Have You Seen Me In My Prime?

Boom!

Pakura and Yugito collided hard into each other, and with the added power of chakra, a vast wave of air was formed at the place of their collision, radiating towards the surroundings.

Woosh!

Makoto had not done any defense, so even his hair tie was blown away.

But no one cared about such trivial matters at this time.

Snap!

Pakura had gotten completely entangled with Yukito.

Both of them did not use weapons, using purely their hands to deal with the enemy. But Makoto didn't dare to underestimate those small hands wrapped in chakra - if they were really hit solidly, even a rocky wall would be easily penetrated.

The two heterogeneous chakra were constantly clashing, and neither of them was the kind of rookie who went into battle for the first time. Both of them were experienced people, even if there was a slight gap in each other's strength, it would be difficult for Yugito to break through Pakura's defense for a while.

Yugito, who had already come with anger, became more and more angry, and the speed of her strikes was obviously a few points faster than before.

However, Pakura was very experienced in dealing with it, even without using any jutsu or kekkei genkai, she still kept her defense as solid as gold, and Yugito was unable to cross a step at all.

"Pakura, what the hell are you doing! You're a hero of Suna, not a lackey of Konoha! -

"Why are you blocking me? -

"Don't you realize this guy's ambition? Kumo's present is Suna's future! In front of that much interest, do you think this guy will take into account the so-called conjugal love?"

Pakura sniffed, but never said a word, which looked at the Yugito anxious and angry, but did not have the slightest solution.

Just like that, in front of Makoto, the two fought fast with fast, and demolished each other for another dozen rounds before finally separating.

When the two separated, both hands were already bruised and battered. Yugito's arms and even his hands were covered in burns, while Pakura's arms were covered in a patch of scorched blackness from the lightning strike.

"Hoo hoo..."

Although only a dozen rounds had actually been exchanged, the physical exertion of both sides was extremely terrifying. The two looked at each other, their full chests rising and falling without fail.

Only Yugito's clear eyes were full of anger at this time, while Pakura was like a desert after a sandstorm, incomparably desolate as well as... calm.

Just by looking at the eyes Yugito knew that the words just now did not have any effect on Pakura.

So Yugito's gaze simply skipped Pakura and looked directly at Makoto.

"You guy, what kind of Kage is hiding behind a woman, have the guts to come out and fight with me one on one!"

Makoto threw a bottle of long-prepared injury medicine to Pakura before looking at Yugito.

"Pakura is also doing you a favor. -

"She stepped up to protect you. -

"If I was the one who stepped in just now... Yugito, you should thank her."

Yugito moved his sore arm, his anger unabated.

"There's no such thing as the weak protecting the strong!"

Well, that's hard to say, but Mr. Izo of the Headquarters protected the weakest creature on earth.

...From Cat's point of view, it's right to say so is all.

Pakura's Scorch Release is indeed very strong, but the cat is a Jinchuuriki of a very high segment level.

She is arrogant and still willing to work, not the same thing as early Naruto.

Makoto knew what Yugito was thinking, but after what happened, Yugito's anger had been given out, Makoto had no intention of continuing to pester her, and just broke her down.

"Alright, Yugito, no need to pretend anymore. I already know exactly what you're thinking. -

"Next time, if you're really angry, just greet me with a Biju Cannon, don't pull this useless shit, you don't even dare to use a jutsu. -

"To tell you the truth, Konoha has no plans for the next time, it's nothing more than an ordinary eating crowd. -

"No matter what you Kumo want to do, we Konoha won't act - you have to watch out for the conservatives, they might do something you wouldn't expect."

Something had happened in the Land of Lightning, and the Yugito had ventured out to him, wanting to fight him.

On the surface, this was more than just giving away his head.

But Yugito actually understood Makoto's... Since the TV had already broadcast it, it meant that Makoto's plan had already entered its completion.

Yugito and Makoto had played against each other several times and knew that Makoto was not a reckless person. Since he had already begun to act, he must have prepared for everything.

Once the economy of the Land of Lightning had a serious problem, the first and most urgent would definitely be the Land of Thunder Daimyo, followed by Kumo.

The importance of funding for the army was beyond doubt, and the more Makoto dragged him around, the more Kumo realized this matter.

Even the most stubborn conservatives in Kumo actually knew in their hearts that if the Land of Lightning's economy were to go down, they would surely be the ones to follow closely behind - it was for this reason that the two factions, who were clearly as close as water and fire, and who were consuming each other in almost every field, always maintained the last of their composure and did not engage in a direct firefight.

...Though it was only a matter of time before the two sides fought.

Now that the Land of Lightning's thousand stocks have fallen and the domestic economy is in shambles, Kumo is definitely going to help.

But even the reform faction, for the economy together is also relatively... so, Makoto's choice is to come to the front of Makoto, directly waving the cat's paw with him.

Makoto believes that Yugito must know in his heart that his threat is useless, but regardless of whether it is useful or not, the attitude must be shown first.

...If there is not even a desperate stance, ghosts know what the poor Makoto will do...

Hearing Makoto say this, the cat's anger once again skyrocketed.

"You also don't think about whose fault this is!"

"You even want me to thank you!"

Having no choice but to take a guarded stance once again, Pakura was afraid that the cat would lash out again.

Makoto picked up the hairband that had fallen to the ground and re-tied it.

This was something Haku had made for him with her own hands.

"It's true that our Konoha caused this time, but even without our Konoha, something similar would have happened sooner or later-plundering more wealth, plundering more laboring people, and plundering more advanced technology are the thoughts of that group of revanchists in the Land of Fire. -

"Under the domination of these evil thoughts, they do nothing. -

"If you don't use it today, you'll use it tomorrow."

Cat immediately sneered back.

"If you're going to die sooner or later, why don't you die now? -

"Everyone has been working hard for two years, and the days are easily better... It's all you! It's all your fault!"

These past two years, the other major ninja villages other than Konoha and Suna were not having a good time.

If they didn't follow Konoha to carry out reforms, they would face Konoha's heavy pressure every now and then, and the internal debts made them even more unhappy at all.

However, if you follow Konoha to carry out reforms, you will have to face the enormous pressure from the forces to which they belong... The reason why Konoha has never had any problems is because Konoha was the first to embrace the capital, and the capital responded enthusiastically to him.

Inside and outside, it was exceptionally difficult for everyone.

It was not easy for the economy to recover a bit, but this bastard Makoto made such a big deal...

"I don't deny some of Konoha's behavior. -

"But is there a possibility. -

"I'm just saying it's possible - the reason why things in the Land of Lightning have gotten to this state is that, in addition to the four major nations messing with the situation, a lot of guys within the Land of Lightning have also put in a wave of effort?"

Yugito sniffed, and was instantly stunned.

"You mean..."

"The walls of Constantinople are extremely strong. They have been invaded by foreign countries for many years and are still reliable. It is helpless. However, it only needs a small door..."

Makoto told Yugito a few little secrets.

"For many people in the Land of Lightning, all they want is to make money and to be superhuman. It doesn't matter to them who rules the Land of Lightning. -

"If the Land of Fire Daimyo coming to rule over them will allow them to gain more, then why not support the Land of Fire?"

Only this time, Makoto didn't lie to Cat.

The stock market of the Land of Lightning had been instantly hit hard this time, not only because of the Land of Fire's deadly currency tidal wave, but also because of the concentricity of the other three major countries and the two-fifths within the Land of Lightning...

The nobles, at least, still have land, and the honor of the era's legacy, and have to worry about the consequences of abandoning the Land of Lightning.

What are the luxurious merchants afraid of.

As long as they had a small gold judgment in their pockets, even if they went to the Land of Fire, they were equally human.

-The business situation in the Land of Fire was indeed better than the Land of Lightning right now. Because the group of luxury merchants continued to rise and gain more say, some of the great nobles also had to restrain their eating manners a bit.

Yugito was silent for a long time, yet when she looked up again, the doubt in her eyes had surprisingly disappeared completely.

"We will eradicate the traitors within the Land of Lightning ourselves! -

"The Land of Fire may continue to launch economic aggression against the Land of Lightning in the future, and that is also a matter for later! -

"But for now - Makoto, you must pay for your behavior!"

Cat usually looked like she was so good that he could trick her into having eight babies, but he couldn't fool her at a critical moment.

....But that's good.

Makoto slowly moved forward as he crossed over Pakura and stood in front of the Yugito.

"Hatred, enough already. -

"Whether it's Konoha, or Kumo. -

"Back then, didn't our Nidaime Hokage die at the hands of your Kumo?"

It had been many years since the Nidaime had passed away, and this matter had basically become a bad debt, and the young people nowadays didn't mention it too much. However, as a leader, but was killed by an outside village, this matter would still infuriate people when it was mentioned.

Yugito subconsciously explained.

"It was not our Kumo's intention! It was the Golden and Silver brothers..."

"I know that it was the Golden and Silver brothers who wanted to seize power, and even killed your Nidaime Raikage... along with it, but who knows if there was an element of you directing yourselves in this?"

"What do we gain by killing Hokage! It's just an accident without a victor!"

"Ha, I'd like to believe you, but the Konoha won't. All they know is that they lost a very good Kage because of you."

Makoto looked down at Yugito, his expression growing cold.

"-But, right now, I'm not here to argue with you about who's right and who's wrong. Now that the problem has arisen, all we can do is solve it, rather than blame each other and then do nothing."

"I've always believed that shinobi are the ones who control productivity, and to kill is a fundamental betrayal of the shinobi clan."

"The world shouldn't be like this."

Yugito seemed to understand what Makoto was trying to say.

"So, you want us to forgive you, how..."

"Let's kill each other!"

... What Makoto said seemed a bit different from what Yugito had thought.

"...What did you say? Fighting each other? You want to start a war?"

As soon as war was involved, Yugito was instantly incredibly wary.

Right now, Kumo's situation was extremely bad, the Land of Lightning was a mess, and they were internally divided into two factions. In this state, they had no chance of winning a deadly fight with Konoha.

-With the current economic situation between the two sides, Konoha could really use money to smash Kumo to death.

Even if we don't talk about the gap between the two sides at the expert level, 10,000 economy to beat 500 economy, how to fight is a hanging hammer.

Makoto let Konoha expand too much in these two years, they don't even need the power of the Land of Fire, they can finish this war by themselves.

At the thought of directly facing such a behemoth, Yugito's heart was also a little hairy.

"Don't you forget the promise you made back then! If you start a war rashly, then all the ninja villages will be your enemies!"

"Of course I will not forget my original promise, so the fight I am talking about is - I am alone, you Kumo can do whatever you want. You can have as many people as you want. I will decide the time, and you will decide the place."

Hearing Makoto's reply, Yugito was filled with surprise, and even Pakura was in a trance - one person challenging a ninja village!

How many years had it been since someone had dared to do such a thing!

Even the Shodaime back then hadn't done anything similar - when the Shodaime built the village, he was surrounded by the Nidaime's aides and even Uchiha Madara.

Kumo is still a big ninja village even if it's in trouble internally and externally.

Kumogakure is indeed not as good as Konoha, but it still has many unique points.

Makoto knew many of them now, and he didn't know even more - because of his continued influence, Kumo that was starting to change now was much stronger than the original Kumo.

Even if the two sides start a full-scale war, Konoha will still have to pay a certain price if it wants to completely conquer Kumo. And one person challenges Kumo...

"Hokage-sama, please think twice!"

After Pakura was surprised, his first reaction was to jump in and stop it.

"You have entirely better options, why bother!"

Pakura wasn't sure that Makoto could eat the entirety of Kumo - after all, there was the previous Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion in front of her. But Pakura felt that the risk of doing so was simply too high.

Why fight in such a wave when it was obvious that he could win with a steady fight?

How many heroes and heroines, who had come through against the wind and water all their lives, just died on the waves.

Sand hidden and Konoha now have a good relationship, before solving the problem of wind and sand, sand hidden does not have any ambition, the same does not want Konoha accident.

Makoto, however, didn't reply and just continued to look at Cat.

"You want to challenge our entire Kumo? You can't do it!"

"Have you seen me at my full strength? Do you think that's my full power?"

Yugito was surprised at first, then fell into hesitation, before a slight smirk finally appeared on her face.

"That's what you said!"

"That's right, I said it. This is a gentleman's fight, and we will both divide the highs and the lows, as well as decide on life and death - but after doing a fight, the grudges will subside, and this matter will not be brought up again."

"Of course we won't bring it up again - because it will be a great victory for us, Kumo! For the honored one, of course we will give this face, after all, we are the victors!"

Yugito said this with deliberate arrogance. As she said it, she also stared dead at Makoto's expression.

Unfortunately, Makoto was very calm from the beginning, not seeing the slightest bit of urgency.

-I'm afraid this fight will be difficult.

Because Makoto is known for never doing anything unprepared.

But Yugito was still not ready to give up.

She was sure that even if she asked those stubborn old undead, they would never let go of this opportunity - Makoto was too young nowadays, and although he was superbly capable, a lot of things were pinned on him alone, rather than the entire Konoha system. If he could be killed here, Konoha's trend of growing stronger would surely come to a halt!

Moreover, Makoto was the last bloodline of the Suo clan, he did not have an heir now, as long as he died, the Suo clan would simply become extinct.

The Suo clan's terrifying kekkei genkai would completely disappear between heaven and earth...

As a matter of fact, openly and secretly, there had always been people who wanted to assassinate Makoto. Only Makoto himself is too strong, and Konoha is too well protected, so there has been no opportunity.

Now the opportunity comes to the door, Kumo will not refuse in any case.

And if you lose like this... people can eat all of you single handedly with one Kage, so you can t win? Vote directly, what's the point of resisting.

"That's fine."

"I believe in Yugito-sama's credibility."

"Now, you can take this message back. In the formal negotiation between the two sides afterwards, we will formalize the time and place... Of course, if you have any doubts, you can also invite some middlemen and guarantors of sufficient weight..."

This time, Yugito did not answer. She just took a deep look at Makoto and left straight away.

She had only come over this time to express Kumo's attitude in order to stop the next combination of punches that Makoto might have.

Now that things have come to this... state, she doesn't feel that there is anything wrong with this, but the matter is important, she still must go back and discuss it with the top management of Kumo.

I'm afraid that only on the point of killing Hokage can the two factions reach a consensus.

After Yugito left, Pakura spoke again.

"Are you really crazy here? Or do you have another purpose?"

"If so, how should we cooperate with you?"

Pakura never felt that Makoto suddenly jerked around.

Then there was only one reason - he was up to something again.

I just don't know which country is going to be unlucky this time.

"There's no purpose, it's just a very simple desire to solve the problem..."

Makoto lied again.

What he wanted was a massive amount of Dark Chakra, but making the Land of Lightning a living hell wasn't his intention either.

Solving people was certainly a way of thinking about solving problems, but it was such a waste for that much labor to just die...

So just like the Sundome challenge, he only detonated some of the conflicts in the Land of Lightning, giving the Daimyos of the Land of Lightning a chance to redeem themselves.

T/N: 'sundome', which translate to 'stopping just before', is 'sundome karate' due the JKF adopts sundome rules

Kumo actually did not have any evidence, only that they felt that this matter was Makoto's doing... although it was indeed his doing.

Kumo is now in deep enmity with him, but Makoto's primary goal is not to destroy Kumo - the biggest contradiction right now is the mismatch between ninja strength and status, as well as the contradiction of the nobles occupying too many resources.

On this basis, anything can be negotiated.

So Makoto chose the way that would do the least amount of harm to the Land of Lightning, but also left a button for him to conquer Kumo - everyone together can't beat one person on the opposite side, so what's the point of fighting.

Of course, this is the official statement.

For Makoto himself, the biggest advantage of doing this is that it can lead Obito over.

Obito has been paying attention to the world, and now Makoto has made so many problems, Obito should also know that he is the biggest obstacle to his collection of bijus.

If Makoto didn't die, the Kyuubi would never arrive.

Kamui is too mobile. If Obito wants to run away and cannot get into the circle, Makoto really has no good way to deal with him.

Now that Makoto is dying, he will definitely go over to check the situation and see if he can steal the chicken... He will definitely do so.

And once he comes in... then he will stay forever...

So many thoughts, even the old acquaintance Pakura is difficult to understand.

She just suddenly felt that she seemed to be a little more distant from Makoto...

More than two years ago, he was still an elite Jonin, and now he's challenging a village all by himself...

"I don't know your specific plan, but I still want to say... that it's too dangerous, so many people, even if it's consuming, it can consume you to death. -

"Everyone knows you don't have much chakra."

Someone who was so evil had long been analyzed countless times for information. It wasn't a secret in the top circles that he didn't have much chakra.

"Yeah, they all know... but they don't dare."

"They're afraid of my genjutsu, so they definitely won't dare to gamble. When the time comes, I'm afraid it will still be a large number of elites fighting me."

Pakura thought about it.

Makoto's genjutsu is too domineering, catching is directly a death, but also all group injury. If too many cannon fodders die when dealing with Makoto, the village will still be greatly injured.

There are only so many... high-ranks tasks in total, and in the end, the middle and low-rank tasks are still to be done by cannon fodders. Too much damage to them, but it would really hurt Kumo's income.

"That being said, I still have to report this matter to Kazekage-sama. As for what he says, I don't know."

"I know, and that is also your duty."

"There are also... other people who I'm afraid will also react, and Kumo's side might even spread this news out on purpose... you have to be mentally prepared."

All of this was expected by Makoto.

He also knew that a large number of people would definitely come to persuade him, but he did not regret it.

It was hard to find a good opportunity like this that could both minimally hurt the structure of the Land of Lightning, promote change in the Land of Lightning, and get rid of the problem of Kumo and Obito.

"Since you know all about it, I won't say anything more... Take care of yourself."

"Thank you, Pakura... Now there is one last question."

"...What question?"

"Such a big scene, what BGM do you think is better for me to use then? Is it 'Fuxi Shen Tian Xiang', or 'Yi Qidong Shanhe'? Although 'Fourth Hokage' is also quite good."

T/N: 'Fuxi Shen Tian Xiang', which translates to 'Fuxi Heavenly Echo' (Fuxi is a culture hero in Chinese mythology who is credited - with his sister and wife Nuwa - the invention of music, hunting, fishing, domestication, cooking, and the Cangjie system of Chinese written characters around 2000 BC), by Fengcai Lun

T/N: 'Yi Qidong Shanhe', which translates to 'one breath moves mountains and rivers', is a song from 'The Imperial Dragon Constellation', a Chinese stop motion drama

T/N: 'Fourth Hokage', the 3rd song from Naruto Shippuden: Original Soundtrack III (2016)

...Pakura knew that nothing normal would come out of this guy's mouth.

It was just as well that this guy had the audacity to want to defeat Kumogakure by himself, but before going to war, this guy's biggest concern was actually BGM...

Pakura decided not to get hit.

"Where did this song come from? How come I haven't even heard it before?"

Forget it, it's better to be hit... This slot is really uncomfortable for the whole day if you don't spit it out.

"Of course you haven't heard of it, because I haven't started writing it yet."

"...Then you still ask me!!!"

Seeing that the mature woman in front of him was completely grossed out, Makoto had to change the topic.

"Alright alright alright, then we won't look into this issue... What I'm most worried about is that I don't have a child yet, what if I hang up? -

"Why don't you, Pakura, help me give birth to one?"

"Suo! Ma! Ko! To!"

Pakura punched Makoto in the eye.

...You see, she really doesn't care about what happened before.