Chapter 132: Uchiha Madara Looking for Fun
While Li Yao continued hiding and cultivating...
In a hidden underground chamber beneath the towering Gedo Statue, Uchiha Madara awoke once again from his slumber.
Two White Zetsu had already been waiting at his side, ready to report on the various happenings of the shinobi world over the past year.
More than half of the information pertained to Nagato.
After all, Nagato possessed Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan, and White Zetsu had been keeping a close watch. That eye could not be allowed to fall into danger.
"Oh, right — that Li Yao guy has been training on an island near the periphery of the Frozen Lands for about a year and three months now... I think," one of the White Zetsu said casually, as if only now remembering Li Yao.
"Is that so?"
Uchiha Madara was somewhat surprised that Li Yao, that little brat, had managed to elude Konoha's pursuit and go into hiding.
"That won't do. As one of my pawns, getting too comfortable just won't do."
Madara's lips curled slightly. "Leak his location."
"Hehehe, Lord Madara, you're so devious." White Zetsu laughed gleefully as he walked off.
If Li Yao didn't fall into a desperate situation and awaken deeper hatred, how could Madara guide him down the path he envisioned?
Uchiha Madara smiled faintly in his heart. Without Hashirama, this shinobi world was simply too boring. He had to find himself some entertainment.
"Let's see just how much of Hashirama's Wood Style you can recreate."
…
Land of Frost.
Cowhorn Peninsula — named for the way it juts into the Sea of War like a pair of horns. It's roughly the size of Korea's peninsula on Earth.
The protruding landform perfectly splits the southern Sea of War into two, making it the ideal midpoint for amphibious assaults between the Lands of Earth and Lightning — a key strategic location.
It's no exaggeration to say that, of the ten major battles fought between Iwa and Kumo, nine took place here.
Whoever controlled Cowhorn Peninsula controlled the initiative in the war — able to strike at the enemy homeland from their long, exposed coastline.
After war broke out between Iwagakure and Kumogakure, Cowhorn Peninsula quickly turned into a meat grinder for both sides' shinobi.
At that moment, in the western region of Cowhorn Peninsula, within the Iwa camp—
"Lord Tsuchikage, the underground bounty network has brought news of Li Yao again."
"Again?!"
Ōnoki was stunned. Ever since he had used the underground bounty network to release false information about Li Yao's whereabouts and ended up getting ambushed by the Third Raikage, both sides had been playing the same trick repeatedly.
Eventually, neither village trusted intel from the bounty network anymore.
And now, new information had suddenly appeared? Did they really think he'd fall for it again?
"This intel is different," said the ANBU shinobi. "It claims that after battling the Third Raikage, Li Yao crossed the Sea of War and then the entirety of the Frozen Lands. He's supposedly been training on a large island just beyond it ever since."
The ANBU added, "The intel is very detailed. It even includes how Li Yao survived the cold. I don't think it's fake, Lord Tsuchikage."
That much detail… Ōnoki narrowed his eyes in thought, fingers laced together.
Thinking back, he had scoured the Sea of War and even sent people to comb through the smaller coastal nations — all with no results.
Kumogakure was likely doing the same.
So far, they hadn't found Li Yao either.
Which meant it really was possible that he'd made it through the Frozen Lands.
Ōnoki didn't know much about the Frozen Lands, only that it was a vast, lifeless region buried under layers of snow and ice.
He hadn't even considered it a viable hiding place — no one could survive there.
But now that he thought about it, the region beyond the Frozen Lands could support life.
The Frozen Lands had served as a natural barrier, and neither he nor the Third Raikage had thought to send scouts there — which had allowed Li Yao to hide in peace until now.
At this point, Ōnoki was inclined to believe the intel.
Still, being cautious by nature, he didn't plan to check it himself.
"Send for Dalaran," Ōnoki said to his aide.
Tsuchidai — Dalaran, a jonin of the Tsuchidai clan, master of Explosive Clay Release. He could craft clay birds for flight. He was the fastest and safest option to verify the information.
At the same time…
The Third Raikage, upon receiving the same intel, made a similar decision. He dispatched a shinobi from the Daruma clan to investigate the location using a giant eagle.
Meanwhile, Biwako and her two companions, who had been searching for Li Yao in the Land of Iron, also received the intel from the bounty network and began heading toward his position.
Unaware that his location had been exposed, Li Yao continued his daily research — inscribing Devouring Seal Arrays on his body and studying ways to enhance the strength of his black iron chains.
…
That afternoon.
Inside the cabin, Li Yao stood completely naked while his shadow clone worked on engraving the Devouring Seal Array on his body. Suddenly, Li Yao's brow lifted slightly, and a smile crept across his face.
"It worked!"
On the other side of the cabin, the clone's face lit up with joy. With a thought, black iron chains formed a feathered cloak around his body, and he stepped outside.
Li Yao was already waiting outside. As his clone emerged, he activated Lightning Style Chakra Mode — his entire body covered in a solid blue-white lightning armor.
"Ready?"
Li Yao crouched in a runner's stance. His right hand extended, forming a single finger. A dense, white-jade-like Lightning chakra covered it, extending outward like a razor-sharp dagger crackling with arcs of electricity.
This was Li Yao's One-Finger Thrust — his strongest spear — and the perfect tool for testing the strength of his black iron chains woven from ultra-condensed Wood Style chakra threads.
"Bring it on," the clone said confidently, feeling the density of the Wood-infused chains around him.
As soon as he spoke—
Zzzzz—! Li Yao's One-Finger Thrust pierced through the air, slamming into the clone's cloak of black iron chains. The condensed Lightning chakra collided with the reinforced chains at high speed.
BOOM!
CLANG!!!
Thunder and lightning exploded. The metallic screech of clashing forces echoed throughout the small valley.
Whoosh!
BANG!
The clone was blasted away like a cannonball, slamming into a cliffside and leaving a massive crater.
"Hahaha…!"
Li Yao retracted his Lightning chakra armor, stood up straight, and laughed heartily as he looked at the crater in the distance.
Whoosh!
The clone shot back from the cliff crater, returning to the cabin unscathed. The black iron feather cloak covering him was completely intact.
"Hahahaha… Let's see how the Third Raikage handles me now. Next time we meet, I'll be the one to kill you."
Li Yao was filled with pride. What he feared most about the Third Raikage was the unrivaled piercing and cutting power of his One-Finger Thrust.
Now that he could block that, Li Yao was confident he could defeat him.
After all, he had the black iron chains, and the Lightning Style Chakra Armor that suited him even more. His speed and power matched the Third Raikage — and his defense now surpassed him.
There was no reason he couldn't win.
"Finally… I'm no longer weak."
Back inside the cabin, sitting at the dining table, Li Yao poured himself a drink in celebration.
The black iron chains woven with Wood chakra threads had unprecedented durability. For now — and maybe for a long time — there likely wasn't any attack capable of breaking through it.
If there was one exception… it would probably be Dust Release.
(END CHAPTER)
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