High atop a tower in the Land of Rain, Uchiha Itachi released a crow into the rare clear sky. Tied to its leg was a small bundle—clearly, a message.
Footsteps sounded behind him. Itachi glanced back to see Hyuga Gakuya ascending the tower at a calm pace.
Gakuya came to stand beside him, watching the crow disappear into the distance.
"I figured you'd be here. Sending intel back to Konoha, right? Do you know why I'm not stopping you?"
Itachi replied with a question of his own. "And do you know why I'm not trying to hide it from you?"
Gakuya's voice was calm.
"I need a unit that can destroy hidden villages and help me build up my authority. Konoha needs someone to shoulder some of the burden. Our goals don't clash."
"Itachi. Your turn to answer."
"You still have ties to Konoha. Friends. Family."
"Exactly. I want to send a message to the higher-ups. I have the power to wipe them out."
With those words, Gakuya turned and walked down the tower, leaving Itachi behind. He had preparations to make.
There were several reasons behind his actions:
To warn Konoha not to lay a hand on Neji.
To shield Neji from the effects of the war. Once it escalated, ninja academy students would be forced to graduate early and head to the battlefield.
To minimize the butterfly effect caused by his existence—so he could still leverage his knowledge of the original timeline to accomplish more.
...
Gakuya, now operating under the alias "Takuya Kimura," took over the defense of the Land of Rain. His plan was simple: keep all the local shinobi on high alert and report to him immediately if any enemy forces were spotted.
Then, disguised as Rain shinobi, he and Kisame, Sasori, and Konan would move out with a team of Ame-nin and slaughter the intruders.
It was a simple plan, with disguise being the key element.
He knew Konan had been assigned to keep an eye on him—but he didn't care. In fact, having a beautiful woman nearby was a pleasant bonus.
This meant one more mouth to feed, though. Gakuya had Yukari rent a two-story apartment—they couldn't stay in the dorms forever. Since there was enough space, Konan moved in as well.
While waiting for enemy movements, Gakuya continued his training. He even studied some of Hanzo the Salamander's signature jutsu. And with Konan nearby—a powerful kunoichi in her own right—he took the chance to ask for guidance.
Thanks to the selfless "contributions" of Uzumaki Yukari and Uzumaki Karin, his Sage Body had become even stronger. However, their blood was beginning to have less of an effect on his development.
...
May 13, Year 58 of the Konoha Calendar
As expected, Itachi didn't disappoint. Under Konoha's subtle manipulation, advance squads from Iwagakure and Sunagakure crossed into the Land of Rain.
The moment Gakuya received the intel, he gathered Konan, Sasori, and Kisame. Alongside several Rain shinobi, they set out to intercept the invaders.
The enemy ninja unknowingly walked right into the trap Gakuya had laid out.
"Commander Kimura, Lady Angel," a Rain shinobi reported, "the enemy is within the trap zone. Should we strike now?"
"No need," Gakuya replied. "Wait for my signal."
The shinobi hesitated and turned to Konan, awaiting her command. To him, she was the Angel of God, far more worthy of reverence than someone like Takuya Kimura.
"Follow Kimura's orders," Konan said flatly.
"Yes, ma'am," he finally responded.
Gakuya wasn't bothered by the deference. After all, he was only temporarily in charge—he had no real authority. If his orders carried weight, what would they need Konan for?
He turned to the others. "I'll go in first and cast a few of Hanzo's classic jutsu. When I shout Water Style: Water Dragon Barrage, Kisame, that's your cue. Hit them hard—but make it look like I'm the one doing it."
"Heh... got it," Kisame chuckled, intrigued.
"Sasori, your puppets are too conspicuous, so don't join the fight directly. Just coat everyone's weapons in poison beforehand."
"Understood."
"Konan, after Kisame launches the attack, you'll lead the Rain ninja in to finish them off."
"Got it."
"Everyone, don your gas masks. I'll go ahead."
Gakuya put on a custom-made gas mask, made a hand sign, and vanished—leaving only a small puddle of water behind.
"... what a monster of a prodigy," Kisame said with a smirk. "He came asking for pointers a few days ago, and now he's already mastered it."
Konan, who had been at Gakuya's side for the past several days, remained expressionless.
"Watch closely. He's only just getting started."
...
Hundreds of Iwa and Suna shinobi marched swiftly across the terrain. Their mission was to clear out Rain forces and establish a forward camp.
But the moment they stepped into the trap zone, Gakuya triggered the ambush.
"Fire Style!"
Explosive tags suddenly erupted beneath their feet, wrapping around the ankles of nearby shinobi.
"It's a trap!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions tore through the ranks. Screams rang out.
A Suna jonin narrowly escaped, leaping high into the air. His heart sank as memories from the Second Great Ninja War surged back. The same terror. The same devastation.
No... It couldn't be...
The legend. The nightmare that haunted every ninja.
Hanzo the Salamander.
But no—intel said Hanzo had grown old, cowardly, clinging to life. There was no way he would appear here.
...
In an instant, dozens were dead or dying. But traps alone couldn't eliminate the entire force.
Gakuya emerged before the enemy. He wore a black cloak, old-school Warring States-style armor, a katana at his waist, and a gas mask—textbook Rain ninja attire.
"You've trespassed into the Land of Rain. I, Takuya Kimura, acting on behalf of my master—Hanzo the Demigod—sentence you to death."
At his words, many Suna shinobi relaxed slightly.
Only the Demigod's disciple? That's a relief...
Gakuya slammed his palm into the ground. "Summoning Jutsu: Salamander—Ibuse!"
A massive salamander erupted beneath their feet, instantly devouring several enemy ninja.
From its gaping maw spewed a thick, purple cloud of toxic mist. Those caught in the fog collapsed without even a chance to use antidotes.
Some quick-thinking shinobi managed to don gas masks in time, narrowly avoiding the deadly cloud.
"Scatter! Get away from the mist!"
Enemy ninja scattered in all directions, trying to avoid the poison.
"We're not done yet!"
Gakuya made a rapid series of hand signs and shouted with all his might,
"Water Style: Water Dragon Barrage!"
Hidden in the shadows, Kisame bared his teeth in a shark-like grin. "My turn..."
From the forest behind him, multiple massive water dragons shot into the sky before crashing into the enemy ranks.
"It's Water Dragon Jutsu! Get out of the way!"
A battle-hardened chūnin who had fought in both previous ninja wars stood frozen.
"This many... could he really be Hanzo's disciple and not his reincarnation?"
The onslaught wiped out large swathes of enemy shinobi.
"You little punk—die!"
Several enemy ninja surrounded Gakuya, launching jutsu from every angle.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Ninja Art: Thousand Needles!"
"Fire Style: Flame Meteor Shower!"
Caught in a deadly crossfire, Gakuya's eyes turned a vibrant blue beneath his mask.
In a flash, he drew his katana and swung: "Gale Severance Slash!"
BOOM!An overwhelming wave of repelling force shredded every incoming jutsu.
Of course, there was no such thing as Gale Severance Slash. It was all theatrics—boosted with the power of his Tenseigan.
Enemy ninja were left stunned.
What kind of sword technique was that? No chakra buildup, no visible blade arc... yet five elite shinobi had their coordinated attacks completely nullified.
Could this man's swordsmanship surpass even that of the legendary Demigod?
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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