Konoha: Starting with Kisara, I've conquered the Naruto world.

Chapter 158 Cloud Hidden's Decision, Turtle Island

Chapter 158 Cloud Hidden's Decision, Turtle Island

A cold smile curled at the corner of Yuan Tuoye's lips.

To find the ultimate pain in reality that can tear your soul apart and ignite your kaleidoscope?

But the question is, would that really be "milder" than the side effects of this device? He couldn't make a comparison.

Moreover, in this vast ninja world, in this chaotic reality, what could truly shake his current state of mind and give him the kind of subversive stimulation that could tear his personality apart?

He examined himself: Power? The foundation of the Snow Village? The plans of Konoha? These external things, gains and losses are all like fleeting clouds, and it is not a pity to give them up.

So-called power was merely a tool he used on his path to advancement.

What he truly cared about was the upward ladder, the path itself leading to the pinnacle of power!

If anyone dares to erect an insurmountable barrier, or directly destroy this path to heaven—

So, this might be the only "loss" he can't accept calmly.

The thought brought a sharp, real pain.

However, this seems to be a vicious cycle of paradox. He craves the power of the kaleidoscope in order to climb higher and faster, but the condition for activating the kaleidoscope may be to cut off his future path.

Destroying one's future in exchange for power? How could Yuan Tuoye possibly make such an absurd choice!

His chaotic thoughts swirled like a whirlpool, and in this seemingly unsolvable stalemate, Yuan Tuoye's thinking suddenly froze!

A possibility he had never imagined before struck him like a cold bolt of lightning into the depths of his consciousness!

"Perhaps—" he murmured, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper, "—it's not entirely impossible."

After thinking about it carefully for a while, he shook his head vigorously, suppressing the fleeting thought for the time being.

The most urgent task is to erase the memory shadow that was induced and implanted by the device!

The solution has already clearly emerged in my mind:

Firstly, one can travel to the Hidden Cloud Village and face the legendary True Waterfall, which is said to be able to see the deepest darkness and truth in people's hearts, and is a testing ground for cleansing the soul.

Secondly, there is the simplest and most passive option: waiting.

He didn't believe that the influence of that memory could last for several years. He would wait until time had passed and the influence had completely dissipated before cultivating the Immortal Mode.

Both methods, one active and one passive, can lead to the endpoint.

But—Yuan Tuoye's lips slowly curled up, a smile with a sharp edge and endless madness blooming on his face.

Passively waiting? That has never been Yuan Tuoye's style! Time is so precious, how could he waste it?

Hidden Cloud Village — A sharp glint flashed in those deep eyes.

It's time to go!

The news that the collector had brazenly attacked Sunagakure and forcibly stolen the One-Tailed Shukaku's chakra exploded like thunder throughout the ninja world, quickly spreading to every corner.

The Sand Village's Wind Shadow Rasa did not conceal the details, specifically highlighting the collector's signature Lightning Release ninjutsu, Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

When this news crossed borders and reached Kumogakure, it caused a huge uproar in the Raikage's office.

"What?! This is impossible!" The Fourth Raikage, A, suddenly stood up from behind his huge desk, his solid fists clenched so tightly in anger that his knuckles cracked, and his copper bell-like eyes widened in disbelief.

Although he had heard snippets from Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, that the Collector might be able to use Lightning Release Chakra Mode, deep down he always dismissed it as some kind of illusion or a despicable means of theft.

However, this time it was different.

Luo Sha, the shadow of the village, is undoubtedly skilled and perceptive.

His assertion and widespread pronouncements unequivocally weighed heavily on the side of "truth."

The other party has indeed mastered the secret techniques of the Hidden Cloud Village!

"Lord Raikage, although it is shocking, based on information from all sides, this is probably true," the secretary standing to the side analyzed in his usual calm tone.

"Based on the information we have, the collector has demonstrated Konoha's secret techniques and Hidden Mist ninjutsu, and now they have confirmed our Lightning Release Chakra Mode—"

Now, even if he were to use the Iwagakure Light and Heavy Rock Technique in the next moment, probably no one would be surprised.

"Who the hell is that bastard?!" the Fourth Raikage roared, his eyes burning with rage.

Amidst immense frustration and resentment, how could the Hidden Cloud Village's war against the Leaf Village have ended in complete defeat if the Collector hadn't intervened on the battlefield?

How did he end up so badly injured?

On the surface, he seemed to have recovered completely, but whenever he exerted his full chakra or engaged in intense battle, the faint pain and persistent weakness deep within his body would follow him like a shadow.

This was almost a fatal shackle for a ninja like him who relied on a strong physique.

The secretary sighed softly, bringing the topic back to reality: "The opponent's actions in Sunagakure this time were clearly aimed at the One-Tailed Chakra, which is exactly the same as his behavior on our battlefield."

"The chakra of the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails!" The Raikage immediately realized, and then gritted his teeth as he deduced.

"Konoha also possesses the Nine-Tails! As expected! This was all a conspiracy by Konoha! That collector was gathering the power of all the tailed beasts for them; there must be a shocking scheme behind it all!"

"Lord Raikage, please calm down," the secretary had to remind him again, her tone tinged with helplessness. "Do you still remember the real reason we decided to wage war against Konoha?"

"The reason? Of course, it's to compete for resources and strategic space!" Lei Ying answered subconsciously, but when he saw the secretary's meaningful look, he suddenly stopped.

A terrifying thought flashed through his mind: "You mean—the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage?!" His pupils contracted sharply as he looked at his secretary in disbelief. "That disaster—could very well have been the Collector's doing too?!"

"This is just speculation at the moment," the secretary nodded cautiously, "but judging from the collector's unscrupulous behavior, he dared to attack our Cloud Village on the front lines and dared to break into the Sand Village alone to steal the Tailed Beast."

Then why wouldn't he dare to attack Konoha and release the Nine-Tails?

Moreover, recalling the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage back then, the incident happened suddenly and was full of suspicious points.

Adding the variable of collectors makes many previously inexplicable aspects seem perfectly reasonable.

"But why doesn't Konoha issue a warrant for his arrest? Why is they even cooperating with him?!" The Raikage frowned. Although his secretary's speculation was possible, this point still puzzled him greatly; it didn't make sense.

"We have no way of knowing the reasons behind it," the secretary admitted frankly. "However, it is not entirely incomprehensible that Konoha chose to cooperate with collectors."

After all—in such a desperate situation, surrounded by powerful enemies, they might not have had any other options at all.

"Damn it!!!" The Fourth Raikage's rage could no longer be contained. His massive fist, brimming with violent power, slammed heavily onto the heavy desk. The loud bang echoed through the room, and the sturdy desk was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

He felt that the enemy known as the collector was like a ghost shrouded in a thick fog, whose identity and purpose were not only unclear, but had become even more elusive.

Although the possibility that "the other party is a member of Konoha" is still the highest, Kumogakure can no longer confirm this with the same certainty as before.

Looking at the Raikage, who was consumed by rage and pain, the secretary let out another barely audible sigh, trying to comfort him: "Lord Raikage, perhaps—we should try to look on the bright side."

At least, they've already obtained the chakra of the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails from our village. This means—they should have no reason to actively oppose us anymore.

His words carried a bitter self-consolation.

"Are we just supposed to swallow this humiliation like this?!" Lei Ying's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse from extreme suppression, like a trapped lion.

He stared intently at his secretary, his chest heaving violently.

A suffocating silence fell over the office. The secretary remained silent for a long time, offering no further advice.

The final decision on how to deal with the collector, this major threat, rests solely with Raikage.

As a secretary, all he could do was conduct a calm analysis based on the pros and cons.

In his view, since the other party was able to brazenly invade the heart of a village and seize the tailed beast's chakra, their terrifying strength must have improved compared to a few years ago.

At this moment, the wisest course of action for Yunyin is to bide their time and accumulate strength, rather than further provoke a powerful figure with unpredictable behavior and unfathomable strength.

To continue being their enemy will come at the cost of the entire village's future.

After a long silence, the raging fury in the Fourth Raikage's bloodshot eyes was gradually replaced by a deep weariness and resentment.

His upright posture seemed to hunch slightly at this moment, and an indescribable sense of aging was revealed in his strong and imposing presence.

Finally, a heavy command, as if it had exhausted all his strength, was squeezed out of his mouth with difficulty: "Issue the order—to withdraw—all warrants for the arrest of the collector."

The secretary took in Raikage's struggles and pain, a hint of heartache and helplessness flashing in his eyes, but he said nothing, only bowing his head respectfully: "Yes, Lord Raikage."

He turned to carry out this humiliating yet unavoidable order.

However, neither the Raikage, who was immersed in resentment, nor Mabui, who left in worry, knew anything about it.

The mysterious and unpredictable collector they spoke of, who brought shame upon the Hidden Cloud Village, was now quietly embarking on his journey to the Hidden Cloud Village with some ulterior motive!

Beneath the vast sky, the blue waves stretch endlessly.

Yuan Tuoye's figure was like a black streak of light, swiftly moving between the high clouds and rolling waves.

Yuan Tuoye was unaware that the Cloud Village had already pinned the blame for causing the Nine-Tails' rampage on him.

Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.

Behind him, enormous wings formed from pure chakra stirred up thin clouds with each flap, supporting him.

He conducted a long and meticulous search over the vast territorial waters of Kumogakure.

One island after another, large or small, and of various shapes, were swept over by his sharp gaze and meticulously examined by Kagura's all-pervasive perception.

However, he excluded all of these fixed, lifeless reefs or oases without exception.

These were not the destinations of this trip. The legendary real waterfall did not reside on an ordinary island, but rather on the back of a peculiar creature called "Turtle Island."

This giant tortoise, resembling a moving continent, gives the real waterfall its unpredictable location, drifting erratically in the vast ocean, its position constantly changing, leaving countless seekers empty-handed.

This undoubtedly created an insurmountable obstacle for ordinary ninjas.

But for Gen Takuno, the "living" nature of Turtle Island is precisely the biggest flaw that exposes his whereabouts!

No matter how much it resembles an island in appearance, no matter how much it conceals its aura and pretends to be silent, the inherent energy pulses of a living organism, whether strong or weak, are marks that cannot be completely erased.

With the Kagura Mind's Eye, a top-tier sensory technique that allows one to see the origin of chakra and perceive the rhythm of life, Gen Takuno was like holding a compass pointing to Turtle Island in a vast ocean.

He doesn't need to blindly set foot on every piece of land. He only needs to look down from a high vantage point and use Kagura's Mind's Eye, with its vast sensory network, to scan the sea like a precision radar, focusing on identifying energy reactions that contain "life veins," thus efficiently filtering out suspicious targets.

At this moment, he hovered high in the air, the wind howling past his robes.

Below, the outline of a seemingly ordinary island gradually becomes clear.

It has the rugged rocks and lush vegetation that an ordinary island should have, standing quietly in the embrace of the azure sea.

However, when Genji Takuno's Kagura Mind's Eye detected the immense chakra emanating from the depths of this "land," a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

This chakra did not originate from any individual or group of people on the island, but rather spread evenly across the entire island like the pulse of the earth, carrying the rhythmic feel of a sleeping behemoth—something that dead, lifeless rocks could never possess!

"Found it." He murmured to himself, and Yuan Tuoye's gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp.

He slowly descended, finally landing as lightly as a feather on a reef at the edge of Turtle Island.

A closer look reveals the astonishing vitality of this "land" beneath our feet.

To see more clearly, his eyes changed instantly. The black pupils faded, and three tomoe Sharingan slowly swirled on the scarlet background!

Through these all-seeing eyes, the true appearance of Turtle Island's surface is further revealed.

A nearly transparent energy membrane, like a giant bowl, was tightly inverted over the entire island, with the flow of chakra clearly visible on it, forming a complex and precise defense network.

"As expected, there is a barrier?" Gen Takuno was not surprised at all.

It would be strange if such a secret place, treasured by the Hidden Cloud Village, didn't have a powerful protective barrier.

He could break the barrier, but it would take a long time to deduce it from scratch. If possible, he would prefer to use another method.

Besides, if he forces his way in, this barrier won't stop him, but the problem is that he needs a sufficiently stable environment when using the Real Waterfall.

Therefore, forcibly breaking in is not an option.

Is there a more convenient and stable method?

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