At the border of the Land of Grass, Jiraiya glanced at the two men beside him, his eyes filled with skepticism.
These two—
On the left, Might Dai looked around curiously.
On the right, Chen Baojun stood tall and imposing, exuding the aura of a taijutsu grandmaster.
Jiraiya wasn't doubting their strength. He knew full well how powerful Might Dai was, and he understood that Chen Baojun was no pushover either. But precisely because of this, he couldn't help but wonder—did Tsunade send them here to annihilate the Grass Village outright?
After a moment of contemplation, Jiraiya decided he needed to clarify.
"Dai, Baojun, what exactly were Tsunade's orders when she sent you here?"
"I'm just a regular genin. I'll follow Jiraiya-sama's lead," Might Dai replied with a sincere smile.
Jiraiya turned to Chen Baojun, who maintained a respectful demeanor. "To demonstrate the might of taijutsu and intimidate the surrounding villages!"
"I see."
Jiraiya nodded.
After a brief pause, he asked, "Under the condition of absolute safety, how many Gates can you open?"
"I can open the Seventh Gate. After testing it last time, Baojun and I discussed it often. Now, I can unleash one attack while retaining consciousness, but I'll need extensive medical treatment and recovery time afterward," Might Dai answered honestly.
Chen Baojun sighed. "I'm ashamed to admit that my training has been too short, and my body is far inferior to Dai's. I can only open the Sixth Gate."
Jiraiya pondered for a moment before nodding. "Understood."
He surveyed the surroundings.
Ten elite squads—though not large in number, every member was at least a high-level chūnin. Against the Grass Village, this was more than enough.
Among them, Might Dai and Chen Baojun were the key players.
A strategy quickly formed in his mind. He raised his hand and declared loudly, "I'll lead the charge straight into their heartland. We'll confront them at the gates of the Grass Village!"
"Yes!"
---
Morning, Grass Village.
Inside the leader's office.
"Leader, the Sandaime is no longer in power. Konoha isn't as lenient as before. We still haven't received any word from them. We should just go and apologize!"
Two elders pleaded earnestly.
Just apologize!
It's Konoha—there's no shame in backing down!
However, Asano Yu had a different perspective.
He looked at the elders and advisors. "Do you really think Konoha will win? Even if we apologize, they'll never fully trust us. And if Iwagakure attacks, they'll come for us first..."
His tone was firm.
"Everyone, Iwagakure isn't as strong as Konoha. By allying with them, we gain more leverage instead of groveling like we've done all these years."
"You—you've gone mad!"
The two elders stared in shock at the leader they had helped elect.
They thought he had lost his mind.
But what was even crazier—
"Does Konoha still think it's the same as before? Hashirama and Tobirama are dead. The Sandaime and Danzō are gone. All that's left is Tsunade—what's there to fear?"
The jōnin sided with their leader.
They wanted to fight.
But just then, an ANBU rushed in, his hurried footsteps audible even inside the room.
Soon, a report was placed on the table—Iwagakure's analysis of the recent ambush.
"According to Iwagakure's intel, Konoha only sent two squads. Their strength isn't as overwhelming as you think."
Asano Yu handed them the report.
The office fell silent.
After a long pause, the two elders stepped outside, exchanging a sigh.
For over a decade, the Grass Village had participated in wars but never as the main force, allowing them to profit from their neutrality. But in doing so, many had forgotten Konoha's true might.
War means death!
Asano Yu remained resolute. He had even sent a letter to Ōnoki, expressing his willingness to cooperate fully.
But before the letter could be delivered, another message arrived—
"Leader! It's terrible! A disaster!"
"What's all this panic for?"
Asano Yu frowned.
The battle hadn't even started, yet his men were already losing their composure.
Unacceptable!
He was about to reprimand the messenger when the jōnin looked up, his face twisted in terror.
"Konoha—Konoha is attacking! Led by one of the Sannin, Jiraiya! Ten elite squads!"
"What?!"
Jiraiya?!
Asano Yu's face paled. A sliver of fear crept into his heart.
How could Konoha move so fast?
It was never like this before!
He forced himself to stay calm. "Only ten squads? Gather our forces—"
"Leader!"
The jōnin was aghast. "You still want to fight them?!"
"Fight! We must fight! You—go to the Land of Earth immediately! Inform Ōnoki and demand reinforcements! If we can wipe out these ten squads together, the other villages will join the assault!"
Asano Yu snarled.
The jōnin licked his lips, his face a mix of terror and disbelief.
Even now…
The leader was still this stubborn.
Was he sending them all to their deaths?!
He had already decided to retreat. Mouthing off was one thing, but actually fighting? No way!
But for Asano Yu, there was no turning back.
He knew.
If Konoha had mobilized, they wouldn't stop until he was dead and the pro-Iwagakure faction within the Grass Village was purged.
He immediately summoned the village's forces.
Within half an hour, dozens of jōnin and hundreds of chūnin had gathered.
Then—
"Asano Yu, I took my time getting here. You must have gathered your forces by now, right?"
Jiraiya's voice, amplified by chakra, echoed through most of the Grass Village.
Then, it rang out again.
"Asano Yu, leader of the Grass Village, has betrayed our alliance. He secretly signed a pact with Iwagakure and conspired to attack Konoha, offering them intelligence and funds."
"I know many of you desire peace and wish to avoid war. That's why Konoha seeks only the ringleader. Those who do not participate or willingly withdraw will not be harmed."
Jiraiya's declaration boomed across the village.
Asano Yu felt his blood run cold.
Konoha…
Was ruthless!
With this announcement, no matter the outcome, his authority within the village would crumble.
Worse—
If the battle turned against them, the elders and jōnin might capture him to appease Konoha's wrath.
His body trembled. The only thought in his mind was—
Escape!
But now, the village's ninja had already surrounded him.
"Leader!"
"Let's go! I refuse to believe we're inferior to Konoha!"
Asano Yu gritted his teeth.
He knew there was no way out.
Either lead the Grass Village to victory, then join Iwagakure in attacking Konoha for greater gains—
Or…
Die—or be killed by his own people!
Despair filled his heart, but he forced a smile and charged forward at the head of the group.
There was still a sliver of hope!
Behind Asano Yu followed dozens of ninja—all those who had advocated for war with Konoha.
Facing Jiraiya, he mustered his courage.
"Jiraiya! Don't spout baseless accusations!"
"Oh, I have proof."
Jiraiya pulled out a scroll. Asano Yu immediately recognized it—the alliance agreement he had signed with Iwagakure's Ōnoki. His pledge of loyalty to them.
But—
Asano Yu had already anticipated this. He wouldn't show weakness now!
"If the Land of Fire wants to annex the Land of Grass, just say so! No need to fabricate evidence."
He turned to his men.
"Everyone, Konoha sent spies into our village first, and now they've come with an army. This was planned from the start! Hold out—Iwagakure's reinforcements are coming!"
"If we win, we'll claim richer lands, more money, and more missions…"
Asano Yu shouted loudly.
He had no intention of reasoning—he was outright inciting his subordinates to attack.
"Fight to the death!"
"Let's fight them to the end!"
Shouts echoed through the village.
Jiraiya scanned the crowd, his eyes filled with disappointment.
In the past, Konoha and the Land of Fire had always treated the Grass Village and the Land of Grass with kindness, offering lenient terms.
This had been the Sandaime's policy.
He had hoped to win over the Grass Village, to make them understand Konoha's goodwill. But—
Win them over?
Hah!
Jiraiya was increasingly convinced that communication and compassion alone could never bridge the gap between them. Otherwise, this scene wouldn't be unfolding before him.
Seventy percent!
Seventy percent of the Grass ninja actually wanted to go to war with Konoha.
All for the sake of profit.
Desire drove them. In this situation, only power and force could make them calm down and properly discuss peace.
Jiraiya looked ahead.
"Those who do not wish to fight, step back now."
The crowd stirred. In the end—
The remaining thirty percent retreated to the rear. Asano Yu snorted coldly but said nothing.
Jiraiya closed his eyes. Then, he turned to Might Dai and Chen Baojun, speaking in a low voice.
"You two, take action. Use your full strength from the start."
"Yes!"
The two acknowledged.
Then—
Sixth Gate, Open!
A surge of green chakra enveloped their bodies. In the next instant, Might Dai gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.
Seventh Gate, Open!
The terrifying aura of the Seventh Gate erupted once more.
Asano Yu and the Grass jōnin were puzzled.
What were they doing, erupting with chakra from hundreds of steps away?
But—
In the next moment, their pupils constricted in shock.
Because—
The two had already appeared right in front of them.
How was this possible?!
Asano Yu, standing at the forefront, was utterly stunned.
Even a jōnin specializing in taijutsu couldn't close such a distance in an instant.
Then, his eyes widened further.
The ridiculous-looking Konoha ninja before him erupted with blue energy, transforming into a massive blue sphere before lunging forward like a beast unleashed.
Roar!
He thought he heard the roar of a tiger.
But he would never hear anything again.
Boom!
The energy sphere swept past, reducing everything in its path to ruins.
Even more terrifying—
Above, fireballs rained down like a storm.
Sixth Gate Taijutsu: Morning Peacock!
Flames and the beastly energy arrived simultaneously. To the Grass ninja, it was like witnessing the apocalypse—panic, trampling, chaos.
In the blink of an eye, the once-mighty Grass Village was left with nothing but fear, panic, and endless despair.
Before them—
A vast area had been completely obliterated!
Not only were the Grass ninja shocked and terrified, even the Konoha forces struggled to remain composed. Many wore expressions of awe and horror.
They all knew Might Dai's situation.
A genin who only knew taijutsu.
The likelihood of Dai mastering a ninjutsu of this level was practically zero. So there was only one explanation—
This was taijutsu!
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Hyuga Hiashi would never have believed such taijutsu existed in the world. The scene before him shattered every belief he had ever held.
No wonder…
Tsunade had sent him along.
She must have wanted him to witness for himself—a form of taijutsu that surpassed all conventional understanding.
Hiashi pressed his lips together, his thoughts in turmoil.
Dai and Chen Baojun, taking advantage of the Eight Gates' lingering effects, flashed back to Jiraiya's side, appearing completely unharmed.
Before the Grass Village, silence reigned.
These two attacks had only killed about thirty to forty percent of the front-line ninja. But for the Grass Village, losing nearly half their assembled forces to just two men was devastating.
If there had been just a few more…
Could a handful of people have wiped out their entire village?
Their fear was palpable.
"Now, tell me your answer. Do you still want to fight?"
Jiraiya's gaze swept over them.
The survivors fell silent.
This spectacle was too shocking, leaving them all speechless.
They didn't dare speak, frozen in terror. Just staying on their feet was already a struggle—even the two elders.
After a long pause, they finally stepped forward, trembling.
"We… we surrender! Please, Jiraiya-sama… spare us! Forgive our crimes!"
They knelt, pressing their foreheads to the ground in the deepest form of supplication.
Jiraiya was silent.
"Hiashi, handle the rest."
"Yes!"
Hiashi struggled to maintain his composure.
But he knew—
Every belief, every principle he had held until now had been trampled beneath the might of this forbidden taijutsu—the Eight Gates.
Through his Byakugan, he could see clearly—
Dai and Chen Baojun were injured, but not fatally. With proper treatment, rest, and recovery, they would regain their combat abilities.
As long as they didn't open the Eighth Gate, the final limit of the human body, they could theoretically use these techniques repeatedly—perhaps even treating them as near-regular taijutsu if their physical prowess grew strong enough.
Could the Gentle Fist ever surpass this kind of Strong Fist taijutsu?
Hiashi walked step by step toward the Grass Village, the Konoha elite following behind him.
Compared to the entire Grass Village, the destructive power of these two techniques wasn't actually overwhelming. If the Grass ninja had been more spread out, the damage wouldn't have been so devastating.
But—
Even against just a few individuals, these techniques were unstoppable.
Exhausted, Might Dai and Chen Baojun exchanged glances, forcing out smiles.
They hadn't come today to show off their strength.
They had come to protect Konoha, to protect the Land of Fire—to prove to everyone that taijutsu users could be just as powerful, that they could play a decisive role in missions and battles!
And they had succeeded.
But—
The two of them looked at Jiraiya.
As the strategist behind this operation, Jiraiya showed no joy in this moment.
Might Dai, after receiving treatment and rest, had recovered somewhat. With difficulty, he walked over to Jiraiya's side.
"Jiraiya-sama..."
"Dai... do you think this was truly the right thing to do?"
Jiraiya gazed at the village.
With just one order, so many Grass ninja had died, and their families would suffer grief and misfortune.
He knew this was not peace—it was rule and intimidation based on sheer power.
But...
Old man, can peace truly be achieved through communication, love, and mutual understanding?
He had no answer in his heart.
At this moment, he was lost, unsure of the path ahead, and felt no sense of accomplishment from what had just unfolded.
If only Kyohiko were here.
That kid would surely use his silver tongue to make Jiraiya accept this reality.
"Dai, don't mind me. I was just..."
"Of course it was the right thing."
Might Dai said solemnly.
Jiraiya was taken aback, turning to look at Dai. He hadn't expected an answer.
After all, these were matters a genin wouldn't normally consider.
Yet Dai voiced his thoughts.
"I don't know what peace is. I only know the Grass Village betrayed the alliance first. They had already taken action against our country and village."
"If we showed them mercy, their money and intelligence would eventually become blades cutting down the people and ninja of the Land of Fire."
"When that happens, who will the families of our fallen comrades demand peace from?"
Dai's series of statements and rhetorical questions left Jiraiya speechless.
He laughed at himself wryly.
"Right... I actually didn't understand such a simple truth."
If the old man were still in power, he might have publicly extended goodwill while secretly sending Danzō and Root to assassinate Asano Yu.
He would have done exactly that.
But—
In that case, the Grass Village might not have been truly convinced, and Iwagakure certainly wouldn't have been.
"I hope this battle will make the Grass Village face reality and keep Iwagakure in check."
Jiraiya sighed.
"Yeah."
Might Dai nodded.
Under the deterrence of overwhelming power, negotiations proceeded swiftly. The remaining Grass ninja quickly surrendered unconditionally.
As for Konoha's terms—
"Jiraiya-sama, I believe the terms should be decided after we return and discuss them. So..."
"Right, you did well. I forgot about that."
Jiraiya nodded.
He glanced back at the two Grass Village elders, then at the Konoha ninja.
"Let's go."
The Konoha forces withdrew.
From within the Grass Village, uncontrollable wails of grief erupted.
Losing thirty to forty percent of their ninja—
For them, this was a day of immense pain and tragedy.
"Hurry and clean this up. Clear the area."
The two elders, however, remained composed, though deep resentment simmered within them—
Not toward Konoha.
From the past until now, Konoha had treated the Grass Village fairly, even generously. It was Asano Yu who had betrayed the alliance first, colluding with Iwagakure and signing that "pact."
Their hatred was directed at Ōnoki.
If not for Ōnoki, Asano Yu would never have been led astep...
"He was simply too foolish, thinking he could play Konoha and Iwagakure against each other to elevate the Grass Village's status. I tried to stop him, but I was too late."
A voice spoke up.
They turned to see—
The warden of Hōzuki Castle, the Grass jōnin, Mui.
"Even if you had come earlier, it wouldn't have mattered. He wouldn't have listened to us."
One of the elders sighed.
"Ever since the incident with Uzumaki Yuki, I knew he would take this path one day. I just didn't expect Konoha to act so swiftly."
"Mui..."
The two elders hesitated.
Mui said indifferently, "Getting involved in the power struggles between major villages—what else could it be but suicide for a small village like ours?"
"That's exactly what we said, but... sigh! Now that the Grass Village has lost its leader... why don't you return and take the position?"
"Me?"
Mui looked at them, then frowned.
"What about the prison?"
"The village needs your leadership. We can send someone else to Hōzuki Castle. Compared to that, the future of the Grass Village is far more important."
Pleading expressions appeared on the elders' faces.
They knew—
Mui leaned more toward Konoha's side.
With him as leader, at least in the short term, such incidents wouldn't happen again.
Moreover—
They had no other choice now.
If they were to side with Konoha, they would become enemies of Iwagakure. Mui's strength was crucial.
Mui fell silent for a long moment.
Finally, he said, "Fine. But I have one condition—I will align with Konoha. From now on, the Grass Village will follow my lead. You cannot interfere."
"Of course!"