Counterattack

Taiichi's gaze slowly swept over Itachi's serious little face, then turned to Jiangtai and Yami beside him, whose eyes were equally determined.

The three children straightened their backs, their youthful faces filled with determination. It was as if, at this moment, they had shed their boyish immaturity and truly become capable ninjas.

The wind in the canyon ruffled the stray hairs on their foreheads, and the sounds of battle from the distant battlefield could be faintly heard.

Taiichi remained silent for a moment, then a relieved smile gradually appeared on his lips.

"Go," he said softly, his voice calm yet trusting. "Be careful."

The eyes of all three children lit up at the same time.

Jiangtai clenched his fist tightly, Yami took a deep breath, and Itachi nodded solemnly. They had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

Taiichi turned to Kitsuchi beside him, his tone becoming businesslike. "Lord Kitsuchi, could you please arrange their combat positions? Although they are young, their strength has already reached the level of a typical Chunin, and they can undertake some frontline support missions."

Kitsuchi Tu's honest eyes swept over the three little ones, then looked at Taiichi, a complicated expression on his face.

He knew, of course, that these three children were among the best of Konoha's new generation, and the fact that Taichi Matsushita out on a mission at such a young age spoke volumes.

"Understood."

Kitsuchi Tu nodded, asking no further questions. He turned to a scarred Iwagakure beside him Jonin instructed, "Akaiwa, take these three Konoha lads to the front lines and assign them to the Third Defense Zone to assist in the defense there."

"Yes!" the Akaiwa Jonin. His gaze lingered on the three children for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The Chakra fluctuations of these three children were much stronger than he had expected.

"Follow me," Akaiwa said simply, taking the lead towards the Gorge Defense Line.

The three little ones bowed to Taiichi and Kitsuchi, then quickly followed Akaiwa.

Jiangtai walked at the back, and before turning around, he winked at Taiichi, his eyes seeming to say, "Teacher, watch us!"

Taiichi smiled and watched them leave. Only when the three figures disappeared around the corner between the tents did he slowly raise his right hand and form a hand seal.

Shadow Clone Technique.

A wisp of white smoke appeared, and a Shadow Clone identical to Taiichi appeared beside him.

The Shadow Clone nodded to the main body, then its figure flickered and silently followed.

His open and aboveboard act of having his Shadow Clone follow and protect him right in front of Kitsuchi a form of intimidation. After all, the two families had only recently ended their hostile relationship, and it was still necessary to take precautions.

Kitsuchi took in all of this, his expression becoming even more complicated. He stroked his rough chin and finally couldn't help but say, "Konoha's talent cultivation is truly meticulous."

97

These words were quite meaningful, seemingly expressing gratitude for Konoha's emphasis on and protection of the younger generation, yet also carrying a subtle, ambiguous implication.

Is it envy? Or mockery?

Perhaps even the Kitsuchi itself can't explain it.

Taiichi turned to look at the Kitsuchi, his deep black eyes calm and unwavering. "They are all the future of Konoha. Before they truly mature, proper protection is necessary, just as Iwagakure wouldn't expose young geniuses to dangers they can't handle too early, right?"

Kitsuchi paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile, "You're right."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, "Just seeing them reminds me of the children in our village—"

After the Third Shinobi World War, Iwagakure lost too many outstanding young people.

The atmosphere became somewhat heavy. Two ninjas from rival villages stood together for the same responsibility: to protect their homeland and nurture the hope of the next generation.

"Let's go," Taiichi broke the silence. "It's time to discuss serious matters."

The two entered the main tent one after the other.

The tent was simply furnished, with a huge topographical map spread out on the wooden table in the center, surrounded by a few chairs.

Several Iwagakure Jonin already waiting there. When they saw the two enter, they all stood up and bowed.

Kitsuchi walked to the head seat and gestured for Taiichi to sit next to him. After the two of them were seated, the others took their seats in turn.

"Let's begin," Kitsuchi said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "Taiichi has Scout the exact position of the Moryo's true form and brought back important intelligence. Now, we need to formulate our next course of action."

All eyes were on Taiichi.

Without wasting words, Taiichi recounted in detail what he had seen and heard through his Shadow Clone.

"The true form of the Moryo is located within the Land of Land of Swamps, about 100 kilometers from our current defensive line. Its form is similar to that described in the records, but it is much larger, standing 100 meters tall, with five dragon heads, its body covered in purplish-black scales, and radiating strong Negative Energy fluctuations."

His voice was calm and clear, and everyone in the tent held their breath.

"There are two most troublesome points." Taiichi held up two fingers. "First, it is indeed as legendary as it is said, capable of continuously creating Ghost Legion. And perhaps because it has accumulated enough power, it began creating new monsters as soon as I saw it. You have all seen those little dragon-shaped monsters."

"Resentful Spirit?" an Iwagakure Jonin, frowning.

"Similar to a ghost, it's semi-solid; ordinary sword attacks are largely ineffective. Only Ninjutsu involving Chakra Nature Transformation can effectively harm it," Taiichi explained. "Fire Style and Lightning Style are the most effective."

A whispered conversation filled the tent. Kitsuchi's expression grew even more grave. "No wonder those troublesome monsters suddenly appeared at the front lines."

"Secondly," Taiichi continued, "Moryo possesses considerable intelligence and is capable of direct mental communication. It attempted to recruit me and revealed some information; the Akatsuki is indeed behind all of this."

They helped the Moryo break free of its seal, promising to provide it with "nourishment," namely the negative emotions generated by war, death, and fear.

In exchange, the Moryo need to restrain the power of the Five Great Nations at the appropriate time.

"The right time?" Kitsuchi keenly grasped the key point.

"The Moryo didn't specify, or rather, it didn't care," Taiichi shook his head. "Its goal is clear: to devour enough Negative Energy to regain its full power, and then—turn the entire world into its nourishment."

A brief silence fell inside the tent.

A younger Iwagakure Jonin help but curse, "These Akatsuki lunatics! Do they even know what they're doing?"

"Of course they know," another older ninja Jonin. "That's precisely why they're doing this. Chaos is what they want to see."

Kitsuchi Tu tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention back. "Now is not the time to discuss the Akatsuki's motives. Taiichi, what is your assessment of the combat strength of the true form of the Moryo?"

Taiichi moment. "Judging from the energy level, it is no weaker than the Nine-Tails in its complete form. My Shadow Clone did not directly fight it, but I could sense that it contained an extremely large amount of Chakra."

No, that's no longer just Chakra; it's more like some kind of primal, evil power.

"Tailed Beast level—" Kitsuchi murmured, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

At that moment, an Iwagakure sitting to the right of Kitsuchi Jonin spoke up.

His name is Ishikawa, a veteran elite of Iwagakure, known for his bravery and decisiveness. He has a scar on his face that runs from his brow bone to his chin, a medal he received during the Third Shinobi World War.

"Now that we know its location, and with a powerful figure like Taiichi present, why don't we attack directly?" Ishikawa's voice was rough and powerful. "Gather our elite forces and charge straight at the main body of the Moryo! Once we kill it, these Puppet Legion will naturally crumble."

He surveyed his colleagues in the tent, his eyes gleaming with intense confidence. "What do you mean by 'unkillable'? That's just ancient mythology! Our ninjas today possess Ninjutsu and tactics unimaginable to our ancestors. I don't believe anything in this world is truly unkillable. Even if it were, the method would be wrong!"

These words stirred up a ripple inside the tent.

The younger Jonin's Jonin lit up with fighting spirit, clearly encouraged by Ishikawa's words.

But Kitsuchi frowned. "Ishikawa, don't be impulsive. Taiichi Taiyi just said that the energy level of the Moryo is comparable to that of the Nine-Tails Fox. You should understand what that means."

"Of course I know!" Ishikawa stood up, placing his hands on the table. "Precisely because I know, we must act now! So what if Tailed Beast? We Iwagakure have dealt with Tailed Beast before! The Third Kazekage Kage has suppressed the Four-Tails and the Five-Tails many times!"

With Lord Taiichi present, his strength is evident to all.

He pointed outside the tent. Although the direction of the canyon was not visible, everyone knew that there was a patch of scorched earth there, burned by platinum flames.

"With that kind of power, how could we not deal with a monster that has been sealed away for a thousand years?" Ishikawa's voice grew louder and louder. "We are forced to defend here, and our brothers are dying every day! Soldiers from the Land of Demons are falling in droves!"

Meanwhile, the demons are constantly creating more Puppet from the rear! If this continues, it's only a matter of time before our Chakra runs out and our soldiers are all dead, and our defenses collapse!

He abruptly turned to Taiichi, his eyes burning. "Taiichi, what do you say? With your strength, if you went all out, were you confident you could kill Moryo?"

All eyes were once again focused on Taiichi.

Taiichi remained silent for a moment.

The tent was so quiet that the faint sounds of fighting and the groans of the wounded could be heard outside.

"In terms of destructive power alone," Taiichi said slowly, "I am confident that I can inflict fatal damage on the Moryo."

Ishikawa's eyes lit up.

"But!" Taiichi changed his tone, "the problem isn't whether it can be harmed," but whether it can be killed. The essence of the Moryo is an aggregate of Negative Energy; as long as negative emotions in the world don't disappear, it may continue to be reborn.

It's like trying to kill an ocean with a knife; you can cut through the waves, but the ocean itself won't disappear.

"That's just theory!" Ishikawa retorted. "How much of the ancient legends are true? Perhaps the so-called 'immortality' is simply due to its strong regenerative abilities. As long as the attack is fierce and thorough enough, it's entirely possible to annihilate it in one fell swoop!"

He looked at Kitsuchi and then at Taiichi, his tone earnest. "Lord Kitsuchi, Lord Taiichi, please give the order!"

Assemble a group of elite troops to cooperate with Taiichi in a decapitation strike! If successful, this disaster can end sooner! If it fails—the worst outcome is simply retreating to the defensive line to continue defending, but at least we've tried!

The atmosphere inside the tent became subtle. Several Jonin exchanged glances, some nodding, some shaking their heads.

Kitsuchi fell into deep thought.

As the Commander of Iwagakure, he had to weigh the pros and cons.

Ishikawa's words are not without merit; passive defense is indeed a form of slow death. However, the risks of taking the initiative are also extremely high; once elite troops are lost, the defensive line could collapse instantly.

His gaze fell on Taiichi: "Taiichi, if you were to lead the team, how many people would you need? What are the chances of success?"

Taiichi didn't answer immediately. He closed his eyes, his mind racing through various possibilities.

The fragments of memory transmitted by the Shadow Clone reassembled in his consciousness: the enormous body of the Moryo, its five ferocious dragon heads, the ever-flowing purplish-black mist, and the Resentful Spirit born from the mist—

Furthermore, there has been no trace of the Akatsuki.

Where did they go? Did they really leave, or are they hiding in the shadows waiting for their chance?

After a long silence, Taiichi opened his eyes. "If we're going to try, I need an elite squad of no more than twenty men, skilled in speed, surprise attacks, and defense. Our goal isn't to engage the Ghost Legion head-on, but to break through to the Moryo as quickly as possible."

He paused, then continued, "As for the success rate—if it's just about reaching the Moryo," I'm 70% confident.

If the goal is to "kill or seal".

He glanced at the Jonin of Iwagakure around him. "I need you to hold off the Ghost Legion while I fight the Moryo, creating opportunities for me. So, it depends on your strength."

Kitsuchi's expression darkened as he recalled their earlier impetuous advance. He finally muttered to himself, "That might not even be 50%?"

"But if we don't try, the success rate is zero." Ishikawa stared intently at the Kitsuchi. "My lord, let me lead the team! I'm familiar with the terrain of the Land of Swamps and know several hidden paths. With Taiichi clearing the way, we have a chance to bypass most of the Ghost Legion and head straight for the core area where the Moryo are located!"

Another Jonin stood up. "I'm going too! Ishikawa's right, we can't just sit here and wait to die!"

Count me in!

"Me too!"

Five or six Jonin subsequently Jonin for the battle.

They were all elites of Iwagakure, having experienced the Third Shinobi World War, and possessed the composure and decisiveness unique to elites.

Kitsuchi looked at the ninjas from his village, then at Taiichi, and finally took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Good." His voice was firm and decisive. "Organize Strike Force, with Taiichi as the lead commander and Ishikawa as the deputy commander. Select twenty of the most elite Jonin, departing tonight at midnight to carry out the decapitation strike."

He looked at Taiichi and said solemnly, "Lord Taiichi, I entrust the warriors of Iwagakure to you. If things cannot be accomplished, please bring them back—bring them back alive."

Taiichi nodded. "I will do my best."

Over the next few hours, the Camp entered a period of intense preparation.

Ishikawa and several Jonin began selecting team members.

When the final list was finalized, four Jonin and sixteen elite Chunin were selected, including Ishikawa.

Among them are defensive experts skilled in Earth Style: Hardening Jutsu, assault specialists proficient in Lightning Style: Acceleration Technique, group attackers skilled in Fire Style: Amateur Technique, and versatile individuals skilled in Taijutsu.

Taiichi used this time to recover his Chakra. He sat cross-legged in his tent, entered a deep meditative state, and adjusted his condition.

As night fell, the Strike Force assembled in front of the main camp tent.

"Remember," Kitsuchi's voice was deep and powerful, "Your mission is to escort Taiichi to the Moryo and assist him in battle. If the situation turns unfavorable, do not linger; retreat immediately. The Land of Demons needs you to return alive, Iwagakure needs you to return alive too."

"Yes!" the twenty men answered in unison, their voices not loud, but firm.

Taiichi awoke from his meditation and stepped out of his tent. He changed into a dark combat suit that allowed for easy movement, with Ninja Tool Pouch strapped to his waist. Gekko shone on him, outlining his tall and imposing figure.

"Is everything ready?" Taiichi asked.

"We can depart at any time!" Ishikawa replied in a deep voice.

Taiichi, looking at Kitsuchi: "The defense line is in your hands. If—if we fail, the Moryo might fly into a rage and launch an even fiercer attack. Be prepared for the worst."

Kitsuchi Tu nodded solemnly. "I will. I wish you—great success in your military campaigns."

Without further farewells, the twenty figures vanished into the night like ghosts.