Chapter 225: Chapter 225

Konoha had no shortage of ninja tool shops.

The most famous, of course, was Granny Cat’s store—the go-to place for the Uchiha clan.

But Kitazawa had his sights set on a better option: Tenten’s family shop.

After all, the Zangetsu sword that Hinata had given him had come from here. He had grown accustomed to its weight and balance, so his second blade needed no fancy modifications—just something to mirror Zangetsu’s design.

It was Sunday. Even before Kitazawa reached the store, he heard an eager voice.

“Kitazawa-sensei!”

Tenten ran up to him, eyes sparkling.

“Tenten,” Kitazawa greeted with a nod. “Is your father in?”

“Are you here to buy ninja tools?” she asked quickly, then beamed. “I’ll tell my dad to give you a discount!”

Kitazawa chuckled. “And since when do you decide the discounts?”

“Since always!” Tenten puffed out her chest proudly. “My dad will definitely agree!”

“Agree to what?”

A calm voice cut in. A middle-aged man stepped out from the shop doorway, gaze falling on Kitazawa.

“Dad, this is Kitazawa-sensei—the one I always talk about!” Tenten said, tugging Kitazawa forward with a wide grin.

“So you’re Kitazawa-sama,” the man said politely, bowing slightly. “I’m Tenzen. Thank you for looking after my daughter.”

He had heard plenty from Tenten: that Kitazawa was the Academy’s vice principal, and even a student of Lady Tsunade in medical ninjutsu. That alone was enough for Tenzen to address him with respect.

“Just call me Kitazawa,” he said, shaking the man’s hand before getting straight to the point. “Can you reforge a ninja sword?”

“No problem,” Tenzen replied with confidence. “I promise you’ll be satisfied.”

“This is the one,” Kitazawa said, producing the kiba twin blades.

The moment Tenzen’s eyes fell on them, they widened. He seized the swords with both hands, examining them carefully.

“These… these are incredible.” His voice was filled with awe. “The blacksmiths who forged them were more skilled than me.”

“There’s someone better than you?” Tenten said in disbelief.

“There’s always someone better,” Tenzen replied matter-of-factly. “Besides, there’s the Hidden Craftsmen Village—an entire settlement of master smiths.”

Kitazawa’s brow arched slightly. He remembered that arc from the original story: the village of blacksmiths, the Four Celestial Symbols, and their attempt to revive the Ultimate Ninja Tools.

“Kitazawa-sama…” Tenzen’s gaze sharpened. “These swords seem… familiar. They must be renowned?”

“They’re called kiba—the Thunder Swords,” Kitazawa answered evenly.

Tenzen froze. “The Thunder Swords? One of the Seven Blades of the Hidden Mist?” His eyes went wide. “No wonder their craftsmanship is unmatched!”

Even Tenten gasped. “Wait, how did you end up with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen’s blade?”

“I met Kurosuki Raiga in the Land of Rivers yesterday,” Kitazawa said casually. “I took them from him.”

Tenten’s jaw dropped. “That’s… amazing!”

Tenzen was stunned into silence. Now it all made sense—why Kitazawa wanted the swords reforged.

“What kind of blade would you like them turned into?” Tenzen asked carefully.

“Like this.” Kitazawa unsheathed Zangetsu.

Tenzen recognized it instantly. “I made that one.”

“Hinata asked you to forge it,” Tenten explained with a smile. “She gifted it to Kitazawa-sensei.”

“I see…” Tenzen thought grimly, ’What kind of spoiled princess behavior is this—just handing out a sword worth ten million ryō?’

“Can you forge two blades from these?” Kitazawa asked.

Tenzen weighed the kiba in his hands. “It’s doable. About a month’s work. Once it’s ready, I’ll have Tenten inform you.”

“Good.” Kitazawa nodded. “How much will it cost?”

“I have the materials,” Tenzen said, shaking his head. “And since you’re Tenten’s teacher, the labor fee is waived. Consider it my thanks for letting me lay eyes on such masterpieces.”

Kitazawa inclined his head. “Then I won’t argue. Thank you.”

With business settled, he bid Tenten farewell and made his way home.

After two days of travel and fighting, the comfort of his house hit him like a warm embrace.

“Nothing beats home,” he muttered, stretching out on the sofa.

“Where’s Ranmaru?” Kurenai asked, walking over.

“I entrusted him to Hokage-sama,” Kitazawa replied, his gaze sliding to her pale thighs.

“And what did Hokage-sama reward you with this time?” she teased with a smile. With someone like Kurosuki Raiga defeated, it was only natural Hiruzen would express his gratitude.

“An S-rank combination jutsu,” Kitazawa said, pulling her into his arms, his hand already resting on her thigh. “The Five Style Massive Combo Jutsu.”

Kurenai arched a brow. “That one? Then you really are collecting all the Hokage’s techniques, aren’t you?”

“Now that you mention it…” Kitazawa chuckled. “All I’m missing is the First Hokage’s Wood Release.”

He already had the Second’s water jutsu, the Third’s combination ninjutsu and Shuriken shadow clone, the Fourth’s Rasengan, the Fifth’s monstrous strength, and even the Sixth’s Chidori.

Not to mention the Eighth Hokage’s Shadow Imitation techniques.

“Yes,”—Kitazawa smirked—”Shikamaru does become Eighth Hokage, if only temporarily.”

“Forget it.” Kurenai shook her head with a knowing smile. “There’s no way you’re ever learning Wood Release.”

“Maybe I can learn it.”

Kitazawa slung an arm around her shoulders, speaking nonsense with a straight face. “After all, Wood Release is just a fusion of Earth and Water chakra.”

Kurenai snorted. “Only I’d buy that. If you said it out loud, everyone else would just think you’re full of yourself.”

She gave his thigh a playful smack. “Come on, let’s train.”

“You’re so soft, yet so merciless. Can’t even let me rest for a moment?” Kitazawa teased, sliding his hand onto her chest.

Kurenai’s breath hitched. She caught his wrist sharply. “Don’t touch me there! I need to train hard if I want to keep up with you.”

“Alright, alright.” Kitazawa withdrew his hand with a sigh. “You work on your monstrous strength. I’ll head to Lady Tsunade next door.”

He intended to continue researching his new S-rank medical ninjutsu. With Tsunade guiding him, progress would be much quicker. After all, the system never said collaboration was off-limits.

“Lady Tsunade?” Kurenai adjusted her collar, reminding him, “She’s probably not back yet.”

“Right… I forgot.” Kitazawa scratched his head, then stood. “In that case, let’s train together.”

The two stepped outside to the open courtyard.

Kitazawa drew Zangetsu, gripping the hilt tightly as he channeled Fire Release chakra into the blade.

The chakra metal drank it in instantly, heat rippling across its length until—whoosh!—flames erupted, cloaking the sword in a burning sheath.

This was Uchiha Shisui’s technique: Uchiha-Style: Sword Leap Flame.

Once infused, the blade’s destructive power soared. But this was only the beginning. His real goal was mastering the follow-up—Uchiha-Style: Raging Wind Sword—hurling the fiery blade itself, combining swordsmanship and Fire Release into a devastating dual strike.

Night descended.

The Hokage’s office was still lit, smoke curling from the pipe in Hiruzen’s hand. He had stayed late, waiting for Inoichi’s analysis of Raiga’s memories.

A knock came at the door.

“Nono,” Hiruzen greeted as she stepped in. Her gaze immediately fell on the small boy seated nearby.

“This child is Ranmaru,” Hiruzen explained smoothly. “An orphan… whose memories were lost.” In truth, erased—but he polished the wording.

“You want him placed in the orphanage?” Nono asked gently.

“Exactly.” Hiruzen nodded. “But he’s not like the others. His talent is remarkable.”

“What kind of talent?” Her brows rose. If the Hokage himself called it ’remarkable,’ it had to be extraordinary.

“The Red Eye,” Hiruzen said, then detailed the dojutsu’s abilities.

Nono’s eyes widened. “A bloodline limit similar to the Byakugan? That’s incredible! He’d be perfect for medical work—and even better if he learns medical ninjutsu.”

Hiruzen’s pipe paused mid-air. She was right.

Medical ninja relied on seeing what the naked eye could not—cells, pathways, inner structures. The Byakugan was ideal for this, but the Hyuga clan’s rigid traditions bound them to Gentle Fist, never medical training. And as Hokage, even Hiruzen dared not meddle in clan laws.

But Ranmaru wasn’t bound by such restrictions.

“Then you’ll teach him,” Hiruzen decided. “Take him with you.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.” Nono bowed and led the boy away.

Moments later, another knock sounded.

“Hokage-sama,” Inoichi entered, holding two scrolls. “These are the memories I extracted from Kurosuki Raiga.”

“Two?” Hiruzen asked, taking one.

“One contains ninjutsu, the other intelligence,” Inoichi explained.

“I see.”

Hiruzen unrolled the first, scanning the contents. Lightning Release, primarily. Some Water Release. He frowned.

Most of Raiga’s techniques revolved around the Kiba swords. Without them, their effectiveness was halved.

Still—he tapped the scroll thoughtfully. “Haru, copy these Lightning Release techniques for Kitazawa.”

An Anbu operative stepped forward to take the scroll.

After all, Kitazawa had slain Raiga. These were his rightful spoils. And since Hiruzen had already given him the Five Style Massive Combo Jutsu, a few more techniques made little difference.

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Haru said, vanishing with the scroll.

But Inoichi’s heart stirred uneasily. So many techniques, handed over so freely?

It was obvious now: Kitazawa becoming Tsunade’s disciple wasn’t just likely—it was inevitable. Hiruzen clearly already saw him as a trusted successor.

Hiruzen picked up the second scroll.

Unlike the first, this one contained intelligence on the Hidden Mist Village.

“What exactly is the Fourth Mizukage planning?” Hiruzen muttered, more puzzled the further he read.

Raiga’s memories were filled with the brutal tyranny of Yagura Karatachi. Many of his actions were even more outrageous than Danzo’s schemes.

Take the extermination of the Kaguya Clan, for example.

Officially, the Mist had declared the clan’s annihilation a punishment for rebellion. But the truth, revealed in Raiga’s memories, was far darker—the rebellion itself had been staged, deliberately provoked by Yagura.

Hiruzen frowned. The Kaguya were carriers of the fearsome Shikotsumyaku bloodline, a power that placed them on par with the Uchiha or the Hyuga in Konoha. For a Hokage, deliberately wiping out such a clan would be unthinkable—it would only weaken the village as a whole.

And yet, Yagura hadn’t stopped there. He actively hunted down bloodline clans throughout the Mist.

“No wonder even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen turned traitor,” Hiruzen sighed, setting the scroll aside. Then, with a faint smile, he added, “Still… for Konoha, this only works in our favor.”

The Mist was destroying itself from within. Given enough time, its strength would wither until it could no longer pose any real threat to Konoha.

“You’ve done well today, Inoichi,” Hiruzen said at last, waving a hand. “It’s late. Get some rest.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama.”

Inoichi bowed and quietly left.

“Haru,” Hiruzen called after a moment’s thought. “Send word to the Mist that Kurosuki Raiga is dead.”

He wasn’t about to waste the opportunity. The news would boost Konoha’s prestige while wringing every last drop of value from Raiga’s death.

The Mist had placed a bounty on Raiga’s head, so they would inevitably demand his body back. They would also press to reclaim the Kiba—the twin thunder swords.

But the Kiba already belonged to Kitazawa. There was no way Hiruzen would hand them over. Negotiations would be long and drawn out, but that was fine. The Mist didn’t have the strength—or the nerve—to risk war with Konoha.

The Cloud was another matter. Their military might rivaled Konoha’s, and without Tsunade in the village, they would even hold the advantage. But against the Mist? There was nothing to fear.

The following morning, Kitazawa received an unexpected visitor: Haru.

“This is from Hokage-sama,” Haru said, handing him a scroll.

“Appreciate it.”

Kitazawa unrolled the scroll and blinked in surprise. It was packed with Lightning Release jutsu—eight in total, all taken from Raiga’s memory.

His first thought: There’s no way I can learn them all. Not now.

His training plate was already overflowing. But then again, a shinobi could never have too many tools. And Raiga’s Lightning Release techniques weren’t weak—combined with the reforged kiba, they could be devastating.

Still, priorities mattered. Kitazawa decided to shelve the Lightning Release for later. First, he would master the two sword arts from Sasuke, then finish his Water and Earth Release missions.

As for the Five Style Combo Jutsu? He’d studied it the night before and confirmed what he already suspected—he wasn’t ready. His Lightning Release was only at the proficient level, and his Wind Release was just skilled. Until all five chakra natures reached skilled rank, the technique was out of reach.

It truly was worthy of being Hiruzen’s hidden trump card.

But that was the nature of S-rank ninjutsu—they were never simple. Lightning Release: Kirin, for instance. Even after Kitazawa had broken down the concept for him, Kakashi had barely made progress with it.

No matter. There was time.

Kitazawa put away the scroll and returned to his sword drills, the day passing in quiet, uneventful training.

By evening, while Konoha still basked in golden sunlight, the Hidden Mist was already swallowed by its signature blanket of fog. Each great village had its defining trait; the Mist’s perpetual haze had birthed both the Silent Killing technique and the Hidden Mist Jutsu.

Inside the Mizukage’s office, a knock echoed.

“Enter,” said Yagura Karatachi, his youthful face betraying no emotion.

A large, heavyset man with long orange hair stepped inside—Suikazan Fuguki, wielder of Samehada, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Unlike Raiga or Jūzō, Fuguki had never defected. On the contrary, he enforced Yagura’s brutal reign with zeal, playing a central role in the Mist’s infamous “Bloody” reputation.

“Mizukage-sama,” Fuguki began, his tone grim. “I’ve received word. Kurosuki Raiga has been killed by a Konoha shinobi named Kitazawa.”

“Kitazawa?” Yagura’s brows furrowed.

“He’s an Academy instructor,” Fuguki explained. “Made a name for himself last year. Recently suppressed the Guardian Ninja revolt in the Land of Fire. Most importantly, he trained under Tsunade—and the two are close.”

“Tsunade’s student…” Yagura mused. “For him to kill Raiga, his strength must be considerable.”

“Shall we contact Konoha?” Fuguki asked.

“Raiga is nothing but a corpse now. He’s of no importance,” Yagura said coldly. “But the kiba must be retrieved. The Mist requires a successor to wield them.”

“I’ll dispatch someone to negotiate immediately.”

“No.” Yagura’s eyes gleamed with a strange light. “I’ll choose the envoy personally.”

Fuguki hesitated, then bowed and withdrew without question.

The office fell silent—until the air shimmered and a masked figure appeared.

Yagura instantly stood and bowed deeply.

“I’ll be traveling to Konoha soon,” the newcomer said. “See to the arrangements.”

“Yes,” Yagura replied respectfully.

At that moment, a pale figure emerged from the ground.

“Obito, I have some news you’ll like,” White Zetsu grinned.

“Idiot,” the masked man snapped. “When we’re not alone, you call me Madara.”

Unfazed, Zetsu chuckled. “Kitazawa, the one who killed Raiga—he was your classmate.”

Obito froze for a heartbeat, then scoffed. “Classmate or not, he was nothing. Not worth remembering.”

“There’s more,” Zetsu continued. “Kakashi is a teacher at the Academy too. Kitazawa’s colleague.”

Obito blinked, then burst into laughter—harsh, bitter, mocking.

“Kakashi Hatake, a teacher at the Academy? What a joke! Once praised as a genius, and now reduced to this? Only washed-up Chūnin end up there.”

The laughter stopped as abruptly as it began, his voice twisting into anger.

“Rin, you were wrong about him. A man like that can’t accomplish anything!”

His hands clenched into fists. Soon enough, once Madara’s Eye of the Moon Plan was complete, Rin would return. They would all live in a world where she smiled again.

“How fares the Akatsuki?” he asked, regaining composure.

“They’ve just recruited Biwa Jūzō,” Zetsu replied.

“Too slow.”

“We’re searching for strong candidates,” White Zetsu said, “and have already identified two.”

Obito waved him off. “Keep working.”

With that, Zetsu sank into the ground, vanishing.

Obito turned to the window, gazing out into the fog. He wasn’t returning to Konoha for Raiga. Not even for Kakashi.

It was nearly Rin’s death anniversary.

Still, Zetsu’s report lingered in his mind. Perhaps he would see for himself just how far Kakashi had fallen.

——————

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