Land of Frost · Coastline · Late at night
Thick clouds obscured the moonlight. The sea wind carried a salty tang as waves battered the jagged rocks along the shore.
Several figures arrived at the desolate coast at the same time, coming from opposite directions.
Two groups of black-clad figures stood facing each other. Silence hung between them, broken only by the mingling sounds of wind and waves.
Then both sides pulled back their hoods.
Kitsuchi! A Jonin of Iwagakure and the son of Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, he was built like a mountain.
A! Kumogakure's future Fourth Raikage, his pale blond hair fluttered in the sea breeze, and he radiated an oppressive force like lightning.
"Kitsuchi." A spoke first, his voice as deep as rumbling thunder.
"So Iwagakure has finally come to its senses?"
Kitsuchi did not answer. He simply took a sealed letter from inside his clothes and tossed it over.
The pages were densely covered in writing-a letter penned by the Tsuchikage himself.
A quickly scanned the letter.
According to their intelligence, the Leaf Village had crushed Sunagakure with overwhelming force. Barely a month had passed between the declaration of war and its defeat.
Sunagakure lay in ruins. Hyuga Tianyi had defeated Shukaku, the One-Tail, inside the village, and the Third Kazekage's disappearance was also connected to him...
Behind it all stood the same name.
Hyuga Tianyi.
Kitsuchi spoke slowly, unable to suppress the gravity in his voice:
"According to the intelligence Sunagakure provided, Hyuga Tianyi's abilities have already far exceeded the bounds of an ordinary ninja."
He raised his fingers to count.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique, Magnet Release, the Chakra Enhanced Strength Technique, advanced Taijutsu that lets him fly, masterful Water Release and Earth Release, exceptional sensory abilities, exceptional Medical Ninjutsu, and immense chakra reserves."