There was no path laid by those before him, and the path he had carved through thorns and brambles was heretical by nature, impossible to spread. If he wanted to completely destroy the Tree God, he had to rely on an energy wholly different from the Tree God's to oppose it. For now, the violent chakra within the Ryūmyaku and the natural energy of heaven and earth were the only methods he could think of. Yet they did not seem sufficient. The Immortal God Church, once a small sect living peacefully in the Land of River, was now merely one of his experiments. Whether it worked was unimportant. What mattered was finding a solution!
"You must properly develop the congregation. I need more believers to help me produce essence blood!"
"Yes."
The loyal subordinates he had personally cultivated all bowed. Mingye vanished from the church in a flash.
"Those people from Sunagakure seem rather well-behaved lately!"
Inside an office in Konoha's Hokage Building, Mingye held a border patrol document that Sarutobi Hiruzen had already reviewed. After carefully reading it, he spoke. Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled, looked up, set down the document in his hands, and stretched.
"Not too bad. The Iwagakure ninja have been active enough to cause concern lately, but at least for now, it seems only the Land of Earth bears such hostility toward Konoha."
Of course Iwagakure hated Konoha. Who would not be angered if all their hidden secrets were exposed and dug up? Although the clashes during this period had been limited to the Anbu, the casualties had been no less brutal than on a true battlefield. Iwagakure showed no regard for losses, sending batch after batch of Anbu ninja to attack within the Land of Fire. Fortunately, Shimura Danzō was there. Root ninja, willing to sacrifice