Hyuga Yu slowly drifted down onto the surface of the reservoir. At this moment, vast clouds of white steam billowed from his body.
The temperature of the Wind Style layer swirling around him had briefly exceeded 1500°C, while his internal body temperature within the protective Wind Style: Flowing Astral Ring had already surpassed 42°C.
The moment he touched the surface of the reservoir, the lake water beneath his feet evaporated in massive quantities, kicking up a colossal shroud of white mist. Under the lashing of the torrential rain, this mist quickly thinned and vanished.
This cooling process lasted for three minutes. His brain and body—which had been set "ablaze" by the influence of the cyan chakra, dark chakra, and overcharged body temperature—finally cooled down. In its place, a massive burden and excruciating pain surged from the cellular level.
Hyuga Yu regained his composure.
The Complete Byakugan · Wind Style Chakra Mode was developed based on the principles of the Eight Inner Gates. It was an S-rank Nintaijutsu created by Hyuga Yu, combining high-level Medical Ninjutsu with the principles of fluid mechanics. It allowed him to maintain a physical intensity equivalent to the Fifth Gate: The Gate of Closing, while bypassing the drawback of being unable to use ninjutsu. In a state of cellular activation, it constructed two different circulation systems inside and outside the body.
To put it simply: it was the Fifth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates with the ability to perform ninjutsu. When stacked with various buffs, it could even unleash the extreme power of the Sixth Gate: The Gate of Joy.
It was powerful, practically flawless, and well-rounded in every aspect.
However, that was precisely the technique's greatest flaw!
If he hadn't been facing a Six-Tails Jinchuriki, but the true Six-Tails, Saiken; if the Six-Tails Jinchuriki hadn't lost his mind; or if the full Six-Tails form had endured just a little more damage without being knocked unconscious on the spot...
The one defeated would have been Hyuga Yu!
At this moment, feeling the immense burden within his body—a body that had nearly reached its limit of cellular proliferation in such a short time—and the signals of impending functional collapse from various organs, Yu frowned. He immediately mobilized the vast cyan chakra, which was now three times more abundant than before the battle, to perform a series of Medical Ninjutsu: the Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique, Mystical Palm Technique, and Meridian Reconstruction Technique.
"During combat, the chakra is so abundant it feels inexhaustible... but after the fight, it feels completely insufficient."
"Moreover, the difficulty of the technique isn't proportional to its limits. Whether it's the degree of cellular activation, the scale of the ninjutsu, or the power of the Nintaijutsu attacks, the ceiling is too low..."
It was clear that the result of wanting everything was having a bit of everything, but mastering nothing.
Although this appeared "overpowered" to the point of speechlessness to Saiken—who even saw a glimmer of an old acquaintance in him—in Hyuga Yu's eyes, this technique clearly had significant room for improvement. The research into Yang Release needs to yield results as soon as possible. Only by completing the nature transformation of Yang Release can I further push the limits of cellular proliferation. Additionally, the study and mastery of gene-fusion technology must be put on the agenda immediately. This body... is still too weak.
While summarizing the flaws exposed during the battle and healing about one-third of his internal injuries, Hyuga Yu stopped his Medical Ninjutsu.
He had roughly one "Kakashi" worth of chakra left, and his body could not handle a second activation of the Complete Wind Style Chakra Mode in such a short timeframe.
However, the objective Hyuga Yu sought had been achieved.
He lowered his head slightly, glancing at the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, who was floating face-down on the water at his feet, completely unconscious with his eyes rolled back. A cold light flashed in Yu's eyes.
"Six-Tails, capture complete!"
"The bomb needed for the Mist Village Collapse Plan is now in my hands!"
He hoisted the Six-Tails Jinchuriki onto his shoulder. Then, Yu slowly raised his head, looking at the countless transparent threads of rain falling from the sky. He narrowed his eyes, his lips curling into a frigid arc. "This rain... isn't heavy enough, isn't wild enough!"
"What I want is a downpour capable of drowning the entire Hidden Mist!"
As his voice fell, the figure carrying the Jinchuriki began walking toward the Mizukage Building of the Hidden Mist Village. As he stepped forward, the dam of the Hidden Mist Reservoir beneath him finally reached its limit. Like a levee breaking... the collapse began!
Meanwhile, on a cliff outside the Hidden Mist Reservoir, several high-ranking members of Konoha's Root stood inside a barrier capable of shielding even the Byakugan and chakra sensing. They looked at a crystal ball placed before them with solemn expressions.
The crystal ball was broadcasting the entire process of Hyuga Yu defeating the Six-Tails Jinchuriki in real-time. Finally, it showed the silhouette of him leaping down from the crumbling dam, carrying the Jinchuriki, and resolutely charging toward the Mist Village.
Danzo Shimura, Aburame Ryoma, and Yakushi Nono remained silent for several long minutes.
Yakushi Nono was merely shocked by Hyuga Yu's terrifying combat power and his near-flawless fighting style. The other two, however, were so stunned they could barely contain themselves, nearly losing their composure.
Even though Danzo and Ryoma already held high expectations for Hyuga Yu and had estimated his potential—sparing no expense to provide him with manpower, ninjutsu, equipment, a foundation, and even assistance with Hashirama cell technology—they never imagined that in just two short months, the boy who left the village as a destitute Genin, a "dead-last" branch member who couldn't even pass the Chunin Exams, would have grown to this level!
He had gone toe-to-toe with the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, defeated him head-on, and captured him!
Aburame Ryoma knew he couldn't achieve such a feat. While Danzo Shimura could, it would be based on decades of his own cultivation and the resources of Root!
Danzo's original plan was to see if Hyuga Yu could navigate the chaotic chessboard of the Hidden Mist. It was also meant to cultivate Yu's leadership as a successor, forcing him to interact with various Root departments under high pressure... while Danzo remained behind the scenes to provide a safety net.
But now—
The ability Hyuga Yu displayed far exceeded Danzo's expectations!
It even caused him to fall into a brief daze. In that moment, in his eyes, the burgeoning Hyuga Yu even showed the shadows of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!
He combined the immense potential of the First with the intellect and decisiveness of the Second, yet lacked the indecisiveness of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi...
At this, Danzo's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Suppressing a mix of trembling and ecstasy, he thought to himself:
[I... have picked up a true treasure!!!]
At that moment, Aburame Ryoma took several deep breaths, struggling to suppress the shock in his heart. With a worried expression, he asked Danzo, who was draped in a black kimono cloak, "Lord Danzo, that kid probably won't be able to use that state again, yet he seems intent on continuing the Mist Village Collapse Plan..."
"Shall we... not intervene?"
Danzo slowly closed his eyes, hiding the complex emotions flashing within. When he opened them again, his lone eye held only the cold light of schemes and calculations. "No."
After a moment of contemplation, Danzo turned his head coldly toward Ryoma and Nono. He said in a low, heavy voice, "Now, there is something more important to do—"
"I need you to return to the village immediately. Change the plan. Spread the achievements of the Mist Village Collapse Plan to the villagers exactly as they happened!"
"Let all Konoha shinobi—and the entire shinobi world—know,"
"That the one who turned the tide of the Mist battlefield alone, the one who caused the Hidden Mist to collapse, is my successor—"
"Tennin!" [Translator's Note: Yu's alias, meaning "Heavenly Ninja."]
Hearing this, both Ryoma and Nono looked up in surprise, uncertain of their superior's intent. Nono frowned, worrying aloud, "But what about Orochimaru...?"
The Mist Village Collapse Plan, formulated by Root and the Konoha high-level, was partly intended to build momentum for Orochimaru's campaign for Fourth Hokage. Danzo's current move was clearly a total abandonment of Orochimaru in favor of his recently chosen successor, Hyuga Yu.
If Orochimaru found out, there was no guarantee he wouldn't take extreme action...
"Hmph, Orochimaru..." Danzo shook his head and snorted with disdain. "If he had even a shred of popularity, things wouldn't have come to this. 'Monkey' [Hiruzen] will never choose him to be Hokage."
Danzo stated his judgment coldly: "He lacks the most important thing required to be Hokage."
To some extent, the person who understood Hiruzen Sarutobi best was Danzo Shimura. Regarding the upcoming selection between Orochimaru and Minato Namikaze, he had long ago guessed the Third Hokage's thoughts. Furthermore, both Danzo and Hiruzen survived because of the Second Hokage's sacrifice; they actually shared identical views on the requirements for a Hokage—
A Hokage must possess the "Will of Fire" to die for the village!
As for Orochimaru...
Having the village serve him was fine, and being Hokage was fine, but asking him to die for the village... for the current Orochimaru, who was madly chasing the technique for immortality, it was impossible.
Because he saw through this, Danzo concluded that supporting Orochimaru for the Fourth Hokage position would yield no results. Having seen the power and potential displayed by Hyuga Yu, and now possessing a second option, he chose the latter without hesitation!
"I... shall nominate Hyuga Yu for the position of Fourth Hokage!"
At this moment, Danzo looked at the two of them and voiced his goal, as well as the mission he was assigning them. "Depart immediately. You must announce Tennin's achievements within the village before the results of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge in the Land of Grass arrive!"
"Furthermore, upon returning to the village, add Tennin's name to the list of personnel involved in the negotiations with Iwagakure!"
Ryoma and Nono were still in disbelief. They glanced at each other, but immediately knelt on one knee and responded in unison, "Yes!"
As things progressed to this stage, Danzo narrowed his eyes. Currently, the only thing that could hinder his chosen successor's path to Hokage—aside from someone having even greater merits—was his status as a member of the Hyuga Branch House. And on that point, just recently, Hyuga Hizashi had provided an answer.
Danzo swept a cold gaze toward the direction of Konoha, his lips curling into a cruel arc. "The 'Tennin system,' is it? Heh... I will give you all a true Tennin!"
Meanwhile, inside the Hidden Mist Village, at the Mizukage Building.
While Hyuga Yu was battling the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, the battle here had also gradually reached its climax.
The Mizukage Building was already half-destroyed from the fierce fighting. In the center of the rain-drenched battlefield, the colossal Three-Tails, a giant turtle, crouched before the ruins. The Third Mizukage, heavily injured, stood atop the head of the full Three-Tails. He looked down at the wasteland below and mocked wildly, "Old man Genji, haven't you realized it yet?"
"You have already failed!"
"This village, from the moment the First Mizukage modeled it after Konoha's system, has been a massive mistake!"
"When the first Five Kage Summit ended and you all took back these two Jinchuriki from Hashirama Senju, you fell into an even deeper error!"
"And now, when that error truly hurts you, do you still intend to keep up appearances? To hold onto your stubborn, naive ideas and continue this mistake!?"
On the battlefield, the only two still standing were Genji—who leaned on his dragon-headed cane, his frame once again thin and withered, gasping for breath—and Yagura Karatachi, who had come to his aid.
Genji suddenly spat out two mouthfuls of blood. He glared at the Third Mizukage, seemingly wanting to retort, but his breath was choked, and he couldn't say a single word.
It was Yagura who, while supporting Genji to move out of the Three-Tails' attack range, responded sharply, "The one who is truly wrong is you!"
"Third Mizukage!"
The Third Mizukage, Byakuran, had completely seized control of the situation. However, he was in no hurry to attack. He looked down at Yagura, who was struggling under the Three-Tails' pressure, and said softly, "Yagura, you are the successor I personally raised."
"Why is it that even you cannot understand me?"
Yagura retorted sarcastically, "High-pressure political persecution, the cruel Hunter-nin system... under your leadership, the village has long since become unbearable! What part of any of this is good?"
The Third Mizukage said coldly, "But it makes the Hidden Mist strong."
"This village was on the wrong path from the start."
"Modeling the hidden village system after Konoha and receiving two Tailed Beasts from the First Hokage seemed wonderful. But the Tailed Beast distribution policy itself was a trap. It seemed to distribute power to ensure military equality, but in reality, a Tailed Beast is a weapon whose harm outweighs its benefits."
"In a situation where every nation is in an arms race, the weak will only be swallowed up step-by-step by the strong!"
"The Hidden Mist does not have the advantage in resources, land, or population! In such a situation, investing massive resources into researching and cultivating Tailed Beast Jinchuriki is the height of stupidity!"
"To compensate for your mistakes, I had no choice but to create the 'Bloody Mist' policy! Using another method to suppress unstable Jinchuriki."
"The purpose was to cultivate a weapon as powerful as you, someone capable of suppressing a Tailed Beast! And to cultivate powerful shinobi organizations like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and the Hunter-nin."
"Even if it meant forced militarization, as long as we seized vast lands and resources during the chaos of the Great Ninja War, then everything would be worth it!"
The Third Mizukage opened his eyes and shouted, "Shinobi are tools!"
"I truly cannot understand why you don't grasp such a simple truth."
"Giving up a more promising future just for the sake of the 'wear and tear' of some tools is simply... pure ignorance!"
He looked down one last time and said coldly, " I will give you one last chance, Yagura. Surrender!"
Yagura took a deep breath, looking humiliated by the Third Mizukage's successive words, but he still raised his head and countered solemnly, "The bonds between shinobi are absolutely not tools to be used to satisfy your ambition!"
"That is why the people of this land have joined forces to become your enemy!"
As his voice fell, a team of about four hundred people suddenly appeared in the distance. Leading them were Mei Terumi, Mangetsu Hozuki, and others who had rushed to provide support.
Soon, the remaining members of the Kirisame organization gathered behind Yagura, standing in a standoff against the Third Mizukage atop the Three-Tails.
The atmosphere was stifling; the conflict between the two sides was on the verge of exploding!
However, Yagura's expression darkened slightly.
In this situation, even if he could personally stall the Three-Tails, the Kirisame members who had not been injected with the "Yang Release Serum" would only become "health packs" for the Third Mizukage, who still had some strength left.
The Third Mizukage looked at this scene and felt the "Blood Release" signals reconnecting. He clearly realized this as well, and a mocking expression appeared on his face.
However, just as the situation reached its breaking point and the final battle was about to begin—a brilliant white light suddenly flared from the direction of the Hidden Mist Reservoir!
It was so bright it nearly illuminated half the Hidden Mist Village!
Then, "—BOOM!!!"
A dark-red mushroom cloud billowed up from the reservoir. That was clearly the aftermath of a Tailed Beast Bomb explosion!
Everyone present froze, looking at one another. Yagura's heart tightened; he knew that was Hyuga Yu fighting the Six-Tails Jinchuriki on the other side.
But soon, Yagura heard the sound of rushing water. His face shifted in shock, and he snapped his head up. He saw the Hidden Mist Dam, built high above the village, splintering and collapsing with a roar. A wall of water over five meters high surged down the riverbed, crashing toward the Hidden Mist Village and rapidly reaching the side of the Mizukage Building.
Seeing this, Yagura's spirits lifted. With water entering the village and the current torrential rain, his Water Style would be twice as effective. Coupled with the help of the other Mist shinobi, defeating the Third Mizukage was no longer impossible!
"Hyuga Yu... as expected, is it you again?"
"You truly have... given me a massive surprise!"
However— "Wait... what is that guy doing!?"
At that moment, Ao, the sensor ninja behind Yagura, suddenly looked up. He trembled as if he had seen a ghost, his eyes staring straight ahead, his face ashen.
He suddenly screamed in terror, "No, this is bad!"
"What's wrong!?" Yagura asked gravely, turning his head. Ao's face was deathly pale as he stared blankly in one direction. Everyone followed his gaze and saw—
A tall figure, riding the wave, was standing atop the high-surging crest. At this moment, he carried the Hidden Mist's Six-Tails Jinchuriki over one shoulder, while his other hand was slowly raised. On his five fingers, the characters for Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth lit up in sequence with different colors.
Then, before everyone's horrified eyes, he pressed his palm firmly against the Jinchuriki's chest.
"Five Elements Seal: Release!"
Simultaneously, accompanied by a pillar of red light shooting into the sky, a cold, indifferent voice echoed over the Hidden Mist Village, sounding like the downpour falling on everyone within:
"Now, descend upon the world once more—"
"Six-Tails!"
————
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