Kakashi stared at the burning pitch-black flames, his expression growing increasingly grave.
These flames were terrifying.
Water could not extinguish them. Even after the moisture on the ground had been boiled away, the fire continued to rage, as if it would not cease until it had incinerated existence itself.
His face grim, Kakashi molded his chakra to manipulate the earth, gathering the surface soil together. As he expected, the flames condensed along with the earth. Once the soil was thoroughly scorched and crumbling, he lifted the debris into the air, isolating it. Only then did the ominous fire slowly die out.
"A fire that cannot be extinguished… What kind of Fire Style Jutsu is this?" Kurenai asked, her voice laced with shock.
Kakashi shook his head gently. "I don't know. Perhaps it is a technique inherent to the Sharingan. To think that Uchiha Itachi was here as well…"
He glanced toward the casualties—specifically, the two extra "Anbu" members lying among the dead.
They were members of Root.
Kakashi's single eye swept over the scene coldly. "Where is Uchiha Shisui?"
"We couldn't capture him. He was too strong," a surviving Anbu replied. "And with Uchiha Itachi suddenly jumping in to disrupt the situation, our losses were severe."
As he spoke, the Anbu glanced at the corpses of the two Root members nearby. There was something he left unsaid.
Shisui hadn't killed many of the regular Anbu. The dead were almost exclusively members of Root. Furthermore, Shisui's actions hadn't been simple self-defense; it was a targeted, purposeful hunt. He was openly slaughtering Root agents out of vengeance.
Kakashi observed the scene for a moment longer, roughly understanding the narrative. "Focus on treating the wounded. Have the respective departments collect and bury the fallen."
"Yes, sir!"
The Fire Capital — A Secluded Villa.
Kazuma struggled to drag himself out of the earth.
The pain caused by the bone spikes was far greater than he had anticipated. At first, it had been bearable, but as time passed, the bone spikes seemed to fuse with his flesh. The impact on his mobility was severe; the slightest movement sent waves of agonizing pain shooting through his body.
If he were a civilian, he might have been able to endure it. But he was a ninja—a man with the ambition to make the Land of Fire a true superpower. Kazuma refused to be reduced to this state.
As for surgically removing them…
Such a delicate operation was beyond the capabilities of ordinary medical-nin. Only the elite among the medical corps could possibly achieve it, and he had no access to such resources right now.
Leaning against the wall, Kazuma felt a creeping sense of despair.
Shikotsumyaku. The Dead Bone Pulse.
A powerful Kekkei Genkai.
'If I possessed a Kekkei Genkai… would I be in this state?'
"Unwilling to accept your fate?"
A cold, indifferent voice drifted down from above.
Kazuma snapped his head up, watching as a figure in a black robe descended from the darkness. Kazuma clutched his injured shoulder and forced himself to stand.
"What do you want?"
The stranger did not attack. Instead, he asked a question that caught Kazuma off guard.
"What is your ideal?"
The Black-Robed Figure didn't answer Kazuma's question. His tone carried a disquieting sense of playfulness.
Kazuma fell silent for a few seconds before answering.
"The Hokage and the Daimyō. one holds the power to command ninja, while the other holds the authority over national governance and finance. Once a war breaks out, conflict between these two poles is inevitable."
"I believe that between the two, the Daimyō is more important." He voiced his conviction with steel in his voice. "A truly powerful nation should have only one voice. It shouldn't be fractured like it is now. I want to make the Land of Fire a true empire!"
Kazuma spoke with absolute certainty.
The Black-Robed Figure let out a mocking chuckle. "You only see the surface; you fail to see the essence of the matter."
"Although you are powerful, that is only because you possess a Kekkei Genkai!" Kazuma glared at the intruder, his heart filled with defiance and anger at having his life's work dismissed. "If I had a Kekkei Genkai…"
"But you don't," the Black-Robed Figure said with a soft laugh.
Kazuma choked on his words.
The figure looked at him. "Kekkei Genkai are not solely inherited through blood. There are techniques that can be acquired post-natally. You don't possess those either, do you?"
Kazuma fell silent.
"So, you see… people are born different." The Black-Robed Figure smiled.
Kazuma sank to the ground, silence hanging heavy in the air. After a moment, he asked, "What are you trying to say?"
"Is it better for a village or a nation to be perpetually managed by a single family? Or is it better to choose the most outstanding individual from a wider pool?"
"So, you think the Hokage system is better?" Kazuma asked.
The Black-Robed Figure shook his head gently. He didn't answer directly, but instead posed another question. "Do you believe the Daimyō possesses absolute power?"
"Naturally not…" Kazuma replied. "The Sanjo, Konoe, and Takatsukasa families are all great clans of the Fire Capital. United, they possess enough power to rival the Daimyō's Madoka clan."
"Indeed. The Daimyō cannot control everything. So, how can you ensure that once the ninja return to the Daimyō's command, they will be fully under his control?"
Kazuma was momentarily stumped.
He knew that even if the military power of the ninja returned to the Capital, he would still face the issue of the noble families. But previously, he had believed it would still be better. After all, Konoha was also comprised of various ninja clans, bound together by the Hokage. If the Hokage could do it, the Daimyō could too.
But the stranger's words forced him into deep contemplation.
Is a hereditary successor stronger? Or is the most excellent individual selected from many?
The answer was naturally… the latter.
Take the Madoka clan, for instance. This generation seemed to have several heirs, but in reality, only Madoka Ikkyū was truly qualified.
But was Ikkyū excellent? He was decent.
But compared to Sarutobi Hiruzen? He was likely inferior. Even compared to Shimura Danzō, he was probably a cut below.
Kazuma gradually fell into silence.
At this moment, the Black-Robed Figure looked up at the sky.
"I do not belong to any faction."
"The Daimyō system decrees that a nation must remain in one family's hands. The Hokage appears elected—but in truth, power has long been monopolized…"
His voice dropped, resonating with a terrifying gravity.
"That throne was never meant to be inherited. The capable should rise. The weak should fall."
"It has been held by fools for far too long."
The Black-Robed Figure looked down at Kazuma, his voice carrying a trace of sorrowful compassion.
"Listen… this country is weeping. It has been held by the incompetent for ages, and too many have died in battle because of the stupidity of others."
"…"
Kazuma's mouth hung slightly open, his heart racing.
The stranger's words struck at the very core of the issue, leaving him unable to refute them. At the same time, he could sense that this man's ambition was far greater than he had ever imagined!
He had a vague feeling that this man's goal wasn't the seat of a Kage in some specific village, but a realm far higher—something unimaginable.
Kazuma licked his dry lips. "What makes you think… that you can reach that step?"
"If you always believe the path ahead is a cliff and never dare to walk forward to look, then it will truly remain a cliff."
The Black-Robed Figure's tone was calm, exuding an absolute confidence.
He looked down, casting his gaze over the injured man. "Kazuma. The old world and the new world lie before your destiny… What is your answer?"
Kazuma leaned against the wall, forgetting the pain in his shoulder. He held his head high, staying silent for a long time.
Seconds ticked by. Finally, Kazuma took a deep breath. "If I refuse, will you kill me?"
"I am not a kind person," the figure replied.
"I… am willing to join," Kazuma answered.
He paused for a moment, then added, "I agree with what you said. perhaps the rule of the Daimyō is not the best decision, though I still harbor doubts about the Hokage's grasp on power."
"But, most importantly…"
"I want to see what kind of vision you hold."
The Black-Robed Figure smiled. "Trust me, the final result will not disappoint you."
"What do you need me to do?"
The figure placed a hand on Kazuma's shoulder. Chakra surged into the joint, and moments later, a bone spike was extracted and crushed into dust.
Only then did the figure speak.
"Build your forces in the shadows. And then… open your eyes and look truly at this world."