Ten Days Later.
Silver Horn sat up from his hospital bed, rotating his arms, stretching.
Since fighting Kazuku, he'd been bedridden. Closing his eyes, he saw countless Kazukus charging at him.
"Fully recovered?"
Gold Horn leaned against the door, arms crossed, addressing his brother.
"Yeah, completely, Gold Horn."
To prove it, Silver Horn punched the wall, cracks spiderwebbing across it.
Though Raikage Ai didn't blame them for the mission failure and losing intel to Konohagakure…
Gold and Silver Horn weren't ones to swallow defeat.
Losing to Kazuku demanded settling the score.
Silver Horn got out of bed, changing clothes.
The First Hokage, Hashirama, wouldn't stay at the border forever.
This time, he'd team up with Gold Horn.
Silver Horn couldn't imagine failing.
Kazuku…
Was dead.
"Let's go, Gold Horn. Time to wash away our shame."
"Blame the Hokage for foolishly sending his grandson to the border," Gold Horn sneered.
He was determined to succeed.
Unless…
After last time, Kazuku was recalled to the village.
Ten days had passed.
Enough for many changes.
But it couldn't be helped.
Kumogakure's Raikage was too timid.
Gold Horn had suggested sending a ninja squad to raid Konohagakure's border outpost.
In the chaos, kill Kazuku.
Cut the weed at its root!
But when he proposed it, Raikage Ai sternly refused, warning him to drop it.
No more thoughts about Kazuku.
This showed Gold Horn the Raikage's weakness.
For Kumogakure's future, and to weaken Konohagakure…
After deep thought, Gold Horn decided to take the risk.
Secretly head to Konohagakure's outpost, find Kazuku, and kill him.
If he wasn't there…
Slaughter the Konohagakure ninja as vengeance for Silver Horn's injuries.
Thus, Gold and Silver Horn took all Six Paths Tools except the Amber Purifying Bottle, leading their squad toward Konohagakure's border.
Meanwhile…
Raikage's Office.
Raikage Ai stood by the window, hands behind his back, gazing outside.
Behind him, a ninja knelt, reporting.
Gold and Silver Horn, with a ninja squad, left the village.
Their destination…
The Land of Fire's border!
Clearly, they were after Kazuku.
"No need to stop them?"
The ninja asked, puzzled.
With peace as the ninja world's trend, stirring trouble at Konohagakure's border could escalate conflicts.
But Raikage Ai had his own plans.
Since Gold and Silver Horn ate Nine-Tails flesh, their power surged.
A boon for the village.
But afterward, they grew arrogant.
Even comrades were mere tools to them.
Left unchecked, they'd harm the village someday.
And deep down, they craved war.
Crucially…
If Kazuku wasn't eliminated before he grew…
Raikage Ai feared there'd be no more chances.
One Hashirama Senju in Konohagakure was enough.
No need for Kazuku Senju.
It benefited no one in the ninja world.
After much thought, Raikage Ai chose ignorance.
Let Gold and Silver Horn deal with Kazuku.
If the Hokage blamed Kumogakure, he'd pin it on the brothers.
It was their unauthorized action, unknown to him.
If needed, handing them over was fine.
In short, Raikage Ai planned to use this…
To eliminate Kazuku.
And remove the village's unstable elements.
This assumed Tobirama hadn't recalled Kazuku.
That he was still patrolling the outpost.
"I hope Gold and Silver Horn triumph."
Raikage Ai believed any farsighted Kage wouldn't miss this chance.
Land of Fire Border.
Kazuku punched a wooden dummy relentlessly.
Since the spy handoff, Masagawa hadn't assigned new missions.
Kazuku's life reverted to patrolling, resting, training, and eating—a dull routine.
But today…
Something changed.
"The check-in cooldown's almost up."
Noticing the timer, Kazuku stopped training, scanning to ensure no interruptions.
Then…
A familiar voice sounded.
[Check-in system cooldown ended!]
[Host, confirm check-in?]
"Sixth check-in."
Kazuku's eyes narrowed, mood lifting.
The fifth check-in's Shadow Clone and Rasengan…
Boosted his strength qualitatively.
Without them, facing an elite jonin like Silver Horn…
He'd have had little chance.
"I'm willing to trade ten years of Uchiha Madara's lifespan for…"
Kazuku clasped his hands, muttering.
He didn't truly believe sacrificing Madara's lifespan guaranteed good rewards.
At first, it was just for fun.
Over time, it became a ritual.
Surely, he couldn't just wish for anything by offering Madara's lifespan?
If it was that powerful, he'd ask for Wood Release.
Musing, Kazuku felt a flash before his eyes.
Then…
He decided to tweak his line.
[Check-in successful!]
[Congratulations, host, for obtaining a check-in gift pack!]
[Open now?]
"I'm willing to trade ten years of Uchiha Madara's lifespan for Wood Release."
Just a casual remark.
No way he'd get Wood Release.
Impossible, impossible.
Not ten years of Madara's lifespan.
Not even twenty.
No way he'd randomly draw Wood Release.
The check-in gift pack had countless rewards.
Ninjutsu, kekkei genkai, chakra.
Everything.
Given Kakashi knew thousands of jutsu…
There were at least tens of thousands of rewards.
Wood Release?
Maybe a one-in-thousands chance!
But as Kazuku consoled himself…
[Check-in gift pack opened!]
[Pop!]
Two breaths later, the image froze, the glow a radiant gold!
[Congratulations, host, for obtaining the 'Wood Release Gift Pack'!]
(End of Chapter)