Chapter 139: Invasion of Sand Ninja Village!

"Senior, you said that if Kazekage-sama has really been harmed by Konoha,"

"Then who will be the Fourth Kazekage next? Could it be Elder Chiyo who will step up personally?"

At the first line of defense in Sand Ninja Village, two guards were taking a break. They climbed to the top of the canyon for a smoke and to relax. A young Sand Ninja, full of curiosity, asked the middle-aged man beside him.

"No, Elder Chiyo is already old and lost an arm in the previous battle with Konoha," the middle-aged man replied, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep puff. "The Fourth Kazekage must be chosen from among the younger elders or Jonin. Right now, the most likely candidate is Master Rasa."

"Master Rasa? His bloodline ability is quite similar to Kazekage-sama's," the young man remarked. As he spoke, his eyes wandered to the horizon, where he spotted a black dot in the sky heading their way. He tugged on the older man's sleeve and pointed.

"Senior, what's that? It seems to be flying towards us."

The middle-aged man squinted in the direction the young man indicated. His pupils contracted as the tiny black dot quickly morphed into the massive figure of a toad descending from the sky.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!" he exclaimed, his voice escalating from a stunned whisper to a terrified roar. The alarm spread like wildfire, and shouts of "enemy attack" echoed throughout the canyon.

Boom!

An earth-shattering explosion disrupted the quiet afternoon. Even in Sand Ninja Village, sensitive ninjas heard the noise clearly. Atop the canyon, the giant toad landed with a thunderous crash, sending cracks across the ground and dislodging rocks into the canyon below, causing panicked screams.

"Hey, kid, what kind of mess have you dragged me into this time?"

The toad, Toad Bunta, spoke, a puff of white smoke escaping his mouth. A massive short sword was strapped to his waist—a weapon proportionate to his enormous size.

"Bunta, I called you here to cause a big commotion with the Sand Ninjas!" said Uzumaki Raiden, standing atop Toad Bunta's head. Two weapons were strapped to his waist—a long one and a short one—and his black cloak fluttered dramatically in the wind.

"Hahaha! You brat from Konoha dared to storm Sand Ninja Village!?" Toad Bunta laughed, leaping toward the village. The massive toad smashed through the first line of defense with ease.

"Quick, warn the village! Enemy attack!" shouted the guards at the canyon, rushing toward Sand Ninja Village. In the chaos, a few disguised ninjas mingled among them, heading into the village unnoticed.

In the center of Sand Ninja Village stood a spherical building marked with the kanji for "Wind." It housed the Kazekage's office and served as the meeting place for the village's leaders. Ebizo, currently overseeing operations, was seated in the former Kazekage's office, managing logistics during the war.

"Lord Ebizo!" A Sand Ninja burst into the office, kneeling before the desk. "Ninjas have infiltrated Sand Ninja Village!"

Ebizo looked up, startled. Before he could respond, a loud explosion reverberated through the village, even reaching his office. Rising from his chair, Ebizo gazed out the window toward the source of the noise.

"That's… a toad?" he murmured. "How many are there?"

"So far, just one person and a summon beast," the ninja reported.

"A single person? And a summon beast?" Ebizo's mind raced. "Who is it?"

"The identity is unclear," the ninja replied. "The perception team confirms only one person atop the toad."

Ebizo composed himself. "Strengthen the Wind Altar's defenses. The team there must not leave the village; their primary task is to protect One-Tail. Assemble the perception and barrier teams—reinforce the barriers and confirm if any others have infiltrated."

"Deploy Jonin Pakura, Jonin Rasa, Elder Chiyo, and the puppet squad to confront the intruder. Everyone else, guard key village facilities. Chunin and Genin will evacuate civilians and refrain from engaging. Once evacuation is complete, they can support Rasa and the others."

As Ebizo's orders echoed through the office, hidden elites surrounding him immediately moved into action.

Outside the village, Uzumaki Raiden stood atop Toad Bunta, facing the village's protective barrier. "I didn't expect Sand Ninja Village to have such a strong barrier," he muttered. "This might be tougher than I thought."

Sand Ninjas began converging on his position. Within minutes, dozens of ninjas encircled Raiden, ready to engage.

"You! You're Konoha's Raiden—the Thunder of Konoha!" one of the Sand Ninjas shouted.

Recognizing him, the ninjas grew visibly tense. Raiden smirked and addressed them: "People of Sand Ninja Village, I've come to negotiate peace!"

"As a gesture of goodwill, let me show you my sincerity," he added, unfurling a scroll. A shadow clone appeared and vanished instantly. Raiden then drew the Sakegari no Tachi from his waist and pointed it skyward.

Boom!

A thunderbolt crashed into the barrier, creating cracks and stirring strong winds.

"Quick! Stop him!" Sand Ninjas hurled weapons and unleashed ninjutsu at Raiden, but Toad Bunta leaped forward, evading their attacks and heading directly into the heart of the village.

"This isn't infiltration," thought Uchiha Fugaku, hidden among the attacking Sand Ninjas. Watching Raiden's aggressive assault, Fugaku felt regret and disbelief. "If I'd known this was his plan, I'd never have come along!"

Two more bolts of lightning struck, shattering the village's barrier completely. Toad Bunta landed in the center of the village with Raiden still standing atop him.

Boom!

The impact broke the windows of Ebizo's office. Calmly, Ebizo leaned out to see the figure on the giant toad.

"Lord Ebizo!" shouted Raiden, his voice echoing across the village. "It's me, Uzumaki Raiden! Let's settle this!"

(End of this chapter)