Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

"Raikage, rest assured," Hanzo said in a low, controlled tone, his movements guided by Nagato's will. "I'm here purely to settle a personal vendetta, not to compete with you over spoils of war."

"Ha!" Ay snorted, his disdain palpable. "Spare me the platitudes. Save your promises for after Konoha is destroyed, Hanzo."

"You can trust me on that. I always keep my word," Hanzo replied confidently.

Ay shot him a sharp glance. "Keep your word? Let's not kid ourselves. You and I are both politicians. Honor is a luxury neither of us can afford."

"Enough," Ay continued, shaking his head in boredom when Hanzo didn't respond. "Just make sure your poison doesn't harm my men. If it does, you and I will have a reckoning."

"Relax, Raikage," Hanzo replied, his voice steady. "I won't use my salamander this time. My blade is still sharp enough to handle the likes of Konoha."

Hanzo's confidence was unshakable. Unlike Yahiko, whose abilities barely reached the level of a Jonin, even with Nagato's enhancements, Hanzo's raw strength and combat experience made him leagues apart. Though age had dulled his edge somewhat, his prowess was undeniable. This iteration of the Deva Path, crafted from Hanzo's corpse, far surpassed Yahiko's in both chakra capacity and raw power.

Ay turned to Nagato. "Does your Akatsuki have intel on who Konoha sent? Who's leading their forces against us?"

Nagato responded without hesitation. "Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Akira. They're leading the charge."

"Hiruzen, huh? That old man finally decided to step onto the battlefield again. After all these years, I'm curious to see how much strength he has left." Ay smirked.

"Don't underestimate the Hokage," Nagato, speaking as Hanzo, interjected coldly. "Defeating an unrefined Sage Mode user like Jiraiya isn't as impressive as you think. Don't forget, those so-called Sannin were once crushed beneath my heel."

"Hmph. Hokage or not, stay out of my way when the time comes. I'll take him down myself. I want to see if the so-called 'Professor' and strongest Hokage lives up to his reputation!" Ay declared, his tone full of defiance.

"Understood. Since you've made it clear, we'll refrain from interfering," Nagato said, a faint smile curling Hanzo's lips.

"Konoha really must be desperate if they're only sending Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Akira to face us," Ay muttered, his pride stung by the perceived slight.

Nagato chuckled. "If it weren't for Akatsuki's efforts, Iwagakure wouldn't have allied with you. This cooperation exists because of us, Raikage, does it not?"

Ay gave a curt nod. "Enough talk. Let's wipe Konoha off the map." With a flash of lightning, he vanished, leaving Nagato and Hanzo's body trailing at a safe distance behind the Kumogakure forces.

Konoha's army of 3,000 raced through the dense forest under the lead of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Akira. Suddenly, a four-man reconnaissance team appeared before them, led by a strikingly beautiful Hyūga from the branch family.

"Hokage-sama," she began, her tone grave. "We've detected a massive Kumogakure force twenty kilometers ahead at twelve o'clock. Their numbers are estimated to exceed 5,000."

Hiruzen nodded solemnly and raised a hand, halting the advancing troops. The forest fell silent as tension gripped the air.

Akira recognized the lead scout—Hyūga Kaori, a familiar face. Her deployment as a scout meant her Byakugan's range was exceptional.

"What's the enemy's composition?" Hiruzen asked.

"Leading the force are the Fourth Raikage and two jinchūriki," Kaori replied.

"Any other notable figures?" Hiruzen pressed.

"None that I've detected," she answered.

Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "Kaori, what's the maximum range of your Byakugan? Can you observe their entire formation?"

"Ten kilometers, sir. I can see most of their force," she replied.

Akira's eyes narrowed in surprise. So far? Her Byakugan wasn't this powerful back in Amegakure. The typical range for most Hyūga was around one kilometer, with three being rare. Ten kilometers was nearly unheard of.

"She has remarkable potential," Akira mused. Were it not for the Caged Bird Seal, her achievements could rival the clan's elite.

"Well done," Hiruzen said with approval. "Prepare for battle." He turned to Akira. "I'll leave the jinchūriki to you. The Two-Tails should fall to the Sharingan, but be cautious of the Eight-Tails. A perfect jinchūriki's resistance to genjutsu is still uncertain."

"I understand," Akira replied, his voice calm.

Hiruzen turned to Sarutobi Takaharu, the ANBU captain at his side. "Relay my orders—prepare for immediate combat. We'll likely clash with the enemy in a direct encounter."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Takaharu vanished in a blur.

As Konoha's forces pressed forward, the looming battlefield—a vast plain—came into view. There, the armies of Konoha and Kumogakure would soon collide.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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