Chapter 99: Reinforcing the Eastern Front, The Best Infiltration Method
Neji-kun escorted the Rōran survivors back towards the Land of Lightning.
As the convoy reached the Land of Frost, they unexpectedly encountered Dodai, Samui, and their group, who were heading to the Land of Wind to negotiate an alliance with Suna.
From Dodai, Neji-kun learned the current situation was grim.
Kumogakure was fighting on three fronts.
Western Front: Ōnoki was personally leading the Iwa army. He had captured seven towns in just three days, and the western defenses were collapsing under the pressure.
Land of Hot Water Front: After Shisui led four battalions to break through Konoha's defense line, Jiraiya, who hadn't returned to Konoha in a long time, suddenly arrived on the battlefield with reinforcements. The Uchiha were now locked in a bitter struggle.
Eastern Front: This was the only front holding well. The Fourth Raikage had led the Kage Guard, crushing Kiri's vanguard of 800 shinobi. Kumo had launched multiple counterattacks, pushing the main Kiri army back thirty li.
"Lord Raikage plans to divert some forces from the east to support the Land of Hot Water front," Dodai said, his single eye filled with gravity. "He himself will secretly head to the western front to rendezvous with Killer Bee and stop Ōnoki."
Strictly speaking, Kumogakure's current strength was slightly less than Konoha's during the Third Great Ninja War. Fighting on three fronts was straining their capabilities significantly. More critically, the Land of Lightning lacked the abundant natural resources of the Land of Fire. If they became bogged down in a protracted war, their logistics would collapse, and Kumo would be bled dry by attrition.
Just then, Dodai glanced at the distant Rōran caravan. "Neji-kun, who are those people?"
Neji-kun briefly explained his trip to the Land of Wind.
After listening, Dodai's face darkened further. His mission was to go to Sunagakure and negotiate an alliance with Rasa. Securing Suna's military aid would be ideal, but at the very least, he needed to ensure they wouldn't attack Kumo. Fighting on three fronts was already pushing Kumo to its limits; adding Suna would be disastrous.
But Neji-kun stealing the Dragon Vein and wiping out their pursuit force... secrets like that couldn't be kept forever. Once the Rōran survivors reached Kumogakure, Suna would quickly figure out what happened. Under these circumstances, the possibility of an alliance between Kumo and Suna was virtually zero.
Dodai sighed lightly. "I can only hope Suna joins the fight later rather than sooner." In reality, Dodai knew that even without Neji-kun's interference, Suna would likely join the war eventually. Suna was Konoha's loyal dog. If Konoha offered enough benefits, Rasa would find it hard to resist. And resource-poor Kumogakure certainly couldn't offer better terms than Konoha.
"Neji-kun, I'll escort the Rōran survivors," Dodai said, changing the subject, realizing further lamenting was pointless. "There's a mission I need you to undertake." He took a scroll from his ninja pouch and handed it to Neji-kun.
Neji-kun took the scroll and opened it using Kumogakure's specific sealing method.
Orders: Hyūga Neji is to proceed immediately to the Eastern Front. Disrupt the Kirigakure formation to the greatest extent possible, draw the main Kiri army's attention, and assist Yugito Nii in defeating their main force.
Signed: Fourth Raikage
Mission Rank: S
"My biggest concern isn't the western or southern fronts, but the eastern one," Dodai explained calmly while Neji-kun read the scroll. "The situation on the Eastern Front looks favorable for now, but Kirigakure's decision to attack us so inexplicably means they won't give up easily. They are bound to send reinforcements."
"Lord Raikage and I discussed it. We need you to go there and assist Yugito-san in crushing the main Kiri army before those reinforcements can arrive."
Hearing Dodai's words, Samui, standing beside them, looked uneasy. Among the Five Great Villages, Kirigakure, the perennial runner-up, often bit the hardest when provoked. They were likely determined to tear a chunk out of Kumogakure this time.
Neji-kun emotionlessly rolled up the scroll, then suddenly smiled faintly. "Dodai-dono, I have a way to persuade Kirigakure to ally with us instead."
"Wh-what?" Dodai looked utterly baffled.
Samui gaped. "Kirigakure... ally with us? Neji-kun, do you even know what you're saying?"
Neji-kun gently touched his Tenseigan, the sapphire-like orb in his eye socket. "These eyes see things differently. The reason Kirigakure suddenly launched this war is because they have internal strife."
"Strife?" Dodai's brow furrowed, his gaze fixed intently on Neji-kun. 'Is the Tenseigan finally revealing its fangs?' he thought.
"If it's you, you should be able to accomplish such a thing." Dodai didn't ask for specifics, instead offering Neji-kun his complete support. "Go ahead and do it. During this operation, you have the highest command authority on the entire Eastern Front. Yugito-san will also be under your command."
He paused, glanced at Samui beside Neji-kun, and smiled. "Samui, you go with Neji-kun. Report back to me regularly during the operation."
"Understood." Samui nodded immediately and moved to Neji-kun's side. "Neji-kun, we finally get to fight side-by-side!" she said, a playful smile on her lips.
Neji-kun glanced at her smile, rubbed the back of his head, and then addressed Dodai. "Dodai-dono, please escort the Rōran survivors to the Land of Lightning. I must head to the eastern border immediately."
"Alright. Go on, don't worry about them."
One day later.
Eastern Sea, Land of Lightning.
A pale blue beam of light streaked across the sky at incredible speed, heading towards the depths of the ocean.
The Land of Frost was quite a distance from the eastern sea of the Land of Lightning. Normally, whether traveling by land or water, the journey would take six days. Even traveling day and night without rest, it would require around three days.
Yet Neji-kun's group had made it in just one day.
This was despite Neji-kun carrying Pakura, Samui, Uchiha Izumi, and Sasori, which somewhat hindered his speed. If he had been alone, he could have reached the eastern sea in just five hours.
"What a monster." Sasori glanced at Neji-kun, who showed no sign of fatigue after over ten hours of ultra-high-speed flight. Sasori's perception of Neji-kun shifted once again, completely extinguishing any lingering thoughts of escape. He even began to suspect that perhaps even the Leader, Pain, might not be able to defeat him.
Before long, Neji-kun descended from the sky, landing steadily on the surface of the sea.
"Samui-neechan, is that Skull Island over there?" Neji-kun asked, gazing into the distance. Five kilometers away, a large island lay upon the sea like a colossal beast. His Tenseigan detected dense clusters of chakra signatures across it.
"Yes," Samui nodded. "Skull Island is the Kirigakure army's most critical supply and logistics point. Besides stockpiling vast amounts of strategic resources, many of Kiri's high command are inside, coordinating the overall strategy."
"The biggest supply point? Is the intel reliable?" Neji-kun's eyes lit up.
"It's the latest intelligence provided by HQ," Samui bit her red lip. "It should be accurate. Neji-kun, you're not seriously planning to take down Skull Island with just the few of us, are you?"
Neji-kun looked towards the island. "Why not? If Skull Island is truly that important, taking it out will throw the Kiri forces into chaos quickly." His casual words conveyed absolute confidence in his own strength, as if the enemy's main supply depot were his personal backyard garden.
Pakura chimed in, "An army marches on its stomach. Destroying their supply line is indeed a good strategy. But Skull Island will definitely be heavily guarded. Taking down this piece of meat won't be easy!"
Samui glanced at the masked Pakura beside her, and then at Sasori, who stood nearby wrapped in his black cloak with his arms crossed. She raised an eyebrow slightly. This wasn't the time to inquire about their identities. The mission was paramount. Since Neji-kun had made up his mind, she couldn't really argue further. She only worried that her own weakness might hinder the mission's success.
"Neji-kun," Samui said apologetically, "with my infiltration skills, I can't guarantee I won't be detected. I'm sorry."
"You're infiltrating?" Neji-kun gave her a strange look. "Just follow behind me. Infiltration is my job."
Samui clenched her fists, her heart sinking. 'I really am too weak.' Even fighting alongside him, she couldn't contribute much.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Neji-kun."
"Stick close behind me. No one will notice you."
Hearing this, Samui looked puzzled. She had confidence in Neji-kun's infiltration skills, but she couldn't understand what kind of advanced technique could also conceal others nearby.
She quickly understood.
Neji-kun didn't use any jutsu. He wore no disguise. He simply walked straight towards Skull Island.
Before long, the group of five was spotted by a patrolling Kirigakure ninja.
"Who are you—"
Shlick! Before the ninja could finish his sentence, a flash of black lightning streaked past. Neji-kun's figure materialized behind the Kiri ninja. A savage bloody gash appeared on the ninja's chest, and he collapsed to the ground without a sound.
"Wha—" Samui, who was carefully trying to conceal her chakra signature behind him, was dumbfounded. This was Neji-kun's infiltration method?
Not just Samui; even Pakura, Sasori, and Izumi off to the side were somewhat stunned.
Neji-kun turned his head slightly and said flatly, "If we kill everyone who sees us, we won't be exposed. That's my infiltration method."
Inside Skull Island.
Ringo Ameyuri sat grimly at the head position in the Kirigakure command tent. The staff officers seated on either side looked equally serious.
"Kumogakure's counterattacks are getting fiercer. We've suffered heavy losses these past two days."
"They're just putting up a brave front. Fighting on three fronts, they can't last long. As long as we hold our position here, Kumogakure will collapse under the strain of war within a year."
"That makes sense, but I fear we might collapse before Kumogakure does."
Ringo Ameyuri shook her head. "We must have faith in Lord Mizukage. At a time like this, we absolutely cannot lose our nerve."
"Why hasn't Lord Mizukage come to the front himself?"
"Yeah, if Lord Mizukage were here, along with Utakata-sama, they could definitely stop the Fourth Raikage and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Who knows? Lord Mizukage must have his reasons."
Despite the murmurs filling the tent, Ringo Ameyuri remained as steady as Mount Tai. She was a staunch supporter of the Mizukage faction, absolutely loyal and trusting.
Suddenly, a Kiri intelligence ninja rushed into the tent, handed Ringo Ameyuri an intelligence scroll, and whispered a report. "Ma'am, our spies embedded within the Kumogakure army have been completely wiped out. This is precious intel sent back via reverse summoning just moments before their demise."
Ringo Ameyuri's focus sharpened instantly. She quickly unrolled the scroll and scanned its contents.
After reading, she shot to her feet, her deep eyes filled with an unconcealable excitement. "Excellent! The Fourth Raikage has left the Eastern Front?!"
Just as she had expected, Kumogakure couldn't sustain a three-front war. Although Kumo had achieved a major victory on the Eastern Front, continuous setbacks on the other two fronts had forced the Fourth Raikage to redeploy.
The Fourth Raikage's strength was comparable to the legendary Third Raikage of the past. On the battlefield, he was like a human Tailed Beast. Countless Kiri ninja had fallen at his hands.
Now that the Fourth Raikage had left the Eastern Front, they only needed to face one Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Relay this intelligence to Utakata-sama immediately!"
"Yes, ma'am!" The intelligence ninja hurried away.
The staff officers in the tent stared at the sand table in the center, their eyes gleaming with fervor. The Fourth Raikage's withdrawal from the Eastern Front was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for Kirigakure.
"If we seize this chance to counterattack and break through the Kumo defense line in one fell swoop, we can be the first to push into the Land of Lightning—" Ringo Ameyuri's eyes burned with fervor.
"Trouble!" Her thought was interrupted as a panicked Kiri ninja burst into the command tent, his voice urgent.
"Intruder!"
"What did you say?"
"Is this guy human or a ghost?!"
"Damn it, don't underestimate Kiri ninja!"
"Quick, stop him!"
Cries of anger, fear, and agony echoed incessantly from outside.
By the time Ringo Ameyuri arrived with a group of her trusted subordinates, they witnessed a scene that made everyone's scalp tingle.
A figure completely wreathed in black lightning held a Kiri ninja by the neck, lifting him effortlessly into the air.
Around him, over a dozen Kiri ninja lay dead on the ground, the earth soaked crimson with their blood. The acrid stench of blood assaulted everyone's senses.
Ringo Ameyuri, the highest commander on Skull Island, saw this, and her eyes instantly became bloodshot.
"Let him go!" she roared.
Neji-kun glanced at Ringo Ameyuri, a flicker of surprise on his face. He hadn't expected this Kiri genius, who suffered from a severe illness and died young in the original story, to still be alive, and looking quite healthy at that.
Ringo Ameyuri and Mangetsu Hōzuki were both Kiri geniuses fiercely loyal to the Fourth Mizukage. Even Obito likely wouldn't dare to purge them openly. In the original story, both died from incurable diseases at a young age. Now, seeing her like this, Neji-kun wondered if their deaths were truly from illness after all.
"Are you talking to me?"
Neji-kun snapped back to reality, a cruel smile playing on his lips. His fingers tightened slightly. With a sickening crack, the Kiri ninja's neck snapped.
Neji-kun killing the ninja was like lighting a powder keg. Ringo Ameyuri's chakra flared. White lightning coated her fist as she charged Neji-kun at high speed, aiming a heavy blow straight at his head.
Seeing the incoming lightning fist, Neji-kun's face suddenly showed a hint of exasperation. 'Seriously? You don't even have the Kiba blades. What gives you the right to use lightning techniques in front of a Kumogakure ninja?'
Neji-kun tossed the Kiri ninja's corpse aside like trash, then threw an uppercut, smashing upwards.
Black lightning exploded violently from his fist.
Instantly, the black and white bolts of lightning clashed violently. A dull thud echoed through the air.
Ringo Ameyuri's face changed drastically. She felt the bones in her right arm fracture from the impact. 'He doesn't look that strong... why is he so unbelievably powerful?'
The terrifying force traveled relentlessly up her arm. Ringo Ameyuri gritted her teeth and slammed her left hand onto her right arm to brace it against the overwhelming power.
Despite this, after a few seconds of stalemate, Ringo Ameyuri was suddenly sent flying backward.
Neji-kun, in contrast, hadn't moved an inch from his spot.
His body, still wreathed in black lightning, seemed to absorb the sunlight, glowing with a deep, dark luminescence.
"Remember this," Neji-kun declared, his voice ringing out, "Kumogakure's Lightning Release is the strongest under heaven."