Susano'o's gigantic sword, wrapped in the ominous black flames of Amaterasu, came crashing down like the weapon of a god of destruction.
Kirigakure's proud defensive fortifications and sturdy buildings were like paper before such overwhelming power.
They were instantly torn apart, crushed, and set ablaze.
The black flames spread as if they were alive, reducing everything they touched to ashes.
Heartbreaking screams mixed with the thunderous roar of collapsing buildings.
The once cold and murderous Kirigakure had become a burning hell.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome!"
"Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Seedling Fern!"
"..."
The Kirigakure ninja launched desperate counterattacks.
Wave after wave of figures charged toward Chiya.
Bloodline Limits?
Secret Technique clans?
Before the Complete Body Susano'o, everything appeared weak and laughable.
Standing within Susano'o's forehead, Chiya looked down coldly at the battlefield below.
Tsunade and Kushina stood beside him.
Although they had already witnessed his power before, seeing such destruction that resembled a natural disaster still shook them deeply.
The golden chakra cloak surrounding Kushina rippled slightly, revealing her inner turmoil.
Tsunade clenched her fists as she stared at Chiya's profile with complicated emotions.
The worry in her heart only grew stronger.
It was not because of Kirigakure's casualties.
It was because the coldness surrounding Chiya had become even more inhuman.
Looking at the Kirigakure ninja rushing toward him, Chiya's expression remained calm.
Kirigakure's resistance could not be called weak.
If anything, it was incredibly fierce.
They used the terrain they knew so well and the thick mist to launch one suicidal attack after another.
But against Susano'o's overwhelming defense and destructive power, every effort became nothing more than a meaningless sacrifice.
The sea gradually turned red.
Steam rose from the ocean as blood mixed with the water.
The air became filled with the smell of burning flesh and blood.
Yet from beginning to end...
The Third Mizukage never appeared.
"Where is the Mizukage?"
Chiya's cold voice echoed from within Susano'o, overpowering every other sound across the ruins.
No one answered.
The surviving Kirigakure ninja had nothing left in their eyes except fear and despair.
Perhaps they did not know where the Mizukage had gone either.
Susano'o took another enormous step.
Ignoring the scattered attacks aimed at it, the giant walked directly toward the center of the village.
Its destination was the Mizukage Building.
After reaching land...
Every single step shook the earth as though it were stomping directly on the hearts of every Kirigakure ninja.
"Stop him!"
"Protect Kirigakure!"
An ANBU captain screamed with all his strength.
Fifty masked ANBU ninja leaped out from the shadows like ghosts.
Countless ninja tools and secret techniques rained toward Susano'o.
Chiya did not even bother attacking with Susano'o.
The violent chakra swirling around the giant alone created a powerful vortex that acted like an invisible wall, sending every ANBU ninja flying.
The sound of breaking bones echoed endlessly.
Most of them were already severely injured and unconscious before hitting the ground.
Their bodies fell into the ruins like broken kites.
After entering Kirigakure...
Chiya looked toward the distant Mizukage Building.
Susano'o casually swung one enormous arm.
The symbolic entrance of the Mizukage Building, along with half of its wall, was instantly ripped open, leaving behind a massive gap.
Chiya dismissed Susano'o.
His figure flashed forward, bringing Tsunade and Kushina directly into the building.
Five Kirigakure ANBU rushed in after them.
The moment they reached the opening...
"Amaterasu."
Pitch black flames appeared instantly.
All five ANBU were immediately swallowed by the black fire.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
Their miserable screams echoed throughout the building.
The Kirigakure ninja outside stared at the opening in horror.
Yet not a single one dared to chase after them.
The inside of the building was in complete chaos.
It was obvious that everyone had fled in a hurry.
Documents were scattered everywhere.
The important items had clearly been taken away.
Chiya's Sharingan slowly rotated as he observed the entire building.
He could not sense any particularly strong chakra.
The Third Mizukage seemed to have vanished without a trace.
Frowning slightly, he slowly walked toward the Mizukage's office.
Several loyal ANBU attempted to block his path along the way.
However, Tsunade's monstrous strength and Kushina's attacks dealt with them effortlessly.
They could not delay the group for even a moment.
Bang!
The office door was blasted open by a vortex of chakra created by Chiya.
The room was empty.
A thin layer of dust covered the desk, proving that its owner had been gone for quite some time.
Chiya's eyes swept across the room.
His scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated as it searched for even the slightest trace of remaining chakra.
Suddenly...
His gaze stopped at an ordinary looking scroll rack in the corner.
There...
A tiny trace of chakra remained.
It was extremely weak.
Yet strangely familiar.
This chakra...
It felt familiar.
'Uchiha Aoki?'
Chiya's brows immediately knitted together.
Uchiha Aoki...
The man who had betrayed the clan and joined the Third Hokage's faction.
Why would his chakra be inside the Mizukage's office?
And this feeling...
It seemed stronger than before.
It also felt... stranger.
Countless questions immediately filled Chiya's mind.
Ever since joining the Third Hokage's side, Aoki had achieved nothing within the ANBU.
He had practically faded into the background.
Even Chiya himself had almost forgotten about that traitor.
Yet now...
He had found traces of his chakra again.
Had Aoki defected from Konoha and joined Kirigakure?
Was he connected to the disappearance of the Third Mizukage?
Or perhaps...
Someone else was controlling everything behind the scenes.
And Kirigakure was only one part of a much larger plan.
"Chiya, what's wrong?"
Tsunade noticed the change in his expression and asked.
She had sensed the unusual chakra as well, but she did not recognize it.
"It's nothing."
"I simply found something interesting."
Chiya calmed himself and returned to his usual expression.
He chose not to explain further.
After searching thoroughly without finding anything else, Chiya turned around and left the Mizukage Building with the two women.
Outside, countless Kirigakure ninja still surrounded the building.
A sea of black figures stretched as far as the eye could see.
Yet not one of them dared step forward.
Their eyes were filled with fear...
Despair...
And numbness.
As they watched Chiya walk out, it was like waiting for the final judgment.
At that moment...
The crowd slowly parted.
An elderly man, surrounded by several others, slowly walked forward.
He was very old.
His face was covered in wrinkles.
He leaned on a strangely shaped wooden staff.
Though his cloudy eyes appeared tired, they carried the wisdom and helplessness of someone who had lived through countless hardships.
The moment he appeared, the restless fear among the Kirigakure ninja eased somewhat.
"Elder Genji..."
"Lord Genji has come..."
"..."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
Chiya's eyes settled upon the old man.
Judging by everyone's reaction...
This was probably the true central figure of Kirigakure.
Genji.
The highly respected elder of Kirigakure.
A man whose status was so great that he could even restrain the authority of the Mizukage.
Genji stopped about ten steps away from Chiya.
He quietly looked over the ruined village and the countless dead and wounded ninja.
A trace of sorrow flashed through his eyes before becoming a long, exhausted sigh.
He gently pushed away those supporting him.
Then...
Slowly...
With great difficulty...
He bowed deeply toward Chiya.
"Lord Uchiha Chiya..."
"Please..."
"Stop."
His old and hoarse voice was filled with endless exhaustion.
"Kirigakure..."
"Admits defeat."
"We..."
"Are willing to surrender to Konoha."
As those words fell...
Every Kirigakure ninja behind him...
Whether willing or unwilling...
Seemed to lose the last of their strength.
One after another, they lowered their heads.
Some even knelt to the ground.
It symbolized Kirigakure's complete surrender.
The sea breeze swept through the battlefield.
It carried the smell of blood and burning ashes.
Yet it could not blow away the despair and humiliation hanging over the village.
Chiya looked calmly at the surrendered crowd.
His expression did not change in the slightest.
His objective had already been achieved.
Although the disappearance of the Third Mizukage and the clue involving Aoki had been unexpected...
Kirigakure's spirit had already been completely broken.
"Remember the choice you made today."
His voice remained cold.
"Konoha's representatives will arrive shortly to discuss the terms of your surrender."
"If any of you attempt anything..."
His eyes slowly swept across Genji and the Kirigakure leadership.
The pattern within his Mangekyō Sharingan rotated gently.
Its icy killing intent made everyone feel as though they had fallen into an endless frozen abyss.
"...Then Kirigakure will no longer have any reason to exist."
Genji's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
He lowered his head even further.
"We would never dare..."
"Kirigakure will obey your command."
Chiya said nothing more.
Just as he was about to leave...
His eyes suddenly stopped on a brown haired girl standing among the crowd of ninja.
She had emerald green eyes.
Her long reddish brown wavy hair crossed over itself.
Her face was hidden behind her bangs as her pink lips trembled slightly.
"You."
"Come here."
A female ninja beside her nudged her with an elbow.
"Huh?"
"Me?"
The girl slowly looked up.
Only then did she realize Uchiha Chiya was looking directly at her.
Disbelief filled her face.
"What's your name?"
"M-My lord..."
"My name is Mei Terumi..."
The young girl pursed her lips.
She looked at Uchiha Chiya without even daring to breathe.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
Mei Terumi?
Understanding suddenly dawned on Chiya.
No wonder she had looked so familiar.
He instinctively examined her.
She still looked very young.
She had not yet grown into the beautiful and charming woman she would become in the future.
'She has plenty of room to develop.'
At that moment...
The system's notification suddenly rang out.
[Mission Triggered: Intercept Mei Terumi.]
[Reward: One random Bloodline Limit or Secret Technique.]
Chiya paused for a moment before quickly recovering.
'This highly criminal system is acting up again...'
'Another mission.'
Looking at the frightened young girl...
Then glancing at the suspicious looks the surrounding ninja were giving her...
"You'll come with me for now."
Mei Terumi froze.
Her eyes widened as she stared blankly at Uchiha Chiya.
"We're leaving."
Kushina looked at the frozen Mei Terumi.
Tsunade followed behind Chiya.
After thinking for a moment, Kushina deactivated her Nine Tails Chakra Mode and returned to normal.
She walked over to Mei Terumi.
"Come on."
Mei Terumi finally came back to her senses.
She forced out a smile that looked even worse than crying.
"Y-Yes..."
The two girls quickly caught up.
Soon, the four figures disappeared into the thick mist.
Behind them remained only a devastated village and countless ninja who had completely lost the will to fight.
"It seems..."
"The entire ninja world is about to change."
"But why did Lord Mizukage disappear at a time like this?"
"..."
Genji murmured quietly.
Then he slowly straightened his back.
Looking toward the direction Chiya had disappeared...
His cloudy eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
In the end...
They became nothing more than another deep sigh that no one could understand
━━━━━━━━━━━━
❤️ Enjoying the Story?
⭐ Every 500 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter!
📖 Read 120 chapters ahead on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
Thank you for your support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━