Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

They've only just met and they can't help but start bickering!

On one side was their village's top courtesan, eccentric and incredibly powerful. On the other side was their own powerful and influential family from Sunagakure. Neither side was someone they wanted to offend, so unless the Kazekage gave the order, they simply ignored it...

"You...you..."

Mei Chuan Baidi was deeply hurt by Zhen Dou's earnest verbal attack, causing his blood pressure to spike and become uncontrollable. He pointed at the bastard in front of him with a trembling expression. If he were a few decades younger, he would definitely have followed the bastard into the ring and signed a life-or-death contract. But he couldn't do it now. He was too old to fight, his son was a coward, and there was no one in his family who dared to challenge the bastard to a one-on-one fight!

Every time he thinks of his grandson, who was exceptionally talented and learned all the secret techniques of the Chunin stage of the clan at the age of twelve, and who could have led the clan to the peak of the village for decades after just a few years of experience, his heart bleeds. His son's generation in the Meichuan clan was no good, none of them were outstanding talents, and they finally produced a great genius grandson, but he was ruined by this bastard!

"Don't get excited, don't get excited! Come and take a deep breath with me! Sigh! In the end, we're just too old. Times have changed. Those remnants of the last era should go back and enjoy their old age. Look at Elder Baishi and Elder Yusa, aren't they enjoying tea and chess every day? People have to accept getting old! Elder Meichuan!"

Seeing that Baidi Meichuan looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion, Masato quickly pushed aside the quack doctor next to him for the sake of the village's harmony and peace, and while teaching him how to lower his blood pressure, he seemed to be earnestly advising him.

Actually, you can't really blame the old man for messing with his grandson. After all, he only has one son, but a lot of grandsons, and they don't even all have the same mother or father. Who knows which one is his grandson? Besides, for escort missions that aren't overseas, three Chunin kids are more than enough. I don't know if the Umekawa clan has done too many bad things, but they still managed to run into a group of Iwa ninja from outside their own territory. What else could this be but divine retribution?

174. Onoki wants to take down the Uzumaki clan.

Want to climb the ladder without shedding blood and sweat? There's no such thing as a free lunch. His grandson was much more open-minded in this regard. Two of his friends died, and he lost a leg, but he didn't complain. He gritted his teeth, picked himself up, and switched to puppetry. Although he didn't have any outstanding talent in puppetry—while Sasori's father could learn the basics in a day or two after watching Chiyo's demonstration—it took his grandson half a year to master them—it didn't stop Shinto from admiring his perseverance. A genius who can rise again after falling from grace is the kind who can soar to great heights if he ever truly takes flight. However, such talents are mostly protagonists. This Umekawa Kucha… even though Sunagakure isn't their home village, if such a hidden dragon truly existed, they couldn't have been unaware of him. Remember during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the best buddies of the Five Great Shinobi Villages were practically digging up every dead person in the Five Great Shinobi Villages who still had a tooth that hadn't weathered away…

Therefore, it can be basically concluded that this child will be spared from the crowd in the future. Even if he tries his best, he will only be an ordinary Jonin puppeteer, since being in a wheelchair will limit his abilities too much.

If it weren't for his appreciation of the boy's personality, this old man would have scolded him every time they met, and with his temper, he would have made the Meichuan clan hold a funeral long ago.

"Alright, the reason I've gathered you all here today is because I received a letter from the Tsuchikage this morning. He plans to join forces with the Cloud Village, Mist Village, Rain Village, us, and some other countries to attack the Land of Whirlpools. The Raikage, Mizukage, and Hanzo have already agreed, and we're just waiting for Sunagakure's reply. What do you all think?"

Sunagawa once again helplessly interrupted the two's banter. Speaking of banter, almost every time, the old clan chief Meikawa was driven half to death by Shindou. It's amazing that he hasn't been driven to death by anger at his age. His mental fortitude is extremely high.

"Onoki is causing trouble again! Uzushiogakure??? Isn't that Konoha's in-law? They're a perfectly fine country, and they didn't cause any trouble during World War I. Why did these people provoke Onoki and have to go and destroy them? (⊙_⊙)?"

Hearing Sunagawa's words, Masato suddenly realized, "That makes sense. The Uzumaki clan isn't actually wiped out yet. I almost forgot about the future protagonist's mother. Come to think of it, the Uzumaki clan was wiped out around this time. The reason given in the original story was that the Uzumaki clan's ancestral sealing techniques were too powerful. In the entire ninja world, only Konoha, being a close ally, didn't feel any fear. This led to many countries uniting to launch a blitzkrieg, pacifying the Land of Whirlpools before Konoha could react. Only a few clan members escaped. Aside from the one who went to Kusagakure, the descendants of the others all became future top figures. Those who went to Amegakure produced Nagato, the main figure of the Akatsuki; those who went to Konoha produced several generations of saviors; and the one who went to Kusagakure had the least clout—a lovesick girl..."

However, how did it become Onoki who facilitated this? You see, although the Uzumaki clan is related to Konoha by marriage, it's only through Mito Uzumaki. This clan almost never cares about the affairs of the ninja world. During the First Shinobi World War, when Konoha was besieged by the three great ninja villages, they didn't come out to fight. From the current situation, although the Uzumaki clan is a great threat, after all, their things are sealing techniques left by the youngest son of the Six Paths Sage, and they can summon all sorts of random gods, which is incredibly powerful. However, they are not very dangerous to the ninja world. After all, although they are a loving family with Konoha, they just stay at home all day playing house and don't fight.

In his opinion, Onoki must have done something despicable again and clashed with the Uzumaki clan. Everyone knows the relationship between the Uzumaki clan and Konoha. The Iwa ninja alone definitely can't defeat Konoha and the Uzumaki clan, so they started looking for allies again. However, the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques are indeed too domineering. No village in the ninja world is not afraid of them. As soon as Onoki, the initiator, stood up, the ninja world immediately responded.

"...Although I don't know what the connection is between the Uzumaki clan and Onoki, Onoki is right. The relationship between the Uzumaki clan and Konoha has always been a threat to us. During the First War, before the Land of Whirlpools even made a move, we were already on the verge of collapse. Moreover, the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan are extremely tempting. The sealing techniques you obtained from Konoha back then greatly benefited our village's sealing team!"

Alright, Kaizo laid his cards on the table! He couldn't resist the temptation either; everyone who'd seen the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques raved about them! Although he didn't know how the Uzumaki clan had offended Onoki, none of that mattered to them.

As an ancient family with a history of over a thousand years, and without a spendthrift like Hashirama Senju, who knows what other amazing things are inside? Just those incredible sealing techniques alone are enough to make all of them work together!

"But what's the deal with Hanzo? After Takigakure lost the Seven-Tails, is Amegakure now the one to claim the title of the Sixth Great Village?"

Shinto agreed with Kaizo's statement. Putting aside everything else, the Uzumaki clan's ability to summon the Grim Reaper alone was a trump card. Even an illiterate man like Danzo could create a sealing technique that could swallow half a bridge by referencing the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques. It's conceivable that the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques are suitable for all ages. As long as you're not clumsy or illiterate, you can figure out a thing or two. Moreover, as long as the news doesn't leak out, with so many ninja villages from different countries teaming up, launching a blitzkrieg to sweep through the Uzumaki clan wouldn't be a problem at all. This move is definitely achievable.

What intrigued him, however, was that Sunagawa added Amegakure after mentioning the four major ninja villages. This was significant. Ever since Sunagawa brought up the Seven-Tails of Takigakure, even though they clung tightly to Konoha's coattails, Takigakure hadn't had an easy time. They lived in constant fear, having been arrogant for too long with the Seven-Tails in their possession. Now that it was gone, they worried about being targeted by their two brothers from the neighboring village. If it weren't for their secluded location, making it difficult for outsiders to find the entrance, they would have already relocated en masse...

In this situation, Takigakure's title as the sixth greatest ninja village in the world is no longer justified. He hadn't expected that while he and Kakuzu were spending a year or two in remote areas, neglecting the international situation, Hanzo had truly elevated Amegakure to prominence. At least Hanzo's strength reached Kage-level, making Amegakure worthy of being called the sixth greatest ninja village below the Five Great Villages. These days, Kage-level ninja are rare, unlike in the future Fourth Shinobi World War where Kage were often just there for show. There are only a handful of Kage-level ninja in the world now, and they're all in major ninja villages. For Hanzo to reach Kage-level in the small Amegakure region is quite impressive!

175. The key to raiding a house is speed.

"Whether Amegakure is the sixth greatest ninja village is debatable, but this Hanzo of the Salamander is indeed very powerful. It is said that when he was young, a venom sac of a black salamander was implanted in his body, so his body has an antibody against the poison. Even when he breathes, the surroundings are filled with potent poison. Moreover, the salamander in his body is a very potent neurotoxin that can render a person incapacitated in a very short time. Even the new toxin my mother recently developed cannot achieve this..."

The handsome father of Sasori, a true academic genius who couldn't even take maternity leave after his child was born, explained that as a poison master, his focus was on the neurotoxin of Hanzo the Salamander. Moreover, the reason why Hanzo the Salamander was so powerful was largely due to his potent poison. If Hanzo the Salamander was only 80% skilled in other ninjutsu or taijutsu, then the poison body he obtained by transplanting the venom sacs of the Salamander was definitely 10%, which is why most people feared him.

At least a puppeteer's poison spreads through puppets, but this guy's poison spreads through the air, invisible and intangible. You don't even know when you'll be affected. That's why even someone as hot-tempered as Onoki doesn't want to mess with Hanzo the Salamander. He can fly and unleash area-of-effect attacks, so he's not so easy to hit. But his underlings don't have his sharp innate abilities. Poison's area of ​​effect is just too strong.

"So that's right! So he's a poisoner! No wonder, how could the feng shui of the Rain Country possibly nurture such a dragon? It turns out he had some kind of extraordinary encounter when he was a child!"

After hearing Sasori's father's introduction, Shinto instantly lost interest. Speaking of which, the Land of Rain is truly a place full of adventures. Apart from that number one rich and beautiful girl in the ninja world who is a natural counter to his nephew, almost everyone else didn't have to work hard. They were able to rise to power because of some adventure when they were young. Hanzo of the Salamander had a venom sac transplanted into him when he was young and became a poison man, successfully rising to power. Nagato was even more awesome. He gained Madara's favor and received an ultimate gift package. After opening it, he immediately flew into the sky!

"Forget about Hanzo the Salamander or the Sixth Great Ninja Village. Right now, all the countries and villages are only missing Sunagakure. What do you guys think?"

Sunagawa interrupted Masato's continued rambling and asked the various leaders present, since these families would be needed to risk their lives, and he would only be able to offer empty words.

"Of course we have to fight! Everyone else has gone, how can we be left out! Lord Kazekage, just give the order!"

Whether it was because he had been provoked by Masato earlier or not, after catching his breath, Baichi Meichuan spoke with great momentum. After speaking, he deliberately glanced at Masato, as if to say that although he was old, his passion was still burning!

"That's right! Lord Kazekage, you should give the order!"

After Mei Chuanbai finished speaking, the heads of other families and leaders of various departments followed suit. They didn't need to prove whether they still had passion or not. The benefits of attacking the Uzumaki clan were obvious. They were still one of the five great ninja villages, and the benefits they would receive would definitely be much greater than those of small countries and villages. Their families would also get a lot. Only an idiot would do something like this.

"Well, now there's one last question: who should lead the team? The Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques are very strong. Onoki of Iwagakure, the Third Raikage of Kumogakure, the Mizukage of Kirigakure, and Hanzo of the Salamander have all gone personally. Logically, the Kazekage would be the most suitable person to go, but the village is busy, and the Kazekage really can't leave..."

Seeing everyone so enthusiastic and full of fighting spirit, Kaizo smiled and asked the last question before looking at Shinto, who was playing with his fingers.

As Hai Cang made this move, everyone else also turned to look in this direction.

Needless to say, the leaders of several villages have led their teams. If Sunagakure doesn't send someone of sufficient stature, they will definitely be excluded when it comes to distributing the treasures. However, this guy has never disappointed them in this regard.

Moreover, this guy is the top star in their village. He's won the World Ninja Master title several times, while their Kazekage hasn't even won it. It's perfectly reasonable for him to lead the team; his prestige is definitely greater than their Kazekage's.

However... this guy's unreliable personality made them a little worried, especially his mouth. What if they accidentally started fighting amongst themselves...? But besides Feng Ying, this guy was the only one in the village with real influence. Jie was also well-known, but he lacked the same level of influence. As for themselves, they were even less so. They were respectable within the village, but outside the village, even that fat guy didn't know their names...

"...No wonder so many people are waiting for me, an idle person, to hold this meeting. It's like the meeting can't go on without me. They want me to be the murderer! Meichuan, Yusa, send me a hundred people from each of your clans, the puppeteer unit. Jie, you also take a hundred people with me. The rest of you don't need to go; they'll just be free kills..."

Seeing everyone's gaze, including that of the old man Mei Chuan who had previously argued with him, all turning to look at him, he knew that he was now being expected of great things. He hadn't been considered for any of the good things, but he was definitely going to be involved in the bad things.

After mocking these bastards, he didn't refuse, since if he didn't go, the village would really be deserted. When it came time to divide the spoils, given Onoki's methods, even the Sand Village Whites might end up working for him.

"So few? Onoki shouted the slogan that the whole village should mobilize, are you sure you're only bringing three hundred people? (⊙_⊙)"

Sunagawa was a little confused when he heard the number of people Masato called out. If this guy hadn't brought his younger brother along, he would have thought that this guy wanted to weaken the strength of the Umekawa Group and the Yusa Clan. Three hundred people? Are they going to use this number to haul away stolen goods?

"Yes! Lord Shindou, isn't three hundred people a bit too few?"

The others were dumbfounded. They were planning to go back and sharpen their knives, but this guy only brought such a small number of people. Where would the prestige of the five great ninja villages come from? There were more than three hundred people from those small ninja villages alone!

"Why bring so many people? We're here to raid and exterminate clans, not to haggle over numbers. This is all about speed! Why did Onoki drag other small ninja villages and countries into this? Because he knows the power of the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques. He's using them as cannon fodder. That's all Onoki can do. I can't speak for others, but believe me, this cunning old fox definitely won't bring more than 500 people. But those people will definitely all be elites. For high-level battles like fighting the core members of the Uzumaki clan, you need elites. Outlying henchmen are useless and will only slow things down. Once it's over, he'll pack up and leave. Whoever brings the most people and moves the slowest will be left to face Konoha's fire. Have you wasted all your years of education? Can't you even see this?"

.....

Everyone nodded in silence. Although this guy still had a foul mouth and spoke rudely, his analysis made a lot of sense. They didn't have much contact with the Raikage and Mizukage, but they knew Onoki and the others well. That guy was definitely a cunning person and was capable of betraying his teammates.

176. Inflict hatred on Onoki.

"Hey! Brother Lei Ying, long time no see! You're as mighty as ever! These guys behind you must be the elite of your village, right? Goodness, each one of them is quite imposing, with arms that reach past their knees, long Achilles tendons, huge palms, and biceps thicker than my thighs. They're all future superstars, top draft picks in the making. I'm truly envious!"

"This handsome and dignified young man must be Lord Mizukage, right? It's true what they say, seeing is believing. I thought our Kazekage was already quite handsome, but I didn't expect Lord Mizukage to be even less so!"

The Land of Whirlpools is an island nation not far from the border of Konoha. It is obviously impossible for them to launch an attack from the land without being detected by Konoha. Onoki has some strategic acumen, so he decided to attack by water.

Dozens of nautical miles off the coast of the Land of Whirlpools, when Shinto and Sasori's father arrived with three hundred men, the sea was already filled with "pirate ships" flying the flags of various villages, a magnificent sight indeed!

Mist Village and Cloud Village were already closer in distance and arrived first.

He had his underlings move the ship closer to the two large ships in the center, while his teammates greeted the Raikage and Mizukage and took the opportunity to observe the underlings behind them.

As expected, no one was a fool. Judging by his estimation, the Raikage had only brought fewer than four hundred James-like figures, all tall and imposing, standing in a row, already creating an overwhelming presence. The Mizukage's retinue wasn't large either, but their groups were clearly categorized: those with two small dots between their eyebrows, the Bone Clan who wore eyeshadow, a group of indistinguishable men and women from the infamous Mizuki Clan, renowned throughout the ninja world for their beauty, and the Hozuki Clan, known for their gaping maws of rotten teeth. The three major Water Clans were roughly evenly split, totaling about three hundred or so.

"You flatter me. Why didn't Sunagawa come all the way from the land of merchants to recruit you back to lead the team?"

Lei Ying looked at this shameless guy speechlessly and said, "Damn it, we've only met once more than ten years ago. When did we become brothers and start calling each other so affectionately?" But he couldn't get angry at this guy's words. On the contrary, they sounded quite nice. Look how he compliments people.

He'd heard plenty of polite phrases, but this was the first time in all his years of being a ninja that someone had ever praised him like this. Phrases like "hands reaching past the knees" and "long Achilles tendons" seemed to have nothing to do with the ninja profession. However, the last phrase, "a future superstar," complemented the preceding remarks and served as a transition, sounding like a compliment to his underling.

"Our Sand Village doesn't have the second smartest person in the ninja world to oversee things, so the Kazekage is worried. If your village has such talent, please introduce us. We Sand Village will definitely offer top salary, and we don't mind paying a little extra luxury tax."

"I'm not short of money," Masato said, patting his chest.

"Haha, you're quite the joker. Advisor Haizang is no less capable than Azabu."

The Third Raikage laughed heartily, though he was quite modest in words. However, his smug expression seemed to tell everyone that he was extremely proud. The famous big-headed clan in the ninja world had one in Konoha and another in their Kumogakure. The rarity of such big heads was comparable to that of "Tuan Tuan" and "Yuan Yuan".

"Lord Golden Lion is no less impressive. In recent years, he has been the most famous person in the ninja world, even surpassing the White Fang of Konoha."

Although the Third Mizukage is rather reserved and the guy who brought him into the game died because of him, and the two aren't close, they're teammates now. The Mizukage should still be magnanimous. People have already praised his good looks, so if he starts arguing as soon as they meet, it would be petty, especially with a bunch of cannon fodder watching!

"What reputation? It's just our friends in the ninja world giving us face. This Onoki guy's got some nerve! All three of our clans are here, all these brothers are here, and he, the initiator, hasn't even arrived yet. He could have gone on a pilgrimage to the West and come back in all this time! This guy really thinks he's the big brother. I just can't stand it..."

After making a polite remark, Shinto looked around and saw that everyone who was supposed to be there had arrived, except for the Iwagakure "pirate ship." He then spoke in a tone that seemed to thrive on chaos.

Even Hanzo the Salamander from the Land of Rain arrived, but since everyone's status was different, he couldn't enter this circle. He just stood on the bow of the ship with his underlings, feeling the northwest wind.

He dared to call himself a demigod in front of his own country of rain or a small ninja village or country, but whether it was the Raikage or the Golden Lion, they were either fighting the Eight-Tails one-on-one or walking around with the Seven-Tails. Even the most unfamiliar Mizukage was no weaker than him in terms of aura. Moreover, the subordinates behind them were obviously a level stronger than his own. He was too lazy to put on a good face and put on a cold backside. It would be more practical to wait until the battle started and gain more benefits.

"......"

Behind him, Sasori's father and a group of underlings looked up at the sky. Sure enough, this guy's purpose was still to stir up hatred for that old schemer, Onoki. Sasori's father was surprised before. When did his older brother start speaking politely? From childhood to adulthood, his older brother had been arguing with people many times. He rarely spoke politely, and every time it was for a purpose. He had been wondering what his older brother's purpose was. It turned out that he had stirred up hatred for Onoki again.

"The Land of Earth is a long way away, and it's normal to encounter storms and delays, especially when sailing on the sea. Let's wait."

The Mizukage and Raikage stared at this guy speechlessly. "Your methods of attracting hatred are way too obvious!"

Everyone in the ninja world knows you and Onoki are sworn enemies...

"This must be Hanzo-kun, who has led Amegakure to rapid development in recent years. I've always heard that the Land of Rain has produced a powerful figure who has led the Land of Rain into a new era, but I've never had the chance to meet him. Today, I've finally met him. Hanzo-kun is indeed extraordinary!"

Seeing that the Mizukage and Raikage were not easy to fool, Shinto immediately shifted his target to Hanzo of the Salamander, who was currently eating the northwest wind with his friend. People who hadn't fully changed their "loser" mentality after their underdog story of becoming a national leader were easier to fool.

"Your Excellency the Golden Lion is exaggerating. It's just my duty!"

Sure enough! Hanzo, who had just been starving, felt as if he had just drunk an iced lemon tea on a hot day when he heard the Golden Lion of Sunagakure flattering him. He instantly turned around, his eyes narrowed into slits, and his tone became as friendly as could be.

After all these years, he has finally met a kindred spirit who understands him.

"..."

The Mizukage and Raikage exchanged a speechless glance at Hanzo's arrogant demeanor, inwardly sighing. He's still such a loser; even with his improved status, his loser mentality hasn't changed. He actually believes everything this guy says?

177. These are all characteristic features of Onoki.

"This is no exaggeration. I, Miyamoto Masato, always speak my mind. Everyone in the ninja world is saying that the Land of Rain must have had some incredible luck to produce such a heroic figure as you, Hanzo-kun. In just a few years, the Land of Rain has been completely transformed, reaching a whole new level. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you the greatest figure in the history of the Land of Rain!"

"Tell me, it's one thing for us to wait for Onoki, after all, he's the initiator and the village chief, so it's fine if he has a big reputation. But you, a meritorious figure from the Land of Rain, have been waiting here for days in the northwest wind... Damn it! The more you talk about it, the angrier I get! Don't stop me later, I'm going to fight him first, I just can't stand by and watch! (▼he▼メ)"

After praising Hanzo the salamander for a few moments and seeing that things were about to end, Shinto immediately changed the subject, pretending to feel indignant on Hanzo's behalf.

"Lord Golden Lion, there's no need for this. Perhaps... the Tsuchikage encountered some trouble on the way."

Although the meaning was similar to what the Mizukage had said before, this expression was not the indifferent one of the Mizukage and Raikage. However, from his eyes, Shinto could still tell that he cared a lot, but he had important things to do right now, so he didn't explode.

Born in a small village in the Land of Rain, Hanzo of the Salamander possessed an extremely strong sense of pride. He wasn't from a prestigious family, but rather a child from one of the lowest social classes in the Land of Rain. From a young age, he dreamed of rising above his station. To achieve this, he underwent the agonizing process of transplanting salamander venom sacs at a very young age. Only those who have experienced it can understand the pain. All the children who underwent the transplant with him died, but he endured the inhuman agony every day, persevering step by step to his current position. Since taking power, he secretly vowed that he would never again allow anyone to use a gun… Bah! Ignore him, despise him!

He hadn't thought much of it before, but after hearing Masato's words, he suddenly realized, "Yes! I am the greatest person in the history of the Land of Rain, and Onoki actually made such a great man as him wait here. Isn't that ignoring me?"

If it weren't for the sake of the country and the village's economic development, he would have wanted to return the way he came and lead his troops to fight Iwagakure, letting Onoki taste the consequences of looking down on him, Hanzo of the Salamander!

"Only someone with a good temper can tolerate his awful habit..."