The various movements in Konoha naturally reached Kirigakure, or more accurately, they reached Obito and Black Zetsu.
"The Nine-Tails jinchūriki's due date is approaching, and Konoha has significantly strengthened its defenses against us. Maybe... we should just let it go,"
Black Zetsu said hesitantly, looking at the intelligence gathered by White Zetsu from Konoha.
As soon as he spoke, he was met with a sharp glare from Obito.
The latter fiercely glared at him and then coldly said, "Let it go? Why should we let it go? When the Nine-Tails jinchūriki gives birth, the seal left by that old woman Mito Uzumaki will be greatly weakened. With my Sharingan, I can easily control the Nine-Tails!"
Obito, wearing his mask and sitting in the Mizukage's seat, spoke with a tone of arrogance.
"Konoha has just won the Third Great Ninja War and reaped significant benefits. If we don't take this opportunity to severely weaken Konoha, capturing the Nine-Tails will become even more difficult in the future!"
After hearing Obito's words, the members of the anti-Danzo alliance were divided.
Essentially, the alliance was split into two factions.
One was the conservative faction represented by Black Zetsu, who believed they should lay low and not expose their strength too early.
The other was the radical faction led by Obito, who believed they couldn't wait for Konoha to grow stronger and should strike hard now.
Among them, Hanzo of the Salamander privately supported Black Zetsu's view.
He also believed they should develop in secret.
But why privately? Because he didn't dare to speak up.
He knew that in this organization, Obito was the boss.
To survive here, Hanzo had to follow the boss.
In short, he was a fence-sitter.
As for the radical faction, its supporter was undoubtedly Orochimaru.
After hearing Obito's words, he immediately stepped forward to express his support.
"I agree with the leader's idea. It's time to make the rotting windmill of Konoha spin a little," Orochimaru said, licking his lips with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
As a Konoha missing-nin, he couldn't wait for Konoha to disappear so he wouldn't have to hide anymore.
Hearing Orochimaru's stance, Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes.
Orochimaru had clearly sided with Obito, and Hanzo remained silent.
Given his own special status, there seemed to be no room for further discussion on this matter.
So, he reluctantly said, "If we're going to attack Konoha, our current strength might not be enough."
After all, Konoha was currently the strongest village in the ninja world.
They had no shortage of Kage-level ninjas, something other villages could only dream of.
With their current strength, directly confronting Konoha in their stronghold wasn't a wise move.
Obito had naturally considered this issue. "No need to worry. Since Konoha has concentrated its forces in its headquarters, we just need to lure them out," Obito said with a confident chuckle.
"Lure them out?" Black Zetsu frowned again.
Obito continued, "We can have Yagura order the Kirigakure forces to posture an attack on Konoha, diverting some of their attention.
Additionally, I plan to personally visit Kumogakure.
I'm sure the Third Raikage would be very interested in making a deal with me.
In any case, be prepared. In the upcoming battle, I will make Konoha experience true pain!"
---
Kumogakure, Hidden Cloud Village.
In the forbidden land of Kumo's Storm Gorge, the ground shook violently as the massive body of the Eight-Tails collapsed to the side!
Its terrifying weight crushed the nearby cliffs into fragments, making it seem like a devastating earthquake had struck.
The scene on the other side wasn't much better.
The Third Raikage, now missing an arm, was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a nearby lake and creating a massive water column dozens of meters high!
"What an exhilarating clash!"
In the Raikage's office, kilometers away, the newly appointed Fourth Raikage felt the shockwaves and couldn't help but express his admiration.
If it weren't for his secretary, Mabui, stopping him, he would have rushed to join the chaotic battle between his father and the Eight-Tails.
This kind of fist-to-fist, flesh-to-flesh combat was what a real man should pursue!
Many other Kumogakure ninjas shared this sentiment.
Although they were familiar with such scenes, every time they saw the massive smoke pillars rising into the sky, they couldn't help but feel their blood boil.
Fighting a tailed beast in hand-to-hand combat was something only this father-son duo could pull off.
In the Storm Gorge, as the battle came to an end, Killer B finally released his tailed beast form.
The massive body, capable of crushing cliffs, gradually shrank, and the chakra returned to his body.
"Bakayaro, konoyaro~~ Me and Eight-Tails~~ Almost lost~~ Third Raikage~~ Terrifying~~" Killer B grimaced as he rubbed his shoulders.
He quickly got up from the rubble, patted his butt, adjusted his glasses, and immediately began his rap career.
While rapping, he pulled out a pencil and notebook to jot down the rhymes he had come up with.
"It seems my fists aren't heavy enough yet, Killer B!" A rough laugh echoed as the Third Raikage's burly figure leaped out of the lake and landed heavily on the ground.
The violent currents of electricity tore through the air, bringing with them an almost suffocating aura.
After losing an arm in his battle with Danzo, the Third Raikage, known as the "Strongest Spear" and "Strongest Shield," had been seeking to break through his limits.
Thus, after handing over the title of Raikage to his son, he devoted himself entirely to training.
As for his sparring partner, it was naturally Killer B—or more accurately, the Eight-Tails inside him.
In all of Kumogakure, the only ones who could engage in hand-to-hand combat with him were his son and the Eight-Tails.
Hearing the Third Raikage's words, Killer B quickly put away his notebook and pencil, saying, "Raikage boss~~ So strong~~ Even Eight-Tails~~ Can't compare~~"
Listening to Killer B's awkward rap that couldn't even keep the rhythm, the Third Raikage unceremoniously slapped him on the shoulder.
"Stop messing around with this nonsense! Go rest up, we'll fight again tomorrow!"
At this, Killer B's face immediately fell.
To be honest, he wasn't as obsessed with power as the Raikage and his son.
He preferred to roam freely, gathering inspiration and creating more rap. As for fighting, he left that to A.
But under the Third Raikage's insistence, he had no choice but to agree. At least he had half a day off, right?
After Killer B left, the Third Raikage's gaze sharpened. "Who's sneaking around over there? Show yourself!"
He looked toward a pile of rubble at the edge of the battlefield, his eyes flashing with lightning.
"As expected of the Raikage, your perception is as sharp as ever," Obito Uchiha said, pressing lightly on his tiger-striped mask as he emerged from behind the rocks, draped in a cloak.
A flash of crimson light passed through his mask. "An Uchiha?" The Third Raikage immediately became alert, electricity crackling around his body.
The surging Lightning Release chakra made his hair stand on end like a lion's mane, while also disrupting his chakra flow to prevent him from falling under a genjutsu.
Fortunately, Obito hadn't cast a genjutsu on the Third Raikage.
He had only revealed his Sharingan to identify himself. "Let me introduce myself. I am... Madara Uchiha."
"Madara Uchiha?" The Third Raikage frowned instantly.
Of course, he had heard of the infamous "Ghost of the Uchiha."
But for someone to suddenly appear and claim to be Madara Uchiha was like someone calling you and claiming to be Abraham Lincoln, asking you to send him $50.
Only a fool would believe that.
Without hesitation, the Third Raikage used a Body Flicker Technique to appear above Obito.
Lightning surged around his body, creating a crackling sound.
"I don't care who you are. Anyone who dares to trespass into Kumogakure's forbidden land will die!"
The Third Raikage roared, his fist wrapped in terrifying lightning as he struck down!
In an instant, the lightning surrounding him tore through his enemy.
His hand blade sliced through the masked figure without any resistance, then slammed into the ground.
With a deafening boom, a deep fissure spread from where the Third Raikage's hand had struck!
Under the dazzling lightning, even the ground was torn apart!
___
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