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Chapter 147: A Traitor Appeared Among Us!
🕑 Added 2025-08-23 12:47:37 +0000 UTCChapter 147: A Traitor Appeared Among Us!
Nara Keisuke, riding the [Shadow Creature], returned to the Konoha defense line with the awe-inspiring momentum of having routed the enemy army. The battle process just now had shown without a doubt that Konoha was about to have another top-tier ninja comparable to the Sannin or the Yellow Flash! The Konoha ninja who had participated in this battle all looked at him with gazes of reverence and shock.
As for these ninja from his village, Keisuke really couldn't spare any extra attention for them at the moment. He looked towards the Iwa defense line opposite him, his eyes filled with deep meaning, until a familiar hoarse voice sounded in his ear.
"Nara-kun, what a remarkable talent for battle!" Orochimaru, who at some point had summoned a large snake, was standing on its head. He was now at roughly the same height as Keisuke, who had voluntarily lowered his altitude, and took the initiative to praise him. "After this battle, I'm afraid your great name, Nara-kun, will spread throughout the ninja world."
'I just hope the nickname that spreads isn't that freakishly weird Black Beast!' A thought flashed through Keisuke's mind. He had no time for pleasantries with Orochimaru and turned his head to ask directly, "With just the few of us, it's almost impossible to defend against Iwagakure's invasion for a long time. I want to know when the reinforcements you mentioned before will arrive!"
Although it was a question, the tone Keisuke used was one of certainty. Through the three-pronged kunai that Orochimaru had previously given to Uchiha Shisui, Keisuke had already deduced the true identity of the reinforcements—the Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato! If he remembered correctly, among the Yondaime's famous battles, there was the "one against fifty" on the Iwagakure front.
If Minato could arrive at the front lines at top speed, Keisuke would be even more confident in dealing with the Iwa ninja opposite him. It wouldn't even be impossible to leave all of them on the battlefield!
"Regarding this matter, I can't confirm for the time being." Orochimaru shook his head and confessed, "After stepping onto the battlefield, I have been disconnected from the village. I don't know if the village has taken any action yet."
To appease Keisuke, and also to appease the other Konoha ninja around them, Orochimaru raised his voice slightly. "But I think the reinforcements from the village should be arriving soon!"
While Keisuke and Orochimaru were exchanging information, a temporary conversation was also taking place within the Iwa defense line.
"Have the casualty numbers been basically confirmed?" Ōnoki floated in the sky with a blank expression. He looked incomparably calm, but in reality, his heart was bleeding.
"Reporting to the Tsuchikage—"
"No nonsense! Pah!" A small stone flew over the reporting ninja's head. The latter quickly sped up his report. "After the attack from that... Dark Shadow just now, the number of deaths we have confirmed is... one hundred and twenty-three."
"Confirmed?" Ōnoki's eyes closed slightly, his voice strangely calm. "Which is to say, there are still unconfirmed ones?"
"If we count the ninja we haven't found..." The reporting ninja resisted the urge to wipe away his cold sweat. "We've lost about nearly three hundred men."
"Three hundred men. Which is to say, the battle has barely begun, and we've already lost nearly a third of our forces." Ōnoki took a deep breath and opened his eyes again. His pupils, as firm as a rock, were filled with bloodshot veins. "All because of that bastard from Konoha!"
No Iwa ninja wanted to provoke the Tsuchikage's anger. Kitsuchi, pretending to be a normal person, also did not rashly interject. But Ōnoki did not let him off.
"Han, I need you to enter a partial Tailed Beast state, borrow the power of the Five-Tails, and release a Tailed Beast Ball to draw the main attention of the Konoha ninja." Ōnoki first looked at the Jinchuriki, then at his son, saying without a trace of suspicion, "Kitsuchi, at the same time, you will use a large-scale earth jutsu to cover Han's attack! As for that so-called Dark Shadow... I'll hold him off myself!"
"Yes!" The Five-Tails Jinchuriki's response was concise. Han continuously resonated with the Five-Tails chakra from his own sealing formula, covering the surface of his body with it, thereby forming a dark red Tailed Beast Cloak. Five ferocious and terrifying tails swayed behind him.
Kitsuchi was also rapidly forming hand signs. He had wanted to take this opportunity to attack the Third Tsuchikage, but that old man kept flying in the sky and wouldn't come down, making his attack plan very difficult to carry out. But considering the relationship between the other party and "himself," Kitsuchi still tentatively said, "But that Dark Shadow..."
Saying too much would lead to a slip. Kitsuchi deliberately only said half of his sentence, leaving the rest for Ōnoki to interpret himself.
"I have a way to deal with him!" Ōnoki frowned and responded with great impatience. At the same time, he formed hand signs and created a shadow clone next to himself. "Pay attention to your own actions! Kitsuchi!"
Kitsuchi immediately lowered his head and at the same time, modified his attack plan.
Ōnoki and his shadow clone once again formed the familiar two-man team, directly charging towards the Konoha defense line, and without any difficulty, they drew out Nara Keisuke. The battle between the two flying ninja in the sky was something the "mortals" below could hardly interfere with.
Orochimaru knew that in his own camp, only Keisuke could hold off Ōnoki's movements, so at this time, he did not think the other's strategy was wrong. It was just that his brow was still tightly furrowed as he looked across the field, at the same time putting his two thumbs in his mouth. "This familiar chakra fluctuation... is the Five-Tails Jinchuriki about to release a Tailed Beast Ball again? As expected of a Jinchuriki, to be able to casually release a ninjutsu of this level!"
Orochimaru knew very well that at such a great distance, he had no way of stopping Han from releasing the Tailed Beast Ball. All he could do now was to be ready to summon the "Triple Rashōmon" at any time. "It's a good thing Ōnoki has been led away by that little bastard Nara Keisuke. Otherwise, his Dust Release would be the biggest trouble..."
Orochimaru's peripheral vision glanced at the sky. The trio up there were fighting back and forth, what a lively scene. After just a glance, he shifted his attention back to the Iwa defense line in front of him and at the same time, gave an order. "Everyone, prepare to dodge!"
In the sky.
Nara Keisuke also discovered the movement within the Iwa front line. He feigned raising his hands to obstruct the Five-Tails Jinchuriki's movements. But the two Ōnokis, cooperating with each other, one flying, one releasing ninjutsu, spat out a solid rock pellet like a cannonball, which shot towards him from a distance. "Earth Release: Rock Gun Technique!"
Keisuke immediately controlled the [Shadow Creature], avoided the heavy rock attack, and at the same time, turned his "gun muzzle" and bombarded Ōnoki.
Although he faintly felt that the kid's performance was a bit off, Ōnoki still focused on drawing his attention, trying his best to prevent him from interfering with the battlefield below.
Within the Iwa defense line.
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, who had not been interfered with at all, under the awe, trepidation, or fearful gazes of the numerous Iwa ninja, condensed an extremely large, lacquer-black Tailed Beast Ball.
Wrapped in the Tailed Beast Cloak, Han could not make a detailed expression to outsiders. He just looked at Kitsuchi and nodded, signaling for him to coordinate with his actions. Kitsuchi silently nodded and at the same time, quickly formed hand signs, preparing to release an earth jutsu.
Just as Han turned to look in the direction of the Konoha camp, planning to fire that super-large Tailed Beast Ball, Kitsuchi at his side seized the opportunity and slammed his hands heavily on the ground below. "Earth Release: Tectonic Core!"
BOOM!
Under the infusion of Kitsuchi's earth-style chakra, the ground within the Iwa defense line suddenly sank down, forming a huge deep pit. The numerous Iwa ninja, including Han in his partial Tailed Beast form, all fell into this pit together.
"What?"
"An earth jutsu?"
"Who released that ninjutsu!?"
"Lord Kitsuchi, have you betrayed us?"
The sudden turn of events caused a great commotion among the Iwa ninja. But Kitsuchi turned a deaf ear to their anger and complaints. He just stared straight at Han, who had also fallen below, and that unstable, swaying, large Tailed Beast Ball.
Infusing all the remaining earth-style chakra in his body into his right fist, Kitsuchi's thick right arm was once again covered in a thick layer of rock protection, further enhancing its hardness and strength. "Earth Release: Rock Fist!"
Kitsuchi leaped high into the air and, like a hero charging forward without looking back, ruthlessly smashed towards the large Tailed Beast Ball released by the Jinchuriki.
A simple and unadorned straight punch. It slammed into that large Tailed Beast Ball with great force.
Nara Keisuke's consciousness was directly withdrawn from Kitsuchi's body at this moment.
Under the bombardment of the "Rock Fist," cracks began to bloom on the surface of the lacquer-black, round Tailed Beast Ball. The chakra, which had been barely held together, went berserk after being violently attacked. A strong light poured out from the cracks of the Tailed Beast Ball, illuminating Kitsuchi, Han, and all the surrounding Iwa ninja.
The next moment.
BOOM!!!
A heaven-shaking roar erupted from within the Iwa front line. An incomparably terrifying chakra suddenly exploded in all directions. A nearly incandescent, dazzling light, with the large Tailed Beast Ball as its center, spread out in all directions, the scene resembling the explosion of a star.
The incomparably violent force directly shattered the surrounding earth. The sunken pit that had just been created by the "Tectonic Core" was instantly destroyed and flattened by the explosion. And the nearest Iwa ninja were also directly sent to see the Sage of Six Paths in this great explosion!
(End of Chapter)
