novelraw Chapter 309
Chapter 309
Chapter 309
Naruto Time Control
Silence.
Yeruashi touched down on the outskirts of Kirigakure, standing before a deep crater. At its center lay a mangled corpse; upon closer inspection, one could vaguely recognize the features of Urashiki Otsutsuki.
Originally, Yeruashi had hoped to pry more information about the Otsutsuki Clan from Urashiki. From what he understood, the clan was likely divided into three distinct tiers, and Kaguya and Momoshiki certainly weren't at the pinnacle.
After consuming a Chakra Fruit, Kaguya had easily reached the fourth stage of the Six Paths level. Since the Otsutsuki Clan had existed for thousands of years and harvested countless fruits, it wouldn't be surprising if some among them had attained the fifth or even sixth stage.
Of course.
These were merely potential threats for now.
By Yeruashi's estimation, Momoshiki and Kinshiki wouldn't arrive for another few years. The Otsutsuki Clan had taken nearly a millennium to react to Kaguya's betrayal, so even after he dealt with the next pair, it would likely be decades or even centuries before the clan made another move. There was no reason to worry for the time being.
'What a bizarre physiology...'
Yeruashi gazed down at Urashiki's remains. The Otsutsuki's constitution was fundamentally different from that of the shinobi in this world; he couldn't even manipulate the Rinnegan using his own flesh.
He had attempted to create new life using the corpse as a foundation, but the experiment failed. The soul he manifested simply wasn't resilient enough to inhabit such a powerful vessel.
After several unsuccessful attempts, Yeruashi decided to give up.
'I'll let Orochimaru handle the research.'
Yeruashi reached toward Urashiki's remains, blanketing the corpse in a swarm of black sealing formulas.
Within moments, the Otsutsuki's body was sealed and compressed, transforming into a single strand of black hair that coiled around Yeruashi's finger.
Just as he finished and prepared to depart, the shinobi of Kirigakure appeared nearby.
"It has been a while, Lord Hokage," Mei called out. She approached the edge of the crater, looking down at Yeruashi with a warm smile.
Yeruashi raised his head to look at her. In the next instant, his figure blurred and reappeared right beside her.
"It has indeed been quite some time, Jonin Mei... no, Fifth Mizukage," Yeruashi greeted her.
Mei addressed him warmly. "My thanks to the Lord Hokage for delivering our village from this crisis. Won't you stay and rest in Kirigakure? The battle must have been exhausting. Besides, I have certain matters I wish to discuss with you..."
Yeruashi studied Mei for a moment before finally nodding. "Very well," he agreed.
It was true that Konoha wouldn't be able to mobilize a massive force to occupy the Land of Water for another couple of years, but with Kirigakure's active cooperation, everything changed.
Given the current state of affairs—and the fact that Mei was now the Mizukage—even if the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, still held any measure of authority, he was likely trembling with fear, desperate to negotiate with Konoha as quickly as possible.
...
Yeruashi remained in Kirigakure for three days.
During that time, he and Mei held detailed and in-depth discussions regarding Kirigakure's annexation and the integration of the Land of Water.
The Daimyo of the Land of Water was currently paralyzed by terror, viewing Kirigakure as his final lifeline. In reality, most of the Mist shinobi had long since realized that resisting Konoha was an exercise in futility and had largely abandoned all hope.
Previously, Yeruashi's disappearance for a few years might have been enough to shift the tide. Now, however, even if he were to suddenly pass away for some reason, they would still be powerless to oppose the might of Konoha.
Following three days of negotiations, Kirigakure officially joined Konoha. According to the agreement reached between Yeruashi and Mei, over six thousand of the village's eight thousand shinobi would be relocated to Konoha.
Only a little over a thousand shinobi would remain in Kirigakure.
Those six thousand relocated shinobi would be divided into various squads, mixed in with the forces from Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Amegakure.
Each of the four Great Villages had suffered devastating losses in recent years. Even if their remaining forces were combined, they totaled only about twenty thousand shinobi. Meanwhile, Konoha's strength had grown to nearly thirty thousand. To ensure no unforeseen incidents occurred, the decision was made to scatter the assimilated forces of the other Great Villages.
Afterward.
Yeruashi would dispatch three thousand Konoha shinobi and over a thousand mixed troops from the Sand, Rain, and other villages to be integrated into Kirigakure.
Since these shinobi originated from different villages, they would find it difficult to trust one another. This mutual suspicion would naturally lead them to monitor each other, allowing Konoha to maintain control with less effort.
However, the number of Kirigakure shinobi scheduled for transfer to Konoha was immense. To avoid potential complications, the relocation was organized in batches. Mei herself would accompany the first group to ensure everything went smoothly.
Certainly.
Yeruashi could vaguely sense that Mei's true ulterior motive wasn't merely supervising her shinobi, but rather a desire to claim him for herself. He was already accustomed to such things; Konoha was full of girls harboring similar thoughts, and there was nothing he could do about it...
After all, he was the strongest, most charismatic, most handsome, and most popular Hokage in history!
The first group of approximately one thousand Kirigakure shinobi finished their preparations within a few days and immediately set out for Konoha, led by Mei.
The second and third batches followed shortly thereafter.
Upon arrival, every Kirigakure shinobi was assigned a position by Shikaku Nara.
It was a monumental task, yet Shikaku fully demonstrated his brilliance, processing the entire first batch in just two days. The entire operation was flawlessly organized, devoid of even the slightest hint of chaos.
This efficiency forced Mei to sigh in resignation.
In terms of raw power, Konoha possessed Yeruashi, who was rumored to be nearly equal to the mythical Sage of Six Paths. In terms of unity, under Yeruashi's leadership, Konoha had become a solid, unbreakable block of steel. Even among the clans possessing powerful Bloodline Limits and secret techniques, internal conflicts were almost non-existent.
As for administration, Konoha boasted the terrifying intellect of Shikaku Nara.
The village was a concentrated hub of incredible talent.
This was exactly why only Konoha could have unified the shinobi world.
...
The 58th year since the founding of Konoha.
This year was also known as the first year of the Age of Fire.
Having transitioned through the chaotic eras of the Samurai, the Warring States, and the Five Great Villages, the shinobi world—which had remained fractured for hundreds of years—was finally unified, with the Land of Fire at its foundation.
Although a few small, distant nations like the Land of Demons and the Land of Snow had not been formally incorporated into the Land of Fire, it no longer mattered. After the absorption of the four great nations—Wind, Water, Earth, and Lightning—one could confidently say that the unification of the world was complete!
After hundreds of years of incessant warfare and bloodshed.
The shinobi world had finally found long-lost unity and peace.
As the man who unified the world and ended the cycle of war, the prestige of the Fifth Hokage, Yeruashi Hatake, reached its absolute zenith. He was seen as a legend who stood far above the likes of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha of the past!
As the fire of Konoha burned brighter than ever before, a new era began, known as the Age of Fire!
Many even began to refer to Yeruashi as the Legendary Sage, just like the Sage of Six Paths from the myths.
In the eyes of many commoners, the Fifth Hokage, who had pacified the troubled times and unified the world, now stood as an equal to the Sage of Six Paths himself!