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Chapter 165 Captive!
🕑 Added 2025-01-24 16:23:31 +0000 UTCUchiha Obito's exclamation made Kakashi, Rin, and Minato look at him strangely. They didn't understand why Obito was reacting that way.
At this moment, Kakashi also recognized the man in front of him. Seeing Raiden's arrival, Namikaze Minato breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "You're finally here. I thought we might not make it this time."
"Not make it? If you hadn't brought these burdens with you, wouldn't you have escaped as soon as you wanted?"
"The old man must be losing his mind to assign you kids such an important mission."
Raiden tapped his shoulder with the back of the Sakegari no Tachi sword, glanced at Kakashi and the others, and spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"This has nothing to do with Hokage-sama. I suggested it. Kakashi and the others are excellent ninjas."
"It's my poor planning that caused this. I didn't expect to encounter such opponents."
Namikaze Minato looked a bit embarrassed. He hadn't anticipated facing powerful foes like Roshi and Kitsuchi in the Bird Country. Typically, Minato's extraordinary speed and mastery of Flying Raijin made him almost impossible to catch, even against thousands of enemies.
But this time, Minato had brought Kakashi and others along, and the Iwa ninja forces were led by Roshi and Kitsuchi, two of Iwa's strongest shinobi.
"Forget it. You protect these three. Leave the rest to us."
"Shibi, Hizashi, let's move!"
Raiden shouted, and countless black swarms filled the sky, blocking out half the light. A large number of Konoha ninjas emerged from the forest and began attacking the Iwa ninjas. Seeing Shibi and the others engage, Raiden didn't hesitate, encased in lightning, and charged directly at Roshi.
"Kitsuchi, are you all right?" Roshi asked as he reached Kitsuchi, checking his condition.
"I'll manage. I used petrification and hardening to soften the impact, but it still broke a few ribs."
"I didn't expect his speed and strength to be so overwhelming. Even with the Super Light and Heavy Rock Technique, I couldn't keep up."
Kitsuchi coughed up blood as he spoke. The injury was more than just broken ribs—his internal organs had also been severely impacted by Raiden's blow.
"Retreat!"
Seeing Kitsuchi's condition, Roshi immediately hoisted him onto his shoulders and ordered a quick retreat. With Kitsuchi injured, Roshi didn't want to face Raiden's forces head-on. Over the years, Roshi had developed a clear understanding of Raiden's ever-growing power.
The Iwa ninjas began retreating, using combination jutsu to create massive stone walls as barriers. The main force regrouped with Roshi and quickly retreated further.
"Don't let them escape! Chase them!"
Raiden's target was Roshi. As the Iwa ninjas constructed earth walls, Raiden blasted through them with thunder arrows, pursuing them relentlessly. At his command, the shadows in the forest flickered, and countless Konoha ninjas chased after the Iwa forces.
As the Iwa troops and Raiden's forces departed, the battlefield quieted.
Namikaze Minato, watching Raiden disappear into the distance, sat down beside Kakashi and the others, exhaling deeply. "Let's rest here for now."
"Obito, who was that person? It seemed like you knew him," Rin asked curiously after the crisis had passed, sitting down on the ground with the others.
"Obito, what was that about the 'bad guys' you mentioned? I don't recall you saying you had met Raiden before," Minato added, also relaxing a bit.
"That was years ago."
Obito then recounted the story of how he had once met Raiden, been knocked unconscious by him, and how Raiden had even impersonated Namikaze Minato, embellishing his tale to amuse Minato and the others.
Kakashi, having had little interaction with Raiden, was indifferent. He only knew Raiden as one of Konoha's most talented shinobi of the previous generation, a prodigy whose fame spread early. However, Kakashi had little understanding of Raiden's character.
For Rin, Raiden now seemed like a prank-loving elder brother. Minato, however, looked at Obito thoughtfully.
While Minato and his team rested, Raiden led a group of elite ninjas in pursuit of Roshi. This was a rare opportunity; Kitsuchi was gravely injured, and Roshi had only 50 ninjas accompanying him. Raiden's troops outnumbered them five to one.
"Roshi-sama, go ahead. I'll hold them off!"
In the dense Bird Country forest, one of the middle-aged Iwa ninjas stopped decisively, ready to sacrifice himself.
"No, we'll retreat together," Roshi said firmly, standing on a branch with Kitsuchi on his back.
"If we continue like this, none of us will escape."
Despite Roshi's reluctance, more than 20 Iwa ninjas chose to stay behind and hold off the Konoha forces.
"I will avenge you," Roshi muttered, turning to flee without hesitation.
Soon after, Raiden and his troops caught up. Spotting the Iwa ninjas who had stayed behind, Raiden sighed.
"They left someone to cover their retreat," he said. "Shibi, take them alive."
Raiden refrained from chasing Roshi alone, knowing the risks of a trap. Instead, he left the task of capturing the remaining Iwa ninjas to Shibi, Hizashi, and the others, while overseeing the battlefield.
The battle was intense but short. With the orders to capture enemies alive, it lasted longer than usual, but eventually, the Konoha forces subdued the remaining Iwa ninjas.
After securing the captured ninjas, Raiden sealed their movements and chakra, regrouped with Minato's team, and began heading toward the Land of Wind.
Meanwhile, Roshi reached an Iwa stronghold in Bird Country, issuing orders to rally more forces and prepare to trap Raiden and his troops. What had started as Raiden's hunt now threatened to turn into his own fight for survival.
(End of Chapter)
