At sunrise the next day, Kazuyama Gekkō glanced at his still-sleeping lover and child.
"Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime—I'll be counting on you two."
"This incident has been a wake-up call. We can't afford to let our guard down again."
He knew it wasn't ideal to entrust the three of them to only two Snake Princesses, but for now, it was the only choice. After all, there were only three Snake Princesses in total.
"Don't worry, Kazuyama. Ichikishimahime and I have already spread our chakra across all three of them."
"No matter who's harmed, we'll appear instantly."
The two Snake Princesses manifested, their faces uncharacteristically stern. Clearly, even they felt guilt and frustration over what had happened.
"Mm. I'm counting on you."
With that, Kazuyama Gekkō vanished.
The next moment, he reappeared, instantly drenched.
"Damn… already in Amegakure?"
"Yahiko?"
He had traveled here by coordinate, but the moment he landed, the heavy rain soaked him through.
Looking around, he saw forest terrain, with Takigakure encampments already established—clear proof that they had infiltrated Amegakure.
"Kazuyama, you're here."
"Come on, we're in the middle of setting up."
Yahiko spotted him immediately and pulled him into a nearby tent.
Inside were only a few people: Konan, two Takigakure jōnin, Yugito, and Terumi.
This was Takigakure's elite fighting force.
"Looks like you've prepared well."
"Kumo made their move yesterday, and the fallout is huge. I expect Konoha and Kumo will clash any day now."
"That means we need to act fast."
"The Land of Iron has also been notified. General Mifune is already on his way with men."
"Yahiko, you'll go meet him when he arrives."
Kazuyama Gekkō pulled a map from his robes—it was a detailed map of Amegakure, with several marked routes of entry.
"This map—I drew it myself after testing every route."
"The rest is up to you."
"I believe you can take down Hanzō of the Salamander."
He had full confidence in the four before him. He might not beat Hanzō alone, but four of them together? That was a different story—especially with outside reinforcements.
"Don't worry, Kazuyama. We're ready."
"We will free Amegakure. I'll make sure this village sees the light again."
Yahiko had waited for this day for years, pouring endless effort into preparing for this fight.
Konan's eyes shone with the same determination. Both had been away from home for so long—for this very moment.
"Good. I'll leave it to you."
"But Kazuyama, aren't you coming? With you, we could take Amegakure in one strike."
Kazuyama Gekkō shook his head.
"Yahiko, I told you before—my position won't allow me to join. Otherwise, I'd relish the chance to fight Hanzō myself."
His voice then hardened.
"And this time, Kumo dared to target my daughter."
"If I don't hit back, I'm no longer myself. Hmph."
Everyone's eyes widened at his words.
Yugito's in particular nearly popped out of her head.
"What were they thinking?"
"Targeting you? Do they not know you're infamous for being ruthless?"
"Back when you lured me out of Kumo, I still had hope for the village. But later… forget it, it just makes me bitter."
"But seeing what Kumo has become, attacking villages for their secret techniques? That betrays the true meaning of strength."
"Damn sensei, want me to help you?"
Yugito's view of Kumo had completely changed. A village that couldn't even protect its own people and strayed so far from the right path—she no longer respected it.
Kazuyama Gekkō looked at her, proud of how far she'd come.
"You brat, no need. I can handle this myself."
"But I'm glad to see how much you've grown."
"Focus on helping Yahiko take down that bastard Hanzō."
He gave her a subtle look—encouragement to outsiders, but to her, a clear warning. Don't use the Tailed Beast's power.
Yugito understood perfectly.
"Give it your all. But remember—your safety comes first."
"I don't want any of you dying."
He looked at the people before him. They were his foundation, the core he'd built. He couldn't afford to lose even one of them. His future safety depended on them.
"Oh, and Konan—take this. I nearly forgot I brought it out of Kumo."
"It's one of their secret arts, called the Heavenly Transfer Technique."
"It can teleport objects instantly across thousands of miles. If the user is strong enough, even people can be transported."
"Study it well."
Konan accepted the scroll, nodding seriously. A technique given by Kazuyama Gekkō had to have purpose.
After handing everything over, Kazuyama Gekkō left.
Amegakure's matter no longer needed his attention. This was a test for the four—if they couldn't defeat Hanzō, how could they ever hope to face Madara Uchiha?
Back in Konoha, he wasn't anxious. He had already received word that Black Mamba had delivered his coordinates to the Land of Lightning.
If he wished, he could teleport there in minutes and begin his retaliation.
But for now, he wanted Minato Namikaze's response. This incident was also a test for Konoha.
Though Minato was Hokage, Kazuyama Gekkō still felt uneasy. What if this bastard turned out like old Sarutobi?
If that happened, should he leave Konoha? That question weighed on him.
What he wanted was a reliable stronghold, not a flimsy straw hut that collapsed under pressure.
So he waited—for Minato Namikaze's decision.
Three days later, the summons finally came.
The conference room in the Hokage Building filled once again.
Uncharacteristically, Kazuyama Gekkō was early, already waiting inside.