Thunder and rain!
In a small house in Kumogakure, there were Kimimaro, Tōka, Kisame, Yakumo, and Karin, who had just finished the first round of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
Hozuki Mangetsu's whereabouts aroused suspicion in Kumogakure, and there is now a 90% chance that he has been brought under control by Samui's squad.
Samui was a shrewd and capable woman. There was such an obvious Lightning Rod on the mountain peak where Hozuki Mangetsu was located, it was impossible for her not to notice it.
Even if Tōka removes the Tenseigan Puppet Technique from Hozuki Mangetsu, Samui will not leave any hidden dangers and will choose to remove the Lightning Rod and take it back to Kumogakure for research.
Therefore, Tōka intends to activate the Jutsu Formula again!
With Hozuki Mangetsu falling into the hands of Kumogakure, Kimimaro Squad was in grave danger and could no longer remain in Kumogakure.
"The four of you are responsible for creating chaos; you don't need to face the enemy head-on." Although Tōka spoke to the four of them, his gaze remained fixed on Kisame.
Karin and Yakumo are not warlike, Kimimaro is also very obedient. The only Kisame, this fanatical warmonger, might get carried away and directly engage in a major battle with the Cloud Ninja.
Feeling Tōka's piercing gaze, Kisame's face tightened, and a sense of dread rose in his heart.
"Don't worry," Kisame licked his dry lips and replied in a low voice.
"Action!" Tōka said, and his figure flashed and quickly disappeared into the bustling street.
The people of Kumogakure were unaware of the danger in Jiangling. The central street was bustling with people, and the villagers wore smiles on their faces.
Only the strong have the right to peace.
That night, darkness descended, like a black curtain shrouding the sky.
The light was completely blocked, and the earth fell into slumber.
Sudden!
A thunderous roar ripped through the sky, and a towering peak in the Land of Lightning was shrouded in white clouds, with thunder roaring incessantly.
The moment the thunder struck, the entire mountain was illuminated by a blinding light, as bright as day.
A ghostly black figure stood atop the mountain peak, draped in a long, black robe, with a wide brim obscuring his face.
His face appeared the instant the thunderclap struck...
An ordinary Fox Mask, yet it exudes an indescribable charm, inspiring awe—no, it should be described as something to look up to!
Tōka slowly stretched out her hands, revealing a pair of Ice Blue eyes through the Fox Mask.
The chakra within his body circulated, and with the movement of his hands, the chakra, imbued with the power of nature, traveled through his meridians along a strange route.
Son...
A thunderous roar suddenly appeared beside Tōka, illuminating half of his body, making him appear half black and half white, revealing an even more mysterious aura.
Noon...
Tōka's two hands were half-fisted, with his index fingers extended and the Finger Bones touching.
A fierce wind howled, and sand and dust rose from the mountaintop, creating a deafening roar. Gusts of wind whipped Tōka's black robes into the wind.
Thunder roared...
Howling wind...
Not yet!
It took Tōka three seconds to complete the three simple hand seals, as a powerful and profound surge of chakra erupted like a tsunami.
The entire peak, hundreds of meters high, seemed to tremble.
Rumble...
It was impossible to tell whether it was thunder or howling wind.
This was the first time in years that Tōka had used such a massive amount of Senjutsu Chakra since absorbing the Dragon Vein. His body felt as if it were in boiling water, with the chakra churning and a wave of heat washing over him.
His powerful, Ice Blue pupils narrowed, and a low murmur slowly emanated from beneath the Fox Mask.
"Sage Art: Lightning Prison Descent!"
Boom!!
Within the Land of Lightning, in an area of a thousand miles centered on Kumogakure), thunder rumbled across the sky, instantly illuminating the dark night.
Inside the Raikage Building in Kumogakure, the Raikage stood at the window with a solemn expression.
As the strange streaks of lightning flashed across the sky, Raikage's pupils constricted further. He opened his mouth and his deep voice rang out, "What is the Perception Team doing? Haven't they found the cause of this anomaly yet?"
In Raikage's Office, Samui stood respectfully to the side.
A Cloud Ninja knelt on one knee, his forehead beaded with cold sweat under the Raikage's violent and agitated pressure.
"Lord Raikage, please don't be anxious." Samui's cool voice rang out, and the tense atmosphere in the room eased.
Raikage's tense muscles relaxed slightly, and he withdrew his sharp gaze from the head of the perception class. He knew that these things couldn't be rushed.
And it can't be blamed on the squad leader of the perception class; it was probably just a rather exaggerated lightning strike.
Within the Land of Lightning, towering peaks can be seen everywhere, and thunder rumbles across the sky. It is not uncommon for nighttime storms to alternate between thunder and lightning.
"I hope I'm overthinking it." Raikage stood at the window, his fist clenched, his expression still grave.
Until the Raikage figured out the unusual nature of this thunderous outburst, his mind would never find peace.
A sinister atmosphere permeated the air, extremely dangerous; perhaps a single blow would be enough to bring the entire Kumogakure to its doom.
Samui naturally knew what the Raikage was thinking; she was also anxious, but she never showed it on her face.
The more urgent the situation, the less likely one is to panic. Samui glanced at the head of the perception class and gestured for him to step back. The most important thing right now is to find the cause of the celestial anomaly, not to blame the head of the perception class.
Having received Samui's hint, the leader of the Cloud Ninja Sensing Squad breathed a sigh of relief and quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
Meanwhile, in a courtyard in Kumogakure, the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Ōnoki, in an attempt to curry favor with Kumogakure, personally led a squad of Genin to participate in Kumogakure's Chunin Ninja Exams.
To demonstrate his magnanimity, the Raikage specially arranged a spacious courtyard for Ōnoki and his group to stay in.
The courtyard is mainly made of rocks and elm wood. Ōnoki knelt under the eaves, looking at the ominous thunderclouds in the sky, and wondered to himself.
"Go, find out where Hozuki Mangetsu is!" Ōnoki, being an old fox, quickly sensed something was amiss.
"Yes." A Stone Ninja Jonin Earth Release techniques to quickly leave.
"The three of you will follow the instructions of Jonin and obey Jonin every command, understand?" Ōnoki turned to Deidara, Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, and said in a deep voice.
Although he was speaking to the three of them, Ōnoki's gaze remained fixed on Deidara.
Of the three disciples, Deidara had the best talent and the strongest strength, and was also the one that caused Ōnoki the most pain.
Deidara is great in every way, except he's always shouting that explosions are art.
Iwagakure of Ōnoki in the Land of Earth, holds absolute authority, but he's quickly losing his grip on the village's voices, all because of that brat Deidara causing explosions everywhere.
This has created chaos and disorder throughout Iwagakure. Ōnoki had no choice but to bring the kid out this time.
Rather than causing destruction in his own village, Ōnoki didn't mind Deidara's rampage and bombing in Kumogakure.
"Okay, okay, Old Man, you're really long-winded!" Deidara impatiently put on his coat, patted his butt, and stood up.
"Please rest assured, Lord Tsuchikage." As a member of the Tsuchikage Guard Team, Ohara Tsugu was already Elite Jonin, capable of fighting even against Kage-level.
He didn't understand the significance of Deidara, Kurotsuchi, and Akatsuchi. The three in the team not only included the Tsuchikage's most prized disciple, but also the Tsuchikage's granddaughter.
Protecting the three is a more difficult task than guarding the Tsuchikage; even if it means his own death, Ohara Tsugu cannot allow anything to happen to them.
With a deafening roar, a bolt of pure white lightning cleaved the dark night sky in two.
Crackling sounds...
Large raindrops pattered down, splashing against the eaves and creating sparkling, translucent droplets. The sound of the raindrops shattering was like steel balls striking Ōnoki's heart.
A chilling, ominous atmosphere permeated the air.
A deep sense of unease made him tense up, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his entire face contorted in embarrassment.
The Land of Lightning's Cloud Gorge was just a hundred paces away from the first Lightning Rod planted by Kimimaro Squad.
A Pitcher Plant slowly emerged from the ground, its ghostly form shrouded in a blurry shadow in the heavy rain.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Tōka's Jutsu Formula is truly terrifying. Even from a distance of over a hundred steps, it makes one feel as if they are in Lightning Prison." Black Zetsu squinted as he examined the Lightning Rod, which was as thick as an arm.
Beneath the thunderclouds, all the lightning bolts were drawn to this spot.
The earth seemed to be electrified, crackling and hissing. Even from a hundred paces away, Black Zetsu felt a powerful Lightning strike through the air and land on him.
A tingling sensation swept through my entire body, making even my movements feel unnaturally stiff.
"Tōka said that when the Jutsu Formula is activated, no one should approach within ten steps of the Lightning Rod. Even a master of Lightning Release who is proficient in Lightning Release transformation will be pulverized if they step within ten steps."
The Land of Lightning has a total of six Lightning Rod, which draw all the Lightning from beneath the thunderclouds into the Jutsu Formula.
Apart from the four corners of the Northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest being very well hidden and requiring no guards, the beginning and middle of the Land of Lightning Cloud Gorge are also important locations.
Black Zetsu at ease and had arranged for people to handle the situation.
He himself was at the head of the group, while nearly a hundred White Zetsu were positioned in the middle!
The Cloud Gorge, shrouded in darkness, resembled a mountain forest enveloped in a black mist, making it difficult to see beyond five steps. However, the area around the Lightning Rod was unusually bright and dazzling.
Sudden!
A startled Giant Wild Boar burst out of the forest, rushing headlong into the brightly lit area illuminated by lightning.
Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed, and he was about to make a move to kill the Giant Wild Boar...
His hand suddenly stopped moving, frozen in mid-air.
"Didn't Tōka say that the Lightning Rod is the most dangerous place Jutsu Formula is activated? Perfect, let's use this Giant Wild Boar to test the power of Lightning Prison!"
The thought flashed through my mind, and the Pitcher Plant slowly sank into the earth.
Thump!
Knock knock!!
The Giant Wild Boar seemed to be being chased by an even more ferocious Beast, Giant Wild Boar was completely unaware that the most dangerous place in the forest was right in front of it!
Sizzle...
They were less than ten steps away, but at fifty steps!
A bolt of lightning pierced through the air, instantly penetrating the hundreds-of-pounds- Giant Wild Boar, the Lightning striking directly into its body.
The charging Giant Wild Boar took two steps forward due to inertia, after which its speed gradually decreased.
Following...
With a thud, the Giant Wild Boar collapsed to the ground, Budong, and the smell of burning flesh wafted in all directions on the strong wind.
"Wow, not bad at all!" Black Zetsu, hiding in the shadows, recorded this scene before silently departing...
Even the thick-skinned Giant Wild Boar couldn't get within ten paces...
Having witnessed the power of the Lightning Prison, Black Zetsu clearly believed Tōka's words: within ten steps of the Lightning Rod, any living being would be pulverized!
In the southeast of the Land of Lightning, on a Thunderstorm night, two men wearing straw hats and Red Cloud Black Cloak walked slowly.
Rustling...
The quiet, slow movements have a unique charm.
"Scorpion, have you received some news?" Kakuzu's deep voice rang out, filled with displeasure.
It was late at night, and another day of Thunderstorm and rain.
Scorpion actually dragged him along this mountain path, insisting that they had to reach a village on the coast of the Land of Lightning before dawn?
If it weren't for Sasori's strength, Kakuzu have already unleashed a Fire Release attack.
"Hmm." Scorpion responded coldly, controlling Hiruko to move step by step, without saying a word to Kakuzu.
Upon hearing this, Kakuzu choked, his face darkening with anger. His Dark Green pupils revealed a chilling murderous intent, appearing even more alluring in the night.
Scorpion's movements remained unhurried, as if he didn't even consider Kakuzu a threat.
Among the Akatsuki, only Tōka could reliably defeat him; even Pain could only manage a 30/70 split!
However, if the Lightning Prison Plan succeeds this time, Scorpion believes that with his new creation, he can even fight Pain to a standstill!
Of course, all of this was just Scorpion's idea...
Sasori was right about one thing: within Akatsuki, his strength was indeed no weaker Kakuzu's, with only Tōka and Nagato ahead of him.
As for that stinking snake, Scorpion never took it seriously.
Kakuzu stopped and stared coldly at Hiruko's back. After hesitating for a long time, he finally gave up his plan to teach Sasori a lesson.
The Akatsuki Organization was alright; aside from the occasional necessary missions, Pain didn't interfere with the members' activities.
As long as we don't reveal Akatsuki's information, everything will be fine.
At the same time, Pain, the leader of Akatsuki, is also very powerful, possessing the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, and there is an even more terrifying figure hidden among them.
Kakuzu was quite satisfied with the Akatsuki Organization.
Putting aside the outcome, attacking Sasori would be tantamount to betraying Akatsuki, and for many reasons, Kakuzu had no choice but to suppress his killing intent.
However, Kakuzu know was that the moment he withdrew that faint killing intent he had been emitting...
The Sealing Scroll hidden in Hiruko's hand was also put away.
"Hmph, I'll let it slide this time." Kakuzu snorted coldly and took a step to follow Sasori.
Scorpion walked silently forward. He didn't like waiting for others, and he disliked being waited for even more. Tōka had said that they had to reach the small coastal village before dawn.
Since Scorpion has agreed, he will definitely arrive on time.
Moreover, Scorpion knew that Tōka's calculations were usually accurate; the gift Tōka had prepared for him would definitely appear in that place!!
I'm kind of looking forward to it...
Hiruko remained expressionless, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
In the 54th year of Konoha, Kirigakure of the Land of Water and Iwagakure of the Land of Earth conspired to attack Land of Lightning Kumogakure, while Tōka secretly fueled the plot.
Lightning Prison...
Jutsu Formula activation!!