Naruto: I Traveled with a Max Level Account-Chapter 173 - 572: Ōnoki’s Miscalculation—Paranoia Spreads Among Iwagakure’s Shinobi

Chapter 173 - 572: Ōnoki’s Miscalculation—Paranoia Spreads Among Iwagakure’s Shinobi

Iwagakure's greatest advantage had always been its overwhelming numbers.

Unlike other villages, where shinobi operated in smaller, less coordinated units, nearly all of Iwagakure's shinobi specialized in Earth Release techniques.

Even if their individual strength varied, their sheer numbers allowed them to perform large-scale coordinated jutsu.

When enough shinobi cast the same technique in unison, even Kage-level opponents had no choice but to retreat.

Coordinated jutsu were no joke.

"Who are you? Why have you infiltrated Iwagakure and attacked innocent civilians?"

This kind of attack was the most despicable.

Years ago, Takuya had infiltrated Kirigakure and caused mass destruction, but the number of actual casualties had been minimal.

His goal had been sabotage, not massacre.

But this black-robed intruder was different.

He had targeted Iwagakure's civilians directly.

"You really think you can catch me?"

A sinister chuckle echoed across the battlefield.

Standing atop a tall building, the black-robed figure suddenly tore off his cloak.

Ōnoki's pupils contracted.

There weren't many shinobi in the world who possessed the Ice Release kekkei genkai.

Most were found in Kirigakure.

As for those from the Land of Frost, their so-called Ice Release was a mere imitation—outside of the Land of Snow, it was useless.

So naturally, Ōnoki assumed this intruder was a rogue ninja from Kirigakure.

But the truth was far more shocking.

Technically, this person could be considered a rogue ninja.

But not by choice.

He hadn't willingly defected—he was being controlled.

"You seem surprised to see me."

The Third Mizukage's aged face twisted into a grotesque grin.

Standing atop the building, he exuded an eerie sense of amusement, almost as if he was mocking Ōnoki's shock.

If not for the situation, he looked ready to break into a dance and welcome Ōnoki with open arms.

"Damn it!"

Konoha had warned them about the Third Mizukage being controlled by Uchiha Madara's forces.

But Ōnoki had dismissed the warning, believing it was Kirigakure's problem, not Iwagakure's.

Who would have thought that this would happen?

Clearly, they were here for the Rinnegan.

That accursed artifact was proving to be more trouble than it was worth.

Fortunately, there was only one attacker.

There was no way he would escape.

Ōnoki had sacrificed a great deal to obtain the Rinnegan—there was no way he'd simply hand it over due to some vague threat.

Unless the village itself was on the verge of destruction, he wasn't budging.

A single controlled Mizukage?

Not enough to make him waver.

The only reason he was rattled was the unexpected nature of the attack.

Noticing Ōnoki's grim expression, the Third Mizukage's grin widened.

"Ōnoki, Lord Madara doesn't take kindly to thieves. So, what's it going to be? Will you hand over the Rinnegan... or should I turn Iwagakure into rubble?"

So that was their goal.

Uchiha Madara!

That old ghost refused to stay buried.

Memories of his humiliating defeat at Madara's hands resurfaced.

Even after all these years, he still couldn't forget.

"You're out of luck."

Iwagakure's forces had already surrounded them.

There was no way the Third Mizukage could escape.

If he had come for the Rinnegan, then Ōnoki would break his fingers before letting him have it.

"Prepare to—"

"AAAHHH!!!"

"Tch—! Earth Release—"

Just as Ōnoki was about to give the order, chaos erupted.

Several Iwagakure shinobi suddenly turned on their comrades, drawing their weapons and launching surprise attacks.

Some even unleashed high-damage jutsu, disregarding their own safety just to inflict harm.

The battlefield descended into absolute anarchy.

Everyone was stunned.

Even Ōnoki, floating in midair, was caught off guard.

They hadn't even started fighting the enemy yet—why were they killing each other?!

Internal betrayal?

But that didn't make sense.

Not at a moment like this.

"Restrain them!!"

Ōnoki's furious voice boomed across the battlefield.

Several traitors were subdued, but more and more shinobi were turning against their comrades.

It was as if an unseen force was triggering their sudden hostility.

Ōnoki gritted his teeth.

Even with his orders, his shinobi were hesitating.

Because no one could trust anyone.

They didn't know who would turn next.

How could they fight alongside people who might stab them in the back at any moment?

The paranoia was crippling.

A group of Iwagakure shinobi managed to pin down an attacker—only for one of their own to suddenly stab them with a kunai.

The battlefield had devolved into chaos.

Nobody felt safe.

Not even Ōnoki's commands could restore order.

"Spread out! Do not group together! If anyone makes a move—assume they are the enemy!"

Decades of experience had made Ōnoki cautious and quick to adapt.

If they couldn't distinguish friend from foe, then the only way to prevent further infiltration was to separate everyone and monitor them from a distance.

Anyone who made an aggressive move would be exposed.

And this was exactly what Black Zetsu wanted.

"Ahahaha! This is hilarious!"

The Third Mizukage laughed wildly, relishing the chaos.

Ōnoki clenched his fists.

He needed to put an end to this immediately.

Even if it meant significant collateral damage, he couldn't allow this stalemate to continue.

What the hell was happening?

Then, it hit him.

Spores. Mind control.

Ōnoki suddenly remembered what had been revealed during the Five Kage Summit—intelligence provided by Orochimaru.

Uchiha Madara's forces included a strange species known as White Zetsu.

They could produce spores that latched onto shinobi, manipulating them like puppets.

Worse, if they absorbed enough of someone's chakra, they could mimic their appearance and abilities.

How many of his shinobi had been compromised?!

The realization sent a chill down his spine.

"Stop! Stay where you are! Do not move!"

Ōnoki barked the command just as Kitsuchi prepared to rush forward with reinforcements.

His son froze mid-step.

Ōnoki glared at him.

Until they could determine who was an ally and who was an enemy, he couldn't afford to trust anyone.

In reality, there weren't many impostors.

But the fear was enough.

The sheer paranoia had shattered his forces' cohesion.

Now, nobody trusted anyone.

"I'll handle this myself."

Ōnoki decided to personally confront the Third Mizukage.

Even if it meant leveling parts of the village, he had to act.

If this dragged on any longer, Iwagakure would tear itself apart from within.

But then—

"Dust Release: Boundary Removal!"

As he unleashed his attack, the Third Mizukage responded immediately.

"Ice Release: Mirror Reflection!"

Multiple illusions split off in different directions.

Ōnoki's attack missed.

The Mizukage vanished.

"Damn it!!"

They were both seasoned veterans.

They both had their own hidden trump cards.

And just like that—

The Third Mizukage escaped.

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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.

DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING