Naruto: Drop System

Five days later.

"By my estimate, all five Kage should have arrived in the Land of Iron around now, right?"

"The Land of Water—Kirigakure—is farthest from the Land of Iron. If the Mizukage reached the mainland and then traveled at top speed, they'd only need three days at most to get there."

"The Five Kage Summit is set in one week. Should we head out earlier?"

"No need. Those seven days are basically to allow for the Mizukage's travel. The other Kage definitely won't leave early or arrive ahead of time, given the current situation."

"True. Then let's leave on the seventh day. No need to make things difficult for Lord Mifune."

In the Hokage's office, Tsunade and Yagyu were chatting, deciding the best time to depart.

This was the greatest advantage of having the Flying Thunder God Technique!

As long as the formula had been placed in advance, it took but an instant—or at most a few seconds—to arrive.

By contrast, anyone lacking the Flying Thunder God or a similar space–time jutsu would need at least a day of continuous high-speed travel between neighboring nations, even at top speed.

...

"Yagyu, how does that feel?"

"Mmm, Karin, your massage technique is on par with Hinata's."

"Heehee…"

After confirming their departure plans with Tsunade, Yagyu leaned back on the sofa with his eyes closed while Karin massaged his head. Given Tsunade's and Yagyu's sensory abilities, they'd know in advance if anyone approached the Hokage's office, and Tsunade had forbidden anyone but female Anbu from intruding. Thus, with no outside eyes on them, Yagyu was used to treating the Hokage's office like a second home.

Hearing Yagyu's praise, Karin—dressed in her little black suit and currently free of other tasks—broke into her usual silly grin and redoubled her efforts, serving him with enthusiasm.

Tsunade seemed used to the sight. After giving them a glance, she returned to her paperwork. While signing documents with bold, careless strokes and stamping them, she asked again,

"When the Five Kage Summit happens, each Kage will take one or two guards. That day, you'll guard me, Yagyu. Is there someone else you recommend?"

Yagyu thought for a moment.

"Sasuke, I guess."

"All right. Then I'll leave it to you to let him know."

Tsunade nodded.

Apart from certain matters about the true nature of the world and some crucial secrets, Yagyu had told Tsunade basically everything. Tsunade was already aware that, while the Uchiha clan had produced many Mangekyō Sharingan over time, only one had become an Uchiha Madara—because Madara had acquired the Eternal Mangekyō by taking the Mangekyō eyes of a blood relative who had also awakened it. Cases of two blood relatives both awakening Mangekyō at once were extremely rare. Over a thousand years, Uchiha Madara might have been the only one.

Madara himself, evidently not wanting the clan to engage in mutual slaughter, never revealed his Eternal Mangekyō power.

Now, armed with knowledge about the Eternal Mangekyō, and aware that Sasuke stood a strong chance of becoming the second coming of Madara, Tsunade placed greater importance on Sasuke than even on Naruto. She was thrilled: in her reign, Konoha might replicate the glory of her grandfather, the First Hokage, and Uchiha Madara—this time in the forms of Yagyu's Wood Release and Sasuke's eventual Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Once Yagyu succeeded her as the Sixth Hokage, with Sasuke supporting him, surely he would lead Konoha back to its peak—or even surpass it. After all, besides inheriting the First Hokage's Wood Release, Yagyu seemed to have the Second Hokage's intellect and knack for ninjutsu as well.

Thinking of all that, Tsunade grew all the more determined to persuade the other villages to join forces in wiping out the Akatsuki. She didn't know whether the legendary Rinnegan exceeded Wood Release in power—but it stood as the only threat capable of endangering Yagyu. If they annihilated the Akatsuki and seized or destroyed the Rinnegan, no one in the ninja world could stand against him.

...

"All right."

Naturally, Yagyu had no clue what Tsunade was thinking. At her request, he simply nodded, then squeezed Karin's delicate hand. As she blushed, wearing that secretive, mischievous smile at sneaking around behind others' backs, he vanished without warning.

...

"…Sure. When do we leave?"

Learning that he would act as the Hokage's bodyguard did not bother Uchiha Sasuke; he readily agreed.

"In two days," Yagyu replied.

Gazing at Sasuke as he trained jutsu in the ruins of the Uchiha District, Yagyu continued with a smile,

"Naruto's gone to Mt. Myōboku to study Sage Mode. You could do the same at Ryūchi Cave."

"All three Great Sage Regions offer Sage Arts?" Sasuke immediately picked up on the implication and turned toward Yagyu. "You can do Sage Mode as well?"

"Mhm. But mine isn't from the Three Great Sage Regions." Yagyu fibbed, not batting an eye. "I have the Wood Release kekkei genkai, so perhaps because of a natural affinity with the forest, I was refining my chakra one day and sensed a special energy in nature. By trying to absorb and merge it with my own chakra, I naturally mastered Sage Mode."

With that, Yagyu clapped his hands—demonstrating how to enter Sage Mode. His pupils turned gold, a red facial pattern appeared at the corners of his eyes. Sasuke's eyes shifted into three-tomoe Sharingan, scanning the flow of chakra in Yagyu's body. He observed plainly,

"Your chakra is a bit stronger than before, but the boost doesn't seem that big."

"The quantity itself isn't much bigger, but the quality of my jutsu is immeasurably enhanced."

Raising his hand, Yagyu molded a large, swirling sphere of blue energy with a vortex spinning around it, forming a whirling shuriken that emitted a piercing sound. Gazing at the huge Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Sasuke's face finally changed:

"That's a Rasengan?"

"It's an advanced form of Rasengan called Sage Art: Wind Release Rasenshuriken. It's on the same S-rank level as your Kirin," Yagyu explained with a smile. "And this one holds Sage chakra, so it's even stronger than a Rasenshuriken formed purely by shape manipulation and Wind Release."

"If you harness Sage chakra, then channel it into your Lightning Release: Kirin, the resulting power spike might be such that even Susanoo can't withstand it. Besides, Sage chakra isn't limited to the five basic elements—it can fuse into Yin and Yang as well."

Hearing that last part, Sasuke couldn't help feeling stirred. His eyes shone.

"Sage chakra can strengthen Susanoo, too?"

"Certainly. Susanoo is a manifestation of Yin Release chakra, so Sage chakra can enhance it."

"…Got it."

Sasuke nodded, speaking no further. Having already slain Itachi and avenged his clan, he was no longer an avenger who'd sacrifice anything for power. He'd achieved a kind of detachment; training served mainly to solidify and improve his skill. If Yagyu—who had saved him—asked for something, he'd do it. So now he wasn't driven by the thirst for strength, but Yagyu's words piqued his interest in Sage Arts just a bit—rekindling some motivation.

Not wanting Naruto to catch up or surpass him, Sasuke decided that once the Five Kage Summit finished, he might travel to Ryūchi Cave to study its Sage Mode.

Seeing Sasuke's fighting spirit restored, Yagyu nodded in satisfaction.

...

That Sunday, Amegakure received the favor of its "god"—a once-weekly fair-weather day. Sunlight tore through the clouds that perpetually shrouded the village, illuminating the damp streets. Golden rays reflected in puddles atop the steel buildings.

A figure in a black cloak patterned with red clouds stood overlooking the streets below, where pedestrians no longer needed raincoats. Expressionless, eyes ringed by ripples of purple, there was no telling what he was thinking.

Presently, a husky voice sounded:

"Ōnoki the Third Tsuchikage, A the Fourth Raikage, Gaara the Fifth Kazekage, and Mei Terumī—just inaugurated as the Fifth Mizukage—are all en route to the Land of Iron. At their current pace, the summit should start in two days."

Tendō Pain said nothing. Another voice picked up:

"What about Konoha?"

"No idea."

Black and White Zetsu shook their head. White Zetsu spoke helplessly,

"Ever since the Wood-Release ninja spotted one of our White Zetsu clones, we haven't managed to plant any more spies."

"The one who delivered the Five Kage Summit invitation was Yagyu, apparently. A Five Kage Summit after all these years is probably being called by the Hokage," Uchiha Obito said in a somber tone. "But even with Jiraiya dead, and the Rinnegan intel leaked, it's odd for them to stir up so much fuss."

"Likely the main reason Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, decided on the Five Kage Summit is that, a short while ago, the Sarutobi clan, Shimura clan, Mitokado clan, Utatane clan, and Danzo's entire Root organization were all wiped out, turned to ash," Obito continued. "I used genjutsu on some Konoha people to verify it—it's true."

Beneath Obito's mask, his gaze shone with apprehension:

"Before the four great clans were annihilated, the moon turned red, showing what looked like a Mangekyō Sharingan pattern, and scarlet moonlight bathed everyone. The symbol of the Mangekyō appeared on their hands. Four major clans and Root seemingly vanished in an instant; it's highly probable Uchiha Sasuke's Mangekyō was responsible."

At the end, even Obito felt a bit resigned:

"But Konoha suspects it was the Akatsuki's doing, mainly suspecting Hiruko—'Hundred Faces'—since he hates Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Sannin, believing Hiruzen had ordered the three to hunt him down, thus fueling hatred for the Elder Council. After he supposedly gained a Mangekyō, they think his first move was to wipe them out."

Black and White Zetsu didn't speak; they, too, believed Sasuke was involved, along with Yagyu. Black Zetsu in particular recognized that jutsu as a variant of Tsukuyomi. Yet standard Tsukuyomi only inflicted real mental harm within a dreamscape—it couldn't physically destroy entire clans. If it was truly Sasuke's doing, the other eye's power must be something extraordinary indeed. As Indra's reincarnation, he was no joke.

Recalling that Asura's and Indra's latest incarnations had joined forces again—perhaps recreating the glory of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha—Black Zetsu felt the pressure mount. Fortunately, he and White Zetsu had guided Orochimaru to Madara's corpse; they had arranged for him to discover White Zetsu clones for his experiments, along with the means to modify Madara's body. Once Orochimaru performed the Edo Tensei, Madara would be resurrected near his prime. If needed, Black Zetsu could manipulate Orochimaru into summoning him at a critical moment, or personally inhabit Nagato's body to cast Rinne Rebirth from afar.

Tendō Pain, the "leader" of Akatsuki in the open, remained unaware of all this. Operating as a puppet corpse, he showed no expression; meanwhile, Nagato, who controlled him behind the scenes, felt oddly pleased. The Sarutobi clan's destruction was the best news he'd gotten all year. He hated the Konoha Elder Council as deeply as he hated Danzo's Root for the death of his parents at Konoha's hands and Yahiko's death partly caused by Root. Whoever killed the Elders—Sasuke or Hiruko—Nagato was quietly grateful. Of course, he didn't reveal his delight; instead, with his back turned to Black and White Zetsu and Obito, Tendō Pain asked calmly:

"Who's guarding the Tsuchikage?"

"Ōnoki's son Kitsuchi and granddaughter Kurotsuchi."

"Have the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki returned to Iwagakure?"

"Four-Tails Jinchūriki seems to have issues with Ōnoki. He got a summons but didn't go back. Five-Tails Jinchūriki did return, though," White Zetsu reported.

"What about the Six-Tails, Seven-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails? Have we locked onto them?" Tendō Pain went on.

"We have White Zetsu clones tracking Six-Tails and Seven-Tails. We can provide locations at any time. The Eight-Tails is currently with the Fourth Raikage, acting as his personal guard. As for the Nine-Tails…we don't know. I didn't dare send White Zetsu in."

"Our whereabouts are already exposed, so there's no reason to lie low."

Tendō Pain lifted his gaze to the sunny sky where only a few black clouds floated. With commanding majesty, he said:

"The Five Kage Summit is an opportunity. While the strongest shinobi of each village are away from their posts, we'll mobilize the entire Akatsuki and capture all Jinchūriki except the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails in a single stroke!"

...

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