Chapter 254: Post War Reactions!

A cave somewhere in the Land of Fire

Uchiha Obito had remained there since his injury.

There was no need to return to the Hidden Mist Village—and he dared not face Nagato until he was fully recovered.

After all, Nagato possessed the Rinnegan—a power even Obito feared.

More troublesome still was Konan. She had never liked him, and if she saw him wounded and weakened, she might decide to finish him off herself.

Obito sat silently at the mouth of the cave, one leg drawn close, staring into the dim forest beyond. Then, sensing movement, he turned his head.

The ground nearby trembled, and a pale figure emerged from the soil—White Zetsu.

“Have you learned anything?” Obito asked, voice low and even.

White Zetsu grinned. “Yagura has fallen. He was defeated by Tsunade and Kitazawa.”

He paused for effect. “The Hidden Mist has now surrendered. The war is over.”

“Heh. Truly useless.”

Obito let out a cold snort. He had expected Yagura’s failure eventually, but the fact that the Mizukage hadn’t lasted even three months still grated at him.

White Zetsu tilted his head. “If he were strong enough to defeat Tsunade, he wouldn’t have been controlled by you in the first place.”

“Do you still plan to go to the Mist?” he added, smirking.

“A place that’s lost its value doesn’t deserve my time.”

Obito’s voice was icy. “As for Konoha… their turn will come. There’s no need to rush.”

Once the Moon Eye Plan was set into motion, Nagato would inevitably strike at Konoha himself. With the Rinnegan, he would do far more damage than a mere Yagura ever could.

Konoha’s destruction was only a matter of time.

“Destruction… is the beginning of rebirth.”

Obito’s single visible eye lifted toward the crescent moon, its pale light glinting off his mask.

“Oh, one more thing,” White Zetsu added suddenly. “Kisame Hoshigaki—your favorite shark—died in last night’s battle.”

“…Kisame?”

Obito paused, his tone briefly softening. “What a waste.”

Among all the Mist shinobi, Kisame had been the one he valued most—loyal, efficient, and ruthless. Perhaps only Fuguki could compare.

“Who killed him?”

“Someone you’re very familiar with,” White Zetsu replied, eyes glinting mischievously. “Kitazawa.”

“…That man again.”

Obito’s fists clenched, his voice lowering to a growl. “The next time I see him, I’ll tear him apart.”

“Then what about Kakashi?”

White Zetsu’s grin widened.

“Shut up!” Obito barked, his voice echoing through the cave. “Get out!”

White Zetsu chuckled, unbothered, and sank back into the earth, leaving Obito alone with his rage.

Konoha Village—Morning

Hiruzen had barely risen when a sharp knock echoed through his home.

He frowned. At this hour, no one visited unless something urgent had happened.

Adjusting his robe, the old Hokage walked to the door and opened it.

An ANBU stood outside—one he recognized immediately.

“Haru? Why are you back in the village?” Hiruzen asked, brows knitting. “Didn’t I instruct you to remain with Tsunade?”

“Hokage-sama,” Haru said, taking a deep breath, “the war is over. We’ve won.”

“…What?”

Hiruzen froze, astonishment flickering across his face.

Just two days ago, the reports had described fierce, deadlocked fighting between Konoha and the Hidden Mist. How could the war end so abruptly?

“It’s thanks to Lady Tsunade and Lord Kitazawa,” Haru said quickly, summarizing the events of the previous night.

By the time he finished, Hiruzen was silent—eyes wide with disbelief.

Even after all his years, few things could shock him anymore. But this… this was extraordinary.

First—Kitazawa.

The man’s strength had far exceeded expectations. He had mastered seven distinct jutsu disciplines: Water, Lightning, Wind, Fire, Earth Release… as well as Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu.

Every one of them is proficient. Balanced. Deadly.

It was like staring into a younger version of himself.

Hiruzen couldn’t help a wistful smile. ’If I were twenty years younger, I’d take him as a student myself.’

A grand-disciple wasn’t bad, though. Not bad at all.

Second—Tsunade.

She had unleashed her full might, overwhelming Yagura in direct combat. That could only mean one thing: her hemophobia was completely cured.

Thanks to Yakumo and Kitazawa, the burden that had haunted her for years was finally gone.

That alone was a victory greater than the war itself.

After all, a Hokage could not afford such a fatal weakness.

Third—and most troubling—the revelation that the Fourth Mizukage had been under Genjutsu control.

A Kage-level shinobi manipulated from the shadows… it sent a chill down Hiruzen’s spine. If such information leaked, few would even believe it.

But the Byakugan could perceive Genjutsu—that much was certain.

It seemed the Hyuga Clan’s importance would only grow from here on.

’Perhaps I should suggest to Tsunade that a Hyuga serve as her personal guard,’ he thought. ’Someone discreet—able to verify her chakra state in case anything ever seems off.’

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Hiruzen finally laughed aloud—a deep, heartfelt sound that filled the quiet morning.

“Spread the good news throughout the village!” he declared. “Let everyone know—Konoha has won!”

“Yes, Hokage-sama!” Haru bowed sharply.

The Third Hokage stood at his doorway, gazing out at the sunlight spilling across the rooftops of Konoha.

After so much loss, so much blood—for once, the village could breathe again.

“When will Tsunade and the others return?”

Hiruzen suddenly remembered something and asked again.

“Lady Tsunade didn’t mention it,” Haru replied with a shake of his head.

“Then contact the Anbu on the front lines and find out when they’re coming back.”

Hiruzen smiled faintly. “A victory like this deserves a proper welcome. The whole village should greet our heroes.”

Of course, the welcome itself was only part of it. What truly mattered was momentum.

War was cruel—but it also forged heroes faster than anything else.

The main reason Minato had become Hokage was the reputation he’d earned during the Third Shinobi World War. Though this conflict between Konoha and the Hidden Mist wasn’t as large in scale, the victory was decisive—and worth celebrating across the village.

Especially since this triumph belonged to Tsunade and Kitazawa.

Kitazawa, being Tsunade’s student, made their success all the more symbolic—a master and disciple leading Konoha to victory together.

Once the people saw them return side by side, their fame would soar.

And when Hiruzen announced Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage, no one would dare to object.

“Yes, Hokage-sama.”

Haru bowed and quickly left.

Within hours, the news of Hidden Mist Village’s surrender and Konoha’s overwhelming victory spread through the village like wildfire. Laughter and celebration filled the streets.

Shimura Clan Compound

While Konoha rejoiced, Danzo sat alone, staring blankly at the reflection in his courtyard pond.

“So, the Mist has fallen after all…” he muttered bitterly.

He had personally leaked intelligence to Yagura in advance. Yet instead of laying an ambush, Tsunade and Kitazawa had crushed them outright.

Not only defeated—but forced them to surrender.

Danzo clenched his jaw. “Utter incompetence.”

Now that the war was over, he had lost his leverage. He had planned to send more intel to the Mist over time, but now even that opportunity was gone.

Only one option remained—Kotoamatsukami.

Ninja Academy

The new semester had begun. Students of the Genius Class were in the middle of training, guided by Kosuke and Kakashi—each focusing on their own disciples.

Kosuke had taken a particular interest in Sakura, teaching her Water Release with meticulous care. Despite her limited chakra reserves, her progress was remarkable.

Kakashi, meanwhile, focused onSasuke, who was currently learning Chidori.

Suddenly, the training ground’s peaceful rhythm was broken.

“Good news! Great news!”

Iruka came running in, his voice breathless but brimming with excitement.

Everyone turned toward him instinctively.

“Hidden Mist Village has surrendered—we won!” he announced.

Kosuke and Kakashi exchanged glances, both surprised.

A war usually dragged on for months—sometimes years. Yet this one had ended in barely two and a half months.

“That’s awesome!” Naruto shouted, his grin as bright as ever. “As expected, Konoha never loses!”

“Konoha’s too strong!” Kiba barked proudly, slapping Naruto’s shoulder. “A shame we didn’t get to fight!”

Shikamaru sighed. “Yeah, that’s probably for the best. You’d have turned it into a year-long war.”

Ino crossed her arms. “Honestly, I’m fine not fighting. The battlefield’s terrifying.”

Hinata’s soft voice chimed in, almost a whisper. “Then… when will Kitazawa-sensei return?”

“Oh right!” Naruto perked up immediately. “Iruka-sensei, do you know when Kitazawa-sensei’s coming back?”

At once, Hinata, Ino, Sasuke, and the others turned expectantly toward Iruka.

“I’m not sure,” Iruka said after a brief pause. “But accounting for travel time and post-war cleanup, he should be back within the week.”

“Yay!” Ino cheered, practically bouncing with excitement.

Hinata smiled faintly, her heart fluttering.

“I can’t wait for Kitazawa-sensei to see how much stronger I’ve gotten!” Naruto said proudly.

Iruka chuckled. “You might want to prepare yourself—during this war, your Kitazawa-sensei and Lady Tsunade defeated the Fourth Mizukage.”

“WHAT?!”

The entire class froze in disbelief.

Even Sasuke’s eyes widened.

They all knew what a Mizukage was—a Kage-level powerhouse, equal in status to the Hokage. Even if Yagura wasn’t quite at Hiruzen’s level, he was still one of the strongest shinobi alive.

“Kitazawa-sensei is incredible!” Naruto shouted, his voice echoing across the field.

“This… this is the flame of youth!” Rock Lee yelled, giving a fiery thumbs-up.

“Hahaha! That’s our sensei!” Kiba barked in laughter. “Everyone’s gonna be jealous when they hear we’re Kitazawa-sensei’s students!”

“I need to train harder!” Ino clenched her fists with determination.

Hinata lowered her gaze slightly, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

Sasuke quietly tightened his grip on his ninjatō. ’The Fourth Mizukage, huh… could big brother also defeat him…’

One day, he vowed, he’d stand at that level too.

Kakashi, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of surprise. “So… Kitazawa’s strength has already reached Kage-level?”

Kosuke nodded in admiration. “The next generation truly is extraordinary.”

By noon, Kitazawa stirred awake, the fatigue from battle gone completely.

He stretched and glanced around—the tent beside him empty. Kurenai was already gone.

Stepping outside, he was greeted by the sight of bustling activity.

All around him, shinobi were packing supplies, dismantling tents, and preparing for the long-awaited journey home.

The war was finally over.

And after two and a half months on the front lines, everyone—Kitazawa included—was ready to return to Konoha.

[Current Mission: Assist the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, in breaking free from control.]

[Mission Reward: +30% Senju Bloodline, +20% Byakugan Purity.]

2

[Mission Complete. Rewards Issued.]

It’s here!

Kitazawa’s eyes lit up as the three lines of glowing text appeared before him.

The next moment, a wave of power surged through his body.

The change was immediate and overwhelming—his chakra reserves expanded dramatically, his control tightening and deepening all at once.

By instinct, he gauged the growth. About ten percent more chakra than Lady Tsunade—a milestone few shinobi could ever hope to reach.

[Senju Bloodline reached 100%. Additional Chakra capacity unlocked: +100%.]

Kitazawa blinked in surprise. The change was even more overwhelming!!

In total, this perfect Senju bloodline had boosted his chakra to a level near to Shukaku’s level!!

Then, another message flickered across his vision.

[Special Senju Ability Unlocked: Impromptu Healing.]

[Effect: Automatically regenerates from injuries without hand seals. Healing speed scales with Chakra reserves.]

Kitazawa’s eyebrows rose.

’Impromptu Healing… that’s Hashirama’s trick.’

It was one of the reasons Hashirama’s cells retained vitality even after death.

He hadn’t expected to gain something so extraordinary—but the description made it clear: his version wasn’t as strong as Hashirama’s.

The recovery rate depended entirely on one’s chakra.

Still, that meant the more chakra he gained, the stronger the regeneration would become. Like his Senju Chakra Mode, this could evolve over time.

And as someone blessed with a “system,” his chakra growth would only continue. One day, perhaps even Hashirama’s legendary vitality and chakra wouldn’t be out of reach. Hashirama was said to have chakra near to half the nine-tails itself!!

Thinking that, Kitazawa returned to his tent and picked up a kunai.

Without hesitation, he drew it across his forearm.

A shallow line of blood appeared—then vanished within seconds.

He grinned.

Judging by the speed, this regeneration rivaled B-rank medical ninjutsu.

Essentially, he now carried an invisible medic-nin within him, constantly healing his body.

Ordinary wounds were meaningless now. Against stronger foes, he could even afford to trade blows head-on, using regeneration as a weapon.

Then, another notification appeared.

[Byakugan Purity: 50%. Special Ability Unlocked — “Byakugan: Puppet Control.”]

[Effect: Grants control over inanimate puppets and, to an extent, living beings. Success rate depends on target’s strength and mental resistance.]

Kitazawa’s expression flickered.

’Another one?’

He’d thought the rewards had ended, but apparently not.

And this ability… it immediately reminded him of Ōtsutsuki Toneri on the moon.

In The Last, Toneri had used the Tenseigan to control countless puppets—and even manipulate Hinataherself.

This “Byakugan: Puppet Control” was undoubtedly derived from the same origin—perhaps a weaker form of that power.

Still, it was terrifyingly useful.

Controlling puppets was one thing, but the ability to influence living beings? That was no ordinary technique. Against strong opponents, it might fail—but against weaker ones, it was a god-tier skill.

As for puppets… Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Among shinobi, there was an entire profession centered on them—Puppet Masters.

Sunagakure even had a dedicated Puppet Corps.

And the two greatest puppet masters in history both hailed from there—Chiyo and her grandson Sasori.

Konoha had no such specialists.

But with this Byakugan ability, perhaps it was time that changed.

He could have a puppet made—something personal, unique. Maybe even battle-grade.

The only question was… who could make it?

Chiyo was still in Suna. Sasori, by now, should already have joined the Akatsuki.

Kitazawa’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The Akatsuki are mercenaries right now… If I pay well enough, commissioning Sasori isn’t impossible.

His train of thought was interrupted by a voice from outside the tent.

“Kitazawa-sama, Lady Tsunade requests your presence in the main tent.”

Kitazawa blinked, then stood up.

Outside, an Anbu awaited him. Kitazawa nodded in thanks and made his way toward the command tent.

As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed the tense atmosphere.

Tsunade sat at the central table, her expression dark.

“Lady Tsunade,” Kitazawa greeted, frowning slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Now that the Mist had surrendered, what could possibly irritate her like this?

“The Fourth Mizukage was here,” Tsunade said, handing him a scroll. “He gave me this.”

Kitazawa unrolled it—and found a sketch of a masked shinobi staring back at him.

“The Mizukage claims this man leaked information—allowing him to ambush us earlier,” Tsunade said quietly. “From his description, this person must be from Konoha.”

Kitazawa’s eyes sharpened.

“I see,” he said calmly. “Then start by investigating the Root operatives who were folded into the Anbu.”

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “That was my thought as well.”

Kitazawa smiled faintly.

Both of them knew exactly whose shadow loomed behind this.

Danzo Shimura!

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