A crimson chakra surged violently from Gaara's body—the enraged presence of Shukaku, the One-Tail.
Lucas chuckled, raising a hand before slapping Gaara lightly on the chest.
BAM!
In an instant, the One-Tail's chakra receded, forcibly suppressed by Lucas's sheer strength.
Summoning Jutsu!
A five-story-high Gedo Statue materialized behind Lucas, its gaping maw opening wide. The One-Tail's chakra flowed out of Gaara's body, extracted seamlessly and absorbed into the statue.
"GRRRRAAAAAHHH!"
Shukaku's piercing screech echoed through the air as it struggled against Lucas's grasp, trying to manifest its form and fight back.
But it was useless.
Quack, quack!
The Gedo Statue's second eye slowly opened, signifying the successful extraction.
A squad of Sunagakure shinobi suddenly surrounded Lucas, weapons drawn.
"Who are you?!" a Sunagakure jonin barked. "Release Gaara immediately!"
Lucas barely acknowledged them. Instead, he glanced down at the unconscious Gaara.
The boy had never slept properly in his entire life.
Now, finally, he could rest peacefully.
With a flick of his wrist, Lucas tossed Gaara toward the nearest Sunagakure ninja, who caught him clumsily.
"STOP!"
More Sunagakure shinobi prepared to attack—but before they could make a move, a familiar voice rang out.
"All of you—stand down!"
Pakura strode forward, followed closely by a group of Sunagakure Anbu. Her gaze was cold as she assessed the situation.
"This lord is not someone you can afford to offend," she declared. "Back away."
The Sunagakure ninja hesitated.
"But, Lady Pakura—!"
Before he could finish, Lucas released his Conqueror's Haki.
BOOM!
An invisible pressure crushed the area.
Dozens of shinobi collapsed unconscious, their bodies shaking under the immense willpower.
The few who remained standing felt their bodies tremble. Not wasting another second, they quickly dragged their fallen comrades away, following Pakura's orders without hesitation.
They understood now.
This man was something else.
Not even the Kazekage himself could inspire this level of fear.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Lucas turned to Pakura with an amused smirk.
"So? Did it work?" he asked curiously.
Pakura let out a small chuckle. "The Anbu saw how easily you defeated Kazekage Rasa. They realized there was no point in dying for him."
Lucas nodded, pleased. "So they chose to support you instead?"
Pakura nodded. "Yes. But don't congratulate me just yet—I never wanted to be Kazekage. I just didn't want to be used as a sacrifice again."
Lucas tilted his head. "Is that so?" His tone was lighthearted. "Then tell me, if I decided to unify the Ninja World—dismantling all hidden villages in the process—would you support me?"
Pakura didn't hesitate.
"Of course," she said firmly. "If you allow me to follow you, I'd give up the title of Kazekage right now."
Lucas blinked.
He hadn't expected such an immediate answer. He scanned her expression—serious, unwavering.
"...Follow me?" Lucas muttered, then let out a small laugh. "Sure, but you'll have to wait a while."
Pakura's eyes brightened. "Really? Then I'll wait patiently."
Lucas smiled but said no more. With a casual flick of his hand, he canceled the Gedo Statue's summoning and vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile, deep within a dense forest near the Land of Earth, members of Akatsuki had gathered.
Seated in a clearing, the remaining core members of Akatsuki—Zetsu, Kakuzu, Orochimaru, Sasori, and Biwa Juzo—waited.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with interest as he turned to Zetsu.
"So? Why call a meeting out here?"
Zetsu's hoarse voice responded coldly. "Because Pain has been defeated. Rinnegan has been taken."
Biwa Juzo's jaw dropped. "That's impossible! The leader—he possessed Rinnegan, the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. We all knew his strength—how could he lose?"
Orochimaru smirked. "I believe it."
Sasori's sharp gaze turned toward him. "You sound confident. Do you know something we don't?"
Orochimaru laughed softly. "Indeed. I have a spy in Konoha. And just days ago, he sent me startling information."
The members leaned in.
Orochimaru continued.
"That man—Lucas—suddenly appeared in Konoha… and single-handedly defeated the entire village."
Sasori's expression hardened. "You're joking."
Orochimaru shook his head. "I thought so too, but after verifying the information… it's the truth. Not only was Konoha defeated, but Hiruzen Sarutobi himself was killed on the spot."
Biwa Juzo's mouth fell open. "Are you serious?! Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was still one of the strongest Kage despite his age! He led an entire army of Konoha ninja against one person—and not only lost, but died?!"
Orochimaru's voice dropped to a whisper, his eyes gleaming with undisguised greed.
"Not just that. Shimura Danzō—the so-called 'Darkness of the Ninja World'—was also killed."
Sasori narrowed his eyes. "And their clans?"
Orochimaru grinned. "Erased."
A heavy silence settled over the group.
"...And how did he do it?" Sasori finally asked.
Orochimaru leaned forward.
"They say… he used Wood Style."
Biwa Juzo and the others were stunned.
The Wood Style—one of the rarest and most powerful bloodline abilities in the Ninja World—was now being wielded by Lucas.
Everyone had heard the stories. Everyone knew its terrifying potential.
Satisfied with Orochimaru's assistance, Zetsu smirked and turned to the rest.
"Well? Have you made your decision?" he asked. "If any of you betray Akatsuki now, our new leader, Lucas, won't let you walk away unscathed."
Sasori of the Red Sand narrowed his eyes. "With this leadership change… are there any major shifts in Akatsuki's goals?"
Zetsu's tone remained calm.
"The goal remains the same—we're just accelerating the plan. The old fund-raising missions can be abandoned. Our only focus now is gathering the Tailed Beasts."
Sasori chuckled. "So we're skipping the buildup and going straight to the final act?" He smirked. "Not a bad plan. How are we splitting the targets?"
Zetsu replied, "We need to capture the Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Six-Tails. They've left their villages with their Jinchūriki, meaning they have no backup, no protection. They'll be easier targets."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "And the remaining Tailed Beasts?"
Zetsu's smile grew.
"Our leader will handle those personally."
Biwa Juzo grinned. "Is that so? Then we've got no issues." He turned to Zetsu. "You have intel on the three targets, don't you?"
"Of course."
Zetsu's voice carried undeniable confidence.
"The Four-Tails and Five-Tails are nearby. One controls lava, the other controls boiling steam. We'll need a Water Release specialist to handle them."
As soon as he said this, everyone's eyes turned to Biwa Juzo.
Juzo raised his hands defensively. "Don't look at me! Sure, I came from Kirigakure, which specializes in Water Release, but I barely use Water Jutsu myself. My skill in water manipulation is… average, at best."
Orochimaru chuckled. "That could be a problem. Lava and steam are hard to counter—once they spread, they're difficult to dissipate."
Zetsu smirked. "No need to worry—I've already arranged for backup. The newest member of Akatsuki happens to be a Water Release master."
As he spoke, footsteps approached from the distance.
Zetsu turned toward the newcomers.
"Look—he's here."
The Akatsuki members turned as a White Zetsu clone appeared, leading a tall, imposing figure.
A muscular man with blue skin, shark-like features, and gill marks on his face stepped forward, carrying a massive bandaged sword on his back.
"Hoshigaki Kisame… of the Hidden Mist."
Juzo's eyes widened in recognition. "So you joined us after defecting?"
Kisame grinned, sharp teeth flashing.
"It's been a long time, Juzo. I used to look up to you when I was younger."
Juzo let out a bitter laugh. "Used to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen… Now, it's just a joke."
His voice was filled with self-mockery.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had once been feared. But now? Their reputation had been ruined after a squad of them were slaughtered by a single Genin—Might Duy.
Juzo had no pride left in that title. Only frustration and shame.
His eyes flickered to the bandaged sword on Kisame's back.
"That's the Samehada, isn't it?" Juzo asked. "So after you killed Fuguki Suikazan, it became yours?"
Kisame chuckled. "What can I say? Samehada likes me."
He ran a hand over the sharkskin-like weapon, which twitched slightly in response.
"And I like it too."
A brief shadow crossed his dead-fish eyes.
Once upon a time, Kisame had believed in his mission. He had been loyal to Kirigakure.
Until he discovered the truth.
Until he realized his superior—Fuguki Suikazan—was a traitor, selling village secrets for personal gain.
That was when Kisame had snapped—when he had cut down his own leader without hesitation.
But after that… he had been lost.
That was when Uchiha Obito—disguised as Madara—had found him.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with curiosity as he observed the new recruit.
He then turned his attention to Samehada, an amused smirk forming on his lips.
"A living sword that devours chakra…" he murmured. "What a fascinating specimen."
The mad scientist within him wanted to dissect it, to study its unique properties.
But for now, his interests lay elsewhere.
Specifically—Lucas.
Rinnegan… Wood Style…
Power beyond reason.
Orochimaru licked his lips.
If Lucas truly had both, then he might just be the perfect research subject.
What Orochimaru didn't know, however, was that Lucas was thinking the exact same thing about him.
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