Chapter 166: Cloud Village in Despair, Madara Appears
What made things even more unbearable was that in the face of Konoha's ridicule, the once-proud Kumogakure didn't dare to utter a single word. They could only shrink back within their borders like frightened turtles, too afraid to breathe too loudly—fearing that the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, would show up at their doorstep.
Thus,
Under such suffocating circumstances,
The overwhelming feeling among most of the ninjas in Kumogakure was grievance and helplessness.
This oppressive mood even began to affect the Lightning Chakra of the Fourth Raikage – A (Ay), which spiraled out of control and began to interfere with everyday life across the entire Hidden Cloud Village.
At the same time,
While all of Kumogakure was cloaked in this heavy atmosphere,
The desk, cups, floor—even the walls—inside the Raikage's office were a complete mess, shattered or cracked beyond repair.
"Why… why has it come to this?!"
"Konoha has gone too far. The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, simply doesn't play by the rules!"
"Both the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki and the Two-Tails Jinchūriki have been captured by Uchiha Yuta! Konoha's overall strength has climbed to a new peak!"
"Kumogakure is growing weaker and weaker… it's too difficult to bear!"
"..."
At the center of the destroyed office, Fourth Raikage Ay's expression was twisted with rage. His fists were clenched tightly, veins bulging along his massive arms, and his muscular body trembled slightly.
Fury.
Extreme fury!
He had set his sights on both the Hero Water and the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki from Takigakure, determined to acquire them. But who could have predicted that the Fifth Hokage of Konoha would intervene and crush all his plans?
And then, there was the loss of Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, and Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. His trusted high-ranking officer, Motoi, had also been killed in the conflict.
In the end, not only did they fail to gain anything, but Kumogakure had paid a heavy price in return.
But...
Even though he was seething with anger,
Ay wasn't foolish enough to lose his mind and rush headfirst into a war with Konoha.
Why?
Because in the face of the newly risen god of the shinobi world—Uchiha Yuta—
No matter how much humiliation or mockery they endured, Kumogakure could only endure it. They had no other choice. They had to stay quiet and survive, like a turtle retreating into its shell.
After all,
Diplomatic ties hadn't completely broken down yet.
There was still a slim chance for peace. If Ay, the Fourth Raikage, dared to be the first to declare war, Konoha might retaliate by launching a full-scale military assault. When that time came, Kumogakure would be utterly annihilated.
"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"
After an unknown amount of time, the surging Lightning Chakra around Ay finally settled down. He slumped into the only intact chair left in the room, a look of defeat and uncertainty clouding his face.
As the Raikage, he had endured many difficult moments in his life—
But in the face of this situation,
He was completely at a loss.
It was clear: Konoha had begun to collect the Tailed Beasts. Once they acquired all nine, the resulting power would be catastrophic and impossible to resist.
And as Konoha's strength continued to rise,
Kumogakure would inevitably begin a slow decline into irrelevance, eventually being swallowed whole.
In short,
Kumogakure stood at a dangerous crossroads.
No matter which path they chose,
It seemed like there was no way out—only ruin awaited.
"Haah…"
In the end, Ay could only sigh deeply, muttering in a gloomy voice:
"I'm all alone now… I guess I'll just have to take things one step at a time."
But...
When he thought of Yugito Nii, Killer Bee, and the slain Motoi…
A deep ache settled in Ay's chest.
Weakness is the original sin.
And in the end, he had inherited all the consequences by himself.
Most of Kumogakure's high-level leadership had either been captured or killed by Uchiha Yuta. The mere thought of it was like a dagger to the heart.
"Heh…"
Just then—
A ripple of space distorted the air.
Suddenly, a spatial vortex spun into existence, and two shadowy figures stepped out of the swirling distortion.
One wore a mask—the infamous Uchiha Obito.
The other—
A man clad in black shinobi gear overlaid with crimson armor.
Madara Uchiha.
They appeared silently in the middle of the Raikage's office, as if emerging from the shadows.
"Who are you?!"
The sudden appearance of these two figures startled Ay, who leapt up from his chair. His Lightning Chakra instantly surged back to life, wrapping around his body like crackling energy.
Without a doubt—
The Fourth Raikage was ready for battle.
"Too weak."
Before Obito could speak, Madara Uchiha glanced at Ay and scoffed with visible disdain.
"Compared to the First Raikage, your strength is hardly worth mentioning."
"What did you say?!"
Ay's eyes narrowed in fury.
"You dare trespass into Kumogakure?! Are you seeking death?"
But Obito just pointed toward the crimson-armored man beside him and said calmly,
"Fourth Raikage… you're not even qualified to say that.
This man—he is the legendary Madara Uchiha—equal in fame to the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama."
Boom—!!
Those words sent a shiver down Ay's spine.
His eyes widened as he turned to look more closely at the crimson-armored shinobi.
He saw it clearly—
The Gunbai fan strapped to his back.
The chilling aura of the Rinnegan in his eyes.
Ay's mind flashed back to the ancient stories.
Madara Uchiha?
Was it really him?
He had died during the Warring States Period!
So how… how was he standing here now?
The realization struck like a thunderbolt.
Ay felt a chill run down his spine.
It really was Madara Uchiha.
A legend who had once fought on par with the First Hokage.
Boom!!
Overwhelmed by terror,
Ay involuntarily took several steps back, his body trembling as he stared at Madara's youthful, ageless face.
It was real.
And it was terrifying.
This was no ordinary opponent.
This was the Uchiha Madara, the man who had once made the world tremble!
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