Akatsuki in Action

After leaving Iwagakure, Rōshi went on a long and arduous journey, eventually settling in the Land of Iron.

This neutral country, ruled by Samurai, has a strict limit on the power of ninjas, and the Anbu of various ninja villages are also restricted in their activities here, making it a natural hiding place.

The continuous snow-capped mountains, the vast frozen plains, and the Samurai class, who revered martial virtues and were naturally wary of ninjas, together formed an invisible barrier.

Rōshi removed his Iwagakure Headband and ninja attire, donned a worn-out monk's robe, and as a wandering monk, blended into this land of Samurai.

Initially, he was sustained by the impulse to leave the village and the anger from his argument with Ōnoki.

But as time went by, in the harsh yet tranquil environment of the Land of Iron, far removed from the village's complicated affairs and endless arguments, Rōshi's state of mind gradually calmed down.

The arduous daily training tempered his body and honed his will, allowing him to communicate more deeply with the restless Four-Tails within him.

There was no political infighting, no wrangling over resource allocation, only pure self-improvement and control over power. This return to simplicity unexpectedly allowed him to reach an unprecedented level of proficiency in his mastery of the Lava Release Chakra Mode.

In the stillness of the night, gazing at the leaping flames of the campfire, Rōshi couldn't help but reflect.

Although Ōnoki's stubborn old man policies were radical, tough, and even somewhat inhumane, upon reflection, they did not seem entirely unreasonable given the turbulent situation in the Ninja World.

Iwagakure needs to change, and it needs stronger measures to maintain its status and interests: The differences between the two may not be irreconcilable.

However, these two equally stubborn and obstinate old men were unwilling to back down first, nor were they willing to lose to each other in terms of momentum.

In addition— Rōshi sighed. At this moment, he realized that those who were stirring up trouble in the village and had ulterior motives were the ones who had escalated the conflict to an unmanageable point.

One wrong step led to another, ultimately resulting in his angry departure from the village, a departure that bordered on desertion.

Does he regret it? Even Rōshi himself can't say for sure.

But at least, he didn't waste his time in the Land of Iron.

Besides his spiritual practice, he also helped the poor villagers he encountered along the way to the best of his ability.

Repairing houses collapsed by wind and snow, driving away wolves that attacked livestock, and using his Lava Release to melt ice and create water sources—these seemingly insignificant acts of kindness brought him a sense of inner peace as he helped others, as if he were making amends for something and seeking some kind of redemption.

That day, Rōshi had just helped a remote village clear a massive avalanche that was blocking the road. He politely declined the villagers' warm invitations to stay and their meager gifts, and set off back to the cave where he was temporarily sheltering.

The cold wind swirled fine snowflakes, stinging his face like needles. He wrapped his thin monk's robe tighter around himself and Earth Flow steadily along the snow-covered mountain path.

However, halfway through his journey, a strange feeling crept into his heart. It was as if a cold gaze pierced through the wind and snow, clinging to his back.

Rōshi's steps did not stop, but the muscles in his whole body had unconsciously tensed up.

As a seasoned veteran, his intuition for danger was exceptionally sharp. Someone was following him! Moreover, the other party's methods of concealing their presence were quite sophisticated; if it weren't for his Jinchuriki's perception being far superior to that of ordinary people, he would have been almost unable to detect it.

Rōshi sneered inwardly. Skill breeds daring; he was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, one of the strongest shinobi in Iwagakure. Even after leaving the village, how could such a lowly person dare to covet him?

Although the Ninja World is vast, there are only a handful of beings he can truly fear. Even if he encounters an opponent he cannot defeat, with the explosive power of Lava Release and his familiarity with the environment, escaping is by no means difficult.

Since the other party is acting suspiciously and refusing to show themselves, let's give them a chance! With a thought, Rōshi deliberately deviated from the original mountain path back and turned into a narrow valley that was more remote and rarely visited by people.

The valley floor is covered with thick snow, and steep rock walls on both sides form a natural "urn"-shaped terrain.

He walked to the center of the valley, stopped, and slowly turned around to face the deserted valley entrance. His voice was loud and clear, filled with undisguised sarcasm. "What? You've been following me all this way, hiding like a rat. Now that I've deliberately come to this deserted place and created such a good opportunity for you, you don't even have the guts to show yourselves?"

The cold wind howled across the valley, stirring up a cloud of snow and mist. Apart from his own echo, all around was deathly silent, as if the feeling of being spied on had been just an illusion.

"Clap, clap, clap."

Suddenly, a burst of applause rang out behind Rōshi without warning! The sound wasn't loud, but it was particularly jarring in the silent snow valley.

Rōshi's pupils constricted sharply, and the hairs on his body stood on end! He turned around abruptly, his movements as fast as lightning.

Not far from where he was standing, on the previously empty snow, a figure was now standing!

There were no footprints in the surrounding snow; the person seemed to have appeared out of thin air, silently.

He was dressed in Black-bottomed Red Cloud Robe, and his face was covered by an orange Spiral Mask that only revealed his right eye. He stood there quietly, looking at Rōshi with a mocking gaze.

When?! Rōshi was shocked, and a chill instantly ran up his spine to the top of his head.

He hadn't even noticed how the other person approached or appeared! A bead of cold sweat uncontrollably slid down his forehead, instantly chilled by the cold wind in the valley.

I was careless! The one I encountered today is no kind! Almost instinctively, the Chakra within Rōshi's body began to flow faster, the power of Lava Release was poised to be unleashed, and at the same time, his mind was rapidly calculating the best escape route.

"The Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails, Rōshi of Iwagakure ----"

The masked man spoke, his voice muffled through the mask, yet carrying a playful, cat-and-mouse tone, "You hid it very well; it really took us a lot of effort."

His gaze, peering through the holes in the mask, was fixed on Rōshi, as if he were admiring prey that was about to be captured.

Rōshi tensed up, as if facing a formidable enemy. The other party's words directly revealed his identity and purpose: the Tailed Beast! The other party was after the Four-Tails!

Just as the masked man's words were drawing his attention, Rōshi's keen senses detected another new movement.

From another entrance to the valley, a figure dressed in Black-bottomed Red Cloud Robe was walking slowly towards them.

This person made no attempt to conceal anything, his steps were steady, and his exposed green eyes held a gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at prey.

Rōshi's heart sank. One Masked Man already made him feel extremely dangerous, and now another one had appeared! Moreover, judging from the situation, the two were clearly in cahoots.

"You investigated so thoroughly—" Rōshi's voice deepened, his monk's robes fluttered without wind, and a scorching aura began to permeate the air, causing the surrounding snow to melt at a visible speed. "You're here for the Tailed Beast?"

Although he phrased it as a question, his tone was unequivocal. He hadn't received any relevant intelligence when he left the village, but the other party's target was so clear that it could only be Tailed Beast.

"You two are just trash?"

Rōshi suddenly raised his voice, trying to overwhelm the other party with his imposing manner. At the same time, he subtly turned his body slightly to the side, glancing at the masked man slowly approaching from behind, making sure that both of them were within his field of vision.

"You cowardly rat, hiding your true face and not daring to show it, dare to try and take advantage of me? You really underestimate me, Rōshi!"

Before he finished speaking, Rōshi's aura suddenly surged! A fiery orange-red Chakra erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption, instantly covering his entire body, forming an orange-red lava armor! Lava Release Chakra Mode activated!

The surrounding temperature rose sharply, the snow melted rapidly, revealing the black permafrost beneath, and water vapor rose, forming a hazy white mist.

Rōshi was like a demon god emerging from magma, his fists clenched, lava flowing around him, and the scorching heat forced both the Masked Man and the masked man who had just approached to involuntarily take a half step back.

"Tsk," the masked man who had just approached looked at the fiery Rōshi and let out an undisguised disgust, "What I hate most about Kakuzu is this kind of enemy. They're covered in fire, and you can burn your hand if you touch them. They're like hedgehogs."

"Enough talk, Kakuzu." Obito's voice came through the mask. "Solve this quickly, or we'll attract Samurai and cause trouble." His right eye, the Sharingan hidden behind the hole in the mask, began to slowly rotate.

The battle erupted instantly!

Kakuzu made the first move. He knew how troublesome Lava Release was, and that creating distance was the best strategy. He rapidly Hand Seals.

Water Style: Water Formation Wall!

A massive Water Wall appeared out of nowhere, crashing with immense force into Rōshi, whose body was covered in lava. At the same time, a masked monster silently emerged from the gap in the stitches on his back, emitting a sharp screech.

Lightning Style: False Darkness.

A thick bolt of blue-white lightning tore through the air, following closely behind the Water Wall, and shot straight at Rōshi!

Water and fire clashed, lightning raged! Kakuzu's strategy was clear and ruthless: he attempted to suppress the high temperature of the Lava Release with Water Style, and then use powerful Lightning Style for a penetrating strike.

Rōshi roared, his lava armor shining brightly. He didn't dodge or evade, but instead used his fists, wrapped in lava, to fiercely meet the Water Wall!

Lava Release: Scorch Style: Scorching Stream Rock Technique.

Small lava balls shot out from his fist, colliding violently with the Water Wall!

"Laugh!!!"

A massive burst of water vapor erupted and instantly filled the entire valley floor, blurring visibility.

However, Kakuzu's lightning pierced through the moisture and struck Rōshi precisely! Rōshi seemed to have anticipated this, and his lava armor suddenly expanded outward, forcefully withstanding the powerful Lightning Style!

Lightning exploded on the lava armor, electric snakes crackled, and Rōshi's body swayed slightly as lava splattered, but the main body of the armor remained stable! He snorted coldly, about to counterattack Kakuzu.

Just as the old power had dissipated and the new power had not yet arisen, and vision was severely obstructed by the moisture, a figure appeared without warning to Rōshi's right side! It was Obito!

Alarm bells rang in Rōshi's mind, and he gathered power in his right hand, sweeping it horizontally towards Obito.

Obito's Mangekyo spun faster under Obito single eye, and Rōshi's right hand passed straight through his body without causing any damage.

"What! How could this be?"

Rōshi's horror had barely begun when excruciating pain struck!

"Pfft!"

Blood mixed with fragments of lava splattered in the billowing steam!

Obito, wielding Kunai, effortlessly severed Rōshi's right arm that had pierced through his body! The severed arm, still dripping with molten lava, fell to the ground with a sizzling sound.

"Ugh!"

Rōshi let out a painful roar, staring in disbelief at his empty right shoulder. His attack—had had absolutely no effect!

How is that possible!

The intense pain and blood loss instantly weakened his power, and the brilliance of his Lava Release Chakra Mode dimmed slightly.

For the first time, fear truly gripped his heart. He couldn't win! This Masked Man's abilities were too bizarre! Besides, that strange person who had been suppressing him with Ninjutsu wasn't easy to deal with either.

Escape! We must escape immediately!

Despite the excruciating pain, Rōshi swung his left arm violently, unleashing a torrent of lava that rained down on Obito and Kakuzu in an attempt to halt their pursuit.

At the same time, he exerted force with his feet, and the lava spewed out, propelling him like a cannonball towards the valley entrance! As long as he could break out of this valley and enter the complex terrain of the snow-capped mountains, there would be a chance!

However, just as he was about to rush out of the valley, another unexpected event occurred!

Wood Style: Wood Style: Thorn Binding Technique

A cold sound came from the snow to the side. Immediately afterwards, several thick vines covered with sharp thorns burst out of the snow, like living venomous snakes, and instantly wrapped around Rōshi's legs and his only remaining left arm!

The powerful binding force and chakra-disrupting properties of the Rōshi 'Chakra charge to an abrupt halt!

Rōshi looked down and saw a strange figure, half black and half white, "growing" out of the snow like a plant—it was Jue! He had been lying in ambush here all along!

"Hateful!"

Rōshi roared, and lava erupted, attempting to burn the vines. But Zetsu's Wood Style was exceptionally tough, and he couldn't break free for a while.

In that very instant of being bound, Kakuzu and Obito's attacks descended once more!

Kakuzu unleashed a violent combined water and lightning Ninjutsu, Obito once again activated his strange penetrating ability, aiming straight for Rōshi's vitals!

Severely injured and bound by Wood Style, Rōshi was at his last gasp when faced with the combined attack of two powerful ninjas. He barely managed to dodge Obito's fatal blow, but was struck hard in the back by Kakuzu's Water and Lightning Combined Ninjutsu!

"Boom!"

The massive explosion blasted Rōshi away, sending him crashing heavily onto the snow. His lava armor shattered completely, and blood stained the snow beneath him. He struggled to get up, but his vision was already blurring.

Obito appeared before him as if by teleportation, looking down at him. The last thing Rōshi remembered was seeing Obito slowly raise his foot and stomp heavily on the back of his head.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Seeing the unconscious Rōshi, Obito withdrew his foot. Zetsu's vines quickly bound Rōshi like a dumpling. Kakuzu walked over, looked at Rōshi's mangled, severed arm, and frowned. "This injury will be a bit troublesome to treat back home."

"It's alright, Jinchuriki have strong vitality, they won't die," Obito said calmly. "Mission accomplished, retreat."

Land of Earth, Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" The furious roar almost lifted the roof off.

The short, Tsuchikage Ōnoki hovered in mid-air, his face ashen, veins bulging on his forehead, roaring at the few people below who were trembling with fear.

"How many days has it been?! Ah! A living, Jinchuriki, not a needle! How come we haven't even caught a glimpse of him yet!"

The atmosphere in the office was terrifyingly tense.

Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi, and the Captain Anbu charge of searching for Rōshi, a middle-aged ninja with a sinister face, were bowing their heads and enduring the Tsuchikage's wrath.

Kitsuchi Tu, a burly man, looked like a child who had done something wrong, while the squad Captain deliberately lagged behind Kitsuchi by half a step, almost hiding his figure behind Kitsuchi's broad back.

With his keen insight, Ōnoki immediately saw that his kind-hearted son had been used as a shield, and that the sullen-faced squad Captain wanted to use Kitsuchi's identity to share his anger.

Seeing this, Ōnoki's anger didn't subside; instead, it burned even brighter! These guys are good at nothing but playing mind games!

"Lord Tsuchikage calm down!" The squad Captain, whose face was grim, saw Ōnoki's gaze sweep over him like a knife, and quickly stepped forward, reporting at breakneck speed.

"We're not without progress! Latest intelligence indicates that someone has apparently discovered traces of Rōshi within the Land of Iron!"

Your subordinates have immediately arranged for the deployment of their most elite squads towards the Land of Iron! We believe definite news will arrive soon!

"The Land of Iron?" Ōnoki's brows furrowed. That Samurai nation, with its complex terrain and harsh environment, restricted ninja activity, was indeed a good hiding place. That guy, Rōshi, really knew how to pick a location!

He stared intently at the squad Captain before him, his sharp gaze seemingly trying to pierce the man's soul, discerning how much truth and how much pretense lay in his words.

After a long silence, Ōnoki finally let out a heavy snort, like a muffled thunderclap. "Send more men!"

He practically gritted his teeth as he gave the order, "No matter what, we must get Rōshi back as quickly as possible! Alive or dead, bring him back! We can't let him stay out there any longer!"

Upon hearing this, the stern-faced squad Captain's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible surprise.

Rōshi had left the village to "relax" before, and although the Tsuchikage was angry, he had never been as nervous as this time, and even issued a strict order to "find his body if he is dead".

He was unaware of the urgent warning letter from Konoha regarding the mysterious organization "Akatsuki's" intention to capture the Tailed Beast; he only felt that the Tsuchikage's reaction this time was somewhat excessive.

But as a ninja from Iwagakure, obeying orders was paramount. Suppressing his doubts, he immediately straightened his back and loudly replied, "Yes, Lord Tsuchikage! I will do it immediately!"

After saying that, he quickly left the office as if he had been granted a pardon.

Seeing his father's still-angry face, Kitsuchi opened his mouth, wanting to say a few words of comfort, but was Teuchi Ōnoki's irritable wave of his hand, "You get out too! Let me have some peace and quiet!"

Left with no other choice, Kitsuchi bowed and silently withdrew.

The heavy office door slowly closed, shutting out the noise from the outside world. Ōnoki slowly returned to his seat, the furious expression from before receding like the tide, replaced by unfathomable worry and exhaustion.

He rubbed his throbbing temples. His right eyelid had been twitching for the past two days, and a feeling of unease lingered like a dark cloud.

Has something happened to Rōshi? Or is Iwagakure facing an even greater crisis?

He walked to the window and gazed at the towering stone mountain in the distance, the symbol of Iwagakure.

"Hope—" Ōnoki murmured to himself, a rare sense of helplessness in his voice, "I hope everything goes well!"

Rōshi, you bastard, please don't let anything happen to you!