The Situation Escalates!

"Ōnoki, you damned shorty!" the Third Raikage cursed angrily.

"Blackie, try taking another step forward?" Ōnoki said indifferently, his tone cold.

As he spoke, he once again conjured Dust Release in his hand, aiming it at the group of Kumogakure behind the Raikage, ready to fire at any moment.

"Oh no!" Upon seeing this, the Third Raikage halted his advance, his expression resentful, his eyes filled with anger as he glared at Ōnoki in the air.

"Ōnoki, I'll say it one last time: if you don't hand over the Tail-Locking Seal, even if you kill all the Kumogakure behind me, I won't let any of the Iwagakure here go!" A's voice was filled with chilling coldness and determination.

"Ah, I'll explain one last time. We Iwagakure take the Tail-Locking Seal. If you continue to press your advantage, it's simple: we'll both kill all the ninja from our respective clans, then return to our villages and prepare for a full-scale war!" Ōnoki said calmly, showing no sign of weakness.

"You didn't take it? Then who did? The ninjas of my village said it themselves, that it was you Iwagakure who ambushed them and stole the Sealing Jutsu." The Third Raikage's anger surged.

"Hmph! It's clearly a case of the thief crying 'Stop thief!'"

"If it really was taken by us from Iwagakure, do you think we would still be standing here, waiting for you to come knocking on our door?"

"With my flying ability, even if you come, do you think you can take it back?" Ōnoki said sarcastically, his face expressionless.

"You!" The Third Raikage trembled with rage.

Indeed, given this shorty's abilities, even if he took it, what could he do? He could only kill a few more Iwagakure Ninja to vent his anger. But is Ōnoki weak? His Dust Release alone could wipe out all the Kumogakure except for him.

It seems this guy is still leaving himself an out; could there really be a trap?

Coming to his senses, the Third Raikage took a deep breath. After calming down, he spoke solemnly and calmly, "If it's not Iwagakure, then it must be Kirigakure? Or one of those small countries?"

"This... it really could be Kirigakure's doing." Ōnoki pondered for a moment, then said with certainty.

"When our Iwagakure ninjas returned, they reported to me that the Tail-Locking Seal they had stolen from you had been stolen."

"Now that I think about it, I really suspect it was Kirigakure who did it. Their goal was to make us fight like the clam and the heron, so that Kirigakure could reap the benefits."

Before he could finish speaking, Ōnoki, who was in mid-air, suddenly sensed something amiss and instinctively looked toward the direction of the Kirigakure.

He should have looked away; once he did, he was stunned.

In his field of vision, the Kirigakure's camp was being packed up, and a large number of Kirigakure Ninja were hurriedly retreating towards the sea.

Kirigakure, Land of Water rooted in the sea, should logically have taken advantage of the war to plunder and loot the Land of Whirlpools. There is absolutely no reason for them to retreat so hastily.

Their sudden rush to leave means they've made a fortune on this trip; they must have reaped a huge reward.

The Three-Tails Six-Tails of Kirigakure are said to still be in a state of free-range breeding.

It can be said that, since Hashirama Senju distributed the Tailed Beast, these two have had the best lives of all the Tailed Beast.

In other words, Kirigakure either captured Direct Bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan or obtained Sealing Technique that could suppress Tailed Beast.

Regardless of the possibility, Ōnoki was extremely reluctant to see it happen.

After all, his teacher Second Tsuchikage Mu, Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki Kirigakure.

This is a blood feud! If Kirigakure succeeds in their Jinchūriki Plan, what good will it do for Iwagakure?

No, we must stop them!

A thought flashed through his mind, Ōnoki turned his head, feigning panic, and said urgently, "Oh no, Ai, we've fallen for their trap!"

"The Tail-Locking Seal might really have fallen into the Kirigakure."

"They're retreating now! No, we can't let them get away!" With that, Ōnoki immediately turned and flew towards Kirigakure's encampment.

Upon seeing this, the Third Raikage immediately flew into a rage and said, "Ōnoki, even at a time like this, you still want to use me? Don't think I don't know the hatred between Iwagakure and Kirigakure!"

But by this time, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had flown further and further away, completely ignoring him.

"Are you even listening to me, you idiot?!" Raikage said, looking frustrated.

Just then, a ninja from Kumogakure rushed over, his voice urgent. "It's terrible, Lord Raikage! News has come from the front that Kirigakure is undergoing a large-scale evacuation."

"I think we may very well have fallen into the Kirigakure's trap!"

"What?" Upon hearing this, the Third Raikage was utterly shocked.

After all that calling, you're telling me you called the wrong person?

Hmph, whatever. Who told Iwagakure to provoke Kumogakure? It's their fate to suffer this calamity!

However, does the Kirigakure Village dare to plot against their Kumogakure Village?

Court death!

Thinking of his fallen brothers in the Kumogakure, the Third Raikage's expression grew increasingly grim, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Damn it, Kirigakure!

How dare they do this...

He truly deserves to die!

Kirigakure Garrison.

The Third Mizukage, who was preparing to leave, suddenly stopped, his eyes flashing coldly, and said in a chilling voice, "Something's wrong with this Sealing Jutsu!"

"This is not a true Tail-Locking Seal; it's just that the opening runes look very similar. In essence, it's nothing more than an ordinary Chakra Sealing Jutsu."

The Third Mizukage looked at the Genji beside him and spoke rapidly.

"If it's fake, why did Iwagakure and Kumogakure fight so fiercely over it? And in the end, it ended up in the hands of Kirigakure."

"Could it be that there's a conspiracy against our Kirigakure here?" Genji asked with a puzzled expression.

"Heh... where do you Kirigakure from Kirigakure think you're going?"

"Dust Release, Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

Just then, a loud shout came from above.

Then, a burst of blazing white light suddenly erupted, followed by several deafening roars echoing across the beach.

The billowing smoke and Kirigakure had been completely disintegrated by the Dust Release, turning into dust that filled the sky.

"Ōnoki! You're asking for death!" Upon seeing this, the three Mizukage suddenly opened their eyes, staring at Ōnoki in the air with murderous intent.

Just as he was about to launch his attack, accompanied by a crackling sound of electricity, a tall and burly figure barged into the Kirigakure's base.

Along the way, screams of agony rose up as many Kirigakure ninjas were severely injured by the Third Raikage's lightning.

"You bastards from Kirigakure, who gave you the audacity to plot against me?"

"Unnamed, you old bastard, hand over the Tail-Locking Seal right now, or none of you from the Kirigakure will escape today!"

Ai stared at the scroll in the Third Mizukage's hand, his expression icy, and shouted sharply.

Upon hearing this, the Third Mizukage laughed in fury, his tone chilling. "Hahahaha! One by one, you dare to provoke Kirigakure? Do you really think Kirigakure is without anyone? It seems you're determined to seek death!"

"Men, leave these two reckless fools here!"

"Also, immediately send a signal to the ninjas stationed on Cangming Island, ordering them all to assemble in the Land of Whirlpools."

"Today, I will slaughter all these bastards from Kumogakure and Iwagakure right here!"

As he finished speaking, several signal flares shot into the sky. The Kirigakure Ninja on the distant island received the signal, quickly assembled, and rushed towards the Land of Whirlpools at full speed!