Chapter 221: You Are Surrounded by Me!

In December, winter had settled over the Land of Fire.

Although there was no snow around Konoha, which lay in the mid-latitudes, the weather had turned quite cold. The once lush and dense forests had also changed color, marking the arrival of the season.

In a barren wasteland outside the village, Shimura Danzo and Orochimaru stood side by side, silently awaiting the arrival of Uzumaki Raiden. Danzo knew that the newly appointed Hokage would come without fail.

The failure of Nono's assassination was not unexpected for Danzo. His original plan was to lure Uzumaki Raiden into a closed environment, where he and Orochimaru, along with their Root operatives, could attack together. However, what Danzo hadn't anticipated was Nono's reckless attempt to assassinate Raiden outside the orphanage, resulting in her swift defeat in a single confrontation.

Seeing that the first plan had failed, Danzo immediately activated the backup plan—leading Raiden out of the village without hiding his tracks. Here, in the wasteland, he had prepared the second battlefield.

"Boom!"

Thunder rumbled across the sky, and soon after, Uzumaki Raiden arrived, surrounded by crackling lightning. Looking at Danzo and Orochimaru standing in the distance, a slight smile appeared on Raiden's face as he greeted them:

"Danzo-sama, Orochimaru-senpai, you both went to great lengths to bring me here. Do you have something important to discuss?"

Danzo, wearing a stern expression, remained silent. Instead, he raised his hand slightly. In the shallow depression behind him, more than twenty Root ninjas emerged and immediately hurled kunai laced with explosive tags at Raiden. In an instant, a violent explosion engulfed him.

"Danzo-sama, is this your plan?"

"If so, you're underestimating him too much."

Orochimaru licked his lips and whispered. Hearing this, Danzo shook his head slightly and replied, "Of course not. I know exactly what kind of opponent he is."

"This is just an appetizer."

As he spoke, Danzo retrieved a shuriken from his pocket, lightly blowing on it. The shuriken spun rapidly on his fingertips, forming a sharp wind blade.

"Whoosh!"

Danzo swiftly hurled the shuriken into the explosion, allowing the wind-enhanced weapon to slice through the swirling flames. Without pausing, he bit his finger and began forming hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

With a low chant, a nightmarish creature appeared before him, and at the same time, the Root ninjas surrounded Uzumaki Raiden from all sides.

As the explosion subsided and the smoke gradually dispersed, Raiden's figure emerged from the center, his body encased in crackling lightning armor. In his right hand, the Sakegari no Tachi gleamed ominously, while his left hand held a shuriken that had undergone a peculiar transformation.

Danzo's earlier attack had failed to inflict any damage.

Despite expecting this outcome, Danzo's eyelids twitched. The assault was powerful, and he had assumed Raiden might evade it with his speed. However, the fact that Raiden stood there unscathed, with no significant chakra fluctuations, meant he had effortlessly withstood the attack.

"Oh? Are you trying to kill me, Danzo-sama?"

"Is this a coup?"

Raiden smiled as he looked around at the Root operatives surrounding him, their faces expressionless. The cold wind howled, heightening the tension in the air.

"Kurama Tadashi, strike!"

Danzo ordered coldly, hurling two shuriken infused with Wind Release chakra at Raiden. Suddenly, Raiden felt the ground beneath him soften, turning into a swamp.

"Huh?"

Raiden was puzzled. He hadn't sensed anyone performing Earth Release jutsu, yet the ground had undeniably turned into a quagmire.

"Kurama Tadashi... Could it be him?"

Scanning the Root operatives, Raiden detected nothing unusual. However, dark clouds had gathered above, and ice crystals began falling—soon turning into large, dense hailstones.

"Ooooh!"

"What an impressive technique! Is this the hidden power of the Kurama clan?"

"To manifest illusions into reality—known as the strongest genjutsu! This is my first time seeing it in action!"

Orochimaru's eyes lit up with excitement, as if admiring a rare masterpiece. Danzo frowned slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to know about the Kurama clan, let alone expose their abilities so readily.

Inside the hailstorm, Raiden realized he was the sole target of the phenomenon. Through his Kagura Mind Eye, he analyzed the chakra surrounding the area.

The Root operatives were not engaging him directly but were instead channeling chakra into a thin, nearly invisible barrier in front of them—something undetectable to the naked eye.

"A large-scale barrier ninjutsu supporting environmental manipulation..."

"This technique must consume a tremendous amount of chakra. These ninjas are serving as power sources."

"There should be only one person leading this technique—Kurama Tadashi."

With a flicker of thought, several thunderballs formed in the air and shot toward the surrounding Root ninjas. However, in an instant, they vanished into thin air before reaching their targets.

"!"

"This illusionary barrier is more formidable than I expected."

"A remarkable technique... quite the talent!"

Murmuring to himself, Raiden infused chakra into his feet and leaped from the swamp, soaring into the air. Lightning crackled in his left hand as he aimed at the nearest Root ninja, his eyes flashing with deadly intent.

"Hell Stab—One-Fingered Thrust!"

With a low growl, Raiden's figure flickered and appeared before a Root operative in an instant, driving his lightning-coated hand through the ninja's heart. The barrier, which should have been an impenetrable defense, crumbled before his overwhelming power.

"What?!"

Danzo's composure finally cracked. Despite being an illusion barrier reinforced by over twenty Jonin simultaneously, which could even withstand a Tailed Beast Bomb, Raiden had pierced it effortlessly.

Even the ninja within the barrier had not expected to be killed so easily.

"The power still isn't enough..."

Raiden muttered, pulling his blood-stained hand from the fallen ninja's chest. Ever since witnessing the One-Fingered Thrust technique used by the Third Raikage, Raiden had been attempting to replicate it. Thanks to his Kagura Mind Eye, he could analyze the chakra flow, but he still hadn't fully mastered the technique.

While his strength was terrifying, Raiden was dissatisfied—it was still not at the level of the Third Raikage without the added support of his Super Strength.

"You are surrounded. Surrender now!"

"I am willing to spare your lives if you lay down your weapons. However, if you continue to resist, I will show no mercy!"

"I do not wish to kill needlessly!"

Raiden's voice rang out, hoping to sway those who had lost their way. However, he underestimated Danzo's brainwashing. These Root operatives were not loyal to Konoha but to Danzo himself.

Seeing their unwavering resolve, Raiden sighed in disappointment. There were no individuals like Yamato or Sai among them—these were tools, molded for killing.

"What a waste... they could have been Konoha's strength, but now, as Hokage, I must eliminate them myself."

"Danzo, the Root... ends here."

(End of this chapter)