Sasuke was, of course, intimately familiar with the concept of one person playing the good cop while another played the bad cop.
Still, it was indeed the best approach for the current situation. As the Hokage of Konoha, Naruto couldn't act recklessly. But sometimes, failing to project strength could lead others to underestimate you.
"There are still two days until the summit. Itachi and the others should be able to make it back by then, right?"
Naruto nodded at the words. "But it seems they didn't succeed in capturing the Tailed Beast!"
"I figured as much. Someone probably made a move before them!"
"Yes! Someone definitely beat us to it. Itachi and Neji reported finding traces of a battle, but they couldn't identify who was responsible!"
Unknown perpetrators!
Sasuke's first thought immediately went to the Akatsuki or perhaps the Kara organization. If things were proceeding as expected, they were the most likely culprits. However, he couldn't rule out the possibility of other shinobi intervening. After all, since the onset of this chaos, numerous ninjas from different eras had arrived in this world. Among them were undoubtedly powerful individuals, and it wasn't impossible that some had set their sights on the Tailed Beasts.
"Let's just hope the situation isn't the worst-case scenario," Sasuke could only say.
Naruto paused for a moment, then he too recalled what Sasuke had previously mentioned about Kara and the Akatsuki, who had already arrived in the Shinobi World. These two organizations, now potentially allied, represented a force that couldn't be ignored.
However, all these problems might soon find a resolution. If only the Kage Summit could conclude smoothly! Then, with the shinobi of the Five Great Nations joining forces once more, dealing with these ninjas from other times wouldn't be an issue. The sheer number of brilliant and legendary Kage from various eras gathered together possessed more than enough power to suppress these rogue elements. As for Kara and Akatsuki, dealing with them would become much simpler.
The only real problem remaining was... the Otsutsuki!
That was the threat currently weighing heavily on both Naruto and Sasuke's minds. Dealing with the Otsutsuki was never going to be easy.
Meanwhile, Itachi Uchiha and Neji Hyuga, speeding back towards Konoha, gathered considerable intelligence along their route.
Specifically, due to the Land of Iron's proximity to the Land of Lightning, they learned a great deal about the situation there. While resting in a small town, they overheard traveling merchants discussing recent events.
"The Land of Lightning is mobilizing a massive number of shinobi. It seems they even used some kind of secret jutsu to revive the Fourth Raikage, who was on the brink of death, bringing him back suddenly."
"Not just revived, but apparently restored to the peak physical condition of his youth!"
"What kind of secret technique could possibly have such an effect? Does this mean Kumogakure's Raikage will never die?"
"It's not quite like that. I heard the cost is immense, and once this secret jutsu is activated, the Fourth Raikage has less than a year of life remaining, at most. After that, nothing can save him!"
The merchants chattered amongst themselves.
From these conversations, however, Itachi and Neji grasped the underlying issues.
The Fourth Raikage revived? Restored to his prime? This clearly wasn't the doing of the Fifth Raikage. If the Fifth Raikage had intended to do this, he would have done so much earlier. Obviously, the decision to pay such a heavy price to revive the Fourth Raikage was made to bolster their military strength. And this idea likely came from a Raikage from a different era – perhaps the Third, the Second, or even the First Raikage.
Regardless, Kumogakure now conservatively possessed at least four Kage-level fighters: the First, Second, Third, and the revived Fourth Raikage. Furthermore, the current Fifth Raikage, who had never fully agreed with the philosophies of his predecessors, might now choose to compromise, especially given the Fourth Raikage's return. The Fifth Raikage held deep respect for the Fourth, whose influence went far beyond merely being the previous village leader. It was highly probable that the Fifth Raikage wouldn't defy the Fourth's will.
And both Itachi and Neji knew exactly what kind of man the Fourth Raikage was. Having experienced the Fourth Great Ninja War, they knew him as an out-and-out militant – a war hawk through and through. In the current circumstances, the Fourth Raikage's likely course of action was obvious. There was an eighty percent chance he would choose to capitalize on the chaos and push for Kumogakure's rise. The Fourth Raikage was not one to sit idly by.
"It seems Kumogakure has made its decision," Itachi stated calmly. Neji nodded in agreement.
"Indeed! It's likely the situations in the other villages aren't much different!"
"Kirigakure might have been relatively stable, but unfortunately, it seems the Sixth Mizukage, Lady Haku, has already been sidelined!"
"I heard Sasuke brought her back to Konoha?"
Itachi offered a faint smile at the mention. "If Sasuke hadn't left back then, perhaps Lady Haku would be one of Konoha's own right now!"
Neji also gave a slight smile.
It was true. If Sasuke had never defected, Konoha would have gained two powerhouses easily surpassing the average Kage level. Furthermore, the potential birth of a ninja possessing both the Ice Release and the Sharingan bloodlines might have become a reality. And judging by Sasuke's own talent, such an offspring would likely have been a prodigy with frightening potential.
But the world didn't deal in 'what ifs'.
"Let's hurry back to Konoha," Itachi urged, glancing around. The number of people in the Shinobi World had clearly increased, and he could sense a strange, pervasive unease radiating even from the civilians. Although everyone seemed to be trying their best to act normally, and no specific terrifying event had occurred yet, there was an almost palpable feeling that a great catastrophe was imminent. A disaster that would engulf the entire Shinobi World, leaving no one untouched.
The calamity had finished brewing.
Within a certain dimensional space.
Ten days.
The time had finally arrived!
Isshiki stared at the 'monster' before him, his eyes gleaming with unconcealed excitement and joy. The Ten-Tails, summoned through the combined efforts of so many gathered Otsutsuki clan members, was truly extraordinary.
This colossal creature, merely in its newly summoned state, already pulsed with terrifying chakra waves. Ripples of power shimmered, faintly visible, drifting slowly around its immense body. And this was just its initial form, before absorbing any power to grow into a true Divine Tree.
It was hard to fathom the sheer terror this particular Ten-Tails would unleash once it fully matured into the Divine Tree. Equally anticipated was the spectacle that would unfold when it bore the Fruit of the Divine Tree.
At that moment, Momoshiki reached out, placing a hand on the Ten-Tails' body, and slowly absorbed a portion of its chakra.
Even that small amount instantly caused Momoshiki's blood to feel as if it were boiling. A surge of terrifying power erupted uncontrollably from him.
Isshiki watched Momoshiki with considerable surprise.
Momoshiki looked down at his own body, then at the fluctuating chakra in his hand.
"Such potent power!" he exclaimed, awestruck. "A strength unlike anything I've ever encountered!"
"If I could obtain the fruit from this Ten-Tails... then perhaps I could truly become the god we've always dreamed of being..."
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