The Fourth Raikage turned it over in the mind for a good while, then spoke.

"Let's set aside for now whether the intel those operatives sent back is true or false. The fact is, they've already made their move — that much is beyond dispute!

So... Mabui... from here on out, Kumogakure needs to prepare for two scenarios!"

Mabui's expression turned grave.

"Go ahead, Raikage!"

"First — real intel or not, even if every single one of those so-called Hokage from the Hidden Leaf Village has truly been resurrected, I'm not afraid of any of them! I've crossed blades with the Fourth Hokage minato namikaze before!

And now my brother Killer B has become a perfect Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. We have absolutely nothing to fear from the Hidden Leaf Village!

What we need to think about right now is whether this operation succeeds.

If it succeeds, what do we do...

If it fails, what do we do...

Either way, we are going to bite off a huge chunk of meat from the Hidden Leaf Village!

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the kind of person who clings to life when great deeds demand sacrifice, yet throws it away chasing petty gain. No hero there!

As long as we take a hard enough stance, that old turtle will tuck right back into the shell...

If our people successfully abduct those women with special Kekkei Genkai, Hinata Hyūga and the rest, that's excellent news, and Hiruzen Sarutobi probably won't dare say a word!

If we fail, then we make Hiruzen Sarutobi pay reparations!

It's not as if we haven't done this before, isn't that exactly how Hizashi Hyūga of the Hyūga Clan died back in the day?!

I trust Hiruzen Sarutobi will make the right choice: cede a piece of territory, hand over a portion of war reparations, surrender a few shinobi... none of that should be too difficult.

And I've heard the Hidden Leaf Village's new generation has quite a few beautiful kunoichi!

There's Kurenai Yuhi, the genjutsu specialist. There's Orochimaru's former student Anko Mitarashi. And a handful of young genin, besides Hinata Hyūga, there are the ones called Tenten, Sakura Haruno, and Ino Yamanaka...

Make Hiruzen Sarutobi hand every single one of those women over to us here in Kumogakure, or we go to war!

These Hidden Leaf people even have the nerve to hold a concert... laughable! I heard that at the very first Five Kage Summit, the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village knelt before every founding Kage from every village!

And now look at Hiruzen Sarutobi. That alone says everything. Every Hokage the Hidden Leaf Village has ever produced is nothing but a pack of useless trash...

The only one even worth mentioning was minato namikaze!

A concert... heh... let them enjoy themselves while they can. In a day or two, they won't be smiling anymore!"

Mabui gave a single nod.

"Understood, Raikage. I'll go make the arrangements right away!"

"Good. Have our shinobi move to the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire and make the proper show of it. Apply some pressure to the Land of Fire first... Hiruzen Sarutobi will fall in line."

Order received, Mabui gathered the documents from the desk and walked out of the Raikage's office. Behind that closing door, the Fourth Raikage had already started daydreaming, picturing the war reparations rolling in from the Hidden Leaf Village.

The Hidden Leaf Village was obscenely wealthy. Arguably the richest village in the entire Shinobi World. How much to demand, exactly...

.......................................

At the same time, in Sunagakure of the Land of Wind.

"Ebizo... something the matter?!"

Rasa glanced at Wind Shadow advisor Ebizo standing across the room.

"Kazekage... something big may be about to happen."

"Something big? What big thing?"

Rasa had no idea what Ebizo was talking about. Rasa hadn't been in the village lately, spending the past stretch out in the desert panning for gold using personal abilities, only returning to Sunagakure a day or two ago. Whatever news Ebizo was referring to, Rasa had missed all of it.

So Ebizo gave a quick rundown of the recent reports coming out of the Hidden Leaf Village.

"You're saying there's trouble over there?!"

"It would appear so, Kazekage..."

"And have they communicated anything to us?!"

"Nothing at all..."

Rasa's brow furrowed.

"That doesn't add up. Whatever else one might say, our Sunagakure is still the Hidden Leaf Village's ally. If something has truly happened over there, they shouldn't be keeping us in the dark...

Unless this is deliberate — they're putting out false information?!"

Ebizo gave a slight nod.

"That's my thinking as well, Kazekage. There's also been movement on the Land of Lightning's side recently, shinobi near the border with the Land of Fire repositioning frequently. It looks like they may be preparing to launch a war against the Hidden Leaf Village, though so far it's troop movements only, no substantive action yet."

Rasa drew a sharp breath.

"What is the Land of Lightning trying to pull now? Surely they don't actually want to start another Great Shinobi War?!

And we have no idea whatsoever what's happening over in the Hidden Leaf Village. Here's what we do... Ebizo..."

"Kazekage..."

Rasa thought it through, then spoke.

"First, send some people to the Hidden Leaf Village. Have them check what the situation actually looks like, and whether they've truly changed their Hokage...

If a Fifth Hokage has genuinely been appointed, find out what kind of attitude this Fifth Hokage holds toward our Sunagakure.

At the very least, for now, we and the Hidden Leaf Village are still allies...

If Kumogakure moves against them, we can't exactly stand by and do nothing.

Find out what's actually going on over there first. We can make our next move after that!"

"Understood, Kazekage. I'll go arrange it now..."

"Go ahead..."

After Ebizo left, Rasa rubbed both temples.

The news Ebizo had just delivered was genuinely too far-fetched. A new Hokage? Legendary warriors resurrected from the dead? What the hell, was this some kind of joke?!

First things first: find out what's actually happening in the Hidden Leaf Village...

As for Kumogakure, nothing but a pack of warmongering hotheads. Muscle-brained thugs, the lot of them.

But if the Land of Lightning truly intended to start a war, preparations would need to be made on this end as well...

What a turbulent time.

Had Rasa known it would come to this, the gold-panning trip wouldn't have stretched on so long. Now completely in the dark, with no idea what was going on anywhere.

➤ Next: Danzō and the Monkey Cheering for Tobirama Senju

Chapter 240 - Danzō and the Monkey Cheering for Tobirama Senju

The Hidden Leaf Village, Land of Fire.

The concert was still going. Might Duy, Might Guy, Zabuza Momochi, and Kisame Hoshigaki, those four greasy men, had finished their set, and it had pulled in no small amount of screaming from the wealthy women in the crowd.

Quite a few of those wealthy women had eyes gleaming with a faint green light, like starving wolves spotting a slab of meat, hurling silver coins at the four of them like mad.

How could Kakuzu let a golden opportunity like this slip by?

Kakuzu had them march straight up to those wealthy women and strike poses one by one, then had the four of them sacrifice a little dignity by letting the women feel their abs, it wasn't like it would cost them a piece of flesh!

Those wealthy women were extremely generous, after all. In just a short while, the tips had already cleared one million ryo...

Kakuzu was even thinking about making this their dedicated gig from now on. Those physiques were simply too good to waste!

And that greasy look had an absolutely unmatched lethality against wealthy women...

Kakuzu had also heard that Might Guy had a student called Rock Lee, maybe Rock Lee should get into this line of work too?!

Though Rock Lee seemed to be a member of the Hokage Guard Platoon right now, which made poaching a bit tricky...

On Hirofumi Ito's end, he once again stepped in as guest MC. This time, it was the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's turn to take the stage.

So many people had already performed before this point, and Tobirama Senju was clearly far more relaxed because of it.

Tobirama Senju launched straight into a rendition of "Wujia Po"!

"Tears that never dried when I recall those years~~~

A ball thrown from the embroidered tower, a fated match made there~~~

..."

Watching this, Hirofumi Ito couldn't help but nod.

He had to admit, Tobirama Senju's voice really was magnetic!

And why did this song sound so incredibly good coming from those lips?!

The fans in the crowd were absolutely electric, especially the female fans. Tobirama Senju was already strikingly handsome to begin with, and now with a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan on top of that, plus overwhelming power to back it up, those female fans were sent straight into a frenzy.

"Tobirama, soar high and we'll always follow!"

"The Second Hokage is so handsome!"

"Second Hokage, we heard you're not married yet — what do you think of me?!"

"Second Lord! I'll bear you a hundred children!"

"Tobirama! Tobirama! We love you!"

"Second Hokage, look over here! Big chest, long legs, young and beautiful! Guaranteed to give you sons!"

"Second Lord! The moment I laid eyes on you, I already had our children's names figured out — how about Senju Dave?!"

Tobirama Senju stood on the stage after finishing the song, eyelids twitching wildly. Every single one of these female fans was spouting outrageous things, crawling into the sheets, bearing children...

One of them had even said she'd give birth to a hundred children?

Were they trying to be the death of Tobirama Senju?

Ah, pfft pfft pfft... Tobirama Senju absolutely did not have any thoughts in that direction?!

And that one over there, what did she mean by saying she'd already figured out the son's name?! What in the world was "Senju Dave"?!

But right at that moment, Tobirama Senju froze.

Two men in the VIP seats were holding up support signs and screaming at the top of their lungs...

"Teacher, teacher, you're the strongest!"

"Teacher, teacher, you're the best!"

"You're the strongest!"

"You're the best!"

"Teacher's strong and the best!"

Watching this, Tobirama Senju was already losing control of the expression on that face.

Wasn't that the little monkey and the little dumpling?!

What were those two doing crashing the party with a round sign?!

The little monkey was one thing, but since when did the little dumpling get out?!

Did that little brat Hirofumi Ito let the little dumpling loose?

Two ungrateful disciples!

Still, today was a major event for the Hidden Leaf Village, with tens of thousands of audience members present, so those two would be spared for now. After the concert, there would be plenty of time to deal with them properly...

But thinking it over, Tobirama Senju's lip suddenly curled, and a half-smile crept across that face.

The song was done, but Tobirama Senju didn't leave the stage right away.

Instead, Tobirama Senju picked up the microphone.

"To every audience member here today, welcome to the Hidden Leaf Village. I am the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju! Thank you for your love of me, and thank you for your love of the Hidden Leaf Village!

I was supposed to step off after finishing this song...

But seeing all of you so passionate, I find myself reluctant to leave!

So... allow me to give you all one more track — a rap!"

Tobirama Senju snapped a finger.

"MUSIC!"

"My blade strikes down the ungrateful disciple in fury!

One walks the martial world with integrity!

Stroke by stroke I taught you how to read!

And in the end you dared defy me!

Ungrateful disciple, ungrateful disciple!

Your heart is truly vicious and cruel!

..."

The moment the song hit their ears, Danzō Shimura and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been jumping and hollering in the VIP seats just moments before, immediately went silent.

In an instant, the two of them tucked their heads down and sat perfectly still, like a pair of quails. Both understood all too well exactly who Tobirama Senju had written this song for.

After all, the song was literally called "My Blade Strikes Down the Ungrateful Disciple in Fury"...

Could it be any more obvious?!

Danzō Shimura was especially panicked...

It was probably only because today was the Hidden Leaf Village's concert that there wasn't going to be another beating today.

The concert had saved Danzō Shimura.

After finishing the rap, Tobirama Senju left the stage with visible reluctance, though not before shooting a vicious glare at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura on the way down.

Tobirama Senju stepped off, and madara uchiha took the stage.

The moment madara uchiha picked up the microphone, the crowd erupted in an unprecedented wave of cheers.

Because madara uchiha's looks were even more striking than Tobirama Senju's, and he naturally carried the aura of an absolute sovereign.

Most importantly: devastatingly powerful, and no woman.

By now, countless female fans had spontaneously formed the Shura Fan Club.

"Lord Shura!"

"Lord Shura, we love you!"

"Lord Shura is so incredibly handsome~~~"

"..."

madara uchiha didn't react much to the cheers rising from below. He simply stood there holding the microphone, expression utterly cold and imperious.

Every inch of him radiated an aura of absolute dominance...

Some female fans, upon witnessing this, let out a sharp scream and fainted in bliss, though even after fainting, their bodies would give a little shudder. Strange, all things considered.

Then the instrumental kicked in.

"Throw it all on the line, don't hold back~~~

This is what it means to be a true shinobi~~~

Ask not how many hardships line the road ahead~~~

A chest full of passion, brave enough to love, brave enough to act~~~"

Right after madara uchiha finished those four lines, a pillar of Chakra light surged up from somewhere in the audience below with a thundering hum and shot straight into the sky.

➤ Next: I Want to Learn Rap Too!