Orochimaru imdiately dispatched a ninja to summon the intelligence officer who had arrived earlier, using a specialized communication thod. Having just arrived, Orochimaru was uncertain whether Hanzō had deployed Agakure spies to monitor their movents.
After a brief rest, the summoned Konoha intelligence officer arrived.
"Konoha Ninja Hayato Yamanaka presents his respects..." said the officer, a Jōnin of the Yamanaka Clan and the leader of the Konohagakure Intelligence Division.
"No need for formalities. Share your report," Tsunade interrupted, cutting straight to the point.
"Yes," Hayato replied, scanning the group before delivering his findings.
"The Agakure Ninja are actively monitoring the border, so it's impossible to conceal the arrival of our main force. Their numbers have increased significantly in recent days, and skirmishes have already occurred."
"We've also confird that Hanzō of the Salamander is aware of our arrival. He remains at the main camp and has yet to make a move."
"I recomnd eliminating the Agakure spies first before proceeding with further plans."
The clarity of Hayato's report highlighted the Yamanaka Clan's unparalleled intelligence skills. However, Kawakaze imdiately sensed potential danger.
"We can't stay clustered together," Kawakaze said grimly. "We need to split up imdiately. If Hanzō attacks with Ibuse, it could be catastrophic."
Tsunade's antidote pills may slow the effects of the poison, but they can't save everyone if things spiral out of control.
"Kawakaze is right," Orochimaru agreed without hesitation. He still rembered vividly the devastation wrought by Ibuse's poisonous fog and the slaughter of Konoha forces during their last encounter.
"Hanzō hasn't ambushed us yet, likely because he's wary of Sensei," Orochimaru said.
In battles between villages, once a leader is left unopposed, victory or defeat is often already half decided. Hanzō fears the Third Hokage could stop him, so the Agakure ninja are likely to lose.
The Third Hokage and Raikage are said to have the power to single-handedly defeat tens of thousands in battle, highlighting the terrifying combat prowess of so elite fighters.
"But it's hard to say until the scouts report back."
"If we split our forces, I suggest the Jōnin lead their troops and disperse."
"Advance from all directions toward the heart of the Land of Rain. When Hanzō loses his temper, we'll regroup and strike in one fell swoop," said Jiraiya, Konoha's intelligence expert, had remained silent until now. After consolidating the information, he finally shared his thoughts.
"We can retreat if we encounter Hanzō. Our main target is the ninja of the Land of Rain." Orochimaru's gloomy voice followed, though it was clear that if he had faced Hanzō, he would never have made such a statent.
"I have no objection." Kawakaze glanced at Orochimaru before expressing his support.
"Okay, then that's the decision," Tsunade concluded, finalizing the plan. No one voiced disagreent, and the group quickly dispersed.
Before long, the teams separated and moved out. Duy's strength, unanimously acknowledged by the group, allowed him to lead a team despite being a Chūnin. Orochimaru, however, thoughtfully assigned him a quick-thinking Chūnin as support.
"I'm not in good health. I need Tsunade to take care of ," Kawakaze said, making a feeble excuse to stick close to Tsunade with two younger ninja in tow.
No one bothered to call him out, though Tsunade gave him a cold glare, clearly unimpressed. Couldn't you co up with a better excuse?
Tsunade's team beca the strongest, commanding the largest group of ninja as they advanced toward the heart of the Land of Rain.
anwhile, the Agakure spies delivered critical information to their camp.
"Lord Hanzō, the Konoha ninja have reached the border."
"No sign of the Third Hokage," the scout reported, addressing Hanzō's greatest concern.
"Good. Follow and attack the Konoha ninja," Hanzō ordered. With the Third Hokage absent, he felt confident, even if there were two ninja as powerful as Orochimaru present.
With his orders given, the Agakure ninja began to mobilize. Hanzō took most of the troops with him, leaving a few behind to patrol the area.
After rushing to the border, Hanzō and his forces found no trace of Konoha ninja. Instead, they stumbled upon the bodies of many fallen Agakure ninja deep within the forest, explaining the lack of reports along the way. Realizing the Konoha troops were likely lying in wait, Hanzō hurriedly retreated with his main force to defend their base, fearing the Konoha ninja might seize the opportunity to attack their stronghold.
The back-and-forth maneuvering cost Hanzō several days. During that ti, the Konoha ninja systematically eliminated every Agakure unit they encountered. Even against larger groups, they coordinated with nearby Konoha squads to ensure total annihilation. As they approached the heart of the Land of Rain, resistance intensified, with more frequent encounters against Agakure forces.
Kawakaze and his group had just wiped out a 30-mber Agakure unit without him or Tsunade needing to intervene. The Konoha ninja under their command handled the enemies decisively. Without the support of Agakure's elite fighters, the nurical imbalance resulted in a one-sided slaughter.
The two young ninja accompanying Kawakaze and Tsunade had also grown accustod to the brutal reality of war. Hardened by battle and bloodshed, they had matured significantly, their hands already stained with the blood of countless enemies.
"Look at the map. We're not far from Agakure," Kawakaze said, holding the map as he sat on a boulder away from the group. Tsunade was seated beside him.
"At this pace, we should be there in four or five days," she estimated, glancing at the map while considering their progress.
After days of constant fighting and travel, even Tsunade's natural beauty showed signs of fatigue. Her face bore smudges of dirt, and her appearance had beco disheveled from the campaign.
"Don't worry. Everything's gone smoothly so far," Kawakaze said, noticing her weariness. With a gentle gesture, he brushed aside her bangs and wiped the dirt from her face.
Tsunade didn't pull away, her eyes softening with a rare tenderness as she watched Kawakaze's movents. He leaned closer, and the mont between them grew still.
"Sensei, Sensei..."
Minato's voice shattered the awkward atmosphere. He approached, carrying two roasted hares.
"This is... um... freshly roasted..." Minato said haltingly, clearly aware he'd interrupted sothing but choosing to feign ignorance.
No wonder Nawaki asked him to co—clearly, he was a certified genius.
Kawakaze coughed lightly to mask his embarrassnt, gesturing Minato over. "Ahem. Just in ti."
Tsunade, recovering from the mont, smiled and patted Minato's head. "Thank you, Minato."
Relieved to escape the tension, Minato quickly excused himself after delivering the food. As he walked away, thoughts of Kushina entered his mind. He imagined their future, hoping it might soday be as sweet as his teacher's.
Kawakaze and Tsunade sat in silence as they ate, the only sound between them being the quiet chewing of their al. After finishing his share, Kawakaze finally spoke.
"According to the intel from these Agakure ninja, Hanzō took a group to the border to resolve things with a decisive battle," he said. "He likely didn't find any sign of us. If he returns to Agakure, his forces won't hold out for long."
"This will be the final battle. If anything happens, stay behind ," Kawakaze added, recalling how Tsunade had been injured in the original story during Hanzō's attack.
"I understand," Tsunade replied quietly, swallowing a bite of her food. Her voice was soft, but her resolve was firm.
Despite her response, Tsunade knew she would never stand idly by in battle. At the sa ti, Kawakaze had underestimated Hanzō's strength. His title as a "Demigod" was not rely due to military might—his personal power was unparalleled.
Reviews
All reviews (0)