Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 221: The Evolution of Wood Release

Time passed.

On the battlefield of the Land of Hot Water, where Konoha and Kumo clashed, the situation had gradually stabilized.

Skirmishes of varying scales occurred frequently.

At first, Jiraiya and Minato had been deeply alarmed by the appearance of Kirigakure's forces, fearing they had joined Kumo against Konoha.

However, it soon became apparent that the Mist Village had no such intention.

They had merely made a brief appearance, startling both Konoha and Kumo before quietly withdrawing.

Konoha suspected that Kumo had secretly allied with Kirigakure.

Meanwhile, Kumo believed that Konoha had somehow convinced the Mist Village to join their side.

After all, Mist ninjas had manipulated the Three-Tails, launching an attack on A (the son of the Third Raikage) and Killer Bee, who had transformed into the Eight-Tails.

This resulted in Killer Bee being forcibly ejected from his Tailed Beast Chakra Mode, leaving him unconscious for two days.

Even the mighty Eight-Tails had suffered, weakened after enduring two direct Tailed Beast Bombs.

Kumo's forces had been shaken by this unexpected development.

However, after one full month, both sides finally confirmed—

Mist had only been a bystander.

This realization relieved both armies, as their leaders wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads.

But that month of hesitation had been a valuable reprieve for Konoha's forces.

During this time, Danzo Shimura officially replaced Jiraiya as the Supreme Commander of Konoha's forces.

While Jiraiya personally despised Danzo, he had to admit—

Danzo was better at battlefield strategy and logistics than he was.

Not because Jiraiya was incompetent, but because Danzo had no morals.

Jiraiya fought with a sense of honor.

Danzo?

He fought with pure logic and ruthless efficiency.

For example—

If a Konoha squad was ambushed and surrounded by Kumo ninjas…

Jiraiya would immediately dispatch reinforcements or go himself.

Even if it was a trap, he would still prioritize rescuing comrades.

However—

Danzo never fell for such baiting tactics.

Instead of rescuing the trapped squad—

He would attack a vital Kumo supply line elsewhere.

This forced Kumo to withdraw troops from the ambush to defend their own assets.

If the surrounded Konoha squad could escape, good.

If they died—

Danzo considered it a necessary sacrifice.

To him, there was no point in risking more lives to save a doomed squad.

This was the difference between Jiraiya and Danzo.

Danzo was utterly ruthless—

And yet, under his command, Konoha's forces finally gained a foothold.

Kumo's previously successful ambush tactics stopped working.

Every time they attempted a full-scale attack, Danzo would use underhanded tactics to disrupt their advance.

Entire squads of Konoha soldiers were sacrificed—

Yet Konoha's army continued to hold the line.

Danzo even deployed suicide squads from Root—

Mimicking the earlier covert sabotage mission that Minato and Tonari had executed.

These Root ninjas weren't as strong—

But they were far more brutal.

Wherever they went, nothing was left alive.

This forced Kumo to divert significant resources just to protect their own territory.

Their civilians had to be evacuated.

And despite their precautions, Root still managed to deal devastating blows.

Thus, despite being widely hated, Danzo had successfully stabilized Konoha's position in the war.

Even Jiraiya—who despised Danzo—couldn't deny the results.

He often felt an overwhelming urge to punch Danzo—

But he held back.

Because deep down, he knew—

Konoha could not afford to lose this war.

And for that, Danzo was necessary.

Despite the growing resentment among Konoha's forces, Danzo's methods worked.

Even Kumo began to despise him more than Jiraiya, Minato, or even Tonari.

Meanwhile, Minato—racked with guilt over leaving Tonari behind—finally returned to the Land of Lightning to look for him.

But—

Tonari was nowhere to be found.

The special Flying Thunder God kunai he had left for him?

It was discarded in an isolated corner.

All that remained was a completely devastated battlefield.

Even the landscape itself had changed due to the sheer scale of destruction.

Minato clenched his fists.

—A battle of terrifying magnitude had occurred here.

From the aftermath, it was clear—

Apart from the Eight-Tails and Tonari's Two-Tails, there had been another massive beast present.

But who—or what—it was, he couldn't determine.

More importantly—

Tonari had vanished.

He wasn't dead, but he was gone.

Minato's guilt deepened.

And his resentment toward Danzo grew.

If Danzo hadn't blocked him from returning—

Perhaps he could have prevented this.

But the past couldn't be changed.

In the end—

Minato reluctantly accepted Jiraiya's reasoning.

Tonari wasn't the type to die easily.

All he could do was believe in him.

And so—

Minato returned to Konoha, where the Third Hokage personally reprimanded Danzo for his decision.

But that was all Hiruzen could do.

Danzo was unshaken.

From his perspective, he had done nothing wrong.

His actions had ensured Konoha's survival.

Even if he hadn't truly cared whether Tonari lived or died—

He wasn't going to admit it.

But deep down, he was beginning to fear Tonari.

Danzo had long viewed Orochimaru as a threat.

But now, Tonari and Minato were also becoming dangerous competitors for the Hokage seat.

He had eliminated Sakumo Hatake.

Yet now, two more obstacles had emerged.

And that irritated him deeply.

Meanwhile, in a hidden laboratory deep in the mountains of the Land of Lightning…

Tonari smirked as he packed up his equipment.

"Danzo finally wants me dead, huh?"

"Well… I suppose it was only a matter of time."

He had spent a long time in isolation—

Conducting secret experiments using Madara's stolen knowledge.

Now, his research was complete.

Tonari formed a hand seal, activating his newfound power.

From his arm, a thick wooden branch extended—

Slowly twisting and shaping itself into a perfect miniature statue of the Four-Tails.

A genuine Wood Release construct.

Then, he formed another hand seal.

"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison!"

BOOM!

Thick wooden bars rose from the ground, trapping the small wooden beast in a solid cage.

Tonari examined his work with satisfaction.

"Not bad…"

"So this is the power of Wood Release."

While not as powerful as Hashirama's, it was far beyond what Yamato could achieve.

And this was only the beginning.

Tonari smiled coldly.

"Madara's method… it works."

"Not only has it neutralized the instability of my Hashirama cells—"

"But it has also expanded my body's capacity to absorb more abilities."

His eyes gleamed.

"But this… isn't my limit."

One day—

He would surpass them all.

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