"What's the rush this time? I'm really busy right now," Kakuzu complained as he entered the tower's meeting room. His face showed clear frustration—after all, he was indeed making millions with every passing minute.
"Can we get to the point already?" Sasori added impatiently. The modern technologies and innovations Daniel had introduced fascinated Sasori, especially in the realm of puppet-making. These advancements gave Sasori a glimpse of how much further his puppet arts could evolve.
In Sunagakure, puppets were handmade with great care and precision, and even Sasori's creations were crafted meticulously, piece by piece. Each puppet was composed of numerous parts, and even a slight error in measurement could make the puppet malfunction. This labor-intensive process meant that only a select few could craft them, which limited Sunagakure's overall strength.
However, with modern technology, Sasori saw that even high-precision work could be easily handled by a machine. The prospect of using assembly lines and advanced materials excited him. With the addition of high-tech synthetic materials, Sasori's creations could become even more formidable.
Sasori had already begun replacing parts of his own body with these advanced materials, which significantly boosted his abilities. Daniel had even mentioned creating a vibranium-based puppet body for him, but Sasori's current upgrades already made him far more powerful than before.
While Daniel had provided Sasori with upgraded materials, he refrained from doing the same for others like Deidara. If Deidara ever got his hands on C4 explosives from Daniel's world, his obsession with "art" would only escalate further.
"I called you all here because our enemies have made their move," Daniel announced.
"Which village is it?" Kakuzu was the first to ask, already planning his next strategy.
"It's not a village—it's the Land of Iron," Daniel said, displaying a holographic map of the Land of Iron and images of its leaders, including Mifune.
"The Land of Iron? What business do they have with us?"
"They're acting on behalf of the Five Great Nations' daimyo. It seems they hope to use this opportunity to re-establish the dominance of the samurai," Daniel explained.
"Samurai?" Deidara scoffed arrogantly. "I could take care of them all by myself."
"Don't underestimate them," Daniel cautioned. "They've gathered many powerful samurai, including Mifune and other skilled warriors from various hidden sects and even personal bodyguards of smaller daimyo. This isn't just a simple battle—they're fighting for their survival and their honor."
Despite their decline, samurai still had formidable warriors among their ranks. Some of them were as powerful as high-ranking ninja, even at the level of elite Jonin or Kage-tier fighters.
For samurai, this battle wasn't just about defeating Akatsuki—it was about proving their relevance in a world dominated by ninja. They had rallied for the chance to restore their former glory.
"You can't afford to take them lightly," Daniel continued, "Mifune, for example, once survived an encounter with Hanzo of the Salamander."
Though Mifune's survival was due to Hanzo sparing him, his swordsmanship had only improved over the years. His Iaido strikes were now so fast that no ninja could form hand signs in time to counter him.
"His second-in-command, Chokei, and others like Rijo and Kanbara are also dangerous adversaries," Daniel added. "This fight is about more than just Akatsuki's survival. If the samurai succeed, they'll attempt to re-establish a feudal system, where ninja and commoners alike are subjugated under the ruling class. Back in the days of the Warring States Period, ninja had no status. Samurai could kill commoners at will and face little more than a fine as punishment."
Daniel glanced at Itachi, knowing this reasoning would strike a chord with him. This was no longer just Akatsuki's battle but a fight to protect the future of all ninjas from returning to the oppressive past.
"From both Akatsuki's and the ninja world's perspective, the Land of Iron must be eradicated. They are the first to challenge us, and we must make an example of them. Tomorrow, we march," Daniel declared. "Deidara, make sure you bring enough explosives. I don't want to see you running out mid-battle."
"Don't worry," Deidara grinned. "I'll show you what true art looks like."
---
The next day, a group of Akatsuki members—clad in their iconic red-clouded black cloaks—gathered atop the tower. Deidara summoned two large clay birds, and the group climbed aboard, setting off toward the Land of Iron. Nagato brought all six of his Pain bodies along, ready for battle.
While they could have waited for the samurai forces to move and ambushed them, Akatsuki's overwhelming strength meant there was no need for such tactics. This was about making a statement, and they were ready to obliterate the Land of Iron.
---
"Damn, it's freezing here," Deidara complained, shivering as the group descended into the snowy landscape of the Land of Iron. The cold proved too much for high-altitude flight, forcing the group to dismount and march through the snow, with only Deidara continuing to fly.
Despite the cold, Deidara was permitted to unleash his artistic side by bombing the Land of Iron's signature landmark—Three Wolves Mountain, a trio of peaks resembling wolf heads where the samurai capital was located.
"Yoohoo! Bow down to Lord Jashin, you heretics!" Hidan cackled, gleefully decapitating two samurai patrolmen with a single swing of his scythe.
As they advanced, most of the opposition fell to Kakuzu and Hidan, leaving little work for the others. Explosions could be heard up ahead, and it was clear that Deidara had already begun his assault on the mountain.
"They never stick to the plan, do they?" Daniel muttered. With the element of surprise lost, the group charged forward.
When they arrived at the base of Three Wolves Mountain, they found Deidara gleefully raining explosives from above. The samurai, lacking any ranged weapons like bows or ballistae, could only look on helplessly. Deidara was flying just high enough to be untouchable by their sword strikes.
"No wonder Deidara thought he could handle them on his own. They have no way to fight back," Daniel mused.
"You dare come here, Akatsuki!" Mifune's voice rang out as he and his elite samurai rushed to meet them. Clad in their full battle gear, hundreds of samurai poured out from the surrounding fortifications.
Though Mifune's forces were around several thousand strong, they were no match for the overwhelming power of Akatsuki.
"We're here to bring peace to the ninja world," Nagato proclaimed, stepping forward. "Anyone who stands in our way is an enemy of peace. Your adherence to the old ways makes you enemies of the future. The Land of Iron and its samurai are obsolete."
With those words, Nagato raised his hand. "Shinra Tensei!" he shouted, releasing a powerful repulsive force. Mifune and his men were thrown backward, their armor shattered, and blood sprayed from their mouths.
"Attack!" Nagato commanded, and the Akatsuki members surged forward.
Kakuzu unleashed a massive fire jutsu, "Fire Release: Head Mincing Pain," engulfing the samurai in flames.
Kisame followed suit with "Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique," flooding the battlefield with a massive tidal wave. The once-frozen ground was now submerged beneath the water, turning the terrain into Kisame's domain.
Meanwhile, Sasori released his puppets—hundreds of them—attacking the samurai from the sky and ground.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Itachi added his own flames to the chaos, while Konan took to the sky, sending waves of paper projectiles down on the retreating samurai.
Among them all, Hidan seemed the least efficient, taking his time with each kill as he offered his victims to Jashin.
For the samurai, this battle quickly became a massacre. Without ninjutsu to counter Akatsuki's overwhelming techniques, their numbers meant little.
---
Suddenly, Mifune reappeared in front of Nagato, moving with such speed that most couldn't track him. His sword flashed toward Nagato's chest, but just as the blade was about to pierce, one of Nagato's bodies—the Asura Path—intercepted the strike with its bare hand. Sparks flew as the sword clashed with the Asura Path's reinforced body.
Mifune's eyes widened in shock as his blade failed to penetrate the mechanical arm. He quickly sensed danger and leapt backward just as several missiles launched from the Asura Path's arm, trailing after him.
Had the Asura Path been in its original state, Mifune might have won the exchange. However, thanks to Daniel's modifications, the Asura Path was now outfitted with advanced materials that made it nearly invincible against even the strongest samurai.
Nagato's other paths had received similar upgrades. Even Yahiko's original body had been retired in favor of a sturdier replacement. If this upgraded Six Paths of Pain were to fight Naruto, even in Sage Mode, Naruto would stand no chance.
"That's the power of technology," Daniel whispered with a smirk.
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