Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand

"Burn it."

Jing Hang spoke coldly.

Before him lay a mountain of White Zetsu corpses, piled high. His eyes held no trace of pity—just a pile of useless waste, devoid of any real value.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Technique!"

The White Zetsu corpses were remarkably flammable. In no time, the towering heap transformed into a blazing "volcano." Flames danced wildly, accompanied by crackling explosions and the acrid stench of burning flesh. Jing Hang pulled out a scarf to cover his mouth and nose.

"Let's retreat."

Although this mission had rid the world of the menace that was Madara Uchiha, the greater threat—Black Zetsu—was still at large. Jing Hang had no doubts about Black Zetsu's unyielding determination to "split the mountain and save the mother." As long as that pitch-black creature existed, the ninja world would never know peace. He suspected that one day, at some critical juncture, Black Zetsu would resurface to stir up chaos once more.

Still, with Madara dead, the cycle had been broken. The great war that loomed in the future might be delayed—by a generation? Two generations? Ten generations? Jing Hang couldn't predict that far ahead. Let the future generations face their own destinies. The matters of tomorrow should be left to those who live to see it.

The Sand Village ninjas slowly retreated from the bottomless pit. The cavern returned to an eerie silence. If not for the plume of black smoke still rising from the White Zetsu corpses, no one would have known that a fierce battle had taken place here.

Time passed—how much, no one could say. The black smoke gradually dispersed, and the mountain of corpses was reduced to a pile of white ash. All was calm once more. Then, from the ground of the bottomless pit, a shadow began to emerge, slowly taking on a humanoid form. Two round, beady eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings. If Jing Hang had stayed behind, he would have been utterly shocked—this was none other than the elusive Black Zetsu he had been hunting!

The shadow moved to the center of the cavern, directly beneath the skylight. Its hands formed a rapid sequence of seals.

"Appear!"

With a loud bang, a massive cloud of white smoke erupted from the platform beneath the skylight. Emerging from the smoke was none other than the missing Gedo Statue.

Black Zetsu wasted no time, continuing to weave hand seals. Slowly, a pitch-black coffin emerged from the ground.

"Release!" Black Zetsu growled.

The coffin lid opened automatically, and a withered hand stretched out from within.

Black Zetsu rushed over and helped the figure out of the coffin. The person inside was none other than Madara Uchiha, who had been reduced to ashes by Amaterasu's black flames.

"Quick! Help me... over there!" Madara's voice was weak, and he could barely stand.

Black Zetsu quickly supported Madara's frail shoulders, half-dragging him out of the coffin. Step by step, they moved toward the Gedo Statue.

With a single-handed seal from Black Zetsu, three chakra-transmitting tubes extended from the statue, piercing into Madara's back with precision.

"Ahhh!" Madara let out a groan, his face contorting in a mix of pain and relief as the chakra energy replenished him.

"Master, was all of this worth it?" Black Zetsu asked as he helped Madara into a stone chair.

"Of course it was." Madara's gaze fell on Black Zetsu, but his once-dazzling Sharingan was now a milky white void.

"At least that boy won't be hunting me anymore. This place should be safe. We can proceed with our plans without interference."

"But... your eyes," Black Zetsu hesitated.

"It doesn't matter. I won't need them anymore. Besides, I still have another pair of eyes, don't I?"

"But... that pair of eyes seems to be in the Sand Village!"

"What?! Big Brother is going to the Sand Village?!"

Jing Hang stared in shock at the Third Raikage standing before him.

"What? Am I not welcome?" the Third Raikage teased, his tone lighthearted. Jing Hang couldn't help but laugh awkwardly.

"Of course you're welcome, Big Brother! I'm thrilled you'd visit. It's just that... isn't the Hidden Cloud Village—"

He hesitated. It wasn't about the resources or hospitality; it was about the timing. After all, the Cloud Village had just been ravaged by the Eight-Tails' rampage, leaving morale at an all-time low. Shouldn't the Third Raikage be stabilizing his village instead of embarking on a diplomatic visit? Was this some kind of joke?

As if reading Jing Hang's thoughts, the Third Raikage let out a hearty laugh.

"Little Brother, with Kōichi Tsukigami holding down the fort, the Eight-Tails won't cause any more trouble. I'm nearly sixty years old—it's time I pave the way for him."

Jing Hang immediately understood. That single phrase, "pave the way," spoke volumes. It carried three layers of meaning.

First, while Kōichi Tsukigami was widely recognized as the "Crown Prince" of the Hidden Cloud Village, with his strength and lineage beyond question, he lacked the battle achievements necessary to solidify his position. Quelling the Eight-Tails' rampage provided him with the perfect opportunity to build his reputation and bolster his authority, making his eventual succession all the more legitimate.

Second, the act of subduing the Eight-Tails served as a trial for Kōichi Tsukigami. In the Cloud Village, where strength reigned supreme, single-handedly defeating a tailed beast was practically a prerequisite for becoming Raikage. If Kōichi Tsukigami could publicly defeat the Eight-Tails, it would be akin to passing his "graduation exam" for the Raikage title. This tradition wasn't unique to the Cloud Village; it was the same in the Sand Village. One of the key reasons the Second Kazekage, Shamon, had chosen Jing Hang as his successor was because Jing Hang had mastered the One-Tail, Shukaku, to perfection.

Third, this visit to the Sand Village was a strategic move to solidify the alliance between the two villages. By securing such a powerful ally for Kōichi Tsukigami, the Third Raikage was ensuring his son's future on the international stage.

A parent's love for their child knows no bounds. The Third Raikage's meticulous planning was a testament to that.

"Maki!" Jing Hang called out.

"Yes!" Maki stepped forward.

"Immediately send a team to the Hidden Cloud Village to inform them of the Third Raikage's visit. Notify them that he will be traveling to the Sand Village for a diplomatic mission. Also, return to the village and inform the Foreign Affairs Department to issue an official diplomatic statement. Make it grand and public!"

If they were going to solidify the alliance, they might as well do it openly, leaving no room for meddling by opportunistic troublemakers.

"Big Brother, in that case, why not write a letter? Otherwise, Kōichi might think I kidnapped you!" Jing Hang joked. Of course, he was only kidding. After all, he had mobilized half of the Sand Village's forces to rescue the Third Raikage from an army. This wasn't some ransom scheme, but words still needed to be said to put things in perspective. The letter would serve as both a reassurance for the Hidden Cloud Village and a message to Kōichi Tsukigami, encouraging him to focus on internal affairs and prepare for his ascension.

"You're absolutely right. Bring me ink and paper."

In no time, the Third Raikage had penned a letter.

"Deliver this directly to my fool of a son. Tell him I'll be staying in the Sand Village for a few days. He's in charge of village affairs until I return. As for other matters, we'll discuss them when I get back."

"Other matters," of course, referred to war. Nearly losing his life this time had undoubtedly bruised the Third Raikage's ego. Knowing his character, he would want to settle the score—whether that meant marching west or south would depend on the outcome of his discussions with the Sand Village.

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