Chiyue, How Did You Do It?

"Ah!!"

After an unknown amount of time, the Third Kazekage broke free from the illusion technique. Veins bulged across his forehead as though he were enduring something.

He clutched his head in both hands and howled like a beast.

Although the Third Kazekage had broken free of the illusion technique, he had paid a considerable price.

Mental damage.

If it had merely been an awkward dance, how could Sakura Fall have made so many players keep spending money on draws to obtain it?

This illusion technique dealt no small amount of mental damage.

Measured by a game's damage values, it was almost no weaker than Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi.

Gasping for breath, the Third Kazekage knelt halfway to the ground with his head in his hands, his narrow eyes bloodshot.

The tearing, stabbing pain constantly wracking his mind nearly made him pass out.

"You damn brat, I'll kill you!!"

Chiyue was responsible for him ending up like this.

Though he did not know Chiyue's name, the Third Kazekage swore that once he got the chance, he would kill him first.

Not only had that brat inflicted such severe mental trauma on him, he had even made him do that damn awkward dance!!

The moment he recalled himself dancing just now, the Third Kazekage was so embarrassed that his toes nearly dug a three-bedroom apartment into the ground.

This humiliation absolutely could not get out, or he would be socially dead.

The strongest Kazekage had actually fallen for a brat's illusion technique and danced seductively and awkwardly.

If word got out, how could he still show his face in the ninja world?

"Lord Kazekage!"

Before long, Sunagakure's reinforcements arrived.

The Third Kazekage held his head, crouched atop an iron disc, and rose into the air, leaving behind a single order:

"Stop pursuing those brats. Begin the operation immediately. We must secure enough gains before Konoha can react."

He did not want the village's ninja to see him in such a miserable state, nor did he want to send anyone after Chiyue.

If Chiyue could still use that illusion technique, who knew how many Sunagakure ninja would make fools of themselves.

They might even end up like Red Ghost, dying without knowing why.

At the thought of Chiyue attacking him with a kunai, the Third Kazekage broke out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, the iron sand of his Magnet Release protected its master. Otherwise, he would have been dead.

In the time it took him to dispel the illusion technique, Chiyue could have killed him countless times.

"Damn it! That brat's illusion technique has to be dispelled in reverse."

With his head feeling ready to explode, the Third Kazekage sped up. He needed to find somewhere quiet to recuperate.

Even Lord Kazekage had failed to capture them?

And he had told us not to keep tracking them. The enemy must be troublesome.

The Third Kazekage had fled, leaving the remaining Sunagakure ninja staring at one another in confusion.

After fleeing for a long time and putting enough distance between themselves and their pursuers, with no one following them, Chiyue figured the Third Kazekage had given up hunting them down.

"Let's rest for a while."

Uchiha Mikoto had already reached her limit, and Minato was not much better off.

Traveling alone would not have been so exhausting. The problem was that each of them had been carrying a fat pig from the Land of Fire's Daimyo Residence.

Chiyue really did not understand why these officials were all so fat and well-fed.

After carefully setting the people down, Minato collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion, gasping heavily. His clothes were soaked through with sweat.

Some of it came from the journey, while some had been scared out of him by the Third Kazekage.

It was terrifying. The Third Kazekage had personally come after them. Just thinking about it was frightening.

Fortunately, Chiyue had resolved the crisis. Otherwise, the grass on Minato Namikaze's grave would be a meter tall next year.

Minato was exhausted, and Uchiha Mikoto was no better. She sat limply on the ground, not wanting to move at all.

"Have some water."

Chiyue handed them both a canteen, then looked back in the direction they had come from. "They've clearly given up the pursuit. We have plenty of time to return to Konoha slowly."

He really wanted to chop these three pigs to pieces.

If they were not his employers, Chiyue would have thrown them away at the first opportunity.

"Chiyue, how did you do it?"

After resting for a while, Minato and Uchiha Mikoto gradually recovered. The two of them looked at Chiyue at the same time, their eyes seeming ready to see through every one of his secrets.

Sitting on the grass, Chiyue took out some spare rations and shared them with the two. As he ate, he said casually:

"I just did it. I developed an illusion technique with fairly strong control effects. Who knew the Third Kazekage would carelessly fall for it?"

Carelessly fall for it?

Stop lying to us. He got caught by it outright, okay? We're not blind!

Minato ate his rations and rolled his eyes at Chiyue.

Glancing at the three people still unconscious on the ground, Chiyue said to Minato and Uchiha Mikoto:

"I hope you'll keep some of what happened today secret. Just say we encountered enemies from Sunagakure. Do not mention the Third Kazekage."

"I won't say anything."

Uchiha Mikoto answered firmly.

Even if Chiyue had not specifically reminded her, she would not have told anyone.

Unless Chiyue brought it up himself.

"Mm."

Minato was no longer the innocent little boy who always asked why.

He knew some of the village's darkness, and he understood why Chiyue did not want anyone to know about this.

If the news got out, it would do Chiyue absolutely no good.

Instead, it would make certain people even more wary. They would not believe any explanation about an illusion technique. They would only stubbornly believe that it was all power granted by the Sharingan.

Especially the suspicious Third Hokage and Danzo, who always viewed everything from its darkest side.

"Let's go. We'll only be safe once we return to the village as soon as possible. News of Sunagakure declaring war on Konoha must be sent back immediately."

After resting for a while, the three of them picked up their burdens and continued on their way.

"Who goes there?"

Upon entering the heartland of the Fire Country, the three headed straight for a roadside outpost. At present, the fastest way to send a message was to find the ninja stationed at an outpost.

They could send the news back to the village through ninja hawks.

"Senior."

Minato dropped the person he was carrying onto the ground, raised a hand, and called out:

"We're from Chiyue Squad. We were escorting our employers to the Land of Rivers when we encountered a Sunagakure surprise attack force. Sunagakure's ninja army has already invaded the Fire Country. Please send this news back to the village as quickly as possible."

"What?"

The stationed ninja was immediately shocked.

He hurriedly sent two people to verify the identities of Chiyue's group. Once they confirmed everything was in order, they tied an intelligence scroll to a ninja hawk's leg and released it into the sky.

"Caw!!"

Carrying the intelligence scroll, the ninja hawk cried out and spread its wings, flying into the dark night sky.

"Rest for now. You've worked hard. If this intelligence is true, you'll be heroes of the village."