In a Villain's World, There Is No Such Thing as Integrity

Before the Third Raikage could arrive, a slightly plump figure came sprinting over and shouted at A as if his defenses had been shattered, "Idiot, moron! How could you let go? That Minato Namikaze was clearly running out of chakra, or he wouldn't have just stood there watching!"

A glanced at Kaz but said nothing.

Of course he knew Minato Namikaze might have been nearing the end of his chakra, but he could not gamble his life on such a vague possibility.

Moreover, Chiaki Setsuna's composure gave him a feeling that the other man might still have another trump card. Forcing that monster to stay here might not have been a good thing.

Kaz was still raging helplessly. "I sent my own subordinates to meet Lord Jashin just to create the Blood Mist Formation, yet you still let Minato Namikaze escape! That guy knows the Flying Thunder God technique. I won't be able to sleep peacefully from now on!"

The more Kaz thought about it, the more frightened he became. His regret reached its peak as he cursed nonstop, "Trash, you're all trash! How could I have trusted you lot of—"

Before he could finish, A's fan-sized hand slapped over, sending Kaz's head spinning 360 degrees.

"Idiot!" A looked coldly at Kaz's corpse. He might not have been able to deal with Chiaki Setsuna, but could he not kill this man?

Disbelief still lingered in Kaz's eyes. The formidable vitality of a Jashin cultist kept him muttering unwillingly, "I'm the employer. Even in a villain's world, there should be integrity, right?"

Before long, Kaz's eyes dimmed completely, but A still felt unsatisfied.

If this bastard had not come looking for them, they would not have suffered such heavy losses today.

Reflect on himself? He had never indulged in that sort of mental drain.

A Hidden Cloud Village ninja beside him asked hesitantly, "Lord A, shouldn't we first force him to reveal the whereabouts of the Thunder God Sword?"

"I forgot." A smacked his forehead. The Second Hokage's sword had been the price Kaz offered.

The Hidden Cloud Village ninja beside him comforted him, "I heard the Thunder God Sword was recovered by Konoha long ago. Could Kaz have been lying to us?"

A shook his head. "If they hadn't verified whether the Thunder God Sword was genuine, how could the old man have agreed to that man's employment? As for Konoha's Thunder God Sword, it was most likely a ninja tool they deliberately forged back then to stabilize public morale. Its power might not even compare to the Thunder Blade: Fang of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."

After saying that, A added, "Forget it. At the end of the day, it's only a somewhat stronger ninja tool. One must ultimately rely on one's own strength."

A fierce desire for victory blazed in his eyes. He had never imagined before that without relying on chakra, a purely physical body could become so powerful.

A powerful desire rose in him. He wanted to become stronger and make his body reach the same level as Setsuna's.

At the border between the Land of Frost and the Hot Water Country, Setsuna and Minato Namikaze appeared in a flash.

Minato Namikaze looked around and chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of relief. "Good thing you scared off the Raikage's son. Otherwise, my remaining chakra might not have been enough to use the Flying Thunder God technique to bring both of you along."

"Yes, it truly was fortunate." Setsuna smiled faintly, but did not say who that fortune belonged to.

If the Raikage had truly arrived with a large army, he might have had no choice but to fly into the sky and unleash Tri-Beam.

Of course, it was best if he did not have to use it. He did not want to attract the Sage of Six Paths' attention because of a power so different from chakra.

Perhaps he was merely outwitting the air, but it was always better to be careful.

With the weight in his heart lifted, Minato Namikaze sincerely thanked him. "Setsuna, thank you so much for this. Without you, I truly wouldn't have known how to get away."

Setsuna shook his head. "If you hadn't taken the blame for killing those three Hidden Cloud Village ninjas, Minato Namikaze-senpai, they might not have targeted you like this."

Minato Namikaze smiled. "Even without you, Setsuna, I would have taken them out."

"Forget it. If we keep passing the credit around, it'll only make us seem distant." Setsuna smiled. "Let's find Teacher Hizashi and Kakashi first."

Meanwhile, beneath a residence in Hidden Hot Springs Village.

A naked body climbed out of a pool of blood, hatred filling his eyes. His clenched fists even cut into his palms. "Those damn Hidden Cloud brutes! How dare they humiliate me like this? I'll never forgive them!"

After raging helplessly for a while, he finally calmed down. "Although the plan did not unfold as I imagined, it cannot be considered a failure. At the very least, the hatred between Hidden Cloud Village and Konoha has deepened. Hidden Cloud Village especially has never known how to reflect on itself. They will definitely place their hatred on Konoha's ninjas."

"As long as the two countries go to war and turn the Hot Water Country and the Land of Frost into their battlefield, into a grinder of flesh and blood, I can use the opportunity to sacrifice all those who die in the war to Lord Jashin. Then, I might gain an eternal body that can neither die nor be destroyed!"

Thinking of that legend within the Jashin Cult, Kaz's eyes burned with fervor. Nothing was more tempting than eternal life and immortality.

He stepped out of the blood pool, but before he had taken more than a few steps, his nose fell from his face. He frowned. "This body has not been refined yet. It cannot last much longer. Damn it, it's all because of that bastard from Hidden Cloud Village. I must perform a blood sacrifice now and ask Lord Jashin to bestow his grace upon me, so I can gain stronger vitality."

At that thought, Kaz sighed softly. "I can only set things in motion early. Let my hometown make its final contribution to me."

Inside an izakaya in Hidden Hot Springs Village.

Facing Hizashi, who sat as steady as an old monk, Obito Uchiha could no longer sit still. "Hizashi-senpai, aren't we going to find a way to save Brother Setsuna and Teacher Minato Namikaze?"

"I already had my summoned beast notify the village. All we need to do now is wait. Once Setsuna rescues Minato Namikaze, we can regroup as quickly as possible," Hizashi said calmly.

"But..."

"No buts. Going there would only get you two in their way. The same goes for me." Hizashi understood himself very clearly. If he went to rescue someone, he would most likely be the one needing rescue.

Just then, cries of chaos suddenly rose from outside.

"Ah! Help!"

"Why are you doing this? I don't even know you!"

Hearing the cries and sounds of killing, the group curiously walked outside. They discovered that the once peaceful Hidden Hot Springs Village had suddenly become a scene straight out of hell, with ninjas and samurai killing people everywhere.

"What's going on?" Shizune was shocked by the sight before her. These people were actually attacking unarmed civilians.

"Bandits?"

"No." Hizashi's expression turned grave. "Hidden Hot Springs Village's defenders are no match for them. Those people are hired wandering samurai and ninjas."

"Forget that. We need to save people quickly." Obito Uchiha rushed forward as soon as he finished speaking.

"Wait..." Hizashi had just wanted to stop him when he saw that the other youngsters had also rushed out.

Hizashi sighed inwardly. He was a ninja, not some chivalrous hero who protected the weak and punished the strong. He had not wanted to get involved in this sort of matter, but these youngsters clearly did not see it that way. He could only make a move as well.