Chapter 120: Reactions from Each Village
"Kumogakure withdrew its troops. Hidden Stone Village dispatched the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, who was defeated by Yahiko and eventually rescued by Hidden Stone Village. Hidden Stone Village withdrew its troops..."
In the Hidden Sand Village conference room.
Danzo Shimura was reading the contents of the newly delivered intelligence report, word for word.
His face was etched with solemnity and disbelief.
Compared to Danzo's grimness, the people below the stage seemed much more relaxed.
Many were even exchanging glances.
"What's going on? Is someone here deaf? Danzo has read it three times already, and he's still reading!"
"What nonsense are you spouting! Who among us hasn't been treated by Kazekage-sama! Who's still deaf?!"
"Exactly, exactly. In this old man's opinion, Danzo just doesn't believe it!"
"That's right! Elder Yuuto is right! In my opinion, the Konoha bumpkins are just Konoha bumpkins, they have no insight!"
"Indeed, indeed. Look, isn't that white-haired guy also looking shocked?!"
"Hahaha, exactly!"
After discussing this, everyone regained their composure, returning to a posture of sitting upright, though most of their eyes seemed slightly curved.
Kakashi Hatake "???"
...As Hidden Sand Village received the news, other Ninja Villages also received it.
Kumogakure.
"Bang!"
The Hokage's office desk, less than a month old, completely ceased to exist.
"Damn it! Hidden Sand Village is so despicable! Making it seem like our Kumogakure doesn't have exploding tags!"
"Someone! Tell Buru-bi to lead another thousand Ninja, and bring some exploding tags with them!" [PS: Nawaki didn't die, Orochimaru didn't go to Kumogakure, so he didn't die!]
"Yes!"
A long while later... on the new Raikage's office desk.
The Third Raikage was looking at the intelligence report just sent up by the Intelligence Department.
"Emmm..."
"Are you sure the intelligence is true?"
"Reporting, Raikage-sama, your subordinate has confirmed it, it is true."
"You mean a young Hidden Sand Village Ninja, in a one-on-one situation... took out the Four-Tails?"
"Yes, Raikage-sama!"
"The opposing Kage wasn't present? Sunasuke wasn't present? Rasa wasn't present?"
"No!"
"..."
"Go, call Buru-bi back, and have Dodai retreat to the Land of Grass to await orders."
"Yes! Raikage-sama."
...Hidden Stone Village.
"Hahaha, no wonder my back hasn't hurt all day, turns out there's good news! That big idiot from Kumogakure must be furious! Lost so many Ninja but didn't even touch the enemy's clothes!"
"If it were our Hidden Stone Village, mere exploding tags... Hmph hmph!"
"Ah ha ha ha ha..."
Thinking of this, Onoki laughed even louder, floating up and down in the Tsuchikage's office.
"Dong dong..."
A knocking sound rang out.
"Come in!"
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
"Hmm, it's Akatsuchi. What is it?"
"Tsuchikage-sama, this is the intelligence just sent back from the battlefield."
"Hmm, read it."
"Yes!"
"To Tsuchikage-sama, our army encountered Hidden Sand Village's interception on the way to Hidden Sand Village's new city. The leader was the gold dust Ninja Kakuzu.
In the battle against Hidden Sand Village, the enemy first used exploding tags to bomb our army, but all were blocked by our Earth Release. Our army suffered no damage."
"Hmm~, not bad. As expected, Hidden Sand Village's exploding tags have no effect on our Iwa Ninja. Continue reading."
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!"
"Then, after the exploding tags ended, we engaged in close combat with Hidden Sand Village.
Although our army had a numerical advantage, Hidden Sand Village, due to the Puppeteers, reduced the numerical advantage on both sides, making it impossible for our army to defeat Hidden Sand Village in a short time, eventually leading to a stalemate."
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Onoki frowned, then said.
"What about Earth Release? What about the surprise attack squad? Couldn't they use Earth Release to directly cut down the Puppeteers?"
"Uh... Tsuchikage-sama, it's mentioned later that each Puppet Technique user was protected by a Taijutsu Ninja, preventing our Ninja from launching surprise attacks.
It also said that there were a lot of puppets, and even after five puppets were destroyed, they could still bring out more, and all the puppets were identical and organized."
"What! Organized! That's going to be tricky!
What about Roshi? Did Kitsuchi send Roshi into battle? If it were me, I would directly send Roshi to launch a Tailed Beast Ball from a distance. As long as it destroys most of the Puppeteers, it's worth it!"
"Uh... Kitsuchi-sama sent Roshi-sama into battle."
"Hmm! Not bad, it's the same thinking as me. How about it? How many Puppet Squads were eliminated?"
"Uh... they didn't go to eliminate the Puppet Squad."
"What! They didn't go to eliminate the Puppet Squad? Then what did Kitsuchi send Roshi for?!"
"Forget it, I'll read it myself!"
With that, he floated in front of Akatsuchi and took the scroll.
Akatsuchi [...]
Then... "Bastard!"
After thoroughly reading the contents of the intelligence report, Onoki immediately cursed loudly, then raised the scroll, intending to slam it to the ground... "Oh no~ my back!!!"
"That Roshi is really useless, he can't even beat a brat!"
After saying that, he still felt unsatisfied and cursed again.
Five minutes later... Onoki, after taking a sip of water, gradually calmed down.
Then he sat in his office chair, lost in thought.
"Have Kitsuchi retreat to the Land of Birds. All the wounded should return to the Village to recuperate."
"Yes! Tsuchikage-sama!"
With that, Akatsuchi prepared to leave and make arrangements.
"Wait."
[?]
"Have someone write a letter to the Daimyo, saying that Hidden Stone Village annihilated a Hidden Sand Village unit during the battle against Hidden Sand Village, but Hidden Stone Village also suffered heavy losses and now urgently needs material aid! Understand?"
"Understood!"
...Land of Wind, Seaport.
"Elder Meito, the Hidden Mist Village's ships are expected to arrive at the battlefield in half an hour."
A reconnaissance Ninja was reporting to the commander, Uzumaki Ruming.
"Very good! Report again! Report again!"
"Yes!"
After the reconnaissance Ninja left, Uzumaki Ruming could no longer suppress the smile on his face.
However, this smile was not as bright as the sun, but more like the excitement of a hunter waiting for prey to take the bait!
"How many years! How many years have I, this old man, waited! Now, it's finally time to avenge the fallen clansmen of the Land of Whirlpools!"
"Come quickly! Come quickly! This old man misses you dearly!"
Not only Uzumaki Ruming had such a smile and thought.
Beside him, a Ninja also showed the same smile.
"Elder Meito! Don't kill too fast later, leave some for me too!"
"Hmph! Snow Dragon, that depends on whether you can snatch them from me! My Adamantine Sealing Chains are famously fast!"
"Hmph! Then I'll just unleash a blizzard directly before they even land, freezing a bunch of them first!"
"Bastard! Do you think I can't do it! I'll just use a Gatling Water Bullet and stab a bunch to death!"
"Then I'll just use an Ice Dragon Explosion! And kill another bunch!"
"Don't I know Water Dragon Explosion! It's not your turn!"
"Hmph! I don't care! You have to leave some for me..."
"Hmph! Then let's see who's faster! There aren't even enough Hidden Mist Ninja for me to cut down alone!"
"Braggart! I can cut down all these Ninja by myself without even blinking!"
"Braggart!..."
...And so, before the Hidden Mist Village Ninja even reached the battlefield, the two old men, who held a blood feud against Hidden Mist Village, began to argue.
Until... the messenger Ninja arrived again.
"Report..."
"Reporting, Elder Meito, the Hidden Mist... the Hidden Mist..."
"Speak! Where is the Hidden Mist now?!"
"Exactly, hurry up and say it!"
Listening to the messenger Ninja, who was panting heavily but couldn't get to the point.
The two old men immediately became anxious, both looking at the messenger Ninja.
"Gulp~"
The messenger Ninja, seeing the two elders looking at him with fiery eyes, had never seen such a scene before. He immediately swallowed his saliva and then stammered.
"Rep... Reporting to both elders! The Mist... Hidden Mist Village... ran... ran away!"
Uzumaki Ruming "???"
Snow Dragon "???"
"Ran away!"
"Where did they run to?!"
"Turned... turned... turned around!"
"Turned around!" x2
Two exclamations sounded simultaneously.
Then the two old men looked at each other.
"It's all your fault!" x2
Everyone else [...]
...Konoha Village.
"Hiruzen! Are you really going to lead the troops to Hidden Sand Village yourself? What if..."
"Ah! Koharu! Don't try to persuade me anymore. The people of Konoha are still suffering in Hidden Sand Village. As Hokage! How can I not bring them back!"
"But..."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Utatane Koharu still wanted to persuade him, after all, if Hiruzen also fell in Hidden Sand Village, what would Konoha do!
But before Koharu could finish speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already interrupted her.
"Alright, Koharu! You don't need to persuade me anymore! This old man knows you're worried about me!
However... we grew up together and fought for Konoha's future together. Now that Danzo is in deep trouble, as an old friend of many years... how can I not go to save him!"
"This... sigh... alright!"
Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi was truly determined to go, Utatane Koharu no longer tried to dissuade him.
"I'll go oversee the supplies and personnel. I heard Hidden Sand Village likes to clear the way with exploding tags, so I'll go see how many Earth Release Ninja there are, we need to bring more Earth Release Ninja!"
With that, she walked out on her own.
Watching Utatane Koharu walk completely away, Mitokado Homura, who was standing by, also spoke.
"Hiruzen! Koharu is also worried about you!"
"Hmm, this old man understands! Homura! During my absence... Konoha will be in your care! Koharu's temper can be a bit fiery at times, you'll need to persuade her more on that."
"Hmm, I will, Hiruzen!"
...After saying this, the office once again fell into a long silence.
Until... "Hiruzen!"
"Hmm?"
"Do you have to go?"
"Yes!"
Actually, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't really want to go, not because he was afraid. The main reason was that he felt uncertain.
There was too little intelligence on Hidden Sand Village. In recent years, Hidden Sand Village's intelligence work had improved so much that no one knew the true situation within Hidden Sand Village.
How many strong individuals were there? How many Ninja had they trained? Even Danzo's whereabouts hadn't been thoroughly investigated!
All of this was unknown, making him feel uneasy.
However!
Too many Konoha people had gone missing this time! Core members from various Ninja Clans had disappeared.
Although he had temporarily appeased the Ninja Clans, if there was no progress for a long time, it would be hard to say... Due to pressure... he could only go himself!
If he could find any clues... that would naturally be the best!
If there were no clues... then he, as Hokage, had personally gone to search, which would at least provide an explanation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi would also have a reason to say, on the surface, that he didn't search carelessly; as Hokage, he had personally gone, what more did they want him to do!
Of course, he certainly didn't wish for such an outcome.
It would be best if there were clues... even if... they all died!!!
That would still be good news!
At least... Konoha's secrets and family bloodlines would be completely preserved!
But if he arrived there and found out they had been kidnapped by Hidden Sand Village, then he could directly go to Hidden Sand Village under the guise of an envoy.
He believed that Hidden Sand Village wouldn't do anything to him then!
Moreover, with his strength... even if Hidden Sand Village really attacked him... he could just run!
Anyway, there would be no life-threatening danger.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's constantly furrowed brow unconsciously relaxed a little.
Just then... "Report... Hokage-sama! Latest intelligence from the Sand-Rock battlefield!"
"Hmm, put it on the table."
"Yes!"
"Homura, come take a look. Let's see if Hidden Stone Village's Earth Release is effective against exploding tags!"
Ten minutes later... Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting in his office chair, smoking, his previously relaxed brow now unconsciously furrowed even more deeply.
The reason was simple: the intelligence report on the table.
The content was also simple; it contained good news.
The good news was that Earth Release could indeed counter Hidden Sand Village's exploding tag tactics, and Hidden Stone Village, relying on Earth Release, achieved zero casualties at the beginning.
However, the report contained more than just one piece of news; everything else was bad news.
An unknown brat had defeated the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
And even after the Four-Tails appeared, he still defeated the Tailed Beast head-on.
"Hiruzen! If I remember correctly, the young man who defeated the Tailed Beast was one of the three children that the Third Kazekage took from the Land of Rain, wasn't he?"
"Hmm, yes!"
"I just didn't expect him to have grown to this extent!"
"Indeed! Hiruzen, then you're saying if one of them is already like this... then the other two..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi [!!!]
"Hiss~"
He hadn't thought of this issue before, but reminded by Mitokado Homura, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately became alert.
Then he took a deep breath of... smoke.
"Cough cough... You mean... the other two also have such strength?"
"Emmm... Hard to say!"
"But at that time, the Third Kazekage specifically stayed in the Land of Rain alone to take them away... it's probably really hard to say! Even if they're not as strong as this Yahiko, they probably aren't far off!"
"Didn't they say back then that he was after beauty?"
"Clearly, that was just one of the... reasons!"
"Hiruzen! If it's really as we think... then your trip to Hidden Sand Village this time might be even more dangerous than you imagine!"
Hearing what Mitokado Homura said, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not refute but continued to smoke.
Because he also agreed with what Mitokado Homura said.
Initially, he thought there was only Sunasuke at the Wind-Fire Border. Although his strength was definitely Kage-level, he was just one person, and Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't afraid of anyone in a one-on-one fight!
But if there was another Kage-level individual stationed there... the outcome would be hard to say!
No! That's not right! There's more!
What if the Chinoike Clan's leader hadn't left... "Someone!"
"Present, Hokage-sama!"
"Go gather intelligence on Hidden Mist Village, quickly!"
"Yes!"
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