vstars Chapter 531 Powerful Demeanor
Chapter 531 Powerful Demeanor
Minato swiftly defeated the three Cloud Ninja Jonin with overwhelming strength, showcasing the formidable prowess of an elite Jonin.
After rescuing Kushina, he comforted her by carrying her in a princess carry. His tenderness and affection made Zhang Hai tease him, calling him "forever carrying girls."
Then, Zhang Hai decisively struck, killing the three Cloud Ninja on the ground to ensure that the threat was completely eliminated. At this moment, the Third Hokage was not in the village, and the village had opened up a second battlefield. Everything made Zhang Hai feel that an "opportunity" he had foreseen was quietly approaching.
The three traveled at breakneck speed and soon arrived at the Hokage's office. Several ANBU ninja stood guard outside, their expressions solemn. Minato knocked on the office door.
"Please come in." A slightly tired but authoritative voice came from inside.
Minato pushed open the door and went in first, followed closely by Kushina, with Zhang Hai bringing up the rear, his eyes scanning the room warily.
In the Hokage's office, an elderly man with white hair and beard, his face somewhat aged but still vigorous, sat behind his desk. He was none other than Konoha's senior advisor—Uncle Shinku. His expression was slightly anxious, as if he were dealing with some urgent matter. When he saw Minato and Kushina appear unharmed, a flash of surprise and relief crossed his eyes.
"Minato! Kushina!" Uncle Shinku's voice trembled slightly, clearly showing his deep concern for Kushina's safety. "It's so good that you're alright! That's wonderful!"
Minato bowed respectfully, then said directly, "Uncle Shinku, I have received orders from the front lines. The Land of Earth has opened a second front, and I must immediately rush to the western front to provide support!"
Before he could finish speaking, Kushina grabbed his sleeve urgently, her eyes resolute: "Uncle Shinku, I also want to go to the front lines with Minato! I won't hold him back, I can help!"
Uncle Shinku's eyebrows furrowed immediately. He raised his hand, interrupting Minato's impending words of dissuasion, his tone carrying an undeniable authority: "No! Absolutely not!" He looked at Minato and Kushina, his eyes filled with both worry and sternness, "Minato, you are the future of Konoha, an indispensable fighting force on the front lines. But Kushina, you are the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the village's top secret! Neither of you are allowed to go to the battlefield! Especially you, Kushina, you have a tailed beast sealed within you; if anything happens to you on the battlefield, the consequences will be unimaginable! You both must stay in Konoha!"
Minato still wanted to try, but Uncle Shinku's attitude was unusually firm.
"And what about me?" Zhang Hai interjected at the opportune moment, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable air of determination. "Lord White Fang instructed me to cooperate with Minato in eliminating the village's spies, and now that the mission is complete. Since Minato is going to the front lines, and Kushina is staying in the village, what should I do?"
Uncle Zhenhong turned his gaze to Zhang Hai, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. He knew that Zhang Hai was Bai Ya's disciple, possessed considerable strength, and had a somewhat unpredictable personality. He pondered for a moment and said, "Hmm... how about this, I'll contact Bai Ya immediately. Until he replies, Zhang Hai, you stay in the village and wait for orders. Don't act rashly."
Zhang Hai's eyes instantly turned icy. Stay in the village awaiting orders? That was absolutely not the outcome he wanted. He came to Zhen Hong not to seek instructions, but to confirm certain things and find his own "opportunity." To be kept in a cage like an obedient pet? Absolutely not.
He didn't say anything more, just snorted coldly, turned around and walked towards the office door, clearly intending to leave directly and disobey Shinku's orders.
"Zhang Hai!" Minato exclaimed, trying to stop him. He knew Zhang Hai's personality; once he made up his mind, it was hard to change it.
However, Zhang Hai did not turn back or stop. He reached out and pushed open the office door, stepping out of the threshold.
……
The corridor outside seemed exactly the same as when he came, but Zhang Hai felt a sense of unease. At the end of the corridor, the setting sun cast long shadows on the rooftops of Konoha Village through the window. He stepped forward, and the familiar scene unfolded before him.
"Illusion?" Zhang Hai's pupils contracted sharply, and alarm bells rang in his mind.
Without the slightest hesitation, his chakra erupted instantly within him, assaulting his sensory nerves. A powerful surge of energy emanated from him, attempting to dispel the surrounding anomaly.
The scene in the corridor before him began to distort and blur, rippling like water. A cold smile curled at the corner of Zhang Hai's lips; this level of illusion couldn't trap him.
However, when the illusory scene completely dissipated, what replaced it was not the familiar Hokage's office corridor, but a completely different place—
This is his home!
The furnishings in the room, the teacups on the table, even the faint scent of ink in the air, all felt incredibly real. Outside the window, it was no longer the roof of Konoha, but the old cherry tree in his backyard, its petals drifting in the wind, landing one by one on the windowsill.
"A double illusion?!" Zhang Hai's expression changed drastically. He turned around abruptly, looking at the door behind him. The door was tightly closed, completely different from the office door.
He reached out and touched the bookshelf beside him; the touch was cold and real. He could even smell the musty odor emanating from the pages. This extreme realism sent chills down his spine. Even the most skillful illusions couldn't achieve such meticulous detail.
"This...this is a space-based genjutsu similar to Tsukuyomi!" A thought flashed through Zhang Hai's mind in an instant. This kind of genjutsu can completely simulate reality, creating an independent mental space that makes people deeply immersed in it, unable to extricate themselves. He could feel a powerful yet restrained chakra permeating the surrounding space, continuously maintaining this illusion.
Those capable of casting genjutsu of this caliber are few and far between in Konoha. And right now, he's in the Hokage's office, the only one with the opportunity and ability to do so…
"Uncle Zhenhong!" Zhang Hai's eyes sharpened instantly. He realized he had fallen into the other party's trap from the very beginning. He had previously thought he had a chance to control the situation, but now it seemed that everything was under the other party's control.
He didn't try to break the illusion again, because he knew that forcibly breaking free in such a realistic illusionary space would only consume more chakra and might even injure himself. He sheathed his sword, stood in the center of his living room, and suddenly raised his voice, which pierced through the entire illusory space, carrying a hint of anger, yet also a hint of admiration: "I'm not leaving! Uncle Zhen Hong! I know it's you! What do you want? Let me out!"
As his words fell, the surrounding scenery shattered once more like broken glass, emitting a silent, crisp sound. Cherry blossom trees, bookshelves, teacups… everything turned to fragments, then reformed.