Second Tsuchikage: Opening against Uchiha Madara Chapter 052

“Report, Tsuchikage-sama, urgent intel!”

“The joint forces of Sand and Cloud are engaging Konoha ninja in the central Land of Fire!”

An Anbu member reported.

“Oh, so what’s the battle situation?”

Mu raised an eyebrow and asked.

“Terrible! Extremely terrible. Sand and Cloud suffered a crushing defeat, while Konoha achieved a great victory. The Sand commander, Samon, is severely wounded, and Cloud’s A has lost an arm.”

“At the same time, the southern and northern parts of the Land of Fire have been recaptured by Senju Tobirama. Sand has currently retreated to the Land of Rivers, while Cloud has retreated to the Land of Hot Water.”

The Iwa Anbu repeated all the intel to Mu.

After hearing it, Mu’s brows remained tightly furrowed.

As expected.

As soon as he left, Sand and Cloud were soloed by Konoha.

Konoha Village had a plethora of Kekkei Genkai.

Sand and Cloud currently had no Tailed Beasts, making it impossible for them to defeat the current Konoha (the timeline here is before Sand gained control of Shukaku).

Only the Golden and Silver Brothers had a fighting chance.

Since their respective clan heads were killed, the Uchiha and Senju had been holding in a lot of frustration, which probably all vented onto Sand and Cloud.

“Hmm, continue observing.”

Mu replied indifferently.

“Understood!”

The current situation in the ninja world was still very grim.

However, Mu no longer wanted Iwa to get involved in this mess.

Fighting always resulted in deaths, and in all the fighting, it was Iwa’s good children who died.

Iwa already had a small population.

He didn’t want to fight anymore either.

Hashirama and Madara had almost made him sick of fighting.

Mu’s current goal was to make money!

Make money for Iwagakure!

Ruthlessly amass wealth!

And while he was at it, learn forbidden jutsu like Flying Thunder God, Mutual Exploding Tags, and Eight Trigrams.

“Hmm, also, an research institute can be established to research longevity technology and the Nine-Tails’ chakra.”

Mu remembered that he still had a Nine-Tails tail he had cut off earlier.

Fortunately, he had been cautious enough at the time to quickly put the Nine-Tails tail into a scroll.

Mu came to the Tsuchikage’s office and approved project after project.

Establish a research department, approved!

Select Jinchuriki candidates, approved!

“When was Roshi born?”

Mu squinted slightly. This character was a middle-aged or elderly man.

In Minato’s biography, Roshi and Han had already appeared and skillfully controlled Tailed Beast Bombs.

It could be concluded that these two were born before the Second Great Ninja War, roughly around the same age as Jiraiya and the Sannin.

“It’s a long and arduous journey!”

“Hey! Why don’t I practice Tai Chi first, then learn Five Animal Play, to see if I can improve my body a bit…”

Mu got up from his chair.

He immediately began to breathe deeply, practicing Five Animal Play and Tai Chi from memory.

After performing several sets, Mu felt much more relaxed.

The ancients truly did not deceive him!

“No wonder the ancients all desired longevity and immortality. Only with sufficient lifespan can one have enough time to do more of what they want to do.”

You think you’re smarter than your ancestors? (jpg)

……..

Land of Water, Kirigakure

“Good heavens, when did Konoha become so strong?”

“Are those guys, Samon and A, even human?”

“How did they turn a favorable situation into such a mess!”

Hozuki Gengetsu’s intelligence ninja stationed in the eastern Land of Fire also reported the relevant information to him.

When he learned that Samon and A were defeated by Senju Tobirama, and that the northern and southern territories were completely recaptured, Hozuki Gengetsu couldn’t believe his ears.

He even suspected that those two had commanded the war with their feet.

Hozuki Gengetsu immediately sent letters to Cloud and Sand, asking them what exactly happened.

And guess what?

They both replied: “We’ve been consistently eating sea cucumbers…”

Samon: “We did our best. Konoha won what they shouldn’t have. The Sage of Six Paths definitely won’t let Konoha off…”

Second Raikage A: “Stop scolding us, we’ve been drinking protein powder like water…”

Hozuki Gengetsu: “You two are going to make me faint.”

So, with a grand gesture, he gave Cloud and Sand two tons of Kirigakure’s special sea cucumbers.

Mu from Iwagakure said: “We don’t have many special sea products here in Iwa. Give me some sea cucumbers, I want to live longer, just in time to supplement with sea cucumbers…”

………..

Was Konoha too strong?

Or were Cloud and Sand too weak?

Hozuki Gengetsu actually leaned more towards the former. Konoha had many Kekkei Genkai, and that guy Senju Tobirama was no weaker than himself.

“That guy Mu is indeed a little fox!”

Hozuki Gengetsu recalled Mu’s earlier decision to withdraw his troops.

He couldn’t help but become suspicious of Mu.

Could it be that Mu knew something?

“Ever since Mu was injured by my explosion, why has he become so smart?”

“And ever since he was injured by me, Mu’s strength has greatly increased, he even learned an unknown power, and gained a summoning crow!”

“And he became the village’s Kage earlier than me…”

The more Hozuki Gengetsu thought about it, the more something felt off.

Could it be…

Mu… could he possibly…

Could it really be…

“Could it be that I blew open Mu’s Ren and Du meridians?!”

A lightbulb appeared above Hozuki Gengetsu’s head.

He had used a full-power Steam Imp explosion back then.

Perhaps Mu’s Ren and Du meridians were opened by the explosion.

That’s why he was the Mu he was today!

“Yes! It must be!”

“No, maybe I should try a Steam Imp explosion too?”

Hozuki Gengetsu stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Should he try it?

Try it and die…

“Bang!”

“Hozuki Clan Head! Something’s wrong!”

A Kirigakure Anbu burst in frantically, interrupting Hozuki Gengetsu’s thoughts.

“What’s wrong?”

Hozuki Gengetsu was slightly puzzled.

“First Mizukage-sama… he’s dying!”

The Kirigakure Anbu said urgently.

“What?!”

“Explain clearly, what happened? How could he suddenly be dying??”

Hozuki Gengetsu instantly became nervous.

“Reporting to Hozuki Clan Head, First Mizukage-sama already had many old injuries. According to the ninja doctor’s diagnosis, First Mizukage-sama has an infection, currently believed to be caused by eating half-year-old deer meat a few months ago…”

“He’s beyond help now, First Mizukage-sama has given up on treatment!”

After hearing the Anbu’s description, Hozuki Gengetsu suddenly remembered.

Wasn’t Iwa’s First Tsuchikage also due to something like this that he passed away?

“My half-year-old deer meat…”

Hozuki Gengetsu couldn’t help but feel absurd.

Half-year-old deer meat single-handedly killed two First Kage?

But thinking about it, it made sense. The Tsuchikage and Mizukage were both old.

They were both elderly, born in a turbulent era where the average lifespan was less than thirty, and a ninja’s life was even shorter.

For them to live to fifty was already considered a long life.

“Fortunately, the First Kazekage and First Raikage are middle-aged and in excellent physical condition, otherwise, this half-year-old deer meat wouldn’t have killed all four Kage, would it?”

Hozuki Gengetsu hurriedly put on his clothes and went to visit Byakuren, the First Mizukage.

(Reply to reader question: “Why haven’t Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror been used? Are there other arrangements for them later?”)

(Answer: Yes, they will be used soon, and they will be used against Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. There will be another battle soon, Mu fighting two, which will be Mu’s legendary battle.)