Naruto: The Sage Body of Konoha

Inside the Kasuga Shrine courtyard. 

After fierce discussions, representatives from Raikage Village, Mist Village, and the Golden Exchange had finally formulated a detailed battle plan—to launch a joint attack on Uzu Country, annihilate the Uzumaki clan, and divide the treasures of Uzugakure between them. 

Now, this group of people prepared to return home respectively, begin war mobilization, and gather troops at designated locations. 

As they were about to part ways. 

"Mr. Kakuzu, have you ever heard of the legend of Lord Takemikazuchi?" 

Black Zetsu quietly asked, glancing around the shrine. 

"I've heard of him. He's a revered deity worshipped in this shrine, said to often appear riding thunderclouds, striking evil mountain bandits and dangerous beasts dead with red lightning." 

Kakuzu replied slowly, his green eyes closed in thought. "Obviously, Takemikazuchi doesn't actually exist. His real identity is likely some powerful Lightning Release ninja." 

"Then Mr. Kakuzu must be very interested in this ninja?" 

"Indeed." 

Kakuzu nodded. The Lightning Release heart inside him was nearly worn out, and he'd recently been searching for a suitable replacement. 

Obtaining the heart of this Takemikazuchi would probably be quite good. 

However, even though they had lowered their voices, their conversation still reached the ears of the Third Raikage. 

So, this towering figure well over two meters tall marched directly toward Black Zetsu's group, looming over them as he barked out an order: 

"You lot, leave the Land of Lightning immediately! The matter of Takemikazuchi will be investigated and handled by our Kumogakure." 

The Third Raikage was telling the truth. 

The reason the Third Raikage chose to meet with Mist shinobi here this time was precisely because he wanted to investigate the truth behind the Takemikazuchi legend after the talks concluded. 

"Lord Third Raikage, please don't get angry. We were just curious. That's all, no harm meant." 

Black Zetsu quickly explained, his height barely reaching the waist of the muscular giant before him, making him look like a tiny chick. 

At that moment— 

BOOM! 

A sudden thunderclap rang out overhead, extremely close. 

Hmm? 

Everyone—including Madara Uchiha—instantly raised their heads, only to see a crimson thundercloud hovering thirty meters above the shrine. 

Standing atop that storm cloud was a tall divine figure—with horns upon his head, blue-skinned face with fangs bared, clad in armor. 

Takemikazuchi?! 

"You insignificant scoundrels!" 

At this moment, Takemikazuchi spoke, his voice rumbling like rolling thunder as he rebuked those in the courtyard. "A gathering of scheming villains conspiring secretly, intending to commit atrocities that bring disaster to the world—truly enraging gods and men alike, heaven and earth cannot tolerate such deeds! They must be eradicated!" 

Hardly had the words "must be eradicated" faded when Takemikazuchi furiously opened his eyes wide, pointing his fingers like a sword from afar directly at the crowd below. 

CRACKLE! 

From the thundercloud burst a bolt of red lightning as thick as a water barrel, like a descending dragon, directly rushing toward the terrified figures below. 

[Sage Art: Heavenly Release - Takemikazuchi Jutsu!]

With a deafening boom, the thirteen figures in the courtyard were instantly swallowed by crimson lightning. Blinding arcs of lightning filled the yard, turning the sky and ground a ghostly red...

When the storm of lightning finally subsided,

The courtyard lay scorched and blackened, with a massive crater where the bolts had struck. Sparks still flickered within the pit, and waves of heat rose from it in thick, searing white smoke.

Nearby,

Zzzt! Zzzt!

The Third Raikage's body pulsed with countless arcs of blue electricity. A layer of chakra-formed lightning armor surrounded him, leaving him completely unscathed.

This was the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

Besides him, Madara Uchiha and his two companions remained safe as well—protected beneath the encompassing power of Madara's Susanoo.

Not everyone else was as fortunate.

Among the Third Raikage's four guards, one had been killed outright, two sustained serious injuries, and only the Two-Tails Jinchuriki suffered minor wounds.

Among the Mist ninja, the Third Mizukage turned pale, while the Three Swordsmen of the Mist bore various levels of injury. As for that elite Mist ninja of Kaguya Clan, he foolishly tried to resist the lightning using his bone-release ability. No surprise—he was fried on the spot.

Above the shrine, the storm clouds vanished.

Standing atop a branch of the black pine tree, Heiyan calmly observed the scene below. Judging from what happened, his ambush had successfully killed two enemies and wounded several others.

But this result came as no surprise to Heiyan.

After all, everyone down there was at least elite Jonin-level strength. The Third Raikage himself was practically on par with him, not to mention the mightiest among them—Madara Uchiha.

It was time to slip away.

Even while fleeing, Heiyan didn't forget to toss down a smoke bomb. Letting out a loud laugh, he shouted at the Third Raikage:

"Listen well! I am a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths, and Kinkaku and Ginkaku are my kin. Today, I formally declare war upon the Yotsuki Clan, vowing to overthrow your rule over the Cloud Village and avenge Kinkaku and Ginkaku!"

These words sent a shockwave through the Cloud ninja present, triggering a painful memory from more than a decade ago.

Back then, dissatisfied with their defeat, the Gold and Silver Brothers launched a coup, assassinating the Second Raikage. This plunged the Cloud Village into chaos from which it had yet to fully recover.

For what those brothers had done, the Third Raikage and his subordinates carried a deep, lifelong hatred.

Now faced with Heiyan's provocation—

The Two-Tails Jinchuriki was the first to erupt in fury, swearing to kill this arrogant enemy on the spot.

Shshsh!

Blue chakra resembling cat-like markings flared across her skin. Her hair shot up, her eyes turned completely white, and two giant cat-like tails of chakra burst out behind her.

[Mouse-Fire Bullet!]

Blazing through hand seals, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki fired a fiery rat-shaped blast from her mouth. Mid-flight, the fireball scattered into multiple tracking projectiles of blue flame, streaking toward Heiyan perched on the tree branch.

Heiyan had no interest in sticking around for a fight. Brilliant red chakra erupted from his legs, and in an instant, he transformed into a blazing crimson flash, vanishing deep into the ranges of mountains in the Land of Lightning.

[Heavenly Release: Chidori Shunshin!]

"Trying to run?"

The Two-Tails Jinchuriki didn't hesitate and gave chase immediately. She scrambled forward using both her hands and feet, sprinting like a wildcat—fast, fluid, and fierce.

"Pursue them!"

With a furious roar, the Third Raikage led his two remaining subordinates in pursuit.

"You three, move out and provide backup!"

The Third Mizukage glanced at the Mist's Swordsmen Unit trio, pointing at the corpse of the Kaguya clan ninja on the ground. "We've lost a companion—we won't let this stand."

"Yes, sir!"

Fuguki Suikazan, Biwa Juzo, and Raiga Kurosuki responded in unison before speeding off to reinforce the Kumogakure group.

In an instant, only the Third Mizukage and Madara Uchiha remained in the courtyard.

"This Lord Takemikazuchi—could he be related to Kinkaku and Ginkaku? Hmph. No wonder he's just like those arrogant lunatics."

After witnessing the chaos, Madara Uchiha made this remark.

His opinion of the Gold and Silver brothers was mixed. On one hand, he deeply despised them—Madara always believed himself, an Uchiha, to be the rightful heir of the Sage of Six Paths, while those two lunatics were nothing more than trash picked up from the roadside.

Yet on the other hand, he was grateful for their actions, since they had helped him kill Senju Tobirama, the murderer of his younger brother.

Speaking of Senju Tobirama, Madara frowned involuntarily as he recalled defeating that man—the one who had beaten him at the Valley of the End—just one year ago.

Heiyan Uzumaki.

Thinking of him, Madara coldly asked Black Zetsu:

"Haven't we heard even a whisper about him all this time?"

"I don't know either. He must've been personally hidden away somewhere by the Third Hokage; after all, his body is far too valuable."

Black Zetsu replied helplessly.

Madara snorted coldly but stopped dwelling further on the matter. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Third Mizukage and asked, "How is Hidden Mist doing lately?"

"Everything is proceeding exactly as you ordered, without the slightest deviation."

The Third Mizukage answered in a mechanical tone. At the same time, he finally opened his tightly shut eyes. Within those pupils clearly shone the pattern of the triple-tomoe Sharingan.

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