Chapter 55: One person is an army!

Compared to other hidden villages, Kusagakure felt more like a traditional village; its buildings were low-slung and scattered, with narrow paths crisscrossing through the fields.

Without looking at the mottled village emblem at the entrance, it would be difficult to imagine that this was a shinobi village.

The leader of Kusagakure, Kusanagi Koji, was currently staring at the two brothers, Wuwei and Wuchang, who were kneeling on the ground.

"It is also time for the Lord of Hozuki Castle to be replaced." Kusanagi Koji sat in his chair, his voice low and authoritative.

A strait separated the Land of Earth from the Lands of Water, Grass, and Rain.

Within the territorial waters of the Land of Grass lay a rugged island that had been developed into a prison. Because a type of groundcherry called "Hozuki" grew on the island, this isolated fortress overseas was known as "Hozuki Castle."

Various nations would entrust Kusagakure with the imprisonment of shinobi criminals they found inconvenient to hold themselves, making this a significant source of funding for the village.

The Lord of Hozuki Castle was changed every ten years, but each successor was an elite shinobi from the "Wu" clan.

This clan possessed a secret Fire Style technique known as "Fire Style: Heavenly Prison."

It allowed the user to inject fire-natured chakra into a target's body, sealing their chakra pathways like chains and rendering them unable to perform ninjutsu.

If the target attempted to force a technique or escape, the "Fire Style: Heavenly Prison" within them would trigger, transforming into countless flaming chains that bound the offender or even incinerated them.

The brothers, Wuwei and Wuchang, were the most outstanding ninjas of this generation of the Wu clan. Having mastered "Fire Style: Heavenly Prison" at a young age, their strength was exceptional even among the many shinobi of Kusagakure.

However, Kusagakure was a small village to begin with. Sending two such elite Jonin to garrison Hozuki Castle would mean losing the village's top combat power, which naturally caused Kusanagi Koji both heartache and hesitation.

"Lord Leader, let me go," Wuwei spoke up first, addressing Kusanagi Koji. "As the elder brother, it is my duty to garrison Hozuki Castle."

"Brother!" Wuchang, kneeling on one knee, looked at Wuwei with a complex expression, his fists clenched tight.

Garrisoning Hozuki Castle was no easy task. Although they held the prestigious title of "Lord," being stationed there long-term without the ability to leave the island was, in itself, a form of imprisonment.

In their early twenties, Wuwei and Wuchang were in their prime with limitless potential. They could even contend for the position of leader of Kusagakure in the future.

To waste a decade or more of their lives at Hozuki Castle was not worth it!

"In that case, Wuwei shall serve as the new Lord of Hozuki Castle." Seeing Wuwei's initiative, Kusanagi Koji nodded after a moment of thought.

"Move your family to Hozuki Castle as well." Kusanagi Koji remembered Wuwei's child, who was only three years old.

"When Mugui is old enough for the Jonin Academy, I will arrange for him to enter the elite class," Kusanagi Koji offered as compensation.

Kusagakure had learned much from Konohagakure, such as the Anbu, the Ninja Academy, and even the medical ninja system.

"Yes, I obey your orders, Lord Leader!" Wuwei bowed his head.

Kusanagi Koji nodded in satisfaction.

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion suddenly tore through the village's tranquility.

Inside the room, Kusanagi Koji and the two brothers, Wuwei and Wuchang, looked out the window in shock.

Outside, the fire from the explosion surged from the center of the village, and thick, rolling smoke spread in all directions.

"Ryuseki!" Kusanagi Koji barked, leading the village's elite ninjas toward the site of the explosion!

When Kusanagi Koji, Wuwei, Wuchang, and the others arrived at the scene, they discovered that the Kusagakure Hospital had been attacked!

Half of the hospital's two-story building had collapsed. Countless ninjas lay amidst the ruins and smoke, and the cries of surviving wounded echoed everywhere.

Through the thick smoke, a mysterious figure wearing a white, three-eyed fox mask walked slowly out of the hospital, carrying a red-haired woman in his arms.

Beside the mysterious figure was another small, red-haired silhouette.

"Uzumaki Kaori and her daughter?" As the leader, Kusanagi Koji immediately frowned.

He had been very careful to hide these two members of the Uzumaki clan within the hospital, even assigning ninjas to monitor their every move.

Even when village ninjas were injured on missions, only those of Chunin rank or higher were permitted to receive treatment in that special ward. Otherwise, any random Genin who came by to take a bite or a sip of their chakra and life force would have drained Uzumaki Kaori dry long ago.

Even so, Kaori's health was declining day by day; she likely had only a few years left to live.

"Who goes there!" Wuwei, Wuchang, and the Kusagakure Anbu Captain, Ryuseki, stepped in front of Kusanagi Koji in combat stances.

Other ninjas from Kusagakure also converged on the area, surrounding the hospital with expressions of solemnity and hatred, encircling the mysterious figure.

"You attack Kusagakure without provocation! Do you wish to make an enemy of our village!" Kusanagi Koji drew a short blade, flashed forward, and demanded an answer in anger.

Although the opponent was clearly targeting the Uzumaki clan, his hair was not red, suggesting he was not a remnant of the Uzumaki clan. He simply could not understand how the stranger knew the Uzumaki were in Kusagakure!

There must be a spy in the village!

"Lord Leader! He is the one wanted by Kumogakure—'Shura'!" Under his cat-eared mask, Ryuseki broke into a cold sweat, his voice trembling with caution.

"Shura!" Kusanagi Koji froze at the name.

Though they were only a small village, they still kept track of major events in the shinobi world.

While some information regarding the attack on Konoha and Kumogakure by a mysterious ninja a month ago had been suppressed, Kumogakure's seventy-million-ryo bounty on Shura was very real.

Kusanagi Koji did not know what "Shura" had done to warrant such a massive bounty from Kumogakure, but to command such a sum, he must be an exceptionally formidable foe!

"Without provocation?" Menma snorted.

He looked down at the dying Uzumaki Kaori in his arms; the dense, horrific bite marks on her arms were jarring.

Beside them, little Karin held her mother's hand numbly, softly calling out for her.

Menma was shocked by the sheer audacity of Kusagakure, and the restless, violent, and dark negative emotions within him expanded accordingly.

He felt nothing but contempt for negotiating with them.

"Kill them." Menma's cold voice carried supreme killing intent.

Amidst the astonishment of Kusanagi Koji and the other ninjas, more figures suddenly emerged from the smoke.

Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, Vermilion Bird, and White Tiger—the four masked beasts lunged from the smoke!

The Azure Dragon's body crushed through rooftops, while the White Tiger's massive paw crushed several Kusagakure ninjas.

The Black Tortoise's massive, steel-like body rammed into enemies like a war chariot; anyone struck was either killed or maimed!

The Vermilion Bird dove from the sky, its talons shredding ninjas one after another!

The Golden Snake slithered beneath the ground, erupting from the earth to strike, spreading terror among the ninjas on the surface.

The South Star Sage and North Star Sage stood behind Menma, their fox-head staves striking the ground with heavy thuds as they began to activate barrier techniques.

Purple barrier runes coiled around the ankles of the Kusagakure ninjas like venomous snakes, restricting their movement.

In mid-air, the Shinigami swung its scythe, carving crimson arcs through the sky. Countless wind blades swept toward the immobilized ninjas, harvesting their chakra and life force.

The Celestial Maiden's ribbons pierced through countless ninjas like soft swords!

In an instant, Kusagakure was submerged in a sea of wails and screams!

"Shura" alone was an army!