*Chapter 170: Lingling Attacks Iwagakure*

Newgate watched as Naruto excitedly began to jump around, full of energy. He hadn’t expected the boy he took in to crave familial love so deeply. Since that was the case, Newgate wouldn’t treat Uzumaki Naruto poorly. It’s just a shame he didn’t bring any Devil Fruits with him this time. Otherwise, he could have enhanced the boy's strength. But looking at the kid’s skinny frame, Newgate knew he had to first address Naruto’s malnutrition.

“Marco, throw a feast! Let’s welcome Uzumaki Naruto to the Whitebeard Pirates!”

“This kid’s got potential. I feel like he could take on the role of the second division commander one day,” Newgate said, laughing heartily as he ruffled Naruto’s blond hair.

Although the boy seemed a bit frail, his physical abilities were surprisingly good, much like the natural talents seen in those from the sea. It was strange—was he really malnourished? It didn’t quite seem that way.

“Oh, I got it,” Marco said with a smile, immediately starting to prepare the food.

In no time, a fire was crackling before them, with meat roasting over it. Naruto sat beside Whitebeard, his face lit up with a smile.

“Roast meat, roast meat!”

Naruto shouted repeatedly, feeling completely at ease next to Whitebeard. Having been a father for so many years, Whitebeard certainly knew how to take care of his sons. For someone like Naruto, a few hearty meals would do the trick.

“Kid, as my son, how can you just drink juice? Eat meat and drink up!”

Newgate poured Naruto a bottle of Kaido’s liquor. Naruto, puzzled, took a sip, and his face instantly scrunched up. He hadn’t expected the alcohol to be so strong. The intense spiciness nearly stopped his brain from functioning.

“Gurararara!”

Newgate laughed heartily, finding the boy’s reaction amusing. Though it was a feast, it was essentially a dinner for the three of them. By late night, Naruto was so sleepy that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Eventually, Marco led him to bed.

Newgate then turned his gaze toward Konoha. Now that the situation involved him, he couldn’t let the darkness of Konoha touch Naruto. He needed to understand Naruto’s status in the village. How could so many people be after him? Things were likely more complicated than they seemed.

The Nine-Tails—a creature feared by others, isolated by the entire village of Konoha. Clearly, things weren’t so simple.

In the Hokage’s office, an ANBU silently appeared. Hiruzen Sarutobi was busy with paperwork. Although Jiraiya was temporarily standing in as Hokage, he was still too weak and unfamiliar with the duties. If the documents piled up, it could disrupt Konoha’s operations and interfere with Hiruzen’s plans.

“What’s happening with Naruto?”

Hiruzen asked without turning around, still focused on the papers in front of him.

“A large man from another village encountered Uzumaki Naruto, but it seems he’s unaware of Naruto’s true identity.”

The ANBU reported everything that had happened with Naruto that day. They reported to Hiruzen once a day unless something major occurred. However, the ANBU had underestimated Naruto’s importance in Hiruzen’s eyes. Naruto was the cornerstone of his power. His strength was no longer what it used to be, given his age and declining health. He could only maintain his influence by keeping a tight grip on the Nine-Tails.

“Why didn’t you report to me immediately?”

Hiruzen’s eyes suddenly sharpened, his hands pausing in their work. He realized that the ANBU before him had a lapse in judgment. In the past, even the slightest bump Naruto suffered would be reported to him. At such a critical time, it was fortunate that nothing happened to Naruto. If something had, Konoha could have lost the Nine-Tails. Konoha’s power was waning, and Hiruzen always considered the Nine-Tails his secret weapon.

“This...”

The ANBU broke out in a cold sweat. He hadn’t expected the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to be held in such high regard by the Hokage. New ANBU members often harbored the same hatred toward the Nine-Tails as the general public. In their eyes, the beast’s death wouldn’t be a loss, as long as it didn’t die in their presence.

“Enough!”

Hiruzen coldly raised his hand, stopping the ANBU from offering further explanations. Two more ANBU appeared, swiftly removing the ninja from the room.

“Replace the ANBU team around Naruto. Switch to a three-man squad.”

“Don’t let anything go wrong. If anyone contacts him, report to me immediately!” Hiruzen ordered the ANBU.

Konoha’s problems were piling up, but no matter what, Naruto must remain safe.

“Bring me the information on that outsider.”

Hiruzen took the report to review, needing to confirm if the man was a spy from another village. Even if he wasn’t, he likely had ulterior motives for approaching the Nine-Tails. But as Hiruzen read, he realized that the man’s information had already been submitted once before. He’d been too busy at the time to pay attention.

Was this the person Koharu allowed into the village? With a height of nearly seven meters, he was certainly noticeable. On his way here, he reportedly dealt with seven or eight groups of bandits. It seemed he had some skill, possibly a wandering ninja from a small nation.

“I’ll meet with him tomorrow and see if I can recruit him. A man of nearly seven meters would be an intimidating presence on the battlefield.”

As for whether he had any ulterior motives toward Naruto, Hiruzen would find out tomorrow.

In the Land of Earth, Charlotte Linlin’s face twisted with anger. She had expected to find a fertile land, but instead, she encountered nothing but rocks. Along the way, there were only a few inns, and not even enough food to satisfy her hunger. Starving and exhausted, Linlin’s vision blurred, and her eyes turned bloodshot as drool dripped from her mouth.

“Mama, we’re almost at Iwagakure! Once we get there, we’ll have all the food and sweets we can eat. Please hold on a little longer!”

Smoothie suppressed her fear, trying to comfort Linlin. They were nearly out of food, and there was no way to replenish their supplies. Smoothie was terrified that she might become the next meal. She had to keep Linlin calm, or she might not make it back to the sea.

“Food... food...”

Linlin finally reacted to the word, her eyes glowing red as she transformed into something terrifying.

“Zeus!”

Linlin called out, leaping into the air. The white cloud beneath her expanded, catching her as she flew.

“Mama!”

Smoothie hadn’t expected Linlin to react so violently, quickly following behind her. She couldn’t believe that the mere mention of food had caused Linlin to take flight without hesitation.

“What if... what if there’s not enough food in Iwagakure to satisfy Mama?”

“No, it’s a large village. They should have enough to feed her,” Smoothie reassured herself, knowing that if Linlin felt deceived, she would be sent straight to hell, regardless of their family ties or her status as one of Linlin’s most promising children.

In Iwagakure, Onoki entered the meeting room, glancing at the advisors gathered there. He frowned slightly. He had been in power for so long that he had eliminated most obstacles. Those who remained were useful to Iwagakure, though sometimes too many people attended these meetings.

“Lord Tsuchikage, the monster is flying toward us!”

A ninja rushed into the room, urgently reporting.

“Flying? Does this person have some special jutsu?”

Onoki was surprised. Few ninjas in the world could fly, with his Dust Release being one of the most well-known. But now, someone attacking the Land of Earth could fly too.

“Not exactly... He’s flying on a white cloud, and there’s something strange with him, something that looks like a sun but seems more like a joke.”

The ninja hesitated, quickly relaying the information to Onoki. The massive size of the approaching figure had startled them. They hadn’t expected someone to grow to six or seven meters tall—like a giant!

“I see.”

Ōnoki's face was tense as he looked at the photo of Charlotte Linlin that the ninja had risked his life to capture.

The opponent's enormous size and terrifying strength made Ōnoki uneasy. Even some of the Earth Release techniques seemed to have no effect on her. It reminded him of the time when the Third Raikage was a force to be reckoned with—a foe that had cost them many lives from Iwagakure.

But does this enemy also require the lives of Iwagakure's people to deal with? Ōnoki wasn't even sure if she was an enemy or an ally. But one thing was clear: she had been on a killing spree. Every village and inn along the way had been slaughtered, leaving no survivors behind. She was a true killing machine.

If he could use her to their advantage, it might be a good idea. If they could push this monster onto Konoha's battlefield, it would surely cause them significant trouble. Ōnoki's eyes reflected his cold resolve; if a few lives could bring greater benefits to Iwagakure, then it wasn't a loss. Sacrificing a few genin to gain a monster seemed like a fair trade.

"Iwagakure will enter a state of readiness, but do not act rashly. Let's see what they intend to do," Ōnoki said, a sharp gleam in his eyes.

If Charlotte Linlin caused trouble in Iwagakure today, he would show her the power of Dust Release. Even the Third Raikage had only dared to rely on speed when facing his Dust Release, never thinking of clashing techniques.

Ōnoki flew to the rooftop of the Iwagakure building, watching the horizon closely. A man wrapped tightly in clothing, wearing a straw hat, stood beside him—this was Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails. Having a Jinchūriki in the village offered some security, especially since Han could somewhat control his Tailed Beast transformation.

"She's coming!" Ōnoki's eyes narrowed as he saw the enormous figure in the distance, his pupils contracting sharply. The difference between seeing her in a photo and in reality was stark. She looked like a demon with blood-red eyes and drool dripping from her mouth. Her eyes were filled with nothing but greed, as if all reason had left her.

"Mama mama mama... food, where's the food?" Charlotte Linlin leaped from Zeus before he even landed, scanning the area for food with her eyes, ignoring everything else. Food was the only thing on her mind—she hadn't eaten in a day, and what little she had found on the way wasn't enough to even fill a gap between her teeth. She had never experienced such hardship since setting out to sea.

"Mama!" Smoothie hurried over, bypassing the guards and arriving a distance away from Charlotte Linlin. She noticed that this village was stronger than the previous ones, but could it really satisfy their food needs?

"Roar! I want food!" Charlotte Linlin's roar spread out like a sonic attack, piercing the eardrums of countless people and turning the houses within a 500-meter radius into rubble. She continued her frantic search for food, oblivious to everything else.

"Tsuchikage-sama, can we really negotiate with this creature?" the ninja beside Ōnoki asked in disbelief, watching Charlotte Linlin. She seemed like a complete lunatic, unable to comprehend a single coherent sentence.

And this lunatic wasn't even sparing Iwagakure's people, acting more like a demon than a human.

"Let's see if we can wake her up first! Leave it to me!" Ōnoki flew into the air, quickly forming hand signs.

"Earth Release: Rock Golem Jutsu!" Ōnoki shouted, and a massive rock golem emerged from the ground. He flew onto the golem's back, watching Charlotte Linlin with a serious expression.

Bang!

But before the rock golem could approach, Charlotte Linlin shattered it with a single sword strike, sending debris scattering in all directions. Ōnoki managed to maintain his balance in the air thanks to his Dust Release.

Seeing Ōnoki's rock golem destroyed in an instant, the hearts of Iwagakure's people leapt into their throats. They hadn't expected their Tsuchikage to be at such a disadvantage against this monster.

"Damn! What a troublesome creature!" Ōnoki's eyes flashed with killing intent, and he signaled to Han. Understanding the gesture, Han gathered the Earth Release ninjas to attack Charlotte Linlin.

"Earth Release: Rock Iron Cannon!"

Bang! Bang!

Countless stones in the air expanded rapidly, resembling cannonballs, and rained down on Charlotte Linlin from all directions. She had no way to defend herself, but her massive steel-like body didn't even flinch. She didn't even blink at the onslaught of attacks.

"So noisy!" Charlotte Linlin's eyes flashed red as she raised a hand to the sky, plunging it into Zeus, transforming the white cloud into a black one filled with terrifying lightning.

"Roar!" With a roar, a massive thunderous hand slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves in all directions like a tornado, wreaking havoc in Iwagakure. The nearby ninjas were blown away by the force, and Charlotte Linlin finally felt a moment of peace. She resumed her search for food, targeting households preparing meals and grabbing their food to shove into her mouth.

"This creature is a complete monster. Letting her into the village was a mistake," Ōnoki thought bitterly as he watched the destruction. He hadn't anticipated her being this uncontrollable. Even the Third Raikage hadn't had such a terrifying physique.

Such physical strength couldn't be described in ordinary terms anymore.

At this moment, Ōnoki noticed someone on the other side of the battlefield charging up power. The sound of steam boiling was clearly audible as Han began his Tailed Beast transformation.

"What's that?" Smoothie frowned as she noticed Han, whose body seemed to carry a second life force. It wasn't his own strength, but the power of the being inside him. This world had such a power, reminiscent of a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit.

Before Smoothie could finish her thought, Han fully transformed into his Tailed Beast form, charging at Charlotte Linlin like a massive horse.

Smoothie wanted to shout a warning, but it was too late. Han moved with incredible speed, too fast for her to react.

"Huh?" Charlotte Linlin noticed something behind her just as Han's massive horn struck her, sending her flying.

"Well done, Han!" Ōnoki smirked as his fist gathered countless stones, forming a massive rock fist. Below him, Charlotte Linlin was the target. Han had intentionally driven her into this position.

Boom!

The massive rock fist struck Charlotte Linlin, but it had little effect on her. Ōnoki had expected this outcome; dealing with such a monster required more than ordinary techniques.

"Earth Release: Super Weighted Boulder Jutsu!" Ōnoki's face twisted with anger as he increased the weight of the rock fist, sending Charlotte Linlin plummeting to the ground like a meteor.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A massive crater formed in the center of Iwagakure, causing significant damage to both Charlotte Linlin and the village. It was as if a massive earthquake had struck, causing the entire village to shake violently. Many people were buried under the collapsing buildings, and Iwagakure's infrastructure was almost entirely destroyed. Even the Tsuchikage building was reduced to rubble.

Ōnoki's attack had caused severe damage to both the enemy and his own village. He had hoped to use Charlotte Linlin, but now he wasn't sure if that was possible. The damage she had caused to Iwagakure was immense.

"I can't let you wreak havoc in Iwagakure anymore. My previous judgment was a mistake, but this time, I won't spare you," Ōnoki declared, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he prepared his Dust Release.

"This technique... will be fatal!" Smoothie realized, her pupils shrinking in fear. She hadn't expected such a dangerous individual to exist here, someone capable of threatening their lives.

But Smoothie didn't move. She could feel the danger emanating from the elderly man, and she feared she might be sacrificed first if she acted rashly.

"Wait! Mama is only acting like this because she's too hungry. Once she's had enough to eat, she'll regain her sanity!" Smoothie shouted to Ōnoki, but she remained still, not daring to approach.

"Hmph! What good is regaining sanity after causing such destruction in Iwagakure?" Ōnoki replied coldly, his Dust Release technique growing in size as he aimed it at Charlotte Linlin's head. One precise strike, and she would be dead.

"Wait! We are willing to submit to Iwagakure!" Smoothie gritted her teeth and knelt before Ōnoki, pleading for her mother's life. She had no other choice—this was the only thing she could do for Charlotte Linlin. If she didn't beg for mercy now, there might not be another chance.

Ōnoki paused, glancing at the ruined Iwagakure. The village had been nearly destroyed, and if he couldn't recover some losses from them, it would be a huge blow. Additionally, with the urgent situation in Konoha, they needed to prepare. If they didn't act now, they might miss their chance to influence the outcome.

"Fine! I hope you can control her!" Ōnoki finally relented, driven by the need to protect Iwagakure's interests. He chose the option that would benefit his village the