MTLNOVEL Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Just Ōnoki? Let’s Take Him Down!
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"Oh my, Brother Danzō, what happened to you? How did you get so thin?"
Looking at the haggard appearance of Danzō, Jinghang was a bit taken aback. It hadn't been that long since their last meeting, yet Danzō now looked like a shadow of his former self. Dark circles hung heavy under his eyes, his eye sockets carried an unhealthy grayish hue, his cheeks were slightly sunken, and he had visibly lost weight.
"Ah, it's a long story," Danzō said, his lifeless eyes gazing out at the raindrops trickling down the window.
Ever since the war with Iwagakure had reached a stalemate, the situation had been steadily turning against Konoha. The Leaf forces, already exhausted from the chaos caused by Sunagakure at the Lake of the Moon, had barely managed to hold their ground in urban guerrilla warfare in Amegakure. They were simply buying time, hoping to regroup and launch a counterattack once reinforcements arrived.
While Konoha's reinforcements did eventually show up, so did Iwagakure's. The cunning Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, feigned retreat, only to set up a massive ambush on the outskirts of the city. Leading the fresh troops, Chōza Akimichi charged straight into the trap. Ōnoki, along with his three prized disciples—Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, and Shirakuchi—tightened the encirclement using Earth Release techniques. Meanwhile, Ōnoki himself unleashed his Dust Release, wreaking havoc within the encirclement. Shirakuchi, a master of explosive clay, bombarded the Konoha forces with devastating explosions, leaving them in disarray.
In a desperate moment, Chōza Akimichi consumed the family's secret chili pill, using the Butterfly Mode to forcefully break through the encirclement with the remaining Konoha forces. However, the side effects of the pill left him on the brink of death.
This battle cost Konoha 3,000 soldiers, leaving only 6,000 weary troops. In contrast, Iwagakure's forces still numbered over 12,000, their morale soaring as they seemed poised to overrun Amegakure.
(Side note on ninja population: In the original series, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the total global ninja count was about 80,000. Since this is only the Second Great Ninja War, the numbers should be smaller. I estimate Iwagakure can muster around 20,000 ninjas, while Sunagakure has about 10,000. Don't nitpick, okay?)
"Bang!" Jinghang slammed the table, startling both Danzō and Hanzō of the Salamander.
"Just Ōnoki? Let's take him down! How dare he bully my Brother Danzō? I won't stand for it!"
"Are you saying Sunagakure will join the fight?" Danzō's eyes lit up. He had great respect for Jinghang's formidable strength and tactical prowess.
"Of course! We're allies, aren't we? And we have such a good personal relationship. Don't worry, I'll draft a diplomatic statement condemning Ōnoki in the name of the Kazekage right away!"
Danzō and Hanzō immediately felt a wave of exasperation.
"Heh, sorry, Brother Danzō. I'm here on a diplomatic mission and didn't bring many people with me. Even if I issue a mobilization order now, it would take at least 20 days for our forces to arrive."
"In 20 days, we'll probably already be dust under Ōnoki's Dust Release," Hanzō said irritably.
"Can you hold out for 10 days?"
"Hmm?!" Danzō immediately sat up straight upon hearing this.
"Gather 50 Jonin proficient in Earth Release and 50 Jonin skilled in Lightning Release. I'll help you break the siege."
"No problem. I'll have them assembled within half an hour!" Danzō, suddenly revitalized, regained his usual decisiveness.
"By the way, I brought Tsunade along. Let her take a look at Chōza Akimichi. Here's the plan..."
"Madara-sama? Madara-sama?" Inside a dark cave, a white, vortex-faced figure hung upside down from the rock wall like Spider-Man, calling out to the elder before him.
"Dead, huh?" The vortex-faced figure descended from the wall, attempting to check the elder's breath.
"If you move half an inch closer, I'll... cough cough... kill you," the elder said, opening his eyes. The murderous intent in his gaze made the vortex-faced figure quickly retract his hand.
"Madara-sama, you're not dead! You scared me to death!" The vortex-faced figure dramatically patted his chest.
"Just like that idiot," Madara muttered under his breath.
"Where's Black Zetsu?"
"I'm here." A shadowy figure emerged and merged with the vortex-faced figure, forming a half-black, half-white humanoid. The white half playfully poked at the black half, as if amused by something, while the black half swatted the white hand away in annoyance.
"What's the situation outside?"
"Konoha and Sunagakure have allied. Kirigakure's assassination attempt on the Kazekage failed. Iwagakure has dealt a crushing defeat to Konoha in the Land of Rain." The report was succinct and to the point.
"And Kumogakure? They're not involved?"
"Kumogakure is currently mobilizing its forces but hasn't taken any action yet."
"Is that so? Then let's stir things up. Make it bigger!" Madara retreated into the shadows.
"As you wish, Madara-sama." Black and White Zetsu vanished into the darkness.
The Land of Bears lies between the Lands of Earth and Lightning. At this moment, Jinghang was in a remote camp in the Land of Bears, assigning tasks to 100 Konoha Jonin.
"You'll change into Iwagakure uniforms and follow the Guna River. Cross the Koning Bridge, and you'll enter the Land of Lightning. Here..." Jinghang pointed to a small spot on the map.
"There's a Kumogakure outpost with about 20 ninjas. Further north along this route, there are several more outposts. Your mission is not to eliminate them but to create as much commotion as possible. Understood?"
"Understood!" The lead Konoha ninja responded crisply.
"Remember, you're only allowed to use Earth Release techniques and must not utter a single word during the mission. Can you do that?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Whether you succeed or fail, we'll regroup here in four days. Stay safe. Good luck!" Jinghang extended his hand in a friendly gesture. The Konoha ninja hesitated briefly before shaking it.
"Alright, let's move out! Stay close behind me!" Jinghang addressed the 50 Jonin following him.
"Yes!"
Jinghang donned his mask and activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, disappearing from the Konoha ninjas' sight in a flash.
At an Iwagakure outpost near the border of the Land of Earth:
The entire outpost had been completely destroyed, leaving only charred ruins and lingering smoke. Jinghang frowned deeply, his expression filled with confusion.
"Sir, all 15 Iwagakure ninjas at the outpost were killed. Every single one of them died from Lightning Release techniques."
"If I'm not mistaken, this is the third outpost to be destroyed, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"Who could've done this?" Jinghang pondered. The Akatsuki hasn't even been formed yet. Besides me and Konoha, who else would want to provoke a war between the Lands of Earth and Lightning? Suddenly, a flash of realization struck him. Could it be... him?
"Quick! Full retreat!" Jinghang decisively issued the order.
"Causing such havoc in Iwagakure and thinking you can leave so easily? You must not think very highly of us!" A clear voice echoed across the rocky terrain. A graceful figure descended lightly from above.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kazama Kaze, a direct disciple of the Third Tsuchikage. Who are you, and do you dare reveal your identity?"
Jinghang looked up to see a tall woman with shoulder-length hair, an oval face, and willow-leaf eyebrows. She wore a yellow mask and played with a kunai in her hand, her body floating effortlessly in the air—a clear sign of her mastery of the Light-Weight Rock Technique. Around the cliffs, shadows flickered as over a hundred Iwagakure ninjas closed in.
Damn it! The black dog stole the oil, but the white dog gets beaten. No time to explain.
"Stick close to me! Retreat!" Jinghang activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and shouted.
"My, my, seems like you're a high-ranking ninja from Kumogakure. Impressive." Kazama Kaze observed Jinghang's lightning armor with a hint of surprise. She gestured with her hand.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"