The Profound Meaning of Flying Thunder God, Advance!

"Can I take a shortcut once more?"

Accustomed to taking the easy path, Uchiha Xiu activated his Kamui Mangekyo, attempting to catch a glimpse of the principles behind the Flying Thunder God.

It was just like a short while ago, under the comprehensive guidance of Tsunade, when he utilized the properties of the Gene Lock to master the S-rank Yin Seal!

The next moment, his space-time-based Kamui eye tapped into a specific flow of spatial patterns.

It was indeed feasible!!

His vision detached from the cave, and everything around him faded away in an instant.

Jiraiya, Shisui, Hyuga Tokuma, Elder Setsuna, and the entire Sarutobi Clan shinobi army all became ethereal, turning into hazy afterimages.

There was no heaven or earth, no up or down, only countless overlapping folds winding layer upon layer, with silver-blue spatial light flowing rapidly along the creases.

Fine cracks covered every direction, and behind each crack lay a different instantaneous coordinate.

The light points of the Flying Thunder God technique flickered in the void, pointing the way.

"Finally, I see the clues; it's like sticking my head through the door and stealing a hurried glance."

"It's a pity that whether I can succeed in the future depends on how much time, energy, and even resources I am willing to expend."

Under the Kamui vision, Uchiha Xiu could see massive fragments of time and space floating in intersection; he recorded everything he could, especially the wondrous physical sensations.

"Now, I begin to understand Orochimaru. Pursuing infinite techniques with a finite life, without knowing the 'version answer,' one can only slowly grope through the most niche science in the Ninja World. It truly makes one become morbid and extreme."

Wishing he could see a millennium in a single glance, Uchiha Xiu took a step forward, guided by the Flying Thunder God formation he had planted at a designated spot in Konoha.

The Hokage Rock appeared before him.

Under the streetlights, his face, young to an excessive degree, was particularly eye-catching.

The most handsome Hokage~

And before long, he would inevitably become the strongest Hokage as well!

"Phew, it's best if it works, but there's no need to obsess over the Flying Thunder God and put the cart before the horse. Reaching the root of one's bloodline is the true path. Once I sublimate to the level of a pure-blooded Otsutsuki, let alone instantaneous movement within the Ninja World, even interstellar travel at superluminal speeds will be no problem."

"Treating the universe as a pasture to grow fruits."

Having experienced several great wars, the increasingly confident Uchiha Xiu stopped his internal friction and collected his thoughts.

Meanwhile.

The duty-bound sealing-type jonin immediately initiated emergency assembly procedures.

"ROAR--"

"Old man Sage of Six Paths, keep your descendants in check!!"

Four-Tails Son Goku, having temporarily regained consciousness, discovered that upon waking up, he was trapped in a barrier cage that Uchiha Xiu had temporarily opened within his body, and he became uncontrollably manic.

Vaguely, he even smelled the scent of Indra on Uchiha Xiu.

But upon closer inspection, it wasn't quite right.

In any case, anyone with a Sharingan must be a descendant of the old man Sage of Six Paths, so roaring and throwing a tantrum was the right move.

Consequently, Lava Release chakra surged around the red-haired giant ape; the ground hissed and smoked from the high-temperature magma, and as his four tails lashed out, the Five Elements Seal chains trembled violently.

If this were the Uzumaki Clan's secret bloodline technique—Adamantine Sealing Chains—this guy wouldn't be allowed to act so insolently.

"Wood Release."

Uchiha Xiu couldn't be bothered with small talk and simply used his ultimate move, rapidly constructing a giant wooden prison within his internal world.

Re-experiencing the aura of the God Tree, the irritable giant ape changed his tune on the spot, almost calling himself 'Little Son.'

The assembled Sealing Team performed their respective duties, immediately activating pre-prepared scrolls, layering multiple Four Symbols Seals to form a higher-level Eight Trigrams Sealing formation.

With Uchiha Xiu's silent approval, chains of chakra were generated within the internal world.

They bound the Four-Tails' limbs and torso tightly, tethering him like a watchdog.

As a result, Son Goku, who had just backed down, suddenly birthed a new wave of ferocity and lashed out again, opening his mouth to spew a stream of lava, forcibly burning through several sealing chains as his Tailed Beast chakra continued to run wild, resisting all external confinement.

"Are all monkeys like this? After cowering in a second, they turn vicious and flip their faces; their temperaments are truly unstable."

Unfortunately, Konoha's sealing techniques were not third-rate goods.

They had a long heritage!

And they had been improved by successive Hokage.

Before long, the Sealing Team, building upon the foundation Uchiha Xiu had laid, completed all the finishing details.

Never mind the Four-Tails; even a complete Kurama after the unification of Yin and Yang would have to obediently bow his head and accept the reality of being imprisoned.

Even if subjected to external sealing technique interference or shocks, it would be impossible for him to break free.

Inside the internal world, the spiritual form of Uchiha Xiu walked straight through the wooden sealing door and stepped slowly into the center of the barrier. Without any superfluous movements, his Kamui Mangekyo stared directly at the ferocious giant beast before him.

"In our clan, decades ago, there was a clan leader, Madara. He forcibly controlled the Nine-Tails and created a technique."

Uchiha Xiu stated calmly: "It was called Beast Difficulty, calling Kurama a beast to his face."

"..." Son Goku.

"You wouldn't want to be treated like this, would you?"

Speaking like this for the first time, Uchiha Xiu caught a heavy whiff of doujinshi vibes.

"Besides, I've checked the memories of Roshi. That guy never once called you by your true name; he was arrogant to the extreme. He only tamed you as a tool and refused to show you even a shred of respect."

Hearing this, the sentient Four-Tails recognized the reality of the situation and hurriedly stepped down the stairs offered to him: "Then, are you willing to call me Son Goku?"

"Of course. From now on, please take care of me, Son Goku, Old Sun."

"Hahaha! I like that name!"

In an instant, the ferocity in Son Goku's eyes faded away, becoming clear. The Lava Release stopped leaking, his limbs ceased their struggling, and he offered voluntarily:

"Lord Hokage, from now on, whenever you want to use my power, just take it. Old Sun will cooperate with all his might."

What else could he do? If he burned bridges, he would be called a beast or a lowly dog, then forcibly manipulated by genjutsu and drained of his power.

The result would be the same.

Rather than inviting humiliation upon himself.

It was better to be smart.

Following the most outstanding descendant of the Sage of Six Paths in the current age was no disgrace.

Thinking of that name, Son Goku, who was helplessly self-soothing, felt his mindset soften even more. The old man had been very good to the nine Tailed Beasts, accompanying them from the moment they each gained independent consciousness in their infancy.

Well, he was only biased toward Gyuki and Kurama when it came to distributing chakra.

He was bad just that one time!

"Smooth as silk." Uchiha Xiu stretched his back.

A faint fragrance drifted over.

Tsunade rushed over from the Hokage office. Her usually cold and arrogant face showed a rare trace of panic as she stepped forward quickly:

"You guy... you just got back from causing a scene in Iwagakure, and you're already impatient to master the power of the Four-Tails? Do you really think you're the First Hokage?"

She habitually reached out, using medical ninjutsu to begin examining Uchiha Xiu.

The Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, was not easy to deal with.

His Particle Style was exceptionally troublesome.

That group of penniless Iwa-nin was also skilled in human-wave tactics, with a track record of having exhausted the Third Raikage to death.

Soon, confirming that the Fifth was unscathed and the chakra in his body had barely decreased, Tsunade's tone softened a bit, though she remained stubborn:

"If you died, what would happen to the two million ryo you promised me?"

Speaking of this, Tsunade took a step forward, stood on her tiptoes, and glared at Uchiha Xiu, her tone carrying a hint of threat:

"When are you giving me the money? Hmph, if I hadn't helped you master the Yin Seal in time, this mission definitely wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

At close range, and with Uchiha Xiu being taller, he easily caught a glimpse of the fair, heaving skin at Tsunade's neckline.

The deep, dazzling view made him feel dizzy.

An ordinary person would find it hard to handle, but Xiu was not afraid. As a man with a strong desire to climb, he loved challenging peaks the most.

"Don't worry, let's go to my place to get it now. First, tell me the intelligence from the various fronts..."

"You lecherous brat, where are your eyes looking?"

Tsunade spoke with disdain, but her feet didn't budge an inch, remaining just as generous.

Left behind at the border, Jiraiya, Shisui, Hyuga Tokuma, and the steam-ninja Han, who had been reduced to a trophy, would be fine without any accidents.

Kumogakure.

The Fourth Raikage, A, crossed his arms and closed his eyes in contemplation.

Laid out before him was the intelligence from the Land of Earth, transmitted in time by spies using summoning techniques and other means.

A surprise attack.

Hard control of a Tailed Beast.

An arrogant withdrawal.

"Uchiha, a noble family that left our Land of Lightning in the early days of the Warring States period."

"Over the years, quite a few ancient artifacts stamped with the Gunbai have been unearthed outside the village."

The Raikage, who looked like a black uncle, spoke with a sour tone, revealing his unwillingness.

Kumogakure was too desperate for talent!

Especially after the deaths of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, those bloodline monsters, ninjas born with terrifying innate talents had become few and far between. The strong in the village could only rely on bitter training and deep cultivation of the foundations laid by their predecessors to avoid internal strife.

Moreover, Uchiha Xiu's personality was exactly to his taste!

A real man doesn't waste words when there's a disagreement; just get to work.

"What are your thoughts?"

The Fourth Raikage's deep, resonant voice echoed once more: "Konoha's response is incredibly aggressive... Perhaps we should withdraw our forces from the Land of Moon and throw our full strength into plundering the Land of Earth."

Admittedly, Kumogakure had always presented itself with the image of "barbarians," and they took pride in it, yet the Raikages who inherited the name A throughout history often displayed a very delicate sense of strategy when it came to major affairs.

They rarely acted arbitrarily.

The so-called mania, savagery, and obsession with taijutsu were merely a layer of camouflage intended to scheme for greater benefits.

"I truly didn't expect that the Fifth Hokage, who took power through a coup after personally eliminating two Kage-level combatants like Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen, would dare to be so unyielding. The key is that he actually succeeded..."

Darui, serving as the Raikage's guard, remained expressionless. "I also agree with shifting our military focus to ruthlessly raid the Land of Earth."

The grudge between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth ran deep.

The Raikage's own father had died while being swarmed by an army of Iwa-nin, having stayed behind alone to cover the retreat of the Kumogakure forces, which was why the Fourth Raikage never stopped wanting revenge.

"How much oil can you squeeze out of a pauper? Of course, we should apply pressure where needed. There are too many ninja under Ōnoki, and the Fifth Hokage hasn't killed enough of them. We need to wipe out at least another two thousand of that old man's subordinates. It would be best to send him to his grave, or at the very least... kill his designated successor, Kitsuchi."

"Kill my father? I'll make his son pay with his life!"

The Raikage slammed his hand onto the table, looking like a ravenous wolf.

Whoever is weak or shows fear, bite them immediately!

To the side, Samui, whose chest was no less impressive than Tsunade's, curled her lip in helplessness.

The Fifth Hokage isn't ruthless? Hasn't killed enough?

According to conservative estimates from their spies, the Kage-level squad led by Uchiha Xiu had directly and indirectly wiped out two thousand Iwa-nin, a large portion of whom were core members.

Civilian casualties were beyond counting.

What was truly bloodless was the fact that he had completely shattered the economy of Iwagakure!

"Samui, what is your take?"

At this moment, the Raikage looked toward the most famous ice-cold beauty in the village—in a Kumogakure filled with hot-blooded men, she was able to shine brightly not because she was a mere vase, but because she was a valuable talent who could remain calm and complete missions at any time, someone who could be trusted unconditionally.

"Tell me, with your beauty and talent, could you seduce the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Xiu? Hehehe, young men like him are the easiest to fall into the traps of emotion. Hmm, that guy named Shisui would work too."

"You are a dignified Raikage, can you stop filling your head with lewd garbage, you jerk!" Samui scoffed, refusing without mercy.

She then returned to the matter at hand: "The Land of Earth must be attacked; we must not miss this opportunity. As for Konoha... it would be best to apply a certain amount of pressure there as well."

"First, to contain the Land of Fire's ninja army and prevent them from occupying too much territory and increasing their national power. Konoha's war potential is already the strongest among the Five Great Nations."

"Second, to probe exactly how many Kage-level combatants the Konoha high command has left... Our spies saw that Uchiha named Shisui bleeding tears of blood in public. Therefore, it would be best to achieve some results to force them to the negotiating table. The Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Nine-Tails—Konoha's Tailed Beast count has suddenly ballooned..."

Before she could finish, the Raikage interrupted, his eyes practically glowing with greed: "Right! We must also acquire a new Tailed Beast! To form a new strategic balance with Konoha. How about the Five-Tails, Kokuō? Its immense strength is a perfect match for Kumogakure!"

His greed had taken hold.

Just like when they sent negotiators to attack the Hyuga Clan, coveting the main family's Byakugan, and causing all sorts of chaos!

"Then I shall go to the front line to confront Konoha." Darui, the wielder of the Storm Release bloodline, spoke steadily. "Coordinating with Killer B, who has already arrived there, we can forcefully occupy territory and hold it."

"Good. I will lead Yugito to personally attack the Land of Earth, while Samui will act as a mobile force to provide support at any time!"

"Understood." The ice-cold beauty nodded.

Every high-ranking official of Kumogakure present was optimistic, all of them committing a stereotypical error.

That is: they assumed that the hard nut of Iwagakure must have caused losses to Konoha's high-level combatants, and that capturing two unfamiliar Tailed Beasts would create a massive bottleneck for the Fifth Hokage.

Because Uchiha Xiu was simply too young. Even if he mastered Wood Release and a space-time Mangekyo, so what?

His strength had to be limited.

—Even the most stunning figures of the last millennium, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, did not have strength that exceeded the charts at the same age.

Furthermore, they felt that the Land of Lightning, which had the best stats on paper, was capable of operating on two fronts.

There was no reason for them to collapse!

I am the Raikage, my taijutsu is peerless!!

Konoha.

On the outskirts of the public training grounds.

Tsunade, who had just finished saying that the northeastern front was calm, looked thoroughly annoyed, crossing her arms as she complained: "Uchiha Xiu, are you a training maniac? You can't stop for even a second!"

In the center of the brand-new facility, Uchiha Xiu held a steadily rotating azure sphere of chakra—a Big Ball Rasengan.

"Son Goku!"

He gave a low shout in his heart.

"Coming~"

Having completely submitted and been tamed, Son Goku responded loudly from within the internal space.

In the span of a breath, the Rasengan in Uchiha Xiu's hand suddenly emitted a low, humming sound. Its volume expanded threefold at a speed visible to the naked eye, and at the same time, a wisp of scorching crimson chakra rapidly spread from the core of the sphere!

In an instant, a brand-new sphere appeared.

A firestorm filled with explosive Lava Release chakra, inside and out!

Before it even struck a target, the intense heat radiating from the technique alone caused the surrounding air to warp into a massive wave of distortion.

"Monster. Konoha is finally about to welcome its first perfect Jinchuriki; even Grandmother could only tightly suppress the Nine-Tails, never truly making It submit or cooperate one hundred percent."

"Furthermore, this technique... its destructive power should be rated as an S-rank forbidden jutsu." Tsunade swallowed hard, her throat feeling parched.

"I intend to call it—Lava Release: Scorching Flame Rasengan."

The name was simple and direct, highlighting both the nature of the elemental release and its origin as a Rasengan, fitting the Uchiha style perfectly.

It was certainly better than the Fourth Hokage, who was hopeless at naming things.