Two Moves to Defeat Kusagakure!

At the border of the Land of Grass, Jiraiya looked at the two people beside him with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

These two --

On the left, Might Duy looked around.

On the right, Chen Baojun stands tall and imposing, exuding the air of a Taijutsu master.

Jiraiya didn't doubt the two's strength; he knew Might Duy's power and understood that Chen Baojun was no ordinary person. But precisely because of this, he suspected that Tsunade sent them here to directly wipe out Kusagakure.

Jiraiya pondered for a moment, feeling that he needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Dai, Baojun, what were Tsunade's instructions when she sent you here?"

"I'm just an ordinary Genin, under the command of Lord Jiraiya."

Might Duy was genuine.

Jiraiya looked at Chen Baojun, Chen Baojun remained respectful and addressed him. "Let's unleash the power of Taijutsu and intimidate the surrounding ninja villages!"

"I see."

Jiraiya nodded.

After a moment's thought, he asked, "If you can guarantee your own absolute safety, what is the maximum number of gates you can deploy?"

"I can open the Seventh Gate. After the last attempt, I've been communicating with Bao Jun frequently. I can now unleash a move while still retaining consciousness, but it will take a long time and Medical Ninjutsu treatment to fully recover my fighting strength."

Might Duy answered truthfully.

Chen Baojun said, "I'm ashamed to say that my cultivation is too short, and my body is far inferior to Dai's. I can only open the Sixth Gate."

Jiraiya pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

He looked around.

Ten elite squads, not many in number, but all of them are elite Chunin or above, making them a formidable force compared to the Kusagakure.

Might Duy and Chen Baojun are key figures in this discussion.

A tactical plan had already formed in his mind. He immediately raised his hand and shouted, "I'll lead the way, straight into the heart of the enemy territory, and bring them to justice outside the Kusagakure!"

"Yes!"

Morning, Kusagakure.

The leader's office.

"Leader, Hokage Sarutobi isn't Hiruzen Sarutobi anymore. Konoha isn't so easy to deal with. We haven't heard anything from them yet. Let's go up and apologize!"

The two elders spoke earnestly and patiently.

Apologize!

It's not shameful to be from Konoha!

However, Asano Yu had a slightly different opinion.

He looked at the elders and advisors. "Is Konoha guaranteed to win? Even if we apologize to Konoha, they won't fully trust us, and if Iwagakure is going to attack, they'll inevitably have to attack us..."

Asano Yu's tone was firm.

"Everyone, Iwagakure is not as strong as Konoha. Only by cooperating with them can we gain more say in the matter, instead of having to be subservient to them all these years."

"You, you're insane!"

The two elders stared in shock at the leader they had chosen.

They felt their leader had gone mad.

but.

Even crazier is--

"Does Konoha still think it's like it used to be? Hashirama Senju and Senju Tobirama are dead, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo have collapsed, and there's only Tsunade. What's there to be afraid of!"

The Jonin spoke up for their leader.

They want to fight too.

Just then, the Anbu Ninja rushed in from outside, their footsteps so hurried that they could be heard inside the house.

Before long, a report was placed on their table, containing intelligence analysis from Iwagakure regarding the attack.

"Everyone, according to the description from Iwagakure, Konoha dispatched two teams; their strength isn't as exaggerated as some claim."

Asano Yu handed them the information.

Silence fell over the office.

After a long while, the two elders came out, exchanged a glance, and sighed softly.

Over the past decade or so, although the Kusagakure participated in the war, it was not at the center of the conflict, allowing them to oscillate between conflicting interests. However, many people have forgotten the strength of the Konoha.

War kills people!

Asano Yu was very determined; he had even sent a letter to Ōnoki expressing his willingness to cooperate deeply. However, before the letter could be sent, another piece of news arrived—

"My lord, no, something terrible has happened! Something terribly bad has occurred!"

What's the matter that you're in such a panic?

Asano Yu was somewhat dissatisfied.

Before the war even started, they were already in disarray.

This won't do.

Just as he was about to reprimand him, the Jonin who delivered the message Jonin up, his face filled with panic and fear.

"Konoha, Konoha is attacking! Led by Sannin, one of the Jiraiya, there are ten elite squads!"

"What?"

Jiraiya!

Asano Yu was incredulous, and then a sense of fear welled up from the bottom of his heart.

How could Konoha be so fast?

It wasn't like this before!

His face paled slightly as he looked at the other person, then forced himself to remain calm. "Only ten teams, gathering the village's ninjas..."

"My lord!"

The Jonin shocked, and even more terrified. "You still want to fight them?"

"Fight! We must fight! You, hurry to the Land of Earth and tell Ōnoki about the situation here. Tell him to bring reinforcements as soon as possible. If we can wipe out these ten squads together, the other villages will all attack us!"

Asano Yu said fiercely.

The Jonin licked his lips, his face filled with fear, panic, and shock.

In the end...

The leader was surprisingly tough.

Isn't this sending everyone to their deaths?

He had already given up in his heart. Shouting slogans was fine, but he couldn't actually fight!

But.

For Asano Yu, there was no turning back.

He knew.

If Konoha is going to send ninja, they should at least kill him and purge the factions within Kusagakure that have sided with Iwagakure before they can withdraw their troops.

He immediately summoned the ninjas.

In just half an hour, dozens of Jonin and two to three hundred Chunin from the village had all gathered.

At that very moment.

"Asano Yu, I've been moving so slowly with my men, you should have gathered them all by now, right?"

Jiraiya's voice, amplified by Chakra, resounded throughout most of Kusagakure.

Then, the sound rang out again.

"The leader of Kusagakure, Asano Yu, broke the alliance and signed an alliance pact with Iwagakure, even discussing a joint attack on Konoha, with Iwagakure providing relevant intelligence and funds."

"I know that many people yearn for peace and do not want war to break out, so in Konoha we only punish the ringleaders. Those who do not participate in the battle or voluntarily withdraw will not be killed."

Jiraiya loudly read out the "statement".

Asano Yu felt ice-cold all over.

Konoha...

That's too ruthless!

This statement will severely damage his prestige in the village, regardless of whether he wins or loses.

even.

If he falls into a disadvantageous position, the elders and Jonin might capture him to quell Konoha's anger.

He was trembling all over, and the biggest thought in his mind was--

Escape!

but.

At this moment, many ninjas had surrounded him.

"My lord."

"Let's go! I refuse to believe we're inferior to Konoha!"

Asano Yu gritted his teeth and said.

He knew he had no way out.

They could either lead the Kusagakure to defeat the current formidable enemy, and then join forces with the Iwagakure to attack the Konoha and seize greater benefits.

Or...

Die, or be killed by the other ninjas in the village!

Despite his despair, he forced a smile and led everyone out, charging ahead at the forefront.

There's still a glimmer of hope!

Behind Asano Yu were dozens of ninjas, all of whom advocated fighting Konoha.

He mustered his courage to face Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya, don't make things up without evidence!"

"Of course I have evidence."

Jiraiya took out a scroll, which he immediately recognized as the alliance document he had Kitsuchi with Iwagakure, a pledge of allegiance to the Iwagakure.

but.

Asano Yu already knew the information, so how could he show any weakness?

"If the Land of Fire wants to annex our Land of Grass, they should just come directly. Why bother with this document?"

He looked around.

"Gentlemen, Konoha sent people to infiltrate our village before, and now they've brought more. Clearly, this was planned in advance. Hold on, the Iwagakure ninja will arrive soon."

"If we win, we can seize more fertile land and get more money and commissions..."

Asano Yu shouted loudly.

He had no intention of reasoning with them; he directly instigated his men to prepare for an attack.

"Let's give it our all!"

"Fight them!"

Loud shouts echoed throughout the village.

Jiraiya glanced around, his eyes filled with disappointment.

In the past, Konoha and the Land of Fire were very kind to Kusagakure and the Land of Grass, and many conditions were very lenient.

This is Hiruzen Sarutobi's policy.

He wanted to use this to influence the Kusagakure and make them understand the goodness of Konoha, but...

Influence?

Oh!

Jiraiya increasingly felt that communication and love were not enough to create empathy between them, otherwise the scene before him would not have unfolded.

A full 70%!

Seventy percent of the Grass Ninja actually want to go to war with Konoha.

Everything is driven by self-interest.

Driven by desire, they believe that in the current situation, only power and force can calm the other side down and allow them to properly discuss peace.

Jiraiya looked ahead.

"Those who don't want to fight, you can step back and stand further away now."

The crowd surged, and finally...

The remaining 30 people shrank back. Asano Yu snorted coldly but said nothing.

Jiraiya closed his eyes, then looked at Might Duy and Chen Baojun, and whispered, "You two, make your move. Use your strongest abilities."

"Yes!"

The two agreed.

Then--

Gate of View, open!

A special green Chakra enveloped them, and the next moment, Might Duy gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

Open the Gate of Wonder!

The Seventh Gate, now reopened, exuded a terrifying aura.

Asano Yu Jonin the Grass Ninja Clan were puzzled.

Why did the opponent suddenly unleash Chakra from hundreds of steps away?

but.

The next instant, their pupils all contracted.

because--

The other party had arrived not far in front of them.

How is that possible?!

Asano Yu was standing at the very front, was utterly shocked.

Even Jonin skilled in Taijutsu couldn't possibly appear in front of them instantly.

The next moment, his eyes widened.

The ridiculous-looking Konoha Ninja in front of them suddenly erupted with blue energy, transforming into a huge blue cloud of energy that then burst forth like a ferocious beast.

Aww!

He vaguely heard the roar of a tiger.

But he could no longer hear.

Boom!

The air mass swept through, turning everything into ruins.

Even more terrifying is...

Fireballs rained down from the sky.

Sixth Gate Taijutsu, Morning Peacock!

Flames and ferocious beasts arrived together, appearing to the many ninja from the Kusagakure as a force capable of destroying the world, causing them to flee, trample, and descend into chaos.

In the blink of an eye, the vast Kusagakure was left with only fear, panic, and endless despair.

Before my eyes...

A huge area, everything is gone!

Not only were the people of Kusagakure shocked and terrified, but even the ninjas of Konoha were unable to remain calm, with many showing expressions of shock and horror on their faces.

They all knew about Might Duy's situation.

A perennial Genin who only Taijutsu.

The possibility of Dai mastering this level of Ninjutsu is almost zero, so there's only one possibility—

This is a Taijutsu!

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Hiashi would never have believed that such Taijutsu actually existed in the world. Looking at the scene before him, he felt that all his views on life had been overturned.

No wonder...

Tsunade allowed him to accompany her.

She probably wanted to let herself know that there was a kind of Taijutsu in the world that surpassed ordinary Taijutsu.

Hiashi pursed his lips, his mind in turmoil.

Taking advantage of the continued effect of the Eight Inner Gates, Dai and Chen Baojun Body Flicker Technique behind Jiraiya, appearing completely unaffected.

In front of Kusagakure, all was deathly silent.

These two attacks only killed about 30-40% of the ninjas in the front ranks, but for the Kusagakure, it meant that just two people had killed nearly half of the ninjas they had just gathered.

If there were more...

Could just a few people wipe out their entire village?

They were terrified.

"Now, tell me your answer. Do you still want to fight?"

Jiraiya scanned his surroundings.

Immediately, the survivors fell silent.

This scene was truly shocking, leaving them all speechless.

They dared not speak, all terrified to the extreme. It was already quite an achievement for each of them to remain standing, including the two elders.

After a long while, they Lightning Style: Earth Flash out, trembling.

"We... we surrender! We beg Lord Jiraiya forgive us! Forgive our sins!"

They knelt down, pleading for forgiveness in the form of a dogeza (thunderbolt).

Jiraiya fell silent.

"Hiashi, the rest is up to you."

"Yes!"

Hiashi is trying to remain calm.

But he knew.

At this moment, all his past views and beliefs were trampled underfoot by this forbidden Taijutsu called "Eight Inner Gates".

By Byakugan, he knew very well—

Although Dai and Chen Baojun were injured, their lives were not in danger. As long as they received treatment, protection, and sufficient rest, they could recover their previous combat capabilities.

As long as the Eighth Gate is not opened, completely freeing the human body from its shackles, it should be possible to continuously open and close it, and even, once the physical body is strong enough, to achieve an effect close to conventional Taijutsu.

Can Gentle Fist truly surpass this kind of Strong Fist Taijutsu?

Hyuga Hiashi step toward Kusagakure, followed by many of Konoha's elites.

Compared to the entire Kusagakure, the destructive power of these two techniques is actually not that terrifying. If the Grass Ninja were scattered, these techniques would not be able to create such terrifying destructive power.

but.

Even against a small group of people, this technique is terrifying and impossible to resist.

Exhausted, Might Duy and Chen Baojun exchanged a glance and forced a smile.

They came today not to show off their strength, but to protect Konoha and the Land of Fire, and to prove to everyone—

Taijutsu ninjas can be just as strong and play a crucial role in missions and battles!

They did it.

but.

The two of them looked at Jiraiya.

As the strategist, Jiraiya wasn't particularly happy at the moment.

After treatment and rest, Might Duy was much better, and he Lightning Style: Earth Flash laboriously to Jiraiya's side.

"Lord Jiraiya..."

"Dai, do you really think this is the right thing to do?"

Jiraiya looked towards the village.

With just one order, many ninja from the Kusagakure died, and their families suffered pain and misfortune.

He knew that this was absolutely not peace, but rather a form of domination and intimidation based on power.

but.

Old Man, can peace really be achieved through communication, love, and mutual understanding?

He had no answer.

At this moment, he was confused, unsure of what lay ahead, and felt no sense of accomplishment about what he was seeing.

If only Kyohiko were here.

That kid will definitely use his best words to make himself accept the reality before him.

"Dai, don't mind it, I just..."

"Of course it's correct."

Might Duy seriously.

Jiraiya was stunned and looked at Dai, not expecting Dai to answer at all.

After all, this is not something Genin would consider.

Dai, however, offered his own perspective.

"I don't know what peace is. I only know that the Kusagakure broke their alliance first, and they have already taken action to harm our country and village."

"If we show them mercy, their money and intelligence will eventually become knives used to cut our people and ninjas in the Land of Fire."

"By then, who will the families of our village's fallen soldiers turn to for peace?"

Might Duy's series of words and rhetorical questions left Jiraiya speechless.

He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Yes, I can't believe I didn't understand that."

If the Old Man were in power, he might outwardly show goodwill while secretly hinting to Danzo and the Root to kill Asano Yu.

He will definitely do that.

but.

In that case, the Kusagakure might not be convinced, Iwagakure even less so.

"Hopefully, this battle will force Kusagakure to face reality and keep Iwagakure awake."

Jiraiya sighed.

"Um."

Might Duy nodded.

Under the threat of overwhelming force, the peace talks proceeded swiftly, with the remaining ninja of Kusagakure quickly surrendering without any conditions.

As for the conditions in Konoha.

"Lord Jiraiya, I feel that we need to go back and discuss the conditions before making a decision, so..."

"Yes, you did the right thing. I was the one who forgot."

Jiraiya nodded.

He turned to look at the two elders of Kusagakure, then his gaze fell upon the ninjas of Konoha.

Let's go.

Many Konoha ninjas left.

Uncontrollable sobs echoed from within the Kusagakure.

Three to four tenths of the ninjas were lost.

For them, it was a painful and tragic day.

"Hurry up and clean this place up."

The two elders, however, remained rational, yet harbored deep resentment.

Neither of them harbored any resentment towards Konoha.

From the past to the present, Konoha has treated Kusagakure well, basically doing everything it could. It was Asano Yu who broke the alliance first, contacted Iwagakure, and even signed an "alliance" first.

They hated Ōnoki even more.

If it weren't for Ōnoki, Asano Yu wouldn't have been gradually instigated...

"He was just too foolish to think he could sway both Konoha and Iwagakure and thus elevate Kusagakure's status. I tried to stop him, but it was too late."

A voice rang out.

They turned to look—

Lord of Hozuki Castle, and a Jonin (high-ranking ninja) of Kusagakure Village.

"It's no use you arriving early; he won't listen to us at all."

An elder sighed.

"Ever since Yuzuki Uzumaki, I knew he would eventually take this step, but I didn't expect Konoha to act so quickly."

"Wuwei" (wuwei)

The two elders hesitated, as if they wanted to say something but then stopped.

Wuwei said indifferently, "For a small ninja village like ours to get involved in the power struggle between major ninja villages is nothing short of suicide."

"That's what we said too, but... sigh! Now that the Kusagakure is without a leader, why don't you come back and be the leader?"

"I?"

Wuwei looked at them, then frowned.

What about the prison?

"The village needs your leadership. Hozuki Castle will send someone else; the future of Kusagakure is far more important than that."

A pleading look appeared on the faces of the two elders.

They know.

Wuwei leans more towards Konoha.

With him as leader, such a thing will certainly not happen again in the short term.

and.

Now, they have no choice.

To stand with Konoha, one must become an enemy of Iwagakure, making Wuwei's strength crucial.

Wuwei silent for a long while.

Finally, he said, "Alright, but I have one condition: I will side with Konoha, and from now on, Kusagakure will have to listen to me; you can't interfere with me."

"Of course!"