Strike One Village, Win Over Another!

The large wooden room, though lacking in amenities, was more than adequate for sheltering from the wind and rain in the wild.

Jiraiya and looked around, and then...

He belatedly realized what was happening and looked at Kyohiko in shock.

"That's not right!"

How do you know Wood Release?

"When..."

Jiraiya was completely bewildered.

He was away from Konoha for a short time, and it seemed like everything had suddenly changed; Kyohiko had even Wood Release.

This is unlike the Second Hokage.

It seems they're aiming to emulate the First Hokage!

Jiraiya was speechless, completely forgetting the important matter at hand.

Actually, Minato Namikaze and the others were also very curious about how Kyohiko learned Wood Release...

so.

All four of them turned to look at them.

Kyohiko naturally brought Tsunade "certify" the matter, repeating Tsunade's speculation, Jiraiya left Jiraiya with a mix of emotions.

The power of the Senju Clan is beyond doubt.

Although he doesn't have any obvious Kekkei Genkai other than Wood Release, his naturally strong Chakra and physique are impressive. Now that Kyohiko has awakened such power, they are genuinely happy for him.

"That's amazing!"

Jiraiya sighed.

Senju, Wood Release.

Decades later, it blooms again in the Konoha, much like the cycle of leaves repeating themselves.

Maybe...

Just as Kyohiko said, there is no rule that anyone is necessarily the Child of Prophecy. It could be Nagato, it could be Kyohiko, or it could even be someone else.

but.

With the right guidance, each of them can bring about tremendous and positive changes to the Shinobi World.

Prophecy determines the future, but it cannot determine the process or the outcome.

Jiraiya patted Kyohiko on the shoulder, then sat down and pondered for a moment, roughly understanding how Kyohiko had obtained the crucial information.

"You used Wood Release to infiltrate and obtain information about this alliance?"

"Yes, and then..."

Kyohiko gave a general account of the process.

Jiraiya nodded repeatedly in admiration. Both the tactics and the objectives were very clear, and he was equally amazed by the teamwork between Kyohiko and Kakashi.

One uses Ninjutsu to clear obstacles and suppress enemies.

Another surprise attack, an assassination.

Excellent teamwork!

Minato and Kai's speed and power are equally likely to attract a lot of attention.

Interlocking links.

Even if he were to design it, he couldn't possibly plan it better than Kyohiko, and might even be worse.

after all--

His strength is far superior to that of Minato and Kyohiko now, and he wouldn't need such a meticulous battle plan even when facing three elite squads.

In addition, there is...

"Kakashi, your Lightning Style: Rasengan is very powerful, and it activates your body very quickly, but your reaction and judgment still need practice."

Jiraiya gave this instruction.

In the current squad combat, it is certainly possible to achieve a safe assault by relying on the cover of Kyohiko and Minato.

but.

As ninjas, they couldn't guarantee that they would continue to carry out missions with this team configuration in the future; perhaps each person would be assigned to different missions.

For Kakashi...

How to ensure one's own safety while engaging in individual combat is the key issue at present.

I will continue to work hard.

Kakashi nodded.

"However, you're on the right track. Compared to swordsmanship and Taijutsu, you clearly have a higher talent for Ninjutsu."

Jiraiya remarked with a sigh.

Kakashi learns Ninjutsu almost instantly, without needing much training.

Like Rasengan whose properties change with fusion.

He, Minato, failed to do it.

but.

Kakashi did it!

Although he received some help from Kyohiko, his own talent and hard work were the most important factors.

"Okay, let's get down to business."

Jiraiya picked up the Alliance Scroll. "This scroll is important, but our decision is equally important. It will determine the future of our relationship with Kusagakure."

What do you think?

He looked at the four people.

Kai glanced around, then silently moved back half a seat.

Don't ask me about this!

He adopted a listening-only attitude.

Seeing that neither Kyohiko nor Minato had spoken, Kakashi thought for a moment and said, "I think we should intimidate the Kusagakure, making them wary and hesitant to act rashly."

Where's the Minato?

"I think we should ease tensions with Kusagakure to prevent them from siding with Iwagakure."

Minato Namikaze shared his thoughts.

Jiraiya didn't ask Kyohiko anything, but remained silent for a moment.

He just thought of...

Kakashi and Minato have very distinct styles in their attitudes.

The former was more influenced by Kyohiko, while the latter was more influenced by his past self and the ideals of the Third Hokage.

However, the current Jiraiya doesn't quite agree with Minato's views.

in particular.

During this time, Jiraiya spent a lot of time with Yahiko and the others, and gained a deeper understanding of the mindset of the small ninja village.

Unconditional forgiveness and compromise cannot bring mutual understanding to the Kusagakure, because the survival methods of a small village and a small force determine the future decisions of the Kusagakure.

"Teacher, do you have a different opinion?"

"I haven't decided yet. On one hand, Kusagakure has already signed an alliance and is even planning to intercept you, instead of seeking peace and an alliance with Konoha. This shows that they have already made their decision."

Jiraiya explains.

He sighed softly, "It's probably pointless to try to ease tensions."

Minato Namikaze remained silent.

He had considered Jiraiya's situation to some extent, but apart from mitigating it, he couldn't find a better way to handle it.

"Kyohiko, what about you?"

"Never mind them. The real problem now isn't between us and Kusagakure, but between us and Iwagakure and their allies."

Kyohiko answered.

He looked at Jiraiya: "Teacher, did you get any news about Sunagakure from over there?"

"No, they have no information about Sunagakure."

Jiraiya answered.

He paused for a moment and said, "This means that Sunagakure hasn't moved north, but most likely they're moving south or east, intending to attack us or Kirigakure."

"No, peace talks with Kirigakure are more likely!"

Jiraiya quickly rejected his previous idea.

Kyohiko and Tsunade both had this suspicion, Jiraiya naturally could as well.

Minato Namikaze and Kakashi remained silent.

They understood Jiraiya and Kyohiko's considerations.

If the three powerful ninja villages were to unite and attack Konoha, even if they signaled their intention to negotiate with Kusagakure, Kusagakure might not accept their goodwill.

"This alliance doesn't explicitly state that it will wage war against Konoha; on the surface, it's just a cooperation agreement between the two villages."

At this moment, Jiraiya began to understand Danzo's role.

Those who follow the rules are often bullied; in many cases, it is precisely by breaking the rules that enemies are afraid.

Therefore, the greatest significance of this alliance is...

"Teacher, I think we should make Konoha's stance clear and strike at the pro-war faction, including Asano Yu."

Kyohiko made his stance clear.

After much deliberation, he felt he couldn't afford to be indecisive.

"Wouldn't this be bad?"

Jiraiya still hesitated.

"Thanks to the strength of the First, we were able to establish ourselves in the most prosperous Land of Fire, obtaining the most commissions and resources. To them, we are just a piece of meat; if we show weakness, everyone will take a bite."

A single punch can ward off a hundred!

White Fang, Danzo...

To outsiders, Konoha at present is undoubtedly weak.

so.

The Konoha must reveal their power.

With his mind clear, Kyohiko used Kunai to carve several names on the floor.

The Land of Grass, the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Rain.

After that, the Land of Lightning.

"By attacking the Kusagakure, we can stabilize the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Rain, and then the Kumogakure. We need to ascertain the Kumogakure's attitude to prevent them from betraying the alliance."

Kyohiko pointed to two places.

Defeat one, win over another, and keep two powerful smaller ninja villages under control...

This is all they can do for now.

Minato Namikaze pondered for a while, then nodded slightly. "I agree. Kirigakure has already shown a hostile attitude towards us, so it's impossible to win them over. As for Sunagakure..."

He didn't know much about it, so he looked at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Ever since the Third Kazekage took office, Sunagakure and the Land of Wind have wanted to expand. This unified attitude makes reconciliation impossible."

"Then let's go with Kyohiko's plan. I'll write it. Minato will use the Flying Thunder God to send him to Konoha!"

"Yes!"

Konoha, Hokage Building.

It was late at night, but the office lights were still on.

During the day, they had just held a meeting, but ultimately didn't reach a very precise conclusion, and now—

"Lady Tsunade, this..."

Yamanaka Inoichi was greatly surprised.

Two scrolls.

One document contained intelligence about the alliance, while the other outlined the plans of the frontline squad. Both documents contained an astonishing amount of information.

Kyohiko and his team actually managed to obtain crucial intelligence.

Furthermore, their plan was to directly launch a war against the pro-war faction in Kusagakure.

Isn't that too radical?

He almost thought that this was Danzo's decision.

The key point is that Jiraiya actually approved of it and wrote the document himself.

"Lord Jiraiya considers many things, not just the relationship between us, Iwagakure, and Kusagakure."

Nara Shikaku carefully read through the document, let out a soft sigh, and a look of admiration appeared on his face. "Actually, their ideas align with your previous direction, and I wholeheartedly agree."

He understood immediately.

This is not Jiraiya's idea!

Or rather, this isn't Jiraiya style of thinking; it's more like Kyohiko's style, but it's similar to what he was thinking.

Tsunade nodded.

During the day, Shikaku did say that their current priority was to stabilize the Kumogakure, rather than worrying about affecting unity.

pity...

Those two old stubborn fools!

Shikaku said, "Lord Hokage, the current situation can no longer be eased by simply showing goodwill. Rather, we have already appeared weaker in the eyes of outsiders, so..."

Then, in a firm tone, she declared, "We're going to throw a punch!"

She slammed her fist on the table.

However, this time she didn't use Strength of a Hundred; it was just a normal strike.

"I approve of the decision Jonin Jiraiya, Minato, Kyohiko, and agree to execute the plan on the scroll. What about you?"

Tsunade looked at Yamanaka Inoichi and Nara Shikaku.

Shikaku immediately raised his hand.

Inoichi raised his hand. "I agree, but, shouldn't we...?"

"Let's get it done first, then we'll have a meeting to discuss it! Efficiency is the most important thing right now. If we wake them up, who knows how long the meeting will go on?"

Tsunade's tone was firm and left no room for argument, "Inoichi, relay my order: the Anbu must swiftly deliver the latest intelligence to Orochimaru in the west, making sure he pays attention to the movements of Sunagakure."

"Furthermore, the Anbu ninjas should be wary of spies from the directions of Sunagakure and Kirigakure, and eliminate them immediately upon discovery."

Tsunade continued to issue orders.

Yamanaka Inoichi's expression turned solemn, and he immediately stood still. "Yes!"

"Shikaku, I need your opinion regarding the northern front."

"Lord Hokage, I think..."

Shikaku pondered for a moment, "Kusagakure, send more elite teams, led by Lord Jiraiya, to put pressure on Kusagakure. The ultimate goal is to force Asano Yu to step down or commit suicide to atone for his crimes."

This is an act to establish authority.

By Jiraiya take action, Konoha's resolve can be demonstrated. By focusing the attack on Asano Yu, the scope of the strike can be narrowed, preventing Kusagakure from turning against Iwagakure.

What about Kumogakure (Kumogakure)?

"Let Minato and Kyohiko's team go under the guise of an exchange, but we still need to send a few more teams to provide support. We still have an alliance with Kumogakure, so we can't afford to escalate our attitude directly."

Nara Shikaku said.

Tsunade immediately laid out the plan. "Alright, you all take Hizashi with you. I'll leave the decisions and handling of the Mist Village and Kumogakure directions to you."

"Lord Hokage, this..."

A look of deep surprise appeared on Nara Shikaku's face.

Let him decide what happens in the east?

That's incredibly trusting!

"I believe in your abilities. If things really do develop in a direction we don't want to see, I'll have the Old Man go and oversee things from your side."

Tsunade's thoughts raced.

If a war were to break out, Shikaku and the others would still be too young and lack the authority to lead so many ninjas.

Shikaku breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes!"

After resting for four hours in the north, Kyohiko finally recovered his physical strength and energy, and only then did he have time to look at the messages he hadn't had time to examine closely the night before.

[Speed is of the Godspeed! You have obtained crucial intelligence about the threat to the village and have made the correct strategic decisions.]

[Reward: Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique Upgrade]

Water Dragon Bullet Technique.

Previously, thanks to the guidance of Maruboshi Kosuke and Kyohiko's own hard work, he had already mastered the Water Dragon Bullet technique.

Although its power was considerable, Kyohiko failed to make further improvements in his technique.

And now.

Reaching the "master" level directly.

Kyohiko integrated and reflected upon these experiences, and then a clear understanding dawned on him.

first--

Six mudras are reduced to just Hand Seals.

Although it only involves omitting three seals, which might only take half a second in a battle, in a life-or-death struggle, half a second can make a big difference.

Secondly, the simpler the printing, the higher the likelihood of it being done with one hand.

not to mention.

This section on the omission of Hand Seals is equally important.

Even just this part alone makes the reward quite substantial.

In addition, there's Kyohiko's own understanding of the Water Dragon Bullet technique.

The master-level Water Dragon Bullet can perfectly integrate property change and form change, making it closer to the state of Hard Whirlpool Water Blade. After the water dragon dissipates, it can still release a concentrated water blade.

This is the second change.

It has undergone further improvements and innovations based on Kyohiko's current improvements.

"This technique is absolutely devastating on the battlefield."

With its second transformation, the Water Dragon Bullet's power increases dramatically, especially when facing numerous enemies.

If we had mastered it yesterday, the casualties in Iwagakure would have been even greater.

Kyohiko was very satisfied.

He was about to go out and try, when he Gate of Opening and heard footsteps coming from the direction of Konoha in the dim light.

A few seconds later, a figure landed.

"You guys have it so easy."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke was surprised.

Building such a wooden cabin in the wild is by no means an easy task, unless...

He carefully observed his surroundings, and then he couldn't help but be shocked.

There were no signs of logging in the surrounding area.

This means...

The wooden house in front of us wasn't built at all, but rather a product of some kind of Ninjutsu.

Wood Release?

He stared intently at Kyohiko.

Kyohiko nodded.

Then he smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone here is on our side. If there are any enemies, I'll dispel the Ninjutsu immediately."

"This, this, this..."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke in a state of confusion.

Fortunately, Kyohiko had seen him in this condition many times before.

He quickly interrupted and reminded him.

"What message did the Lord Hokage send you to deliver?"

"Oh, with Lord Jiraiya leading the elite team that arrived later to complete the operation against Kusagakure, you will proceed to Kumogakure to communicate and exchange ideas with Kumogakure."

Shinnosuke replied, "You and Minato are in charge."

"Yes!"

Kyohiko's expression turned serious.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke sighed and said, "Many people have just graduated and will face the test of war. It's really not the right time!"

"It's not time for them to go to the battlefield yet."

Kyohiko shook his head.

How could Asuma and his group, who had just graduated, be immediately sent to the battlefield?

In any case, they need to do various tasks to hone their skills and develop a sense of teamwork before discussing anything else.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke sighed slightly, then handed them the mission sheet and turned to leave.

He still has a lot of things to do in the Anbu, so he can't leave for too long.

The next moment, Jiraiya and Minato Gate of Opening the door and came out.

They had heard the commotion long ago.

"You guys go ahead, you've been a great help here."

Jiraiya smiled.

But then, his smile faded, and he patted Minato and Kyohiko on the shoulders instead.

"If war really breaks out, there will be many places where you might be needed, so no matter what the situation is in Kumogakure, you must come back alive."

"Yes!"