The Hand of God Creates the Strongest Hidden Mist Village

Chapter 172 needs extra money!

When Makoto Karatachi was invited into the Konoha headquarters, his expression was as natural as if he were visiting a neighbor.

He even had the leisure to take a look at the layout of the command post.

A sand table, a map, a communication scroll, several Konoha ninjas with complex expressions, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in military uniform, sitting in the main seat.

The Third Hokage and Makoto Karatachi had just met recently, but in just a few days, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have aged several years. The wrinkles around his eyes were deep, and the white hair at his temples was particularly noticeable in the dim light.

Clearly, the immense pressure from the war with Iwagakure had left the Third Hokage physically and mentally exhausted and unable to cope.

"It's been a long time, Hokage-sama."

Gouju Cheng walked in with a swagger and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Lord Gouju Cheng."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Makoto Karatachi for a moment.

The young man's aura was even more profound than when he last saw him.

That composure and confidence that emanates from within is not feigned, but rather the quality that comes from truly possessing overwhelming power, coupled with a change in identity.

"The Hokage doesn't look too well." Makoto Karatachi found a seat, crossed his legs, and said, "The battle against Iwagakure must have been tough."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips twitched slightly.

You don't look too good?

This is already a euphemistic way of putting it.

He had been directing operations for days, and with that old fox Onoki pressing him relentlessly, he hadn't slept for several days.

"You jest, sir." Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't respond to that, but went straight to the point, "I heard you've come to assist in the battle at the behest of the daimyo?"

"Not bad." Makoto Kojiri pulled out the letter of commission from his pocket and casually tossed it on the table. "A commission personally issued by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, two hundred million ryo, asking me to lend you a hand. It's in black and white, no deception."

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the letter of authorization and read it carefully.

It is indeed the seal and signature of the daimyo, and the contents of the commission are also clearly written: to employ Makoto Karatachi and his subordinates to assist Konoha in fighting against Iwagakure.

"Your Highness is very kind." Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the letter of entrustment, his tone calm, but a complex look flashed in his eyes.

He knew, of course, that the daimyo had been trying to find ways to support the front lines, but he never expected that he would ask Makoto Karatachi for help.

And two hundred million taels—

To be honest, this price isn't expensive.

Even though this employment contract doesn't have a specific term or job description, based on the strength that Makoto Kotachibana displayed today, and the fact that he protected Orochimaru and nearly a hundred ninjas, it's already more than worth the money.

Next, let alone 200 million taels, even 500 million taels would be worth it as long as we can defeat Iwagakure!

"However," Hiruzen Sarutobi changed the subject, "you are, after all, a member of Kirigakure. Is it perhaps somewhat inappropriate for you to participate in the war as a mercenary?"

"What's wrong with that?" Makoto Karatachi asked innocently. "I'm not here on behalf of Kirigakure; it's purely a personal matter. Besides, surely the Hokage doesn't even know who a mercenary is?"

"I'm afraid the people of Iwagakure won't see it that way."

"That's their business," Makoto Karatachi shrugged. "If Onoki's unhappy about it, he can come talk to me. But—"

He smiled, revealing a set of white teeth.

"It will cost you to talk to me."

5

Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't surprised by his money-grubbing appearance.

During the negotiations, this guy was incredibly stingy!

"Your skill is indeed remarkable. However—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Makoto Karatachi with curiosity: "Since you've come as a mercenary, I'd like to know, what is the extent of your mercenary activities?"

Gouju Cheng's eyes lit up; that was exactly what he was waiting for.

"The Third Hokage is indeed a wise man."

"Two hundred million taels, naturally I'll take care of stabilizing your defenses and repelling the Iwagakure attack. I've finished that job for today."

.

"In other words, if you still want my help in the future—"

He turned around and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a smile.

"You'll have to pay more."

A commotion broke out in the command post.

Several Konoha Jonin looked grim, and one of them couldn't help but speak up: "You're taking advantage of our misfortune!"

Makoto glanced at the man and said unhurriedly, "You can't say that. What does your Konoha fighting Iwagakure have to do with Kirigakure? To put it bluntly, I could have waited until the earth dried Orochimaru up before taking action to repel the Iwagakure ninja."

The man was choked and speechless.

Indeed, if it weren't for Makoto Karatachi, Orochimaru and his small force would have been completely wiped out by now!

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his hand to stop his subordinates' agitation and looked calmly at Makoto Karatachi: "Then what price do you want, sir?"

""

Gouju Cheng raised one finger.

"One hundred million taels."

"What?!"

"One hundred million taels. I'll help you repel the enemy once, and the rest will be settled separately."

Even the usually composed Nara Shikaku couldn't sit still this time. "Why don't you just go and steal it?!"

"Nothing makes money as fast as this, even if you rob someone."

Goji Makoto said confidently, "As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I don't need to elaborate on how much manpower and resources your Konoha has lost in this war. If you bring a few hundred million more, I can help you resolve this war."

"Even more so, if you want to go further, for example, completely crush Iwagakure and render them incapable of making a move again for a short period of time—"

"As long as you pay, I can satisfy you!"

The command post was completely silent.

Everyone looked at Makoto Koji with the eyes of someone who had gone mad.

Completely defeat Iwagakure?

That was an army of tens of thousands, with Onoki in charge, two Jinchuriki, and elite Jonin like Kyoto and Kari.

Even if Makoto Koji is strong, what gives him the right to make such boastful claims on his own?

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not immediately refute this.

He scrutinized the young man before him, trying to glean something from his face. But Makoto Karimoto's expression remained lazy and nonchalant, as if he had just remarked not on a momentous event that would change the course of the battle, but rather on the pleasant weather.

"What makes you so confident?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly spoke, "You should be aware of the strength of Iwagakure. Onoki's Dust Release is not so easy to deal with."

"Even if you control Kushina and once again display power at the level of Kazama and Kazuya, you only have ten minutes against Onoki, who can fly using Dust Release—"

"That's my business."

Makoto Goji waved his hand: "All I can say is, as long as you pay the right amount, a mere Dust Release technique is all I need. I'll make sure you crush the Hokage, Onoki."

Everyone was stunned by these words.

A mere dust escape?

That is the Bloodline Limit, which transcends Bloodline Limits and is a unique power in the ninja world!

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, a master of ninjutsu, said that even with Susanoo and the Nine-Tails, it might not be possible to defeat Onoki within ten minutes.

"Arrogant!"

A Jonin from the Hyuga clan couldn't help but speak up, "Dust Release is—"

His words came to an abrupt end.

Because Makoto's eyes have changed.

His originally deep purple eyes had now transformed into ripples like tree rings, profound and mysterious, as if containing the cyclical principles of the world's birth and destruction.

Those eyes calmly swept over everyone present, with a condescending, almost godlike indifference.

"This is----"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils shrank sharply, and he almost dropped the pipe in his hand.

Having lived for so many years, he has seen countless eye techniques, including the Sharingan, Byakugan, and even the legendary Mangekyou Sharingan.

But he had only seen those eyes in ancient books.

The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.

Rinnegan!

"This is impossible—"

Nara Shikaku muttered to himself, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

As Konoha's strategist, he knew all too well what the Rinnegan meant.

That is the legendary power of creation and destruction, the ultimate eye technique that surpasses all bloodline limits!

"Oh, you all seem surprised."

Makoto Kuraki withdrew his Rinnegan, and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara with some surprise: "I thought you already knew that I had the Rinnegan."

"What?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly. What did he mean by that? What did he mean by "already knew"? Should they have known such mysterious information?

"Alright, enough with the chit-chat. Third Hokage, now do you think I'm worth the price?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a long time, then took a deep drag on his pipe. His voice was low and hoarse amidst the swirling smoke.

"Your Excellency Gouju, I need time to consider your terms."

"no problem."

Gojiki Makoto readily nodded, "Iwagakure just retreated today, they won't be attacking again anytime soon. Take your time thinking it over, I'm not in a rush."

However, as soon as he turned around, he walked out of the command post, leaving behind a single sentence without looking back.

"Remember to let me know when you've made up your mind. I'm a person of my word, but I'm not very patient."

"If Iwagakure sends someone to contact me, then I'll have to wait for the right price."

After saying that, he swaggered away from the command post with Mangetsu, leaving behind a room full of Konoha ninjas with complex expressions.

After Makoto Koji left, a long silence fell over the command post.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, puffing on his pipe one puff after another. Amidst the swirling smoke, his brows were furrowed, and the expression in his eyes was as complex as a turbulent undercurrent.

Rinnegan.

That young man actually possesses the Rinnegan.

He had lived for so many years, experienced two Shinobi World Wars, and seen countless geniuses and monsters, but the Rinnegan—that was something that only existed in legends. The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, a symbol of creation and destruction, the supreme eye technique of the Shinobi world.

At this moment, those eyes appeared on a Hidden Mist ninja, a young man who had just been laughing and haggling with him.

"Lord Hokage."

Nara Shikaku broke the silence first, his voice low and cautious, "What do you think of what Makoto Karatachi said?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer immediately. Instead, he placed his pipe on the table, slowly stood up, and walked to the sand table.

On the sand table, the red markers representing Iwagakure were densely packed, like an ant colony covering most of the Land of Grass. The green markers representing Konoha, on the other hand, were compressed behind the defensive line, appearing thin and fragile.

"Shikaku, what do you think?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in return.

Nara Shikaku pondered for a moment, then organized his thoughts: "Karagi Makoto cannot be judged by ordinary standards. The strength he displayed on the battlefield of Kirigakure has already exceeded the scope of ordinary ninjas."

"Plus the Rinnegan—"

"Susanoo, space-time ninjutsu, and those two Rinnegan—Lord Hokage, this person's power is probably no less than that of the two from back then!"

"good."

Orochimaru had already entered the command post at some point.

He was covered in bandages, his face was pale, but his eyes were incredibly sharp.

He heard those words and saw the rippled eyes in that guy's eyes!

"Teacher should still remember the battle between Kazama and Tani. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki went out of control, and the Nine-Tails went berserk—he was the source of that disaster."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's fingers tightened slightly.

Of course he remembers.

In that battle, Konoha suffered heavy losses, and the entire eastern front almost collapsed. The culprit behind all of this was Makoto Karatachi.

"And back then, he didn't have the Rinnegan yet, but now—"

"None of us know what kind of power those eyes contain, but one thing is certain: the power of those eyes is definitely above the Mangekyou Sharingan!"

"In your opinion, is this person trustworthy?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

Orochimaru remained silent for a moment, then a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

Whether he's trustworthy or not isn't important. What's important is that he's on our side now. And—

He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, a glint of light flashing in his golden snake eyes.

"Teacher, you know Konoha's current situation better than I do. We're short-handed, supplies are tight, and morale is low. That old fox Onoki is pressing us relentlessly; we can't hold out for long."

"If Karatachi Makoto can really help us defeat Iwagakure—no, even if he can only help us stabilize our defenses and buy us some breathing room, then this 100 million ryo is worth it."

"not to mention----"

Orochimaru lowered his voice even further.

"Doesn't the teacher want to know where Makoto Karatachi's Rinnegan came from?"

A glint flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

He understood Orochimaru's meaning.

Makoto Karatachi's Rinnegan couldn't have appeared out of thin air. This legendary power must have its source. If we could figure out that source, and even—possess it in Konoha's hands—

What would that mean?

"Orochimaru is right."

Nara Shikaku also spoke up, "Hokage-sama, while Makoto Karatachi is dangerous, the most important thing right now is to defeat Iwagakure. As long as we can end this war, paying some price is worthwhile."

"And—" He hesitated for a moment, but still said it, "Karagi Makoto is right about one thing: if Iwagakure also sends someone to contact him, given his personality, he might really try to sell himself for a higher price."

Silence fell again in the command post.

Everyone understood what Lu Jiu meant.

Makoto Karatachi is a mercenary; he works for whoever pays him. If Iwagakure offers a higher price, he might actually turn his gun on them.

At that time, Konoha will not only have to face the Iwagakure army, but also a monster with the Rinnegan.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"Send the order: prepare one hundred million—no, prepare five hundred million taels!"

Nara Shikaku was stunned.

"Hokage-sama————"

"I agree to Makoto Karatachi's conditions." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was calm and firm. "Not just as a servant, I will use these 500 million ryo to completely bind him to the Konoha war machine and help Konoha win this war!"

"in addition----"

He looked at Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru, you'll be in charge of liaising with Makoto Karatachi. Try to learn as much as possible about the Rinnegan."

Orochimaru smiled slightly: "Yes, sir."

"There's one more thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly remembered something, and his brows furrowed even more.

"Makoto Karatachi just said that he thought we already knew he had the Rinnegan—what does that mean?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"Could it be that Lord Danzo already knew?"

Nara Shikaku tentatively said.

In order to fight Iwagakure, Hiruzen Sarutobi mobilized almost all the forces he could muster, with Danzo being the last to arrive at the front lines with Kushina.

If there is any other way, it's only through Danzo, the last one.

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly darkened.

Danzo —

If Danzo really knew all along that Makoto Karatachi possessed the Rinnegan, but didn't report it to him, what does that mean?

He took a deep breath, suppressing his doubts.

"Shikaku, go and invite Elder Danzo over here."

"yes.

Meanwhile, at the Rock Hidden position.

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Two Scales, hovered above the sand table, his small frame radiating a suffocating sense of oppression. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his wrinkled face was filled with gloom and anger.

"Huang Tu, say it again."

Onoki's voice wasn't loud, and it was even a little hoarse, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a chilling coldness.

Huang Tu knelt on one knee in front of the sand table, his left arm wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage, his face pale, but his back still straight.

"Father, the attack on the flank has failed."

His voice was calm: "We encountered unexpected resistance, and the demolition team suffered heavy losses. Kariya was also wounded. I judged that continuing the assault would only increase casualties, so I ordered a retreat."

"An unexpected ambush?"

Huang Tu was silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked at his father.

"Kouju Cheng. With misty shadows and watery reflections as his assistant, Kouju Cheng."

The moment the name was uttered, a collective gasp filled the tent.

Several Jonin from Iwagakure exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Kouju Cheng?"

"That clone ninja, how did he end up on the battlefield in the Land of Grass?!"

"Could it be that Kirigakure and Konoha have formed an alliance? That's impossible!"

The murmurs rose and fell, but Onoki did not stop them.

He hovered in mid-air, his cloudy eyes slightly narrowed, as if he were thinking about something.

Only when the murmurs gradually subsided did he slowly speak: "Continue."

Huang Tu nodded and recounted in detail everything that had happened on the flank.

From Makoto Karatachi's sudden appearance, instantly killing several Iwa ninja to save Orochimaru, to his joint attack with Gari being completely neutralized by his strange spatial abilities, and then to that purple Susanoo.

Every word and every detail made the faces of the Iwa ninja present grow increasingly grim.

When Huang Tu spoke of how Gouju Cheng activated Susanoo and crushed the demolition force in one blow, the tent fell silent.

"Susanoo————"

Onoki looked somewhat dazed.

This power is something that probably no one present understands better than him!

That was a nightmare he had been trying to forget for decades, a nightmare buried deep in his memory that he dared not face!