Damn, I've become a substitute!

The clash between the Rock Fist and the Lightning Release Armor was merely a preliminary test before the battle was abruptly halted.

"Stop!"

The Third Raikage's voice, as booming as a mortar, left the nearby Iwagakure Ninja reeling with throbbing heads.

Yet, neither combatant paid him any heed; instead, they intensified their exchange, the sound of their collision ringing out even louder, drowning out the Third Raikage's roar.

The Third Raikage's face darkened, and the lightning crackling around his body twisted and writhed in sync with his volatile mood.

Savages will always be savages.

Ōnoki muttered a few words before saying in a deep voice, "Kitsuchi, stop fighting. Stand down."

Kitsuchi, who was still locked in a fierce struggle, suddenly pulled back. He placed his left hand on his Rock Fist to apply the Added-Weight Rock Technique, and the fist plummeted vertically, tearing the earth asunder with a thunderous BOOM.

With the point of impact as the center, the ground shattered like a pile of wooden blocks, heaving and undulating.

The rapidly shifting terrain forced the Fourth A to retreat nimbly to maintain his footing. Only after putting a significant distance between them did Kitsuchi slowly cease his offensive.

Looking at his own disgraceful, disobedient son, and comparing him to the composed and obedient Kitsuchi, the Third Raikage felt an urge to grab his son's head and deliver a dose of [Paternal Love] heavy enough to rattle his brain.

"We're leaving!"

Though the Third Raikage didn't strike the Fourth A directly, a flick of his finger—charged with electric arcs—sent the Fourth A's head spinning.

Ignoring his resilient son, the Third Raikage placed his thick fingers on the Fourth A's shoulder and easily dragged him away by force.

The Iwagakure Ninja prepared to intercept, but were stopped by Ōnoki.

"Let them go!"

The long-standing prestige of the Third Tsuchikage ensured that no one among the Iwagakure Ninja stepped forward to ask any foolish questions.

"Just you wait! You wait! Kitsuchi, the next time we meet, I will be the one to win!" Even as he was being dragged away by the Third Raikage, the Fourth A turned his head and roared at the top of his lungs.

"I will be the one to win." Kitsuchi replied with absolute certainty, his resolve shining through with unwavering firmness.

Even Ōnoki couldn't help but cast a glance at him.

He knew his own son well; where had that steady, rock-like son gone? Why did he suddenly seem like a piece of flint?

Was this spirited, aggressive fellow really not from the Cloud Ninja next door?

"Father, letting the Raikage and his men go was Uchiha Yuji's decision, wasn't it?" Kitsuchi didn't phrase it as a question.

"The gap between our power and his is too vast. To preserve Iwagakure, we must sacrifice our pride." Ōnoki nodded slightly after a moment of silence. "This is a brand-new era, one with a situation unlike anything we have seen before."

"When the First Tsuchikage was still alive, there was Senju Hashirama to suppress Uchiha Madara. In this era of the Third Kage, we shall see if Konoha can still maintain its old style."

Ōnoki stroked his beard, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. "The power of the Uchiha Clan is too great. Once the news spreads that neither Iwagakure nor the Cloud Ninja are his match, then, based on what I know of Sarutobi Hiruzen..."

"He will certainly exhaust every means to weaken the Uchiha."

"He lacks the courage and ability of the Second Hokage, but he has certainly learned the Second Hokage's bad habits."

"Arrogance, and a hatred for the Uchiha."

Thinking of this, Ōnoki couldn't help but chuckle.

Kitsuchi didn't know why his old man had started laughing, so he scratched his head with his numb right hand. "The Third Hokage shouldn't be a match for Uchiha Yuji."

"True, but the Shinobi World isn't just about killing. When it comes to politics, even if you gave the Uchiha ten heads and tied them all together, they wouldn't be a match for that monkey, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

On this point, Ōnoki had absolute confidence.

"The Raikage wrote down a pile of [Intelligence] just to be allowed to leave. I truly hope Sarutobi Hiruzen is capable enough to just poison Uchiha Yuji to death."

"I don't think Uchiha Yuji is the type to talk things out nicely," Kitsuchi said honestly.

Ōnoki admitted he was just dreaming, but since it was a dream, there was no harm in imagining an even more beautiful fantasy.

For instance: the entire Uchiha Clan migrating to the Land of Earth.

At the Konoha defensive position in the Land of Grass.

Hatake Sakumo watched the stack of surrender letters and [Intelligence] reports, his eyelid twitching uncontrollably. His fingers kept flipping through the pages, and his lips remained tightly pressed.

"The Third Hokage colluded with the Third Raikage, trading the defensive intelligence of the front lines for vast resources."

"He arranged for the Anbu to steal massive amounts of supplies and intelligence from other nations, only to line his own pockets and allow the Sarutobi Clan to grow rapidly."

"He leaked information on ninja clans and individuals who refused to obey the Hokage's orders, and dispatched them to complete impossible missions on the battlefield."

Hatake Sakumo flipped through the many pages filled with text, his eyes clouded with doubt as his right hand gently tapped the thick stack of paper.

"Yuji, isn't this intelligence a bit distorted?"

"The Hokage doesn't seem like the type of person who would do such things."

"Or, to put it another way, is there really anyone in this Shinobi World this stupid?"

Although Uchiha Yuji knew full well that this was just the Third Raikage making things up.

Yet, the Third Raikage's rambling, outrageous intelligence reports—written with the intent to be as absurd as possible—were strangely consistent with reality.

However, compared to the even more heaven-defying operations carried out by a certain "Darkness of the Shinobi" who preferred to remain anonymous, what the Third Raikage wrote was actually quite conservative.

"I won't concern myself with the specific intelligence; that is the job of the Intelligence Department. This much information should keep those guys in the Anbu busy for quite a while."

"Anyway, these things are proofs written by Ōnoki and the Third Raikage A, believe them or not as you please."

Uchiha Yuji was clearly a reasonable person, "For those who don't believe, I will have the ninjas of the Uchiha Clan pay them a visit to properly explain things to them."

What kind of explanation is that? I see you're just looking for trouble!

The reprinted intelligence was not only placed on Hatake Sakumo's desk, but also delivered by Ninja Hawk to the Hokage's office building in Konoha.

Seeing the surrender document signed by the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Raikage to Hatake Sakumo, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his heart stop.

But having weathered many battles and hardships, Sarutobi Hiruzen still sat steadily in the Hokage's seat, slowly flipping through the intelligence that followed.

This time, it wasn't just his heart stopping; it was accompanied by a sharp pain in his gut.

When Danzo was doing his dirty work, was this Third Raikage standing right there? Did his black skin allow him to blend seamlessly into the night?

Why is it so similar to the actual situation!

These were clearly all jobs done by Danzo, but Danzo has already departed for the Pure Land.

Oh no! I've become Danzo's scapegoat!