Naruto: Binding Uchiha Sasuke, Hundredfold Return

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Amid the vast snowfield, Kawano was diligently practicing his Shadow Clone technique, while Rika was engrossed in studying a medical book on the sidelines. Kazuki, feeling bored, was idly stoking the campfire nearby.

It had been fifteen days since they arrived in this icy landscape, with nothing suspicious encountered so far. It almost felt as if this mission was a vacation rather than actual guard duty.

Just then, Soryu came rushing back, looking alarmed.

"There's something! Something's happening!"

At his words, Kawano and Rika immediately grew alert, and Kazuki used a Body Flicker Technique to appear right beside Soryu, grabbing his arm.

"What happened?"

"There are three or four suspicious people coming from the Land of Iron!" Soryu reported, his voice tense.

"Lead the way!"

The group quickly arrived at Soryu's surveillance point. From their vantage, they saw four heavily armored men patrolling the snow-covered field.

"They're dressed so strangely. Could they be enemies?" Soryu asked cautiously.

"Judging by their attire, they look like samurai from the Land of Iron," Kazuki explained.

"Samurai?" The three looked puzzled.

"Yes, in this world, the strong aren't limited to just shinobi, there are also samurai. The most formidable samurai come from the Land of Iron," Kazuki added, waving a hand. "Let's withdraw. These people are unlikely to be enemies. As long as they don't cross into the Land of Fire, there's no need to worry."

"Why aren't they enemies?" Soryu asked, puzzled.

"Because the Land of Iron is a neutral country. Its samurai don't invade other nations," Rika answered on Kazuki's behalf, her understanding of international affairs clear.

"That's right, but even so, we're mainly here to prevent any incursion by Hidden Cloud Village through the Land of Iron. We don't need to concern ourselves with these samurai," Kazuki clarified.

Understanding dawned on Soryu, and he nodded, relieved. The group returned to their base, resuming either their training or resting. In another half-month, their mission would be complete. This uneventful mission had helped calm the minds of the trio, all undertaking a mission outside the village for the first time.

They realized that missions outside the village could also be peaceful, and didn't have to be dangerous.

However, just as they were relaxing, a confidential report was delivered to Kazuki. Reading it, his expression darkened with annoyance.

"What happened, Kazuki-sensei?" Kawano asked.

"Three days ago, the Fourth Raikage, A, led a jinchuriki to attack the Hidden Mist Village and defeated them. The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, has fled to Konoha with a few of her subordinates," Kazuki explained, scratching his head.

"What does the defeat of the Land of Water have to do with us?" Soryu asked, still oblivious to the larger picture.

"There were five great nations. Now, the Land of Earth has been overtaken by the Land of Lightning, the Land of Wind has surrendered, and now the Land of Water has also been defeated. Do you think Konoha can remain unaffected?" Kawano responded.

Finally grasping the situation, Soryu's face went pale. "So, that means we're going to war?"

Kazuki pocketed the report and looked at the falling snow with a calm expression. "Don't worry. War won't break out."

The report also contained a request for Kazuki to return to Konoha, indicating that Himan was struggling under the pressure and needed Kazuki's insight. The Hidden Cloud had crushed three nations, and it was making him, as the Hokage, uneasy.

"You idiot! Why didn't you send Konoha's forces to stop Hidden Cloud? If you'd acted sooner, our Hidden Mist wouldn't have been taken over by that brute, A!"

Kazuki had just returned to the Hokage's office, only to hear a heated argument coming from within. Pushing the door open, he found two formidable women scolding Himan.

One had long, auburn hair with bangs covering her right eye, wearing a dark blue tube dress with a white belt around her waist and fishnet stockings, her attire highlighting her natural allure. The other had light blonde hair, dressed in a tea-green robe with black trimmings over a sleeveless kimono-style top, cinched with a black sash, and dark blue capri pants. Her figure was even more stunning than the first.

"Well, it seems lively in here."

Tsunade and Mei Terumi both frowned slightly at his arrival.

"Gekko Kazuki, you're just in time!" Tsunade approached him, glaring up at him intensely. Kazuki looked down and was met with her fierce gaze.

"What is it?"

"Did you tell Himan not to send reinforcements to the Hidden Mist?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why? Don't you realize that if the Hidden Mist falls, Konoha could be next?"

"I know that."

Seeing Kazuki's casual attitude, Tsunade became exasperated. "Then why didn't you help Hidden Mist?"

Mei Terumi stepped forward as well, visibly furious. "I want to know why!"

Facing the two women's aggressive questioning, Kazuki maintained his deadpan expression. "Because it's not important."

"What do you mean?" Mei Terumi demanded coldly.

"With me here, the Hidden Cloud won't break through. As for the other countries' affairs, what do they have to do with us? Besides, if the Hidden Cloud works so hard to capture this vast territory, wouldn't it be easier for us to take it over later?" Kazuki's eyes narrowed, giving him the appearance of a cunning fox, which sent chills down Mei Terumi's spine.

She hadn't realized that there was someone behind the scenes scheming amidst the Hidden Cloud's conquests.

"You think you can take on the entire Hidden Cloud by yourself?" Mei Terumi asked, skeptical of his seemingly arrogant claim.

Kazuki didn't elaborate. He merely raised his head to meet her gaze, and his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan flashed, startling Mei Terumi. She quickly averted her eyes to avoid his genjutsu, but dark, ominous flames suddenly appeared beneath her feet.

"If I'd been aiming at your body, that beautiful body of yours might have vanished just now."

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Mei Terumi's face. It was undeniable that Kazuki had attempted to catch her off-guard, but as a Kage-level shinobi, she shouldn't have been defeated so easily by a single move. And yet, that was only a casual technique from Kazuki. No one knew how many techniques he had hidden up his sleeve.

Kage-level shinobi wield immense power and never rely on just a few techniques.

"I admit your strength is impressive, but taking on the entire Hidden Cloud alone is foolishly arrogant! Aren't you afraid of being worn down? Even the Third Raikage, as powerful as he was, died after being exhausted by ten thousand shinobi!" Mei Terumi argued.

"My stamina exceeds your imagination," Kazuki said, a terrifying surge of chakra emanating from his body.

"This… this chakra is impossible!"