Chapter 66


    Just as Neiki was about to continue practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique to speed up his progress, he suddenly sensed something and stopped.


    The moment he activated his Byakugan, he connected to a white main branch surrounded by countless eyeballs. The scene was soon filled with a flickering void space, where numerous eyeballs, like television screens, shed together. Two adjacent eyeballs reflected the images of Zabuza and Haku.


    "Why did you activate the Eye Rings? Is there something important?" Neiki, now wearing his wooden mask, inquired.


    Yes, the Eye Rings, capable ofmunication over great distances, were connected to the Byakugan Divine Tree nted in the back mountain of Hidden Sword Vige.


    Just like how the Byakugan essence would be reimed by the Byakugan Divine Tree upon the death of anyone marked with the Byakugan Curse Mark, regardless of where they were on the, the Eye Rings used a simr principle formunication.


    The eyeballs on the rings came from the Byakugan Divine Tree, and Neiki had transformed them by slightly reversing the principle. No matter how far apart the users were, they could see the void space inside the Byakugan Divine Tree through these eyeballs.


    Of course, from the users'' perspective, they only saw each other in a void space, not realizing this void was the internal space of the Byakugan Divine Tree.


    Zabuza curiously looked around the surrounding darkness. Hearing Neiki’s question, he focused back and exined:


    "After eliminating a few members of the Kirigakure hunter-nin squad, we discovered they left tracking signals along their path, indicating that there should be more Kirigakure ninjas around. Normally, hunter-nin squads operate solo. If one squad considers the Land of Waves their territory, they wouldn’t allow other hunter-nin squads to be there.""Upon noticing this anomaly, Haku and I left the Land of Waves to draw them out, but they didn’t seem interested in us. Instead, they are heading towards the Land of Waves."


    "We suspect that those hundreds of Kirigakure ninjas are not hunting rogue ninjas but are targeting the Land of Waves." After speaking, Zabuza nced at Hashirama''s figure in the darkness.


    With the mask concealing his expression, Zabuza couldn''t gauge Hashirama’s thoughts upon hearing this news. However, he believed this posed a significant threat. Regardless of their target, the Land of Waves and Hidden Sword Vige were in danger.


    In wartime, these Kirigakure ninjas wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate the newly established Hidden Sword Vige on the border of the Land of Water. Cominingter would be futile.


    Zabuza wasn’t sure of Hidden Sword Vige’s importance to Hashirama.


    Considering the country''s poverty and the financial burden of building and operating a ninja vige, establishing Hidden Sword Vige in such a ce was like nting a seed in a desert, hoping to grow a hundred-year-old tree.


    Apart from showcasing Hashirama''s noble goal of enabling everyone to be a ninja and control their own destiny, Hidden Sword Vige seemed like a considerable burden for someone of Hashirama''s stature.


    If Hashirama chose to abandon Hidden Sword Vige, Zabuza wouldn’t see it as cowardice but as a practical decision, respecting Hashirama even more as a capable leader.


    After all, both Hidden Sword Vige and Ascending Light were newly established and had limitedbat power aside from Hashirama.


    However, Hashirama was now facing not just a few or dozens but hundreds of elite Kirigakure ninjas with the power to obliterate a small country easily. Zabuza doubted even a shinobi god could take them on head-on.


    Zabuza didn’t voice his concerns; he wouldn’t intervene. Warning Hashirama about the approaching Kirigakure ninjas was enough.


    Neither Zabuza nor Haku could understand why Kirigakure was sending forces to attack the Land of Waves instead of exploiting Konoha''s crisis.


    "I understand. Do you have anything else to report?" Hashirama''s voice was calm, showing no sign of panic. The news of hundreds of Kirigakure ninjas heading to the Land of Waves seemed as mundane as, "Oh, there are a few people passing by my house."


    Zabuza couldn’t tell if Hashirama was genuinely confident or just putting up a front. He thought for a moment and said, "There’s one more piece of information: the leader of the Kirigakure squad heading to the Land of Waves is Mei Terumi. She’s very powerful, far beyond the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and a strong contender for the position of the Fifth Mizukage."


    "Got it."


    Hearing Hashirama’s brief response, Zabuza hesitated but didn’t voice his doubts.


    With a swish, Hashirama’s figure vanished from the flickering void.


    On a nameless ind, Zabuza looked away from the Eye Ring and turned to Haku:


    "…What do you think he’ll do?"


    "Hidden Sword Vige hasn’t shown hostility towards Kirigakure yet. Things might not be as bad as they seem, right?"


    Haku pursed his lips. Zabuza was suggesting that Hashirama might back down or hide.


    Though historical records depicted Hashirama as amiable, Haku’s interactions with him suggested otherwise. Either the records were wrong, or certain events had made this Shinobi God’s heart more ruthless and fierce.


    Haku couldn’t imagine someone with such a personality and grand vision for correcting the entire ninja world retreating from this challenge.


    "Zabuza-san makes a good point," Haku said with a smile, choosing not to share his thoughts.


    …


    In the Land of Waves.


    Upon learning that hundreds of Kirigakure ninjas were heading towards the Land of Waves, Neiki looked at the world map before him, activated his Byakugan, and nced in a certain direction.


    A cold smile appeared on his lips.


    "So that’s it."


    Those hundreds of Kirigakure ninjas were neither targeting him nor the Land of Waves or Hidden Sword Vige. They were after Konoha!


    After Iwagakure dered war on Konoha, Kirigakure, ahead of Kumogakure, made its move.


    Why would Kirigakure attack Konoha via the Land of Waves?


    Because Konoha hadn’t allowed Kirigakure the opportunity to fight within the Land of Fire.


    Yes, besides the hundreds of Kirigakure ninjas, Neiki’s Byakugan also spotted hundreds of Konoha ninjas rowing towards the Land of Waves!


    Despite already battling Iwagakure on the western front, Konoha was prepared on the eastern front as well. What was the meaning of this? Was Iwagakure not exerting enough pressure?


    Moreover, who decided that both Konoha and Kirigakure would bring their battle to the Land of Waves, a small nation on the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Water?


    "Typical warmonger logic…" Neiki mused.


    The western front was in the Land of Rain.


    The eastern front was in the Land of Waves.


    These major nations starting wars had their calctions down to a tee.


    "But leading the Konoha forces is Tsunade, huh…" Neiki’s Byakugan pierced through countless obstacles, focusing on the blonde woman.


    Tsunade vs. Mei Terumi.


    In the original timeline, these two would have fought side by side asrades, but now they were about to face off. Even Neiki, the instigator of these events, marveled at the twists of fate.


    "Since you’re here… let’s see how many of you can return unscathed."


    A cold glint appeared in Neiki’s eyes.


    Fighting was one thing, but bringing the battle to his newly nted garden was another. They were asking for trouble!