"That kind of power... seriously..."
Natsuhiko's lips twitched as he stared at the scene before him. The explosion looked eerily similar to nuclear detonations he'd only ever seen in documentaries, and even he couldn't help the unease creeping into his mind.
But the feeling didn't last long.
In his previous life, he'd practically been one of those people obsessed with overwhelming firepower—the kind who believed there was no such thing as "too much." Now that he possessed such destructive capability himself, a thrill quickly replaced his earlier tension.
More importantly, he knew very well that the Tailed Beast Bomb he had just fired hadn't even reached its true limit.
If it had been the real Nine-Tails unleashing one, a single blast would probably be enough to wipe an entire city off the map.
For a first attempt—something he'd cobbled together using nothing more than his past experience experimenting with the Rasengan—this result was already more than impressive.
As for the true extent of a Tailed Beast Bomb's power…
The most terrifying one he remembered was from the Fourth Great Ninja War—the Ten-Tails' attack. That sphere of destruction had traveled hundreds of kilometers, cutting straight across the battlefield before obliterating the command headquarters in an instant.
And if not for Minato Namikaze and Tobirama Senju intervening to redirect the subsequent blasts, the entire front line might have been wiped out.
One of those redirected bombs, sent crashing into the ocean, had triggered massive tsunamis and earthquakes upon detonation. Even from a great distance, the shockwaves alone had been devastating.
It was almost impossible to imagine what it would look like if something like that exploded right in front of you.
Of course, Natsuhiko understood the difference. That level of power came from the Ten-Tails' chakra—a qualitative leap far beyond that of ordinary tailed beasts.
Still…
He wasn't exactly ordinary either.
"I might not reach that level just yet," he thought to himself, eyes narrowing slightly, "but with my… unique advantages, every use improves my proficiency. I can already feel it. Next time, it won't be as rough as this."
Yet as that thought settled, his expression suddenly shifted.
He had been so focused on marveling at the destructive force of his attack that he had overlooked something crucial.
The shockwave.
This wasn't something ordinary people could withstand.
Even if his Tailed Beast Bomb wasn't at full power, it was still devastating by any standard. Based on his understanding from his previous life—where he'd always compared such techniques to nuclear weapons—the blast he had just created would still fall into the "lower yield" category.
But even a low-yield explosion could level a small mountain.
And that kind of force was far beyond what normal humans could endure.
The people of Rōran had already fled, but given their speed, they couldn't have gotten far. Worse, their physical capabilities were nowhere near those of trained shinobi.
Even shinobi might struggle to survive a shockwave like this—let alone civilians.
"Good thing they're behind me," Natsuhiko muttered under his breath. "If they'd been in any other direction… this would've been a disaster."
With that realization, he no longer bothered to conceal his abilities.
His figure flickered—
—and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from his original position, reappearing beside Sara and the others.
He had left a marker on the Rōran refugees earlier, precisely to prevent something like this from happening.
Now, it was clear that decision had been the right one. More importantly, his reaction had been fast enough. There was still time.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Rampart!"
Golden chakra surged violently under his control as a massive wall of earth erupted from the sand in front of them, rising like a towering fortress.
The barrier loomed high, blocking out the sky as it stood between them and the incoming destruction.
But in the very next instant—
"Boom!"
The terrifying shockwave slammed into the wall.
Cracks spread across its surface almost immediately, and an overwhelming force punched straight through, pressing forward with unstoppable momentum.
For a moment, chaos erupted among the Rōran refugees.
People were thrown off their feet, collapsing in disarray, while both humans and livestock alike began bleeding from their ears and noses under the immense pressure. The desert itself seemed to go mad—sand whipped violently through the air, and a searing heat spread toward them at terrifying speed.
The refugees of Rōran fared relatively better. Though clearly suffering, they managed to grit their teeth and endure.
The animals, however, had no such restraint.
They let out frantic, panicked cries and bolted in every direction, completely losing control. Some of the unluckier horses had their internal organs shattered outright by the outer shockwave, collapsing to the ground where they slowly died. Others were flung beyond the protection of the barrier, only to be engulfed by the scorching energy that followed, their bodies igniting and turning to ash in an instant.
This nightmare continued for what felt like an eternity before, at last, the power of the Tailed Beast Bomb began to weaken.
At first, the change was subtle—almost imperceptible—but Natsuhiko caught it immediately.
"This is… way too exaggerated," he muttered inwardly.
His gaze shifted to the massive earthen wall he had created, and he couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
The structure was on the verge of collapse. Countless cracks, like a sprawling spiderweb, had spread across its surface. If the shockwave had persisted even a little longer, there was no doubt it would have failed to hold.
...
"Is it… over?"
Once the tremors finally subsided, Sara's voice broke the silence, soft and uncertain. Her eyes instinctively turned toward Natsuhiko.
"What just happened?"
"There was a bit of an accident," Natsuhiko replied calmly, sensing the last remnants of the disturbance fade away. He gave a small shake of his head, making no attempt to hide the truth. "I didn't control my power properly."
After a brief pause, he continued, his tone steady.
"But overall, it shouldn't be a problem. Even if we can't see them, the enemy's condition is unlikely to be any better than ours. Get things organized—we're leaving as soon as possible."
In truth, Natsuhiko had no clear idea what had become of those Akatsuki members—or the one who had been secretly observing from the shadows.
The Tailed Beast Bomb had thrown the surrounding area into complete chaos, making sensory detection difficult. It wasn't impossible for him to track them down, but it simply wasn't worth the effort.
Anyone caught in that blast was either dead or barely clinging to life.
Finishing them off would normally be the prudent choice—but the scale of the explosion was far too large. There was no way Sunagakure hadn't noticed.
By the time he tracked them down, who knew how long it would take? Sand shinobi from nearby might already be on their way.
Leaving immediately was the smartest move.
"I understand," Sara said quickly. She wasn't foolish—she grasped his meaning right away. Still, a trace of concern lingered in her voice. "Are you really alright? That kind of battle…"
"I'm fine. This level of combat is still within my limits."
Natsuhiko shook his head, though his expression grew more serious.
"There's something I need to make clear," he added, his gaze sharpening. "I'm not a shinobi from any village. I came to you purely for the Ryūmyaku. You don't know me. Understood?"
"…I…"
Sara froze for a moment, but when she met his indifferent eyes, she quickly nodded, her expression turning resolute.
"I understand. You came only for the Ryūmyaku, and I merely made a deal with you. Nothing more."
"Yes. Nothing more. Pleasure doing business."
"Pleasure… doing business…"
...
"Cough, cough, cough, cough…"
In the desert, a coughing sound emerged from beneath the sand.
With the wind blowing, a section of the desert collapsed, revealing a semi-spherical object of gold encasing a person.
That person was Rasa. But he looked utterly pathetic—his clothes tattered, blood seeping from his wounds.
The explosion had been terrifying. Even though he'd sensed something was wrong, he'd still underestimated the blast's aftermath.
"What… what kind of monster was that?"
Rasa collapsed onto the ground, his mind still reeling from the devastation he had just witnessed. The sheer scale of the explosion was something he couldn't erase from his memory—and more than that, he simply couldn't comprehend how a single person could unleash something like a Tailed Beast Bomb.
As a Kage, he was naturally familiar with such techniques.
Even though the One-Tail had never demonstrated that kind of power, Sunagakure's predecessors had encountered other tailed beasts before. Their intelligence archives contained detailed records, and he understood all too well just how horrifying a Tailed Beast Bomb could be.
In that moment… he had truly believed he was going to die.
Fortunately, at the critical instant, he had made the right decision. That single correct response had allowed him to survive.
Even so, he had been far too close to the center of the blast.
After all, he had been pursuing from behind, hiding just beyond the three members of the Akatsuki. And Natsuhiko's Tailed Beast Bomb had been launched directly at them—placing him squarely within the area of destruction.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, Rasa slowly forced himself to his feet. As the desert winds howled and sand swept across the land, his gaze instinctively drifted toward the site of the explosion.
The moment he saw it, his entire body trembled.
In the vast expanse of the desert, an enormous crater had appeared out of nowhere—hundreds of meters wide and deep. Around its edges, flames still burned fiercely, refusing to die out.
Chaotic, disordered chakra lingered in the air, saturating the surroundings, while the scent of death seemed almost tangible.
This was not power that a human should possess.
It was so overwhelming, so absurd, that it felt fundamentally wrong—something that defied all reason.
"…A person like that…" Rasa murmured after a long silence, letting out a low, heavy sigh. "Just what is he? Why does someone like this exist in the shinobi world?"
Even now, he still couldn't determine exactly who had been fighting. The only thing he had clearly seen was a figure cloaked in a layer of faint golden chakra.
As for the three people opposing that mysterious individual, they did seem somewhat familiar—he had been close enough at the time to catch a glimpse.
One of them, in particular, stood out immediately.
"Sasori… did he kill the Third Kazekage?"
Rasa's expression turned grim. Sasori had once been a genius of Sunagakure—there was no way he could fail to recognize him.
If Sasori had never defected, it was entirely possible that the title of Fourth Kazekage might never have fallen to Rasa at all.
After all, Sasori's backing had been immense. With Chiyo and Ebizō supporting him, his rise would have been almost inevitable.
But there were no "what ifs" in reality.
And now, at the very least, Rasa could finally shatter the lingering illusions Chiyo still held.
"Besides Sasori… one of the others looked familiar as well," he continued to think, piecing together his memory. "If I'm not mistaken, that was Kakuzu—the legendary bounty hunter."
As for the last one…
He had no idea.
Konan was completely unknown to him. Under Nagato's isolationist rule, the Land of Rain had cut off nearly all external communication. Combined with the Akatsuki's relatively low profile, the shinobi world still believed that Amegakure was under the leadership of Hanzo of the Salamander.
No one knew that the country had already changed hands.
And even fewer knew… that Hanzo himself was long dead.
In the original story, the news of Hanzo's death had been tightly concealed by the Akatsuki.
It wasn't until more than a decade later, when Jiraiya personally infiltrated the Land of Rain to investigate the organization, that he was shocked to discover the truth—that Hanzo of the Salamander had long since been killed by his own disciple.
Kakuzu, however, had never been someone who kept a low profile. As a notorious bounty hunter, his name had appeared on the watchlists of nearly every major shinobi village.
"…But it doesn't matter anymore," Rasa muttered, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "Those people are probably dead. No one could survive that kind of saturated attack."
His injuries were far from light, and every movement sent waves of pain through his body. He needed to return and recover as soon as possible. More importantly, there were things he had to report.
At this point, he no longer had any thoughts of pursuing the Rōran refugees, nor did he care to confirm whether that mysterious figure had any connection to Konoha.
In fact, after watching for so long, he had even begun to doubt whether that man was Senju Natsuhiko at all.
The fighting style he had just witnessed was completely different from what the intelligence reports described.
Still… in a way, he felt fortunate.
He was glad he hadn't issued any large-scale mobilization orders.
If he had sent out a full force to intercept—and that man, cloaked in golden chakra, had chosen to act—then the outcome might have been a repeat of that humiliating encounter with Senju Natsuhiko… or perhaps something even worse.
"But that golden chakra… what exactly was it?" Rasa wondered silently as he limped away through the desert. "Could it be… the power of the Ryūmyaku?"
The Ryūmyaku was something he had coveted for a long time.
Yet he knew all too well that he had no way of breaking the seal left behind by Minato Namikaze. Without that, he had never had the chance to act. All he could do was wait—wait for some distant opportunity that might never come.
And now… even that possibility had slipped through his fingers.
Still, Rasa was no ordinary man. If something was unattainable, he would let it go.
Clinging stubbornly to it and inviting trouble would only bring unnecessary losses.
...
In a secluded corner of the desert, once the storm of sand had finally subsided, Konan gently laid the bodies of Kakuzu and Sasori on the ground.
She herself was covered in wounds. The black cloak adorned with red clouds she wore was now torn and tattered, barely holding together.
The terrifying explosion—and the unimaginable shockwave that followed—refused to leave her mind. Even now, her thoughts echoed with the memory of what had just happened.
What kind of attack was that?
What kind of power could possibly achieve something like this?
Even Nagato, in his current state, likely couldn't unleash such devastating force in a single strike.
What unsettled her even more was the realization that the man they had faced seemed to have no obvious weaknesses.
His speed was so overwhelming that they hadn't even dared to let him get close. His strength was absolute—undeniably crushing.
And more critically, even when they had attempted to keep their distance, using long-range attacks and defenses to wear him down and search for an opening, they discovered something terrifying—
He still had even more horrifying methods at his disposal.
That kind of all-encompassing strength was suffocating.
That kind of power was incomprehensible.
And facing an enemy like that…
was nothing short of despair.
What made it worse was his attitude. Throughout the entire battle, he had treated them as if they were nothing more than playthings—casually toying with them.
That, more than anything else, left Konan with a deep sense of helplessness.
"…Even if Nagato had come, he might not have been able to deal with him," she murmured softly, shaking her head. "Especially in his current condition…"
Nagato's state was far from good. Not only was he unable to walk due to his injuries…
Moreover, according to that man who called himself Uchiha Madara, Nagato had yet to fully master the power of the Rinnegan.
Under such circumstances, Konan couldn't help but feel a lingering unease—if Nagato were to face that man, Natsuhiko, head-on, the outcome might not be as certain as she once believed.
And yet, she still had faith in him.
After all, Nagato was the wielder of the Rinnegan—the one destined to bring about change to the entire world.
Taking a slow, steady breath, Konan forced those chaotic thoughts aside and lowered her gaze to Kakuzu and Sasori.
Both of them had faced that devastating attack head-on. Even though they had used their strongest defenses, the result had still been grim.
At the most critical moment, she had expanded her paper shield to its absolute limit, forming a thick protective wall before swiftly lifting the two of them into the air and fleeing the blast zone.
But now, it seemed all she had managed to retrieve… were two corpses.
That attack had been far too terrifying—far beyond anything she could easily accept.
"…Still, that kind of technique must require some time to prepare," Konan murmured, shaking her head slightly as her thoughts returned to the battle. "As long as we don't give him the opportunity, it's manageable."
In truth, their dire situation had stemmed largely from a lack of intelligence. If they had known more about Natsuhiko's abilities beforehand, they would never have been forced into such a passive position.
And although the technique he used was overwhelmingly powerful, it was clear that he had needed time to prepare it.
That alone was a critical opening—a weakness that could be exploited.
Unfortunately… they had realized it far too late.
"But now that we know," she continued inwardly, her expression hardening, "next time, it won't be so difficult…"
Biting her lip, Konan turned to leave. This mission had been meant to recruit Sasori, and while she had technically succeeded, he had ultimately died right in front of her—a result that left a bitter weight in her chest.
But there was nothing more she could do here.
In her current condition, staying any longer would serve no purpose. What mattered now was returning and reporting everything that had happened today.
"…Hm?"
Just as she turned, a strange chakra presence suddenly rushed toward her, sharp and unnatural.
Her body tensed instantly.
In the next moment, the sand beneath her feet began to shift, and from within it, a grotesque, misshapen puppet clawed its way to the surface.
It glanced at her briefly before reaching into its own chest and pulling out something resembling a scroll.
The moment the scroll was removed, the puppet lost all movement, collapsing lifelessly. Meanwhile, the scroll itself seemed almost alive—it leapt forward, embedding itself directly into the heavily damaged puppet nearby.
The next instant—
The Sasori who had shown no signs of life or chakra suddenly opened his eyes.
Slowly, with visible effort, he pushed himself upright.
"…What an impressive technique," Konan said, immediately understanding what had happened. "You've turned your entire body into a puppet… that's how you survived."
"I would have preferred to keep that a secret," Sasori replied calmly, his tone as indifferent as ever. "But it seems that's no longer possible. Still… I should thank you for bringing this body back."
"So you've survived," Konan said, her gaze shifting to Kakuzu's motionless form beside him. After a brief pause, she let out a quiet sigh. "It seems he won't be getting back up."
"Perhaps not," Sasori said, shaking his head slightly. "I have to admit, that attack was truly terrifying. The power of the Ryūmyaku… exceeded all expectations."
Konan's eyes returned to him, her expression cooling as her voice turned sharp.
"In that case," she said evenly, "you should start explaining everything you know about the Ryūmyaku in detail."
She paused for a moment, then added, her tone carrying a faint edge of cold authority:
"And that man… what exactly was he? It's time we had a proper discussion."
"I understand."
Sasori nodded, though the movement seemed slightly stiff as he turned his head toward Konan.
"I don't know everything," he admitted calmly, "but I've already etched this grudge into my memory. So I won't hide anything."
His voice grew colder, more resolute.
"Because one day… I will repay him properly for everything he's done to me."
There was no hesitation in his words.
That figure, cloaked in golden chakra, was burned deep into his mind like a nightmare he could never escape. This encounter had been the closest he had ever come to death.
He was an artist who pursued eternity—and yet, in a single instant, that man had nearly destroyed everything he stood for, nearly shattered his so-called eternal art.
How could he not hate him?
How could he not despise him?
"…I don't know who you are," Sasori thought silently, his gaze darkening, "but I'll remember you."
"I'll remember you well… and one day, I will defeat you."
...
"Ninjutsu: Spiraling Tailed Beast Bomb!"
At a port in the Land of Wind, Natsuhiko stood bathed in golden chakra as he surged forward at blinding speed toward a Sunagakure shinobi.
In his hand spun a black sphere, resembling a Rasengan, yet far more ominous—its swirling surface radiated an aura of pure destruction.
The sand ninja couldn't even track Natsuhiko's movement, let alone mount any meaningful defense.
All he could do was watch helplessly as Natsuhiko closed the distance in an instant—
—and drove that black sphere straight into his chest.
"Ahhh—!"
The scream tore through the air as the man was sent flying backward. But before he could even hit the ground, his body disintegrated midair, breaking apart into fine particles that scattered into nothingness.
Watching this, Natsuhiko couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
"The power of this technique is… honestly a bit excessive."
With the assistance of his system, he had already gained control over the use of this jutsu. But what troubled him was just how overwhelmingly destructive it remained.
He had tried repeatedly to reduce its potency by limiting the degree of chakra fusion within the attack, hoping to avoid turning every strike into a fatal blow.
And yet, even after weakening it to the point where he felt it should barely hold together—
its lethality hadn't decreased in the slightest.
That left him feeling rather helpless.
It seemed that a technique like the Tailed Beast Bomb, one that likely involved Yin-Yang Release at its core, simply wasn't suited for use against individual targets.
Its destructive capability was unquestionable—perfect for annihilating enemies outright—
but utterly unsuited for subduing them.
Still, Natsuhiko didn't dwell on it for long. At the very least, he now had a clearer understanding of the technique's limits—both its ceiling and its floor. With that knowledge, he could refine how to bring out its full potential.
"What's strange, though… is Sunagakure's response this time."
As he dispersed the Nine-Tails' chakra surrounding him, his body quickly returned to its normal state.
The entire operation had gone far too smoothly—so smoothly that it almost felt unnatural.
Aside from the unexpected encounter with the Akatsuki, everything had proceeded without issue. And even that had turned into an unexpected gain, as he had managed to defeat all three of them using his newly developed ability.
Still…
Something felt off.
"Even now, they haven't launched any large-scale pursuit," he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Did something happen inside Sunagakure?"
For Natsuhiko, another question had always lingered in the back of his mind—whether or not he should create a separate identity.
Now that he held the position of ANBU commander, many actions were no longer convenient for him. His public image was that of a righteous, almost flawless figure—someone who stood in the light.
That made it difficult to personally handle darker matters.
Yet at the same time, in order to strengthen his influence, there was very little he could afford to hide under the name "Senju Natsuhiko."
Even his Sage Mode—one of the few abilities he had initially concealed—had eventually been revealed in order to gain Minato Namikaze's trust.
As for Wood Release, Lizardmaru, and the Flying Thunder God Technique…
Those had already become his unmistakable trademarks.
Natsuhiko didn't regret exposing so much of his strength.
Without those abilities as his foundation, he knew he never would have made it this far.
After all, in the world of shinobi, power always came first. Schemes and strategies were merely tools—useful, yes, but ultimately secondary to strength itself.
Trying to rely on clever tricks without the power to back them up would only lead to one outcome: being completely dominated by others, with no chance of ever turning the tables.
And that was something Natsuhiko refused to accept.
He had no intention of being controlled, nor of allowing anyone to see him as someone easy to bully. Having enough strength to make others recognize and fear his capabilities—that, in itself, was both valuable and necessary.
"…Though now that I think about it," he mused, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "it seems I've accidentally created a second identity."
He glanced back at the Rōran refugees, who were already making their way toward him, and the smile deepened slightly.
The earlier battle had been somewhat frustrating. Without using the Flying Thunder God Technique or Wood Release, breaking through his opponents' defenses hadn't been easy at all.
At one point, he had even considered abandoning the restraint entirely—falling back on his usual methods to launch a decisive ambush and simply fulfill his promise that way.
Fortunately, the Nine-Tails had reminded him in time, helping him realize there was still another path.
And the result…
Not only had he avoided fully exposing himself as "Senju Natsuhiko," but he had also created a completely distinct combat style—an entirely separate persona.
"A pleasant surprise," he thought.
With this new identity, there were many things he could now do—things that wouldn't be appropriate under his original name.
For example…
He could use this persona to target other Jinchūriki.
"Senju Natsuhiko" was a figure of righteousness, someone who walked in darkness as a member of the ANBU while striving toward the light of the Hokage.
But this new identity?
It could act without restraint—cold, pragmatic, unconcerned with appearances—as long as it remained undiscovered.
"Once I get back, I'll need to plan this out properly," he continued inwardly. "How to use this identity… who the targets should be… all of it."
Now that he had access to the Nine-Tails' chakra—and even managed to manifest a smaller version of it—another thought had begun to take shape in his mind:
Could he… create the Ten-Tails?
The sheer terror of the Ten-Tails' power was undeniable. Just looking at Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha was enough—neither of them had fully completed their transformation, yet both had already stepped into the realm of the Six Paths.
Obito, in particular, was the more telling example.
Madara was one thing—his strength had long surpassed human limits, and even without the Ten-Tails, his experience and abilities alone were enough to overwhelm Obito completely.
Especially after his revival, when he obtained senjutsu chakra, granting him the means to contend with Six Paths–level opponents.
Ordinary chakra was useless against beings of that level—
but senjutsu chakra was different.
As for Obito… before becoming a Six Paths–level existence, it wasn't even certain he could defeat Kakashi in a fair fight. Despite his reputation, his combat performance had often been underwhelming.
And yet, after becoming the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, driven by sheer will—by his obsession with Rin—he managed to suppress the Ten-Tails and ascend into the Six Paths realm.
That alone spoke volumes.
The enhancement granted by the Ten-Tails was beyond imagination.
There was no way Natsuhiko could ignore such power.
And unlike Obito, who had to rely on sheer willpower to suppress the Ten-Tails, Natsuhiko wouldn't face the same risk. If he truly created one, it would be a product of his system—something inherently connected to his own will.
...
"Thank you for your help, sir."
Sara's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
She had already approached him, her posture respectful as she spoke with sincere gratitude.
"Without you, we might never have been able to leave the Land of Wind… perhaps not even survive."
"There's no need to thank me," Natsuhiko replied with a small shake of his head, a faint smile returning to his face as he pulled out a scroll from his ninja pouch. "If anything, you should thank yourself."
"If you hadn't agreed to the deal, I wouldn't have helped you in the first place," he continued calmly. "You simply made the right choice. As for me… I'm a shinobi. Keeping my word is part of the job."
He handed her the scroll.
"This is the payment I promised earlier. I added a bit extra—I imagine you'll need it for your new beginning."
Sara nodded, accepting the scroll without hesitation. With so many people depending on her, starting over would require significant resources—this was something she couldn't afford to refuse.
But after putting it away, she lifted her gaze and looked at him earnestly. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke again:
"I still don't know your name… even just a codename would be enough. That way, I—"
"A name?"
Before she could finish, Natsuhiko interrupted her.
He paused, thinking for a moment—then suddenly smiled.
"…How about 'Gin'?" he said lightly. "Sakata Gintoki."