War

In the central Land of Rain, dark clouds still filled the sky, and a light drizzle fell without end!

"You three are all formidable. From this day forward, I, Hanzō, shall call you the Konoha Sannin!"

"We don't need your pity! We can still fight!"

"Enough, Jiraiya!"

"As the price of surviving, each of you must bear that honor!"

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru supported one another as they left the battlefield, their hearts filled with humiliation!

"Lord Hanzō, are you all right? Why didn't you take this chance to finish them off?" Hanzō calmly watched the jonin who had hurried over. Sweat slowly beaded on the jonin's forehead. "Forgive me, Lord Hanzō. I shouldn't have questioned your decision!" Hanzō withdrew his downward gaze and turned toward the direction the Sannin had departed. "If I killed them, who would bear the Land of Fire's wrath? A small nation must always know when to stop before a great one! Anything else would be courting death!"

"Wise as ever, Lord Hanzō. I believe we will surely achieve victory under your leadership!"

"Jonin Xiliu, the fighting with the Land of Fire is nearly over, but the Land of Wind is still making moves behind the scenes. I need you to take your ninja squad to the border with the Land of Wind and gather intelligence. Once you learn anything, forget everything else and return immediately to report! By the way, isn't your squad one man short?"

"Yes, Lord Hanzō!"

"Do you need a replacement?"

"No, Lord Hanzō. Scarface happens to be recovering in Huayu Town on the border with the Land of Wind. It's been almost two months, so he should be nearly healed. I'll pick him up on the way, and we can carry out the mission together!"

"Good. Be careful on the road!"

"Yes, Lord Hanzō!"

That morning, a large group of Holy Light Knights began their physical training on the streets, marching in neat formation. The townspeople had grown accustomed to the sight and occasionally greeted familiar faces!

The Church of the Holy Light had been established in town for two months, and people's lives had changed beyond recognition. Most noticeably, public order had improved. Street thugs had all but disappeared, and the homeless children who had once been everywhere were nowhere to be seen. They had all been taken into the school established by the Church of the Holy Light. Ria had also arranged work at the church for refugees too poor to afford food. Skilled workers such as blacksmiths and tailors made basic equipment for the Holy Light Clerics, which the Holy Armored Ones then enchanted to enhance the clerics' combat strength.

Ria sat wearily in her private office on the second floor, occasionally clawing at her hair. Seeing that they now had over fifty holy knights, twenty priests, thirteen Holy Armored Ones, and five Holy Cantors filled her with satisfaction, but their increasingly strained finances also troubled her. All she could think about was making money. The church's expenses had been enormous lately. Although the priests could heal the sick and injured, even with careful budgeting, their medical fees barely covered expenses. Expanding the reach of the Holy Light was clearly out of the question! Suddenly, Ria thought of selling the Holy Light's wondrous equipment, only to remember that only clerics with holy power could use it. She slumped listlessly over her desk again.

While Ria lay there looking utterly defeated, a soft knock came from outside. "Ria, are you in?"

"Meli, come in!"

Meli gently pushed the door open, carrying breakfast. Seeing Ria's dejected face and disheveled hair, she asked softly with concern, "Ria, what's wrong?"

Ria looked at Meli with her big, watery eyes. "Meli, the church is almost out of money!"

Meli frowned slightly. She knew the church's expenses were high. With the Land of Wind stirring up trouble at the border lately, more and more refugees had been arriving. Between helping them and paying for the clerics' training, expenses already exceeded income. That thought troubled Meli too! She considered it for a while but couldn't think of a good solution. Still, she wasn't overly anxious and offered some reassurance instead. "Ria, have some breakfast first! If you can't figure it out, you can ask the Holy Light. I believe that, in his greatness, he will surely guide us forward!"

"That's right! I'll go pray to the Holy Light in a moment!" Ever since the Holy Light's last descent, Ria could no longer contact him whenever she pleased as she once had. Although most of his power was still cleansing her body, his consciousness had moved to his subsidiary form in the Church of the Holy Light.

After hurriedly finishing the breakfast Meli had prepared, Ria said goodbye to her while she was still tidying up, then went downstairs and began praying silently before the statue of the Holy Light!

"Ria, what's wrong?" Li Ming asked, looking curiously at Ria as she prayed in earnest.

"Holy Light, the church is terribly short of money right now. I don't know what to do, so please continue to guide us!"

"Haha, so my little bishop is short of money again!"

"I'm sorry, Holy Light. Am I useless, always failing to make enough money?" Hearing Li Ming laugh, Ria lowered her head with a faint blush! Even now that I'm this strong, I still can't afford to support the Holy Light. I'll have to keep working hard to get stronger, she thought.

Looking at Ria's bowed head, Li Ming formed an arm out of light and gently stroked her little head. "Of course not. My little bishop works wholeheartedly every day! People grow through all kinds of experiences. A moment of uncertainty is nothing to worry about. I believe you'll become more and more capable, Ria!"

Feeling the Holy Light's warm touch, Ria raised her head and looked intently at him. "Then please clear up my confusion, Holy Light!"

"Arrange for people to collect dew at dawn every day. Gather it together and place it beneath me. I'll shine holy power on it for two hours, turning it into holy water. Holy water can treat both internal and external injuries. You can bottle it in porcelain and sell it. As for how to sell it, that's up to you! I believe the ninja fighting right now should have quite a need for it!"

At this, Ria immediately gazed at the Holy Light with bright, admiring eyes. After finishing her prayer, she hurried upstairs to find Meli and tell her about it.

Meli's eyes flickered slightly. "I know a merchant in town. He's a decent man. We could go see him. He might have buyers for something like this!"

"Then let's go tomorrow! First thing tomorrow morning, I'll arrange for people to collect dew!" Ria replied, rubbing her little chin.

"Teacher Xiliu, are we almost at Huayu Town?"

"We should arrive tomorrow morning!" Three figures raced through the rainy night. Since they were on a mission, Xiliu had let his two students rest for an hour or so before setting out again.

"Teacher, look! It's actually sunny up ahead!" Xiliu narrowed his eyes at the distance, deeply puzzled. On his previous visits, Huayu Town's weather had been no different from the rest of the Land of Rain. Why had it suddenly cleared this time? Looking at the somewhat dazzling sunlight, Xiliu said gravely, "Stay alert at all times!"

"Yes, Teacher!"

After using the Transformation Technique, the three mingled with the poor and entered the town with curiosity!

"Teacher, how do we find Scarface?"

"Follow me!" The three took turn after turn until they reached a dark alley, where Xiliu approached a wooden door.

Knock, knock-knock, knock-knock-knock-knock.

A rhythmic series of knocks sounded! A red-faced man with a drooping mustache spoke through the crack in the door in a low voice. "Have you eaten today?"

"I ate at Huzi's house today!" Xiliu replied calmly.

"Come in, come in!" The red-faced man immediately opened the door and ushered them inside!

"You are...?"

Seeing the man's confusion, Xiliu immediately released his Transformation Technique!

"Captain Xiliu, you're Jonin Xiliu! You're finally here!" the red-faced man wailed. "If you hadn't come, we'd barely have been able to survive!"

"Where's Scarface?" Xiliu asked gravely.

"Scarface was killed two months ago!"

"Do you know who did it?" Xiliu didn't particularly care whether Scarface lived or died. Years on the battlefield had long since numbed him to death.

"Yes, yes! It was the Church of the Holy Light in the center of town!" the red-faced man said hurriedly.

"The Church of the Holy Light? What's that?" Xiliu asked in confusion.

"It's an evil god! Ever since he came to this town, our lives have only gotten harder. Lately, we can't even get enough to eat!"

"An evil god!" Xiliu's brows drew together slightly at the thought!

"Teacher Xiliu, isn't it just some evil god? Why don't we charge in and slaughter them?"

Looking at his young, restless student, Xiliu frowned even more deeply. "Xishi, no matter what enemy you face, stay alert until you have the intelligence you need! Mindless brutes like that are usually the first to die!"

"Understood, Teacher Xiliu!"

Seeing his student's indifferent expression, Xiliu felt helpless. After all, he hadn't been on the battlefield long and had yet to truly witness the cruelty of war. But when Xiliu looked at his other student, he nodded in satisfaction.

"All right, I have a fairly good grasp of your situation now! Wait here. The three of us will scout things out first!"

"Xishi, Zhong Yu, let's go."

"Yes!"

The three used the Transformation Technique again and left the dark alley. Xiliu watched the people on the streets, who should have been numb and miserable, now chatting and laughing with hope shining in their eyes. Although he didn't know what had caused the change, it wasn't hard to guess that the Church of the Holy Light was involved. That made him all the more eager to investigate.

Just as the three crept within a hundred meters of the Church of the Holy Light, Shui Sha, who was praying inside, saw the Holy Light give off a red glow. She immediately amplified her voice with sound waves and shouted, "All clerics, prepare! Enemies are approaching! All clerics, attention! Enemies are approaching!"

Axel, who was training in the rear courtyard, reacted at once. "Holy knights, get your equipment ready! The day to fight for the Holy Light has come! This is not a drill!"

Hurried footsteps rang out, accompanied by the clatter of equipment being hastily donned!

"Axel, we're ready!"

"Form up! Shui Sha, prepare Detect Malice! Priests, shield and heal the holy knights! Holy knights, form up outside. Twenty of you, activate the Shield of Courage and be ready to charge at any moment! The rest, protect the priests and the church! Holy Armored Ones, take your ranged weapons onto the roof. As soon as you spot the enemy, fire together!"

From a distance, the three watched the crowd ahead erupt into commotion and rush into the church. Then an orderly formation emerged, raising huge shields of light in two ranks to block the entrance completely!

Xiliu's pupils contracted. "Damn, we've been spotted! Xishi, Zhong Yu, prepare for battle!"

"The enemy is twenty meters to the northeast! Holy Armored Ones, fire!" Arrows of light streaked like meteors toward Xiliu and his students.

"Damn it! Water Release: Water Wall!" Xiliu rapidly formed several hand seals. A wall of water blocked most of the incoming arrows, but a few skimmed its edges and exploded around the three. Mud and stones flew, leaving several thirty-centimeter craters in the ground.

The priests shielded the first rank of holy knights, who charged. A wall of light trailing long streaks behind it hurtled toward Xiliu and his students.

Splash!

The water wall buckled under the impact, and the wall of light kept driving toward the three through the surging water.

"Dodge!" Xiliu shouted!

But the wall of light was too long, and none of them managed to get clear. Like a speeding train, it slammed into them. Thud! Thud! Flesh collided with shields, and all three were sent flying into the distance!

"Urgh-pfft!" Xiliu spat out a mouthful of blood and quickly wiped his mouth, then looked at his two students lying motionless on the ground!

"Damn it! Water Release: High-Pressure Spray!"

Xiliu rapidly formed hand seals and brought one hand to his mouth. A thread-thin jet of water swept across the front rank of holy knights holding their shields of light!

Screech! Crack! Snap!

The Shields of Courage in the front rank's hands were sliced apart all at once. Their light shields also shattered, unable to withstand the water pressure.

"Argh!" Blood sprayed from the chests of over a dozen holy knights!

"Priests, heal them now!"

Xiliu watched a halo of light descend, rapidly closing the wounds of the enemies whose chests he had sliced open with his high-pressure jet. A shudder ran through him. Knowing he couldn't overpower these enemies, he glanced at his two students, still unconscious on the ground, and hardened his heart. He pressed one hand to the ground. "Summoning Technique! Netherwolf!" He quickly climbed onto the back of the wolf, which stood over two meters tall, turned it around, and fled into the distance!

Watching the enemy flee, Axel shouted, "Yui, fire a Holy Light Bullet to notify the boss! We can't let the enemy escape!"

Yui's lips moved as a spell was rapidly recited. A white bullet of light condensed at the tip of the staff and fired straight into the sky.

Boom!

A deafening blast resounded throughout the town!