Chapter 47 New Clones
"Early May.
A gentle breeze rustled through the air as warm sunlight bathed the dense forest. Chudan shielded his eyes from the sunlight, squinting.
Soon, he noticed movement beside him. A man emerged from the ground, his entire body leaving the earth. He looked pale and out of breath, bearing the marks of a battle.
Chudan looked at him and asked, "Trouble?"
The man replied, "Yeah, didn't expect there to be skilled sensory ninjas in the Village Hidden in the Grass. I almost got surrounded."
He was Ketsu, a member of their team skilled in Earth Release Subterranean Voyage Jutsu. Ordinary sensory ninjutsu couldn't detect his presence, so he served as the reconnaissance specialist for Chudan's team.
However, this time, while he was investigating the location where the Uzumaki clan survivors were being held within the Village Hidden in the Grass, he was detected by a sensory ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass.
This was the first time something like this had happened.
"Village Hidden in the Grass is still a legitimate ninja village, so it's not surprising that they have some special abilities. So, have you managed to find out where the Uzumaki clan survivors are being held in the Village Hidden in the Grass?"
It had been nearly a month since they learned that some of the Uzumaki clan survivors were imprisoned within the Village Hidden in the Grass. During this month, they had been secretly dispatching personnel within the Land of Grass to make preparations. This included determining the routes for their assault and retreat, setting traps along the way to slow down any pursuing Grass Village ninjas.
On the other hand, they had also sent infiltration specialists from their organization into the Village Hidden in the Grass to gather information on the village's layout. Most importantly, they needed to confirm where the Uzumaki clan survivors were being held, which was crucial.
"We have a general idea of the location. But if we continue to investigate further, I feel like I won't be able to make it back."
As expected of a ninja village, it was entirely different in terms of rank and techniques compared to the rogue ninja they had dealt with before. Just the Village Hidden in the Grass was proving to be a tough nut to crack, enough to give them a run for their money. The true might of the five major ninja villages would be even more terrifying, and it was hard to imagine.
In the face of this level of military power, ordinary conspiracies and tricks were useless. They would be crushed to death by the troops assembled by ninja villages head-on.
"So, they are indeed being held within the Village Hidden in the Grass?"
Chudan asked.
"Yes."
"In that case, it's manageable. We've already spent nearly a month planning our assault and retreat routes. As long as we can extract the Uzumaki clan survivors from within the Village Hidden in the Grass, our mission will be a success."
"If only it were that easy."
Earthman furrowed his brow, looking at the Village Hidden in the Grass in the distance, where the outlines of the village's massive buildings could faintly be seen.
"So strategically, we can use a diversion this time."
"A diversion?"
Earthman didn't quite understand Chudan's words.
Chudan took out a map of the Land of Grass from his pocket and spread it out on the ground, pointing to the location of the Village Hidden in the Grass. He then indicated the route they planned to take to attack the Village Hidden in the Grass and the three retreat routes, all of which had traps set along the way to delay any pursuing Grass Village ninjas. The most crucial part of the operation, the diversion, was here."
Chudan pointed to a location not far from the Village Hidden in the Grass, where there was a castle marked on the map.
"This is..."
"Hozuki Castle. It was established by the request of various nations and serves as a prison for ninja who have committed serious crimes. It's located on a small island surrounded by the Inland Sea. The warden of Hozuki Castle is an elite ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass. We need to feign an attack here and signal to the Village Hidden in the Grass that we are planning a major assault on Hozuki Castle. They will ensure the safety of the dangerous criminals inside Hozuki Castle and prevent any repercussions from the major ninja villages. The Village Hidden in the Grass will undoubtedly send reinforcements here."
"I see. So, we're spreading their forces thin within the Village Hidden in the Grass. When should we proceed?"
"Tomorrow night. We need some time to assemble the assault team."
The next day, at nine o'clock in the evening.
On a small island not far from the Village Hidden in the Grass, in the Inland Sea, a massive fortress loomed faintly through the mist. This fortress was Hozuki Castle, a prison established by the request of various nations and where ninja who violated the rules and committed heinous crimes were held.
It was said that few prisoners had ever escaped from Hozuki Castle since its establishment. The warden of Hozuki Castle was an elite ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass who could use a ninjutsu called "Fire Release: Heavenly Prison." This jutsu was planted on the criminals, ensuring that they could never leave Girei Castle until the jutsu was released.
This place was the core facility that sustained the Village Hidden in the Grass's existence, as it allowed them to maintain a balancing act between the five major ninja villages and avoid being crushed in the wars between the major nations.
Therefore, by attacking this location, they could successfully divert the Village Hidden in the Grass's attention. In order to satisfy the major ninja villages and avoid any losses here, the Village Hidden in the Grass would definitely dispatch reinforcements.
A group of individuals dressed in black cloaks, relying on boats, approached the small island in the Inland Sea where Hozuki Castle was situated. They had already scouted the patterns of the guards' movements and shift changes, so their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Opening a map, it displayed the layout of Hozuki Castle.
"The cells of the prisoners are located at this point, which is marked as point A. The entrances are at points B and C. There are two attack routes, and on the way, avoid engaging in battles as much as possible. Once we reach point A, make it look like we're killing and silencing, launch indiscriminate attacks, and then withdraw from point D, where there will be support personnel waiting ashore."
"Understood."
"After collecting what we need, we'll take action immediately."
The leader took out a wooden box containing neatly arranged explosive tags. After distributing the explosive tags, the eight individuals automatically split into two groups and converged on the designated points B and C.
The group that arrived at point B included one person with a pocket watch indicating the time as nine thirty.
"It's time. Attack."
Without a word, each person took out a prepared kunai with explosive tags attached. There were as many as five explosive tags on each kunai, and they were thrown towards the towering wall ahead.
"The kunai pierced into the stone of the city wall, and the explosive tags ignited. In that moment, there was a sudden flash and a deafening explosion on the city wall.
At the same time, another location designated as Point C also erupted in explosions.
The internal alarm system of Hozuki Castle immediately activated, and the guards quickly organized themselves and headed toward the locations where the incidents occurred.
However, the attackers had already crossed the shattered city wall and were throwing kunai everywhere.
Each kunai was attached to five explosive tags, and their explosions were extremely powerful. If they made contact with a person, it would result in immediate carnage.
Continuous explosions rang out everywhere, and buildings collapsed all around due to the explosions. The streets were engulfed in violent dust clouds, intensifying the chaos within Hozuki Castle.
"Emergency situation alert, level two!"
"Emergency situation alert, level two!"
"Emergency situation alert, level two!"
The announcement repeated three times, and the person making the announcement had an anxious expression on their face, staring at the buildings that were erupting in explosions with a mixture of shock and anger.
Just then, two kunai were launched at a massive and sharp-edged building, causing it to explode. The building collapsed from the middle and crashed onto the ground, causing a significant tremor. Several unlucky guards were trapped underneath.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
One of the attackers, dressed in black cloaks, formed hand seals and exhaled a massive fireball.
Over a dozen Hozuki Castle guards were charging towards them, but upon seeing the incoming fireball, they immediately dispersed and simultaneously threw kunai at the attackers.
Within the dust and debris caused by the explosions, there were clashes of metallic weapons, ninja techniques colliding, and bombardments. The chaos continued relentlessly.
"Stop them! These people are after the prisoners inside the city! Don't let them succeed!"
The guards who were thrown aside by the explosive tags were coughing up blood but still shouted loudly.
However, regardless of their cries, the attackers did not engage in combat with them. Their only goal was to create chaos, which would tie up the already limited number of guards. Moreover, they were very close to the location where the prisoners were held, which further complicated the guards' work as they had to protect the defenseless prisoners.
Explosions and flashes of light occurred continuously, causing buildings to collapse, and some people screamed in agony.
The attackers successfully reached the prison area, causing widespread destruction to the cells with their kunai, each attached with explosive tags. They moved around the prison area like headless flies, creating an impression that they were trying to rescue a specific prisoner and giving the guards a false impression.
"Let's go!"
When the time was right, and staying any longer was pointless, the eight attackers retreated while continuing to throw kunai with explosive tags, creating chaos in the area. There was no hesitation. They formed a battle line with explosive tags to clear a path, preventing the guards from approaching with their physical bodies.
The guards had to fight the fires, treat the injured prisoners, and with the limited manpower inside Hozuki Castle, they were stretched thin.
By the time they extinguished the fires and provided medical care to the prisoners, the attackers had already left the island of Hozuki Castle on boats. All the guards could do was watch them from the shore, leaving Hozuki Castle in ruins.
"Next, we just need to see how the Village Hidden in the Grass reacts."
On the boat, one of the attackers who had already left the Hozuki Castle area spoke.
The attack on Hozuki Castle had taken less than ten minutes, but it had caused significant chaos and destruction. Therefore, the Village Hidden in the Grass would undoubtedly take significant action in response.
As predicted by Chudan and others, the Village Hidden in the Grass immediately dispatched hundreds of ninjas to Hozuki Castle upon learning about the attack and the collapse of numerous buildings. They suspected that the attackers hadn't found the specific prisoner they intended to rescue and believed there might be a second attack.
These hundreds of ninjas were just the first wave, and more Grass Village ninjas would continue to arrive, sealing off Hozuki Castle like a closed iron barrel, making it difficult for anyone to make a move.
"It seems like the plan to raid Hozuki Castle last night was a success. Many Grass Village ninjas have gone to support Hozuki Castle this morning."
Chudan looked at the message delivered to him with satisfaction and smiled.
"The plan was indeed successful, but it came at a high cost."
Ketsu, the Earth Style specialist, chuckled. After all, the success of this operation was largely due to the use of those expensive explosive tags.
The explosive tags were one-time-use explosive ninja tools, and the power of a single tag was comparable to a regular Fire Release jutsu. However, the number of explosive tags used within those ten minutes last night... it was like throwing money away.
Nevertheless, the extensive damage caused to the buildings within Hozuki Castle was undeniable, but their losses were equally significant.
"No worries. We still have a fair amount of funds at the organization's disposal. Besides, if we run out of money, isn't Lord Ruri there to back us up?"
Chudan said with a smile.
"That's true."
Ketsu nodded as he thought about it. When they considered the wealth of one of the elders of the organization, a top-tier figure in the ninja world, their expenses from last night's operation didn't seem so burdensome.
"Now, the bait has been thrown. The next target is the Village Hidden in the Grass."
Chudan stood on a cliff, gazing into the distance at the Village Hidden in the Grass and murmured to himself."
…
"It was a weekend evening.
The dim rays of the setting sun penetrated the trees in the forest.
This was an open and uninhabited training ground, where only sounds resembling the clash of metal could be heard. It was the intense battle between short knives and shadow blades.
Compared to one side, which was fighting with all their might, both the power and speed of their knife techniques were maintained at full capacity, and their eyes revealed a serious demeanor. On the other side, it was merely accompanying them for a 'play.'
Because this was a battle with a significant power imbalance.
Kakashi gripped the White Fang short knife, looking at Shiroshi, who had never left his original position, with a serious expression. Around Shiroshi, there were solidified shadow blades emerging from the shadows, slowly rotating around him.
It was a type of 'absolute defense' shadow domain.
From any angle or method, it would be flawlessly blocked and then rebounded.
Shiroshi folded his hands across his chest, standing there with an extremely relaxed posture. He only needed the shadow dancers from within his shadow to act, and it placed absolute suppression on Kakashi.
However, this was only natural. The speed, power, and hardness of the shadow blades were such that even a high-level ninja would be killed in an instant if they were not careful.
Moreover, who would have thought that there would be an assassin lurking in his shadow?
Shadow dancers didn't need sleep, and as long as they had enough chakra and natural energy, they could block any attacks aimed at Shiroshi at any time, and even counterattack.
For those unfamiliar with him, each of the traps set by Shiroshi was an instant-death area.
It was also Shiroshi's pride.
Currently, the shadow dancer had practiced a trial version of Sage Mode. The speed, power, and hardness of the shadow blades, compared to before, were now even stronger.
At this moment, the shadow blades fighting Kakashi were still using chakra to emit shadow blades.
If he used Sage chakra to create shadow blades, the White Fang short knife would probably be shattered in an instant.
However, Kakashi was already satisfied with being able to do this much. He was only seven or eight years old now, and he couldn't demand too much from himself like an adult.
Kakashi's fastest growth period had not yet arrived.
Even so, with proper training, it was highly likely that he would become a Jonin before the age of twelve.
If he nurtured him well, his future achievements might even surpass his father—Konoha's White Fang.
Kakashi wielded the White Fang short knife, cutting through the air, causing the tree leaves that happened to fall in front of him to be neatly split in half. The blade carried an incredibly sharp aura as it continued its assault towards Shiroshi.
Accuracy was a given, and the White Fang blade technique was most suitable for actual combat, and power and speed were among its advantages.
Coupled with the incredible body flicker technique, it created the reputation of Konoha's White Fang.
The simpler the move, the more terrifying it was in application.
Kakashi breathed steadily, his eyes calm.
This was also a lesson given to him by Shiroshi.
At first, when he started training with Shiroshi, he would still feel a hint of nervousness, but after becoming familiar with fighting Shiroshi, that tension had turned into a constantly growing motivation.
He no longer thought about how long he could hold out against Shiroshi, but rather, he considered how to break through the shadow domain and attack Shiroshi himself.
Shiroshi had said that even a Jonin who mastered taijutsu would find it challenging to keep up with the speed and power of shadow blades.
This also meant that if his White Fang short knife could break through the shadow domain, he would have the strength to fight a Jonin.
In these days, his speed and power in using the White Fang blade technique had indeed improved significantly.
Under Shiroshi's training, his strength was growing rapidly, constantly pushing his limits and reaching higher levels.
Shadow blades could be long or short, and they could transform into weapons of any shape. When attacking, paying attention to the changes in these shadow blades was also a training in Kakashi's instant judgment in real combat and his nerve response ability.
But for any ninja who was proficient in taijutsu and blade techniques, nerve response ability was a basic skill that must be trained.
According to Shiroshi's knowledge, the ninja with the strongest nerve response ability in the ninja world right now should be the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village.
A ninja who possessed the strongest spear and shield.
Under the stimulation of Lightning Release chakra mode, the other party's nerve response ability might have already reached a non-human level.
"Let's stop here today, Kakashi. You're exhausted now."
About half an hour later, Kakashi's stamina gradually couldn't hold up, and he gasped for breath, his legs trembling slightly as he stood, and the arm holding the knife was shaking gently.
Clearly, his overall spirit had declined to the point where he was not suitable for further training.
Kakashi didn't force himself, and he sat directly on the ground, panting heavily.
"You've made good progress in these days. At this rate, you'll be ready for the next stage of White Fang blade technique training soon."
Shiroshi said.
"But, I still can't touch your body."
Kakashi admitted somewhat reluctantly.
"Don't rush in this regard. A person's body has its limits. For you, now is the time to lay the foundation, not the time to seek great power. Only when the foundation is solid, will your potential be raised."
"Is that so?"
Kakashi held the White Fang short knife in his hand and looked at it.
"And, your sword technique has temporarily reached the limit you can accept at your age. There's no need to continue breaking through. Your body can't support it. Next, you need to learn the nature transformation of chakra. What's your chakra attribute?"
Shiroshi asked.
"Lightning and Earth."
"Dual attributes? And one of them is the most piercing Lightning Release. Maybe you're more suitable for using blade techniques than your father, Sakumo."
"In ninjutsu, Lightning Release is the fastest type and the most suitable for combining with taijutsu.
"Well, let's forget about Earth Release for now. Next, I will teach you the techniques of mastering the transformation of chakra nature into Lightning Release, and you will perfectly integrate it with your taijutsu and kenjutsu. This way, there won't be any bottlenecks on your path to becoming a Jonin. You'll be one step closer to your goal."
Saying this, Shiroshi glanced at Kakashi.
Kakashi lowered his head, subconsciously gripping the White Fang short knife in his hand.
"It's true that I've taken one step closer to that 'goal'..."
After parting ways with Kakashi, Shiroshi returned to the Uchiha clan's territory.
Then he headed in the direction of the underground laboratory.
Kakashi's training issues didn't need to be worried about for the time being. Right now, the most important thing was to bring back the survivors of the Uzumaki clan who were detained in the Grass Village.
"It's been a month, so they should be ready to come out..."
As Shiroshi descended the stairs, he mumbled to himself.
In a corner of the underground laboratory, there were two large floor-standing glass cylinder devices, which were used to cultivate his 'clones.'
This time, he had created two clones.
Because filling the Sage jutsu system was troublesome and required their own body strength to handle powerful Sage jutsu, the creation time for these clones was much longer than the creation cycle of General Tsuchi and Shadow Dancer.
Although General Tsuchi and Shadow Dancer had also been refilled with the Sage jutsu system, breaking through their performance again, the two clones created this time were undoubtedly more outstanding in terms of performance.
"It's a pity I don't know the Yin-Yang Release that is said to create all things. Otherwise, it should be completed faster..."
Although Yin-Yang Release chakra was used when creating the clones and Yin Release and Yang Release were separately employed, Shiroshi understood that this wasn't the application of Yin-Yang Release. Yin Release and Yang Release were separate entities, while Yin-Yang Release was a complete term that could create things invisibly and give them life and souls.
Because he couldn't achieve the level of creation of all things with Yin-Yang Release, Shiroshi used some tricks to make up for the lack.
He used natural energy as the source of life, with fragments of his own soul serving as the souls of the clones.
The work of Yin Release and Yang Release mainly relied on shaping materials to form containers that could hold natural energy and fragments of his soul.
However, Shiroshi had never heard of anyone in the current ninja world using Yin-Yang Release, so it was likely that it had long been lost.
He had only seen bits and pieces of this secret art in the Uchiha clan's records.
Not worrying about Yin-Yang Release for now, Shiroshi came to the two cultivation devices and looked through the glass at the created clones inside.
His shadow began to rise into a physical form, as if sensing something terrifying was about to emerge from the shell.
As she was about to form a physical entity with the shadow blades, Shiroshi said to the Shadow Dancer inside the shadow, "Don't worry, these are your little sister and little brother."
Upon hearing this the Shadow Dancer inside the shadow stopped and retracted the shadow blades that had formed a physical entity back into the shadow silently.
Seeing the Shadow Dancer calm down, Shiroshi felt relieved.
He turned his head and looked back at the cultivation devices, where the two clones with physical forms had already opened their eyes.
One of the clones gave the impression of being a cold and mechanical entity, running according to a predetermined program.
Invisible ripples expanded from its inorganic eyes, causing a slight breeze in the laboratory, rustling the pages of books on the nearby workbench.
Thud.
Both glass devices shattered simultaneously.
The solution filled with natural energy splashed everywhere, leaving the ground damp.
The moment the glass devices shattered, Shiroshi had already stepped back a few steps to avoid being splashed by the solution.
He looked ahead.
Two figures jumped out of the shattered cultivation devices.
One of them stood on the wet ground filled with the solution, but if you looked closely, her feet didn't touch the ground. There was a gap between her feet and the ground, and she was actually floating.
Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down, soft and delicate. On her slender, perfectly proportioned body, she wore a traditional shrine maiden outfit with white on top and red on the bottom.
Her hands, which were white as porcelain, hung naturally outside the white sleeves.
With a beautiful face like a work of art, she appeared to be around sixteen years old, slightly older than the Shadow Dancer.
In her eyes, there were layers of circular patterns spreading outward.
These were a pair of irises with an outer layer of aquamarine and an inner layer of deep purple, a mesmerizing inorganic pupil with captivating power.
How should I put it, although she was breathing, her overall impression was like that of a lifeless, cold corpse, or perhaps an emotionless machine.
On her delicate shoulders, covered in white fabric, a four-legged young beast stood quietly. It looked like a cat but not quite, like a creature but not quite, with a spiral single horn on its head and deep blue eyes. It emitted blue electric flashes on its jet-black skin, making it impossible to ignore its presence.
It lay quietly on the shrine maiden's shoulder, forming a complete entity with the shrine maiden.
Shiroshi first glanced at the four-legged young beast on the shrine maiden's shoulder, then shifted his gaze to the shrine maiden herself, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome to your birth, Raimei Maru, and... Ameyu."
Although I'm sorry to say this, there's a mission for you two now. I hope you'll work hard for it."
…
"Really, there are too few medical ninjas and medical supplies in the village. If this continues..."
Inside the hospital of the Hidden Grass Village, a medical ninja was treating a severely injured comrade from the Hidden Grass, but due to their limited medical skills and a severe shortage of medical supplies in the village, they could only shake their head in frustration.
The painful cries of the Hidden Grass comrades echoed in their ears. The medical ninja, who served as the team leader here, pointed at one of the injured and said to a nurse nearby, "That one's beyond saving, just discard them. There are many others waiting."
"Understood."
The nurse, accustomed to such orders, coldly walked over and pulled the heavily injured Grass ninja struggling on the hospital bed, then, ignoring their agonized screams, dragged them towards the door for discreet disposal.
Everyone here had grown accustomed to this. If the injuries were too severe, they were simply discarded. Although saving them might allow them to survive, their combat abilities would be significantly reduced, and they might not be able to continue as ninjas, not to mention the waste of medical resources. Disposal was the most cost-effective solution.
In reality, this so-called Hidden Grass Village hospital had nothing commendable about it.
A large number of patients crowded into one ward, with only a few medical ninjas, and the hygiene conditions were very poor. Many medical instruments were extremely outdated, and there was no funding for timely replacements.
Just then, a Hidden Grass ninja walked in from outside, ignoring the painful cries of numerous injured patients in the ward. Behind him, there was a young man with red hair, who seemed to be floating and had a dazed expression.
The Hidden Grass ninja was an elite in the village and said to the medical ninja team leader, "I've brought you a gift, feel free to use this guy as you please."
"Is that okay?"
The medical team leader asked.
"It's fine. There's another woman with similar abilities over there. This guy has reached his limit; for him, it's a kind of relief."
After hearing this, the medical team leader nodded.
Then, they had a nurse bring the young man behind the Hidden Grass ninja to one of the injured patients. They rolled up his sleeve, revealing an arm covered in bite marks, and the injured patient began to bite it.
The Grass ninja patient seemed to understand what was happening and viciously bit the red-haired young man's arm. The wounds on his body started to visibly heal at a rapid pace.
Although he still appeared weak, all that was needed was some rest, and he would fully recover.
Back and forth, the red-haired young man didn't resist, or rather, resisting was meaningless. For the sake of the people still in this village, he had to endure until the very end and offer his body to these greedy vampires, letting them drain his life force.
After the twelfth patient finished biting, the red-haired young man emitted a suppressed, painful groan. He tried to take a step forward but suddenly went dark in the eyes and collapsed onto the cold floor.
His mouth dripped saliva as his body convulsed slightly on the ground. His hair began to turn white, and his vacant eyes stared blankly under the bed.
The nurse squatted down to check him and then said to the medical team leader, "He's already dead."
"Dispose of him if he's dead. He's no longer of any value."
The medical team leader was indifferent.
After all, these people from that clan could only provide the Hidden Grass Village with this much utility.
"Bring the woman who still has similar abilities here. If she doesn't cooperate, kill one of her clan members until she does."
The medical team leader said to the Hidden Grass ninja.
"She can't be moved for now. We'll need her to contribute to the village for several more years. I brought this guy here because he had reached his limit."
The Hidden Grass ninja rejected the medical team leader's proposal.
"Long-term development, huh? Alright, how about bringing her here once a month? With this convenient ability, the medical pressure on the Hidden Grass Village can finally be relieved for a while. At least for the next few years, there's no need to worry about training medical ninjas, and even the funds for purchasing medical supplies will be saved. After all, the corruption and incompetence of the Daimyo within the country make it hard to imagine that they would generously provide money."
The Hidden Grass ninja nodded, thinking that bringing her here once a month should be sustainable for a few more years.
"You know, it would be great if every member of the Uzumaki clan awakened this ability. In that case, all our medical problems in the village could be solved, and we could focus on developing our military power and researching powerful ninja techniques."
The medical team leader sighed.
"Save your dreams for later. Pay attention recently; a few days ago, there was an attack on Hozuki Castle. The surveillance from various countries on our Hidden Grass Village has become extremely strict."
For the Hidden Grass Village, which existed in the squeeze between major nations, the only thing that could make people take notice was the public ninja prison in Hozuki Castld, which was established by all countries. If there were problems there, the living conditions in the Hidden Grass Village would become even more unfavorable.
Without the courage to defy the strong and only daring to wield the sword against the weaker, this was the way the Hidden Grass Village survived in the ninja world—an utterly fearless and selfless village.
The Hidden Grass ninja left, and the medical team leader sneered, thinking that the Hidden Grass ninja was worrying too much.
Those attackers had targeted Hozuki Castle, simply trying to rescue someone. They hadn't attacked the Hidden Grass Village. There was no need to be concerned about what the village should focus on.
…
"At this time, it was midnight, and the night was quiet. Many people were sleeping sweetly in their dreams.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a gentle and bright white light. A gentle breeze rustled through the forest, causing the leaves to sway softly, creating a rustling sound.
The sound of figures darting swiftly could be heard, and shadows emerged in a clearing in the woods.
Leading the way was the team of five led by Chudan. Behind them were about a dozen others. Since this mission wasn't a direct declaration of war on the Hidden Grass Village, the participants in this rescue operation wore various clothing with no identifying marks.
Chudan stood still in the clearing and looked up at the sky, and the others followed suit.
A figure slowly descended from the sky.
It was a young girl dressed in a white and red miko (shrine maiden) outfit. Her lifeless eyes gave her an almost corpse-like appearance rather than that of a living person. On her white-clad shoulder sat a small but aggressively looking quadruped creature, its small body pitch black with deep blue eyes that occasionally sparkled with electricity, elegantly and alluringly crouched there.
This was none other than a clone of Shiroshi, Ameyu, and Raimei Maru.
A miko who controlled the wind and a black beast that commanded thunder.
Ameyu floated and hovered about a meter above the ground, raised her pale hand, and a scroll flew out from her wide sleeve.
Chudan caught the scroll and carefully examined it.
Raimei Maru, perched on Ameyu's shoulder, suddenly spoke, "Leave the exploration and rescue work to you all. We'll draw the enemy's firepower, me and Lady Ameyu."
It was a mature and deep male voice.
After saying this, he turned his head and looked in the direction of the Hidden Grass Village. Lightning flashed in his azure eyes.
With the roles assigned on the scroll confirmed, Chudan nodded in agreement, indicating no objections.
The plan was similar to the original one, with no need for alterations.
"Let's go, sister."
Raimei Maru turned and said to Ameyu's ear.
Ameyu's expression and movements remained unchanged. Her body flew upwards into the sky, and in the blink of an eye, she became a small dot in the high-altitude, far above the sight of Chudan and the others.
"Starting the infiltration from the sky? What a convenient ability."
This way, even if most of the enemies' firepower was attracted, Chudan and Ameyu could be said to be in complete control. To them, the Hidden Grass Village, which had very limited aerial capabilities, was just a living target.
"We can't fall behind either. When the two masters create chaos, it's our job."
"Understood."
Everyone responded and took out a mask from their pockets, putting it on their faces.
With these tasks completed, led by Chudan, the group silently and stealthily began to approach the Hidden Grass Village.
In the Hidden Grass Village gatehouse, several Hidden Grass ninja were enjoying themselves with grilled meat and clinking glasses, their faces already slightly flushed.
After a while, the leader of the Hidden Grass, a jonin, said, "Alright, we've drunk enough. Don't get drunk."
"It's alright, Captain. It's almost time for the shift change... I'll go take care of something first. You guys keep eating and drinking."
One Hidden Grass chunin chuckled at how vigilant their captain was. It wasn't that they looked down on their village, but there was really nothing worth cherishing here.
The ninjutsu was all copied from other villages, and there had never been enough funding. The medical technology was extremely poor, and even the living standards of the villagers in the village weren't necessarily good. Many of the buildings were very old.
The only skill they could boast about was their adaptability to the situation. The Hidden Grass Village dared to call itself the best, and no one dared to claim to be second.
Of course, this wasn't something to be proud of.
The words of the Hidden Grass chunin resonated with the others, and they weren't getting too drunk either, keeping their wits about them to deal with any unexpected situations.
The Hidden Grass chunin left the seat and went to the nearby public restroom.
Just as he walked out of the gate, he suddenly froze, and a beautiful but icy-faced girl appeared in front of him.
"Ah!"
Before the Hidden Grass chunin could react, a gust of wind swept past him, and numerous wounds appeared on his body as if countless blades had slashed him. He fell into a pool of blood, letting out a painful scream.
The agonized cries caught the attention of the remaining Hidden Grass ninja. Plates of grilled meat and bottles of alcohol were knocked over. Under the leadership of the Hidden Grass jonin, they launched an attack towards Ameyu.
Kunai and shuriken came from all directions.
A fierce wind rose, and within this storm, sharp, gleaming blades, invisible to the naked eye, were hidden. Fear filled the eyes of the Hidden Grass ninja.
All the shuriken and kunai were deflected, and the Hidden Grass ninja all fell to the ground, their bodies torn apart by countless blades, drenched in blood.
Only the Hidden Grass jonin barely managed to stand, his body covered in blood, but he gritted his teeth and kept going.
Seeing Ameyu standing there unaffected, the Hidden Grass jonin's mouth twitched, and he turned and fled in a frenzy.
Facing a fight against the unidentified woman in front of him, his intuition told him that he would be crushed and killed.
"Foolish."
A mature and deep male voice sounded in his ear. The Hidden Grass jonin turned to look and saw a streak of pitch-black lightning chasing after him from behind, the speed of which sent chills down his spine."
The dark figure accelerated again, landing above the Hidden Grass jonin's head, emitting lightning all over its body.
The Hidden Grass jonin trembled violently in place, his body covered in a dense layer of lightning, and his eyes rolled upwards with all his might.
A few seconds later, the Hidden Grass jonin exuded a smell of being roasted, falling down like soft mud.
Raimei Maru returned to Ameyu's shoulder, his deep blue eyes seemingly indifferent to everything in front of him.
Having dealt with the enemies here, Ameyu floated in the air and flew out of the already open window. She stopped in mid-air several hundred meters above the ground to observe the entire village.
Ameyu surveyed the village from the air, looking for potential points that could be triggered using ninjutsu.
With a broad aerial view, she quickly found a target that could attract attention.
It was the Hidden Grass Village's power supply base.
Without much thought, Ameyu flew towards it, and Raimei Maru's mouth moved slightly, as if brewing something inside his body.
By the time they were over the power supply base, something inside Raimei Maru was ready. His mouth opened, and a huge blue ball of lightning fell towards the power supply base, enveloped in electricity.
In that instant, electric sparks scattered in all directions, and a massive fireworks display erupted on the ground.
The shockwave from the explosion shook the earth, and flames shot up into the sky. Several tall buildings in the vicinity collapsed immediately, engulfed in flames, with waves of heat rolling.
"What's going on? How could there be an explosion at the power supply base—"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"Level one alert! Level one alert!"
The commotion caused by the explosion drew all the Hidden Grass ninja who were either sleeping or on duty.
Numerous ninja leaped through the streets and rooftops, converging towards the explosion site.
Against the backdrop of a sky filled with flames and billowing black smoke, Ameyu and Raimei Maru faced hundreds of surrounding ninja from above, looking down without a trace of fear on their faces.
"Damn it! The enemy is up there; quickly bring them down, don't let them escape!"
Appearing in such strange attire in the power supply base explosion site in the middle of the night was suspicious no matter how one looked at it.
However, after shouting, the result was that they could only throw kunai and shuriken into the sky. Before reaching Ameyu's side, the weapons fell back to the ground on their own.
Seeing this scene, some of the Hidden Grass ninja spat fireballs into the sky, trying to hit Ameyu, but the result was the same. They couldn't reach her.
The fireball fell to the ground and destroyed a building on the street.
After a brief pause, the Hidden Grass ninja began to shout and curse, trying to bring down Ameyu, who was flying in the air, but they were helpless.
Soon, ballistae with extremely long-range capabilities were pushed out, and highly penetrating arrows were aimed at Ameyu in the sky, continuously fired.
The whooshing sound of projectiles piercing the air continued, and Ameyu floated there as if she hadn't anticipated these attacks.
"We did it!"
The Hidden Grass ninja showed joy on their faces, as if they could already foresee the scene of the detestable enemy falling from the sky to their deaths.
However... a massive wind barrier appeared around Ameyu, causing the arrows to deviate from their trajectory, passing by her without harming her in the slightest.
As more and more Hidden Grass ninja gathered, they realized that, apart from using ballistae, they had no other means to attack in the air.
For Ameyu, the Hidden Grass ninja gathering densely below were undoubtedly the best targets for attack.
Ameyu folded her hands together, and chakra and natural energy within her began to flow.
Sage Art: Dust Release!
"What is that?"
Not only the cursing Hidden Grass ninja but even the Hidden Grass ninja preparing to attack with the ballistae stopped their actions, looking up at Ameyu in the sky, now shrouded in a strange white light, not knowing what was happening.
What was the enemy planning to do?
Although they didn't know the specific situation, within that vast white light, they could feel an extremely dangerous aura, as if something enormous and terrifying was brewing.
The air stood still.
Sound disappeared.
The field of vision turned blank.
When the vision returned to normal and the sound came back, there was no sound of an explosion. However, the fragments of houses and pieces of the earth were wildly flying in front of their eyes.
The ninja who perished in the white light were in an even more horrifying state. They were ravaged by countless wind blades, leaving behind a terrifying and gruesome scene, with dense claw marks.
It was as if a fierce beast had trampled and destroyed its prey that appeared in its field of vision.
The faces of the Hidden Grass ninja were stunned, and they retreated in fear upon seeing this scene.
Even well-trained ninja struggled to suppress their fear of this unknown power.
Moreover, the willpower of the Hidden Grass ninja was particularly weak, a fact recognized by all nations in the ninja world.
If it were the Ameyu ninja from the Hidden Rain Village, who were determined to resist even when facing the oppression of the great nations, it would be a different story.
Therefore, panic spread among the Hidden Grass ninja. Those who could endure such a terrifying disaster were truly rare, and most of them were also upper-ranked ninja."
"Ameyu let out a soft sigh, and her breath weakened. Raimei Maru signaled his understanding.
Using this technique had a significant drain on Ameyu, consuming almost half of her Sage Chakra. If she were to use it again, it was very likely that she wouldn't be able to maintain flight, and she would have to fall into the enemy's encirclement. That would shift the situation in a disadvantageous direction.
Maintaining the advantage of the sky was the key to this operation and their qualification to contend with a large number of Hidden Grass ninja. Losing the advantage of the sky would undoubtedly complicate things.
Using this Sage technique was just to plant the seeds of fear in the hearts of the Hidden Grass ninja. For the Hidden Grass Village, whose ninja were of extremely poor quality, how many of them would still be fearless after witnessing such terror?
Raimei Maru opened his mouth and circulated his chakra, releasing only Lightning Release ninjutsu. For most of the Hidden Grass ninja who had lost their will to fight, activating his Sage technique would be a waste.
Moreover, his Sage technique was not suitable for use in the sky. The reason why Ameyu's Sage technique was suitable for release in the sky was because she could fly herself, allowing for perfect coordination. This ensured her safety while enabling effective attacks on the enemy.
Sharp lightning blades were expelled from Raimei Maru's mouth, forming a rain of blades that strafed the Hidden Grass ninja on the ground. Since the blades were dropped from a very high position in the sky, there was some time before they reached the ground, making them easy to dodge for anyone not particularly unlucky.
However, this was just a feint from Raimei Maru. With their combined strength, they were not enough to take on the entire Hidden Grass Village. Their actions were mainly aimed at distracting the bulk of the Hidden Grass Village's forces, buying time for the reconnaissance team to rescue the remaining Uzumaki clan survivors.
Facing Ameyu and Raimei Maru's shameless style of combat, the Hidden Grass ninja cursed in anger but also feared whether the enemy would launch another attack like the previous one, allowing them to once again witness the horrifying scene of their comrades' bodies being torn apart.
"Don't be afraid; there are only two enemies!"
They didn't know why the enemy was attacking their village, but among the Hidden Grass ninja coming to support, there were strong ninja who loved and cherished their village, ready to boost morale.
They placed explosive tags on crossbow bolts and then fired them into the air, bombing the sky.
Ameyu's wind barrier was not sufficient to withstand so many explosive tags. She maneuvered through the bombing's flames and smoke in the sky, suffering no harm except for a few specks of dust on her clothes.
Raimei Maru continued to expel physical lightning blades from his mouth, continuously attacking the Hidden Grass ninja on the ground.
During this time, many Hidden Grass ninja were injured, and several ballistae were destroyed, causing chaos among the Hidden Grass ninja below.
At this moment, beautiful fireworks bloomed in the distant sky.
Ameyu and Raimei Maru looked in that direction, clearly indicating that the reconnaissance team had succeeded, and the Uzumaki clan survivors had been successfully rescued. It was time to retreat.
Raimei Maru's deep blue eyes glanced at another undamaged power supply base in the Hidden Grass Village. Ameyu then flew towards it, and the Hidden Grass ninja seemed to anticipate her target, changing direction and running towards the other power supply base.
They ran halfway there, and Raimei Maru, perched on Ameyu's shoulder, did not hesitate to spit out another huge lightning ball, detonating the remaining power supply base.
Another intense explosion occurred, wiping out the surrounding streets and buildings, creating a massive mushroom cloud.
A hot blast of air rushed towards them. Ameyu ascended higher into the sky to avoid any further interference from the Hidden Grass ninja below. Finally, she flew in the direction they had come from, leaving the Hidden Grass Village in ruins.
"..."
Both of the most important power supply facilities had been detonated, and so many buildings and streets were destroyed. How would the village continue its way of life?
So, the Hidden Grass ninja stared blankly at the vast cloud of smoke and flames billowing up ahead, and now they had lost even the thoughts of cursing and anger."
(Chapter End)