Chapter 52 He is starting a world war (Part 2)...

Stepping into the Land of Wind, scorching heat and endless yellow sand rush towards you. Unlike the lushness of the Land of Fire, the towering mountains of the Land of Thunder, and the barren plains of the Land of Earth, this is a world dominated by boundless desert, where barrenness and harshness are etched into the very marrow of this land.

Yan Sheng, wrapped in an inconspicuous windproof and sand-proof robe, peered through the gaps in his veil, scrutinizing this nation that was looked down upon by other countries.

......

Yan Sheng stopped at a market in a nearby oasis town and heard vendors sighing over the high water prices; he then observed a village and saw emaciated villagers struggling to dig for possible shallow water sources in the sand; and when a sandstorm came, he witnessed the despair and resilience of ordinary people in the face of the power of heaven and earth.

Yan Sheng quickly grasped the current predicament of the Land of Wind:

Firstly, there is an extreme scarcity of resources, especially water and arable land.

Secondly, internal cohesion is extremely fragile due to survival pressures, and the various oases and ninja clans are constantly fighting openly and covertly for limited resources.

Thirdly, the external environment is isolated. Other major powers are not interested due to its poverty, which leads to the Wind Kingdom's lack of information and experience in dealing with foreign affairs.

Fourth, the military forces were dispersed and defensively oriented. Ninjas were mostly organized into clans and were adept at using the desert environment for guerrilla warfare and defense, but they lacked large-scale offensive capabilities and unified command.

Yan Sheng lowered his eyes in thought.

That night, he sneaked into the capital of the Wind Kingdom. Compared to the capitals of other great powers, the capital of the Wind Kingdom could be described as a large village.

With a deeper understanding, Yan Sheng identified two key figures—

The daimyo of the Land of Wind was a middle-aged man overwhelmed by the pressures of survival and internal strife. His eyes were filled with weariness and confusion about the future, and it was clear that he desperately wanted to find a way to change things.

Retsuto, the First Kazekage who followed Konoha in establishing Sunagakure, was a powerful and highly respected ninja in the Land of Wind. He harbored the ideal of integrating the ninja forces of the country and changing the predicament of the Land of Wind, but his progress was slow due to limitations in resources and the obstruction of the old clans.

The analysis is complete; we can now proceed.

Following the same method, Yan Sheng "controlled" the daimyo of the Land of Wind. However, instead of using the Sharingan to control him, which would easily leave traces, he orchestrated a chance encounter.

Using illusion and rhetoric, he appeared before the daimyo as a traveling sage, analyzed the current predicament of the Land of Wind, and offered a highly tempting solution:

Yan Sheng hinted that he possessed a secret technique that could efficiently locate underground water sources and improve crops in sandy areas, which could immediately alleviate the survival crisis in some regions.

He also brought intelligence that the Land of Wind lacked about the outside world: a war was taking place in the north, with the states of Thunder and Earth locked in a life-or-death struggle. The Land of Wind could intervene at a crucial moment to acquire valuable resources and land, thereby changing the country's impoverished state.

Yan Sheng's wisdom and grasp of the overall situation perfectly struck at the deepest desires of the daimyo. For a ruler who had spent most of his life worrying about water shortages, Yan Sheng's appearance was like a refreshing rain in the desert.

The daimyo couldn't help but start to rely on this mysterious sage, and would seek his advice on important decisions... In this way, Yan Sheng gradually placed himself in key positions, and used his Sharingan to manipulate some people who had little presence but great influence, silently eroding the administrative system of the Land of Wind.

When dealing with a strong person like Lie Dou, who possesses both unwavering will and strength, Yan Sheng chose a different approach—he directly approached Lie Dou, who was training in the desert.

......

In the heart of the Land of Wind, amidst a vast and boundless sea of ​​sand, Lie Dou hovered in mid-air. The scorching sun had turned his skin a dark, gleaming black, yet his eyes burned with the unwavering flame of his ideals.

Suddenly, a chilling sense of oppression descended from the sky. The air in the entire desert seemed to freeze, and even the raging sandstorm paused.

Lie Dou suddenly looked up and saw a figure completely shrouded in a dark, sand-proof robe, which had appeared on a sand dune not far away.

"Who goes there?!" Lie Dou shouted sharply, his fighting instincts instantly putting him into a state of high alert.

Yan Sheng did not answer. In the shadow of his robe's hood, where no one could see, his dark eyes transformed into a magnificent yet dangerous kaleidoscope.

Left eye kaleidoscope ability, [Fleeting Beauty], activated.

A warm current instantly surged through his body, sweeping away the sluggishness and heaviness caused by years of physical weakness. His muscle fibers became tough and full of explosive power, and his chakra channels became wide and unobstructed.

Yan Sheng's hand, which was resting on the hilt of his sword, twitched slightly. He subconsciously wanted to unleash the tenth form of Moon Breathing—a sword technique that perfectly combines breathing techniques, Blood Demon Art, and the powerful body of a demon.

But in the instant he gathered his breath, a thought flashed through his mind: Why not take this opportunity to verify that hypothesis?

—A conception of Susanoo.

Previously, limited by the weakness of his body in this world, he was never able to summon a complete Susanoo that could stand tall and upright like Madara Uchiha. He could only condense skeletal arms or ribs for local defense or attack.

He had always suspected that it wasn't a lack of pupil power, but rather that his body's energy supply and endurance were insufficient.

And now, the fleeting beauty has brought her peak physical condition.

In a flash, Yan Sheng abandoned his plan to use the breathing technique. He released the hilt of his sword, formed hand seals, and his immense eye power combined with his surging chakra burst forth from his body like a flood.

"Buzz!"

A blinding blue-green chakra flame shot into the sky, bones materialized out of thin air, followed by meridians, flesh and blood... and finally covered with majestic armor.

The entire process was incredibly smooth. In just two seconds, a colossal, mountain-like, azure-blue chakra giant clad in ancient armor rose from the ground and stood atop the vast sea of ​​sand. The giant's silhouette bore some resemblance to Madara Uchiha's Susanoo, but its details were more ancient and sharp. The massive energy blade that materialized in its hand resembled an enlarged Japanese sword, radiating an aura capable of slicing through anything.

Despite Yan Sheng's complete concealment, the moment he unleashed this signature move, Lie Dou's pupils constricted sharply, and he cried out in shock, "Susanoo?! You're from the Uchiha clan!"

Shock was mixed with overwhelming anger. Why was the Uchiha clan in the Land of Wind, and why did they attack him? But he had no time to think. The oppressive feeling brought by that towering giant made every cell in his body scream with danger.

With a roar, Lie Dou shouted, "Magnetic Release: Iron Sand Colossus!" Endless iron sand gathered from the desert, quickly forming a pitch-black giant not much smaller than Susanoo. He swung his enormous fist, carrying an aura that could crush everything, and smashed it down on the giant.

Yan Sheng did not control Susanoo to make the corresponding blocking action.

The fleeting beauty of youth has a three-second time limit, and only one second remains.

Just as the giant iron fist was about to touch Susanoo's chest, Yan Sheng inhaled and exhaled.

"Breath of the Moon - Pick-up Form - Face-Piercing Slash - Moonlit Maiden".

It wasn't unleashed by the main body, but rather through the giant energy blade in Susanoo's hand. Countless phantom images of crescent moon blades appeared on the massive energy blade.

"Whoosh!"

There was no earth-shattering collision, only a massive, chilling slash, as cold as moonlight, flashing by. That slash seemed to pierce through space, passing directly over the arms and body of the Iron Sand Golem.

The next second, the menacing iron sand colossus seemed to be frozen in time. Starting from its central axis, a smooth, mirror-like cut appeared, and then it collapsed with a roar, turning back into countless uncontrollable iron sand fragments that scattered back into the desert with a crash.

The aftershocks of the slash continued, spreading like an invisible crescent moon before sweeping past Retsudou's body.

Lie Dou froze in mid-air as the sand iron defensive barrier in front of him was also silently sliced ​​open. He felt a chilling blade intent pierce through his protective chakra, though it wasn't a physical cut, it seemed to sever his fighting spirit, his will to resist, and even his strongest ninjutsu.

"Pfft—" He spat out a mouthful of blood, his chakra became disordered, and he could no longer maintain his levitation. He fell from mid-air and crashed heavily onto the sand.

From his stern questioning to the collapse of the colossal iron sand statue and his own serious injury and fall, the entire process took no more than six seconds.

As the sandstorm subsided, the enormous blue-green Susanoo stood like a god, looking down at the raging torrent that lay in the yellow sand below, struggling to get up but powerless to do so.

Yan Sheng stood in the crystal on the forehead of Susanoo, his long robe fluttering slightly in the hot desert wind, his eyes under the hood still calm and undisturbed.

—It's a pity that his coolness only lasted three seconds.

The majestic, azure-blue Susanoo, as imposing as a mountain range, began to fluctuate violently, like a phantom with a faulty signal. The chakra light that constituted its body flickered erratically, emitting a hum that seemed strained from the strain.

Yan Sheng released Susanoo without hesitation.

It's worth mentioning that even if he didn't actively remove it, it was useless. After the "Fleeting Beauty" faded, the extreme emptiness that surged deep within his body drained away all his strength like a dam collapsing.

Therefore, Susanoo will eventually "collapse" because he cannot maintain it.

"cough......"

He tried to hold back, but finally couldn't help it. A suppressed cough escaped from his throat, carrying a metallic, sweet smell.

Yan Sheng forced back the blood that was rising in his throat. After the three-second peak of fleeting beauty, there was an even more violent backlash. His body felt as if it had been hollowed out, every muscle was screaming, and his chakra meridians were burning like a dried-up riverbed.

Yan Sheng's figure landed lightly on the scorching sand, his steps faltering slightly, but he quickly regained his balance. Taking a deep breath to suppress the overwhelming weakness within him, he strode towards the man lying in the sandpit, struggling to prop himself up.

The yellow sand was stirred up by his footsteps and then fell back down.

He stopped in front of Lie Dou, casting a shadow that completely enveloped the other man. Despite the churning of his blood and the weakness that made him want to collapse immediately, Yan Sheng's back remained ramrod straight.

He lowered his head, the shadow of his hood obscuring his undoubtedly pale face, leaving only a commanding and oppressive silhouette, coldly gazing down at the defeated.

"Your struggles are meaningless in this desert. Integration? Without absolute power as a backing, so-called integration is nothing more than a child's sandcastle game."

"Submit to me, and you will see how true power reshapes this world. The future of the Wind Kingdom lies not in begging from other great powers, but in becoming the new ruler."

Yan Sheng gave Liedo a choice: to watch the country continue to decline in a hopeless struggle, or to follow a leader who could bring about revolutionary change.

For Lie Dou, who harbored great ambitions but was repeatedly thwarted by reality, Yan Sheng's abilities, thoughts, and actions, and the possibilities they demonstrated, had a tremendous impact on his psyche.

So, even though he wasn't entirely willing, he ultimately chose to give in for the time being.

"Okay, as long as you can do that, I will be absolutely loyal to you."

By controlling the daimyo and subduing Retsuto, Yan Sheng quickly seized control of the military and political core of the Land of Wind.

He used his power as a daimyo to implement policies that appeared to benefit the people, but in reality, they were preparing for future war mobilization. At the same time, through Retsuto's influence, he more effectively integrated the scattered ninja clans, laying the foundation for building a usable army.

The entire Land of Wind, like a traveler in the desert bewildered by a mirage, is gradually moving towards a future of being controlled by Yan Sheng's meticulously woven "illusion of hope."

Yan Sheng, like a shadow hidden in the center of a sandstorm, coldly watched the increasingly fierce war of attrition between the northern kingdoms of Lei and Tu, waiting for the best opportunity to deliver the fatal blow—using the Kingdom of Wind as a springboard to become the beneficiary "fisherman".

***

The scorching sun relentlessly baked a piece of land on the edge of the Land of Wind called "Green Leaf Oasis".

It was called an oasis, but it was no longer worthy of the name. The central pond had long since dried up, the cracked earth resembled the deep wrinkles on an old man's face, and a few withered poplar trees stood crookedly, like the earth's desperate skeleton reaching towards the sky.

The villagers were emaciated, their lips cracked, their eyes numb, and every breath carried the rough feel of sand. Water scarcity was a sword of Damocles hanging over everyone here, a microcosm of countless places in the Land of Wind.

Yan Sheng stood by the dried-up pond, with Lie Dou following not far behind him, looking at the Uchiha who had defeated him not long ago with complicated eyes.

The villagers watched from a distance, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe, doubt, and a faint hope—could this revered sage really bring about a miracle?

Yan Sheng ignored the gazes of the crowd. He closed his eyes, not to pray, but to sense. His own perception, combined with the aid of the Sharingan, made him exceptionally sensitive to the flow of chakra and energy. As a swordsman who had once reached the pinnacle of martial arts, he possessed an intuition beyond the ordinary regarding "channels" and "flow."

He pressed his hand onto the scorching sand, and his immense spiritual power, like mercury spilling onto the ground, seeped downwards along the veins of the earth.

Hundreds of meters, thousands of meters... Deep underground, he "saw" a faint but real underground current. It was blocked by dense rock layers and displaced crustal structures, deviating from its original path that might have surged to the surface, and silently flowing deeper and farther away.

Found it.

Unlike ordinary ninjas who use large-scale earth-style techniques to alter the terrain (which is inefficient and resource-intensive), Yan Sheng chose a more direct approach—he wanted to perform a microscopic "geological operation."

He opened his eyes, formed a hand seal, and the kaleidoscope under his hood shimmered with invisible waves.

A surge of chakra, like a scalpel, penetrated deep underground along the rock crevices he sensed.

Through skillful manipulation and dredging, the rocks blocking the "river channel" were dislodged, the stress in the local rock strata was altered, and an upward channel was opened for the suppressed underground current.

At the same time, in order to speed up the process and ensure the water flow, he "draws" out another stream of chakra and uses it above the underground water vein, like an invisible pump, to "draw" and "guide" the water upward.

The entire process is invisible to outsiders.

They only saw the black-robed sage place his hand on the sand for a moment, then stand up and wait quietly.

Lie Dou frowned. His powerful chakra perception allowed him to vaguely sense energy fluctuations coming from deep underground, but he didn't know exactly what was happening.

Time ticked by, and just as the villagers' hope was about to be extinguished once again.

"Gurgle..."

A soft bubbling sound came from a crack somewhere in the dried-up pond bottom.

Immediately afterwards, a trickle of murky water seeped out, quickly expanding into a small spurt. Then, the flow grew larger and faster.

"puff!"

A jet of clear, cool water gushed forth from the crack, reaching about half a person's height. The murky, muddy water quickly cleared, sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight. The long-awaited moisture filled the dry, scorching air.

A deathly silence lasted for several seconds.

Then, a deafening roar of ecstatic joy erupted, mixed with cries and screams!

"Water! It's water!"

"The gods have appeared! It is the wise man who has brought about this miracle!"

"We're saved! The oasis is alive!"

The villagers, as if possessed, cried, laughed, and shouted, rushing recklessly towards the gushing water. They knelt by the water's edge, cupping the clear spring water in their trembling hands, drinking greedily, or splashing the water on their faces and bodies, feeling the cool touch of the source of life.

The children ran and played by the splashing water, their laughter louder than ever before. The entire green oasis seemed to truly come alive at that moment.

Liedou watched this scene in shock, then looked at the Uchiha standing quietly beside him as if he had only done something insignificant, and the complex emotions in his heart reached their peak.

Yan Sheng calmly watched the cheering crowd, his heart unmoved. Then he turned away indifferently, the hem of his dark robe drawing a clean arc in the dry, hot wind, stirring up a few grains of sand.

Next, he will travel to the next place that needs a "miracle" to fulfill his promise.

He is not a man of his word. Since he promised the Daimyo of the Land of Wind that he would improve the living environment here, he will definitely do so.

Once he came to his senses, Lie Dou silently followed.

......

Yan Sheng's figure was like a ghost in the desert, moving between one water-scarce village and oasis after another that was on the verge of extinction.

Each time, he did it in a way that seemed almost miraculous to outsiders—either by stirring up underground currents or by condensing the thin water vapor in the air.

Gradually, rumors began to circulate that he could bring rain with a wave of his hand.

At first, people were simply grateful, regarding him as a mysterious sage invited by the daimyo. But as the legend of the wise man spread, was embellished, and mythologized among desert travelers, caravans, and ninjas, a subtle change began to occur.

Yan Sheng's prestige grew daily. People began to associate him not just with the daimyo, but directly with him as a savior. His image was portrayed as increasingly transcendent and powerful.

In some remote villages that have benefited greatly from it, dangerous whispers have also emerged:

"Without the wise sage, we would surely have died of thirst..."

"Da Ming? Da Ming enjoys a life of luxury in the city. When has he ever cared about our lives?"

"If you ask me, the Land of Wind can do without a daimyo, but it cannot do without the wise man!"

Just as Yan Sheng was steadily advancing his plans in the desert of the Land of Wind, two uninvited guests were following his footsteps along a "twisting" clue.

......

On a tree-lined path outside the capital of the Land of Fire, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were preparing to depart. Just then, a figure sped towards them. Judging from his attire and chakra fluctuations, he was not from the Land of Fire, but a ninja from the northern Land of Lightning.

The man's expression held a subtle stiffness. He was the messenger, controlled by Yan Sheng's Sharingan, sent to deliver information to Uchiha Masaki, who remained in the Land of Fire.

The moment the Land of Lightning ninja brushed past the two, Madara Uchiha abruptly stopped. A crimson glint flashed in his deep eyes.

"stop."

Madara's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. The ninja froze, like a puppet being pulled on its strings, standing rooted to the spot.

Madara turned around, and the pattern of his Mangekyou Sharingan slowly rotated in his eyes. His powerful eye power directly covered and temporarily suppressed the "control mark" that Yan Sheng had left in the ninja's brain.

"Have you seen Yan Sheng? Where is he? What did he ask you to do?" Ban's voice was icy as he issued the order directly.

The Lightning Country ninja, temporarily immobilized, stared even more blankly, mechanically replying, "Lord Kokusatsu... in the capital of the Lightning Country... issued an order... instructing me to deliver a message to Lord Masaki..."

The bad news: This ninja was merely a messenger, knowing very little about Yan Sheng, not even what Yan Sheng had done or where he ultimately went. His only memory was of being controlled by those terrifying eyes in a single encounter one night, after which he was in a daze, only able to obey orders.

"Useless." Madara snorted coldly and withdrew his eye power suppression.

The ninja shook his head, his eyes regaining some of their sparkle, but his previous memories were hazy. He assumed he had been distracted for a moment and hurriedly continued on his way.

Although the information obtained is limited, at least one key point has been confirmed: Yan Sheng is in the Land of Lightning.

"The Land of Lightning!" Hashirama clapped his hands. "Finally, we have a clear direction. Madara, let's go!"

The two changed direction, increased their speed to the maximum, and headed straight for the Land of Lightning.

However, fate always seems to be playing tricks on them.

When they finally arrived in the capital of the Land of Thunder, weary from their journey, and after searching using various means, the result was disheartening: Yan Sheng had already left the Land of Thunder and his whereabouts were unknown. They had missed him once again, their efforts futile.

Standing in the bustling streets of the Land of Lightning's capital, Madara Uchiha exuded a low-pressure aura that could almost freeze the surrounding air, causing passersby to instinctively keep their distance from this extremely dangerous-looking man.

"Come on, Madara, don't be so angry." Hashirama Senju tried to ease the tension, scratching his head and giving an optimistic smile. "Look, your brother is quite lively! Running around everywhere, so energetic! That means he's in good health, which is a good thing!"

Ban didn't even bother to glance at him, his irritation and a sense of foreboding growing stronger. He suspected his brother was deliberately avoiding him.

Just as Madara was sulking and Hashirama was about to run out of words to comfort him, suddenly, both of them shuddered at the same time.

Without a word, Madara and Hashirama turned their heads simultaneously, their gazes sharp and precise, locking onto the same direction—a rather grand mansion.

Just then, the mansion gates opened, and an elderly man dressed in luxurious clothes with a composed expression walked out, surrounded by a group of guards.

Kurosawa felt a blur before his eyes as an irresistible force grabbed his collar and lifted him off the ground like a chick.

Before the surrounding guards could react, their esteemed elder was snatched away.

"Wait...!" Hashirama Senju's outstretched hand froze in mid-air. Before he could finish his words of dissuasion, Madara and Kurosawa had already disappeared.

He glanced at the guards who were belatedly realizing the situation and shouting in panic, "Master! Something terrible has happened! Master has been kidnapped!" and his lips twitched.

He knew Ban's temperament; he wouldn't care about any worldly rules or influences.

"Sigh." Hashirama sighed and rubbed his temples.

Since things had come to this, he had no choice but to follow. He moved swiftly, chasing after the faint traces left by Ban, leaving behind a scene of chaos.

Ban, carrying several elders of the Kurosawa family, swiftly entered a secluded, dead-end alley filled with clutter and reeking of mildew. He casually tossed the men on the ground, as if discarding a piece of trash.

"Cough! Cough cough!" The old man of the Kurosawa family was thrown around, his official hat askew, and his luxurious clothes covered in dust. After the initial shock, he immediately reached into his robes.

The moment he touched the Five-Tails, a surge of inexplicable courage welled up within him. He possessed a Tailed Beast! This was the trump card bestowed upon him by Lord Mikusa; he wouldn't panic!

Kurosawa forced himself to get up, dusted himself off, and tried to maintain the dignity of a family elder, calmly sizing up the audacious man who had kidnapped him.

The other person was dressed in a dark, high-collared robe, with flamboyant black hair, a stern face, and dark eyes that stared at him coldly, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

Hmm, that looks familiar. Kurosawa's heart skipped a beat.

This familiarity wasn't because he recognized the famous Uchiha Madara, but because he had seen that face and the look in those eyes on someone else.

Just as the elder of the Kurosawa clan was desperately trying to recall, Madara Uchiha spoke, his voice low and impatient: "Why is the Tailed Beast on you?" His cold gaze swept over Kurosawa's chest, which he instinctively protected. "You've met Mikichi."

Yan Sheng!

The name struck like a thunderbolt, shattering many fragments of Kurosawa's memories.

He remembered! Why did the man look so familiar? The man before him bore a striking resemblance to Lord Yan Sheng, bearing six or seven points of his features. Especially the shape of his eyes and that disdainful, cold demeanor—they were practically identical. It was immediately obvious they were closely related by blood.

"You...you are?" The voice of the elder of the Kurosawa family carried a hint of awe and probing.

"You only need to answer my questions." Madara's tone became even more impatient, and the chill emanating from him seemed to drop the temperature in the alley several degrees. "Where is Yan Sheng? Why is his tailed beast on you?"

An invisible force of light pressed down on Kurosawa's spirit.

Kurosawa felt a wave of dizziness and wondered if he should speak. After all, even family members could have hostile relationships.

Yan Sheng's power and influence remained, so he dared not betray him.

Kurosawa was caught in a dilemma, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, his mind racing as he considered how to deal with this sudden and deadly crisis.

Madara's patience was completely exhausted. His Mangekyou Sharingan appeared, its eerie light shining brightly, like a bottomless vortex, seizing the entire mind of the Kurosawa elder.

"Uh..." The elder of the Kurosawa family felt as if his consciousness had been gripped by an invisible hand, and all his thoughts of resistance crumbled. The panic and calculation in his eyes quickly faded, leaving them empty and lifeless, like a puppet whose soul had been taken away. His body swayed slightly, then froze in place, waiting for his master's command.

"Where is Yan Sheng?"

Kurosawa's lips moved mechanically, uttering a flat tone: "I don't know. Lord Yansheng didn't inform us of his whereabouts when he left."

This answer clearly did not satisfy Ban, but he did not react and continued to ask the next question: "Why did he give you his tail?"

"It's just in case," Kurosawa replied blankly. "The Land of Lightning is currently at war with the Land of Earth. Lord Mikichi said that if the battle at the front goes badly, or if an uncontrollable crisis arises, we can use the power of the Tailed Beasts to turn the tide of the war."

Hashirama Senju arrived just in time to hear Kurosawa's last reply, and was shocked: "What?! Your Land of Lightning just lost a war with the Land of Fire, how come you're starting a war with the Land of Earth now?"

His shock stemmed from basic strategic common sense.

After suffering a major defeat, a country should recuperate and rebuild its strength. How could it possibly provoke another major power in such a short period of time? This would be tantamount to courting its own destruction.

Kurosawa, who was under control, replied without any emotional fluctuation: "It is precisely because of the defeat in the war with the Land of Fire that the people at home are full of complaints and morale is low. We urgently need an external victory to divert attention from the contradictions and restore confidence."

Hashirama frowned and pressed on, "That doesn't mean you're courting death! How could you possibly be a match for the Land of Earth in your current state?"

As soon as he said it, Hashirama stopped abruptly, realizing he had asked a foolish question.

He glanced at Madara, then looked at the faint ripples of tailed beast chakra emanating from Kurosawa's arms—Yan Sheng had already left the tailed beast to the Land of Lightning, so how could they possibly fight? The answer was obvious.

Ban spoke again, asking in a deep voice, "Who came up with the idea for this war?"

Kurosawa elder stared blankly ahead, uttering the expected name: "It is... Lord Yansheng."

The alleyway fell into dead silence.

An extremely suppressed aura began to permeate Ban's body, and the gravel beneath his feet trembled slightly.

Despite the existing speculation, personally confirming that Yen Sheng used the Tailed Beasts and arbitrarily provoked a war between major powers changes the nature of the matter.

Hashirama's expression also turned grave. The situation had escalated far beyond simply "finding his brother"; Michikatsu's actions were igniting a world war. They had to find him and stop him as soon as possible.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Because there's no specific description of the First Kazekage and we don't know what abilities or techniques he used, I've modeled this after the strongest, the Third Kazekage. This is not from the original work, not from the original work, not from the original work! All techniques and abilities are based on the Third Kazekage; this is purely fictional TT