A flash of light entered Uchiha Madara's vision.
He woke up once again.
"Old man, wake up already. Time to get to work and push the plot forward."
"Looks like I slept for quite a long time again… I can't delay any longer."
"Black Zetsu."
"Madara-sama."
"How many years has it been since the Great Ninja War?"
"It's been two years."
"What's the current situation?"
"The Hidden Leaf Village holds a slight advantage against the Hidden Cloud Village; a slight advantage against the Hidden Stone Village; a major advantage against the Hidden Sand Village; and an advantage against the Hidden Mist Village."
"And you call that a 'slight' advantage?"
"Doesn't the Hidden Leaf Village still have you, Madara-sama, as its opponent?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Clearly, Black Zetsu's words pleased Madara greatly.
Black Zetsu thought: What a joke. I've lived longer than the remainder of your lifespan. Pleasing a child like you? Easy.
"However, I don't have much time left. I need someone to keep an eye on that Uzumaki for me. Have you found a suitable candidate?"
"There's a young Uchiha in the Hidden Leaf Village. He's a bit foolish, always helping others, and at such a young age he already has someone he cares about deeply. He should be easy to control."
"I see. Then we'll go with him for now. The stronger the love in an Uchiha's heart, the greater the hatred it transforms into. On that point, that trash Senju wasn't wrong."
At this, Madara's expression darkened slightly, clearly recalling something deeply unpleasant.
Tobirama Senju: If that's how you feel, then just don't mention me. You evil Uchiha keep using my research while constantly insulting me. Ridiculous.
Madara stood up.
"This should be the last time I go out…"
...
The next day.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
The Hidden Mist Village launched another assault.
A massive torrent smashed through the Hidden Leaf Village's coastal defenses.
Aburame Shikuro and Aburame Shiken watched the man standing atop the waves.
"It's the Third Mizukage! Everyone, retreat!"
"Secret Technique: Insect Sphere!"
"Secret Technique: Extreme Ice Insect Swarm!"
Black parasitic insects surged toward the Third Mizukage, while the ice-blue swarm flew toward the massive wave, freezing it solid.
Aburame Shibi held the front line, while Aburame Shikuro rapidly directed the Hidden Leaf ninjas to retreat.
The ninja world is dangerous—if you can't win, withdraw.
If you encounter a Kage-level opponent, run first and worry later.
...
On the Hidden Mist Village's side—
Seeing the frozen wave beneath their feet, their shock couldn't be summed up with a single curse.
"Damn it! Does the Hidden Leaf Village have any shame?! The Second Hokage used Water Style, and now you're using Ice Style?! Do you have anything of your own? You're the Land of Fire! Don't you have any strong Fire Style users?!"
The Mist ninjas were furious.
The Land of Water fighting the Land of Fire.
The Mizukage against the Hokage.
Wasn't this supposed to be a complete elemental advantage?
But looking around—how many people in the Land of Fire actually used Fire Style?
How many Hokage even relied on Fire Style?
Why did they train with swords?
Because their Water Style couldn't counter anyone!
Could you people of the Land of Fire at least respect your own identity and use Fire Style?!
But no one could answer their complaints.
Because of the sudden appearance of the Third Mizukage, the Hidden Leaf's coastal defenses quickly collapsed.
At that moment—
Aburame Shiken, who had been missing for a long time, appeared, controlling his insects and carrying two white skeletons.
Shimura Danzō and Aburame Tatsuma: We really died horribly.
In truth, Danzō and Tatsuma might have already died three months earlier.
But who was Danzō? The darkness of the ninja world.
Who knew how many life-saving tricks he had?
And it was said that his left eye now held Uchiha Kagami's Mangekyō Sharingan—who knew what kind of ability it had?
No breathing didn't necessarily mean death.
Their flesh had to be completely devoured by insects first.
After all the flesh on Danzō and Tatsuma's bodies was consumed, there were still bloodstains.
Stories of reviving from a drop of blood could never be ignored.
Even after cleaning up every trace of blood—
What if their souls possessed something strange and came back for revenge?
Not even a grain of sand inside the barrier could be left behind.
What if they used a secret technique to travel back in time?
Time travelers fear reincarnators the most.
In summary—
For all these reasons, Aburame Shiken maintained the barrier for two full years.
It didn't interfere with his other research anyway.
Might as well keep it going.
Barrier insects: Doesn't anyone have anything to say for us? We've been working non-stop for two years! Who has it worse than us?
As for Danzō's disappearance over those two years—
Did anyone notice?
Hiruzen Sarutobi was anxious.
But he couldn't find him.
Meanwhile, the coastal defense forces had no superior command, and all frontline operations had been taken over by the Aburame clan.
So honestly—Danzō, take your time. Everything here is running just fine.
"Shiken, the Third Mizukage has arrived. The coastal line can't hold!"
So the Third Mizukage has come?
Earlier than I expected.
"Phase Exchange Insect."
In an instant, Aburame Shiken appeared at the coastline.
Looking up, he saw an old man standing atop the frozen sea.
So this was the most tragic Third Mizukage of the ninja world.
In youth, he served as the First Mizukage's guard—his future full of promise.
In his prime, the position of Second Mizukage was taken from him, and he could do nothing.
In middle age, he finally obtained the long-desired title of Mizukage—yet he was no longer himself.
In old age, he became nothing more than a puppet on strings.
"Tragic" hardly began to describe it.
"Aburame Insect Domain: Insect Ocean Nest!"
The ground beneath the advancing Mist forces began to bulge.
Mounds rose one after another.
Aburame special type: armored beetles—shells extremely reinforced.
"Ahhh!"
With a shout, tens of thousands of armored beetles surged toward the Mist army.
Clang! Clang! Bang!
The Mist ninjas trembled as they pulled back their swords.
"Damn it! What are these things?! Everyone use ninjutsu—they're too hard! We can't cut through them!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Trumpet!"
"Water Style: Water Prison!"
"I refuse to believe they're harder than my blade—Mist Style: One Slash!"
Crack.
The blade shattered. The wielder was sent flying.
"Hahahaha! Even our ninja swords are useless now! Hahahaha!"
One of them had clearly lost his mind.
Aside from Water Style, the Mist's greatest strength—their swords—were now ineffective against the Hidden Leaf.
The Hidden Mist was completely crippled.
"Water Style: Great Exploding Water Wave!"
The Third Mizukage raised a towering tsunami, using the vast ocean to its fullest advantage, determined to drown the Hidden Leaf entirely.
"Freeze—Extreme Ice Insect Swarm."
Behind Aburame Shiken, a pillar of icy blue light shot forth, composed of countless Extreme Ice Insects.
A quarter of an hour later—
Along the coast of the Land of Fire, a magnificent, colossal ice sculpture stood tall.