"Are you ever going to stop?!"
"You come here only once a year, do you think it's like a New Year's pilgrimage?"
The Land of Rain.
Most of the Akatsuki have gone on missions, Konan would have a tough time dealing with Kakashi now.
Nagato had no choice but to send out Deva Path Pain.
Kakashi held up a token.
The token is engraved with the Uchiha Clan crest, and below it is the Konoha headband mark.
"I'm not here to see Obito this time."
"By order of Uchiha Clan Head, Kagami Uchiha, representing the Land of Fire, I wish to speak with the leader of your Land of Rain."
Are you the leader of the Land of Rain?
"Come in and let's talk."
Kakashi explained the situation and waited for him to leave.
Nagato assembled the Akatsuki members.
His leg injuries were healed, and his hair color had returned to normal; however, he still moved around in Deva Path Pain of the time.
In Nagato's heart, Yahiko would always be the leader of Akatsuki.
Above the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, illusory figures appeared one after another.
Many members gather using the Projected Image Technique while on missions outside.
"Pain, is there anything that requires us to gather everyone?"
"Show some respect to the leader, Obito brat."
"Looks like your puppet wants to shatter again..."
"Alright!"
Pain said in a deep voice, "Kakashi is here today."
"He comes every year, what's so special about that?" Kakuzu scoffed dismissively.
"That brat is only good because of his Flying Thunder God Technique; otherwise, I would have torn his mouth apart long ago!"
"Konan, you tell us."
After listening to Konan's explanation, the members of the Akatsuki fell silent.
"I will participate," Pain said in a deep voice. The reward was secondary; the most important thing was...
If he doesn't participate, Kagami Uchiha will destroy the Land of Rain, according to Kakashi's words.
This is the tragedy of small countries...
Even if he had become powerful enough to carve out a territory in this chaotic world, he still seemed weak in the face of the Land of Fire.
Furthermore, this is also a great opportunity.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't dare enter the Land of Fire in his true form, but now Kagami Uchiha is publicly holding this kind of competition.
If we were to attack anyone, it would truly ignite a major war within the Land of Fire.
He believed that Kagami Uchiha would not do such a thing.
"Dragon Vein Crystal..."
The scorpion pondered.
He has been using even the scraps left over from the Dragon Vein to this day, and he Omnipotence imagine how much energy the treasure known as the Dragon Vein Crystal must possess.
The fact that the Sharingan in the reward made Sasori somewhat willing to believe in Kagami Uchiha this time.
"Two billion... two billion... two billion... two billion..."
Kakuzu kept repeating those words like a broken record.
Among the rewards, what really caught Obito's eye was the Severance Release.
His idea was the same as Tobirama Senju's: to use this opportunity to find out Kagami Uchiha's weaknesses.
He possesses Yin-Yang Release and Wood Release techniques, among others.
If possible, he also wants to get a copy of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Could this be a trap set by Kagami Uchiha?"
"He's not a good person."
Black Zetsu spoke.
He didn't want any of those rewards; he just wanted the Rinnegan to Rinnegan.
In the worst-case scenario, he could retain the Rinnegan and wait until Kagami Uchiha dies of old age before taking action.
Anyway, none of the Nine Tailed Beasts or he will die.
"He invited Hashirama Senju," Pain said indifferently.
"If it really is a trap, that would be even better. We can take advantage of the situation to unite with those people from Hidden Fire Village, plus the Four Nations Alliance."
"At worst, we'll launch the Fourth Shinobi World War in the Land of Fire!"
"I don't think it's a trap, but I don't understand why Kagami would do that." Obito frowned, puzzled.
After a brief silence.
"Perhaps... it's for the sake of change."
Scorpion said calmly.
"I spent some time with him, and he's someone who hates predetermined futures."
"He probably wants to change the system of the Shinobi World."
Pain and Konan felt something.
"You're overthinking it, Scorpion."
Kakuzu sneered disdainfully.
"That selfish guy, Kagami Uchiha, wouldn't care about any system."
"If you ask me, he did it so that the young people of Konoha could gain experience. No... it's even possible that this tournament was held for his younger brother and disciples."
"Kakuzu, you underestimate Kagami Uchiha." Pain shook his head, disagreeing with Kakuzu's words.
"Yes, how could a strong person like him possibly cause the entire Shinobi World to be affected by something of this magnitude?"
"Hmm, I think Scorpion makes a good point."
Black Zetsu felt something was off when he heard that even White Zetsu agreed with Sasori's point of view.
He, however, felt...
Kakuzu's version is more credible.
That's how the Uchiha clan is; for the sake of one person, they can drag the entire Shinobi World into chaos.
They've been like this since the time of Indra...
——
——
The Land of Lightning.
Uchiha Shinka calmly sipped his tea, sitting opposite the four Kage.
"That's Kagami-sama's order."
"If you participate and are lucky enough to get a seat, I will give you a little more time to survive."
"Otherwise, just wait for destruction."
Bang!
Lei Ying angrily slammed his fist on the table, and Shinka Huo dodged the flying pieces of wood by tilting his head.
"What a joke! Our name is inherited from our ancestors, what right does Kagami Uchiha have to take it away!"
"Even if I die! I will die in the name of the Raikage!!"
Ōnoki and the others had grim expressions, and their thoughts were the same as the Raikage's.
Rather than participating in this humiliating martial arts competition, it would be better to wage a fair and square war against the Land of Fire!
"Then let's start the war!"
"Let's start the war! Fight Kagami Uchiha to the death!"
"Don't think that the Shinobi World is under Kagami Uchiha's control!"
The scene was noisy for a while, but eventually a consensus was reached.
That means immediately launching the Fourth Shinobi World War!
Shinka pulled a pocket watch from his sleeve and glanced at everyone.
"Three minutes. You have three minutes to make your arrangements."
"What do you mean?"
On Shinka's aged face, wrinkles piled up from a smile.
"Kagami-sama, please enjoy this magnificent view. Please move to the spacious open area."
——
——
The border between the Land of Hot Springs and the Land of Lightning.
A tall, slender figure hovered in mid-air, his black robes fluttering in the wind.
He slowly drew a long sword, wisps of black and red aura swirling around it.
Boom!!!
A pillar of fire erupted from the earth, engulfing his figure.
The scorching Flame Flow all the way to the horizon, with no end in sight, before slowly receding.
The color of the flames deepened as they condensed, eventually turning a dark reddish-black.
Lava flowed across the black and red chakra armor.
The massive chakra fluctuations stabilized, and layers of air waves surged, creating ripples.
A terrifying war god, hundreds of meters tall, stood on the earth.
Beneath their feet, Flame Flow began to sweep across, forming a wildfire.
"The location of the Shinka is..."
"Then let's hold back a little."
Susanoo's movements were exactly the same as Kagami Uchiha's, slowly raising its long sword.
The long sword swung down.
A crescent-shaped, hundred-foot-long blade of light.
It emitted a faint blue light, like a crescent moon descending to earth from the night sky, possessing a cool beauty, yet filled with a dangerous aura.
The fierce black and red lightning protected the blade's edge, and the two advanced side by side.
The world was gloomy, and color was stripped away.
Everything along the way.
Mountains, rivers, towns...
Wherever it went, it was swept away by a powerful force and plunged into destruction.
Huge and deep cracks appeared on the earth, as if they were marks left by a giant hand from outer space on the planet, telling the myths of ancient times.
This dazzling yet terrifying beauty extended all the way to Kumogakure).
Half the village was split in two, and many ninjas and civilians who couldn't escape in time died.
The seawater churned and roared within the enormous crack.
In the deep sea, the faint Kakkō could still be seen...
This strike triggered an eruption of an underwater volcano!
The earth began to tremble.
Despite such a natural disaster, Shinka's smile remained unchanged.
Behind him, the azure slashes slowly dissipated; in everyone's eyes, he was like a demon king who brought destruction.
He slowly spoke to the ashen-faced crowd.
"Kagami-sama is giving you one month to carry out disaster relief."
"Remember Kagami-sama's will."
"You have no right to refuse."