The credit for this bonus mission was no small thing. They had not only found a flaw in the underground waterway along the border, but had also dug plenty of intelligence out of the Rain Ninja's heads.
According to the intelligence Teacher Shinku had extracted using the "Corruption Technique," the Rain Ninja had already sent a full twenty squads of Chunin to infiltrate the Land of Fire and assassinate high-value targets.
They hadn't memorized any specific infiltration routes, but the rough maps of the underground waterways preserved in their minds showed that most of them lay along the border near Sunny City.
Like Kikyo City, Sunny City was an important border city in the Land of Fire. In peacetime, it served as a checkpoint; during war, it became a forward stronghold. The acting commander stationed there was another of Sarutobi Hiruzen's students: Jiraiya, who called himself the "Toad Sage."
Though he usually acted like a carefree fool, Orochimaru had described him as "a very dependable partner." Orochimaru wouldn't say that just because they were close. He must genuinely respect Jiraiya.
Now that they knew this, they needed to send the intelligence to the Hokage's office—and copy Jiraiya as well.
As it happened, Sunny City had recently received a group of Water Release Ninja. They could seal the flaws in the underground waterways before the Rain Ninja's assassination squads had all infiltrated.
The only problem was that Touma would have to deliver the intelligence himself. His only contracted Ninja Hawk was still on its way to Kairan Village.
Fortunately, Uncle Umino had a mission in Sunny City, so they could travel together.
On the way to Sunny City, Touma asked all kinds of questions about summoned beasts. After all, aside from being an elite Water Release Ninja, Umino Sadami was also a master summoner, exceptionally skilled at using summoned beasts.
She couldn't teach Touma the "Partial Summoning Technique" she had developed herself, but she explained her understanding of summoning techniques and outlined the general principles behind her creation.
In Umino Sadami's view, a summoning technique wasn't simply a way for a ninja to use chakra to summon a beast. It was a medium through which a summoner and summoned beast could build rapport until they could share chakra and combat experience!
During a summoning, it wasn't only the summoner who chose the beast; the beast also responded to the summoner. The stronger their compatibility, the less chakra the summoning required.
For instance, when Umino Sadami summoned Senkawa-maru, even summoning the whole beast—fifty meters long—might not use up a tenth of her chakra.
By contrast, a beginner might spend nearly a quarter of their chakra just to summon a Ninja Dog or Ninja Hawk.
Hearing that made Touma blush with embarrassment. When he had summoned a Ninja Hawk before, he'd used nearly a quarter of his chakra—and he'd thought he'd done pretty well!
Haruno Kizashi, who had also learned the Summoning Technique, spent nearly a third of his chakra summoning his small Ninja Dog, Dekai.
Now Touma understood that a summoner's skill wasn't the only factor affecting the chakra cost. Compatibility between summoner and beast mattered just as much.
While Touma was still absorbing this idea, Uncle Umino offered an even more astonishing one. In her view, once a summoner and summoned beast reached a certain level of compatibility, the summoner could borrow the beast's chakra, just like a Jinchūriki!
She even demonstrated how she borrowed Senkawa-maru's chakra to use Water Release Ninjutsu.
However, Umino Sadami felt that her compatibility with Senkawa-maru hadn't yet reached the point of a qualitative change. The chakra she borrowed couldn't pass through the summoning channel intact; too much of it was lost.
That was why she had developed the "Partial Summoning Technique" as a compromise: Senkawa-maru would use a portion of his body to perform a ninjutsu, then send the result through the summoning channel.
In fact, if Uncle Umino knew Jiraiya well, they would surely have a lot to talk about. The summoning techniques taught to Jiraiya by Mount Myoboku were remarkably similar to Umino Sadami's ideas.
For instance, Mount Myoboku's summoning technique could summon part of the Great Toad Gamamaru's body. It could also use the Sage Land's unique environment to preserve a clone that had cultivated Senjutsu Chakra, then summon it for use.
Unfortunately, Umino Sadami had been a little unlucky. When she first used a summoning technique, none of the Three Great Sage Lands chose her to become their representative in the human world.
Just as the two arrived near Sunny City, a series of explosions suddenly rang out from within its walls.
Shouts and battle cries followed in quick succession.
Clearly, fighting had broken out in Sunny City.
Without hesitation, the two vaulted over the tall city wall. They didn't bother circling around to the main gate and entering through the usual channels.
Chaos met their eyes. Ninja battles were raging everywhere in the city. Even the lord's residence, which had been converted into a forward command center during the war, had lost the protection of its barrier and been breached.
Looking more closely, Touma realized that not one of the ninja fighting in the city wore a Konoha Forehead Protector. Instead, he spotted plenty of designs he had never seen before.
Fortunately, Uncle Umino had plenty of experience and quickly identified which hidden villages the Forehead Protectors belonged to.
There were ninja from Kagerou Village in the Land of Rivers, Chougan Village in the Land of Mountains, Frost Village in the Land of Frost, and Snow Village in the Land of Snow. Uncle Umino had even spotted a Forehead Protector from Kannabi Village in the far-flung Land of Islands!
No doubt these ninja from obscure little villages had been lured there by something Hanzō of the Land of Rain had promised them.
They probably hadn't found any Konoha Ninja in the city, so they had started fighting one another instead.
Just as Touma was about to summon the white snake and see if Orochimaru had a way to locate Jiraiya, the two felt a faint ripple rising from the wall beneath their feet.
Uncle Umino might not have recognized what caused it at first, but the sensation was all too familiar to Touma. He had felt something similar during his graduation exam, when he faced Hozuki Mitsuki. It was the chakra ripple produced when a Barrier Pillar charged up.
Touma didn't hesitate. He swiftly entered the elementalized state of "Heavenly Storm Sky Dance," his lower body transforming into a powerful whirlwind. He swept Uncle Umino up and flew toward the outskirts of the city.
Fortunately, he had reacted quickly. Inside the walls, Barrier Pillars activated without warning, rapidly forming a dense green barrier. A moment later, thick yellow-green poisonous gas filled the area inside it.
The ninja still locked in battle within the city didn't even notice the gas. Their exertion made them breathe harder. Even when they realized they had inhaled something, it was already too late for regret.
Once the yellow-green gas had completely dispersed inside the barrier, not a single living creature in Sunny City remained standing. Even the ninja's summoned beasts hadn't escaped.
Only then did Touma spot movement on the ground outside the city. A rustling sound rose, and a large number of Konoha Ninja emerged from underground, each wearing a gas mask. They charged into the city one after another!
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