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Chapter 219: The Mastermind Surfaces!
🕑 Added 2025-09-28 14:04:58 +0000 UTCChapter 219: The Mastermind Surfaces!
A black robe, a spiral mask with a single eye-hole, and from within that dark hole, a crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
"Nara-Raikage" narrowed his eyes, and silver-white arcs of lightning began to crackle over his body. 'Where did Old Man Madara find another Uchiha? And judging by that Sharingan, this one isn't an Edo Tensei, but a living human... This is a solvable problem. I'll just have my main body check which 3-tomoe Uchiha have gone 'missing' recently.'
"Lord Third Raikage," an ancient voice emanated from beneath the mask, the Sharingan staring straight at him. "Your current inaction does not align with the plan we agreed upon."
Plan? What plan? Who agreed to a plan with you? "Nara-Raikage" rolled his eyes internally. But on the outside, he couldn't afford to look lost. He knew this wasn't the idiot Tobi, nor was it that other brain-damaged fool, Uchiha Kenji.
"The reason is simple," he replied, adopting the Raikage's blunt persona. "I fought the Shadow of Darkness, did the math, and I've decided Kumo got a bad deal."
"But you already accepted our payment. The Tailed Beast Sealing Method scroll," the masked man said, his voice cold. "Your job is to tie down the Shadow of Darkness on the front lines! Or, even better, kill him!"
"I don't like your tone," Keisuke's voice rose, his Lightning Armor flaring. "You look at me like that again, I'll rip that eye out. Have you fought him? Do you know he has a fan that absorbs ninjutsu? Do you know he has a Tailed Beast Bomb-level attack? Why should I sacrifice Kumo's interests to tie him down for you?"
This was the first Tobi and the masked man had heard of this. They knew the Raikage had been repelled, but they didn't know Keisuke had another Tailed Beast Bomb-level attack. A combination of flight and that kind of firepower... no wonder Kumo had ceased all attacks. 'But if Kumo doesn't fight,' the masked man thought, 'how will Lord Madara's plan proceed?'
Faced with the Raikage's explosive temper, the man had no choice but to suppress his own anger. In a one-on-one fight, he was no match for the Raikage, especially not here in the Kumo camp, surrounded by the AB Combo.
"Lord Raikage, we have already paid you the Tailed Beast Sealing Method and the seal-less jutsu, Storm Release: Light Fang," the man said, his voice as calm as he could make it. "We feel our payment was sufficient."
"So what?" "Nara-Raikage" shot back, utterly fearless. "If you're so tough, come and take them back!"
The ninja world knew that Kumogakure was less a village and more a mafia family. They were famous for robbing and pillaging, from Konoha's Jinchuriki and Byakugan to Iwa's Kekkei Genkai and even the Sage of Six Paths' Treasured Tools. They didn't even call their leader "Raikage-sama"; they called him "Boss." And since Keisuke's clone wasn't the real Raikage, he had zero qualms about "stealing" Madara's payment. It wasn't his reputation on the line.
"You shadow-skulking, cowardly rat," he scoffed, holding up the sealing scroll. "If it wasn't for this, you think I'd be wasting my time talking to you?"
The masked man was filled with rage, but he was powerless. He needed the Kumo forces. He, Tobi, and the hidden Madara needed the Raikage and the AB Combo to tie down Keisuke and Minato. It was the only way to get to their real targets: Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Obito.
Madara's original plan had been for Nagato to awaken the Rinnegan's true power, summon the Gedo Mazō, and begin the Tailed Beast collection. Or, failing that, to at least master the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique and revive him. But after more than a decade, Nagato was still playing "ninja house" with Yahiko and Konan. Madara had been forced to find a backup. He'd found Kagami, but the man's "love for Konoha" and "Will of Fire" (he cursed that blasted Hashirama) had made him a failure. Obito was an idiot, which made him easy to manipulate, but he hadn't even awakened his Sharingan. Shisui was talented and already had his father's Mangekyo, but he was also Kagami's son and probably had a "messed up brain" too.
To set his plan for either boy in motion, he had to get Keisuke and Minato out of the way.
"Then, Lord Raikage," the masked man said, forcing himself to be subservient, "what is it that you want?"
"Didn't your 'adults' teach you how to negotiate?" "Nara-Raikage" leaned back, his gaze full of contempt. "My meaning is simple: what you've given me isn't enough. And that's not even counting the fact you've been spying on my village's Jinchuriki."
The man's voice was cold. "What do you want?"
"What do I want? That depends on what you have!" Keisuke shot back. "You think if I ask to be the Sage of Six Paths, you can give it to me? I don't make offers. I only care about results!"
He had no interest in haggling. He would not go to war with Konoha until they made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
The masked man knew he was being extorted, but he had no choice. "Remember your words today, Lord Third Raikage," he said, his body beginning to sink into the ground. "When the time comes, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and even... Konoha... will cooperate with your movements."
'Konoha?!' Keisuke thought, his mind racing, but his face remained impassive. He just sneered. "A bunch of backstabbing fools!"
As the man was about to vanish, the "Nara-Raikage's" body crackled, the lightning turning from silver to black. He launched a Black Panther at the spot where the man had been. "Lightning Release: Black Panther!"
The masked man, forced to hastily retreat, vanished into the earth.
