The Oriole

His attempt to communicate with the Nine-Tails ended in failure.

After all, after being imprisoned for so many years, the strongest of the Tailed Beasts was gradually becoming little more than a wild animal. It had only one thought in its head... escape!

To compensate himself for the trouble of leaving his body in spirit, Guo Wang kindly added a Sealing Technique to Kushina Uzumaki's Sea of Consciousness, concealing it within Namikaze Minato's Four Symbols Seal. If the Nine-Tails ever truly broke free, this "Reverse Four Symbols Seal" would activate.

"I was originally planning to ask the Tailed Beasts how they manipulate and refine Natural Energy."

For Guo Wang, who had cultivated Qi and pursued immortality throughout his previous life, going even one day without cultivation left him feeling deeply uncomfortable. The Earth's Spiritual Qi in this world was not abundant, but few Cultivators were refining it. Once he mastered the method, he would become the only Qi Refiner on this planet.

If he persevered, perhaps he could one day cross the stars and find a way home.

After leaving the Sea of Consciousness, Guo Wang filled his somewhat hungry stomach. Then the Three Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes flashed as he released the Genjutsu placed on Kushina Uzumaki.

"Huh? What happened to me?"

Though she had fallen asleep, Guo Wang had exchanged a few moves with the Nine-Tails inside her Sea of Consciousness, leaving her complexion far from healthy.

She looked as though she had stayed awake for two nights straight. Kushina Uzumaki's face was haggard, and faint dark circles showed beneath her once-bright eyes. Yet she remembered nothing at all, assuming it was simply because she had been tense ever since leaving Konoha and had not rested properly.

"Death and blood will agitate the Tailed Beast. You cannot fully control the Nine-Tails. Tomorrow, this old man will send someone to take you back to Konoha."

That was Danzo's nature. He would never allow a Tailed Beast to escape the village's control. Besides, the broader situation had already been decided. Kumogakure was suffering defeat after defeat, Sunagakure had become a dependent, and Iwagakure had just signed a ceasefire agreement. Konoha had already come ashore in this Third Shinobi World War and had no need to deploy a Jinchuriki, the ultimate weapon.

To avoid unforeseen complications, it was best to send this overly lively girl back to the village and let Danzo's good friend deal with the headache.

"Ah..."

Kushina Uzumaki wanted badly to refuse, but when she met Guo Wang's fierce, cold eyes, she lowered her head involuntarily. An unprecedented exhaustion suddenly washed over her body. Her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.

"A side effect? Though an ordinary Jinchuriki would probably be unconscious by now."

A term from the Nine-Tails surfaced in his mind.

A Sage Body!?

It seemed the First Hokage had possessed such a constitution.

"Something like immortal bones and a Spirit Root? Orochimaru mentioned it in his Sage Jutsu research. I wonder whether he has any samples."

As he pondered, Guo Wang raised his right hand. Chakra spread out at a particular frequency, and after several breaths, two Anbu were kneeling before him.

"Gui, you will guard her tonight. Ryoma, tomorrow select a squad and personally escort her back."

Having obedient lackeys under him was useful in just this way. A single order was enough to ensure everything was handled properly.

"If I return, won't the security around you be somewhat weakened, sir?"

Aburame Torune usually kept a low profile, but he had faced the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki head-on on the battlefield. That represented both his strength and his position as Root's second-in-command. Shisui had followed Namikaze Minato to the front lines, and if Torune left too, then should a situation like the one in the Land of Rain arise, even Danzo could not possibly emerge unscathed every time.

"Rest easy. Konoha's shinobi have not fallen so low that enemies can threaten a commander within the main camp. Besides, have faith in the village's younger generation. They have been tempered into capable shinobi by this war."

At those words, Aburame Torune thought of one young yet no longer immature face after another. His expression could not be seen behind his dark glasses, but he nodded and accepted the assignment.

"Eh, eh, eh! You're going back to the village? Why not take this Sage along too? My injuries are rather serious, and I have no strength left. I need to return to the village so the nurse ladies can properly nurse me back to health..."

Early the next morning, Jiraiya saw Kushina Uzumaki leaving under the protection of three Anbu, her face puffed up with anger but helpless to resist. With half his body still wrapped in bandages, he shamelessly tried to tag along. As the Third Hokage's disciple and a former commander, Shikaku Nara could only pretend not to hear him before secretly sending someone to notify Guo Wang.

In the end, Danzo, who arrived after receiving the news, gave Jiraiya a harsh scolding and stopped him from slacking off and sneaking back to the village.

"What does it matter? The front lines have you old man holding them down, plus Minato and the others. The Raikage is seriously injured too. Whether this Sage is there or not makes no difference."

Jiraiya watched Kushina Uzumaki's lovely red-haired figure disappear from sight and continued muttering resentfully. Lazy by nature, he had long since stopped wanting to remain at the front lines. Recently, inspiration had been flooding his mind, giving him countless lewd ideas. If he could recuperate properly in the village and gather some material at the hot springs, a masterpiece of erotic literature that would shake the ages could be born and dominate the publishing world.

Unfortunately, Danzo, an Elder strict with himself, utterly despised the lewd thoughts filling Jiraiya's mind.

As his uncle in the martial lineage, Guo Wang felt obligated to guide this wayward disciple back onto the proper path.

But before he could begin that lesson, a piece of encrypted intelligence interrupted him.

"Nonō actually used such a conspicuous method. It seems the matter is urgent."

The moment Guo Wang received the scroll, he knew who had sent it. As the king of spies, Yakushi Nonō had a thousand ways to deliver intelligence into Danzo's hands without Konoha's shinobi noticing. Yet today, she had chosen such a high-profile method. The contents had to be extraordinary.

"Ōnoki really knows how to seize an advantage."

After opening it, even Guo Wang could not maintain the composed expression Danzo should have possessed.

"What is it?"

Jiraiya took the scroll and read it. Even his normally frivolous expression turned solemn.

An army of thirty thousand from the Land of Earth had set out by sea, struck the Land of Lightning's rear, occupied vast territory, and cut off Kumogakure's route home.

"Commander, what should we do? Konoha has only just signed a ceasefire agreement with Iwagakure."

Shikaku Nara was the third to see the intelligence, but what he first needed to know was the village leadership's stance.

With the commander out in the field, they naturally could not send the intelligence back to Konoha and wait for the Hokage's decision.

Thus, as the Hokage's aide, the Elder heading the Advisory Department, and the frontline commander, Danzo represented the village's will at this moment.

"Send a document to Ōnoki in my name. Have Iwagakure yield half of the gains. That is their duty as an ally."

"And if he refuses?"

The moment Shikaku Nara finished speaking, Jiraiya let out a strange cry beside him.

"How could that old Tsuchikage agree? His temper is famous throughout the Five Great Nations."

"We defeated Kumogakure's army on the main battlefield. That means the Land of Fire has defeated the Land of Lightning. By all reason, Ōnoki is now occupying Konoha's territory."

Guo Wang ignored Jiraiya. He lifted his gaze and spoke coldly.

"If he refuses, that means Iwagakure tore up the ceasefire agreement first."