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Chapter 157: The Battle Situation Sudden Change!
🕑 Added 2025-01-23 13:23:21 +0000 UTCThe sun slowly rose from the horizon, its warm light lifting the veil of night. The brilliant rays of dawn bathed the battlefield, illuminating the aftermath of chaos.
At the base of a rocky outcrop deep in the Land of Earth, Raiden stood amid the aftermath of battle. At his feet lay the corpses of five Iwa ninjas, their blood staining the ground.
After an exhausting night of pursuit, Raiden had chased the fleeing Iwa forces far into the Land of Earth's hinterlands. Yet, as the sun rose, he found himself no closer to his quarry. The gap between him and the Iwa ninjas carrying Roshi had only widened.
This delay was primarily due to the numerous ambush teams that had repeatedly blocked his path. The most recent group he had just dealt with marked the tenth interception force he had encountered. Though this particular group consisted of only five shinobi, their advanced skills and carefully laid traps had slowed him down considerably.
Suddenly, the sound of rushing wind broke the silence. Hatake Sakumo and the Konoha reinforcements arrived, landing beside Raiden one after another. After a night of chasing, they had finally caught up with him.
"Raiden, are you alright?" Hizashi Hyuga asked, concern evident in his voice as he approached.
"I'm fine," Raiden replied curtly, glancing toward the north. He sighed heavily. The Iwa ninjas carrying Roshi had escaped beyond his range of perception. Worse still, his senses now detected a large number of Iwa reinforcements converging on their location. Continuing the pursuit was no longer an option.
"These Iwa ninjas..." Hizashi began, pointing toward the bodies on the ground.
"Let's talk about it later. We need to leave now," Raiden interrupted. "They're closing in."
Without another word, he turned and began heading back toward their stronghold. The Konoha shinobi exchanged glances before following quickly.
At noon, the door to Onoki's office burst open. A panicked Iwa ninja rushed in, shouting urgently, "Lord Tsuchikage! An urgent report!"
"What is it? Speak!" Onoki floated from his seat, snatching the scroll from the ninja's hands and unrolling it swiftly.
The reporting ninja began to explain:
"Han's unit, which was tasked with attacking Konoha and the Sand Ninja Village, encountered a powerful enemy. Han's troops were completely routed, 90% of the shinobi were killed, and Han himself was slain. The Tailed Beast broke free and fled."
"The unit led by Commander Roshi also faced a devastating enemy. The unit suffered heavy casualties, and Commander Roshi is gravely injured and unconscious. He is currently being transported back to the village."
The grim report drew the attention of everyone in the room. Onoki's fists clenched tightly as he finished reading the scroll, his aura radiating suppressed fury. The scroll contained detailed information about the enemy: the identity of the attacker, the timeline of events, and even a description of the ninjutsu employed.
Onoki forced himself to stay calm and spoke coldly, "What about Kokuō? Was there any sighting of the Five-Tails?"
"None so far, Lord Tsuchikage," the ninja replied quickly, sensing the weight of Onoki's anger.
"Send orders to the troops on the Rain Country front to tighten their defensive line.
"Have Kitsuchi move to support Roshi and ensure his safe return.
"Recall the forces from the Thick Earth division and have the Barrier Squad prepare for recovery operations. Recovering the Five-Tails is our top priority.
"I will personally head to the southern front. We cannot allow Konoha or the Sand Ninjas to act freely in the Land of Earth. Prepare the entire village for war!"
Meanwhile, Raiden and the Konoha forces had returned to their stronghold. The first thing Raiden did was compile a report to send back to Konoha, detailing the events and current status of the frontline.
After a brief rest, Raiden convened a meeting with the upper-level commanders to discuss their next steps.
During the meeting, Raiden summarized the ninjutsu tactics used by the Iwa ninjas before opening the floor for discussion.
"Captain," began Shibi Aburame, his voice filled with admiration. "We've dealt a massive blow to Iwagakure. Their elite forces have been devastated, one jinchuriki is dead, another is gravely injured, and the Five-Tails is no longer under their control. I doubt they can mount an effective defense in the short term.
"I suggest we press the advantage and expand our offensive. We can launch large-scale attacks across Iwagakure, spreading their forces thin and overwhelming them."
Shibi's proposal resonated with some of the commanders, but Hatake Sakumo quickly interjected.
"Captain, I must disagree," he said, standing from his seat. "We've already achieved a significant victory. Iwagakure has suffered immense losses, and their morale is shattered.
"If I were Onoki, I wouldn't let this stand. He will undoubtedly send stronger forces to counter us.
"Our current force is barely over 1,000 shinobi. If Iwagakure gathers a force of 3,000 or more, even with your strength, Captain, we would struggle to hold our ground.
"My suggestion is to pull back now. Leave a small group to gather intelligence and act as spies, but withdraw the main force to avoid unnecessary risks."
The two proposals divided the room. Some supported Shibi's aggressive approach, while others favored Sakumo's cautious strategy. The meeting devolved into a heated argument.
Raiden, rubbing his temples in frustration, closed his eyes to think. While his instincts told him to continue the offensive, Sakumo's logic was undeniable. Capturing the Tailed Beasts had been his plan to force Iwagakure into peace talks, but that plan had failed. His actions might even have strengthened Onoki's resolve to crush Konoha's surprise attack force.
"Report!"
A ninja entered the room, interrupting the debate.
"Hyuga Kaoru from the Medical Division reports that our medical supplies are critically low. Some of the injured cannot receive proper treatment."
Raiden frowned. "Didn't we already request supplies from the village? Have they not arrived?"
The reporting ninja hesitated, but Fukuyama, one of the senior commanders, stood and explained.
"Captain, the village is under immense pressure. Both the Land of Thunder and the Land of Earth are stretching our resources thin. Frequent battles have strained our logistics to the breaking point.
"Even Konoha Hospital is struggling to treat the wounded who have returned from the frontlines. Medical supplies are being prioritized for the village."
The room fell silent as the reality of Konoha's situation sunk in.
"Escort the seriously wounded back to the village for treatment," Raiden ordered decisively. "Fukuyama, you'll oversee the arrangements."
The ninja who delivered the report lingered. "There's more," he said hesitantly.
"Speak," Raiden said.
"Kirigakure has launched an attack on the Wind Country border. The Sand Ninja forces who joined us have received orders to retreat and are preparing to return to defend their homeland. They will not continue advancing with us."
The news hit the room like a thunderclap. The sudden involvement of Kirigakure in the war upended the entire situation. For Konoha, the plan to jointly attack the Land of Earth alongside the Sand Ninjas was effectively over.
Raiden sat silently, processing the implications.
"This move by Kirigakure has thrown all my calculations into chaos," he muttered.
(End of Chapter)
