"Figures—shinobi are still the bigger headache."
Naruto let out a breath and continued driving the pirate forces toward Amegakure.
At his side, sand surged up and coalesced into Crocodile's form. He bit down on a cigar, eyeing the still-smoldering ground.
"That guy just now—he was a shinobi too?"
"Mm."
"Are the shinobi from your legends all that freaky?" Crocodile frowned at Naruto. "I was gonna say—your shinobi have way too many tricks. Weren't the 'legends' just stuff like Katon (Fire Release), Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution), and Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique)?"
"Wow, your 'legends' are real bare-bones." Naruto chuckled. "How many times have I told you? Don't underestimate the shinobi of my home."
"The shinobi here are all monsters. And the strongest few? They're dozens of times stronger than Whitebeard."
"They're the kind of terrifying monsters who can truly destroy the world."
Crocodile's chest tightened; the cigar snapped between his teeth.
Jinbe and Trafalgar Law, who'd been watching, both sucked in a cold breath, a chill running down their spines.
"Stronger than that muscle-freak old man Whitebeard?" Crocodile ignored the tobacco at his lips, eyes locked on Naruto. "Do you even hear yourself? That old man is the strongest man on the seas…"
"You think I don't know that?" Naruto cut him off.
Crocodile shut his mouth.
If it were anyone else, he might believe they didn't grasp Whitebeard's might.
But not Naruto—who had allied with the Whitebeard Pirates and fought in the Paramount War—this sea's new "Emperor."
If even he says there are monsters in his homeland stronger than Whitebeard, then… eight or nine times out of ten, it's true.
"Damn it…" Crocodile's face went purple. For the first time, he regretted his decision.
Did he board the wrong ship?
He thought this would be a bully-the-weak pleasure cruise—who knew he'd walked straight into a nest of monsters? He might not even keep his life.
Is there a regret pill?
Can he have one?
Or is it still not too late to bail?
Jinbe and Trafalgar Law went pale as well.
In their minds, Whitebeard was the pinnacle of pirates; they couldn't imagine anyone stronger.
If there really were, wouldn't they all die here?
But it was too late to run. All they could do was crank their vigilance up to one hundred and twenty percent, on the verge of tears as they headed into the heart of the black clouds.
…
"Ow, ow, ow…
"That monster…
"Almost finished me…"
From the trunk of a towering tree within Amegakure, Zetsu phased out, face solemn.
"'Namikaze Menma'… No mistake—that's the guy Obito told me about…
"Where did he pick up all those monsters?
"Never heard of them—even in the Warring States era we didn't have that many monsters. Every one of them looks strong…
"Especially that 'Menma'—he almost killed me…"
After two seconds of thought, Zetsu slipped back into the wood, tunneled swiftly underground, and arrived at a hidden room in Amegakure.
The instant he poked his head up, a weak, hoarse voice sounded:
"Zetsu, what are you doing here?"
Zetsu rose from the floor, looking at the gaunt red-haired man sitting in a chair, countless black rods piercing his back.
"Zetsu, I told you—don't come to Nagato without permission." The Angel, Konan, fixed Zetsu with an icy stare.
Sheets of white paper lifted from her slender hands—ready to strike in the next heartbeat.
Though they were members of the same organization, she had never trusted Zetsu and watched him with constant wariness.
"Konan, calm down!" Zetsu hurried to show he meant no harm, then said anxiously,
"Nagato, I'm here because it's urgent. 'Namikaze Menma' has brought a horde of monsters into the Land of Rain. They'll reach Amegakure soon—we need to prepare."
"'Namikaze Menma'?" The red-haired man's pupils shrank.
His memory of that one was vivid—the man who could turn into flame and unleash unimaginable firepower. [014709320 Feilu 053481281]
"He invaded the Land of Rain?"
Konan's expression changed as she remembered that blond figure who had once teased her.
Nagato quickly calmed, "I hear you. But what do you mean he brought a horde of monsters?"
Zetsu relayed what he'd scouted—giants, fish-men, archers with extra arms…
Nagato fell silent.
"I'll take a look…"
Just like Hiruzen's reaction before, he didn't readily believe Zetsu's intel.
But Zetsu had no reason to lie.
Nagato closed his eyes, pouring his consciousness into the Deva Path of Pain.
Standing upon the tongue of the King of Hell statue in Amegakure, drenched in rain, expression cold, the Deva Path clasped his hands:
"Ukojizai no Jutsu (Rain Tiger at Will Technique)!"
In an instant, Amegakure's fine drizzle ballooned dozens of times over, the rainfall's range spreading far, far outward.
When the rain finally reached… the Deva Path sensed the very sight Zetsu had described.
An overwhelming army of monsters was marching this way.
Truly a legion of monsters.
Even the most human-looking pirates stood two or three meters tall; the giants looked like they could reach up and touch the rainclouds.
And on a giant's shoulder, a colossal mass of chakra was… watching him—
as if, through the rain itself, it was meeting his gaze.
A pillar of flame roared up; the clouds flashed into steam, and the sensory field of Ukojizai no Jutsu was severed.
"It's real…"
Nagato opened his eyes, grave. "That guy is coming with a horde of monsters. Their target seems to be us."
"Damn him…" Konan's fists clenched in fury.
"That bastard dares to start a war with us? Does he really think we have no means?"
Nagato kept his cool. He said in a low voice, "Zetsu, notify Madara. Konan, assemble the Akatsuki shinobi."
"Until peace is achieved, our base here in Amegakure will not be defiled."
"Everything is for the peace that is to come."
(For uncensored versions, please download the "Feilu Fiction" APP! (zaelum)
Support original works on Feilu (faloo.com) and enjoy the joy of reading!)
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]