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[Konoha] Chapter 129: Looks Like It’s Still Not Strong Enough!
🕑 Added 2024-09-27 15:20:27 +0000 UTCDuring dinner, Shūichi casually mentioned that he would be leaving the village for a mission.
However, he didn't reveal that he would be heading to a battlefield and reassured them that he’d be coming back frequently. As a result, Nono and Asuka didn’t seem overly worried.
After dinner, he continued training with Asuka, focusing on understanding the power of the "Adamantine Sealing Chains" and exploring the secrets of this powerful sealing technique.
Meanwhile, Shūichi’s shadow clone ventured out again under the cover of night. This time, he disguised himself as an Iwa-nin, using the chakra of the Four-Tails to eliminate a small Suna-nin squad that was transporting supplies to the rear.
Before dawn, Rasa, the commander at the front lines, received the report, his expression growing serious. "Has the Four-Tails Jinchūriki finally arrived? And he's not showing up on the front lines."
Ebizō remarked, "The Iwa-nin’s tactics are indeed tricky. With the power of the Four-Tails Jinchūriki attacking our supply lines, it will be difficult for us to defend."
"There’s no one here capable of dealing with him except you, Rasa, but you can’t leave the front."
Rasa’s unique "Gold Dust" ninjutsu gave him immense control over the desert terrain, which was key to forcing the Iwa-nin to retreat on the battlefield.
After thinking for a moment, Rasa said, "In that case, let’s send the One-Tail Jinchūriki to the front as well."
"With the Kirigakure forces launching their own surprise attack, we can no longer divert any elite units to stop the Four-Tails Jinchūriki."
Ebizō nodded and immediately sent word via a ninja hawk.
At the same time, at the Iwa-nin front-line headquarters, upon receiving the news about the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Commander Kūkyo asked Kitsuchi, "Has the village sent Roshi?"
Kitsuchi shook his head. "If they had, he would have reported to you first, Commander."
"That guy..." Kitsuchi's expression darkened. "If it’s not Roshi, then it’s probably the one who impersonated him and killed the Third Kazekage with Sasori of the Red Sand!"
Commander Kūkyo’s face grew grim. "If that’s the case… Suna-nin will likely send the One-Tail Jinchūriki to the battlefield as well."
Kitsuchi’s face changed at this thought.
Roshi could control the power of the tailed beast, but the One-Tail Jinchūriki of Sunagakure had never been known to control his beast.
If he were to go berserk at any moment, that would be terrifying.
Even if the chaos affected both enemies and allies, Suna-nin would suffer too—but the ones to suffer first would surely be them.
Kitsuchi sighed. "If that’s the case, we’ll have to fight a tailed beast with another tailed beast."
Commander Kūkyo immediately responded, "Then let’s report this to Lord Third Tsuchikage!"
Kitsuchi nodded and quickly left to make the arrangements.
Both Suna-nin and Iwa-nin moved swiftly. By the time Shūichi’s main body arrived at the battlefield the next day from Konoha, he could already sense Roshi's Four-Tails chakra.
"Nicely done!"
Retrieving the memories from his shadow clone, Shūichi felt pleased.
With this, the One-Tail Jinchūriki should have arrived as well.
"But…"
Shūichi glanced toward the Iwa-nin forces, thinking to himself, "The Iwa-nin must have realized they’ve been tricked, but there’s nothing they can do."
"At a time like this, Suna-nin won’t listen to reason. Any explanations will just seem like excuses."
After creating two more shadow clones, Shūichi’s figure vanished once again.
He was heading to check out another of Suna-nin’s battlefronts.
...
Kirigakure’s assault on Sunagakure came via a landing at the bay, striking the southern part of the Land of Rivers and the southeastern coastal regions of the Land of Wind.
Compared to the unexpected attack from Iwa-nin, Sunagakure had been somewhat prepared for the attack from Kirigakure. Pakura of the Scorch Release hadn’t appeared on the northern battlefield because she had been reassigned here to defend against Kirigakure after Iwa-nin’s initial attack.
Of course, a more cynical interpretation would be that this reassignment was a way to suppress Pakura.
Rasa was considered the top candidate for the Fourth Kazekage by Sunagakure’s leadership, and his performance certainly lived up to their expectations. However, Pakura, with her Scorch Release, was no slouch either. To safeguard the future of the village, the higher-ups had decided not to place Pakura on the same northern battlefield as Rasa, avoiding direct competition between the two.
But talent like hers couldn’t be buried for long!
In the form of a crow, Shūichi circled above, his sharp eyes observing the battle between the Suna-nin and the Kiri-nin below.
To be precise, his attention was focused on Pakura of the Scorch Release.
While it’s true that Water Style counters Fire Style, Scorch Release, infused with Wind Style, was incredibly versatile and far more difficult to handle than standard Fire Style techniques.
Suddenly, Shūichi saw Pakura’s Scorch Release fireballs rapidly expand and spin, unleashing a terrifyingly hot windstorm that swept outward with a deafening explosion.
"This must be the Extremely Steaming Murder…"
"She didn’t have this move when we fought a few years ago."
Shūichi silently observed. "It seems this technique consumes a lot of chakra…"
Below, numerous Kiri-nin were burned to ash, and both sides chose to withdraw after the intense battle.
"It looks like Pakura is destined to shine on the Kirigakure battlefield, and her brutal methods will leave the Kiri-nin with a deep hatred and fear of her."
Shūichi descended and perched on a branch, scanning the corpses below while contemplating the bigger picture: "The more intense the fighting gets, the greater the pressure on Sunagakure. Their desperation to end one conflict will only increase."
"Undoubtedly, the only option will be an alliance with Kirigakure."
"Due to the grudge over the Third Kazekage’s death, Suna-nin can't ally with Iwa-nin, but with Kirigakure, they could form a mutually beneficial alliance… The Land of Rivers, and then the Land of Fire!"
"So, after forming an alliance with Kirigakure, Sunagakure will drive back Iwa-nin with their victory, and inevitably, they’ll join Kirigakure in launching an attack on Konoha, starting from the Land of Rivers."
Shūichi mused over his role in the war, starting to feel like he was pulling the strings behind the scenes of the Third Great Ninja War.
"Am I going to become a major villain in the future?"
As he saw the Kiri-nin coming to collect the bodies, Shūichi immediately flapped his wings and flew off.
After setting up a temporary base a little farther from the battlefield, Shūichi left two shadow clones behind and then headed back to the Suna-Iwa battlefield.
He had to see if there was a chance to obtain some of the One-Tail’s chakra.
As always, even if he intended to raise the stakes for Suna, Iwa, and Kirigakure, he wouldn’t personally step onto the battlefield—he would leave it to his shadow clones.
And he avoided attacking the main battlefield directly—that would draw too much attention.
Unfortunately, when Shūichi returned to the Suna-Iwa battlefield, he discovered that both sides were exercising great restraint, not allowing their Jinchūriki to take the field.
"So cautious?"
"Looks like the pressure isn’t enough yet!"
...
At night, when both sides called for a ceasefire, Shūichi sent out his shadow clone, once again transforming into Roshi. Using the Four-Tails' chakra to form a Tailed Beast Cloak and conceal his own chakra, he launched a direct assault on Sunagakure’s medical camp in the rear.
However, due to Chiyo’s presence, Shūichi didn’t fight for long. He simply wreaked havoc on the camp before making a quick retreat, leaving the Suna-nin furious.
The death of three medical-nin hit Chiyo especially hard, filling her with grief and rage.
"Inform Rasa, he must contain the Four-Tails Jinchūriki of Iwa-nin!"
Chiyo gritted her teeth and barked the order.
"Yes, Lady Chiyo!"
A Suna-nin immediately took off, rushing to the front lines under cover of night.
(End of Chapter)
Comments
Parmar Yagnik
2 chapters tomorrow!
