met free Chapter 128 Clash, Probing
Chapter 128 Clash, Probing
Chapter 119 Clash, Probing
At this moment, in the Konoha team.
Xingyuan Qianshuo sensed the Sand Village ninjas and his heart tightened. He immediately stood up and reported, "Enemy forces have been spotted about two kilometers ahead, numbering around ten. Three of them are elite Jonin, and the rest are elite Chunin."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Sakumo Hatake frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "Ahead lies the Toyogen Gorge—Sunagakure has actually dispatched three powerful ninja this time? Could it be that Ebizo has come in person?"
Xingyuan Qianshuo's thoughts were also racing: "Three elite Jonin—if Tsunade and I weren't there, the team would probably have a hard time dealing with such a lineup."
"Senior Sakumo might be able to lead the team to safety, but the cost would be devastating—wasn't it because of that mission? Or is there some other reason?"
Tsunade's heart tightened upon hearing the report. After all, she hadn't carried out a mission for many years, and her physical and mental condition hadn't fully recovered to its peak.
After a moment's hesitation, she took out a scroll from her bosom, unrolled it, and formed a hand seal.
As the white smoke dissipated, a porcelain bottle appeared in my hand.
"Shuomao, this is a standard antidote. It can delay the onset of most toxins and buy time for treatment. Let everyone take it."
""
As she spoke, she poured out two pills, handed one to Qian Shuo, and then tilted her head back to swallow the other.
Sakumo Hatake took the medicine bottle, swallowed one pill, and then passed it on to the team members behind him in turn.
Xingyuan Qianshuo swallowed the pill and looked at Tsunade, whose expression was solemn. He felt a warmth in his heart. She didn't have to take such a risk, but she stepped into the "old ground" without hesitation for him.
This sentiment further fueled his ambition: he was far from being invincible in the ninja world, and he had to move faster and stand higher.
Everyone took the pills one after another.
Hatake Sakumo glanced at Tsunade and Sen Sakumo, and sighed inwardly, "Fortunately, they were with us on this trip, otherwise the team would have suffered heavy casualties."
During World War II, he fought against the Sand Village ninjas for a long time and knew how difficult they were to deal with. Even with confidence in his own strength, he could only handle two elite Jonin at the same time.
He then looked at his employer for this mission—Minamoto no Wataru—and his mind raced: "Hide him in the rear? No, Ebizo is also a sensory ninja; he could find him easily—"
After a moment's thought, he said in a deep voice, "Yamamasa, once the battle begins, you will lead your squad to protect Yuanqiu Ferry with all your might."
"Yes!" Jonin Sakazaki Yamamasa answered solemnly.
His gaze swept over his three subordinates—Yota, Kazama Sou, and Tsukishima—and all three nodded solemnly.
The two sides have a deep understanding and need no further explanation.
"Tsunade, Senju," Sakumo Hatake turned to the two, his tone gentle yet solemn, "we will likely need your participation in the next battle. Thank you for your help."
Tsunade curled her lip, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Xingyuan Qianshuo responded with a smile, "Senior Shuomao, you're too kind. The mission comes first."
They are nominally medical ninjas, and their primary duty on this mission is to treat the daimyo and ensure the medical needs of the team.
But now that Sunagakure has dispatched three elite Jonin, Konoha must either abandon the mission or let the two of them take action.
Upon hearing this, the other Konoha ninjas couldn't help but turn their gazes towards them.
They had previously been stationed on the eastern border and had limited knowledge of Xingyuan Qian Shuo. At this moment, they thought to themselves: It is only natural for Lady Tsunade to participate in the war, but is this young medical ninja also very strong?
After completing the arrangements, Hatake Sakumo led his team onward, but at a noticeably slower pace.
A crescent moon hung high in the sky, bright and pale, casting a cool, clear light on the autumn night.
Fengyuan Canyon.
A wide, swift river rushes by, spanned by a magnificent stone bridge—this is an important passage to the capital of the River Kingdom, only sixty or seventy kilometers away.
The Sand Village ninjas, though attempting to stop them, could not destroy the bridge. They were employed by the eldest son of the daimyo, Minamoto no Kōki, and had to consider the interests of the Land of Rivers in their actions.
The ambush site was set up on a flat area east of the stone bridge, where many traps had already been laid.
"stop!"
Suddenly, Sakumo Hatake, who was leading the way, shouted.
clang!clang!clang!
He swung his sword with lightning speed, deflecting more than a dozen kunai that shot from behind the rocks, and then instantly retreated.
The Sand Village's traps were extremely well-hidden; even Sakumo Hatake failed to detect them beforehand. The kunai's launching mechanism was ingenious; had he not personally scouted ahead, ordinary ninjas would inevitably have been injured.
After retreating and standing still, he looked ahead. Although he couldn't see the figure of Sunahime under the pale moonlight, both Hoshino Senju and Midori Naisen's senses had confirmed the enemy's presence.
This is a necessary route, and it was expected that Sunagakure would set up an ambush here.
"Sunagakure can delay, but Konoha cannot—" Hatake Sakumo's mind raced. "Once the daimyo of the Land of Rivers dies, his eldest son, Minamoto no Hideaki, will take over. Even if Konoha overthrows him and supports Minamoto no Wataru afterward, it will already be at a disadvantage in terms of public opinion."
"Unless Genjuro openly staged a coup and lost all popular support, Konoha could easily go from being a 'rescuer' to being branded as an 'interferer in the internal affairs of other countries and a puppet ruler.'"
Once he had made up his mind, he turned around and ordered, "Suwan, you lead the way."
"Yes, sir!"
A ninja named Ryūin Hayamaru stepped forward, unfurled a scroll, and formed hand seals.
Bang!
Where the white smoke dissipated, a chariot-shaped ninja tool landed on the ground.
It is about three meters long and two meters wide, with four wheels on the bottom and armor on the top, resembling a small armored vehicle.
Instead of entering the vehicle, Liu Yin Suwan pulled out a chakra wire more than 20 meters long from the vehicle body and used chakra to drive forward.
Although not as sophisticated as the Sand Village Puppet Technique, it is still simple and practical.
The tanks led the way, with Hayateru piloting them from two kilometers away, while the Konoha team followed cautiously.
Along the way, kunai and shuriken were constantly shot from the shadows, even triggering explosive tags. But the chariot was quite sturdy, and it could still move forward after being hit by two explosions.
"These crude mechanical ninja tools are far inferior to our puppetry techniques," a Sand Village ninja sneered.
Others chimed in.
"Enough, Rattlesnake, prepare to engage the enemy." Rasa interrupted the frivolous laughter of the crowd and gave the order in a deep voice.
"Yes, Captain!"
They never expected the traps to stop the Konoha ninjas.
At this point, the two sides were about eighty meters apart, and the Konoha team stopped.
Sunagakure knew that the other side had a sensory ninja, but they did not hide it, and the two sides faced each other in silence under the moonlight.
Ebizo spoke slowly, his voice steady yet clear, echoing throughout the valley: "Sakumo Hatake, since ancient times, it has been a rule upheld by all nations that the position of daimyo is inherited by the eldest son. Could Konoha's actions this time be an attempt to depose the eldest son and install a younger one, thus controlling the politics of the Land of Rivers?"
Sakumo Hatake coldly replied, "Ebizo, Sunagakure colluded with Minamoto no Oki to poison the daimyo and covet the land of the river. Aren't you afraid of being isolated by the other countries?"
"The Daimyo of the Land of Rivers suddenly fell seriously ill and went into a coma. His eldest son, Minamoto no Hikari, naturally succeeded him. His second son, Minamoto no Wataru, failed in his power struggle and fled to the Land of Fire, offering benefits to Konoha to gain their assistance, intending to seize power—" Ebizo said calmly, "Konoha can still stop now, otherwise, if this matter spreads throughout the ninja world, Konoha's reputation will be damaged."
"Nonsense!" Minamoto no Wataru, at the back of the group, couldn't help but shout excitedly, "My father has clearly been poisoned by Sunagakure!"
"Your Excellency, Sunagakure has never harmed your father," Ebizo said calmly. "Your brother's succession was inevitable; why resort to such a risky move?"
"My elder brother wanted to build a ninja village, but my father opposed it! My father already intended to pass the throne to me, so he colluded with you to poison him!" Concerned about his own position and his father's revenge, the young Minamoto no Wataru lost his composure.
"These are just empty words, nothing more than lies you fabricated to seize power," Ebizo said calmly. "Gentlemen of Konoha, are you still going to believe such nonsense?"
This verbal exchange was not merely a delaying tactic.
Regardless of the outcome of this battle, Sunagakure and Konoha will attack each other in public opinion and vie for the moral high ground.
Sakumo Hatake knew this.
Although succession by a second son has occurred in history, it was mostly the result of internal struggles, while primogeniture remains the tacitly accepted orthodoxy in various countries.
Konoha now has to either abandon the mission or rescue the Daimyo Minamoto no Mori, so that his words can justify the actions. Of course, if the benefits are sufficient, reputation is not something that can be sacrificed.
"Ebizo, no matter how eloquently you try to argue, you can't change the facts," Hatake Sakumo said firmly. "Konoha will never abandon this mission."
Ebizo was not surprised.
Upon sensing that three powerful figures from Konoha had arrived, he understood: the other side would not back down without a fight.
Taking advantage of the standoff, Hoshino Senju, within the Konoha team, secretly activated his Sharingan under the cover of his colored contact lenses to observe Sunagakure.
Under the dim moonlight, the figures of people could be vaguely discerned seventy or eighty meters away.
Of the three powerful ninjas from Sunagakure, the eloquent old man should be Ebizo, whose body has the strongest flow of chakra; the remaining two young ninjas, a man and a woman, are very likely Rasa and Pakura.
"Rasa—the future Fourth Kazekage, Gaara's father." Hoshigen Chisaku recalled the overwhelming gold dust attack from the original story. "A ninjutsu of that scale is not easy to deal with."
While he was observing Sunagakure, Ebizo, through their conversation, sensed and confirmed that he was the third strongest member of Konoha's team.
"A young ninja around twenty years old, similar in age to Rasa and Pakura?"
Ebizo immediately recalled the information he had recently obtained from the underground gold exchange: Onoki had put a bounty on two young Konoha ninjas, Minato Namikaze and Chisaku Hoshinobu.
Since this person is not a disciple of Jiraiya, then it is very likely that he is Xingyuan Qianshuo.
Information flashed through my mind: Tsunade's lover, medical ninja, "Green Miracle," combat strength unknown, previously fought against Iwagakure —
"Tsunade's lover—" A glint flashed in Ebizo's eyes as he recalled Kato Dan, the Konoha Jonin whom Sunagakure had killed in the Land of Rivers several years ago.
He didn't personally participate in that operation, but he received the intelligence and presented it to the Third Kazekage.
Collect your thoughts and focus on the present.
While delaying the battle is advantageous to Sunagakure, it would be extremely dangerous to allow Sakumo Hatake to engage in close combat.
Having made up his mind, Ebizo said in a deep voice, "Rasa, make your move."
"yes!"
Luo Sha stepped forward a few paces, squatted down, and placed his palms on the ground.
In the Leaf Village formation.
Upon seeing this, Xingyuan Qianshuo's mind tightened, and his thoughts raced as he pondered a solution.
Sakumo Hatake's eyes also sharpened, and he shouted, "Prepare to engage the enemy!"
Although he didn't know how Sunagakure would attack from this distance, his extensive experience told him that the battle had begun.
"Magnetic Escape·Golden Waterfall!"
Under the moonlight, countless golden points of light suddenly appeared, transforming into a giant wave of gold dust over twenty meters high, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami surging towards the Konoha team!
"retreat!"
Sakumo Hatake shouted urgently.
The Konoha members instantly retreated, but Minamoto no Wataru and his guards slowed down their overall speed.
Xingyuan Qianshuo was probably the person who understood Luo Sha's abilities best among everyone present, and he quickly came up with a countermeasure.
He crossed his arms, and suddenly a shadow clone appeared beside him.
The main body and the clone simultaneously formed hand seals, their chests bulging as they unleashed "Water Release: Exploding Water Wave!"
Two powerful streams of water gushed out from the mouth, transforming into towering waves more than twenty meters high, crashing fiercely into the Sand Gold Waterfall!
boom-!!
The water and the gold dust collided violently in mid-air, producing a dull, thunderous roar.
Although Xingyuan Qianshuo's Exploding Water Wave was only at the proficient level, he managed to withstand Rasa's attack by using the double technique of Perfect Shadow Clone Jutsu and his own abundant chakra.
A few breaths later, the water and the gold dust exhausted their power and crashed to the ground.
The Konoha members finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Sakumo Hatake is proficient in Wind Release and Earth Release, but he excels even more at using speed to defeat enemies. Faced with such a large-scale sand wave attack, he himself can easily dodge, but his teammates are unlikely to be safe.
Xingyuan Qianshuo's intervention to block the attack allowed him to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Tsunade looked at Senshuo, her eyes filled with admiration.
She knew that Chisaku had only recently learned this technique, and its power was entirely due to the support of his deep chakra reserves.
"Chisaku, be careful with your chakra allocation," she whispered.
"clear."
Within the Sand Village Formation, some were amazed by Rasa's power, while others lamented that their attacks had been blocked.
"Water Release: The First Formation—" Ebizo said calmly.
He never expected to achieve victory in one strike; this was more of a test of chakra and tactics.
However, since Rasa has already laid out the gold dust, it will be much easier to use Magnet Release ninjutsu later.
On the Konoha side, after witnessing the enemy's long-range firepower, Hatake Sakumo decided to close the distance and use offense as a defense.
"You guys hold the line, I'm going in."
Before he finished speaking, he had already disappeared from the spot, almost without making a sound.
Xingyuan Qian Shuo's Sharingan narrowed slightly, only managing to capture a fleeting afterimage—Hatake Sakumo's Body Flicker Technique had reached its pinnacle.
"Sakushige Hatake is here!"
Ebizo gave a low shout and simultaneously unfurled a scroll.
Bang!
A five-meter-long spider-shaped puppet landed amidst the white smoke.
Except for Rasa, the Sunagakure members all jumped onto the puppet's back.
Without Ebizo's hands visible, the spider puppet suddenly leaped into the air, reaching a height of over thirty meters, soaring over Hatake Sakumo and heading straight for Konoha's main camp!
"Um?"
Seeing this, Xingyuan Qianshuo was about to form hand seals to unleash the Water Severing Wave attack when he saw the spider's abdomen split open, and more than a dozen pitch-black spheres, accompanied by hissing sparks, fell in a parabola toward the Konoha team.
"Chisaku, that's an explosive bomb!" Tsunade instantly recalled the tactics of the Sky Ninja Village and warned sharply.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Xingyuan Qianshuo's main body and shadow clone simultaneously formed hand seals, and chakra surged forth.
The ordinary C-rank wind technique in his hands stirred up a violent airflow, blowing the aerial bombs off course, and the remaining force of the gale struck the spider puppet directly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Bombs exploded one after another in mid-air, scattering fragments everywhere. Xingyuan Qianshuo maintained his Wind Release technique, deflecting all the debris.
At this moment, the spider puppet unfurled a pair of giant wings from its back and glided through the air with the help of the wind, still hovering in the sky.
"Air units—these are really troublesome." Xingyuan Qianshuo frowned inwardly; this was precisely the type he found most difficult to deal with at the moment.
He reached into his ninja tool pouch and gripped a kunai bearing the Flying Thunder God Technique mark.
If the opponent continues to bombard from the air, he will throw kunai, use them as coordinates to teleport in the air, and then use Wind Release: Rasengan to decide the outcome.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tsunade, whose expression was equally serious. Dealing with aerial enemies was not her forte.
The remaining Konoha ninjas, each holding a weapon, looked up at the sky with somber expressions.
At this moment, Sakumo Hatake and Rasa Sunagakure were already locked in combat, one side moving swiftly and fast, the other like waves of gold dust, attacking and defending with ease.
Ebizo saw everything.
He had already led the other Sand Ninja away from Hatake Sakumo, giving Rasa and Konoha's White Fang a chance to fight.
Clearly, Konoha's White Fang did not want Rasa, the sand manipulator ninja, to attack the Konoha team.
Hatake Sakumo's response was exactly what Ebizo had anticipated.
Someone as shrewd as him is used to extrapolating and predicting based on known factors. However, when it comes to putting things into practice, he inevitably has to face the existence of variables.
At this moment, for Konoha, the appearance of Xingyuan Qianshuo was an unexpected variable.
He needed to constantly gather information on this young Konoha ninja—his two responses had already demonstrated powerful Water Release and Wind Release abilities.
Ebizo calmly planned and pondered.
The people of Konoha watched with solemnity and vigilance.
The night breeze swept through the canyon, bringing coolness and lingering gunpowder smoke.
The air was thick with murderous intent, like a taut bowstring, brimming with tension and on the verge of bursting.