have been bought by her family..."
Hiruzen's mouth twitched. He just remembered that when they thought Masahiko had died, they sold his shop to raise war funds. Masahiko probably just hadn't remembered it earlier.
"I feel like my old life is going to end here... and Danzo, I don't know how Elder Masahiko will deal with him."
...
North of Konoha Village, Masahiko was using Space Ninjutsu to travel.
"That Fat Cat has gotten even better at eating. It ate all the lunches of the entire first year. That must be thirty or forty portions. Good thing it was just kids' lunches, so it shouldn't be too much, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to keep it..."
"But it actually followed Tenten to the Ninja Academy. It seems they are getting along well. Tenten probably had quite a headache..."
Thinking of this, Masahiko suddenly remembered his shop.
"Almost forgot my Taobao Shop... Dealing with Danzo is the priority. I'll settle Hiruzen's crimes later!"
Masahiko already had a rough plan in his mind for how to deal with Danzo.
Danzo's methods this time weren't too extreme, and the reanimated Tobirama had also pleaded for him earlier. Masahiko planned to first beat his face to a pulp, then drag him to the Land of Whirlpools and let Kushina beat his face to a pulp again.
However, this also depended on the situation. If he dared to resist, then he would cripple him...
There was also another scenario. If, during the two years Masahiko was "away," Danzo dared to implant any Sharingan or Hashirama cells into his body, then he shouldn't blame Masahiko for playing dirty.
At the northern border of the Land of Fire, Masahiko sensed the location of the Konoha camp. However, Danzo's chakra wasn't there; it was two kilometers east of the camp.
"He got the news and is hiding from me?"
When he rushed over, he found Danzo leaning against a tree, gazing in the direction Masahiko was coming from.
Seeing Masahiko, he didn't panic either.
"Elder Masahiko, you have arrived."
Masahiko frowned. Danzo getting the news that he was still alive wasn't surprising, after all, he hadn't intentionally hidden it.
But this attitude of Danzo's...
Sensing Danzo's chakra from close range, Masahiko breathed a slight sigh of relief. There were no abnormal fluctuations mixed in, which at least proved he hadn't modified his body.
"You were waiting for me?"
Danzo nodded. "I know why you are here, and I want to have a chat with you."
Masahiko paused. "How did you know I was going to beat your face to a pulp?"
Danzo's mouth twitched, and it took a long while for him to reply, "Your way of thinking is indeed out of the ordinary."
Masahiko smiled. "If you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm in a hurry. After I beat you up, I still have to drag you to find Kushina so she can beat you up again."
Danzo: "..."
He silently turned around and walked away from the Land of Fire, heading towards the Land of Rivers. His speed wasn't fast; it didn't look like he was trying to run away.
Masahiko followed in a few steps. "What, you want to walk and talk?"
Danzo nodded. "Elder Masahiko, I want to know if you truly encountered a situation this time, or if you intentionally faked your death?"
"The Land of Whirlpools suffered quite a loss, and it was fortunate that the Cloud Village didn't attack for some reason, otherwise the losses would have been even greater. What do you think my situation was?"
Danzo nodded in understanding. "You don't know why the Cloud Village withdrew their troops?"
Masahiko was stunned, and Danzo continued, "The 'B' in this generation's A-B Combo of the Cloud Village is a perfect Jinchuriki, just like Lady Mito. He seems to have a history with your disciple Nagato, and refused to attack the Land of Whirlpools back then. Without him, the Cloud Village would lose half their combat power. The Fourth Raikage had no choice but to turn around and attack Konoha instead."
Masahiko's face twitched. So that was what happened.
"Killer Bee probably finally found someone who appreciates his rap and considers Nagato a soulmate..."
Masahiko turned to glance at Danzo. "See, our people in the Land of Whirlpools have a wide circle of friends, which comes in handy at critical moments. You always walk around with a gloomy face. If I beat you up, aside from Hiruzen, everyone else would probably clap and cheer."
Danzo: "..."
The two walked further and further, deeper into the Land of Rivers. The atmosphere grew heavy, and Danzo found himself momentarily "speechless."
"Anything else to talk about? Aren't you going to defend yourself regarding Naruto's matter?"
Danzo shook his head. "If you truly were gone, Konoha needed a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki entirely loyal to Konoha to stabilize the situation."
"Back then, we tried every means possible to keep Kushina Uzumaki, but in the end, we even lost the genius Minato Namikaze."
Masahiko smiled and shook his head. "If I truly were gone, keeping Naruto wouldn't have been of any use to you. You haven't seen the sealing formula on Naruto, have you? I placed it personally. Naruto wouldn't be able to draw out a single drop of the Nine-Tails' power."
Danzo's face stiffened. "Actually... no, there would always be a way."
Masahiko smiled. "Meaning, you still don't regret it even now?"
Danzo stopped in his tracks. "I do not regret it."
"Then I'm going to start hitting you. Are you going to fight back?" Masahiko asked with a warm smile.
Danzo paused, then suddenly took off his outer coat...
He then threw the coat towards Masahiko, flashing him with a very 'gay' move.
"Ew~" Masahiko looked thoroughly disgusted. He really didn't dare to take this move head-on. With a slight focus of his mind, Danzo's coat entered his space.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Danzo rapidly retreated, opening up a distance from Masahiko.
Masahiko frowned, somewhat puzzled. "You should know that distance is completely useless with the gap between us."
Danzo formed hand seals. "As long as I have this instant, it is enough! Edo Tensei!"
Masahiko smiled warmly. "As Tobirama's assistant back then, you really did secretly learn this ninjutsu."
Even though he had the chance to stop it, Masahiko didn't act, waiting for the single coffin to rise in front of Danzo.
"Just one? Let me guess who it is. I feel like there will be a little surprise..."
The coffin slowly opened, revealing a familiar face.
The person in the coffin slowly opened his eyes, immediately spotted Masahiko opposite him, then looked at the surrounding environment, and squeezed two words out of his mouth: "Bastard!"
Masahiko almost laughed out loud. "Madara, we meet again. It seems you still want to see... the sandbag-sized fist!"
Madara: "..."
This damn ninjutsu!
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you