Chapter 120: Rasa, Surrender Requires the Right Attitude

Mass Release 5 Chapters! --- At the border of the Land of Wind, Rasa and Ebizō anxiously awaited a response. However— "Bad news!" "What? Did Konoha refuse?" Rasa immediately grabbed the messenger’s arm. Ebizō remained calmer. "Rasa, steady yourself. Iwao is responsible for reconnaissance and intelligence in the Land of Rivers, not negotiations with Konoha." The ANBU operative, Iwao, glanced at Rasa before addressing Ebizō. "Elder, Konoha is attacking!" "What?!" The composure Ebizō had just urged vanished in an instant. First came shock— Then panic. "How could this happen?" Rasa was incredulous. They had already offered surrender—how could Konoha reject it? Unless— Had they misunderstood? Was Konoha actually coming to discuss terms? Ebizō considered the possibility. "Are they here to fight... or to negotiate?" For his own men’s morale, he avoided the word "surrender." Iwao answered grimly: "They’re here to fight. They’ve coordinated with the Land of Rivers. Ten elite squads have already crossed the border, heading this way." "Who’s leading them?" "Namikaze Minato... and that prodigy jōnin from Konoha." Ebizō’s breath hitched. This was no bluff. Konoha had no intention of accepting their surrender. "Impossible!" "This makes no sense... Konoha wouldn’t normally refuse..." Ebizō muttered, disbelieving. After decades of dealings with Konoha, he prided himself on understanding their tactics. These terms should have been acceptable. Rasa fell silent, then ventured: "I heard... this operation is under that boy’s command?" "What do they even want? If they disagree with the terms, they could propose adjustments! This isn’t how negotiations work!" Ebizō seethed. "Does a child truly have the authority to command a war? This must be Orochimaru’s doing—using the boy as a front to evade accountability." Even now, he refused to believe Kyohiko held real power. The earlier intelligence had to be Orochimaru’s trap—luring them into reckless mistakes. That was Orochimaru’s style. Rasa’s face twisted in frustration. He was arguably the most unfortunate Kazekage candidate in history— No, wait. He wasn’t Kazekage yet. Only nominated by Ebizō and favored by the late Third. At best, he was the likely Fourth. Rasa took a steadying breath. "Elder, the real issue isn’t why..." "Do we fight or not?" He kept his voice low. Ebizō shot him a look, decisive: "Fight. We must. Winning even one battle will strengthen our position. Otherwise, Konoha will only escalate their demands!" Negotiate—but fight first. Konoha’s advance clarified one thing for Ebizō: What couldn’t be won on the battlefield wouldn’t be won at the negotiating table. This battle was unavoidable. Still, he turned to Rasa. "But you won’t participate." "Why?" Rasa was stunned. Wasn’t this his chance to prove himself? Ebizō’s tone brooked no argument. "Your injuries haven’t healed. Rest. I’ll handle this." He patted Rasa’s shoulder and strode out. Injuries? I’m not injured! A beat later, realization dawned. His previous battles against Minato and Kyohiko had ended poorly. Despite his Magnet Release, he’d been outmatched. Now, Konoha seemed to have a countermeasure. If he fought again and lost catastrophically... His bid for Fourth Kazekage would collapse. Ebizō was protecting him. Yet Rasa couldn’t just watch. He’d observe first. --- "Kyohiko, when do we move?" "Patience." Kyohiko gazed ahead. Sunagakure should have received their message by now. He unsealed a scroll, carefully releasing its contents. Since obtaining this flesh sample, he’d conducted numerous experiments. Initially, he’d tried combining it with Wood Clones to harness Hashirama’s cells for stronger techniques. Failure after failure. The flesh would drain chakra, absorbing the clone’s energy to grow uncontrollably. But— Through trial and error, Kyohiko identified a pattern: It couldn’t function as a sustainable power source. At least, not yet. However, he could use it as a one-time explosive boost—amplifying his techniques to devastating levels! Minato frowned at the vial of flesh. What is this? Kyohiko addressed the assembled forces: "I’ll initiate the attack. No one moves until I do. Understood?" Forty shinobi stood ready—ten elite squads, the weakest among them seasoned chūnin. Against Suna’s hundreds, a direct assault would incur heavy losses. This operation wasn’t about conquest. It was about deterrence—forcing Suna to reassess their position and draft a proper surrender. A chorus of acknowledgments followed. Minato nodded. "We’re with you. But what exactly are you planning?" "Nothing much. Just planting some trees to improve Suna’s desert climate." Kyohiko’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. He unsealed the flesh sample. Ahead, Ebizō observed from a distance, gaze sharp as a hawk’s. A scout hawk circled overhead. Only forty Konoha shinobi?! Rage simmered in his chest. The audacity! His voice cut through the murmurs of his troops: "The Kazekage... is likely dead." Silence. The blow still crippled morale. For days, they’d avoided the topic, unable to process the loss. Now, Ebizō ripped off the bandage. His hunched frame stood defiant. "Rasa fought twice—and was wounded twice. We’ve suffered greatly." A choked sob came from the ranks. "But!" Elder Ebizō’s voice rose. "We have no retreat! Behind us lies our nation—our village! Will we let forty invaders tread upon our land?" "NO! NO!" The roar shook the dunes. Morale surged. The troops were primed. Ebizō raised a hand. "I, Ebizō, will lead the charge. Who stands with me to defend our home?!" With that, he rushed forward— No retreat. No alternative. Only battle could carve a path to the negotiating table. "ATTACK!" Hundreds surged toward Konoha’s position. Tactically dispersed— No repeat of Grass’s disastrous cluster. They wouldn’t become Konoha’s next cautionary tale. Konoha held firm. Elder Ebizō’s mind was steel. Hand seals flashed. Wind Release: Wind Cutter! Around him, shinobi followed suit. As elite shinobi of Sunagakure, they naturally mastered the Wind Cutter technique. In an instant, countless blades of wind howled toward the Konoha forces, blanketing the mountainous forest like a sandstorm made of knives. The gales kicked up swirling dust, transforming the battlefield into a terrifying tempest. Within the woods— "Kyohiko, should we order a retreat?" Minato’s gaze swept across their surroundings. With just the two of them, he was confident his Flying Thunder God could ensure their safety. But forty shinobi? Even he couldn’t protect them all. "No need to worry." Kyohiko glanced to the side. "My Wood Clone only needs two minutes." The squad members stared in awe. Wood Release. Though rumors had circulated internally, none had witnessed Kyohiko wield it firsthand—until now. His Wood Clone erased all doubt. Not only did he possess Wood Release— He could also enter Sage Mode. A power once exclusive to the First Hokage! In that moment, Kyohiko’s silhouette seemed to overlap with Senju Hashirama himself in their eyes. Minato’s expression turned thoughtful. Two minutes. Previously, Kyohiko’s fastest Sage Mode activation had taken four. Now, halved. Had he made another breakthrough with Wood Release and Sage Mode? That explained it. As for the flesh sample— Minato’s pupils constricted. His breath caught. He understood now. This was... Hashirama’s cells! Lowering his voice, he asked, "Kyohiko, are you certain about this?" "I’ve tested it." Kyohiko knew Minato had pieced it together. He saw no point in hiding it. "Minato, I’ll need your help. If I exhaust my chakra, you must get me out. And seal the sample for retrieval." "Understood." Minato’s tone turned grave. As Jiraiya’s student and a Konoha jōnin, he knew fragments of the truth about Hashirama’s cells—especially since Tsunade’s rise had granted Jiraiya access to classified records. The failed cell experiments. Yamato’s origins. He knew the risks. Knew exactly what Kyohiko was attempting. Behind them, Kakashi gripped his tanto, palms slick with sweat. Tension coiled in his gut. The roaring winds, the sandstorm, the hundreds of Suna shinobi unleashing coordinated Wind Release— How could Wood Release possibly withstand this? Just as doubt crept in— Kyohiko and his Wood Clone moved in unison. The original released his forehead seal, intricate markings spreading as chakra surged. Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees! Meanwhile, the clone underwent a grotesque transformation— Its body turned verdant, limbs warping into gnarled wood as Hashirama’s cells ravaged it. Minato recognized the signs. Even infused with senjutsu chakra, the clone couldn’t fully resist the cells’ corruption. Unless Kyohiko’s clone abstained from chakra use entirely. Yet simultaneously— The clone too performed the hand seals. Twin Wood Releases. The earth trembled. "What?!" Ebizō’s eyes widened. Before him, trees erupted from barren soil, their roots drinking in the wind blades, dissolving the attacks entirely. Wood Release. The First Hokage’s legendary power! Impossible! How could Konoha have achieved this?! The ground split apart. Saplings became towering trunks in seconds. A forest engulfed Suna’s forces. For a heartbeat, the Sand shinobi stood paralyzed. This wasn’t just about countering Magnet Release anymore. Konoha had resurrected Wood Release itself. What hope did Sunagakure have now? Despair settled over them like a shroud. Ebizō’s shock gave way to primal dread. Wood Release was Suna’s nightmare—Hashirama’s forests paired with Uchiha illusions had once sent them fleeing in terror. Now— History seemed poised to repeat itself. Ebizō bit his thumb, dispelling any potential genjutsu. Yet the trees remained. Real. Unyielding. With a snarl, he unfurled a scroll— Four puppets sprang forth. "This can’t be true Wood Release! Charge!" The puppets lunged, blades hacking at the nearest tree. CRACK! The trunk splintered, toppling. "See?! A cheap imitation!" Ebizō crowed in triumph. Hashirama’s Wood Release had been ironclad—impervious to puppet strikes. This? A single slash had felled it. "Forward!" His cry rallied the troops. Ninjutsu and puppets rained down anew. But with every technique unleashed— The trees drank deeper. Then— The shattered trunks regrew. Faster. Hungrier. Splintered wood morphed into jagged spears. The forest transformed into a death trap—every branch a blade, every root a noose. Ebizō, at the vanguard, barely registered the danger until— A whip-like branch lashed toward his throat. His puppets interceded— Too late. Wooden spikes impaled two constructs mid-motion. A root coiled around his ankle— Yanking him into the earth’s maw. The chakra threads were severed! The next instant— Thud! Wooden spikes impaled Ebizō’s body. His eyes widened, filled with disbelief and agony. Strength drained from his limbs. He knew—he was dying. "Sister... Kazekage-sama..." His vision darkened. Regret flooded him. If only they hadn’t antagonized Konoha. If only he’d opposed the Third’s plan. Why did the heavens favor Konoha so? Even now, he couldn’t comprehend it. After Hashirama and Madara, came Tobirama. Then Hiruzen and Danzō. Now, the Sannin, Minato, Kyohiko... Geniuses in every generation. In his final moments, one face surfaced in his mind— Sasori. "Sister... If only Sasori could truly save the village..." His last thoughts were of bitterness and futility. Before him, fire and water clashed, lightning split the sky—and Konoha’s elites descended. By day’s end, the desert ran red. When Rasa finally charged forward, half his forces had already been swallowed by the forest. Of those who escaped, only a handful remained. Nearly two hundred Suna elites lay dead among the trees. His eyes burned. "Konoha... Konoha..." His voice cracked. Terror and awe gripped every surviving Sand shinobi. Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees. The nightmare of their ancestors, reborn before them. Even knowing this wasn’t Hashirama’s work, Rasa couldn’t suppress his primal fear. His will to fight shattered. For a long moment, his mind went blank. "Rasa-sama... Rasa-sama! You must—you must lead us!" Iwao’s voice trembled, but he knew— With Ebizō likely dead, Rasa was all they had left. Lead? Rasa’s lips quivered. With what? Finally, steeling himself, he Body Flickered forward. Ahead, a flash of yellow streaked like lightning— Minato, having secured Kyohiko’s clone, had joined the slaughter. His speed was unmatched. Suna’s forces broke like wheat before the scythe. Their morale was dust. Rasa understood—this battle was over. Hand seals formed. Golden sand erupted from the earth, a tidal wave dividing the armies. Rasa stood atop the gilded tide. Before him, Minato stood flanked by Konoha’s prodigy, the son of the White Fang, and... A child? His gaze lingered briefly. Then— The Konoha pursuers regrouped around Minato. Rasa’s heart ached. Hundreds of Suna’s finest, routed by forty. Was there even a point in continuing? "Konoha... What do you want?" His voice was hollow. "We sought peace—you refused!" "Peace requires terms." Minato’s tone was ice. "Twice, Suna attacked our lands. We came with forty. That is mercy." He yearned for peace—but wasn’t a fool. Had they negotiated, who would answer for Konoha’s dead at Kikyō Mountain? Minato’s gaze sharpened. "Today, we deliver an ultimatum. Surrender—or the war continues." "You—!" Surrender?! The Sand shinobi froze. Then—silence. What choice did they have? This was Wood Release. Rasa opened his mouth—but no rebuttal came. Suna had struck first. Twice. Their earlier "peace talks" were born of defeat. Now, they had no leverage. He finally understood. Konoha wasn’t here to negotiate. From the moment Magnet Release fell and the Kazekage died, Suna had lost all bargaining power. Rasa bowed his head. "Suna surrenders. Unconditionally." "Can you speak for your village?" Minato arched a brow. "I, Rasa, swear it on Sunagakure’s honor." "Then prove it." Minato’s gaze swept the battlefield. "Your forces remain here. No messages sent. Konoha’s terms arrive within three days." A gesture— Konoha shinobi fanned out, encircling the Sand forces. "We’ll comply." Rasa knew the stakes. One misstep, and Konoha would return. Perhaps even march on Suna itself— For the Village Hidden in the Sand had no fight left.