"Do you know the consequences of killing me?" Tsuchikage Purple asked calmly, showing not a trace of panic.
Deep inside, Purple was confident. With the establishment of the Ninja Alliance, the Five Great Ninja Villages had opened communication channels. The assassination of a Kage would be impossible to justify before the other villages. Did Ōnoki think he could stage a coup, reclaim power, and rise to the position of Tsuchikage again? He'd first have to contend with Jinghang, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, and A, the Third Raikage of Kumogakure—both of whom would love nothing more than to see him gone. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha, would likely hesitate to side with Ōnoki.
Facing two enemies with no allies, Ōnoki had virtually no chance of success.
"I'm well aware," Ōnoki replied with a cold smile. "That's why I never intended to kill you, nor do I plan to reclaim the position of Tsuchikage."
His gaze darkened as he continued, "Thanks to you, I survived after the Iwa-Suna War. I owe you that much."
"Then, are you planning to imprison me?" Purple asked, her expression remaining serene.
What a joke. With their limited abilities, even if they managed to hold her captive, could they also contain the Four-Tails, Son Gokū, sealed within her? Besides, intelligence agents from other nations weren't fools. If she, the Fourth Tsuchikage, disappeared for too long, the truth would soon surface, leading to the same outcome.
"No, I'm not as heartless as you, who could confine an old man like me to a mine for six years. I've prepared something better for you. Zetsu, it's your turn."
At Ōnoki's signal, a masked figure in a black cloak stepped forward.
"Who are you? What are you planning?" Purple demanded, her voice sharp.
Suddenly, her eyes locked onto Zetsu's—those crimson orbs, so eerie and mesmerizing, with their spinning tomoe patterns. She found herself entranced.
"Not good! It's genjutsu! The Sharingan! Don't look into his eyes—wake up!"
The voice came from none other than Son Gokū, the Four-Tails sealed within her. A surge of scorching tailed beast chakra immediately flowed into Purple's body.
But it was too late. A genjutsu crafted by none other than Madara Uchiha was not so easily broken. Before long, even Son Gokū's eyes were drawn to the hypnotic patterns of the Sharingan.
When Purple and Son Gokū regained consciousness, they found themselves trapped in a vast labyrinth.
"To be honest, this is my first time seeing your true form. I just didn't expect it to be under these circumstances," Purple said, gazing at the massive figure of Son Gokū with a wry smile.
"This is no time for small talk! Think of a way out!" Son Gokū roared, his voice filled with anger.
"It's useless," Purple replied, shaking her head. "Ōnoki has been planning this for six years. He wouldn't overlook your presence. If he could obtain a Sharingan from the Uchiha clan, he must have devised a way to trap us. His cunning knows no bounds.
"I have to admit, Ōnoki is a master strategist. Using genjutsu to imprison me while keeping my body as the Fourth Tsuchikage—a puppet in his hands—avoids provoking retaliation from other villages. Meanwhile, he can use my name to gradually purge my Discover more novels on NovelHub - your gateway to endless stories. Such a devious and calculated move!"
"Hmph! It's just a genjutsu! Let's see if it can really hold me, Son Gokū!"
With a furious roar, Son Gokū began smashing the surrounding walls. As a tailed beast from the primordial era, his immense strength quickly reduced the walls to rubble. However, the labyrinth seemed endless. At this rate, when would they ever escape?
Frustrated, Son Gokū let out a deafening roar, opened his massive jaws, and began gathering energy for a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Hmm?" Purple looked on with anticipation.
The black chakra sphere, brimming with immense energy, shot skyward and exploded with a resounding boom. The blast was so powerful that it tore cracks into the fabric of the illusionary space.
"There's hope!" Purple leaped up, using her body to wedge open one of the cracks.
"Son Gokū!" she shouted. The Four-Tails sprang into action, using his massive arms to force the crack wider.
"Open!" Son Gokū roared, summoning all his strength.
With a loud crash, the entire illusion began to collapse like a house of cards after an earthquake.
"Ha! I told you—no genjutsu can hold me!" Son Gokū laughed triumphantly.
"Yes, Son Gokū, you're the best," Purple said, giving him a thumbs-up.
But their relief was short-lived. Moments later, they found themselves in another labyrinth, even larger and more imposing than the first.
"I knew it wouldn't be that easy," Purple sighed, collapsing to the ground like a deflated balloon.
Exhausted from expending so much chakra, Son Gokū lay beside her, panting heavily.
After a long silence, Purple turned to Son Gokū with a resolute expression. "Son, kill me."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Son Gokū asked, startled.
"I'm serious. The genjutsu is cast on me. If I die, the illusion will break, and you'll be free. At least one of us should make it out..."
Her face was pale but filled with determination.
Outside the illusion, Ōnoki and his group observed Purple's physical changes, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"It should be fine now," Zetsu said confidently.
"Excellent! Your genjutsu is truly extraordinary," Ōnoki praised, his excitement barely contained.
"You flatter me, Tsuchikage-sama. Now, I trust you'll honor your promise?" Zetsu replied.
"Of course. Tomorrow, I'll announce to the world that Iwagakure is withdrawing from the Ninja Alliance. But first, there's something more pressing to attend to. Kitsuchi, is everything ready?" Ōnoki asked eagerly.
"Our 2,000 shinobi are in position, ready to begin the purge," Kitsuchi replied in a low voice.
"Good. Send the signal! Tonight, Iwagakure will change forever," Ōnoki declared, raising his hand.
Kitsuchi pulled a signal flare from his pocket, walked to the window, and launched it into the night sky.
With a sharp hiss, a red light ascended, blooming into a dazzling display against the inky backdrop.
"Hmph! I, Ōnoki, have returned. Sunagakure, Kumogakure, Konoha—prepare to face my wrath!" Ōnoki growled, his gaze fixed on the dying embers of the flare.
Suddenly, a sharp, searing pain shot through his chest, as if struck by lightning. Clutching his heart, he collapsed to the ground.
The others rushed to his side, panic etched across their faces.
"Let me take a look," Zetsu said, pushing through the crowd. He checked Ōnoki's pulse, examined his pupils, and pressed his ear to the old man's chest.
"He's dead. Seems like cardiac arrest," Zetsu announced.
"Cardiac arrest?" Kitsuchi repeated in shock. He had never known his father to have heart problems.
"It's possible. After all, Tsuchikage-sama is over sixty and spent six years in confinement. Heart and vascular issues wouldn't be surprising. Coupled with today's emotional highs and lows... well, my condolences," Zetsu said, closing Ōnoki's eyes with a complex expression. Internally, he lamented, Of all times to die, why now? At least wait until tomorrow to make the announcement.
Meanwhile, in a hidden cave within Iwagakure...
"Damn it! Who designed this taser? The shock was so strong it made my fur stand on end! With a current like that, even an elephant wouldn't survive!"
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