#51

Roshi slowly got to his feet, his eyes glowing an ominous red. He clenched his fists, fury radiating from him.

"Die, you!"

Slamming his hands onto the ground, he activated his jutsu—

Lava Release: Flower-Fruit Mountain.

A vast sea of magma formed in an instant, stretching across the battlefield. The molten rivers surged, bubbling with intense heat, ready to erupt at any second. Even Killer B had once suffered burns from this devastating technique.

The ground softened beneath them, turning into a red, boiling abyss. At the bottom, magma churned violently, preparing to rise in a devastating tsunami aimed at Mufasa and his giant golden palm.

Mufasa's golden eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Hmph, you think you can resist?"

He extended his arm. "Get down, you."

The giant palm descended with unstoppable force, slamming into the ground. The impact alone extinguished the magma sea in an instant, the sheer power of the attack leaving nothing but steam in its wake.

Roshi's body was sent crashing into the earth, unconscious. With his mind fading, he lost control of his tailed beast. Sun Wukong let out a final growl before retreating back into his host's body.

Mufasa casually lifted his hand.

Electromagnetic Seal.

Electric whips lashed out from within Roshi's body, emerging from his Tailed Beast space. They coiled tightly around Sun Wukong's limbs, head, and tails—sealing the beast completely.

With that done, Mufasa tossed Roshi toward Gaara. The Kazekage didn't hesitate, encasing the unconscious Jinchūriki in a sand prison. The entire process was seamless, practiced, and efficient.

Mufasa exhaled, releasing his Sage Mode.

The massive golden palm above him disintegrated, breaking back into the three thousand floating judgement eyes that hovered silently behind him.

His gaze swept over the battlefield.

Four-Tails, a fearsome entity feared across nations, had been defeated in two strikes.

What kind of power was this?

Even the most stubborn ninja in the area now understood what they were up against.

Kakuzu clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tch. What a monster. This was a complete waste of time—and I won't be making a single ryo off this."

A tense silence settled over the battlefield. Finally, Ao, stepping up as the representative of the surviving ninja forces, made his move.

He leapt atop the rubble, raising his voice.

"Lord Kazekage, we admit defeat. We surrender the mission. Please let us go. We no longer wish to take part in this fight."

Behind him, Heiru trembled in sheer terror. His face had lost all color.

"Y-You bastards!" Heiru shrieked. "I paid you! You swore to protect me! You have to kill that man!"

His voice cracked with desperation, his once-calculated composure shattered. The sheer, unbridgeable power gap between man and god had driven him to madness. He couldn't accept it.

How could one man fight thousands—fight a Tailed Beast—and still come out untouched?

"Hmph." Ao crossed his arms. "We ninjas follow the code of missions. If a mission is beyond our capabilities, we have the right to withdraw. If you keep running your mouth, I'll personally tie you up and offer you to the Kazekage myself."

Heiru collapsed to his knees, defeated. He had nothing left.

Ao turned back to Mufasa and bowed. "Fortunately, no Sand Ninja were harmed in this battle. I hope you understand—we were merely fulfilling a contract. There was never any true hostility toward the Sand Village."

Mufasa's lips curled into a smirk. "Of course, I understand. A ninja takes on a mission and completes it. I respect that."

A job was a job. This was never about a war between villages.

One side admitted defeat and wished to leave.

By the unspoken ninja code, the victor had no reason to pursue them further.

This was how battles between shinobi worked.

Every ninja on the battlefield let out a quiet breath of relief. They had survived.

But then—

Mufasa's smile deepened.

"However..."

A foreboding silence settled over the crowd.

"You all came into the Land of Wind on a mission, yet you never registered with the Sand Village." His eyes narrowed. "That makes this an illegal operation."

His voice remained calm, but the weight behind it sent shivers down the spines of every ninja present.

"According to our regulations, illegal missions are subject to a fine ranging from one to ten times the mission payment."

The battlefield fell dead silent.

Every ninja stared at him, bewildered.

When the hell did that rule exist?!

Ao hesitated. "My lord… is this a joke? We've never heard of such a law."

Mufasa let out a low chuckle. "Oh?"

Three thousand Judgement Eyes turned toward Ao in unison.

Ao's legs nearly buckled under their combined gaze.

"I signed the One Country, One Village Act with Konoha," Mufasa explained. "It clearly states that any shinobi entering another nation for a mission must first register with the local village."

"By ignoring this law…" His golden eyes gleamed. "You're openly defying my authority as Kazekage."

The gathered ninjas—many from Iwagakure—internally cursed.

"The hell does a law between Sand and Konoha have to do with us?!"

"Are these two villages trying to control the world with their damn paperwork?!"

Of course, none of them dared to voice these thoughts aloud.

Not when those three thousand eerie crimson eyes were still watching them.

Ao swallowed hard. "If we… pay the fine, we'll be allowed to leave?"

Mufasa nodded. "Yes, of course."

A hurried discussion broke out among the remaining forces. They knew there was no escaping this. If they wanted to leave in one piece, they had no choice but to comply.

Reluctantly, they reached an agreement.

But just as they thought things were finally over—

A deep, mechanical roar echoed across the battlefield.

Far in the distance, shadows loomed over the horizon.

Eight heavy transport helicopters flew toward them, their engines humming ominously.

The ninjas watched in shock as the aircrafts reached the battlefield and began circling.

From each helicopter, squads of ninja soldiers in sleek, advanced gear rappelled down, landing in synchronized formations.

Commands rang out.

"Deploy the barriers!"

"Surround the perimeter!"

The soldiers swiftly assembled four towering, electrified pillars at the battlefield's corners.

With a single activation, the pillars surged to life—

A massive power grid locked the entire area down.

No one was leaving now.

Ao, Kakuzu, Kitsuchi, and the others watched as the Sand ninja activated a massive four-pillar barrier, locking the battlefield down.

None of them dared to act recklessly.

Hovering above them, Mufasa's three thousand golden eyes glowed ominously, observing their every move.

With the first and second divisions having secured the perimeter, they erected a smaller, secondary four-pillar barrier in front of the formation. At its center, they placed a metallic plate inscribed with intricate seals.

Ao, Kakuzu, and Kitsuchi exchanged wary glances, confusion evident on their faces.

What was the Sand Village up to?

Mufasa, on the other hand, was quite satisfied. The precision and discipline displayed by his elite forces were commendable. Each member of these two squads had been handpicked from the Sand's finest—every one of them was at least at the level of an elite jonin.

Heiru and Ao had assumed they were only dealing with three people.

How naive.

There was no way Mufasa would waste his time on something so trivial.

Capturing and securing prisoners wasn't something he intended to handle personally. He had already anticipated this moment and prepared accordingly.

The first and second teams had been deployed long before their arrival, staying hidden from enemy scouts. When the time was right, they summoned heavy transport helicopters from large storage scrolls and advanced on the battlefield with tactical precision.

Now that the small barrier was in place, the squads quickly fanned out, each soldier taking position in the surrounding terrain. They drew specialized ninja launchers and took aim at the confined space within the barrier, ensuring no one would escape.

At that moment, Gaara, leader of the Sand's ninja army, made his move.

Riding a wave of sand, he ascended into the air. His piercing gaze swept across the battlefield, his expression cold and merciless.

Ao, Kakuzu, Kitsuchi, and the others shuddered beneath his stare.

Gaara unfurled a scroll and began reading aloud.

"When I call your name, step into the small barrier immediately."

"I will only call three times. If you do not step forward—"

His voice remained calm, but the threat was unmistakable.

"Then it doesn't matter whether you're dead or alive."

A chilling silence blanketed the battlefield.

The implications were clear.

Gaara was not one for empty threats.

Tension spiked among the captured forces. Nervous glances were exchanged. Many began contemplating a desperate charge.

After all, Gaara had a reputation. He was a killer, a relentless force of nature. And now, they were at his mercy.

He stood there—pale-skinned, unyielding, utterly ruthless.

It was terrifying.

Meanwhile, Mufasa remained as relaxed as ever, amusement flickering in his golden eyes.

With an easygoing smile, he addressed the gathered shinobi.

"Relax, everyone. There's no need to panic."

His tone was lighthearted, yet carried undeniable authority.

"There are a lot of you here, and quite a few of you possess unique and powerful abilities. To avoid any… unfortunate misunderstandings, I believe it's best that you all disarm and allow us to oversee the situation."

Disarm?

Under their supervision?

The enemy shinobi bristled at the suggestion, resentment bubbling beneath the surface.

Some of the more hotheaded ones looked ready to resist.

But Mufasa's expression remained warm, almost friendly.

"No need to worry," he assured them, his voice smooth. "I give you my word as Kazekage and as a man of honor—if you cooperate, I guarantee your safety."

"Once the Sand Village receives the appropriate fine, you will all be free to leave."

"I promise."

His words were comforting, yet those who had experienced the treachery of the shinobi world knew better than to trust them at face value.

Ao took a cautious step forward, speaking on behalf of the group.

"Lord Kazekage, if you allow us to leave now, we swear to pay the fine. Even if we don't have the money on hand, we will gather the necessary funds and settle the debt later."

Kitsuchi quickly nodded. "Yes, yes! Iwagakure will absolutely pay. We swear it on our village's reputation."

Kakuzu, on the other hand, scoffed internally. Like hell I'm paying a single ryo.

The other ninjas chimed in, their voices overlapping.

"We swear!"

"We'll pay when we return home!"

"Just let us go!"

Their pleas filled the battlefield, growing more desperate by the second.

Mufasa continued smiling.

"You all seem to be forgetting something."

The shinobi hesitated, exchanging confused glances.

"Something very important."

A moment of silence.

Then Mufasa's expression darkened slightly, and his voice dropped just enough to send a shiver down their spines.

"You're all illegal operators who have broken our laws."

"There's no room for negotiations."

The battlefield fell deathly quiet.

He raised his hand casually.

A pulse of energy crackled through the air—

Electromagnetic Rail Cannon.

With a deafening blast, an electromagnetic projectile struck the ground, leaving a smoldering crater in its wake. The scattered electricity sent a wave of panic through the crowd, making even the most hardened shinobi flinch.

All eyes snapped to the smoking hole in the earth.

They weren't just prisoners.

They were hostages.

Mufasa let the silence linger before speaking again.

"You all only have one life. Lose it, and it's gone forever."

His tone was almost sympathetic.

"Money, on the other hand, is just a resource."

"Is it really worth dying over?"

Ao swallowed hard before nodding. "Lord Kazekage… you really only want us to pay the fine?"

Mufasa raised an eyebrow. "What else would I want?"

"What do I gain by killing you?"

His golden eyes gleamed with something akin to amusement.

"If anything, after witnessing the strength of my Sand Village's ninja tools, I imagine you'd all be quite interested in purchasing them."

"You're all future customers now. Why would I kill my own clientele?"

Ao's lone eye widened slightly, a spark of realization flashing across his face.

"You mean…" He hesitated before pointing at the eerie golden eyes floating around Mufasa. "These ninja tools… you plan to sell them?"

Mufasa nodded, his smile widening. "Of course."

"In fact, we'll even have an export version available soon."

That word—export version—was unfamiliar to many of them.

But one thing was clear.

If Mufasa had dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of these terrifying artificial eyes at his disposal…

The balance of power in the shinobi world would shift forever.

Their despair slowly turned into reluctant acceptance.

Paying a fine was nothing in comparison to survival.

Ao exhaled. "Alright… we'll do as you say."

Gaara, who had been waiting impatiently, finally barked out an order.

"Kakuzu! Step forward!"

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