"Roar…!!"
The monstrous Nine Tails, its eyes gleaming with the pattern of the Sharingan, let out a deafening roar. The terrifying sound wave shook the battlefield as it glared at the countless Konoha shinobi in front of it and the terrified civilians behind them.
A chilling, violent aura erupted instantly from the beast, sending shivers through every ninja's spine. Many Konoha shinobi instinctively retreated in fear. The will to fight had all but evaporated from them.
There was no courage left.
The morale of Konoha's defenders had collapsed.
Civilians screamed and fell to their knees, some even fainting from sheer terror. No one could deny it—when it came to instilling fear, the Nine Tails was far more horrifying than even the Perfect Susanoo.
Even though the full-body Susanoo might be taller, the ferocity and savage aura of the Nine Tails was unmatched. There was something deeply primal and evil in the beast's presence—so overwhelming that just making eye contact with it could bring someone to the brink of collapse.
Standing before this demonic fox were Konoha's finest—Princess Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Yuhi Kurenai, Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku—and even the great toads Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken. All of them stared wide-eyed at the immense creature in disbelief.
And seated on the head of this monstrous Nine Tails, with an air of nonchalance, was a red-armored man with flowing waist-length hair and the glowing eyes of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Leo.
He sat cross-legged like a king on a throne, looking lazily and arrogantly down upon the forces of Konoha and the toads of Mount Myōboku. His scarlet eyes swept across the battlefield.
"Any last words?" Leo asked casually, propping his chin up with one hand and flashing an arrogant smile.
The simplicity of the gesture… was devastating.
That tiny movement alone plunged the defenders of Konoha deeper into despair. It made them feel hopeless.
"Enough... we can't win this."
"I give up! I just want to live—I don't want to die in Konoha!"
"I'm leaving! There's no hope… no way we can win!"
"I don't want to die..."
From all sides, Konoha shinobi began dropping their weapons and falling to their knees. Civilians followed suit, their sobs mixing with pleas for mercy.
"Lord Madara—please don't kill me," some begged, mistaking Leo for the ghost of Madara Uchiha himself.
Tsunade gritted her teeth in fury. Her hands clenched into fists.
But even she couldn't bring herself to scold them.
Because… they weren't wrong.
They were just ordinary people who wanted to live.
If there had been the faintest hope of victory, Tsunade knew they wouldn't be groveling like this. But the truth was undeniable:
Leo—who they believed to be Madara reborn—was simply too strong.
His strength was beyond comprehension. His power, overwhelming.
Tsunade could hardly imagine how they could resist such a monster.
He had broken Naruto's seal, taken control of the Nine Tails, and was now using it to crush Konoha into submission.
He was invincible.
"Leo!!" Tsunade cried out, summoning all her remaining strength as she stepped forward. "Do you really intend to massacre everyone?"
"Tsunade…" Jiraiya limped to her side, blood dripping from his re-opened wounds.
"Lady Tsunade," the small voice of Fukasaku Sage came from Jiraiya's shoulder. "Jiraiya-chan… he's nearly at his limit."
Tsunade caught Jiraiya as he staggered. His face was pale, and his Sage Mode had completely faded. His severed arm was bleeding again, the wound reopened by the devastating strike from Leo's third-stage Susanoo.
Jiraiya had fought valiantly. But he was done.
He had reached his limit.
"It's not your fault," Tsunade whispered.
"No… I'll stay behind. I'll buy you all some time," Jiraiya said resolutely, his voice weak but firm.
He had made up his mind—to sacrifice himself for Konoha.
"Lord Tsunade, allow me," said Katsuyu, as she slithered toward Jiraiya and began channeling healing chakra into his wounds.
Tsunade pulled her hand back. Her chakra reserves were running low anyway.
Then she looked up at Leo, her eyes burning.
"Leo!" she shouted.
"If you seek revenge… then take it out on me. As the granddaughter of the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, I'll face your wrath. But the rest of Konoha—innocent men, women, and children—please let them go!"
She walked alone to the base of the Nine Tails and looked straight up at Leo.
"Tsunade, no!" Jiraiya called out, alarmed.
"Innocent?" Leo finally responded, his voice calm and cold.
"When an avalanche occurs… do you think a single snowflake is innocent?"
Tsunade was speechless.
Still, she pressed him further. "Then what do you want? Are you really going to slaughter thousands of people in Konoha?!"
Leo didn't respond right away.
Kakashi, Nara Shikaku, Hiashi—all of them held their breath.
No one dared to speak.
Because now, the fate of Konoha rested entirely in Leo's hands.
He was still seated high above on the Nine Tails, his Eternal Mangekyō eyes glowing.
His gaze swept slowly across the vast crowd of shinobi and civilians—all trembling, broken, hopeless.
Then, finally… he stood.
"Those who kneel… may stay," he announced.
"Those who refuse to obey me… are free to leave."
"Or… you can try to resist again. Who knows? Maybe one of you might actually kill me."
The smirk on his face deepened.
Contempt. Disdain. Amusement.
It was all there.
And below him—waves of Konoha shinobi dropped to their knees.
"Lord Madara… I surrender."
"I submit…"
"I will follow you!"
One after another, the warriors of Konoha prostrated themselves before Leo and the Nine Tails. Civilians did the same.
Even Tsunade could only lower her head in pain.
She didn't blame them.
They were just trying to survive.
Still, in her heart, she could not forgive Leo.
Her teeth clenched. Her fists shook.
But she could do nothing.
Even Ayame—the daughter of Ichiraku Ramen's owner—stood defiantly at first. But when her father grabbed her and forced her to kneel, she did so, though her face burned with anger and shame.
Finally, with a heavy heart, Tsunade helped the battered Jiraiya walk away from the village.
Just a short time ago, she had proudly returned to Konoha and taken the mantle of Fifth Hokage.
Now, she was leaving in disgrace.
Perhaps this was fate.
There was no way Leo would allow her, as the Hokage, to stay.
She had no choice.
And while most submitted to Leo, some—like Kakashi, Shikaku, Kurenai, Anko—chose to follow Tsunade in exile.
But—
"Did I say you could leave?" came Leo's voice.
Everyone froze.
Tsunade's eyes went wide as she slowly turned around.
"What do you want?" she asked warily, standing protectively before Jiraiya.
Leo stared down with his arms crossed.
"You're useful to me," he said with a smile. "You're Hashirama's granddaughter, right? That means… you can't leave."
Tsunade glared at him, but remained silent.
Because she knew—she had no power to resist him.
"Why?" Jiraiya croaked out.
Leo chuckled. "A fool may find success where a wise man fails. And I have to admit—this woman's medical ninjutsu is exceptional."
He explained with ease: after transplanting his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he had not yet perfected its activation and closure. The technique was unstable.
For someone like Tsunade, that kind of injury could be resolved easily.
But there was another reason.
Inside his system space, Leo had a certain item stored: [Ashura's Flesh and Blood], brimming with [Ashura Chakra].
He needed Tsunade to help him properly absorb and refine it.
The rest of Konoha? They didn't matter.
But Tsunade—she had to stay.
And if she thought about rebelling or sabotaging him…
Well, that's why Leo had gone out of his way to kill Shimura Danzō and claim his head.
Because with it, he had obtained Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan—containing the most powerful genjutsu: Kotoamatsukami.
Leo had planned everything from the start.
Might Guy was the first target.
Danzo was the second.
Minato the third.
And now—Tsunade.
His goals were clear.
And his creed… absolute:
Whoever stands in my way—dies.
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