The Lightning-Earth Allied Forces Had Arrived

"Lolicon?"

After glancing at Kushina Uzumaki, who was still standing in the distance, the few people present fell silent for a while before Karatachi Yagura broke the silence.

Nearby, Yukinagi lowered her head and sized up her own figure, an unwilling expression appearing on her face.

Meanwhile, after escorting everyone back to the embassy district, Uzumaki Shoshi planned to hurry and warn Kushina Uzumaki and the others. Though he'd scolded them earlier because he'd been embarrassed, that didn't mean he could accept a lolicon approaching them with bad intentions!

"Ahem... What are you talking about? Who's a lolicon? I just thought that girl was cute and couldn't help giving her a hand."

Hozuki Shingetsu choked on his saliva, his face flushing red.

"Actually, if we're being precise, Nagi is the one who counts as a loli at her age. That child is just a little girl," Karatachi Yagura agreed with a nod, correcting himself.

Didn't that make it sound even worse?

Noticing the increasingly strange looks everyone was giving him, Hozuki Shingetsu was at a loss for words and decided to let the matter drop for now.

"Actually, Shingetsu, if you like, I've gotten pretty good at Transformation Jutsu lately. I could..." Yukinagi looked at Hozuki Shingetsu, unable to stop herself from saying it.

"..."

Hozuki Shingetsu had no reply. He could only lower his head and keep walking.

The reason Hozuki Shingetsu had said those things to Kushina Uzumaki was partly that his status as a foreigner had inspired him to speak on impulse, but it was also connected to his next plan: using Kushina Uzumaki as a go-between to gain the support of the Uzumaki Clan.

To win over the Uzumaki Clan, he first needed a trusted intermediary. And since ancient times, marriage alliances had always been the best way to achieve that. Of course, the Uzumaki Clan wouldn't form a marriage alliance with him, Hozuki Shingetsu, for no reason. How he would accomplish that goal would depend on what he did next.

With one day's journey remaining before the Land of Whirlpools, the Lightning-Earth Allied Forces had set up a temporary base in a secluded cave within the small Land of General.

To wipe out Uzushio Village in one fell swoop, the two sides had dispatched more than five hundred people in total. That was about the largest force they could move without being discovered along the way. Even so, it was impossible for the Allied Forces to slip quietly into the Land of Whirlpools. It was already incredibly lucky that they'd made it this far without being found.

A small unit might have gotten away with it, but if Uzushio Village couldn't detect several hundred people crossing the border, that would be a serious underestimation of its abilities.

A third of the five hundred were Jonin, a clear sign of how determined the two villages were to seize the Tailed Beast Sealing Jutsu.

Though the Uzumaki Clan was powerful, its entire population numbered only a little over a thousand, already an enormous number. The Uchiha Clan, by comparison, had only four or five hundred members. Once the elderly, women, and children were excluded, only four or five hundred could fight, and perhaps only a few dozen of them were Jonin.

The disparity in strength was so great that, barring any surprises, Uzushio Village would soon become history.

"People from Konoha and Kirigakure? Why are they here?" Hunter, the Iwagakure force's commander, frowned as he studied the intelligence in his hands, carefully considering its implications.

"Why does it matter?" the commander of the Kumogakure force, B of the current AB Combo, Blue B, cut off Hunter's thoughts.

"All I know is that whether Konoha and Kirigakure are at odds, and whether that information is true or not, we've already brought our forces here. In another day, we'll reach the border of the Land of Whirlpools. If we don't want to turn back now, then we have only one thing left to do."

Blue B slapped the table and glared. "Wipe out Uzushio Village!"

"Wipe out Uzushio Village!"

Behind him, a group of burly men with their arms bared waved their fists and shouted in agreement.

"What a damn barbarian!"

Hunter frowned. If Ōnoki hadn't given the order, he wouldn't have wanted to fight alongside those muscle-bound brutes from the highlands. But perhaps it was just as well. Those brainless fools could deal with the old members of the Uzumaki Clan! Surely the power of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal would knock some sense into them.

"Commander, we've been discovered! We killed the scout, but the information may already have gotten through."

Just then, an Iwagakure shinobi arrived to report that their whereabouts had been exposed.

As a major trading hub in the eastern part of the continent, Uzushio Village naturally took on missions escorting merchant caravans. The scout had just discovered the Allied Forces' location using Sensory Ninjutsu. There was no helping it—the Chakra signatures of several hundred people were simply too conspicuous. They'd been unbelievably lucky to make it this far without being detected.

Judging by the Uzumaki shinobi's reaction, he'd clearly realized that the group was targeting Uzushio Village. After all, besides Uzushio Village, none of the small countries nearby was worth hiding several hundred people for, and that few troops wouldn't be enough to take Kirigakure.

"So we've been discovered... Then there's no need to hide anymore. Head straight for Uzushio Village!" Hunter rose abruptly and looked toward the village.

Being discovered here meant their surprise attack was exposed. All that remained was to move fast and destroy Uzushio Village before Konoha could react.

"Attack!" Blue B excitedly issued the order as well.

At their commands, the shinobi poured out of the cave and raced toward Uzushio Village.

Uzushio Village received the news soon afterward.

"Clan Head, one of our people spotted a large number of shinobi in the Land of General. We estimate there are four or five hundred. The enemy's identities are unknown, but based on the amount of Chakra, about a third of them should be Jonin."

"Seal off the village at once! Assemble everyone!" Uzumaki Takumi sprang to his feet, a fierce glint in his eyes.

Their identities?

With this many Jonin, they had to be from one of the Five Great Nations.

Konoha was an ally and could be ruled out. Kirigakure wouldn't attack now unless it wanted Hozuki Shingetsu dead. That left the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Lightning. No matter which one it was, this would be a catastrophe for Uzushio Village.

"Have the First Elder send people to the border of the Land of Whirlpools immediately. Hold off the enemy's advance as long as possible!" Uzumaki Takumi issued his orders without hesitation.

"Go to Konoha at once and ask for help. Tell them Uzushio Village has been attacked, and emphasize how important Uzushio Village is to Konoha! And remember, you must see Mito. Tell her what's happening here."

"Gather the gifted children in the village immediately and protect them! If things go wrong, they'll be the hope of the Uzumaki Clan!"