In the dense forest of the Land of the Moon, a group of Kumogakure shinobi draped in black cloaks slowly advanced through the thicket. They soon came face-to-face with Sakumo Hatake, who shifted his gaze to the man leading the group—a member of the Yotsuki Clan from Kumogakure, named Yotsuki Akira. He was the key figure in today's negotiation with Sakumo.
"Yotsuki Akira, hand over what I asked for. It's crucial to me," Sakumo said, his tone steady but serious.
Yotsuki Akira's lips curled into a sly smile. He spread his fingers to reveal a scroll in his hand. "This? Is this what you're looking for?"
"Yes. I need it returned to me," Sakumo replied without hesitation.
The scroll bore the unmistakable symbol of Konohagakure. There was no doubt that it belonged to Sakumo. However, just because Sakumo was here didn't mean he could claim it.
Yotsuki Akira's expression darkened with amusement. "The Land of the Moon isn't officially part of the Land of Lightning, but it is one of our vassal states. You Konoha shinobi trespassed here. That's your problem. Now that we've intercepted Konoha's classified information, you want it back? How absurd."
Sakumo listened in silence, waiting for Yotsuki Akira's final demand. Seeing Sakumo's calm demeanor, Akira's smugness deepened.
"You should know, this scroll gives us leverage to pressure Konoha. Do you really think I'll hand it over so easily?" Akira made no attempt to hide his true intentions.
Sakumo took a moment before responding. "The Land of the Moon isn't under the Land of Lightning's jurisdiction. I didn't step foot into your territory or provoke you. Besides, we're both shinobi. Sending spies to gather information is a standard practice. There's no need to cling to this so stubbornly."
"And let's not forget Konoha has done plenty for Kumogakure. You wouldn't have gotten your loans approved without Konoha's help. Is there really a need for this hostility?" Sakumo's voice remained level, but his words carried weight—both personal and political.
The logic in his argument left Yotsuki Akira and his men exchanging uneasy glances. They had no solid rebuttal. After all, Kumogakure's shinobi were known for their physical prowess, not their diplomacy.
Yotsuki Akira's expression turned even grimmer. He couldn't outtalk Sakumo, but there was no way he'd hand over the scroll without a fight.
"Hmph. Sakumo Hatake, no matter how much you reason, you won't get this scroll. Unless your Third Hokage comes here personally to take it, you can forget about it!"
Akira had made his position clear.
Sakumo sighed inwardly, his eyes slowly closing. He had tried diplomacy, but if the other side refused to back down, he had no choice but to resort to more primitive means.
His hand moved slightly, gripping the short blade on his back—the famed White Fang of Konoha.
"What? You're thinking of fighting us?" Yotsuki Akira and his men tensed, readying themselves. Some began weaving hand signs, while others drew their weapons.
When Sakumo opened his eyes again, a sharp, piercing aura radiated from him like needles, directed straight at Yotsuki Akira and his team.
"Forgive me," Sakumo said, vanishing in a blur. His blade flashed like streaks of silver lightning, slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound of metal clashing echoed through the forest. Sparks flew as Sakumo's speed and strength overwhelmed the Kumogakure shinobi.
In mere seconds, the battle was decided.
Yotsuki Akira staggered back, clutching a wound and grimacing in pain. He was lucky to have escaped with his life. His comrades weren't so fortunate—all of them lay lifeless on the ground.
Drip.
Drip.
Blood dripped from the tip of Sakumo's blade onto the earth. He didn't spare a glance at the fallen shinobi. His piercing gaze locked onto Yotsuki Akira—the next target.
In that moment, Yotsuki Akira finally understood the legend surrounding Sakumo Hatake during the Second Great Ninja War.
It was said that any shinobi who encountered Sakumo could abort their mission without punishment, as there was no hope of victory. Such was the terror of facing the White Fang.
Such was his legend.
For the first time, Yotsuki Akira truly felt the weight of Sakumo's fearsome reputation. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He clenched his teeth, trying to push past the pain and think clearly.
Given Sakumo's skill, Akira knew he didn't stand a chance in direct combat. But he wasn't panicking—he had anticipated this situation from the start.
"You may be the White Fang of Konoha, but you're still just human. You can't stand against that creature."
Sakumo's steps halted, his eyes narrowing at the mention of something dangerous. He knew Yotsuki Akira wasn't bluffing. The fact that Akira had been chosen to lead this forward unit of Kumogakure meant he was no ordinary shinobi.
"Heh. I heard that brat Killer B learned how to coexist with it. I never bothered to try. And frankly, I don't believe anyone can truly live in harmony with a beast like that."
"Hmm… well, that's fine. Hatake Sakumo, you're worth me using that thing. Come out now!"
As Yagetsu Akira finished speaking, his body began to relax. He no longer cared about the bleeding wounds. His stance became naturally upright, and then—gurgle, gurgle. Dark red bubbles emerged from his body. The chakra not only seeped out but began healing his wounds at a visible speed.
Soon, the dark red chakra bubbles covered Akira's entire form, and a bright crimson tail sprouted from his back. Unlike Naruto, who could retain his consciousness even after sprouting one or two tails, Akira reached his limit the moment the first tail appeared. He could already feel his mind slipping.
In those final moments of lucidity, Akira had one thought.
"Even if that monster takes over temporarily, it's fine. Once it emerges, its overwhelming chakra will be sensed by the perimeter guards of Kumogakure. The village will send the sealing team to recapture it."
With everything planned, Akira felt at ease. His body no longer resisted the dark red chakra in the slightest. When the second tail began to emerge, the crimson chakra cloak enveloped him completely. His eyes turned pure white, and pointed ears seemed to rise from the sides of his head. The transformation surged from his body like a volcanic eruption.
Slash! A piercing, ear-splitting sound echoed through the forest. Birds scattered in panic, and the animals on the ground fled for their lives.
A towering beast, standing several dozen meters tall, now loomed over the forest. Its form was feline, with a sleek blue body marked by black stripes. Its semi-transparent body shimmered, not like air but like pure chakra. The beast's blue form flickered like flames in the wind. It was Matatabi—the Two-Tails—fully unleashed.
Its massive form was suffocating. Its chakra was so immense that it threatened to crush everything, and its killing intent was no less than Shukaku's. The sheer pressure was overwhelming.
This was Hatake Sakumo's first time seeing the Two-Tails in person. To be honest, he was shaken. But the discipline of a powerful ninja quickly took over, and he calmed himself. His mind raced, analyzing all the information that could work in his favor. He had to defeat this tailed beast if he wanted to achieve his goal.
Seeing that Sakumo wasn't backing down, Matatabi's temper flared. Unlike the more mild-mannered Seven-Tails, Matatabi didn't tolerate obstacles.
"You dare stand in my way, human? Die!"
With a deafening roar, Matatabi raised a massive paw and slammed it down toward Sakumo.
Sakumo swiftly formed a seal with one hand. With a burst of speed, he vanished from the spot, reappearing above Matatabi's head. His White Fang short sword was raised high, crackling with lightning. Sparks danced along the blade, seemingly connecting with the lightning in the sky.
Boom! Thunder rumbled from the clear blue sky as if answering Sakumo's Lightning Release. He brought his blade down hard, aiming for Matatabi's head.
Boom! Crash!
Matatabi's enormous body was forced into the ground by the impact.
"Human! You insolent fool!" Matatabi snarled, struggling to keep its limbs from sinking into the earth.
It opened its mouth, and a searing, high-temperature flame began to form. The fire burst toward Sakumo with terrifying force. The air around him heated up drastically. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead, but his composure remained intact.
In mid-air, he twisted his body and formed another seal.
"Water Release: Severing Wave!"
A jet of water shot forth, forming the sharpest blade imaginable. It sliced through the massive fireball, splitting it in two. The water's momentum carried on, striking Matatabi directly.
Matatabi roared in pain, as if struck by a whip.
Anyone watching would have been stunned by the scene. A human, standing toe-to-toe with a tailed beast, was almost unthinkable. But those who understood the ninja world better would know that Kage-level shinobi could hold their own against tailed beasts—sometimes even defeat them. The terror of the tailed beasts lay not just in their strength but in their endless reserves of chakra.
Sure enough, after thirty minutes of intense battle, the balance began to tip.
Sakumo's powerful strikes continued, each one causing Matatabi immense pain. But the prolonged battle had left him exhausted. He was breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his body.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu, who had been leaning against a tree at a distance, crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
It seemed that running out of chakra was a common problem, not just due to the Sharingan but perhaps also due to certain inherited traits.
...
Just twenty more minutes, and Akira would have been down for the count. But judging from how worn out Hatake Sakumo looked, his legs weren't doing much better. What a useless guy. If it were Kakuzu, he wouldn't just last twenty more minutes—he could easily hold out for seven days and seven nights.
No doubt about it—chakra is the lifeblood of this world. If you want to defy fate and become a true protagonist, the first step is to turn your chakra into something massive. Otherwise, you're just another "flashy at first, but useless later" type.
At this moment, Kakuzu was still leaning against a tree, quietly observing. He made no move to intervene. Although Hatake Sakumo looked like he was at his limit, there's a certain potential that only appears when people are backed into a corner. With a bit of luck, he might break through and finally solve his chakra deficiency problem. So, Kakuzu decided to let Sakumo keep fighting.
But suddenly, a faint, unfriendly presence began to approach the now-destroyed forest clearing.
When that person finally stopped and planted their feet on the ground, Sakumo, who had been fighting Akira with all his might, immediately sensed danger. He leapt back in an instant, landing in a safe spot and putting some distance between himself and Akira.
Oddly enough, Akira didn't take advantage of the moment to attack. Instead, his eyes shifted toward the newcomer.
Sakumo took a few deep breaths to steady himself.
"Kumogakure shinobi?" he wondered silently. If a Kumogakure unit had arrived, things would take a serious turn for the worse.
However, to his surprise, the person wasn't from Kumogakure. It only took Sakumo a second to recognize the man. To be fair, the two had never met in person. Sakumo had only seen this man's image in reports.
Slowly rising to his feet, Sakumo narrowed his gaze at the figure across from him.
"This is the Land of the Moon's territory. What brings the Mizukage here?" he asked, enunciating each word clearly.
The Third Mizukage, Mufu, kept his eyes narrowed as always. Upon hearing Sakumo's question, the corner of his lips lifted in a mocking smirk.
"A discarded pawn of Konoha. I never expected you'd have the nerve to come back."
Those words hit Sakumo like a bolt of lightning. He stepped forward, his burning gaze locked onto Mufu.
"Third Mizukage, how do you know that intel? And your presence here—this can't be a coincidence."
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (262 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)