Chapter 156

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The next day, after savoring the beauty of Hana, Toshiro arrived at Konoha Prison in high spirits, ready to fulfill his duties as warden. Sensing the unusually joyful atmosphere, he stopped a passing clansman to inquire.

"What's going on today? Everyone seems so excited!"

Normally, he would have asked Hana, but she had been too exhausted from the night before. So, Toshiro had told her to take the day off, leaving him in the dark.

"Toshiro-sama, you haven't heard? The representatives from Kumogakure are coming today to discuss a peace agreement. The news broke this morning!"

"Has the timeline really come to this point without me noticing?"

Toshiro was taken aback by the news. He hadn't expected things to progress so quickly. He couldn't help but wonder if the Cloud Ninjas would follow the same path as in the manga.

"Alright then, get back to work!"

Toshiro dismissed his subordinate with a wave, not giving the matter much further thought. These negotiations had nothing to do with him; let the Third Hokage deal with it. His focus now was on testing the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.

It had been nearly two years since he acquired this jutsu. He had already mastered most of the theoretical aspects but had yet to put them into practice. He even had the unique Flying Thunder God mark drawn and ready, just waiting for the right moment to test it.

Ignoring the few documents on his desk, Toshiro made his way to the laboratory he had asked Hana to set up years ago. He carefully placed a kunai inscribed with black seals onto the floor of the lab, the symbol on it resembling his own Mangekyo pattern.

After selecting a specific location, Toshiro began the experiment. However, being the cautious person he was, he certainly wasn't about to conduct such a complex space-time ninjutsu experiment without taking proper precautions.

Toshiro slowly distanced himself from his target, then immediately activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. With surges of violent chakra explosions, a gust of wind swept through the entire lab.

An orange-red chakra, resembling fire, began to envelop him. As the chakra stabilized, Susanoo gradually took form, and the turbulence in the laboratory subsided.

Circles of crimson ribs, crafted from chakra, encased Toshiro's entire body, making his already imposing figure appear even more formidable.

Despite not having engaged in any significant battles or experiencing intense emotional triggers, after nearly two years of preparation, his mangekyo powers had still awakened naturally.

His Susanoo had also awakened. But why did he choose to use Susanoo while experimenting with the Flying Thunder God Jutsu?

The truth was, he didn't entirely trust the version of the Flying Thunder God scroll given to him by the Third Hokage. Without the protection of Susanoo, he wasn't confident in his ability to survive the experiment.

If something went wrong while using the jutsu, it could easily turn into a tragic joke—the very ninjutsu he had worked so hard to obtain might end up being the one that killed him.

Hold your breath and focus.

Slowly recalling the intricacies of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, Toshiro couldn't detect any issues, so he began to form the hand seals at a measured pace.

No one else has mastered this sealed version of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.

"Ninja Art: Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Silently cursing his unique version of the technique, Toshiro widened his Sharingan, determined not to miss even the slightest change.

Whoosh!

A soft sound accompanied the disappearance of Toshiro, leaving only a faint circle of dust where he had stood.

About ten meters away, Toshiro reappeared beside the Flying Thunder God Mark, his body engulfed in scorching flames.

It seemed the experiment was a success...

Exhale!

Slowly releasing a breath of stale air, Toshiro wiped the sweat from his forehead and began to curse under his breath.

"That old bastard Hiruzen... I nearly got killed by him this time."

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Toshiro felt a surge of relief. Thankfully, he had activated Susanoo while testing the Flying Thunder God jutsu. Otherwise, he might not have survived.

That old bastard really did tamper with the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. He's hardly human.

What happened to the Hokage's honor? It's truly despicable to sabotage the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. Luckily, I waited until Susanoo awakened before experimenting with this ninjutsu; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Just as Toshiro executed the Flying Thunder God, he felt an immense pressure bearing down on him from all directions.

It felt as if the entire space had shattered, breaking into countless fragments, and I was speeding through them.

While enduring the crushing pressure of space, I also had to withstand the impact of those fragmented spaces.

Had it lasted any longer, I would have questioned whether even Susanoo could guarantee my safety.

"He seemed to have removed parts of the jutsu to secure a means of protection when using the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, especially while traversing through the gaps in space!"

"It's truly fitting for a ninjutsu master—when he finally strikes, it's with lethal intent!"

Without this layer of protection, I doubt even the Raikage would survive, let alone me.

"Moreover, it's not easy to hold the Third Hokage accountable for this..."

Given the other party's methods, Toshiro didn't need to think twice to know that he would immediately find a scapegoat, pinning all the faults in the ninjutsu on someone else.

Moreover, exposing this would also reveal that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. The Third Hokage might not be aware of this, but the Second Hokage certainly knew—and it's unlikely that he wouldn't have informed the Third.

"Experience really does come with age!"

Recalling how Hirizen used Jiraiya to test his strength last time and now employed the Flying Thunder God Jutsu to determine if he had awakened the Mangekyō, Toshiro seethed with frustration.

He hadn't anticipated that while the Flying Thunder God Jutsu might resemble a summoning jutsu, it was not one—and that it held much more hidden intricacies.

But perhaps that's for the best.

Summoning jutsu isn't particularly rare; many in the ninja world are familiar with it. Both the Second and Fourth Hokages were renowned for their mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

If it were that simple to learn, wouldn't more people have already mastered it?

"Well, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In this case, the Third Hokage might not be able to confirm that I've learned the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. It's an ace up my sleeve!"

For some reason, Toshiro found himself missing Orochimaru a bit. That guy might have this jutsu scroll with him.

I wonder if Nagato has already given a bashing to Orochimaru right now.

However, knowing Orochimaru, he's likely still focused on perfecting the immortality jutsu. The thought of it made Toshiro feel a little excited.

"Kukuku! Orochi-senpai.. Don't disappoint me!"

He was certain that the lure of the Rinnegan would draw Orochimaru to him for information. When that time comes, he might not strip Orochimaru of everything he has, but he would certainly get what he wanted—if Orochimaru was not willing, then...

As Toshiro Toshiro was thinking of ways to further extort Orochimaru, the entire village of Konoha was adorned with lights and decorations, preparing to welcome the negotiation team from Kumogakure.

Although the Third Hokage did not personally greet them, he sent his trusted ally, Homura Mitokado, to receive the visiting Cloud Ninjas.

After a series of ceremonial welcoming activities, the Cloud Ninjas, led by their Jonin, were settled into the inn Konoha had prepared for them.

"Konoha's people seem very enthusiastic, and it doesn't seem to cool down. Could this affect our mission during the peace talks?" A relatively young Cloud Ninja asked, seemingly swayed by the warm reception.

Feeling uncertain about the covert activities they had planned, he couldn't help but glance at his superior for reassurance.

"Quiet! This is Konoha... The walls have ears!"

The Jonin, concerned that their conversation might attract unwanted attention, chose not to further reprimand his subordinate after the warning.

This fool is so naive. Just a little obstacle, and he's already questioning the decisions of our village's leaders. Clearly, he still lacks experience!

"Understood!"

Despite the harsh rebuke, the young Cloud Ninja remained respectful, showing no signs of dissent as his superior walked away toward his room.

Over the next few days, Konoha's leadership continued to warmly entertain the Cloud Ninja delegation.

"Hiruzen, we've reached an agreement with the Cloud Ninjas. Tomorrow, we just need everyone to sign the peace treaty!"

As soon as he pushed open the door to the Hokage's office, Homura eagerly presented a copy of the meeting minutes, eager to receive praise from the Third Hokage.

"Yes! This is excellent news!"

"With this agreement, we'll only need to contend with Kirigakure. The pressure will be significantly reduced, and we can stop sending our young ninjas to the battlefield."

Hearing this, the Third Hokage smiled broadly, and even the deepening wrinkles on his face seemed to soften at the news.

"Hmph! The Cloud Ninjas won't grant us any favorable terms!"

Without bothering to glance at the meeting minutes, Danzo voiced his skepticism.

While the prospect of ending the war was positive, Danzo couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. Without the war, wouldn't his Root division face budget cuts? He was very displeased!

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