With Rasa, a Kage-level powerhouse, and Yamashita Tetsu, a near-Kage-level warrior, the resistance from Tigerstripe was undoubtedly futile.
"Ninjutsu: Tiger Transformation Technique!"
Tigerstripe's body suddenly grew larger, his muscles bulging one after another. Yellow fur began sprouting from his skin, and two sharp fangs emerged from his mouth. His hands transformed into razor-sharp claws, making him look like a humanoid tiger at first glance.
"Roar!"
Tigerstripe tilted his head back and let out a deafening roar, resembling the cry of a fierce tiger.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Yamashita Tetsu took the initiative, forming hand seals at lightning speed. A water dragon roared as it shot toward Tigerstripe.
Tigerstripe bent his legs and, just as the water dragon was about to reach him, leapt nimbly to the side, dodging the attack with ease. Without missing a beat, he lunged toward Rasa.
Rasa initially intended to manipulate his gold dust to defend himself, but Yamashita Tetsu moved faster. "Leave it to me!" he shouted, grabbing his katana and charging forward.
Seeing Yamashita's enthusiasm, Rasa decided not to interfere. Crossing his arms, he stood back to watch the show. His cold gaze shifted to the group of subordinates behind Tigerstripe, and he spoke icily:
"Those of you in the Police Force, drop your weapons and back against the wall. Kneel down. If anyone dares to move a finger... hmph! Don't blame me for forgetting our shared homeland."
The sound of weapons clattering to the ground echoed through the room.
The Police Force ninjas behind Tigerstripe obediently dropped their weapons and knelt against the wall. Unlike the refined and cunning demeanor of Jing Hang, the Kazekage, Rasa had always been known for his cold and stern demeanor. His ruthlessness had left an indelible impression on everyone, and he never showed mercy in battle.
The Police Force, akin to a law enforcement unit, was no match for the standing army in terms of combat power. The fact that Rasa stood unharmed, having surrounded the Police Force with his own men, was proof enough that the rebellion had already failed. To resist any further would be a death wish.
Rasa waved his hand, signaling his standing army ninjas to step back, giving Yamashita Tetsu and Tigerstripe space to fight.
In the combat zone, Yamashita Tetsu and Tigerstripe were already locked in fierce combat. Yamashita unleashed a flurry of slashes using his Chaotic Wind Blade Technique, raining down attacks like a violent storm.
Tigerstripe's movements were no less agile than Yamashita's. His claws clashed against the katana, producing a metallic clang. Even when the blade occasionally grazed his body, it only managed to cut off a few strands of fur.
His physical resilience was astonishing!
"This isn't going to work," Yamashita thought. "This guy's body is too tough. He must have a weak spot. Time to test him."
Yamashita's long katana was ideal for sustained pressure through rapid, relentless attacks. However, he suddenly retreated two steps, putting four or five meters between himself and Tigerstripe. Holding the blade horizontally, he formed a quick hand seal with his free hand.
"Water Release: Ten Thousand Water Blades Technique!"
Out of thin air, countless sharp, transparent water blades materialized, hurtling toward Tigerstripe at a speed too fast to dodge.
At such a short distance, with such speed and a wide attack range, evasion was nearly impossible.
Tigerstripe crossed one arm over his eyes and the other over his abdomen, allowing the water blades to strike his body. Yet, none of the attacks managed to pierce his skin.
"Got it!" Yamashita's eyes gleamed with determination. "His weak spots are his eyes and abdomen!"
A faint smile appeared on Yamashita's lips. "Let's see how long you can last."
"Gold Dust: Nine-Needle Seal!"
From the sidelines, Rasa, who had been watching the fight, suddenly raised his hand. Nine golden needles shot through the gaps in Tigerstripe's fingers, piercing into his abdomen.
"Argh!" Tigerstripe let out a blood-curdling scream as his body rapidly shrank, reverting to his normal human form.
"You!" Yamashita glared at Rasa in frustration. "What the hell was that? Stealing my kill?"
"What do you mean, 'what'? You've been fooling around long enough. What are you, a babysitter? We need to interrogate him later, so stop wasting time. Gold Dust: Binding Technique!" Rasa replied coldly.
A strand of gold dust coiled around Tigerstripe like a rope, binding his hands tightly behind his back.
With that, the rebellion within Sunagakure was effectively quelled.
"I don't recall having much of a grudge against your Amegakure," Jing Hang said calmly.
"Hah! Your Hourglass Group has entrenched itself in Amegakure for nearly a decade, plundering our wealth and exploiting our people! And you dare say there's no grudge?" Yahiko retorted, glaring at Jing Hang with righteous fury. By now, Yahiko had seen through everything—the assassination attempt, the rebellion—it was all a setup. The Akatsuki had been used as pawns.
Now, surrounded by over a thousand Sunagakure ninjas under the moonlight, Yahiko's three hundred battered and exhausted fighters had no hope of breaking through. They were out of chakra and options. Fighting would be akin to throwing eggs at a rock.
Yet, despite the dire situation, Yahiko stubbornly responded to Jing Hang's question.
"Boy, that's not how the world works, nor how debts are calculated," Jing Hang said, wagging his finger.
"Everything Sunagakure has done in Amegakure has been above board. We paid fifty years' worth of mining rights for those two iron mines. The rent for every factory plot—two million ryo a month—was never delayed. Workers' wages were always paid on time and were comparable to what we pay our own villagers. This was true under both Hanzo's and Nōshin Kongō's regimes. So where's the plundering and exploitation you speak of?"
"You paid the money to a corrupt government! Did the people of Amegakure ever see a single coin of it?"
"Now you're being unreasonable. When I do business in Amegakure, who else am I supposed to deal with if not the Ame leadership? Should I go door-to-door and ask every single person? Would that even work? Besides, when your Akatsuki took power, you demanded the return of all industries along the Shule River. Did I resist? I handed over the factories, equipment, mines, logistics, and stores without complaint. And now you come to attack me? That's simply unjustifiable."
Yahiko was momentarily speechless. He wanted to argue, but everything Jing Hang said was true. Frustrated, he stiffened his neck and declared, "Enough talk! Do what you will. Kill me or torture me—I won't beg."
Now it was Jing Hang's turn to feel troubled. The boy was playing the martyr.
If it were just Yahiko, Jing Hang wouldn't hesitate to kill him without batting an eye. But seeing the slightly tense expression on Nagato's face made Jing Hang reconsider.
Should I just kill them all?
Hmm, no, that's unwise.
This kid can't be provoked. If his latent powers awaken, I might not be able to handle him. I can't make the same mistake Danzo did, can I? This is the man who will one day destroy an entire village as "Pain." Besides, without him, who's going to deal with Konoha for me? All my efforts would be wasted.
And let's not forget, those eyes of his are Madara's precious treasures. If that old relic shows up because of this, it'll spell disaster for the village. (Jing Hang's plan was to kill him outside the village.)
But letting them go so easily would also be unacceptable. I'd have no way to explain it to the villagers.
Suddenly, Jing Hang spotted Higashi Shijin in the distance. His eyes gleamed with a cunning idea.
"A Kage does not kill another nation's Kage," Jing Hang declared (a complete fabrication). "And, well, Jiraiya is practically my brother-in-law" (an even bigger lie). "Since you're his disciple, I'll show you some mercy out of respect for him. You may leave... except for him."
Jing Hang pointed at Yahiko, then at Nagato, and finally at Higashi Shijin.
"Me?! Why me?!" Higashi Shijin exclaimed in shock.
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