Chapter 219: Chapter 219: The Stone of Gelel
In the Land of Fire, deep within a secluded mountain forest, there stands a temple. This is where the exiled government of Konoha has taken refuge. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire, accustomed to a life of luxury and being waited upon, struggled to adapt to the life of a fugitive after the fall of his nation. Fortunately, he found this temple.
To protect the exiled government, one of the Daimyo's Twelve Guardian Ninja, a monk named Jiriku, disguised himself as the temple's head monk. Deep within the temple's inner sanctum, Konoha's elite, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, were engrossed in researching a forbidden jutsu—Edo Tensei (Reanimation Jutsu).
This S-rank necromantic forbidden jutsu can summon the souls of deceased shinobi from the pure land and bind them to reanimated bodies, effectively bringing them back to life. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, developed Edo Tensei and used it multiple times, gaining infamy throughout the shinobi world.
However, this jutsu was controversial. Many labeled Tobirama as "dishonorable" and "wicked" for its creation. Even his elder brother, Hashirama Senju, believed that the Reanimation Jutsu was not a noble technique. After all, it desecrated the bodies and souls of the deceased, denying them eternal rest.
Despite being known as the "Professor" with knowledge of thousands of jutsu, Hiruzen found mastering Edo Tensei extremely challenging. Days passed with little progress. He couldn't help but admire the genius of his predecessor, Tobirama.
At that moment, Jiraiya, who had been out gathering intelligence, hurriedly returned to the temple. From him, Hiruzen learned of the recent major events in the shinobi world—all related to the Uchiha clan.
"All of this... is it true?" Hiruzen found it hard to believe.
The Uchiha clan, even after the deaths of Dan and Shisui, had emerged with four pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, controlled three Jinchūriki, and even replicated Hashirama's Wood Release techniques. Their power was growing exponentially, and even the Five Great Shinobi Countries couldn't stand against them.
The silver lining was that the Uchiha clan's actions had drawn the attention of the entire shinobi world, diverting focus away from the exiled government of Konoha.
After a moment of contemplation, Hiruzen advised, "Remember, never tell the Daimyo about this. Otherwise, he'll foolishly seek the Uchiha's help in restoring his rule."
Jiraiya nodded, "Don't worry, I've already informed Jiriku and the others."
They needed to speed things up. Hiruzen realized that the shinobi world was in constant flux, and without sufficient power, they'd remain mere spectators. To seize the opportunity and save Konoha, they had to resort to invoking the power of their ancestors.
With that thought, Hiruzen said, "We'll need your help moving forward." He handed Jiraiya a prepared list.
Jiraiya glanced at it, his face showing surprise. The list included names like the First Hokage, Second Hokage, Fourth Hokage, Kushina Uzumaki, and Sarutobi Sasuke. Essentially, it comprised all the renowned shinobi in Konoha's history.
Jiraiya knew that to perform Edo Tensei, one needed to obtain a sample of the deceased's DNA. In simpler terms, they had to—grave rob.
Such a morally questionable act was hard for someone like Jiraiya to accept, but for Konoha's sake, he had to do it.
"If we can resurrect those on this list, with their help, we can surely defeat the Four Great Shinobi Countries, overthrow Danzō, and reclaim Konoha," Hiruzen said with determination.
Elsewhere, in the Land of Birds, a peaceful forest was suddenly disturbed, causing birds to take flight.
A massive surge of water rose from the ground, quickly forming a large lake. Suiton: Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
Kisame Hoshigaki, with his blade Samehada, stood atop the water, looking down at his opponent. A rugged middle-aged man in purple armor, with a ponytail and a large beard, exuding a strong presence. He was Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki from Iwagakure.
Having had a falling out with the Tsuchikage, Rōshi had left Iwagakure to become a wandering monk. He had once been targeted by the Akatsuki and was pursued by Kakuzu. However, Rōshi managed to turn the tables and kill him.
"Again? You guys just don't know when to quit," Rōshi grumbled, glancing at the forest's edge where two figures watched—Kakashi and Tenzo.
Rōshi decided to deal with Kisame first. He focused his chakra, and in an instant, a red tail formed behind him. His entire body was enveloped in molten lava, activating his Lava Release Chakra Mode.
Then, with a step on the water surface, he rocketed into the sky like a cannonball, aiming at Kisame.
"Interesting," Kisame grinned, lifting his Samehada and diving down, slashing fiercely at Roshi.
Boom!
After a fierce battle, magma and water collided, creating a steam explosion that shot up into the sky.
When the steam cleared.
Thud.
A defeated Roshi was thrown in front of Obito.
"This guy's tough; capturing him alive wasn't easy," Kisame said, sheathing his Samehada.
Struggling, Roshi lifted his head and looked at Obito, "I know you. You're that Uchiha Obito…"
Obito's information had already been publicly disclosed by the Uchiha clan, distributed throughout the entire Shinobi world.
"Then you should also know that the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan can easily control Tailed Beasts," Obito said emotionlessly, his crimson Mangekyō appearing in his eyes.
Roshi's gaze instantly became vacant, controlled by Obito's genjutsu.
Obito had also heard about the recent events in the Shinobi world.
The Uchiha clan, those madmen, had all transplanted Hashirama's cells, creating four pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, controlling three Jinchūriki, and even had the help of the traitor Guruguru.
They had defeated the Shinobi Alliance.
The most terrifying part was that Uchiha Dan had yet to make a move.
Obito couldn't help but feel increasingly anxious, sensing a great crisis.
So, he ordered Kisame to find Roshi's whereabouts and take control of him before the Uchiha could.
Who would be the Uchiha's next target? Iwagakure, Kumogakure, or Konohagakure itself?
This was a question that concerned the entire Shinobi world.
Learning from Sunagakure's example, all major villages immediately fortified their defenses, amassing troops and setting up multiple layers of defense.
Everyone was on edge, waiting for the Uchiha's next move.
But surprisingly, for some time, the Shinobi world remained calm; nothing happened.
The reason was simple.
The Uchiha clan were also human and could feel fatigue.
During this period, the Uchiha first left Heaven Island, attacked the Alliance's main camp, and then marched a long distance to attack Sunagakure at night.
Even though all Uchiha members had transplanted Hashirama's cells, they were still flesh and blood and had gradually reached their physical limits.
And knowing that all major villages had fortified their defenses, waiting for the Uchiha to walk into their trap, launching another attack was obviously unwise.
So, Fugaku, as the Uchiha clan leader, decided to find a place to rest temporarily.
In the end, the Uchiha clan returned to the Land of Rivers, setting up camp in a secluded forest far from human habitation.
Even if the enemy realized the Uchiha's intentions and sent troops to encircle them, they wouldn't be able to find them for a while.
Once the Uchiha regained their strength, their next move would undoubtedly be another devastating blow to their enemies.
Inside the camp.
Whoosh.
With a swirl of spatial distortion, Dan, who had been sitting in the Kamui dimension, finally returned to the Shinobi world.
"Uncle," Itachi called out, walking up to him and reporting in detail about the Uchiha's recent activities.
"Hmm," Dan listened, occasionally nodding, his expression always calm.
What surprised Itachi was that after listening, Dan suddenly asked, "You said you encountered a caravan in the Land of Rivers, calling themselves the Wandering People?"
"Uh, yes," Itachi paused, answering. He didn't expect that what his uncle would be most concerned about would be this seemingly trivial matter.
"What's the leader's name?" Dan asked again.
"It's an old man named Hayato; he even has a pet ferret. Uncle, do you... know him?"
Itachi answered truthfully, then curiously asked.
Dan shook his head, saying lightly, "I've just heard some legends about the Wandering People."
In reality, through Itachi's description, Dan already knew the caravan's origin.
Hundreds of years ago, in the forests of the Land of Rivers, an ancient empire was born, far more powerful than any of the Five Great Nations today.
And the secret to the empire's prosperity lay in a stone called the Gelel.
The Stone of Gelel was a crystal-like mineral buried deep underground, accidentally discovered by the empire's founder.
It was said to contain immense life energy, not only accelerating the growth of crops but also curing all diseases, making people strong and long-lived, even having the power to bring the dead back to life.
Thus, it became the cornerstone of the empire's glory.
However, every advantage has its disadvantage.
While people enjoyed the numerous benefits brought by the Stone of Gelel, they overlooked one thing—its immense energy could also cause massive destruction.
Due to a mishap in its use, a cataclysmic event swept across the entire empire.
In a single night, the empire was obliterated.
It was as if it had all been a dream.
Being a traveler who knew the plot, Dan naturally understood that the so-called Stone of Gelel was actually a mineral vein formed deep underground after absorbing vast amounts of natural energy.
Coincidentally, he had been exploring Sage techniques recently.
If this stone truly existed, it would be of great help to him.
With this in mind, he instructed Itachi:
"Keep an eye out. If you encounter that caravan again or hear any news about them, inform me immediately."
"Understood," Itachi nodded solemnly.
He was curious about why his uncle was interested in that caravan, but he didn't ask further, simply keeping Dan's instructions in mind.
Meanwhile, after parting ways with the Uchiha clan, the caravan of the Wandering People had safely reached Konohagakure without any incidents.
Upon entering the village, Hayato heard about the fall of Sunagakure and was taken aback.
He had assumed that the Uchiha were fleeing to the deserts of the Land of Wind to evade the Shinobi Alliance. He hadn't expected them to annihilate Sunagakure.
He had initially prayed for the Uchiha clan, but now he realized that they were true gods of death.
Recognizing this, Hayato gathered the caravan members and privately warned them—
Never reveal their encounter with the Uchiha clan, or they'd be courting disaster.
Over the next few days, the caravan rested in Konoha, purchasing a large amount of goods to sell in the Land of Wind for a profit.
Considering the potential dangers on the road, they spent a significant amount to hire new guards from Konoha.
Everything was ready.
However, despite Hayato's caution, trouble found them on the eve of their departure.
And it was big trouble.
Clang.
Several shinobi, clad in armor and wearing animal masks, burst into Hayato's room, surrounding him.
Hayato's face paled, recognizing them as Konoha's ANBU. His heart raced with anxiety.
"Come with us," one of the ANBU said coldly, leaving no room for refusal.
"Very well," Hayato replied, feigning calm.
Ten minutes later, escorted—or rather, taken—by the ANBU, Hayato entered the Hokage's office and met an old man with a cane.
"Greetings, Lord Hokage," Hayato bowed, avoiding direct eye contact.
"Just tell me everything. Don't wait for me to ask," Danzo said calmly, his voice authoritative.
Hayato hesitated for a split second, then betrayed his promise to the Uchiha clan, revealing everything about their encounter.
For a merchant like Hayato, flexibility was the key to survival.
Although he felt a twinge of guilt, he told himself that even if Konoha learned of the Uchiha's whereabouts, they probably couldn't do much.
"Oh?" Danzo seemed slightly surprised by Hayato's confession but then shook his head, "That's not what I was referring to."
Confused, Hayato replied, "Then I'm not sure what you're asking about."
"The Stone of Gelel," Danzo said, causing Hayato to step back in shock.
At that moment, a drunken man was brought into the office by two ANBU. Hayato recognized him as one of the caravan members and felt a sinking feeling.
One of the ANBU spoke, "This man got drunk in a tavern and boasted about being a descendant of the ancient empire. He claimed that if they found the Stone of Gelel left by their ancestors, they could wield invincible power, even ruling the entire Shinobi world."
Another ANBU placed a kunai at Hayato's throat, his eyes cold, "Tell Lord Hokage everything about the Stone of Gelel. If you don't, we can torture you and then kill everyone in the caravan."
Faced with this threat, Hayato gave a resigned smile.
He had no choice.
To save his life, he had to reveal everything and assure Danzo that the Stone of Gelel truly existed.
Danzo's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered the ANBU:
"Send a team with them to the Land of Rivers. Search for the ruins of the ancient empire and bring me the Stone of Gelel!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone