Three Squads Against One-We've Got the Advantage!

Call out!

Minato grabbed Kai and crossed the border directly to Kyohiko's side.

"Phew, I'm here."

Kai looked around and sighed softly, "I'm sorry, this kind of infiltration operation is really not suitable for me!"

He felt he was holding the team back.

If it weren't for him, the other three wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble.

"It's nothing. Everyone has their own area of expertise. It's normal that you can't do this kind of thing because you're not good at Ninjutsu."

Minato smiled and offered words of comfort.

Kyohiko's gaze swept around, then settled on the north.

"Let's disguise ourselves as Grass Ninja and cross the border."

Um?

Minato's eyes lit up; he realized this was a great idea.

Even if there are ninjas from Takigakure, they won't become suspicious just because the Land of Grass Ninja patrolling. At most, they'll feel that the Kusagakure is a little wary.

but.

Given the movements of the Kusagakure and the Iwagakure, the surrounding smaller ninja villages would have no reason to suspect anything.

"Let's do it this way!"

Heading north.

They quickly arrived at the vicinity of Kusagakure.

As a small country, Kusagakure is not too far from the border; for ninjas, it's only about an hour's journey.

evening.

Kusagakure, the leader's office in the main building.

"Jonin, we can provide you with assistance, but we cannot participate in combat; that would violate our alliance with Konoha."

"An alliance? You've already cooperated with us, so why are you still concerned about Konoha? Do you really think Konoha will trust you like before after the war starts?"

Kari sneered.

The old man, still trying to play the indecisive game!

He glanced at Kitsuchi and, seeing he didn't move, pressed on. "Your Kusagakure needs to be firm in your stance. Either help us, or simply help Konoha. That way, our Iwagakure will have a clear decision. Otherwise..."

Hunting's gaze was sinister.

"How can we be sure you won't stab Iwagakure in the back while we're dealing with Konoha?"

"Hunter! Don't talk nonsense. Since the leader of the Grass Ninja has agreed, he certainly won't go back on his word. At the very least, he'll help us supply money, food, and medicine, right?"

Beside the Kitsuchi, a Jonin named Mahiru Jonin.

The leader of the Grass Ninja, Asano Yu, forced a fawning smile and nodded repeatedly, "Of course, of course! Now that we've made our decision, we certainly won't betray Iwagakure, but Kusagakure's strength is indeed limited, and we can't provide any more assistance..."

His gaze fell on the Kitsuchi in the middle.

Of the three ninja teams, as Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi's rank is clearly the highest.

To some extent, he represented Ōnoki's attitude.

Kitsuchi didn't express his opinion, but judging from his expression, he was clearly not happy and could not agree with Asano Yu's conditions.

They only wished to open the road so that they could pass safely, and the Kusagakure would not interfere in the battle between the two villages...

They want to please both sides.

What kind of good deal is that?

Although he wasn't good at these things, Ōnoki had given him instructions before he left: this time, he absolutely couldn't let Kusagakure try to please both sides; he had to get a clear stance from them.

At least a pledge of allegiance should be given.

There was a moment of silence between the two sides.

However.

Unbeknownst to them, a vine had quietly spread from the narrow window beside them, climbing up the wall and clinging to it.

The vines blended seamlessly with the surrounding walls and tall trees, making them indistinguishable from each other.

The people inside are still arguing.

Finally, the Kitsuchi opened its mouth.

"Alright, we understand your village's difficulties, and we know your village doesn't want to directly antagonize Konoha. But your village is backed by Konoha and located at a key point on the trade route, so you must have a lot of money, right?"

The demands made by the others have raised the bar for Iwagakure.

Upon suddenly having the conditions lifted, Asano Yu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

I had heard that Ōnoki's son was simple-minded and easy to talk to.

He really is honest and simple.

"We can certainly agree to the money and military supplies, thank you for your understanding, everyone from Iwagakure! Please inform the Tsuchikage that Kusagakure will make all the necessary arrangements and provide information about the Land of Fire and Konoha so that you can act at the most opportune time..."

Asano Yu was speaking.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside.

He immediately stopped talking, raised his hand to signal, then walked to the door, Gate of Opening, and looked outside.

An Anbu Ninja arrived.

"Chief, something terrible has happened!"

"Don't panic, what's wrong?"

Asano Yu asked calmly.

Anbu Ninja handed over Intelligence Scroll.

"Latest intelligence from the Land of Fire, please take a look."

"Um."

Asano Yu took it.

Then his expression suddenly changed, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Okay, I understand. Have them continue monitoring, and report back immediately if they have any information."

"Yes!"

Asano Yu stepped down.

After waiting a moment, he closed the door and went back inside.

"Chief Asano, has Konoha made any moves?"

"That's right. According to reports from our caravans and Anbu in the Land of Fire, Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin, has now arrived in the northern part of the Land of Fire."

Asano Yu licked his lips, looking somewhat flustered, and quickly handed the scroll to Kitsuchi.

Kitsuchi took it, his face solemn.

Jiraiya...

None of the Konoha Sannin were easy to deal with.

If it were in the past, when Hiruzen Sarutobi was still in power, Asano Yu wouldn't have been so afraid.

He knew Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Given Hiruzen Sarutobi's personality, his foreign policy prioritizes stability, and he rarely makes decisions to launch proactive attacks. Even if he knows that Kusagakure is biased, he will not take the initiative to attack.

but.

Tsunade is a little different.

I heard that all of Tsunade's family members died in the war. Does anyone know what her policy leans?

Kitsuchi glanced at it, then looked at Asano Yu, his gaze shifting as he formed an idea.

"Chief Asano, I don't think Konoha will attack; they just want to intimidate us."

"Oh? Why?"

Asano Yu immediately inquired.

Kitsuchi explained, "If Tsunade's attitude were more aggressive and radical, Danzo would be overjoyed. Why would he leave Konoha and go to Kyoto to try and make a comeback?"

He is Jonin and the son of Ōnoki.

He's not particularly cunning, but he's not stupid either; he has basic judgment.

In terms of radicalism, no one is more radical or terrifying than Danzo, which also reveals their policy direction.

"Alright, I agree to your conditions. We will support you with intelligence and supplies, but we will not provide direct personnel assistance overtly."

Asano Yu took out a pen and signed his name on the contract.

The Kitsuchi also bears its name.

In the end, Kari and Asano Yu each kept a copy.

Outside, Kyohiko remained calm and composed.

Judging from Danzo's whereabouts, Tsunade may indeed lean towards the moderates, but moderation is relative, and she could never tolerate the actions of Kusagakure.

Although Tsunade did not give direct orders when they left, it is true that when a general is in the field, he may disobey the emperor's orders.

Let's do it first and talk about it later!

Once they left the secret room, the Shadow Clone lurking outside vanished instantly.

The Land of Grass, a narrow pass near the Kannabi Bridge.

"Kitsuchi, we came here under the orders of Lord Tsuchikage. Wouldn't it be too humiliating to go back like this!"

Although the other party was Ōnoki's son, Kari was not very polite.

He was not very satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations.

Previously, there was support in terms of interests and intelligence, but now it has been put on hold, and the offensive plan has been suspended.

Isn't this child's play?

Kitsuchi patiently explained his perspective, "Hunter, I know you're anxious, but the situation is unclear right now. I don't think we can act rashly. Securing supplies, intelligence, and regional assistance from Kusagakure is already a very good result!"

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the others.

"Are you like the Hunting?"

"..."

Everyone remained silent.

The Kitsuchi sighed softly.

"The atmosphere in the village is too dangerous. Everyone wants to start a war, but can we really defeat Kumogakure and Konoha? What if we fail and the losses are too great?"

After he finished speaking, he silently walked forward.

The others sneered but didn't reply, following behind.

They clearly didn't approve.

They were behind, keeping their distance from the people in front.

At that very moment--

Suddenly, a sound exploded in the forest.

"Who?"

They immediately turned around and looked in the direction of the sound.

but.

Soon, a figure flashed out from the other side, followed by more than a dozen small teams that charged out like ghosts.

Shou gave a cold laugh and immediately Hand Seals.

In an instant, a roar came from the ground.

However.

None of them are the real ones.

Are they all clones?

In an instant, everyone became alert, and earthen walls immediately rose up one after another.

These are all Chunin and Jonin, each with exceptional speed, reaction time, and abilities, and their teamwork is superb.

In the blink of an eye, they had built a fortress-like defense, while several others used Earth Style is a type of magic or magic) to descend, preparing to launch a sneak attack from the shadows.

Positional warfare is precisely the method that Iwagakure) excels at.

After establishing their position and observing the area, they used Ninjutsu to bombard it, and discovered that there were only two real bodies on this side.

Minato Namikaze Might Guy charged towards them from one direction.

Minato was fast, but Kai was no slower either; he opened the "Gate of Opening" directly without holding back at all.

because...

Tactically, they were only supporting players, not the main attackers.

The goal is not to kill all of the enemy, but rather --

Get that agreement!

"You few from Konoha, you dare to attack us?"

In Body Flicker Technique, the Mahiru lunged at Minato.

He's also quite fast.

In the instant he charged forward, Hand Seals, and his figure split in two.

He then drew his sword and charged towards the blind spot of the Minato.

Just as the three of them passed each other...

A Kunai thrown out.

At the same time, Might Guy Body Flicker Technique, delivering a Leaf Whirlwind Rasengan to one of their arms, while Minato dodged the blade and countered with a Rasengan.

It's Shadow Clone.

An earthen wall rose up, separating the two sides.

At the same time, spiders crawled out from under their feet.

Explosion Style!

Just as they were about to explode.

Minato Namikaze grabbed Kai's shoulder and in an instant, they were over the earthen wall and behind Mahiru.

"What?"

A look of horror flashed in the Mahiru's eyes.

He didn't have time to react, or even to figure out what had happened.

Bump!

The powerful impact gave him an unparalleled "push-back" sensation.

With a loud bang...

He was slammed into the ground by the Rasengan, but fortunately, his teammates came to his rescue. They used Earth Style to dig out a layer of soil and quickly pulled him away.

Minato Namikaze and Guy's charge had already attracted the attention of two squads, while the other two squads were also watching this side, wary that there might be others lurking in their presence.

At that very moment--

Sizzle!

A low, sharp, high-frequency rumble of thunder came from the other side.

Lightning Style?

"Not good!"

"I'll do it!"

Hunt's face darkened, and he immediately swung a punch in the direction from which the thunder had come.

However.

The next instant, the earthen wall in front of them was breached by a jet of water crackled with lightning.

Following closely behind--

Lightning spread, and in an instant Earth Style Wall collapsed, turning into a pile of broken clods of earth.

A figure rushed up from behind the ninja.

Kakashi, wielding rolling lightning, moved swiftly forward after activating his Lightning Style technique, arriving before him in the blink of an eye.

Spikes of earth came flying at them.

but.

Kyohiko Hand Seals with one hand, and in an instant, he spat out a jet of water. Then, using his sword as a guide, he continuously poured Lightning Style Chakra into the water jet.

Combination Ninjutsu: Lightning Water Wave!

The combination of Water Style and Senjutsu Chakra unleashes astonishing destructive power, further amplified by Lightning Style—

The lightning-infused water column swept away all obstacles in Kakashi's path, unstoppable.

But this is limited to obstacles.

The water column moved slowly, and apart from a very few Chunin were directly blown away and killed by the jutsu, most Jonin used their own methods and Earth Style to dodge it.

But.

At that moment, Kakashi was already in front of Kari, his fist aimed at him.

Hunting's lips curled into a slight smile.

Before the Ninjutsu clashed, the Chakra in his fist suddenly exploded.

Explosion Style: Landmine Fist!

However.

The next second, an expression of disbelief and astonishment appeared on his face—

The opponent's hand was like a spear or spike, piercing through his Landmine Fist Chakra, shattering Kari's arm, and cutting all the way down to his throat.

Lightning Water Rasengan!

Under Kyohiko's cover, Kakashi's technique successfully unleashed its terrifying destructive power.

"What?"

The Kitsuchi and the Mahiru were both horrifying.

What kind of technique is this?

How could there be such terrifying destructive power!

They stared ahead in disbelief as the Chakra collided, sending Kari's head flying into the air, while his body was grabbed and pulled backward.

They quickly realized what was happening—

The alliance agreement is still with Hunt!

Kitsuchi's expression changed drastically. "Stop them!"

However.

Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze and Might Guy were also creating chaos.

Minato was skilled in Body Flicker Technique, Flying Thunder God, and Rasengan, but that didn't mean he couldn't use ordinary Ninjutsu; he immediately unleashed a burst of flames.

Kakashi grabbed the corpse and immediately Body Flicker Technique backward.

This Ninjutsu, which combines nature transformation and form transformation, unleashed terrifying surprise and destructive power the first time it appeared on the battlefield.

Seeing him leave with the corpse, Kitsuchi panicked, Hand Seals, and manipulated the land on both sides with Ninjutsu, causing it to crack open.

Kakashi suddenly lost his footing, and several figures emerged from the ground.

No words are needed.

Kyohiko has completed his Ninjutsu.

The main body forms the Water Dragon Bullet, Shadow Clone forms the Lightning Style seal.

Immortal Technique: Thunder Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!

The roaring, lightning-filled water dragon rolled forward.

Condensed from Senjutsu Chakra and improved by Kyohiko, the special Water Dragon Bullet is indestructible.

Earth Style Wall?

Earth Style: Earth Spider?

Any Earth Style escape technique will crumble upon it, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake!

The villagers from Iwagakure were horrified, their expressions changing drastically.

Before Lightning Style, Earth Style was naturally countered, not to mention that Kyohiko's technique was enhanced with Senjutsu Chakra, making it even more powerful than ordinary Ninjutsu.

One by one, earthen walls rose and crumbled.

finally.

Finally, a mountain rose up, directly blocking the advance of the Lightning Water Dragon Bullet.

Everyone felt a wave of relief.

But then, they felt ashamed and afraid.

The opponent, a single person, suppressed all six of them with Ninjutsu. Although there was an elemental advantage/disadvantage, the power of the opponent's Ninjutsu was undeniably formidable.

Who exactly are they?

"I don't know, but..."

The Kitsuchi seemed to be breathing heavily.

He never imagined that one day he would face such terrifying Ninjutsu.

Although they managed to block the terrifying attack with their heavy defenses, it also meant they lost the opportunity to advance and pursue.

Once everything had settled down, Kyohiko and Kakashi had already left.

Minato Namikaze, along with Guy, left using the Flying Thunder God Technique, leaving behind a scene of utter chaos, a wide-eyed, shocked head, and the corpses of the other four Chunin.

The loss is too great!

Everyone fell silent.

Even without what just happened, if they had given chase, they might not have caught up with their opponent, and it could have resulted in even greater losses.

At this moment, everyone finally looked at the Kitsuchi.

"Kitsuchi, what... what should we do?"

"Let's take the Mahiru back to heal its wounds first, and then we'll see what Lord Tsuchikage decides."

Kitsuchi frowned.

The destructive power of the Ninjutsu displayed by the opponent far exceeded their expectations.

Furthermore, these people's appearances must have been disguised using Transformation Technique, as their identities and origins cannot be discerned from their appearances alone. As for Ninjutsu, I've never heard of those specific Ninjutsu before.

The move that killed Gari, in particular, reminded him of the Third Raikage's Hell Stab.

He even suspected—

Could these people be from Kumogakure)?

I don't understand.

"Let's go back first."

Kitsuchi could already imagine the village's reaction when he returned.

Regardless of whether the opponent is a ninja from Kumogakure or Konoha, there is no doubt that the opponent is powerful. These people, who were previously fanatical and warlike, have suddenly lost their temper after being punched and want to take the blame for the decision.

The Kitsuchi is honest and easy to get along with, but it can also be stifling at times, making it difficult to vent one's frustrations.

He really felt...

Those people in the village should seriously consider whether they should persist in their idea of war.

Kitsuchi directed everyone to collect the corpses and wounded.

Normally, it would be faster to send the wounded to the Kusagakure for treatment, but times have changed.

After something like this happened, sending them to the Kusagakure might just be sending them as food.

Asano Yu is no pushover.

and.

There's something about Kitsuchi that he doesn't quite understand.

The other party was clearly after Hunter; their sole objective was to kill Hunter instantly and seize the alliance documents from his person.

They deployed many hidden sentries outside.

At the time, they had no idea anyone was approaching or eavesdropping. How did these four people know that the information was on Hunting?

Kusagakure.

In the leader's office, Asano Yu quickly formulated a plan and instructed his subordinates to carry it out.

He lay back in the chair, pondering the pros and cons.

"Why!"

"Since it's already done, there's no going back. Konoha has undergone tremendous changes, so cooperating with Iwagakure was a wise move."

He repeatedly tried to persuade himself.

However.

Just then, a loud crash came from outside, followed by a Anbu Ninja rushing open the door.

"What kind of talk is this, rushing around in a panic?"

Asano Yu's eyes widened, his gaze filled with anger.

The other person's tone was filled with fear.

"Chief, the ninjas of Iwagakure Iwagakure attacked near Kannabi Bridge. Judging from the traces at the scene, they suffered considerable casualties and have now returned to the Land of Earth."

"What?!!!"

Asano Yu suddenly stood up, finally unable to maintain his composure.

His hands trembled uncontrollably.

How is that possible?!

Those are three elite squads!

"Is it Konoha? How many people came?"

"I don't know. When we arrived, the Iwagakure Ninja had already packed up and left, but judging from the traces at the scene, there shouldn't be many. Also, there were traces of Lightning Release Ninjutsu."

"This... this..."

Asano Yu's mind was in chaos, and he was completely at a loss for what to do.

not much.

Lightning Release Ninjutsu.

Could it be that the Kumogakure made a move?

His lips trembled as he thought of another very important question.

That alliance agreement shouldn't have been taken by the enemy, right?

He cried out in alarm, "Quick! Send someone to Iwagakure to find out what happened! Hurry! It'll be too late if we delay!"

"Yes!"