Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

Tsunade grabbed Kazuyama, who was about to flee using the Flying Thunder God Technique, smoke practically coming off his legs.

Then her voice called out.

"Kazuyama, you're a hero. The plan might not have been a total success, but thanks to the intel Katsuyu passed on, we know at least two-thirds of their poisonous bees were taken out."

"That's a big win for us!"

"With any luck, Iwagakure might not even be able to launch another offensive tomorrow."

"No way—I need a drink!"

Tsunade was beaming. As far as she was concerned, tonight's mission had gone brilliantly.

She released Kazuyama and strolled cheerfully back toward camp. Whether she'd actually get that drink was another matter.

Kazuyama could only shake his head in resignation.

"Kazuyama, this battlefield in the Land of Grass isn't somewhere we should stick around. We can't do anything against the Four-Tails or the Five-Tails."

"Why don't we just run for it?"

Chōmei's fear was flaring up again. They were up against Son Gokū and Kokuō—he could barely take one, let alone both.

Honestly, he was starting to think he and Kazuyama should just bolt, go find Yugito and bring Matatabi. A two-on-two fight sounded way more reasonable.

As for going to Kurama? Forget it. There was no way that damn fox would listen to them.

"Tch, you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

"Even if we drag Matatabi into this, you think that'd fix everything? Get real."

"Besides, with Tsunade and all the backup we've got, I'm not scared. So what are you so afraid of?"

Kazuyama spat back at Chōmei, then started thinking about how he could stay useful on the battlefield longer.

Right then, the system notification he'd been waiting for finally arrived.

[Ding! Detected host's nighttime surprise attack on Iwagakure's base with Tsunade, using inhumane suicide bomb tactics that inflicted heavy losses. Kamizuru Clan's poisonous bees suffered the most. Special reward: 10,000 explosive tags!]

Kazuyama: …This damn scam system!

"You rotten system, what the hell!? Last time you gave me peanuts, and now you're handing me explosive tags?"

"I bust my ass pulling this off, and this is how you reward me?"

[Ding! Host, don't waste your thoughts on this system. While the plan was yours, the outcome was far from ideal.]

[You even exposed yourself. Tsk tsk. Host, I have to say—you've really been slipping lately.]

Crap. Even the system was mocking him now. Kazuyama felt completely fed up.

Like this was his fault? As if he wanted things to go this way?

The village had been dealing with one issue after another. He hadn't had a chance to quietly come up with anything creative in ages. With a sigh, he glanced at his long-stagnant status panel.

[Name: Kazuyama Gekkō]

[Title: Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, Konoha Jōnin, Clan Head of the Gekkō Clan]

[Kekkei Genkai: Transparent Escape, Crystal Release]

[Ninjutsu Proficiency: Fire Release, Water Release, Wind Release, Earth Release, Summoning, Fūinjutsu, Snake Arts, Taijutsu, Forbidden Techniques]

[Senjutsu: Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu (Unique!)]

[Tailed Beast: Seven-Tails Chōmei — Affinity 100%, Transformation Progress: 100%, Tailed Beast Ball (Mastered, Optimization Progress 50%, Trigger Skill: Hand Deployment, Compression Bomb), Synchronization (Chakra Consumption Reduced by 10%)]

[Base Attributes: Strength 77, Speed 85, Chakra 96, Constitution 92, Taijutsu 76, Genjutsu 81, Hand Seals 84]

[Resistance: Six Paths Resistance 20%]

[Ninjutsu Amplification: 25 — Increases power and element transformation]

Pathetic. He hadn't made any progress in forever.

Sigh...

He trudged off toward the front lines. Thanks to Tsunade's heads-up, everyone at the base was in high spirits.

The moment they saw him return, the others rushed forward to greet him.

But Kazuyama wasn't in the mood. He just wanted to find a hot spring to soak in.

The Flying Thunder God Technique was ridiculously convenient—so long as you had the chakra for it.

Right now, Kazuyama was already one of the village's twin stars. And with his Senjutsu now on full display, he had nothing to worry about.

"Kazuyama, come on, give a cheer!"

"You're the hero of the night!"

Yashiro Uchiha was surprisingly easygoing, none of that cold, stay-away aura the Uchiha clan was known for.

He was one of the rare Uchiha Kazuyama didn't actually dislike.

"Huh? I'll pass."

"I'm planning to get some rest."

"You all go ahead."

With that, Kazuyama declined the invitation and vanished from the battlefield in a flash with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

These days, he figured the best place for a soak wasn't the Land of Hot Water anymore—it was the Land of Snow.

Why? Easy. Snowflakes drifting from the sky, warm water bubbling around him, a bottle of sake in hand... it was pure bliss.

"Chōmei, who do you think that Uchiha guy was?"

"How should I know? Still, that Dōjutsu of his was pretty intriguing."

Sipping his sake, Kazuyama relaxed into the hot spring and couldn't help but think about that completely different kind of Uchiha—"Madara."

A Dōjutsu that could freely shift distance... If he didn't have Flying Thunder God, he'd be totally helpless against it.

Changing the space between people just by looking at them? That was way over the top.

"Next time I run into him, I've gotta find out who he really is. I can't keep fighting blind."

"Anyway—cheers!"

Originally, Kazuyama had planned to head home, but one look at the time—already past midnight—and he let it go.

...

Meanwhile, in a room within Amegakure...

"Send the Three-Tails to the battlefield?"

"Are you serious?"

Muren Uchiha looked at Zetsu, clearly surprised.

Black Zetsu had brought this plan up a long time ago, but Muren had never taken it seriously.

To him, controlling Amegakure was the top priority—everything else could wait.

"Using the Three-Tails to provoke Nagato is the most effective way. But right now, we still need a little push."

"If this works, Nagato will become the sharpest blade in our hands."

Muren curled his lips. He really didn't get the point of these schemes.

Nagato was like a stubborn, rotting stone. If it weren't for the Rinnegan's usefulness, he'd have gouged those eyes out long ago.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Hehehe, glad to see you're so cooperative."

"Cut the crap. You think I don't know you've been plotting around me every step of the way?"

Black Zetsu and White Zetsu chuckled. Muren might not have been the brightest or best strategist, but he had one redeeming quality—he listened.

Hot-headed as he was, he still accepted their advice most of the time.

"I need you to grab someone from among the old Amegakure fighters..."

"Make him the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, and have him die at the hands of Konoha's shinobi."