Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 69
🕑 Added 2024-12-13 16:51:32 +0000 UTCWith the souls laid to rest, Masashi and Pakura left the ruins of southern gate behind.
"We should sweep the area for any remaining Kumo squads," Pakura suggested. "If they're running regular patrols to their fortress, we need to know their routes."
Masashi nodded. Flying Thunder God would be faster, but we'd miss vital intelligence. Better to move on foot and map their movements. "Agreed. We can't let them establish new supply lines elsewhere."
Handling the sacrifices wasn't difficult—fire took care of everything.
"You're unusually thorough with this," Pakura observed.
"Some things are better left forgotten," he replied simply.
Whether coming or leaving, they kept everything silent. They moved through the terrain, avoiding the main paths where possible.
They headed back to Yu along the same route.
On the road, Pakura expressed some regret. As a fellow former member of the Suna faction, she wished she could learn from the reanimated ninja who specialized in Magnet Release.
Unfortunately, their techniques offered her nothing to study.
Masashi's luck, though, was something else. He stumbled upon a mission and conveniently discovered a batch of ready-made Edo Tensei subjects, which even included a fellow Uchiha.
If that's luck, she was willing to call him the strongest in the shinobi world.
If it wasn't luck... then the title of Hokage should belong to the Uchiha clan.
Comparatively, she preferred to believe it was simply luck.
"Your luck is unreal."
"It is, isn't it…" Masashi sighed. "How can one person's luck be this good?"
"What kind of jutsu is it?" Pakura asked.
"It enhances shape transformation," Masashi explained. "It's just a bit powerful."
Kagutsuchi and Amaterasu were a perfect match. In the original timeline, Sasuke was the only Uchiha to possess both of these ocular jutsu.
In this timeline, who knows?
He wasn't even sure if Itachi could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan here.
But that wasn't a significant issue.
If the Mangekyō was awakened by the wrong person, it was better off not being awakened at all.
The two sped through the landscape, unimpeded. No Kumo ninjas crossed their path—possibly because Konoha's ninja forces held the upper hand.
Their assumption proved correct when they encountered their first Konoha scout team.
"Jiraiya-sama's engaged the Raikage directly," the lead scout reported after they verified identities.
"Casualties?" Masashi asked sharply.
"We're holding, but barely. The balance could tip either way."
As they left the mountainous area, they began to see signs of battles.
They also came across fallen shinobi.
Overall, more Kumo ninjas lay dead than Konoha ninjas.
"They're losing cohesion without proper supply lines," Pakura noted.
"And they don't even know why yet," Masashi said.
When they met Kumo ninjas, there was no hesitation—they attacked immediately.
When they met Konoha ninjas, they verified their identities again, exchanged information, and went their separate ways.
In this process, the two gained a clearer picture of the situation.
The main forces of the Kumo and Konoha armies had already clashed for the first time. Thanks to team support, Jiraiya had no problem activating Sage Mode and tearing through the Kumo ranks, rampaging until the Fourth Raikage blocked his path.
The first clash didn't last long. Both sides quickly withdrew their forces.
The battle caused losses for both sides. Despite their numerical superiority, Kumo's main force managed to hold its ground in this engagement.
However, Kumo's reconnaissance units were crushed by Konoha. Without the advantage of numbers, Kumo's small squads were overwhelmed by Konoha's teams.
Konoha's forces retreated to Yu, and the Kumo forces also pulled back.
Masashi believed Kumo's army had likely realized their supply lines were in trouble.
The situation about the fortress wouldn't stay hidden from the Kumo forces for long. He needed to deliver this information to Yu quickly, to seize this opportunity and deal a heavy blow to the Kumo army.
They quickened their pace.
Finally, before sunset, they saw the walls of Yu. The village's defenses had been heightened, with additional sensor barriers and patrol units visible even from a distance.
After verifying their identities, they entered the village. Masashi headed straight for Jiraiya's "office."
Opening the door, he saw the white-haired Toad Sage slouched at the desk, looking like a middle-aged man dealing with a crisis.
"Jiraiya."
"Hmm? Masashi, welcome back," Jiraiya mumbled, looking half-asleep.
The fleeting sadness in his eyes betrayed his true feelings. This Kage-level ninja wasn't as listless as he seemed.
"You've had a long journey. Rest early—you don't need to report to me. Go enjoy the hot springs; they're excellent here," he said lazily, waving his hand.
"No, this can't wait," Masashi replied, already prepared to explain. He quickly reported everything about the village in one go.
As the report unfolded, Jiraiya's demeanor shifted from disinterest to something more serious, as if he wanted to smack himself awake.
"Kumo's fortress is gone?" The man's eyes widened.
"Yes."
"You found reanimated shinobi? Were they left behind by one of the village's predecessors?"
"Yes, but that's not important. For now, Kumo's supplies won't be replenished anytime soon."
"No, Masashi, this is very important!" Jiraiya stood abruptly, seemingly about to elaborate, but then hesitated.
He was facing an Uchiha.
Though he had no prejudice against the Uchiha clan, he knew some topics weren't suitable for them.
He had heard stories from the old man.
There was someone, an important figure during the Second Hokage's era, who had been a hero of Konoha and the interim principal of the Ninja Academy. This person had sacrificed himself in the First Great Ninja War and had mastered the Edo Tensei.
And he had died near that fortress.
"Did you find that predecessor's remains?" Jiraiya asked.
"No." You want my body? Dream on! Even Kumo didn't get it. Keep dreaming.
After spending half his life raiding graves, there was no way he'd let anyone have a chance at his own.
He had strapped the last wave of exploding tags directly to his own body.
"Are you sure?" Jiraiya pressed, clearly concerned.
"Of course not."
"Is that so… No remains, then…" Jiraiya decided he'd check the fortress after the war.
If the body had left any remains, they couldn't be treated lightly. At the very least, they couldn't fall into the hands of any shinobi clan.
From his personal perspective, Jiraiya hoped Muzo's remains could return to Konoha in a few decades to be buried in his homeland.
"I see. In that case, we'll need to adjust our strategy against Kumo. Masashi, notify the Uchiha clan. We're holding a meeting."
"Aren't we attacking right now?" Masashi saw no need for a meeting. Forget the meeting—just march out and fight until they're unrecognizable.
He was ready to snack on some onigiris already.
"We don't need to rush. This opportunity must be fully utilized," Jiraiya said cryptically. "If we're too hasty, we might give ourselves away. This will be the decisive battle!"
As an old hand at Konoha's tactics, he considered himself quite knowledgeable about the Kumo ninjas.
Kumo had a high tolerance for casualties in battle but also a critical weakness.
Their tolerance was high because they were genuinely unafraid of tough battles. But their weakness lay in their inability to sustain wars where the costs exceeded the gains. The moment their costs outweighed their benefits, they would lose the ability to continue fighting.
That was when internal dissent started to rise.
Masashi used Muzo's legacy to destroy the fortress and even killed the Eight-Tails jinchūriki.
Regardless of how much of the legacy Masashi has gained, this victory will undoubtedly deal a severe blow to the Kumo ninja's morale.
The loss of the Eight-Tails jinchūriki was a fundamental one.
However, the upper echelons of Kumo would suppress this news, rallying their forces under the banner of revenge, escalating the war, and even collaborating with Iwa to force the Land of Fire into peace talks to recoup their losses through war reparations.
For this purpose, the Two-Tails jinchūriki would undoubtedly be sent to the front lines, especially since Konoha had never deployed jinchūriki in battle.
As the ultimate weapon on the battlefield, a jinchūriki's power was undeniable.
Fortunately, while Konoha's jinchūriki didn't leave the village, they always had access to giant summoning beasts.
But formalities had to still be observed. This wasn't the Warring States Period, where standing at the village gate and shouting "For the clan!" was enough to rally fighters for a mass skirmish.
Moreover, the credit for this victory was monumental. Konoha hadn't seen such a critical hit in years.
Youth had its advantages. If it were a seasoned Kage-level ninja, they'd be closely monitored, and such opportunities wouldn't arise.
From now on, Masashi would be someone all the ninja villages keep an eye on. He wouldn't remain unknown.
To wield the legacy effectively, one had to be at least Kage-level. Muzo's techniques weren't something just anyone could handle.
And the legacy itself would undoubtedly become a source of trouble. Many coveted it, not only in Konoha but in other villages as well.
No one believed someone would obtain such a legacy and not use it to further their power.
Muzo was one of the most brilliant figures of the late Warring States Period. The ninjutsu he mastered was enough to create a sixth Great Ninja Village.
This wouldn't be easy—there was much to hash out in the future.
The question was whether the Uchiha clan could withstand the pressure.
Though he claimed there was no rush, Jiraiya acted swiftly, convening a meeting without delay.
At the meeting, he first announced the news.
The room erupted in commotion.
"Muzo's legacy... in Uchiha hands?"
The jonin of civilian background were shocked by the sheer scale of the victory, while the ninja clan representatives focused on the legacy of Muzo.
After Madara left Konoha, Muzo was the one who, alongside the Second Hokage, held actual power over Konoha, one openly, the other in the shadows.
Danzō might be the unscrupulous "Darkness of the Shinobi," but his methods, while shady, are nothing more than that. People cursed him when appropriate and took him down when evidence was solid.
But Muzo? Only Tobirama dared criticize him.
Otherwise, why else would the villagers turn a blind eye when this scoundrel flirted with women all over the place? Did they really think ninja clan women were that easy to charm? That they'd let things slide with just a slap on the wrist?
The truth was, people preferred him being "Muzo the Scoundrel" over him reverting to the "Hollow" of their memories.
"Masashi, did none of the reanimated individuals survive?" a jonin asked Masashi.
"Of course not. What, should I invite them to the hot springs for a soak?" Masashi retorted.
Though his tone wasn't exactly friendly, no one minded.
After all, with such a monumental achievement, it was understandable to feel annoyed at being questioned.
But questions still needed to be asked.
During the Warring States Period, everyone was wicked, their consciences lost. Landlords went bankrupt, samurai roamed aimlessly, and the weak fell victim to the strong in widespread starvation.
In the endless battles among ninja clans, corpses piled up like mountains.
And among the Senju clan, one man lost all his siblings, parents, and even his lover. By the time people noticed him, he had grown from an obscure member of the clan into the ultimate evil of the Senju clan.
Not many people knew his birth name; he was only known as Muzo.
After the founding of the village, he abruptly seemed to have a change of heart and started pursuing love.
Who would dare stop him? If they did, they'd end up strung from a flagpole as an offering to the heavens.
And many clans even genuinely considered marrying into his family, given the treasures he possessed.
In the end, however, his last known relationship was with a woman from the Uchiha clan.
"The timing is... interesting," a Hyūga elder commented softly. "An Uchiha wielding Muzo's power, just when we need it most."
The ninja clan representatives firmly believed that Muzo must have left a method of utilizing his legacy with the Uchiha clan.
Some even suspected Masashi might be his descendant.
After all, Muzo was infamous for rarely returning home at night during his prime.
Even with precautions, there must have been oversights.
The clans tried to recall Muzo's likeness from their records. Unfortunately, they couldn't find any similarities in Masashi's appearance.
"Ahem!" Jiraiya coughed heavily, interrupting their musings. "Let's focus. I propose launching the decisive battle against the Kumo ninja ahead of schedule. Does anyone object?"
"Wouldn't that be too aggressive?" a jonin from the Sarutobi clan asked. "Our military supplies have been heavily consumed recently, and resupply hasn't caught up. If the Kumo ninja set a trap, the situation could favor them."
"I think it's feasible," a Hyūga representative countered. "The Kumo ninja's supplies are even tighter. The fortress held more than half their stockpile. Their camp supplies probably barely suffice for defense."
"But they still have the Two-Tails jinchūriki, which could turn the tide."
"We can concentrate our jonin forces," another clan head suggested. "With Jiraiya-sama and Masashi both having giant summoning beasts, we won't be weaker than a jinchūriki. If we can kill the Two-Tails, the death of the Eight-Tails jinchūriki will become impossible to hide. The Kumo ninja would have to sue for peace, and Iwa's focus would shift to them."
"Not necessarily." An intelligence officer stepped forward. "Recent intelligence suggests Iwa is in contact with Suna. They might attack Konoha instead."
The room engaged in serious debate. Politics as usual, Jiraiya thought. Everyone wants glory, but no one wants to risk too much.
However, the majority leaned toward gradually applying pressure through superior strength to corner the Kumo ninja before delivering a decisive blow.
He observed this quietly.
This wasn't fear of battle; it stemmed from deeper motivations.
Merit.
Masashi's achievements were not only massive but also swift, disrupting many ninja clans' strategies for this war.
Of course, everyone wanted their village to win, but they also hoped to meet their expected returns.
Launching the decisive battle early carried risks. For those prioritizing stability, opposition was natural.
Although Jiraiya was the commander, he had to consider everyone's demands.
Everyone present represented more than just themselves.
"Alright, I understand your views." Waving his hand to end the discussion, Jiraiya decided on a compromise that would satisfy most. "Expedite the transport of supplies from the rear. Meanwhile, the front lines must not slacken. Starting now, we'll increase the number of deployed squads to eliminate the Kumo ninja's scouts."
He surveyed the room. "Before we launch the decisive battle, we'll do everything possible to confine the Kumo ninja forces to their strongholds. This is my strategy. Any objections?"
"No objections, Jiraiya-sama."
"Agreed."
"The Hyūga clan will handle reconnaissance."
The clan representatives voiced their support. The civilian jonin, being relatively straightforward, had fewer objections.
With consensus achieved, Jiraiya waved dismissively, signaling the end of the meeting.
