Starting from this point, Menma was absolutely unwilling to see Sasuke walk down the same path he did in the original story. He definitely didn't want to see Sasuke get completely brainwashed and crippled by Itachi Uchiha's lies.
In this life, Sasuke had to be Menma Uzumaki's most steadfast ally.
He was the ceiling for their future combat potential!
If his own plans didn't go smoothly all the way to the end, Sasuke would be one of his greatest assets against any enemy he might face in the future.
To achieve this, Menma had to earn Sasuke's recognition and trust.
The truth behind the Uchiha clan's annihilation was the critical first step.
"Yeah, I understand."
Although he wanted to know everything right this second, Sasuke glanced at Kabuto, who was approaching them. He took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and responded.
This indeed wasn't the right time or place.
That was a major issue concerning his entire Uchiha clan!
Father, Mother... I will definitely find out the truth. If it really is like that... Konoha, and Itachi... you all better just wait!
Sasuke clenched his fists tight, thinking fiercely in his heart.
"Heh, as expected of Menma. Even the famous Lord Jiraiya wasn't your match. To be able to bring out the Nine-Tails' power to this extent... once you can fully transform into a Tailed Beast, you'll probably become the number one person in the ninja world, won't you?"
Kabuto offered a compliment with a smile that looked humble on the surface.
"Heh, since when did you become such a smooth talker, Kabuto? You almost made me get a big head there. Number one in the ninja world? Hah..."
Menma narrowed his eyes slightly, letting out a soft, mocking laugh.
A chilling aura slowly radiated from him.
It made Kabuto's expression change slightly.
Heaven knows, the words he just said were purely a subconscious compliment. He hadn't meant to probe or imply anything else at all.
Kabuto could now truly understand what his master, Lord Orochimaru, had said before.
This Menma Uzumaki really didn't seem like a boy in his early teens. Although he still looked quite green in some areas and lacked deep experience, he definitely wasn't someone who could be easily fooled.
Trying to pull small tricks in front of him would only make Kabuto look like a clown and easily incur Menma's hostility.
"Alright, enough chitchat. That side should be all cleaned up by now, right? We've delayed here too long. It's time for us to leave, or we might attract unnecessary trouble."
Seeing that Kabuto seemed about to explain himself, Menma waved his hand dismissively to cut him off.
After Jiraiya decided to retreat, the Root members saw things going south and also chose to pull back. However, only two or three managed to slip away successfully. The rest of the Root personnel, including Ryoma Aburame who had been targeted by Kabuto early on, ended up either dead or captured.
In just that short amount of time, the remaining Root forces had been wiped out.
Only Ryoma Aburame had a slightly special status, so Kabuto deliberately kept him alive. Taking a guy like that back would still have some value and utility.
"Understood."
Shortly after, the group did a quick sweep of the battlefield.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
They leaped into action, speeding away from the scene toward the northwest. They planned to board a ship there and leave the Land of Spring.
---
A full two hours after this unique encounter battle ended.
From the direct east.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Several figures flashed onto the scene. Their clothing distinct from the standard Leaf Anbu gear, and the forehead protectors bearing four wave-like lines on their foreheads, were enough to prove their identity: a special hunter-nin unit from the Hidden Mist Village.
And the Mist ninja appearing in the Land of Spring right now were the same special unit that had been tracking the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, for a long time.
Previously, because the trackers Orochimaru sent out exposed their trails and were discovered by these Mist ninja, a big battle ensued, causing them to temporarily lose track of Utakata. It wouldn't have been a big deal, but they failed to pick up his trail again for two or three days straight.
Instead, they kept finding traces of other various ninja and evidence of unknown ninja fighting Utakata.
Naturally, these Mist ninja instantly became tense.
Unfortunately, one step slow meant every step slow.
By the time these Mist ninja arrived at the scene of the final battle, both sides had long since departed. After scouting the surrounding area and finding nothing...
The expression of the lead Mist ninja became uglier than ever before.
You have to realize, ever since their Fourth Mizukage passed away, they had lost the Three-Tails. Now, if they really lost the Six-Tails completely as well, the blow to the Hidden Mist Village would be way too heavy!
What kind of Great Nation doesn't have a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki!?
Oh, there's the Leaf, right? Never mind then.
"Iwato, relay the information here back to the village immediately. Tell Elder Yuan that the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, has likely fallen into the hands of another ninja village. Preliminary prediction: it's either the Cloud or the Stone!"
The lead Mist ninja looked at a blue-haired subordinate on his left with a grim expression.
"Yes, sir!"
The ninja bowed his head in response, then flickered away toward the side.
" everyone else, continue the pursuit with me!"
"Yes!"
Even knowing the hope was very slim, infinitely approaching zero, as long as there was a sliver of possibility, these Mist ninja had to keep chasing. The influence of a Tailed Beast was just too massive. Throughout ninja history...
Aside from that peerless duo from the Leaf, the strongest ninja could at best be said to suppress an ordinary Tailed Beast. And such ninja were already considered rare, top-of-the-pyramid figures in the entire ninja world. Not to mention, no matter how strong a human was, they rarely possessed the kind of large-scale destructive capabilities a Tailed Beast had.
Especially in the ninja wars of the past few decades, this point had been fully proven. Tailed Beasts could truly bring crushing advantages against ordinary ninja armies. The Hidden Mist Village absolutely could not accept the loss of two Tailed Beasts in a row.
As for why they judged that the Six-Tails likely fell into the hands of the Stone or Cloud ninja, that was just basic deduction under the current geopolitical situation.
It wasn't that they hadn't suspected the Leaf.
But in the view of this Mist team leader, the threat from the former two was clearly greater, and the probability highest!
For the Stone Village, Ohnoki might be a bit better off, but the Fourth Raikage, A, appeared somewhat unlucky. Not only did the heir he trusted most die in battle, but he also had to inexplicably shoulder half the blame—and he didn't even know this news yet.
It was foreseeable that in a few days, the office desk of this Fourth Raikage would be entering a countdown to the end of its life.
---
In this special "Six-Tails Hunting Game" where various factions converged...
Menma was undoubtedly the final winner. Not only did he successfully complete his pre-planned objective and get the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, to join his side—greatly enhancing his faction's power—but he also conveniently weakened the strength of hostile forces.
Whether it was the loss of Danzo's Root forces or the death of Darui and the Cloud ninja, it was good news for Menma.
Especially the latter. The strength Darui displayed in the original story made him a pretty decent Kage-level powerhouse. If not for his chakra being over-consumed and suffering injuries, Menma might not have been able to kill this future Fifth Raikage so cleanly.
This kind of weakening of the enemy was, in a sense, strengthening his own side. After all, at some point in the future, once he joined the Hidden Waterfall Village and the matter of the Six-Tails was exposed...
It was 100% foreseeable that they would invite covetous eyes and invasions from multiple factions.
Including the Hidden Stone Village, which seemed like an ally right now. There was no telling if that Third Tsuchikage would flip the script immediately.
The human heart is always a terrifying thing that cannot be fully fathomed.
Therefore, from this perspective, Menma had truly hit the jackpot. But the other factions took a massive loss.
This included Orochimaru's side. The loss of a stronghold and a dozen subordinates... Orochimaru himself might not care much, but it was still a loss.
The Hidden Mist side seemed to have no personnel loss, but losing the Six-Tails was already a heavy blow.
Before, there was at least hope, right?
As for the Hidden Cloud and the Hidden Leaf, they took a bloodbath of a loss.
They had the most combat deaths, and every single one was an elite.
Ryoma Aburame indeed couldn't compare to Darui, but he was a solid Elite Jonin and a confidant of Danzo Shimura—absolutely a founding veteran level figure of Root.
So, more than a day later, when one or two surviving Root members transmitted the intelligence of what happened in the Land of Spring back to the Hidden Leaf via special channels, and Danzo found out...
Bang!
This "Darkness of the Leaf" guest-starred as the Fourth Raikage for a moment, angrily slamming his hand down on the desk in front of him, smashing it directly into pieces.
His single exposed eye revealed a look that was incredibly cold and twisted.
"Orochimaru! Menma Uzumaki!!!"
He practically ground his teeth as he spat out the words.
It blatantly displayed Danzo's rage.
Three full elite Root squads, plus Ryoma Aburame, who could be considered the strongest existence in Root currently aside from himself.
Almost completely wiped out!
And with zero gain.
How could you expect Danzo to accept such a result!? How could he not be furious!?
The current Danzo had completely lost his reason, like a unhinged tyrant!
For a split second, Danzo wanted to lead a team personally, empty out the Root base, and go settle the score with Orochimaru and Menma.
In the past few months, he had already lost a lot of personnel.
The current Root could be said to have its vitality severely damaged. And with Tsunade's restrictions, it was far more difficult for Danzo to recruit new personnel into Root than before. Unless he looked for orphans inside and outside the village to train from scratch—Tsunade wouldn't restrict that much—but how much time would that take!?
Even calculating with the shortest time, it would take several years to train a qualified Root agent.
Did the current Danzo have that kind of time!?
He needed immediate combat power!
Damn it!!!
"So, can the location of the Six-Tails be confirmed!? Was he taken by Orochimaru? Or the Cloud ninja!? Or some other outcome!?"
Danzo looked at the Root member below with a cold expression, speaking in a very gloomy tone.
Since he didn't get the Six-Tails, what Danzo hoped for most was that the Six-Tails Jinchuriki had escaped on his own like before to wander the ninja world. He absolutely didn't want to see the Six-Tails fall into the hands of any faction.
Even if captured back by the Hidden Mist, Danzo would feel like it was cutting his own flesh. The Six-Tails remaining in a rogue "ownerless state" was the result Danzo would be happiest with, because that meant he still had a chance to obtain this Tailed Beast!
"No, that cannot be confirmed."
"If it can't be confirmed, then go confirm it! Send more people. Find the traces of the Six-Tails for me in the shortest time possible, understand!?"
Danzo shouted, his anger skyrocketing.
"Yes, Lord Danzo!"
The Root member bowed his head immediately, then flickered away, leaving the spot directly.
Danzo stood there leaning on his wooden cane, thinking for a long time. He felt he had to take further action. Otherwise, the situation would become increasingly unfavorable for him and for the Leaf.
He couldn't let Tsunade continue to mess around.
The Six-Tails absolutely could not fall into anyone else's hands, especially that bastard Orochimaru!!!
---
If Danzo's anger nearly swallowed his reason...
Then the Fourth Raikage, far away in the Land of Lightning, who received the relevant information much later than Danzo, truly had his mind blown by rage.
"What did you say!? Darui and the others are all missing!? Suspected all killed in action!? Are you mocking me!? You bastard!"
The Fourth Raikage, A, shot up from his seat with a whoosh. His right hand slammed down almost subconsciously.
Bang!
Crack!
Crash!
Accompanied by his roaring words, the office desk in front of him, which had only been replaced a few months ago, seemed to let out a wail before instantly shattering into pieces.
Dodai, standing to the left of the Fourth Raikage, also revealed a grave expression at this moment, his gaze fixed tightly on the Cloud ninja who had just come to report.
Dodai knew Darui's strength better than anyone.
It should be said that in their village, aside from Lord Raikage, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito, the strongest was Darui.
And he was young, with a very high ceiling for growth.
He was absolutely one of the most trustworthy existences in the village.
The Cloud ninja led out this time were almost all elites of the village. The few with weaker combat strength were specialists in sealing.