Chapter 146: Chapter 8: The Chase Begins
Getsushoku used the chaos as cover to slip out of Konoha.
Thanks to exploiting Orochimaru, Konoha's defensive barrier posed no obstacle to him.
Suddenly, a Root ninja appeared, blocking his path.
Getsushoku swept his gaze around. What are the chances?
But this wasn't mere coincidence. Danzo didn't trust the Uchiha and had stationed people in the shadows all over the village to keep watch.
"What a hassle," Getsushoku muttered as he glanced over. "Now I've gotta kill one more guy. What a waste of time."
"You?!" The Root ninja clearly recognized him. He knew Getsushoku was one of Orochimaru's subordinates and didn't dare let his guard down for even a second.
"Orochimaru-sama sent me," Getsushoku replied offhandedly.
But the Root ninja obviously didn't buy it. This location was far too remote—hardly anyone came here under normal circumstances. And now that the village was under attack, why would Orochimaru send someone out here?
Getsushoku sighed. "Let's just pretend I'm passing through. Wouldn't it be nice if we both just slacked off a bit? Why make things difficult~"
The Root ninja's expression remained grim, unmoved.
"Stay right where you are. I'll report this to Danzo-sama and wait for his instructions!"
Getsushoku cracked his knuckles with a sharp snap snap.
A moment later, his body began to slowly sink into the ground. It was the Mayfly Technique, a skill he'd obtained from the system. While White Zetsu's abilities weren't directly lethal, they were absolutely top-tier for support and stealth.
Seeing him try to escape, the Root ninja lunged forward. But Getsushoku seized his chance—he grabbed the ninja by the throat and dragged him straight down into the earth.
The sheer force of the pull twisted and compressed the man's body. Bones snapped one after another, and before he could even scream, blood and bits of internal organs spewed from his mouth. In the end, he was crushed alive and swallowed by the earth.
Getsushoku reemerged at a distance. As effective as the Mayfly Technique was, it was inherently a White Zetsu ability. Since Getsushoku wasn't a Zetsu himself, navigating underground in total darkness meant he could easily lose his sense of direction. That's why he surfaced now and then, just to make sure he was still on course.
He sprinted toward the village outskirts at top speed, explosive clay primed and ready in his hands. No matter what, Konoha still had some bite—he couldn't afford to get caught off guard again.
...
Meanwhile, the clone Getsushoku had left at the Hokage Rock dispersed. The Konoha shinobi, having been made fools of, were seething with rage.
Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately gave the order: "Initiate Level One alert! That intruder must be captured at all costs!"
With the Hokage Rock bombed, Hiruzen assumed such a dramatic display had to be part of some massive scheme against Konoha. No amount of caution would be too much.
A crimson signal flare shot up into the sky.
Far away, Getsushoku's real body saw it and blinked. "Red? Oho, now things are getting serious."
Apparently transforming into Sarutobi had hit a nerve with Sarutobi Hiruzen. A Level One alert, all for someone like him?
Of course, maybe it was just that Genno's explosive tags had been that effective. Perhaps the higher-ups were just overreacting.
Getsushoku kept running at full tilt. But just then, multiple figures rapidly closed in, blocking the road ahead.
The ground split and trembled violently, forcing Getsushoku to the surface. As soon as he broke out, he unleashed a storm of clay spiders.
Amid the thunderous blasts, he didn't stop for even a second—he forced his way through the encirclement without looking back.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a loud shout, Getsushoku's vision warped. The world around him turned into pulsating, fleshy red walls.
At first, he didn't process what was happening.
Then it dawned on him—this was Jiraiya's Summoning Jutsu. He'd called forth the stomach of the Toad to trap his enemy.
"This isn't how the plot's supposed to go... How did I get exposed?" Getsushoku scowled. "Jiraiya, come out already. I know it's you!"
Jiraiya emerged from the meat-like wall, his tone sharp. "Who are you?!"
Getsushoku chuckled. Clay spiders crawled out from under his pant leg. Sensing the oddity, Jiraiya dropped the pleasantries and immediately launched an attack.
A radiant blue Rasengan surged toward Getsushoku's chest. He retreated swiftly. The ground beneath him suddenly swelled, forming a tumor-like mass that intercepted the attack.
The Rasengan struck the lump and detonated instantly, like a swollen pimple bursting from pressure. From the wound poured out countless clay spiders, flooding the confined space.
"Nani?!" Jiraiya exclaimed, taken aback.
Getsushoku ignored him. He had no intention of explaining his abilities. With a snap of his fingers, the spiders lit up and exploded.
Jiraiya had a deep bond with Mount Myōboku. Even if the Toad could endure the blast, he didn't want to risk harming it. After all, this was the toad's stomach—any injury would mean internal damage.
"Release!" Jiraiya dispelled the summoning with a grim look in his eyes. He was just about to speak when—
"I'm not listening, not listening, not listening!"
Getsushoku immediately activated the Mayfly Technique and disappeared.
As a textbook villain, Getsushoku followed one iron rule:
"Villains die from talking too much." He wasn't about to waste precious time exchanging words with a protagonist like Jiraiya. His goal wasn't to win—it was to get away.
That brief clash had cost him stamina and chakra, even though he'd emerged unscathed. Definitely not part of the original plan.
Before he made his escape and wreaked havoc in Konoha, he'd simulated a meticulous plan. But reality, as always, had other ideas.
He still hadn't broken out of Konoha's borders. Even if he made it outside, a manhunt was all but guaranteed. Still, he didn't regret the destruction he'd caused. If he couldn't leave Konoha with some lasting pain, he'd die with regret.
Getsushoku hated Konoha with all his being.
His explosive clay was almost gone, and his chakra reserves weren't looking good either. Fortunately, he had a cheat code. Burning some of his Pain Points, his condition instantly returned to peak form.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Getsushoku created a clone, transformed it into Deidara, and sent it running off in another direction. As it fled, it left explosions in its wake—drawing attention, creating more chances for the real Getsushoku to escape.
Since Jiraiya had already seen the explosive clay, he might as well pin the blame entirely on Deidara.
"After him!"
A group of Konoha shinobi heard the explosions and were drawn away, chasing after the clone.
The Getsushoku clone raced through the alleys and streets like a kite on the wind, randomly lobbing bombs and harvesting Pain Points as it went.
The destruction of homes and the deaths of villagers only enraged the Konoha shinobi further. They pursued the clone relentlessly, burning his face into their memories with the intent to catch and butcher him on the spot.
...
The deadly chase went on for a while. Eventually, the clone's chakra ran dry. As it turned a corner, it hurled all its remaining explosive clay into a nearby house.
Then, with a puff of smoke, it vanished.
Konoha shinobi immediately launched Earth Release techniques, desperately trying to minimize the damage from the blast.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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