Chapter 84: The Mountain Trembles

The great stone walls of Iwagakure loomed over the valley like silent sentinels, untouched by war, yet weighed down by the growing tension in the air. The village had always prided itself on its strength—its unwavering dominance over the mountains, its unyielding will passed down through generations.

But now, something was wrong.

Something was missing.

The heart of the village pulsed with fear and uncertainty.

The Four-Tails and Five-Tails—both gone.

Two of Iwa's greatest weapons, their Jinchūriki, taken without a trace.

Tsuchikage's Fury

Inside the Tsuchikage's office, the air was thick with frustration.

Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, floated slightly above his desk, his small frame trembling with barely contained rage. His wrinkled face was twisted into a scowl, and his sharp eyes glowed with fury as he slammed a trembling fist onto the desk.

The wood cracked.

"This is unacceptable!" His voice echoed through the chamber. "TWO Jinchūriki—GONE! And yet, none of you have a single clue who is behind it?!"

The assembled council and shinobi flinched under his glare.

A commander hesitated before speaking. "Tsuchikage-sama… we've sent tracking teams across the Land of Earth, but there's no trace of the abductors. Not even a single clue."

Ōnoki's scowl deepened. "What do you mean, NO TRACE? A Jinchūriki doesn't just disappear! Someone powerful is behind this!"

The room remained silent. No one dared to meet his gaze.

Another advisor spoke up cautiously, "We… suspect it could be Kumo. They have always been ambitious with acquiring Jinchūriki."

Ōnoki scoffed. "Kumo? Hah! If they had the skill to pull this off, they'd be bragging about it already!"

He turned toward the window, looking out over the village. His fingers curled into fists.

Something was wrong.

It wasn't Kumo. It wasn't Kiri. It wasn't even Konoha—not with how quiet they had been lately.

Then who?

Who had the strength to steal two fully realized Jinchūriki without a trace?

And what were they planning?

The Whisper of Rumors

Far from Iwa, in a hidden location deep within enemy territory, Ryūsei sat across from Orochimaru and Tsunade, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on the rough stone walls of their temporary base.

The air was still, but tension crackled between them like lightning.

Tsunade leaned back, arms crossed, watching Ryūsei with a skeptical gaze. "So, what's next? We already have four of them."

Orochimaru's lips curled slightly. "Yes, I'm quite curious myself. Surely you don't plan to march straight into Kumo next?"

Ryūsei smirked. "No. That would be predictable."

He leaned forward, eyes glinting with mischief.

"We spread a rumor."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "A rumor?"

Ryūsei nodded. "A very specific one."

He let the words linger for a moment before continuing.

"We spread the news that during the upcoming transfer of the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, something went wrong. That the Nine-Tails has been taken—just like the others."

The room fell silent.

Then—Orochimaru laughed. A low, amused chuckle that sent chills through the air.

Tsunade's expression, however, darkened. "That's dangerous."

Ryūsei tilted his head. "Is it?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "You know exactly what kind of reaction that will cause. Konoha will go on high alert. Iwa and Kumo will assume someone is targeting Jinchūriki. The entire world will be watching."

Ryūsei's smirk widened. "Exactly."

Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with interest. "Ahh… a distraction. While the nations scramble to confirm the Nine-Tails' status, they won't realize what's truly happening."

Ryūsei nodded. "By the time they realize the rumor is false, we'll already have our next target."

Tsunade exhaled sharply. "I hate how much sense this makes."

Ryūsei chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll make sure Konoha doesn't actually suffer for it. But the confusion will buy us time."

He leaned back, his golden Byakugan reflecting the dim candlelight.

"The real question is…" he mused, "who will panic first?"

The Coming Storm

Back in Iwa, Ōnoki sat in his chair, staring at the intelligence report that had just been delivered.

The words felt surreal.

His hands tightened around the paper, his knuckles turning white.

"Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki has been compromised during a secret transfer operation."

The walls of the Tsuchikage's office seemed to close in around him.

"…Impossible." His voice was a whisper.

The next moment, his fury erupted.

"FIND OUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE! NOW!"

His voice roared through the halls, sending shinobi scrambling.

If this was true—if the Nine-Tails had really been taken…

Then this wasn't just about Iwa anymore.

This was about something far bigger.

Something dangerous.

And Ōnoki would not sit idly by and watch.