Filthy Gamer in Narutoverse: 230

Title: Darkest Night Hidden in The Leaf (15)

The sky darkens gradually as Onoki and Hiruzen’s battle rages in the forest above the Village’s Prison. The two Kages of the same generation manage to uproot and crater quite a large portion of their surroundings as their summons, whatever remains of it, at least, is no longer present with them except Hiruzen’s personal summon—Enma.

Pools of blood and poison from their previous summons can be observed around the duo as Onoki stares at Hiruzen sternly, looking worse for wear. Multiple tears surround Onoki’s elaborate outfit, one blue bruise near his left eye, while Hiruzen stares back earnestly, his dissected right ear caked with dry blood. Their injuries have been quite non-fatal only for one reason—Third Raikage.

Their strategy changed the second they sensed the Third Raikage. The two Kages did not plan on killing each other at the cost of a pyrrhic victory. They may threaten each other with words during their battle, and the chance of a fatal blow was present, but they did not want to kill each other for a similar blow to themselves.

“Konohagakure and Kumogakure have lost too much,” Onoki begins with a sneer.

“And you only have enough chakra to fly back to your hole like the pathetic runt you are,” Hiruzen mocks without skipping a beat.

The duo is low on chakra, their battle consisting of many chakra-intensive jutsus to keep themselves from harm’s way. None of them boast a swift, efficient killing method with a good chakra cloaking technique great for assassinations. It’s not for the lack of trying, of course. But the Kages are usually the boldest of the bunch, these traits bleeding into their techniques and strategies fairly easily.

Another blast of pitch-black lightning rises to the sky, attracting the duo’s attention and cutting their umpteenth round of insults.

“Heh, leave it to that Brute dealing with your other elites,” Onoki smiles while wondering internally. ‘What is that black lightning?’ The experienced Kages are aware of the rarer and ‘sharper’ yin-charged purple lightning and the ‘stabler’ yang-charged yellow lightning.

But Black?

It’s the first for them, too, and they somehow feel nothing from the lightning, even when seeing its bolts crackle loudly as if born from an explosive chain!

‘He has researched quite a few things—which weren’t disseminated to our Villages regarding Kumo.’ Onoki and Hiruzen realize at once. Their murderous desire to uproot the mysterious organization orchestrating all this madness grows with every passing second.

‘If Kai had been here, I’d ask him to assassinate Onoki just like he assassinated the Kazekage. Things will be simpler when someone like Onoki dies. None of his successors are known to be as devious and ruthless as him.’

Hiruzen sighs in his heart. This would be a good opportunity, too. Onoki is just as worn down as he is!

Onoki glances at the dark sky before snorting. The two of them simultaneously feel the intense chakra of one of the jinchuriki fades from the distance. While they aren’t specialized Sensors, they have decades of experience, and their keen senses can easily pick on the distant, albeit massive, chakra reserve.

‘Hachibi’s jinchuriki disappeared. The raid is ending.’ Onoki narrows his eyes, his body floating in the air for a second as he casts a fleeting glance in the Raikage’s direction before scowling and flying away swiftly.

“Enma, can you sense him around us?” Hiruzen sighs as his adamantine staff transforms back into the white-furred Enma, who closes his eyes in concentration and shakes his head.

“I can’t, Saru,” Enma grunts and grits his jaws. “That old bastard and his bees cost me a lot of my clansmen.”

Hiruzen exhales in exhaustion and nods. While he feels bitter about their losses, he also has to think a lot more about the situation. And as a leader of his tribe, Enma can empathize with Hiruzen’s circumstances.

“I’ll stick around till that Third Raikage extracts himself.”

“He will,” Hiruzen moves his left arm slightly, wincing at the sharp pain jolting around his chest due to a cracked rib or two. “I sense a few other surviving Kumo shinobi disappear. It’s good we kept most of our promising chunins near the evacuation site. This battle shouldn’t have reached Orochimaru.”

“Speaking of Orochimaru, all three of your disciples have mastered Sage Mode. You should be a little ashamed of yourself,” Enma scoffs.

“I had a bad teacher,” Sarutobi shrugs jokingly as he jumps on a branch before skipping in A’s direction. “Even you haven’t mastered Sage Mode, Enma.”

“But I can use Senjutsu near the Rock Egg Shrine,” Enma scoffs.

“I don’t tolerate excuses from my students. I won’t hear one from you either,” Hiruzen snickers. “Besides, wars and responsibility took the prime of my life. I’m glad that my students got enough peace to master this power for themselves.”

“Well, you can have peace knowing that Sages die just like the civilians. This life is merely a struggle in our own ways.”

“There are hundred different situations where you could have said this, but you chose the time and place where Konoha is arguably at its weakest under my care.” Hiruzen deadpans at the monkey, who laughs loudly.

“I suppose I did,” Enma turns into a staff again and warns as they near the site of the destroyed Uchiha Police Building.

“I sense a large scope of Genjutsu. No. It’s something more ridiculous.”

Hiruzen slows down as he watches the quiet Yata surrounded by his grim indigo Susanoo, wielding an Uchiha-brand war fan similar to the one held by the Madara Uchiha, and the charred Third Raikage, who seem to have seen better days.

‘His eyes,’ Hiruzen focuses on Yata from a distance, not shocked by the Mangekyo Sharingan but by their condition. ‘The Uchiha’s Power comes at a massive cost. Madara truly was an outlier amongst his own clan.’

“Can you sense the scope of Genjutsu?” Hiruzen questions Enma.

“It’s everywhere,” Enma replies plainly. “You will regret moving without caution.”

Hiruzen notes the arrival of two of his students at the same time—possibly attracted by the burst of black lightning.

---

Tsunade’s side barely encounters any extraordinary difficulty after rescuing Nawaki. Her clones are still working their asses off to heal other shinobi in the battlefield and the hospital, not to mention guarding the hospital against all the foes alongside a large chunk of anbu members and other Jonins since Jiraiya transferred half the Anbu under his authority to her side.

She did not have any issue coordinating attacks with the clones being the mokuton-variant.

“Uh,” Nawaki grunts, holding his head as he is unsealed.

Unsealing Nawaki wasn’t an issue. The Uzumaki she captured in this group was all brawns and no brains, in a Fuinjutsu sense. The sealing pot of the group’s leader was child’s play when one considers the amount of practice she has as the ‘Sensei’ when it comes to the scrolls Kai shits in his boredom.

‘A’s Son, Kakuzu, Utsu’s Remains that Katsuyu barely stopped herself from swallowing it voraciously, and now this group. Then there is Fukushu, too. I don’t think everyone’s valuable in this group of captives, but it’s for Inoshi Yamanaka and the T&I Department to find out. Still, if I’m stubborn about researching all of them on my own, I won’t have time to kick back, relax, and train on some of my slow days.’

Tsunade works her jaw ponderously while observing Nawaki recover from his dizziness.

‘But I don’t wanna go asking Orochimaru’s help since I denied her the last time. Hopefully, she’ll come running back. She’s become slightly easier to handle ever since she became a woman.’

“Where am I, Onee-san?” Nawaki groans, massaging his head as Tsunade calmly replies, “In the hospital. I wanted to check up on you myself.”

Nawaki looks around the hospital room before croaking hoarsely. “Is it over—”

*Boooooooommmmmmmm*

They hear a distant explosion as Tsunade hums. “One of Kumo’s corpses exploded again. They’re troublesome like that.”

Nawaki issues a sharp groan as he stands up. “I’m fine. I can still fight.”

“I know,” Tsunade nods again, surprising Nawaki.

“What’s with that look?” Tsunade narrows her eyes. “Did you think we trained for months for me to sit you this one out? One of my clones took your spot in the Senju Compound. You’ll replace the clone near the Hospital, got it?”

Nawaki agrees without missing a beat.

“Yes.”

Tsunade’s lips curl slightly as she pats her brother’s shoulder. “You’re doing good. Better than I would have, really.”

“You were stronger than me when you were my age,” Nawaki frowns.

“Not everything’s about power,” Tsunade scoffs and flicks Nawaki’s head. “You’re going to be a great Patriarch after this war.”

Nawaki’s eyes widen momentarily before he nods again and flickers away—

*Bang*

—Running headfirst into the nearby wall.

“Ow,” Nawaki scowls, massaging his head again as Tsunade chirps. “Maybe take it a little easy and walk normally till you reach the hospital’s entrance.”

“Got it,” Nawaki hurries away, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

As he leaves, Tsunade casts a glance toward Mount Kage.

‘Tch, she really has nothing to do,’ Tsunade scoffs at Orochimaru’s luck.

The woman then flickers out from the open window and lands on the rooftop, staring toward the distant forest where the meteor crashed.

She would like to help everyone, but she can’t. It is physically impossible to do so even with her attainment in mokuton. So, she refocuses her attention on a pair of Jonins using flaming swords while feeling a weak connection to them.

‘A Senju? Weak ones at that. Kumo really doesn’t hold back with this stuff,’ She scoffs in her heart and targets them at once with the intent to kill and raze their bodies with explosives until nothing can be cultured from their corpses—even by her allies.

Their battle soon shows a favorable turn, Kumo’s numbers depleting enough for the rest of Konoha shinobi to attack in groups. The home advantage comes to play since Kumogakure has a limited number of shinobi, while Konoha can still rely on the reinforcements waiting for the initial charge to lose momentum.

And that’s what happens.

But the enemies must understand their strengths and weaknesses, resorting to a systematic retreat while trying to save their strength as much as possible.

The raid is ending—an emotion that spreads to everyone else, infecting the morale on both sides as Konoha’s shinobi gain more ferocity. On the other hand, Kumo’s shinobi find themselves more pressured despite their retreating maneuver.

The number of deaths tolls up for Kumogakure. The dimly lit surroundings of Konoha are alight with various elemental jutsus sparks from the clashing of metals and a good portion of explosive seals!

The losses to the village would be imaginable if the civilians weren’t evacuated on time or hurt in any manner during the meteor’s descent and the Hachibi’s bijudama! After all, the shinobi can only perfect their craft if civilians are shouldering the economy.

‘There’s a massive battle going on near Uchiha Police Grounds for a while,’ Tsunade notes to herself, slipping away after taking care of anyone who remotely felt like a Senju to her as the sparkling burst of pitch-black lightning highlighted with a strange glow catches Tsunade’s attention again.

‘I wasn’t sure the first time, but it is similar to a Senjutsu Chakra. But I’ve seen Kai use Lightning Release in his Sage Mode. None of them looks any different from their usual colors and properties aside from their intensity and power.’

As an expert in Lightning Jutsu, even Tsunade does not boast such a strange Jutsu.

‘It must have some unique properties.’

Tsunade’s senses glimpse again at the sudden disappearance of Hachibi’s Jinchuriki as she promptly activates her Sage Mode, straight viridian green marks inversing from the green dot in the center of her forehead until she feels Jiraiya cleaving through the enemies from the other side and rushing in Yata’s direction, too.

She can sense more in her Sage Mode. She senses the mass of emotionally gloomy chakra around Yata, his dwindling power, his charred enemy, and a veritable hill of chakra surrounding them in the form of—

‘Is that Genjutsu?’

Tsunade’s eyes widen briefly as she lands on a ledge, observing Hiruzen and Jiraiya.

And when she feels someone ‘sit’ on her head, she cannot help but vibrate her throat indignantly.

“How come I can’t sense you even in Sage Mode?”

“Would you believe me when I say I have mastered the art of standing so incredibly still that I am invisible to the eye?” Replies an impish voice.

“Sage Mode doesn’t rely on the eye,” Tsunade scoffs.

“Well, the answer’s kind of simple. I masked what other sages sense at first using my Senjutsu Chakra. So, you’ll have to sense something else about me.”

The meaning behind his words is simple—it’s not a jutsu but pure chakra manipulation.

And Kai believes his control of Senjutsu Chakra is the best in Konoha despite Jiraiya and Orochimaru attaining this form previously. He’s spent a lot of time mastering other senjutsu variations of elemental jutsu, going as far as EARNING an affinity through his connection with nature and Space and Time!

“And you’ve got an answer for that?” She looks at Yata, not inquiring about the Legendary Susanoo, but something only Sages like them can view.

“Well, I’ve got a good idea what it does, but I have no clue about the Jutsu itself, just that it drained Yata way more than I imagined.”

Jiraiya’s Sage Mode dwindles about now, the red pigments around his eyes receding and his eyes reverting to their obsidian hues.

“Who gets a shot at A?” Questions Kai, “He is clearly waiting for something. A Kage like him shouldn’t have come here without a plan to retreat.”

“Or he was overconfident,” Counters Tsunade.

As it turns out, Yata is the one who moves again, coughing blood suddenly. What should have burned on A’s body instead lights up in the air slightly beside him. Pitch-black flames darker than night itself roar into life, consuming tiny rubble as A sighs. His hollow sockets stare in Yata’s direction eerily as Kai senses A’s chakra invoke a seal built inside of him.

It’s not a reverse summoning jutsu.

Strangely, a beam of white light swallows him as the man disappears, leaving behind a scorched hole the size of the circumference of the beam of light.

‘The same Jutsu used by Hachibi’s Jinchuriki,’ Others think at once as Yata’s weak voice echoes.

“I wouldn’t have wished to say it, but don’t move near me. My Jutsu lasts for 30 minutes. But if possible, toss some food my way. Be accurate. I cannot move more than I already have.”

Hiruzen nods with a slightly bright gaze, more than happy to understand some of the limitations of the Jutsu he cannot even fathom.

‘I hope everything is well with Mukai and the rest.’ Hiruzen orders Jiraiya to bring some food and bandages while thinking about the issue that caused this mess in the first place.

The Hyuga Affair!

***

Alternate Title: Verbal Insults Are Just As Good Of A Tactic As Any; An End To a Fatal Confrontation; Lightning and Flames Darker and More Brilliant Than Night; A’s Return; A Failure On All The Ends; Tsunade Refuses To Lower Her Head to the Mommy Bimbo!; Hiruzen’s Prime Stolen By Wars and Responsibilities—Should Have Gotten a Paper Bitch; A Genjutsu Trap; Yata’s Helpless; Failed Amaterasu; Cost of Power; Madara Being Og Even After All The Years; Madara’s Fan With Yata?; Nawaki’s Crash; Shift of Battle; End of Battle; Worrying over the Source of Issues; The Pending Hyuga Affair; Orochimaru’s Lucky… to Be Bored?; Tsunade Vanquishing Senju Bloodline Like a Menace!; Tsunade: EXPLOSSSIIOOOONNNNN! *Megumin Approves*