Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

"Achoo... Damn it, who the hell talked about me behind my back... (▼he▼メ)"

On a quiet path in the Land of Flowers, Shinto kept comforting his listless little brother. After parting ways with Kakuzu, Shinto thought about taking his little brother on a trip around the ninja world and seeing if there was a chance to help him boost his stats. Since he had promised to make him famous within two years, even though it would be difficult, he still had to do it.

These days, it's not wartime. It's easy to make a name for yourself, but it's hard to become famous. However, once someone becomes famous, everything they do makes headlines. Just like this time, he had only just left the Land of Earth, and Onoki didn't have any solid evidence to prove that the figure was him. But just Onoki's thought made his name make headlines in the ninja world once again!

And once again, his younger brother, who was helping him out, was selectively forgotten. Although Masato had never experienced this feeling firsthand, he was still his brother, so he had to say a few words of comfort. But before he could say more than a few words, he sneezed several times in a row.

The Flower Country is perpetually spring-like, and with his father's constitution, catching a cold is out of the question. Someone must be talking badly about him behind his back; fame brings trouble, after all...

"But why, when I had a share too..."

Handsome Scorpion's dad was so aggrieved he almost cried. It was like he was the second-in-command, but after winning the championship, the spotlight was always on the MVP. Basketball isn't a one-man show...

"This... perhaps it's a test from heaven. As the saying goes, 'Heaven will entrust great responsibilities to those who are destined for them, but first it will make them go hungry and experience inner suffering.' Only through such trials can they become strong. Perhaps heaven feels your heart isn't strong enough yet... Brother! You're still young. Life is only a few decades long, why worry about this moment? Your father, my uncle, only became famous after he died, and did he ever complain? It's because you're too impatient that heaven doesn't want you to become famous so quickly. After all, if you become famous but your mind isn't sharp enough, you're prone to getting arrogant...! Holy crap! It can't be that coincidental! (⊙o⊙)…"

Seeing his younger brother almost in tears, Shinto had done his best, even managing to squeeze out some classical Chinese, which he was least proficient in. As soon as he finished speaking, his Observation Haki suddenly activated automatically, sensing two groups of people rushing towards them from afar. The first group consisted of four people, led by his future father-in-law, Tsunade's father, with three Konoha ninjas beside him. The four of them were in a rather dire state, especially Tsunade's father, who was covered in blood, his face pale, and looked like he was about to die at any moment. If the blood on his body was his own, the fact that he could hold on until now was mostly due to the powerful vitality of the Senju clan and the fact that Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju were giving the Six Paths elder money and pulling strings down there.

Behind them was a rather large group of people, estimated to be at least fifty or sixty. Although they were rather ugly, their outstanding shark teeth made it clear to Shindou, even without looking at the ninja headbands on their foreheads, that they belonged to some gang, and each of them was a Jonin-level ninja.

Did my father-in-law go to the Land of Water to steal the tower?

It's incredible that the Mist Ninja could chase us all the way across the ocean to this place... (⊙_⊙)

114. Handsome Scorpion's Dad: And me too!

"Lord Kima, you must go! We'll cover your retreat!!!"

"No...impossible! How could the Senju clan abandon their comrades? Their target is me. I'll hold them off, you all go..."

"no......"

"........"

A few hundred meters ahead of Shinto and his group, Senju Koma, soaking wet and covered in blood, and his three wounded underlings were running while simultaneously covering their retreat. They were incredibly unlucky; it was a simple infiltration mission into the Land of Water, and of all things, they stumbled upon the Six-Tails, raised by Kirigakure, locked in a fierce battle with a group of Kirigakure ninja. And that wasn't all; the Tailed Beasts' senses were far more powerful, allowing them to detect Senju Koma's Hashirama bloodline from thousands of meters away. As the saying goes, if you can't beat the boss, beat his son! The Six-Tails lived up to that spirit perfectly. Upon sensing Hashirama Senju's son, the Six-Tails instantly unleashed its full power, ignoring the Mist Ninja arguing with it. It charged towards Senju Koma at a speed of tens of thousands of kilometers per hour and launched a furious attack. Although Senju Koma was his father's son and his mother was a top-tier player, his talent was only slightly above average. He hadn't inherited his father's incredible Wood Release, and his sealing techniques were mediocre. The only things he could boast about were his Water Release and Earth Release. Moreover, he was fighting on foreign soil and was already exhausted from the Six-Tails' barrage of attacks. To make matters worse, a group of Mist Ninja arrived at that exact moment.

Seeing the protagonist being relentlessly bombarded by the Six-Tails, everyone's eyes lit up, and their mouths watered uncontrollably. As the son of Hashirama Senju, Koma Senju may not have any amazing achievements, but his fame has consistently ranked among the top ten in the ninja world. Even newly debuted ninjas all know him—the son of the "God of Shinobi"! The current head of the Senju clan of Konoha! Although they don't know why he came to their Land of Water, it doesn't matter now!

Putting aside the benefits of killing Senju Koma in the village, just considering his price on the black market, killing him would be enough for them to live a carefree life even if they stopped being ninjas! Not to mention, killing the son of the God of Shinobi would be a feat that would surely win them the World Ninja Award this year and propel them to the pinnacle of their lives. In recent years, the World Ninja Award has been monopolized by Konoha's White Fang and Sunagakure's Golden Lion. If they could just kill Senju Koma, this year's award would belong to Kirigakure!

Furthermore, when facing Senju Koma, it's unclear whether Senju Hashirama committed some heinous act against the Six-Tails and it was retribution that fell upon his son. When the Kirigakure rushed up, the Six-Tails not only didn't fight with them but instead teamed up with them to bombard Senju Koma even more fiercely.

Although Senju Koma didn't have Wood Release, he was still the head of a powerful clan, and his strength was still formidable. He managed to withstand the onslaught of the Six-Tails and the Mist Ninja and escape with his underlings. However, he wasn't in much better shape himself. If it weren't for his strong willpower to go back and see his family one last time, and the fact that the Six Paths Elder didn't summon him down, the amount of blood gushing from his body would have been too much for even someone with Senju Hashirama's massive life force to contain.

But seeing that Senju Koma was already seriously injured and not far from death, how could they let this opportunity pass? When they saw that Senju Koma and the others were about to run away, they chased after the guy with their heads covered. It was their heart that had reached the pinnacle of human existence that supported them to cross the ocean and chase him to the other side.

"Hey! Old man... cough cough, Tsunade's father, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here. Are you... being chased?"

Just as Senju Kima was about to stay behind to cover their retreat, his hands were already frantically forming a bunch of nonsensical hand seals, a voice that Senju Kima both recognized and hated came from behind him. In particular, the title "Tsunade's father" was used by that brat from Sunagakure in the entire ninja world. Senju Kima didn't even need to turn around; he knew who it was just by looking at his backside.

"Golden...Golden Lion!! σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

Senju Kijima's three henchmen didn't have his level of "sensory perception." Turning around, their mouths dropped open in disbelief. A blond man with a ponytail, a gleaming golden sword at his waist, and an overwhelming aura of menace washed over them. Who else could it be but the Sand Village's Golden Lion, the one who had challenged their White Fang to anything? Was their luck really that bad? They encountered the Six-Tails in the Land of Water, and just as they were about to return to the Land of Fire, they ran into the Golden Lion in the Land of Flowers...

The three underlings immediately gave up. Now, apart from Lord Kijima being seriously injured and on the verge of death, they were all wounded as well. Even at their peak, they couldn't defeat him!

"Hmph! Golden Lion, the Sand Village's genius puppeteer! You're here to take my head too? (▼へ▼メ)"

Senju Kima never gave this brat who had once kidnapped his beloved daughter a kind look, not to mention that quite a few Konoha ninjas had died at the hands of this brat in recent years.

"Look at you, we're all so familiar with each other, don't act like you're on fire the moment we meet. Tsunade and I are 'good friends,' why would I need your head? Do I look like someone who's short of money?"

Masato helplessly shrugged. Sure enough, it would be difficult for him to clear his name in the Senju clan. Apart from Mito Uzumaki, whose level of thinking was a whole level higher, none of the Senju clan members had ever given him a kind look.

"what!"

However, Sasori's father, who was standing next to Shinto, was secretly pleased. Although this Konoha ninja uncle's tone was unpleasant, at least someone had finally mentioned him! He felt a light, cool sensation all over his body... ヾ(^д^*)/

"That brat in front... Holy crap!!! Golden... Golden Lion!! σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

By this time, the pursuing Mist Ninja had caught up. Shark Fang, who was clearly the leader and was standing in the center, didn't have very good eyesight. Moreover, he had so many underlings behind him, and his aura was extremely fierce. When he saw Senju Kima stop running and instead awkwardly chat with a kid, he was a little annoyed. Did they look down on the Mist Ninja?

Being chased and almost dead, yet still having the nerve to awkwardly chat with people, how much do they look down on them?

Just as I was about to start ranting, a terrifying aura swept over me. When I saw who it was, I almost peed my pants in fright. Wasn't that the Sand Village's Golden Lion, this year's World Ninja Champion?!

"Damn it! And there's my Gong Liejie!! Puppet Technique: Manipulating Blade! ?╬?д?╬?"

Once again ignored, Scorpion's dad suddenly unleashed his inner power!

Damn it, even the ninja uncles of Konoha know his name as a genius puppeteer, and these damn Mist Ninja dare to ignore him!

115. The pressure on the second generation of wealthy families is immense.

"Ahhh!"

"Damn it! It's the son of Chiyo, the genius puppeteer from Sunagakure! Watch out...!"

Handsome Sasori's father pulled out ten of his mother's Chikamatsu Ten Ninja and linked them with chakra threads. The ten identical Chikamatsu Ten Ninja were armed with swords in their left and right hands, and their bodies were covered with the latest version of the Smiling Half-Step Madness Ultimate. They rushed up and started hacking wildly at a group of Mist Ninja.

Sasori's father's temper flared up suddenly, without any warning. While the Mist Ninja on the other side were still shocked that the world's ninja master, Golden Lion, had appeared here, several of them had already been cut down and left the scene before they could even react.

Now that the leader of the Mist Village saw that a mere brat could control ten puppets alongside the Golden Lion, even the most idiot would know who this brat was. Chiyo's Chikamatsu Ten were renowned throughout the ninja world for their ability to control a puppet with a single finger and execute tactical maneuvers with incredible skill. Now, a brat could control ten puppets simultaneously with such impressive skill—who else could it be but Chiyo's legendary son from the First Kazekage's time...?

"Go to hell!! (▼ヘ▼#)"

At this moment, Handsome Scorpion's father was working hard, his combat index exceeding 10,000. Even though the other party finally recognized him, he had no intention of stopping. Beside Shinto, his hands moved like afterimages as he remotely controlled the Chikamatsu Ten, who were just like his mother, to frantically increase their stats in the crowd. That's the good thing about puppeteers; they won't go into battle themselves when it comes to fighting. As long as there's a meat shield for them to absorb damage, they can create a whole new world. Now, next to his big brother, this super tough guy, Handsome Scorpion's father was extremely calm and had no defensive awareness whatsoever, focusing entirely on the attack.

In terms of team battles, puppeteers are practically the kings. Their puppets are covered in deadly poison and are controlled by humans. They are made up of just a few broken parts, and even if they lose an arm or a leg, they have no feeling and can still kill people.

A group of Mist Ninja were being slaughtered by the same Chikamatsu Ten Puppet Masters, with many retreating from the battlefield. A few, knowing the puppeteer's characteristics, tried to get close and strike Sasori's father a couple of times to break his control of the puppets. However, after seeing their Jonin comrade at the forefront being kicked to pieces by Shiki, they quickly turned tail and charged back towards the ten humanoid puppets...

Getting slashed twice might at most cause poisoning and render you incapacitated; even if you die, at least you'll have a complete corpse... Damn, kicking a Jonin to death with one kick... Are all the world's top ninjas this awesome...?

"(⊙_⊙)....Cough...cough...What's up with this kid? I remember...Chiyo's still alive, right?"

Things are moving too fast. How did that quiet kid, who was a bit neurotic and had always been around that bastard Shiki, suddenly explode like that!

For a moment, Senju Koma didn't understand what was going on. He knew this kid; Konoha's espionage work was the most comprehensive in the ninja world. Chiyo and the First Kazekage's son, known as a genius puppeteer who perfectly inherited Chiyo's talent! Although his fame wasn't as great as that bastard who kidnapped his daughter, he was still a legitimate member of Sunagakure. The lower-ranking members of other ninja villages might not know who he was, but the higher-ups in each village had him on file.

He happened to be a high-ranking member of Konoha, the kind who could rise to the top at any moment, so he knew this Sand Village's genius puppeteer. However, in his impression, this kid had always been quite low-key and didn't like to show off. What was going on now? It seemed like he had some deep-seated grudge against the Kirigakure ninja who were chasing them. But he remembered that it was his Uncle Madara who caused Retsuto's untimely death, and Chiyo was still alive...

"Maybe... I've been under a lot of pressure lately. As someone from a wealthy family myself, you should understand how I feel..."

Masato shrugged and said, "If it weren't for this little butterfly, Sasori's father would probably be a top-tier player by now. After all, with Chiyo and Retsuto's support, plus his own considerable strength, he's still stuck in the background. Because of this little butterfly, he's been stuck for so many years without ever getting ahead. When people mention Sunagakure, they immediately think of Shiki, Chiyo, and Sunagakure—the Third Kazekage. Even with the addition of Grand Councilor Kaizo, few mention this kid. Born into a family of superstars, he's been unable to rise to prominence for so long. And this time, he was supposed to be taking Iwagakure to take off, but he's still being habitually ignored. I can only imagine how frustrated he must be..."

"Sogga!"

Upon hearing Masato's words, Senju Koma suddenly understood, looking as if he were contemplating something. As the son of the "God of Shinobi," the pressure he faced was probably greater than that of all the other second-generation members of powerful clans combined. He still vividly remembered the looks of hope and expectation in everyone's eyes when he was a child, hoping he too could awaken his father's Wood Release and lead the Senju clan to continue their glory. To avoid disappointing his clan, he had been working tirelessly since he was three, putting in dozens of times more effort than his peers, hoping to awaken his father's incredible Wood Release. Ultimately, he failed. If it weren't for his father and mother confirming their bloodline, confirming he was their biological son...

He could understand the pressure the child was under.

"Hey old man... are you alright? Should I take you back to Konoha to see your family one last time...?"

Sensing that Senju Koma's life force was almost gone, and that it was only his willpower that kept him going, Shinto kindly said that he had discovered he had a strange affinity with the dead of the Senju clan. Apart from the time when Senju Hashirama died, he had encountered both Senju Tobirama and Senju Koma. He could even switch careers and become a corpse carrier for the Senju clan.

However, the last time I helped Tobirama Senju collect his body, it only earned me Mito Uzumaki's favor, which was completely useless! Tsunade hasn't changed at all; she still acts like she wants to kill him whenever she sees him. Sending his father home this time should be enough, right?

"Hmph! Kid, I may not know what your purpose is, but I will absolutely not let you have the chance to go to Konoha!"

Senju Koma had no idea that this kid was sending him back to Konoha with designs on his daughter, but the kid already had a long criminal record in Konoha, and every time he went to Konoha, it was bound to be something bad, so he would never give the kid a chance.

"Look at you, as the son of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, how can your thinking be so narrow! You're still stuck in the world of villages. Your father always said that if everyone gives a little love, the ninja world will become a beautiful place, a loving family. How can you, as his son, not keep up? As a Sand Village ninja, I did my duty. As long as it benefits the village, I wouldn't even flinch if it meant going through fire and water. As a human being! Before you die, I should send you back to see your family. It's not that I look down on your three underlings, but with all their injuries, it's questionable whether they can even return to Konoha safely. Even if they could bring you back, it would take at least a month or two. Are you sure you can hold out that long? Your father and uncle down there don't have that much leeway to bribe the Six Paths to support you! I'm going straight there on an aircraft carrier, it'll only take a few hours."

116. Tsunade's father: I'm afraid of heights...

"Yes, Lord Kima, perhaps... we should have him escort you back!"

After Shinto finished speaking, the three underlings beside Senju Kijima were already in tears. Although Shiki's words were harsh, it would be very difficult for the three of them to return to the village alive in their current condition. Moreover, they couldn't fly. Even if they were lucky enough to survive until Konoha, it would take too long. Kijima-sama's condition simply wouldn't allow him to hold out until then. Just thinking about how Kijima-sama withstood the attacks of the Six-Tails and the Mist Ninja to save them, and how he couldn't even see his family one last time before he died, made their noses sting.

"Look at you, even your little brother can understand, but you're the only one who can't. It's true that everyone who's in this world eventually has to go through this, but you should also think about Lady Mito and Tsunade, right? As a son and a father, they'd rather die out there than let me send you back to see them one last time. Do you even deserve to be a son or a father...?"

Seeing the three Konoha underlings so cooperative, Shinto, with tears of disappointment welling in his eyes, roared at Senju Koma with a hoarse voice, startling Sasori's father, who was frantically farming data, so much so that his hands almost trembled.

When did my brother become so kind? (⊙_⊙)?

"...Please, you bastard...ヽ(ー_ー)ノ"

Senju Kijima's face darkened. He wasn't moved by the bastard's roar, but rather, if this kid kept going, he'd almost become the villain who abandoned his wife and children...

"That's exactly what I was waiting for, Jie! Hurry up and deal with these scoundrels, let's go!"

After Senju Kima finished speaking, Shinto raised an eyebrow at Sasori's father with a smile. Although these Kirigakure ninjas were all Jonin, they were just a bunch of nameless extras. He didn't see any of those Kone Clan or Effeminate Clan members from Kirigakure. Only the leader and the two people next to him had the Hozuki Clan's insignia. Sasori's father could easily take down dozens of Jonin of that level, let alone twice as many. Anyway, with him, this super tough guy, protecting him, no one could get close.

"Okay! Got it!"

Handsome Scorpion's father responded with a shout, his hands transforming into afterimages as he controlled the same ten-man puppet ninja to begin a new round of slaughter. At this moment, Handsome Scorpion's father was helpless against this group of Mist Ninja. The weakness of puppeteers lies in their own poor combat strength, but their puppets are incredibly powerful. No matter how skillful or stylish they are, once they are entangled by the puppets, if they are careless and get slashed or cut even a small wound, they can only wait for the poison to take effect. Moreover, these poisons are the latest ones developed by Chiyo, the deadly poison master, and the antidote is still being tested. Since the start of the battle, nearly half of the Mist Ninja have already been slashed and poisoned by the same ten-man puppet ninja, lying on the ground unable to move.

Often, once the human body is poisoned, vigorous exercise that accelerates blood boiling will only hasten death. These Kirigakure ninja, being Jonin, are aware of this basic common sense.

"Shhhhh!"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Remember this: next time you encounter someone from the Hozuki clan, chop off their head first... Let's go!"

However, after only three Hozuki clan members remained, Sasori's father met his match. Puppet attacks are physical attacks, and the Hozuki clan members, whose heads could easily dissolve into water, were immune to physical attacks. Ten puppets took turns slashing, but ultimately, they only managed to kill one. Seeing his father-in-law's face growing increasingly pale, Masato knew his time was running out and, impatient, punched each of the three heads whose lower bodies had dissolved into water. Then, he grabbed Sasori's father and Tsunade's father and launched them towards Konoha...

.....

"...A genius puppeteer is terrifyingly powerful!! σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

The three Konoha underlings left behind looked at each other, then at the haphazardly scattered "corpses" in front of them, and gasped. They had taken on dozens of people single-handedly before; back in the day, they were masters who could punch and kick Konoha's old folks' home and kick Konoha's kindergarten. But these dozens of Mist Ninja were like cutting melons and vegetables in front of that genius puppeteer. It was too damn exaggerated!

At this moment, they realized how terrifying the puppeteer was; if the puppeteer were paired with a super tank, it would be even more terrifying.

"Fortunately, there aren't many super tanks like Golden Lion in the ninja world..."

Another Konoha ninja wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Although their rank wasn't very high, they had encountered puppeteers before during their years as ninjas. They had returned from the battlefield near Sunagakure during World War I, where puppeteers were practically headhunting machines. However, the puppeteers themselves weren't particularly strong in combat. They had even managed to kill a couple of puppeteers in the chaos of war. But they were just low-level ninjas; they had never seen the skills of a top-tier puppeteer like Chiyo. In their minds, puppeteers could rack up stats but were also easily counter-killed. But seeing this top-tier puppeteer's skills today had changed their perception of puppeteers. With a super tank holding the line, a puppeteer's combat power was terrifying!

The Uchiha clan is known for their ability to take on five opponents at once, which is already terrifying enough, but this Sand Village's genius puppet boy is actually taking on dozens...

......

"Is he alright? Jie, do you have any special medicine to activate human potential? Give it to the old man... cough, give it to him. We're about to reach Konoha. We don't want him to die before we even see anyone there."

Shinto, accompanied by Senju Kima and Sasori's father, flew along the road. Sasori's father's face grew increasingly pale, looking like he was about to die at any moment, which worried Shinto terrified. If this guy died on the way, and his three underlings were ambushed, he'd be dead meat, and nobody would believe it was the Mist Ninja...

"Brother! I'm a toxicologist, not a doctor. Even if I had such a special drug, it wouldn't help. This uncle's injuries have caused him to lose his life force, which is now almost gone. Drugs that stimulate human potential also rely on life force to activate them. This uncle has no life force left; he's only holding on by sheer willpower..."

Handsome Scorpion's father frowned, his nose stinging with tears. This was the first outsider from his village who hadn't ignored him since his debut. Although they were on different sides, he still felt a pang of regret. If he had met this older man sooner, he wouldn't have remained a second or third-tier star for so many years...

"I can still manage, but... I'm afraid of heights and..."