Chapter 380: Bearing a bad reputation! The northern front of the Rain Country collapses! Second update, please ask for book tickets
Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing one Genin! Gained 34 Kill Points (including Ninja War bonus!).
Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing one Elite Chunin! Gained 132 Kill Points (including Ninja War bonus!).
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In a certain desolate area north of Po Suo Oasis, after a series of tragic wails, the scorching yellow sand sizzled as it was stained with blood.
Twenty-seven Konoha Ninja and Amegakure Ninja, who had been subverted or even controlled by Sunagakure, all died at Fujiwara Tetsuya's hands without exception.
Fujiwara Tetsuya fulfilled his promise to Sakumo Hatake, taking on all the responsibility and all the infamy.
"Tetsuya…"
Looking at Fujiwara Tetsuya's slightly lonely back, Sakumo Hatake walked from the end of the yellow sand and heavily patted Fujiwara Tetsuya's shoulder.
Although their methods differed, he, the Sandaime, the high-ranking Konoha officials, and the young man before him were all protecting their bonds and Konoha in their own ways.
"Hoo~"
"Sakumo-senpai, I'll leave the clean-up work to you."
"Just leave these Amegakure Ninja here. As for the Village's Ninja… they are all heroes, from the moment they stepped onto the battlefield. Even if they chose the wrong path in the end, I hope… they can still return to the Village as heroes."
"I understand. I will handle all of this and then negotiate with Hokage-sama."
"You should rest. These past few days… you've worked hard."
Hearing Fujiwara Tetsuya's instructions, Sakumo Hatake's gaze grew increasingly complex… At this moment, in his opinion, Fujiwara Tetsuya's magnanimity not only surpassed his own but even surpassed that of a Kage!
Under the strong suppression of Fujiwara Tetsuya and Sakumo Hatake, the matter of the traitors did not cause any further trouble.
From the expressions Sakumo Hatake inadvertently revealed, many Konoha Jonin and Elite Jonin seemed to have guessed something… "Is that so? You all truly worked hard on this trip."
Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the intelligence squad members who had just returned from the Land of Wind front line, his eyes holding an unspeakable complexity.
Because, from the intelligence squad, and from the Konoha Ninja and Amegakure Ninja who had returned from the Land of Wind and had been captured by Sunagakure, as well as from the intelligence scroll Sakumo Hatake had the intelligence squad bring back, he clearly understood everything Fujiwara Tetsuya had done.
All the sacrifices, all the resolve… "That Tetsuya kid… he's truly an extraordinary Ninja."
After the intelligence squad members left, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze turned to Utatane Koharu, who looked like she wanted to speak but hesitated, and Homura Mitokado, who had just returned from the Land of Rain. He spoke with a resolute tone.
He clearly intended to make a definitive judgment on everything Fujiwara Tetsuya had done, to prevent this matter from becoming a pretext for some people to attack Fujiwara Tetsuya in the future.
"Oh, right, Homura, you just got back, and I haven't had a chance to ask you, how are things in the northern Land of Rain?"
"Do you think, with the current deployment of Amegakure and the Village's military forces in the north, they can withstand Iwagakure's attack?"
"Or, after Iwagakure learned of Sunagakure's withdrawal from the Land of Rain, have they shown any signs of abandoning the attack… and retreating to the Land of Earth?"
As the topic shifted, the atmosphere in the room suddenly relaxed.
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi mention the situation in the northern Land of Rain, Homura Mitokado's spirits lifted.
Although he hadn't contributed much to the three-way war during his time in the Land of Rain,
he also hadn't made any major mistakes… For a high-ranking official like him, no mistakes meant the best resume.
It would also give him more say in Konoha's power core.
"Hiruzen, don't worry…"
"With the Village and Amegakure's deployment at the front, it's enough to block Iwagakure's main force, completely confining them to the northern Land of Rain, and it won't affect the Land of Fire…"
"Furthermore, although Iwagakure also received news of Sunagakure's retreat, the main Iwagakure force currently in the Land of Rain hasn't made any significant moves, simply continuing to assault the defense lines constructed by the Village and Amegakure as before…"
"Hokage-sama…"
Just as Homura Mitokado slowly rose, intending to further analyze the war situation, display his talents, and gain some prominence,
an urgent voice suddenly rang out. Several Anbu members appeared in Hiruzen Sarutobi's line of sight, he knew not when.
"Shinnosuke, what happened? Why are you so flustered?"
The person was not an outsider; it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son, the Anbu Deputy Commander, Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
And Homura Mitokado, upon recognizing Sarutobi Shinnosuke, quickly suppressed the dissatisfaction that had just arisen.
"It's the Land of Rain…"
"Just two days ago, Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, led thousands of Iwagakure elites to reinforce the front line…"
"Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and the Four-Tails Jinchuriki jointly forced Hanzo to retreat, while Lord Danzo was defeated by Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and fell into a coma with severe injuries. Root was almost completely annihilated trying to rescue Lord Danzo."
"Now, the northern Land of Rain defense line has completely collapsed. The Amegakure Ninja commanded by Hanzo, and the Village's remaining front-line troops, are retreating towards the central Land of Rain…"
Not only had Hiruzen Sarutobi and Utatane Koharu never anticipated such a turn of events, even Homura Mitokado, who had only recently returned from the front, had never imagined… that he would be proven wrong so quickly.
Thinking of the assurances he had just made in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Utatane Koharu, Homura Mitokado's cheeks instantly turned crimson.
If he could, he wanted to immediately escape from here and quietly return to his safe haven.
"How are Danzo's injuries? Is his life in danger?"
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's question, Sarutobi Shinnosuke's eyes showed a moment of bewilderment. He couldn't quite understand… in this situation, shouldn't the Hokage's first concern be the situation on the front line? And the casualties of the front-line troops?
"Shinnosuke…?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't give Sarutobi Shinnosuke much time to think. Seeing that Sarutobi Shinnosuke didn't respond, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice immediately rose.
"Uh~ Hokage-sama, the intelligence didn't elaborate on Lord Danzo's injuries… but when Lord Danzo fought the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, he seemed to have had his left arm broken by the Five-Tails Jinchuriki…"
"Koharu, where is Tsunade now?"
"Go, immediately send someone to notify Tsunade… Tell Tsunade to go to Danzo. No matter the cost, ensure Danzo's safety…"
The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice fell, the room suddenly became quiet.
Even Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a hint of strangeness… "Hiruzen, calm down… Danzo is only severely injured and unconscious."
Finally, Utatane Koharu could no longer bear Hiruzen Sarutobi's loss of composure. She lightly coughed, breaking the eerie silence.
"And… don't forget about Nawaki and the Senju Clan…"
Hearing Utatane Koharu's reminder, Hiruzen Sarutobi's right hand, which had been waving, immediately dropped.
Yes!
He forgot!
About Nawaki and the Senju Clan!
Let alone his command, even if he personally knelt before Tsunade, with her righteous nature, she wouldn't care about Danzo in the slightest…