Konoha VillageMeeting Room
In one of the hallways leading to the meeting room, a man walked with firm steps and a serious expression. It was Naobito, a muscular man of tall stature. His hair, although somewhat long in the back, was combed backwards, and his English mustache stood out along with his elongated and defined eyebrows.
He wore traditional Japanese attire: a dark kimono covered by a hakama of the same color. Tied at his waist was a white haori himo and a light-toned haori. For footwear, he wore tabi and zori.
Without escorts and with an overwhelming confidence in his own power, Naobito pushed open the doors of the meeting room and took a seat in the chair that represented his clan, decorated with its symbol. His arrogance was evident, but not unfounded: his skill and reputation backed him up.
Naobito was the only shinobi who had managed to surprise Tobirama Senju in a speed battle. He was also feared by the Uchiha, who during his tenure as leader of the Kurohana Clan never dared to disrespect him. His technique, Cursed Projection, was a unique ability that distorted the perception of time, freezing everything he touched for 24 frames (one second) and forcing him to act with millimetric precision in that brief interval. If he failed, he himself would suffer the consequences.
Naobito's ability was such that, even with the Sharingan, the Uchiha were unable to follow his movements. It was said that, if he set his mind to it, he could decimate the majority, if not the entirety, of the Uchiha Clan. His level of power was that of a Kage, and many considered him equal to or even superior to the Second Hokage. He was, without a doubt, one of the strongest of his era.
Despite his mask of arrogance and indifference, Naobito was worried. Tobirama Senju had been ambushed by the Village of the Cloud during a mission, and war seemed imminent. He knew that his clan, famous for having warriors as talented as the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyūga, would have no choice but to participate.
However, his concern was balanced by news that filled his heart with pride and happiness: the birth of a child blessed by the Sage of the Six Paths. A child with the power to change the world.
This knowledge was a high-ranking secret, known only to four people within the Kurohana Clan. In addition, Naobito was also celebrating the birth of his own son, Naoya, who would be the future leader of the clan after his death.
With his happiness and anxiety carefully hidden behind his usual arrogant attitude, Naobito sat confidently in the chair that represented his clan. He observed the other leaders seated in a circle: the Inuzuka, Aburame, Hyūga, Uchiha, and others, all gathered around the newly appointed Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The council room was silent, barely interrupted by the soft crackling of incense burning in a corner. The air was dense, charged with repressed emotions and accumulated tension. Hiruzen observed the map spread out over the round table. The red marks indicated the recent movements of Kumogakure and Kirigakure. The death of the Second Hokage was not only a tragedy; it was a tactical move that could destabilize the entire balance between nations.
"Now that Tobirama has fallen," Hiruzen began, his voice firm, "it's only logical that the other nations see Konoha as vulnerable. We must be proactive. Iwagakure might try to expand its influence into the Land of Fire. And Kumogakure… well, they've already shown where they stand."
"Kirigakure will take advantage of the chaos," the Aburame leader added in a near whisper. "They never strike head-on, but now that our primary tactical mind has fallen, they'll opt for attrition over risk. They'll attack minor border posts, orphanages, medical transports. They aim to break our spirit before our body."
Naobito, seated with one leg crossed and his haori slightly disheveled, took a sip of sake before speaking. His tone was mocking, but his gaze was sharp as a blade.
"The real war isn't just between Konoha and Kirigakure. This is a test. They want to measure our reactions. See if we mourn… or if we bite."
Danzō nodded slowly, his hands clasped behind his back as he stood behind Hiruzen, his cold gaze fixed forward. As the current Hokage's guard—and thanks to his reputation—he could speak freely now, especially with Hiruzen's permission, even in a high-level meeting.
"And that's why we must respond with intelligence. A direct attack would make us look like aggressors in the eyes of the Daimyō. But if we use covert operations, sabotage their supply lines, eliminate key positions... we can force them to retreat without formally declaring war."
"So you're proposing a silent war?" the Hyūga leader asked with a frown. "To kill without declaring? That risks our alliances—even our relationship with the Land of Iron."
"And what would you do?" Danzō replied calmly. "Wait for them to surround us? Let them capture our children while we argue over how to avoid breaking the rules?"
Naobito let out a dry chuckle. "Look at that. The Hokage hopeful defending morality with knives in the shadows. How amusing."
Hiruzen raised a hand. "Enough. Both positions have merit. But we must think as Tobirama would have. Firm, strategic, without losing sight of our people. We cannot allow sensei's death to become an excuse for losing our humanity."
Naobito sighed. "You speak like a monk, not a shinobi. But you're right about one thing: this isn't just revenge. It's a message to the world. Konoha will not fall—not now, not ever."
Danzō glanced at him sideways. "That depends on how much we're willing to sacrifice."
"I've already sacrificed more than you can imagine," Naobito replied, still smiling—though his eyes said something else entirely.
His solemn expression quickly gave way to something colder, more implacable.
"I didn't come here to ask you to speak," Hiruzen interrupted, his tone hardening even further.
A tense silence took over the meeting room. No one dared contradict the new Hokage. Only Naobito Kurohana smiled with amusement. To him, both Hiruzen and Danzō were just a pair of pups baring their teeth for the first time in a world of lions. At that moment, for many, he wasn't some inexperienced youth; he was the direct heir to the legacy of the Senju brothers, and his will was as firm as steel and as fiery as the Will of Fire.
"If war is inevitable, then we will prepare for it. Konoha will not back down. And those unwilling to defend this legacy will be swept away by the current we are about to unleash."
"We have lost a man who helped make Konoha what it is today. And as his successor, I will prove—together with all of you—what the Konoha Tobirama Senju built is truly made of."
The weight of his words echoed through the room, enveloping every leader present in a silence thick with tension.
Naobito took another sip of sake. His gaze drifted, distant, as he settled into his chair.
"Tobirama was a great Hokage. He's one of the few men I respect, because Konoha is strong." His gaze turned arrogant. "I believe it's clear that Kirigakure must pay for what they did, whether directly or indirectly connected to the death of our Kage."
"Hiruzen," the Inuzuka clan leader said, locking eyes with Hiruzen Sarutobi. "I know it's not in our best interest right now, but Kirigakure must pay—no matter how. We suffered too great a loss in our land and our village."
"Now that I think about it more calmly, war isn't feasible. We're short on forces and resources. The First War left a mark on our village, and using our strength in another war would drain us too much. If we're going to act, it has to be subtle. We can't attack supply shipments—by now, they're more aware of our movements," the Nara clan leader immediately interjected, stopping the Inuzuka leader. "I propose an infiltration and sabotage operation in Kirigakure using our newly formed ANBU force."
Danzō, who now served as part of the temporary guard for the Third Hokage, nodded in agreement with the Nara leader—after all, that was exactly what he had hoped for.
He raised his hand behind Hiruzen, silently asking for permission to speak. Hiruzen gave a slight nod without turning around.
"Since we all agree that Kirigakure must pay the price for this attack, considering that the forces who killed Lord Second were still affiliated with them, I nominate myself to lead an operation in their territory. I have experience under Tobirama-sensei's teachings, and I believe that, being the only one currently available—since my comrades hold other positions—I'm the most reliable choice to carry it out. And if anyone learned Tobirama-sensei's war doctrine faithfully, that would be me."
Danzō spoke with a serious and calm voice. Though dark, it projected a strong confidence to the leaders listening. Naobito stared at him for a moment, then looked away with disinterest.
"Yet you weren't willing to step forward and give your life for your comrades. That's why you weren't chosen as Hokage," Naobito said with an amused, arrogant tone as he sipped his sake.
He had seen that man try to charm women from his clan before, but never trusted him. His eyes looked dead, without purpose, though filled with a deep malice.
Danzō stared back at Naobito. The old man was beginning to irritate him more than he could tolerate.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, the temperature dropping slightly. Danzō was clearly upset—his clenched hands gave him away.
Naobito laughed at the reaction and kept provoking him.
"Tobirama knew what you were like. Maybe in military terms you'd have been a better option than Hiruzen. But what Konoha needs right now is a leader with compassion—someone who values the lives of his people, not a dictator." Naobito took another relaxed sip of sake.
"You didn't hesitate to propose the mass murder of thousands of civilians just because of one military leader. Isn't that a bit heartless?" he asked, still amused.
"Konoha is my home. Tobirama Senju was my sensei, and he was murdered. Don't think I won't make Kirigakure pay for what they did. I don't care what others think," Danzō replied firmly. Naobito had crossed a line.
Hiruzen and all the military and clan leaders of the Leaf remained attentive. Hiruzen, though now the Hokage, silently agreed with what Naobito was saying. Naobito was someone even more powerful than him, and Hiruzen believed someone had to put Danzō in his place. But since he considered Danzō a friend, he would never dare say such things to his face.
Hiruzen was stunned to see how easily Danzō proposed the mass killing of civilians.
While it might have served to make Kirigakure pay, on a moral level, Hiruzen wasn't sure he could live with that. Then again, if such an act succeeded, it would raise the village's reputation—both positively and negatively.
Hiruzen lit his pipe and calmly took a puff as he listened to Danzō's response.
"I hope to count on the support of your clan, especially since the Kurohana have always been close to the Senju. Historically, they are blood relatives. I trust that the loss of the Second Hokage will push you to seek vengeance for one of your own."
Danzo's voice remained calm—something that only served to irritate Naobito further. It was clear that the man's true interest lay in observing the Kurohana clan's techniques up close. Even the Uchiha had once admitted: after the Senju, the Kurohana were the only ones truly capable of standing against them.
"Then it's settled," Hiruzen finally cut between the two men, his tone steady and composed—worthy of a leader.
Naobito smiled at that.
'So... the boy finally starts showing signs of leadership, huh?' he thought.
..........
Night of Konoha.
On the quiet yet unsettling night in the Hidden Leaf Village, the air whispered hidden secrets as it wound its way between the houses. The shadows of the Anbu moved silently across the rooftops, invisible to the few remaining passersby wandering the streets. Some were men and women from the Red District, stumbling—either drunk or barely staying on their feet.
Down below, Konoha's military police were also on duty. The Uchiha patrolled with purpose, receiving all kinds of looks: some fearful, some cordial, others completely indifferent.
Near the Hokage's building, a lone figure observed the village calmly. His white hair shimmered faintly under the moonlight, while a completely blank, patternless mask concealed his face.
Kenjaku stood motionless, analyzing the Hokage Tower. His senses spread out, scanning the area for any trace of the Flying Thunder God marks. While there were several marks scattered across the structure and the village, what he sought was near the Hokage's office. However, something caught his attention—he couldn't sense anything inside the office.
Nowadays, Tobirama Senju was dead, and security in the village had been reinforced to an absurd degree. Despite the fact that they were planning a counterattack—either to seize or conquer Kirigakure as a show of strength to the world—Kenjaku had eyes all over the village and was aware that a concentration of chakra slightly greater than that of a three-tailed beast was gathering on the outskirts of the village.
Perhaps final orders were being given before they departed for the Land of Water.
It was an unsettling detail. Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi had left the building minutes ago—leaving only Anbu and a few Uchiha police guarding the area—there seemed to be barriers in place that blocked access to the Flying Thunder God technique in that location.
Kenjaku knew why he was there. Tobirama Senju had placed a seal on his own body that would destroy his brain upon death. It was a clever move—fitting of the inventor of the Edo Tensei. While Kenjaku had been able to use the Flying Thunder God thanks to the reflexes and lingering memories of Tobirama's body, he had not yet regained the Second Hokage's full experience.
The Edo Tensei remained out of his reach. Apparently, Tobirama had considered it too dangerous a technique and rarely used it, which explained the lack of stored memory.
Kenjaku ensured his presence remained undetected and, forming a seal with his hands, transported himself to the entrance of the Hokage's office. He opened the door gently, stepping into the oppressive silence of the place.
His footsteps barely echoed as he approached the desk. He turned on his heel and looked at the portraits hanging on the wall. His eyes locked onto Tobirama's. Something inside him stirred, as if the body recognized the man in the painting. Slowly, he removed the portrait, but what he found behind it wasn't what he expected.
Nothing.
His brow furrowed. "Shouldn't it be here?" he wondered, puzzled. The body's memories told him the Scroll of Seals should be hidden there—an artifact containing forbidden techniques like the Edo Tensei and others related to Hashirama's Wood Style. But apparently, Tobirama's death had prompted them to move the scroll elsewhere.
There was only one option left: the residence of Hiruzen Sarutobi. It was a risk, but one he was willing to take.
Just as he turned to leave, something made him stop in his tracks. An unexpected presence made itself known.
From the doorway emerged a hooded figure. Their mere presence was heavy, imposing. It was someone the body recognized: Danzo Shimura.
The two of them stared at each other in tense silence.
Kenjaku moved first, hurling kunai with deadly precision. Danzo reacted swiftly, deflecting the projectiles with his own kunai—each movement as precise as clockwork. That distraction was all Kenjaku needed to launch his next move.
With a sharp clap, he summoned a large volume of water that began swirling in a vortex around him. Danzo tensed up, immediately recognizing the technique.
"Water Style: Shock Wave," Kenjaku thought, focusing a significant amount of chakra.
The vortex exploded outward, unleashing a wave of water that filled the confined space of the office. Danzo reacted instantly, forming hand seals at blinding speed.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall," he called out, raising a barrier to contain the wave. However, the impact shattered the wall, sending both of them hurtling out of the office.
Boom!
The explosion echoed throughout the village, alerting both the Uchiha and the patrolling Anbu. The entrance of the Hokage Tower was now a battlefield, flooded and chaotic.
Danzo, trying to keep the intruder close, lunged forward with a palm strike, but Kenjaku raised water from the ground with a swift foot movement, obscuring Danzo's vision for a split second. Seizing the opportunity, he launched a kick, but Danzo evaded, substituting himself with a log and reappearing atop the Hokage Tower's outer wall.
From above, Danzo observed the masked man. "You're good. Almost as good as the Second. The fact that you can use Water Jutsu without a nearby source proves my point," he said in a cold, analytical tone.
Kenjaku didn't answer. Instead, he formed the Shadow Clone seal, creating two exact replicas of himself. Wasting no time, he began weaving hand seals at blistering speed.
Ox → Monkey → Hare → Rat → Boar → Bird → Ox → Horse → Bird → Rat → Tiger → Dog → Tiger → Snake → Ox → Ram → Snake → Boar → Ram → Rat → Yang Water → Monkey → Bird → Dragon → Bird → Ox → Horse → Ram → Tiger → …
The tension in the air thickened as events unfolded at dizzying speed. Recognizing the pattern, Danzo surged forward to interrupt the jutsu in progress. But the shadow clones stepped in, forcing him into a brutal two-on-one taijutsu battle, while Kenjaku continued his seals with near inhuman precision.
The first clone intercepted his charge, throwing a direct punch at Danzo's face. Danzo, with razor precision, deflected the strike with his palm and spun on his heel, using the momentum to sweep the clone's legs. Before the body could hit the ground, he grabbed its arm and hurled it toward the second clone who was already closing in.
The thrown clone recovered mid-air, regaining posture with unnatural agility and diving into a rapid taijutsu exchange with Danzo. Their blows echoed through the night, movements blurring together, each trying to break the other's guard. Danzo, finding a brief opening, blocked a strike to the torso and countered with a sharp elbow to the clone's face, making it stagger back.
The first clone rejoined, attacking from the side. Danzo spun gracefully, catching the clone's arm and slamming it into the ground. In one smooth motion, he drove a kunai into its chest, causing it to vanish in a puff of smoke.
Only one remained.
The last clone unleashed a barrage of kicks, each aiming to destabilize Danzo, but he dodged them with an efficiency that revealed his experience. In an unexpected move, the clone tried to spin around and strike with both hands from above, but Danzo read it clearly. He crouched, propelled himself forward, and delivered a devastating blow to the clone's chest. The force of the impact disintegrated it into smoke, leaving Danzo standing, slightly panting but victorious.
... Snake → Rat → Monkey → Hare → Boar → Dragon → Ram → Rat → Ox → Monkey → Bird → Boar → Rat → Boar → Bird... The complex seals flowed like a river, and after a final movement, Kenjaku unleashed his technique:
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu," he declared mentally.
A colossal column of water rose from the ground, forming a majestic dragon that roared as it spun in the small courtyard. Danzo, having defeated the second clone, quickly tried to raise another earth wall to protect himself, but this time the dragon did not attack him directly.
In an unexpected move, Kenjaku propelled himself onto the dragon, using it as transport, similar to Hashirama's Wood Dragon style. The dragon sped across the rooftops, leaving a trail of water behind. But its advance was short-lived. A gigantic mud wall suddenly rose in front of the dragon, effectively blocking its path.
The water dragon crashed against the barrier, sending a spray of water and steam into the surroundings. On the newly formed wall stood the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, firm and with a piercing gaze directed at the masked figure. Surrounded by his Anbu guard, he looked like an imposing figure under the moonlight.
Danzo soon reappeared, positioning himself a few meters away to block Kenjaku's possible retreat.
"Who are you, and what is your connection to the Hidden Leaf Village?" Hiruzen demanded in a solemn voice.
Before the masked man could answer, a sensor Anbu appeared beside Hiruzen in a flash, whispering something into his ear.
"His chakra is extremely similar to the Second Hokage's, Hokage-sama. I'd say 99% identical, but… there's something different about him."
Hiruzen frowned with visible annoyance. His eyes refocused on Kenjaku, who remained unshaken, his mask hiding any emotion.
"You've done well, Danzo. Now we'll take care of him." Hiruzen gave a slight smile toward his companion.
Danzo, however, showed clear displeasure. "Shut up, Hiruzen! I can handle this on my own!"
Hiruzen ignored Danzo's protests, turning his attention back to the intruder. "Which village do you come from, and why does your chakra match the Second Hokage's?"
Kenjaku did not answer immediately. Instead, calmly, he pulled back his hood, revealing an Anbu uniform from the Hidden Mist Village. Then, he took a ninja headband from the Mist and tied it firmly around his left arm.
Hiruzen's fury was evident for a moment, but he held it back, adopting a combat stance as he ordered his men:
"Avoid destructive jutsu. We need to get him out of the village while we fight."
The Anbu surrounding Kenjaku began launching wind jutsu, executing seals with speed and precision. At the same time, Kenjaku responded with seals of his own.
Bird → Boar → Rat → Boar → Bird.
From the rooftop, earth walls quickly rose, trapping Kenjaku and forcing the wind jutsu to hit with force but without breaking through. However, he jumped into the air with superhuman fluidity, launching multiple kunai that seemed to surround the sky.
Before the Anbu could react, Kenjaku formed another seal with one hand, and the kunai multiplied into hundreds, creating a storm of steel. The Anbu, surprised, hurried to dodge the kunai as the masked man vanished into the air.
A moment later, he reappeared right behind one of the Anbu and, with a tanto that emerged from a smoke cloud in his hand, stabbed him in the chest.
Hiruzen's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the move.
"Flying Raijin!" he mentally exclaimed, clenching his fists tightly.
The intruder had used one of the Second Hokage's most iconic techniques.
Hiruzen's gaze locked onto the man before him, who returned it with a palpable intensity, almost cutting through space with his aura.
This unknown man had just used a forbidden jutsu that, until now, only the Second Hokage had been able to master. His movements were precise and sharp, and his mastery of water jutsu was near perfect. Not just anyone could summon a water dragon, perform Flying Raijin, and survive a battle against Danzo, all while maintaining absolute calm and showing no visible signs of exhaustion. All this revealed a lot about the man standing before him, pretending to be an Anbu from the Hidden Cloud Village.
His presence, his bearing, his skills, even the aura surrounding him, evoked the image of his late master. It was as if he were looking into the very eyes of Tobirama Senju. However, at the same time, there was something different, something ambiguous in his energy, a nuance that did not belong to Tobirama.
Hiruzen took a combat stance, ready to face him. The Anbu accompanying him had already surrounded the individual, ready to attack as soon as he gave the order.
They were near the Kurohana complex. A plan crossed Hiruzen's mind as he looked at the seal matrix on his wrist. Channeling chakra into it, he activated "PULSE," a communication technique developed by the first leader of the Kurohana clan years ago and passed down only to the village's high-ranking officials as an emergency method.
Kenjaku remained relaxed, though slightly tense. He knew he could defeat Hiruzen easily, even facing him and his Anbu at the same time. However, now that he had confirmed that the seal scroll was no longer in the Hokage Tower, he felt he could take some liberties: toy with them until he got tired, or simply crush them for fun. After all, it had been a while since he had enjoyed a fight.
First, he had to separate Hiruzen and Danzo, who represented the greatest threats. By isolating them, he would have the chance to toy with them without interruptions.
One of the Anbu, thinking he had managed to sneak up unnoticed, tried to ambush him from behind with a kunai. Kenjaku reacted faster: he ducked just in time and, with a precise movement, used his tanto to pierce the Anbu's chest, killing him instantly. Without losing time, he caught the body before it hit the ground, attached several explosive tags to it, and threw it with superhuman strength toward another group of Anbu.
The Anbu reacted immediately, activating an earth jutsu to protect themselves. Even so, the explosion left a trail of blood and guts scattered over the rooftops.
With this move, he had eliminated two enemies. Now sixteen Anbu remained, and more were quickly approaching. That was when Kenjaku sensed another presence. The chakra was imposing, almost at Hokage level, accompanied by several other jonin-level chakras closing in.
His mind began working at full speed. Although he wasn't worried, he understood he had to act quickly before the situation got even more complicated.
Without hesitation, he used the Thunder God jutsu to reappear behind Hiruzen. In a swift motion, he touched his shoulder, and before the Hokage could react, he disappeared along with Danzo and the masked man, teleporting them far away from the place.
Once beside him, Danzo saw two figures appear a bit distant from him in his peripheral vision. Hiruzen was launched toward him at high speed, and with surprise but quick reflexes, he managed to dodge Hiruzen's body, who repositioned himself in the air.
The man quickly reappeared behind Danzo, who responded with speed, trying to intercept the masked man.
With speed, Danzo's arm exploded in the direction of the masked man, who easily intercepted the attack with his bare palm — a strike that would have been fatal for a normal ninja. However, Danzo was not finished. After launching his attack, he pulled back his arm and tried a feint, making the masked man believe he would attack with a kunai but actually wanting to catch him off guard. Quickly, he grabbed the masked man's hands, and Hiruzen took advantage of the opportunity to use a thunder jutsu.
Placing his hands in the ox seal, Hiruzen exclaimed,
"Lightning Style: Thunder Dogs!"
Charging the jutsu with more chakra than required, Hiruzen showed why they called him the teacher — not only did he create multiple replicas of the thunder dogs, but with another seal, he created a larger fire dog.
The dogs launched their attack, striking the masked man. The thunder dogs immobilized Kenjaku, and the fire dog burned his body.
Only for the man to disintegrate into burnt wood, leaving everyone surprised.
'It wasn't a replacement...'
Danzo thought urgently, trying to locate the man in the area.
'A WOOD CLONE...!!!'
Hiruzen exclaimed in panic upon recognizing the technique, but an oppressive aura and dark chakra emanated just behind him, causing him to turn—though it was too late—when a distorted voice chanted, alerting his senses and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Joining his palms in an inverted formation, Kenjaku expanded his chakra, enveloping a certain area and depriving everyone of sight.
Danzo, who was behind Hiruzen, could only grit his teeth as the temporary darkness of the domain swallowed him for a few seconds.
Garbhadhatu Enveloping / Uterus Profusion (胎蔵遍野 Taizō Hen'ya): is Kenjaku's domain expansion. It resembles a tree with humanoid statues crouching and covered in blood surrounding the base. The trunk itself is composed of several humanoid faces with expressions of sorrow, with some branches protruding from them. At the top, surrounded by female bodies with their arms glued together, pregnant, headless, and marked with various signs on their bodies, branches emerge from their decapitated necks.
The ability of this domain is nothing less than a guaranteed hit effect. Kenjaku managed to use his anti-gravity technique to strike Yuki Tsukumo, leaving her badly wounded, bleeding, with a shattered arm, and destroyed the entire ground of the area.
Like Ryomen Sukuna's domain, this domain features an open barrier, though the conditions for it to remain open or the domain's exact range are unknown.
However, the open barrier was not inherently linked to the domain itself; like all Jujutsu sorcerers, it was Kenjaku's choice whether to deploy the domain with or without a barrier.
This was the technique he would use to show Hiruzen and Danzo who truly held the highest rank in the shinobi hierarchy.
Soon, a black barrier surrounded the aura, isolating Hiruzen and Danzo from the Anbu.
One of the Anbu approached the domain's barrier, unsure what to do but aware that this technique belonged to the Kurohana clan.
A chakra signature radiated powerfully like a spotlight from the domain, rising above all the chakra signatures of the Anbu.
After five minutes of uncertainty, the Anbu were finally getting nervous.
Several minutes had passed since the Third Hokage and Danzo had been trapped inside the barriers.
Due to the rarity of these techniques, little information was known about them, as the Kurohana clan kept the knowledge heavily monopolized and controlled.
The only known fact was that these techniques could vary in power, as they were a reflection of the soul itself, which also reflected the technique in the domain, determining the power level based on the user's strength.
Three figures descended from the sky. The well-known figure of Naobito Kurohana wore a cold, almost serious expression, his hair flowing in the air. A breath escaped his mouth as he observed the barrier in front of him.
He immediately placed his hand on the barrier while looking back at the guards behind him.
"Stay outside waiting for me," said Naobito, and moments later, using his free hand, he performed a snake-hand seal. An oppressive aura emanated from him.
His chakra exploded from his body as a hole emerged in the masked man's barrier. In his mind, Naobito was worried. 'Did they betray us? When? Another domain user? Judging by the density of the barrier, whoever did this is experienced...'
His mind worked frantically as he tried to widen the hole, but the oppressive energy combined with the barrier's density made progress nearly impossible.
Still, with the space created, he managed to enter the domain, leaving everyone surprised—except for the Kurohana clan members.
Five more minutes passed, and cracks began to appear in the domain. Finally, the barrier broke, leaving everyone tense.
Naobito stood with his fist pressed against his palm, semi-crouched in the simple domain stance. In front of him was Danzo, with both arms destroyed, his body covered in bloody scars, an eye missing. A few meters away, Hiruzen lay unconscious: one arm missing, a deep cut in his chest, his left hand burned, and his body covered in small cuts and blood.
Naobito, in better condition, spat blood from his mouth. Though his body was battered and had several minor cuts, he was already beginning to recover thanks to his Reverse Chakra Technique.
The most surprising of all was the figure of Tobirama Senju, standing a few meters away, completely unharmed as if he had never died, although a scar adorned his forehead.
The Anbu tensed as they felt another massive amount of chakra rising while Kenjaku's hands touched at the backs and his fingers intertwined.
A calm smile adorned his face as his domain manifested again. This time, instead of a closed barrier, it was an open barrier.
"Domain Expansion: Garbhadhatu Enveloping / Uterus Profusion," said Kenjaku calmly, as laughter escaped his lips while seeing how cuts appeared within his attack range.
"The Simple Domain: New Style of Shadows!" the other Kurohana clan members who had accompanied Naobito exclaimed collectively, as chakra-charged areas tried to counter Kenjaku's attacks.
A small flash of pride crossed Kenjaku's eyes when he saw some of his clan members disguised as Anbu, along with Hiruzen's unit, performing simple domains to try to shield themselves from his strikes.
The cuts filled the area, while the simple domains of their descendants protected those they could. Those who couldn't were caught by the attacks.
The strikes slowly decimated the simple domains, progressively shrinking them.
"Do you know what a perfect domain expansion is?" Kenjaku said, watching sweat roll down the faces of his descendants and Naobito.
"One that can have several guaranteed-hit effects, like mine... Another step toward perfection is to make binding vows that allow the user to exchange the conditions of their barriers. That way, you can face someone with an open barrier and, of course, make your expansion more versatile, increasing your chances of victory."
"But the true secret is the soul," he said, maintaining his smile as he increased the power of his cuts.
Naobito listened attentively, his eyes shifting toward Tobirama, wondering how it was possible he knew so much about a secret of S-rank, and even more so how the Second Hokage was alive and attacking them—something he would never do.
"My domain expansion, thanks to my stored techniques and multiple binding vows, can have more than two and up to four guaranteed hits. Thanks to these vows, I can assign each guaranteed hit a task or target. The cuts are compressed, perfected gusts of wind, designed mainly to destroy simple domains or attack a physical area without harming the target. They can also focus directly on the enemy while, together, the gravity attack of Yuji's mother becomes the guaranteed hit that finishes the job once the simple domain is destroyed."
"Although this consumes more cursed energy and exhausts my mind, the power of the cuts must not be underestimated, as they are the most efficient method to wear down a simple domain but also..."
"Their simple domains, although well refined, are expanding their effect range too much to protect the greatest number of people possible. The more they expand the simple domain's area, the weaker it becomes and the more chakra it consumes. Therefore, at the level they're trying to maintain that defense, it won't last long."
Just as Kenjaku had anticipated, the limited chakra reserves of the Anbu began to take their toll. The simple domains started collapsing one after another. Suddenly, the cuts stopped, prompting the Anbu to raise their heads with a flicker of hope. But that brief moment of relief was crushed—literally—when an immense gravitational pressure descended on them. Every shinobi in the area was mercilessly crushed, leaving behind nothing but huge pools of blood.
Naobito, watching how his simple domain was gradually consumed and seeing that there were no Anbu left in the area, understood that he had no other choice.
Without hesitation, he activated his own domain to counter Kenjaku's assault.
Every shinobi in the area was violently pushed to the ground, unable to resist the overwhelming force. The pressure increased relentlessly until the bodies began to give way, leaving behind large pools of blood. The screams of the few who managed to resist were silenced within seconds.
Naobito helplessly observed how his own simple domain was being consumed little by little. His body began to feel the strain, but he still maintained a firm posture, sweat dripping down his forehead. Seeing that no Anbu remained in the area and that the situation was critical, he knew he had no other option.
Without hesitation, he activated his own domain to counter Kenjaku's attack. Naobito's barrier unfolded with a blinding glow, momentarily separating the oppressive forces looming over them.
Kenjaku, however, showed no sign of surprise or concern. A mocking smile appeared on his face as his hands remained intertwined, emitting a dark chakra that spread like a turbulent sea around the area.
"Domain Expansion: Celestial Path!" Naobito exclaimed with unwavering determination, despite the blood beginning to drip from his mouth. Although he had never faced an open-barrier domain before, he was convinced that his domain would be powerful enough to force the enemy to create a barrier, enclosing the zone where he was.
His domain was one of the most powerful within his clan, a skill with unique characteristics that made it extremely feared by his enemies.
Absolute Speed Control: Within his domain, all opponents' movements were slowed to 24 frames per second, while Naobito could move at his maximum speed, as if outside of time, experiencing reality at his own pace.
Precognitive Prediction: In his domain, Naobito had the ability to foresee his enemies' movements up to three seconds before they executed them, giving him a strategic advantage that placed his opponents at a total disadvantage.
Projection Zone: Any object within his domain could be manipulated within the 24 frames per second framework, granting him the ability to redirect enemy attacks or use his surroundings lethally, turning everything around him into a deadly weapon.
If all this already made him a formidable enemy, his Guaranteed Strike, known as "Frame's Final Point," was what transformed his domain from simple to a lethal threat.
Once the opponent was inside his domain, Naobito precisely calculated the exact moment their movements desynchronized from the 24 frames per second. At that instant, the strike was unleashed automatically, projected directly at the point of collapse of his adversary.
This strike could neither be dodged nor blocked, as it exploited the desynchronization of time to attack in the "void," at the moment when the enemy was completely vulnerable. The attack, which manifested as a burst of light or energy, tore the opponent apart frame by frame, like a broken film.
But, like every power, it had conditions. The guaranteed strike would only occur if the opponent broke the flow of the 24 frames per second by moving too fast or too slow within the domain. If the adversary managed to adapt to the 24 fps rule, the strike would lose its effectiveness. Also, if the enemy tried to remain still to avoid desynchronization, Naobito could force them to move by manipulating their surroundings through astral projection.
However, his domain was not without weaknesses. If the opponent managed to activate a simple domain or a technique like "Falling Petals Emotion" at the precise moment of his domain activation, they could move freely, evading his strike. In such a case, Naobito would be forced to neutralize their technique or domain to continue his offensive.
With all this in mind, Naobito felt victory was already his, but what happened next deeply surprised him. Despite the strength of his domain, it could not fully expand, as the chakra-charged slashes Kenjaku had launched swirled around his domain's expansion, preventing it from extending further.
A smile appeared on Kenjaku's lips...
Kenjaku extended both arms, and the pressure of the chakra in the environment reached an unbearable level. The ground began to tremble, and cracks started to appear in Naobito's barrier.
"Now you will understand the true meaning of perfection..." Kenjaku said, then vanished from his place within his domain.
The blood began to flow from Naobito's nose, and the exhaustion from the battle started to wear down his endurance. His mind was already drained from using his domain expansion—and that was only once; maybe age was starting to catch up with him. At that exact moment, Kenjaku appeared, with a terrifying calm and a composed smile, right at the edge of Naobito's incomplete domain expansion. With a simple movement of his arm and the proximal part of his hand alongside his extended hand, Kenjaku executed a chakra-charged slash that flew toward Naobito at an incredible speed—an attack so unexpected that Naobito had no time to react.
The slash struck his chest with great force, and Kenjaku's technique destroyed the expansion of Naobito's domain, causing the control Naobito had over his field to collapse completely.
Seeing Naobito fall to the ground, a subtle smile appeared on Tobirama's face. Now Kenjaku knew what defeat felt like. However, the war was far from won. These special slashes, so lethal, had been acquired at a cost: the sacrifice of the wind element and the ability to use it in combat outside of the domain. In return, these slashes could only be used inside his own domain—but with enhanced power and a unique property that allowed them to interfere with domain expansions and destabilize any simple domain by using them as guaranteed strikes, given their ability to disrupt techniques.
With the enemy weakened, Tobirama watched silently. Kenjaku's strategy, although effective, had been met with cunning and sacrifice.
With dizzying speed, Tobirama vanished in a blue flash.
"THAT WAS LORD SECOND?!" shouted one of the Anbu.