"Father, it's time to eat."
Kitsuchi knocked lightly on the prison door, holding a flat food box in his hand, and spoke softly.
"Haven't I told you? You don't need to come in person for something as trivial as delivering meals. It might arouse suspicion from Murasaki."
A deep voice resonated from the pitch-black cell. Though not loud, the voice carried a penetrating power, suggesting that Ōnoki's health was still relatively stable.
"Visiting you once a month has become a habit over the years. If I stopped, it would seem suspicious instead," Kitsuchi replied.
He deftly slid the food box through the narrow food slot at the bottom of the door. The flat box fit perfectly into the slot, clearly custom-made for this purpose.
"What about the thing I asked for?" Ōnoki inquired.
Kitsuchi pulled out a small stack of papers from his robe and pushed them through the slot.
"These are the intelligence summaries from the Anbu this month, covering all the ninja villages. The classified information only goes up to B-rank; I don't have clearance for anything higher."
No response came from inside except for the sound of chewing food and flipping through papers. It seemed the old man was multitasking—eating while reading.
Kitsuchi stood silently, not wanting to disturb him, and waited patiently.
The measures taken to seal off Ōnoki were nothing short of meticulous. Sunagakure had chosen an abandoned underground mine as the location, carving out a thirty-square-meter living space within. The cell was fully equipped with a toilet, bedroom, running water, and basic living necessities. Dual-layered seals were applied inside and out, making it impossible to break from either side. When Bunpuku, the sealing master, activated the formation, he had even drawn on a large amount of Shukaku's chakra. The entire cell was surrounded by sealing techniques, with only two small openings—one for food delivery, barely large enough to fit a dictionary, and another for the toilet, the size of a small bowl.
Jinghang had conducted experiments on the seal: even his full-force attack could only damage one layer, which would instantly regenerate as the second layer flipped to repair the breach. Moments later, the damaged layer would be restored as well. It was truly a masterpiece, arguably Bunpuku's magnum opus. To escape, it would require two Kage-level ninja simultaneously attacking the same point with S-rank techniques.
Some might suggest coordinating an "inside-out" assault, with one Kage-level ninja assisting from within and another from outside. However, this presented another problem: the prison was built within a fragile underground mine. The collision of two S-rank techniques would trigger a collapse, burying the entire mountain. Even someone as powerful as Ōnoki would be crushed under such weight.
Jinghang had once proposed a theoretical solution during the early stages of the sealing process: if two individuals used Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique on the same spot, they could drill a small hole in the seal without compromising the mountain's structural integrity. This would allow someone to escape.
However, Jinghang quickly dismissed the idea. Dust Release, a Kekkei Tōta, was even rarer than Kekkei Genkai. Throughout history, only three people had mastered it: the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, and Kazama Yura. Mū had long since passed away, and Kazama Yura was reportedly imprisoned in Sunagakure's Abyssal Prison, her fate unknown. With only Ōnoki left, the plan was unfeasible.
Inside the cell, the sounds of eating and flipping papers ceased. Ōnoki let out a long sigh.
"It seems I acted too hastily back then. I shouldn't have provoked Sunagakure prematurely. I underestimated that boy Jinghang. Look at Sunagakure now—its strength is almost on par with Konoha."
"Father, the intelligence I brought doesn't contain much about Sunagakure, though," Kitsuchi remarked.
"Heh, you fool. Real intelligence isn't just gathered; it's deduced," Ōnoki chuckled.
"I've kept all the intelligence you've brought over the years, categorized and stored. Do you know? The stack on Sunagakure is the smallest, and it's all surface-level information. I know the capabilities of Iwagakure's Anbu; it's not that they aren't trying, but Sunagakure's defenses are just too tight."
"That's true. Sunagakure has been growing rapidly these past few years. They now have nearly twenty thousand combat-ready ninja and a new generation of Kage-level and near-Kage-level elites emerging..."
"All of it comes at the expense of Iwagakure!" Ōnoki's voice rose, cutting Kitsuchi off, filled with bitterness.
"I admit I lost that war. But look at the treaties Murasaki signed—they've sold off Iwagakure's interests completely! It's the greatest betrayal of the Will of Stone! So many mines, so much wealth—if those resources had been used for ourselves, forget Sunagakure—even Konoha would tremble before us!"
By the end, Ōnoki was practically shouting, his voice brimming with sorrow and anger.
"Yes, Murasaki is far too weak. Though he's from Iwagakure, he wasn't raised here. He has no true understanding of the Will of Stone. He's unfit to be Tsuchikage. Only you can lead us again, Father," Kitsuchi said, his tone equally indignant.
"Do you have reliable forces at your disposal now?" Ōnoki asked.
"Absolutely. Those two thousand men are veterans who fought alongside me and Akatsuchi, men who've crawled out of death's grasp. But..." Kitsuchi hesitated.
"But what?" Ōnoki pressed.
"Kari's loyalty to Murasaki is unwavering. He currently commands the Anbu. Our plans can't bypass him..."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Kari, a former member of Iwagakure's demolition squad, possessed the Kekkei Genkai Explosion Release. His strength was at least near-Kage level and not to be underestimated.
"If we can't bypass him, then eliminate him. Don't use village resources—hire outsiders to do it. Spare no expense," Ōnoki instructed.
"Understood," Kitsuchi replied firmly.
"That's all for now. Any longer, and it might raise suspicion. Go," Ōnoki said.
"What about your seal, Father?" Kitsuchi asked.
"Don't worry. I have my own ways," Ōnoki replied, handing back the empty food box.
Kitsuchi said no more, taking the box and leaving quickly.
The cell fell silent once more.
After a while, Ōnoki spoke in a low voice.
"How are the arrangements for breaking the seal coming along? I'm getting impatient, Black Zetsu."
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows, its body pitch-black with sharp teeth—a long-absent Black Zetsu.
"Please remain patient. Negotiations are underway, and progress has been made. It should be within six months," Black Zetsu replied.
"Though I find this plan somewhat unbelievable, if it's based on the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's technique, then there might be hope. After all, he was a man capable of creating miracles," Ōnoki said.
"Indeed. As long as you fulfill your promise, miracles will surely happen," Black Zetsu said, grinning.
"Rest assured, I will honor my word," Ōnoki affirmed.
"By the way, to complete this technique, we need one crucial thing," Black Zetsu added.
"And what is that?" Ōnoki asked.
"The burial site of the Second Tsuchikage, Mū. The one in Iwagakure's cemetery is just a cenotaph, isn't it?" Black Zetsu said, baring his teeth in a sinister grin.
"What do you intend to do with it?!" Ōnoki's voice trembled.
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