Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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Due to the cooperation between the Akatsuki organization and Muzan, Nagato began mobilizing the Akatsuki members to intervene in the affairs of the ninja world following Muzan's arrival.

However, something unusual was occurring—Konoha, the center of the turmoil, did not immediately engage in the conflict, even as the Land of Fire descended into civil strife.

Spies reported strange behavior; Konoha was deliberately retracting its borders and forgoing certain missions.

Only Konoha's top leadership understood the true motives behind these movements.

As ninjas from the five great nations began returning to Konoha, it felt like the calm before the storm. When war inevitably broke out, it would surpass mere internal strife in the Land of Fire.

Countless hidden forces would surface, aiming to carve up the wealthy Land of Fire and seize its resources to establish themselves as new powers.

Ninjas from the Lands of Earth and Wind, in particular, were keen to exploit this opportunity.

Namikaze Minato wasn't naive. He knew a single misstep could lead to catastrophe. With all eyes on Konoha, they needed to stay composed, ensuring no weaknesses were revealed.

"Hiruzen, aside from the unrest in the Land of Waves, we've identified another dangerous force," Minato said, addressing the Third Hokage in his office.

"Akatsuki…"

Even Minato didn't fully grasp Akatsuki's strategies. Unlike Muzan, who openly stirred chaos in the ninja world, Akatsuki operated from the shadows.

According to intelligence, Akatsuki was targeting the Tailed Beasts, and Orochimaru—one of Konoha's former Sannin—had joined their ranks.

Their actions seemed tailored to destabilize Konoha, with multiple regions suffering coordinated attacks from their operatives.

The Third Hokage, seated across from Minato, took a deep drag on his pipe, his expression heavy with concern. Though retired, his wisdom remained invaluable in these dire times.

"I propose we infiltrate Akatsuki to gather intelligence, especially given Orochimaru's involvement. We need someone capable of blending into their ranks," Hiruzen suggested, his tone measured. He already had someone in mind for the mission.

"I'm more concerned about Muzan," Minato admitted, his face darkening.

Muzan was the true architect of much of the turmoil. Despite his audacity in openly challenging Konoha and the Land of Fire, he had recently vanished.

"Perhaps he's moved to the Land of Grass?" Minato speculated.

Muzan had not returned to the Land of Waves. Instead, after departing the Land of Rain, he directed his attention to the Land of Grass—a small, chaotic nation where remnants of the Uzumaki bloodline persisted.

"If I'm correct, a Uzumaki is here, being exploited as a living medical kit," Muzan mused to himself.

The Land of Grass's ninja village, Kusagakure, was modest and ill-equipped, resembling a rural hamlet rather than a true ninja settlement.

The moment Muzan arrived, a group of rogue ninjas, oblivious to his identity, attempted to ambush him. They paid dearly for their mistake, their bodies exploding in sprays of blood before they could react.

One ninja, paralyzed by fear, screamed desperately, "M-Monster! Someone help me!" His voice echoed through the forest, scattering birds into the sky.

Hearing the commotion, several Kusagakure ninjas froze in place, recognizing the voice of their comrade.

"What happened to Jinsan? He's always ambushing travelers. Why would he scream like that?" one asked nervously.

"I don't know, but it must've been something horrifying," another replied.

"We need to warn the village! Whatever's out there, it's heading this way!" one shouted, and they quickly split into two groups—one returning to the village to report the incident, the others searching for their fallen comrade.

They didn't realize that the leader of the Twelve Kizuki had arrived.

The name "Twelve Kizuki" struck terror in the hearts of many. Under Muzan's leadership, these elite operatives were known for their unparalleled strength and brutality, their reputation spreading fear throughout the ninja world.

When a patrolling Kusagakure ninja saw Muzan's black-clad figure approaching, he stepped forward to block the path, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Hmm? Where is Karin Uzumaki?" Muzan's calm, authoritative voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Who are you?" the ninja demanded.

"You dare question me?" Muzan continued, stepping forward menacingly.

With a sickening crack, the ninja's arm snapped. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he stifled a scream.

"Answer me," Muzan commanded, his voice icy.

"I-I don't know…" the ninja stammered, trembling.

"I know! She's in the village!" another ninja blurted out, pointing toward a run-down hut at the village's edge, where a flash of red hair could be seen.

As Muzan advanced, a group of Kusagakure ninjas surrounded him, led by the village chief—a shinobi with strength on par with a Jonin. But the moment he laid eyes on Muzan, dread consumed him.

That outfit…!

"You're from the Twelve Kizuki, from the Land of Waves!" the Kusakage exclaimed, fear evident in his voice.

It was common knowledge that the Twelve Kizuki were as powerful as elite Jonin.

"You've come for the girl, haven't you?" the Kusakage asked, his voice quivering as he noticed the severed arm on the ground. He dared not challenge Muzan head-on.

Muzan's crimson eyes gleamed dangerously. A wave of despair washed over the Kusagakure ninjas.

The Land of Grass wasn't isolated; they knew who Muzan was. He had crossed great distances to claim Karin Uzumaki, a girl regarded by many as a mere tool—a blood bag capable of incredible healing abilities.

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Even now, the leader of Kusagakure felt like he was in a dream; everything seemed so surreal.

The person standing before him, Muzan, was ruthless. Anyone with the right connections knew what Muzan had been doing in the Land of Waves, as well as his involvement in the civil strife in the Land of Fire.

To put it bluntly, if Muzan wanted to devour not just the Land of Fire but the surrounding smaller nations, no country could resist his invasion.

"It's just that child. You can take her away directly. If you have other requests, we can discuss them slowly."

He feared that Muzan wanted the Land of Grass to participate in the conflict against the Land of Fire. But he was overthinking it.

If Muzan knew his thoughts, he would dismiss them outright. The ninjas of the Land of Grass were nothing but weaklings, incapable of any meaningful cooperation. Not to mention, even an elite ANBU from Konoha could easily cripple them. This was the sad reality of the smaller ninja villages.

Muzan paid no attention to their fearful gazes and went directly to the dilapidated house at the back. Compared to the surrounding houses, it was even more rundown. Inside, Uzumaki Karin clung tightly to a straw mat, as if she had been drained to death by the people of Kusagakure.

Muzan noticed the bite marks on Karin's arm—scars left from blood-sucking. Even the blood of the Uzumaki clan would be drained under the influence of a group of vampires.

As he turned his head, an inexplicable murderous aura emanated from Muzan. However, this killing intent was not directed at Karin.

Some things had no bottom line. He didn't prey on people, nor did he bully children.

"Though this is as I expected, what you've done is truly disgusting."

Muzan gently knelt down and tapped Karin's head. In her stunned eyes, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her before she collapsed to the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

"Sleep well. When you wake up, everything will be better."

There was a touch of tenderness in Muzan's voice. He wasn't a person who killed without reason. Compared to the dirty nobles, ruthless ninjas, or the cannibals who respected him, none of these people deserved sympathy.

This kind of inhuman experience should not happen to children.

"As Orochimaru-sensei said, it's not just Konoha that's corrupted; the entire ninja world is corrupt."

The cold, awe-inspiring killing intent made the people behind him shudder. They seemed to see a twisted evil god standing before them, condemning everyone to death.

"Orochimaru-sensei doesn't have the power to destroy, but I do!"

"Atone for your sins in hell!"

Muzan deliberately released the violence within his body, like Pandora's box being opened. His blood-red eyes struck fear into their hearts.

Even a fool knew that Muzan intended to kill them, but their bodies couldn't stop trembling. Even the kusakage, facing the life-and-death crisis of the village, gritted his teeth and said:

"Even if you are the leader of the Twelve Kizuki, you can't bully us too much!"

But Muzan responded with brutal force.

The Sword on his back shone with dazzling lightning before being enveloped by a layer of strange flesh and blood.

"Blood Demon Art! Blood Fang Blade!"

The entire Sword turned an ominous blood-red, and the ninja closest to Muzan felt a sharp pain in his neck before he could react. Blood spurted out, and a large-scale massacre erupted throughout the Land of Grass.

The task of eliminating ninjas was accomplished with both hands.

The entire Kusagakure Village was filled with thorns and vines, with dead bodies hanging from them. The strong smell of blood lingered for a long time as Muzan picked up the still-sleeping Karin.

Muzan didn't kill indiscriminately; his targets were clear—the ninjas of Kusagakure. As for the ordinary villagers, they were not within his scope. As long as they didn't try to stop him, they were spared.

The small ninja village, composed of dozens of ninjas, was completely erased from history as of today. And Muzan, the one responsible for such a heinous crime, naturally came into the sight of all the major ninja villages.

Smaller villages trembled in fear. As long as the tragedy in the Land of Grass was investigated, it would be known who was responsible. Even if the tragedy didn't target ordinary people, those left alive would live in fear for the rest of their lives.

In this atmosphere of fear, those closer to Konoha chose to temporarily abandon their villages. Being small in number, they could relocate. After negotiating with Konoha, they moved to the borders of the Land of Fire, prepared to report to Konoha as soon as possible if Muzan appeared, so they could receive support.

"Boom!"

It was the first time Hatake Sakumo had been so angry. The tea cup in his hand was thrown to the ground, shattering into fragments.

Noticing the blood on his father's hands, Kakashi's heart suddenly trembled. On the table was an opened letter, written personally by the Hokage to Hatake Sakumo.

"You bastard! You actually committed such a horrific atrocity! You massacred an entire ninja village!"

Today was the day Hatake Sakumo regretted most in his life. If only he had been more resolute and stopped Muzan earlier, so many things wouldn't have happened.

Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret.

This matter was not as simple as it seemed. Behind the scenes, all the major ninja villages were pressuring Konoha. Such a cruel act of exterminating a village had never even happened during the Ninja World Wars.

The attitude of the other villages was clear. They viewed Muzan as Konoha's rogue ninja. To captured him, Konoha would be responsible for sending troops. As for the four major ninja villages, they would offer assistance.

If Muzan entered their lands and was discovered, they were responsible for trapping him, and Konoha had to rush to eliminate him as soon as possible.

But with Muzan's current strength, it would cost Konoha dearly to bring him down. Konoha had to think twice before acting. For now, negotiations were at a fever pitch. No one knew if they would succeed in the end, but they couldn't let things spiral out of control.

As Muzan's father, Hatake Sakumo's strength and position meant he couldn't stay out of the matter, so it was up to him to get involved.

"He's really changed, becoming something that terrifies us all."

Kakashi, who had always respected Muzan, lowered his head for the first time. He couldn't understand what had turned Muzan into what he was today.

Wouldn't it have been better if they had all lived together in Konoha?

If Muzan were here, he would answer that living together would have been nice, but he had his own plans to fulfill.

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