Chapter 190: 186: Istion
Land of Grass. March, early spring.
In a rare, uninhabited hilly region in the Land of Grass, the final battle between Konoha and Iwagakure began. Having lost arge amount of supplies, Iwa resorted to a desperate strategy.
Faced with Iwa''s unrelenting offensive, the Konoha forces in the Land of Grass had no choice but to confront the onught head-on.
Perhaps, It appeared that Iwagakure had recognized the futility of dying tactics against Konoha, especially with the emergence of the Yellow sh, Namikaze Minato. And that was why they wanted to decide an oue with Konoha.
On this day of battle, the once-clear sky was covered by ominous clouds, and the battlefield echoed with deafening explosions.
Ninjutsu releases caused the earth to crack, and fire and water releases intertwined, while the wind and lightning raged in the battlefield.
Amidst the intensebat, a yellow streak pierced through the heart of the Iwa army, plunging it into chaos. Whenever many Konoha ninjas crossed its path, the battle would soon be over.
The presence of that light was a signal for a personal battle.
At such an extremely extraordinary speed, any form of defense seemed weak and useless. Even the Iwa ninjas didn''t anticipate that the Yellow sh, who initially posed only a minor threat, would be such a formidable enemy today.
Their strategy ofbined Earth Release attacks was unable to counter the Yellow sh''s ninjutsu.
His speed was already beyond humanprehension. In the eyes of Iwa ninjas, the Yellow sh was undoubtedly the fastest ninja in the world.
The battle raged on for for a long time and ended with a resounding victory for Konoha, leaving corpses strewn across the battlefield.
Iwa''s Gari of the explosive release was also killed in the battle, his life imed by the Yellow sh.
On the battlefield, the Yellow sh was an unrelenting executioner of Iwa . Wherever his yellow light shone, death followed.
...
The day following the battle, Konoha and Iwagakure began to tally their casualties.
As the victors, Konoha had fewer losses than Iwagakure. One particrly shocking statistic revealed that almost two-thirds of the approximately 1,500 Iwa ninjas who died in this battle met their death at the hands of the Yellow sh.
The deadly wounds inflicted by the special kunai and the distinct marks left by the Rasengan.
The data was extremely shocking.
Even the Konoha ninjas responsible forpiling the statistics found Minato''s strength surprising, and it was evident that he had risen to the ranks of Konoha''s elite. Rumors iming his prowess surpassed that of the Sannin didn''t seem entirely unfounded.
Following the battle, Minato emerged unscathed, save for a little dust on his clothes, and he still had more stamina and chakra, showing his capacity for furtherbat.
If the Iwa ninjas had not retreated in time, the oue might have been different...
Even when calcted by the Konoha nin, this achievement seemed beyond the capabilities of a young man in his twenties.
"Minato has a significant w." Shikaku shared with his friends Choza and Inoichi.
Within a modest tent, only the three of them were present.
Shikaku voiced his concern with a rather cautious look on his face. Choza and Inoichi both looked at Shikaku iprehensibly.
The recent victory over Iwagakure had relied heavily on Minato''s power, and as a ninja, he appeared almost perfect. So why was Shikaku iming Minato had ws?
"I''ve just been reviewing Minato''s battlefield achievements over the past years."
"Is there an issue? I don''t think the battle records are inurate." Choza replied.
Shikaku shook his head and sighed, clearly troubled, "It''s not that the battle results are false, but they are too real to be regarded as mere ws. The current Minato reminds me of Hatake Sakumo."
The expressions of Choza and Inoichi changed.
Sakumo Hatake was one of the few names in Konoha that was forbidden from being mentioned. Not only was his name removed, but those of the other three members of the White Fang team as well. While many remembered, Konoha''s leadership had issued orders to downy the matter.
"Shikaku, could you rify why you brought up Sakumo?" Inoichi asked puzzledly.
"Because Minato and Sakumo are very simr. They''re both highly mobile ninjas, each equivalent to a one-man army."
"Is that a problem?"
"To a certain extent, it can be good. However, Sakumo was so powerful and even considered for the position of Fourth Hokage, yet his major w was...hecked a team."
This statement might seem outrageous, but when Hatake Sakumo took his own life, the higher-ups managed to suppress all kinds of negative public opinions. It was also revealed then that Sakumo had an immense reputation in Konoha, but heckedrades and real influence, so the incident concluded with much ado but little action.
"You mean..."
"I had my suspicions before, thinking about why Minato, despite being a powerful ninja, has a weak team. Through Minato''s extraordinary performance on this battlefield and aparison with Sakumo''s past, I found something inmon."
"What''s inmon?"
"Solo performances." Shikaku maintained a serious demeanor.
Solo performances? Choza and Inoichi seemed to grasp the concept but remained uncertain.
"They both excel at surprise attacks, and their individual power often renders the assistance of other ninjas unnecessary. They can aplish missions solo. Before the raid on Iwa''s supply point, Kakashi and we were tasked with blowing up the Kannabi Bridge to divert Iwagakure''s attention. Minato singlehandedly raided all of the supply points and executed the mission perfectly."
Honestly, Shikaku didn''t feel much of a participant in that mission, it was more like watching a performance. Minato''s abilities allowed him to shine on his own. It wasn''t a slight on his abilities but rather a simple fact: Minato''s individual brilliance was blinding. Being outstanding withoutrades to match could be a kind of sadness.
"Being too exceptional can pressure yourrades. At the same time,pleting missions solo can make yourrades appear ipetent. Minato may be able to rely on his own strength to gain enough reputation, but such fame is like a house of cards. It may seem prestigious, but when ites to actively participating in the vige''s major affairs, fame without real influence is meaningless."
If such a person were to be Hokage, they would be a mere puppet.
Choza and Inoichi hadplex expressions as they understood Shikaku''s message.
Back in the day, Hatake Sakumo needed three teammates to form the invincible White Fang team. But Minato took the one-man-squad to another level, functioning as a true one-man army. No one could keep pace with his movements. The ninja on his team could only feel redundant and inadequate.
Minato deserved his role in the two major operations that turned the tide for Konoha in the Land of Grass. However, every action he took was a one-man show. People could admire his strength, but they couldn''t connect with him on a deeper level. Most ninjas couldn''t truly rte to Minato. At best, he was seen as the second White Fang.
"Minato stands so high that many people can only look up to him and respect him but can''t reach him, as doing so would harm themselves." Shikaku concluded with a wry smile. He hadn''t anticipated such a w in Minato.
To be Hokage, one needed both fame and strength, as well as leadership abilities.
In most of Minato''s operations, he singlehandedly ended the battles. In this decisive battle with Iwagakure, it was Jiraiya, not Minato, who took charge of the frontlinemand, showing the problem. Minato had yet to show his leadership skills. Whether this was a good or bad thing remained unknown.
A leader''s ability tomand was the most effective means of uniting people and strengthening a team. Minatocked these qualities or perhaps didn''t have the opportunity to develop them. In contrast, the Sannin had mastered this aspect, particrly Orochimaru, who achieved a significant victory in the Land Of Rain battle.
"Let''s talk to him." Choza and Inoichi suggested.
"Not now."
"Why not?"
"What I''ve thought of, wouldn''t the higher-ups have considered it? Perhaps this is something they prefer. If we attempt to change it now, then we can only try if Minato bes Hokage. Otherwise reminding him now might only raise suspicions and lead to stricter restrictions on Minato."
The Fourth Hokage position will probably only be chosen between Minato and Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru bes the Fourth Hokage, it wouldn''t be a bad start for Shikaku. Orochimaru has a strong reputation and a solid team foundation. After assuming the Hokage position, he will have a well-established team. However, there''s a need for some time to test their abilities before Orochimaru would agree with them.
If Minato bes the Fourth Hokage, there are advantages and disadvantages as well. Minato would face the challenge of not having a ready team. The three of them could directly approach the core and be Minato''s primary team.
The downside is that they would have to fave with the constant political pressure from the top. This wouldn''t be an easy task.
"Is that so?"
Choza and Inoichi sighed, realizing howplex the vige''s situation had be.
"Besides... Maybe Minato has noticed something." Shikaku said with a satisfied smile.
"What? Minato... he sensed it himself? Then why..." Choza''s eyes widened. Had Minato already figured it out?
"As the one directly involved, he must have better foresight than someone like me who relies on intelligence gathering to make assumptions. Minato''s analytical skills aren''t weak. If he has noticed something himself but chooses to maintain the status quo, our work will be much easier."
Without political influence, no significant change can be achieved. Fame without real power was essentially useless, but it served as a strong foundation. Building a solid reputation and then tranting that fame into real power was a viable strategy to ovee a disadvantaged position.
If Minato was the genius Shikaku envisioned, he might be preparing for a specific goal.in advance . That would be the best scenario. However, Shikaku wasn''t entirely certain if Minato had noticed these dynamics. After all, it''s all just spections.
Shikaku has two different ns depending on whether Orochimaru or Minato bes the Fourth Hokage.
"What''s the next step?" Choza asked.
"Iwagakure is likely already afraid of Minato''s power, and with their loss ofrge amount of supplies, the prolonged stalemate is no longer sustainable. If they''re intelligent, they''ll send someone soon to dere a truce." Shikaku rubbed his chin and answered thoughtfully.
"It seems that only Kumo remains."
"Yes, the situation in Kumo is challenging. We''ll wait for the vige''s decision. If Minato is transferred to the Kumo battlefield next and returns victorious, the Fourth Hokage position will undoubtedly be his."
It was now a make-or-break situation. This will also determine where the three of them stood.
.....
In a conference room in the Hokage Building, four people were seated: the Third Hokage, Hiruzen; the Root leader, Danzo; and advisors Homura and Koharu.
"Iwagakure is willing to sign an armistice agreement with Konoha. They''ve proposed the same nonpensation conditions as Sunagakure. As the defeated party, they''ve also suffered heavy losses. I''ve already agreed to Iwagakure''s conditions." Hiruzen looked at the three of them and stated.
The armistice agreement from Iwa had been submitted in the morning. Hiruzen had anticipated Iwa''s desire to end the war and didn''t want to prolong the situation. Although Iwa had initiallyunched an attack on the Land of Fire at the beginning while also plundering the them which inflicted losses, but they also knew that if the conflict continued, the losses would outweigh the gains.
"Hmph!"
Danzo snorted coldly showing his dissatisfaction, but he knew that Hiruzen wouldn''t change his decision, no matter how much he objected. As the victor, it was customary not to demandpensation from the defeated party. Danzo believed this approach treated the war too lightly.
Homura and Koharu remained silent.
"Next, I n to transfer Minato to the Kumo battlefield. Kumo ninjas are good in speed battles, and the Fourth Raikage is also proficient in lightning flicker. Minato, who has mastered the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, also relies on speed for his victories. He''s the ideal candidate to handle Kumogakure." Hiruzen exined as he proposed Minato''s involvement in the Kumo battlefield.
"Does this mean Minato will rece Tokukaze''smand position? Isn''t that too risky? After all, he''s only twenty-two years old this year." Koharu expressed concern about Minato''s young age for such a critical role.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were of a simr age when they led the battle in the Land of Rain." Danzo replied with a cold expression.
"It was different back thenpared to now." Koharu countered.
"If you say no then, Orochimaru can be transferred there. After all, his leadership abilities are acknowledged by most ninjas in the vige, and he won''t disappoint you." Hiruzen suggested.
Koharu was left speechless, unable to offer a rebuttal.
Homura cleared his throat and spoke up to support Koharu, "We are currently discussing Minato, so Orochimaru isn''t relevant to this conversation. Additionally, Orochimaru has important ongoing missions. Koharu is right. Letting Minato take Tokukaze''smand position is too risky. Minato has never led such arge number of ninjas. As Jiraiya''s second-inmand, he didn''t have much room for independent action. Now, suddenly giving him Tokukaze''smander position may lead to a lot of chaos."
Danzo remained silent and didn''t express his opinion. However, he understood that Homura''s objection to Minato taking themand role wasn''t solely due to Minato''s age and inexperience; there were more important reasons involved.
Battlemanders umte experience through training, gradually progressing step by step. Even the Sannin, who are closer to the present, followed this path. Danzo believed that not providing Minato an opportunity for practical experience due to his age was unreasonable.
"Indeed, Minato is quite young. Appointing him as themander may result in many people being unconvinced. Furthermore, Minato''s ninjutsu characteristics might not align with themander''s role. To fully disy his abilities, it would be better to have him provide support on the battlefield within a team structure. Kakashi, under hismand, is also an excellent Jonin. I will arrange two more Jonins to create a new team to be led by Minato." Hiruzen exined his decision.
Koharu and Homura questioned and denied Minato, Hiruzen now made up his mind. He would send Minato to support the Konoha troops in the Kumo battlefield in the form of a small team.
Koharu and Homura eventually agreed with Hiruzen''s decision.
"I agree."
Immediately afterwards, Hiruzen looked at Danzo, who had already risen from his seat. Danzo''s exposed left eye emitted a cold gleam, and he exuded an eerie aura.
"In the future, you don''t need to invite me to participate in such stupid meetings. I won''t say much else, I just hope you can control the Second White Fang to avoid further mistakes."
With those words, Danzo cast a final look at the others and exited the conference room on his own. The three remaining members sat in silence, unsure of what to say.
---
April.
The truce agreement between Iwa and Konoha ended without anypensation from Iwa to Konoha.
Subsequently, Kumounched a full-scale war with Konoha, once again drawing attention from other ninja countries.
At the same time, the Land of Demons received a special guest.
In the Oni City, the First Military District, two people sat across from each other in a conference room. A tea table was ced between them, with warm tea, fruits, and pastries.
In this meeting room, only the two of them were present.
"I didn''t expect you toe at this time. Are the internal affairs of Kirigakure already resolved?" Shiraishi asked, gazing at the man seated in front of him.
The distinctive purple pupils and the stitched wound beneath the left eye confirmed the identity of the other person - Karatachi Yagura.
Currently, they had entered into a preliminary cooperation, with more extensive coboration nned after Yagura took control of Kirigakure. However, Yagura was still bound by various constraints, such as the Third Mizukage''s suspicions and the group of Seven Ninja Swordsmen led by Suikazan Fuguki, which posed a direct threat to Yagura.
"How is that possible? This is a critical period. The Third Mizukage''s health keeps deteriorating day by day, and we haven''t yet decided on the next Mizukage. Those people led by Fuguki have been implementing the Blood Mist policy in the vige, keeping me upied." Yagura said, taking a sip of tea and expressing his recent worries.
"Would you like me to provide some assistance? For instance, helping you deal with Suikazan Fuguki...." Shiraishi asked, believing that Yagura had the capabilities to deal with the weakening Third Mizukage but might require support in handling Fuguki, who was in his prime and had several minions.
"Killing him wouldn''t serve a purpose right now, but it may drive away the snakes hiding." Yagura shook his head. A determined gleam shone in his purple pupils, and he continued, "I''ve already identified the members of the Blood Mist faction associated with Fuguki. They''re being backed by the Water Daimyo and nobles."
The one country, one vige system had various agreements during its establishment. For example, the daimyo could not interfere in a ninja vige''s internal affairs under any circumstances. The selection of a Kage required the daimyo''s approval but that was needed only after the vige''s internal election results.
Although the daimyo could express opinions regarding the Kage session but the final decision rested with the ninja vige.
Simrly, the ninjas from the ninja vige must provide military support to repel invading enemies during times of national crisis. There were several other agreements of this nature.
The Water Daimyo had breached this agreement, so it could only be handled discreetly. If exposed, it would jeopardize the stability of the "one country, one vige" system.
In such a situation, to protecting the ninja vige''s stability within their own domains, the other four major countries would inevitably censure the Land of Water''s daimyo, making it a subject of public criticism.
Yagura wanted to use the evidence of the daimyo and nobles'' interference in Kirigakure''s internal matters to make them back down. If he didn''t make them feel pain now, in the future they would resort to looking for ways to control Kirigakure using various excuses.
The Land of Water faced a dire situation where the daimyo and the ninja vige couldn''t trust and cooperate with each other.
To ensure long-term stability and security for Kirigakure in the future, impulsive actions were to be avoided. The true snakes had yet to reveal themselves, and prematurely disying his strength would only cause these hidden snakes to retreat further into the shadows, exposing his intentions as a Reformist.
Hence, even though Yagura understood that allowing Fuguki and others to continue their disruptive actions in Kirigakure would gradually weaken the vige''s power, he chose to feign ignorance and even participate, all in anticipation of the right moment to deliver a decisive blow to the enemy and eradicate the root of the problem.
"Wouldn''t Kirigakure suffer heavy losses?" Shiraishi frowned as he expressed concern.
Yagura responded with a smile, "That''s a necessary price. Currently, I have the power to overthrow the Blood Mist Faction, but I can''t reform the vige entirely yet. The real enemy hasn''t revealed themselves. I won''t let Kirigakure be fall into the most terrible internal strife for the next ten years for a momentary satisfaction."
It was a matter of sacrifice, and Yagura intended to choose the path with the least sacrifice and the highest stability.
"How long do you think this will take?"
"It won''t be more than three years. Honestly, without your help, I nned to start this year. Currently, I''m just ying the game, one that would show what real pain feels like to the nobles."
"That''s understandable. After all, the previous war left the other four viges severely weakened. When we take action, even if Kirigakure faces a period of weakness, they won''t have the capacity to intervene."
Less than three years, it may be a few months, a year or two years, but it wasn''t a long period from his perspective,.
Yagura''s approach appeared reasonable. Starting immediate actions would be unable to eliminate the core issues, resulting in prolonged turmoil within Kirigakure. This was something both Yagura and Shiraishi wished to avoid seeing.
"Iwagakure recently signed an armistice agreement with Konoha and they''ve withdrawn from the war. Now, only Konoha and Kumo persist. Who do you believe will win?"
"Konoha." Shiraishi replied without hesitation.
"It seems you have great confidence in the Yellow sh. From what I''ve gathered, the Fourth Raikage''s younger brother has also joined the battlefield. He''s the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. If the two of them were to cooperate, the Yellow sh may struggle to gain an advantage."
Yagura maintained an active intelligencework and closely monitored events with Kumo.
"Do you think Konoha will lose?"
"No.. from my perspective if Konoha wants to win, they will also have to pay a considerable price."
"What a cunning answer."
"While the duration of this Ninja War is short, the overall scale of the war surpasses that of previous Ninja World Wars. After that, the internationalndscape is likely to undergo significant changes. When do you n to have the Land of Demons officially participate?"
Yagura then asked, looking at Shiraishi inquisitively.
Everything in the Land of Demons will be revealed either sooner orter, and it was impossible to sleep underwater forever.
"It is still under consideration. I need to find a suitable entry point."
Yagura rose from his seat andmented, "No matter which country you choose to begin with, the Land of Demons'' neutral status will be revoked. I can assure you that Kirigakure won''t interfere, and Konoha, being the farthest from the Land of Demons, won''t be able to as well. However, with regard to Suna, Iwa, and Kumo..."
"Don''t worry about that. It is your responsibility to infiltrate the other countries. We will handle the matter of the Land of Demons ourselves. But... since you''re concerned, I''ll give you my answer now. My decision has been made."
At some point, Shiraishi took out a kunai and he threw it. The kunai brushed past Yagura''s ear and pierced itself into the wall behind him with a resonant ng.
Yagura turned to see an incredibly precise map drawn on the wall. The kunai had struck at the center of thergest territory in the world.
The Land of Wind,
"Thank you for your cooperation, Yagura-san."
-----
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