Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Kyusei carving through the Hidden Stone ranks as if no one were there, and his spirit surged.
With power like this—why should I fear a four-nation alliance?
"Kill!"
Hiruzen roared, leading Konoha's forces in a full charge toward the now completely collapsing Hidden Stone army!
Under the absolute pressure of Kyusei's overwhelming strength, the Hidden Stone shinobi—already leaderless—had only been able to counterattack earlier by clinging to sheer willpower. But once the heat of blood cooled and reason returned, reality hit them like a blade.
What stood before them was the strongest Third Hokage of the Five Great Villages, the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, and Orochimaru of the Sannin!
No amount of hot-blooded resolve could bridge such a terrifying gap in strength.
What awaited them now was cold steel, merciless reality, and an irreversible defeat.
The moment the first shinobi broke and fled, it spread like a plague—second, third, fourth…
And when Kyusei fired yet another miniature Tailed Beast Ball, the last remnants of their fighting spirit shattered completely.
This was not a battle they could resist.
Weapons shifted endlessly in Kyusei's hands. Every swing claimed a living life.
He was like a force of nature, crushing Hidden Stone shinobi as effortlessly as ants beneath his feet.
But just as Kyusei was about to continue the pursuit—
A hand clamped tightly around his wrist.
"Stop!"
"We've already won!"
Jiraiya shouted sternly, staring at the boy who now treated life as grass beneath his boots.
"What—are you sick or something?"
Kyusei snapped back, incredulous.
"They're defeated! They're running! Why are you still killing them?!"
If Kyusei had only been sent out to break the enemy line, Jiraiya could barely accept Hiruzen's decision. But now—the defense was shattered, Huangtu was dead, and the Hidden Stone army was in full retreat.
Yet Kyusei showed no intention of stopping.
Jiraiya couldn't take it anymore.
"If you don't wipe out their remaining strength now, you're just waiting for them to come back!"
"Who's responsible for the deaths when that happens?!"
Kyusei felt his patience wearing thin as he stared at the stubborn man before him.
"When that time comes, I'll step up," Jiraiya said firmly.
He was kaoru's lover, and Jiraiya didn't want to put her in an impossible position. He couldn't stop their relationship—but that didn't mean he accepted this kid.
"Shut up!"
"Who do you think you are—some savior?!"
Kyusei flung Jiraiya aside and turned to continue the pursuit.
"Stop!"
Jiraiya blocked his path again, pleading earnestly.
"The future isn't set in stone! What if by then I've already found the Child of Prophecy—"
Bang!
A ruthless roundhouse kick sent the unguarded Jiraiya flying.
"The Child of Prophecy is still human," Kyusei said coldly. "And humans die."
"If Senju Hashirama couldn't do it, why are you so obsessed with a prophecy muttered by a toad?"
"Jiraiya—don't flatter yourself."
He looked at the man struggling back to his feet.
"And I've already shown restraint."
That much was true. To avoid friendly casualties, Kyusei had carefully controlled the power of every Tailed Beast Ball he used.
By now, Hiruzen had arrived at their side, his brows knitted tightly as he looked at Jiraiya.
He couldn't understand when his student had become like this.
Sympathizing with the enemy—on a battlefield.
"The Child of Prophecy will change the world," Jiraiya insisted. "War will end. Peace will come…"
"Heh. If the Child of Prophecy is that amazing," Kyusei sneered, "why does someone as shameless as you—some peeping tom—have to go look for him?"
Without another glance, Kyusei shot off toward the fleeing Hidden Stone forces.
"Kyusei!"
Jiraiya tried to follow—but a firm hand pressed down on his shoulder.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen said sharply, disappointment heavy in his voice, "return to Konoha."
"Leave the battlefield to Orochimaru."
Jiraiya stared blankly at his teacher, grief welling up in his chest.
Why is Kyusei like this? Why is Sensei like this too…?
He looked instinctively toward Orochimaru, who had arrived without him noticing.
"Sensei is right," Orochimaru said calmly. "Jiraiya."
Even Orochimaru…
Jiraiya felt completely lost.
Kyusei paid him no further attention and broke away from the main force, chasing the routed Hidden Stone shinobi alone.
Trees blurred past. Wind howled.
In Nine-Tails Mode, speed was unquestionable—Kyusei became a streak of golden light tearing through the forest.
Within his perception, a group of fleeing Hidden Stone shinobi lay about five kilometers ahead.
If not for that idiot Jiraiya, they wouldn't have gotten this far.
…Hm?
As he closed in, a vague chakra signature entered his perception.
This chakra—
Kyusei frowned.
It was enormous. Nearly on par with his own without the Nine-Tails.
And it felt… familiar.
But Kyusei quickly finished off the fleeing group. Seeing their panic, he didn't bother wasting words.
Adamantine chains locked them down. Wave Might Deity shifted forms. Arrows reaped lives.
Against such overwhelming disparity, they stood no chance.
Yet the distant chakra drew Kyusei's full attention now.
As he approached, that vast chakra became clearer and clearer—
Suddenly, Kyusei stopped dead in his tracks.
He looked utterly dumbfounded.
They noticed me?
He could feel it—this chakra's fluctuations were identical to those produced by his own Kagura's Mind's Eye.
And the distance between them was still around thirty kilometers.
That kind of perception range…
One person came to mind.
A figure who barely appeared in the original story—someone without even a proper name.
Uzumaki Karin's mother.
And considering the timeline, her presence in the Land of Grass actually made sense.
After the Uzumaki clan's destruction, some survivors had wandered the shinobi world…
Let's go take a look.
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