Chapter 121: Nawaki Awakens, Tsunade's Gratitude, Third Raikage Masters Haki, Allied Declaration of War on Konoha, and Naraku's Indifference
During the period after the weapons were delivered, the ninja world remained calm.
On this day, while forging, Naraku learned that Nawaki had begun showing unconscious movements. Naraku understood Nawaki was about to wake up.
He immediately used the Dimensional Array to rush to the Land of Iron without stopping.
Naraku sensed the situation inside Nawaki's body and found the various forces had finally reached balance.
However, possibly due to the long coma, Naraku felt Nawaki's muscles had slightly atrophied.
So Naraku hurriedly brought Nawaki from the Land of Iron back to Konoha. He placed Nawaki on the bed. Soon Maiya arrived.
After waking, Nawaki talked with Maiya for a while and learned what had happened before his coma.
He also understood that he had used "Incursio" to defeat the enemy and protect his teammates.
Naraku gratefully said to Naraku: "Thank you, Master Naraku. If not for 'Incursio,' I couldn't have saved Maiya and the others."
"No need to thank me…" Naraku had just started to say more.
Tsunade arrived. After checking Nawaki's body and confirming no major issues,
she gave Naraku a big hug and even kissed him.
At this moment Tsunade's eyes were slightly red as she said: "Thank you, Naraku. If not for you, I really wouldn't have known what to do."
Nawaki stared wide-eyed from the side—his sister was hugging Naraku and crying, even kissing him!
...
Near Kumogakure, the Third Raikage A was furiously punching a small mountain. The entire mountain trembled under his fists.
Although the Third Raikage A had only recently awakened Armament Haki, he had already mastered some training methods for it.
From his short-term research, he discovered Armament Haki could be improved through direct confrontation with strong enemies—but currently only the Eight-Tails could pressure him in Kumogakure.
However, the current Eight-Tails jinchūriki Blue B was not a perfect jinchūriki; even Blue B felt some fear and dislike toward the Eight-Tails' power.
This meant he couldn't safely release the Eight-Tails for a truly exhilarating fight. But if the Eight-Tails went berserk, he could openly beat it senseless.
For now, he could only train step by step with fundamentals.
While the Third Raikage A continued punching the small mountain one fist after another, he said faintly: "Didn't I say not to disturb me unless it's important?!"
"Lord Raikage, the Tsuchikage Ōnoki has an idea and wishes to meet face-to-face!"
"That guy has the guts to come to Kumogakure?"
"The Tsuchikage didn't come into the village—he's prepared to discuss at the border."
"Hmph! I understand!" With that, blue lightning chakra instantly surged over the Third Raikage A's muscular body—he activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode, greatly boosting his speed and power.
Then he wrapped Armament Haki around his arm, making his already indestructible fist even more unbreakable.
The next moment, the small mountain was directly shattered by the Third Raikage A's punch. Countless rocks flew, dust filled the air.
The nearby Anbu were stunned speechless by the Raikage's display.
The Third Raikage A stood steadily in place, a trace of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. As long as he trained hard like this every day, Kumogakure could open a great road connecting to the outside world!
...
Later, under Ōnoki's persuasion, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure still united.
What surprised Ōnoki most during this process was Kumogakure and Kirigakure. When Ōnoki met the Raikage and explained his intentions, the Raikage immediately agreed.
The other was Kirigakure—no matter how Ōnoki coaxed and persuaded, explaining all the benefits, Kirigakure stubbornly refused to join the war, but gave a promise not to help Konoha and that—if the war went poorly—they would participate later.
One month later, Iwagakure and Kumogakure simultaneously declared war on Konoha, claiming Konoha had forced Uchiha Naraku to forge weapons. They demanded Konoha release the forging master Uchiha Naraku and compensate for previous war losses.
They called on all ninja villages to join the front line to crush Konoha.
For a time Konoha was in an uproar—after all, just last month Konoha had "gifted" two Teigu to Kumogakure, yet the next month they declared war.
Sarutobi Hiruzen faced tremendous pressure from the citizens and lower-rank ninjas, but ultimately Konoha wasn't decided by the lower ranks.
The lower ranks of Konoha were relatively easy to fool. Sarutobi Hiruzen used some methods to stir up hostility toward external enemies among the lower ninjas and citizens.
Konoha's upper echelon naturally understood the previous weapon gifts were to stall the enemy and buy time for Naraku.
Afterward, each village's war machine began turning.
In truth—even without Naraku's appearance—the Second Shinobi World War would have continued to escalate.
After years of peace, each village's military power had greatly increased. The large numbers of ninjas also became hard for each village to sustain.
At the same time, the warmongering factions within each village grew stronger, internal struggles intensified, and everyone needed a target to divert infighting.
Attacking Konoha now seemed to have become a kind of "political correctness" in the ninja world. Many villages closely watched Iwagakure and Kumogakure's actions and battle results.
Konoha urgently dispatched the three Sannin to the front lines, while Sarutobi Hiruzen mobilized throughout the village.
Orochimaru had to pause his research work; Jiraiya, who had been teaching the three kids in the Land of Rain, also left them to guard the border; Tsunade set aside time with her boyfriend and returned to the front lines.
This war would likely not be like the previous one in the Land of Rain—it would definitely be large-scale combat, so the various clans in the village also had to be mobilized.
Naraku, who was forging, naturally learned of this war's movements—but he wasn't particularly concerned. With Konoha's current strength, they could definitely fight the other villages to a bloody stalemate.
And he loved watching the ninja world drenched in blood!
Fellow Daoists, why not join me in my Human Emperor Banner—we can ascend the Great Path together!
Tsunade heading to the front lines had no need to worry—with Hundred Beast King Transformation [Lion King], she was absolutely one of the hardest to kill on the front lines.
Naraku had placed a contingency on Tsunade.
As for the Uchiha clan possibly joining the war later—Naraku only cared about Mikoto and Hiiro. He wouldn't let them go to the battlefield.
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