Escape From Konoha

Chapter 166: 162: The Fourth Raikage

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In the northern waters of the Land of Earth.

Kumo's offensive had been relentless. The war had begun with Kumo capturing several islands in the northern waters of the Land of Earth. These islands served as temporary bases for Kumo, from which they continuously harassed and attacked the border of the Land of Earth.

The battle between Kumo and Iwa had raged on for months. Under the leadership of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, the forces of Iwagakure were primarily focused on defending against Kumo's onslaught.

It was a challenging situation for Iwa to battle Kumo in the sea area, given their preference for Earth Release ninjutsu, which was particularly effective on land.

They had historically thrived in battles by capitalizing on the terrain. However, the disadvantage of being at sea was clear. Once they lost the advantage of being on the ground, their Earth Release abilities lost their potency, making Iwa much less effective.

Moreover, Lightning Release was known to counter Earth Release, creating further obstacles for Iwa in a head-on confrontation with Kumo.

Considering these factors, the Third Tsuchikage had not advocated initiating an attack against Kumogakure. Instead, he ordered Iwagakure's jōnin and chūnin, who were proficient in Earth Release, to construct fortresses along the northern coastline using their Earth Release ninjutsu.

This strategy had created a deadlock. Iwa couldn't swiftly end the war, and Kumo's main forces couldn't invade the Land of Earth.

Within Iwa's camp, Onoki sat in the largest tent with a letter from Kumo placed in front of him.

Onoki picked up the letter, contemplated about its contents, and addressed the Iwagakushi jōnin seated at the conference table.

"Kumogakure wishes to open negotiations. They are proposing the return of the Third Raikage's body and the so-called artifacts of the Sage Of Six Paths, in exchange for ending hostilities."

"We haven't completely deciphered the secrets of the Third Raikage's body, and even after obtaining his body, we didn't discover any of these supposed Sage Of Six Path artifact." One of the Jonin interjected.

His words found agreement among the others present, and another jōnin added "It's true. On the day we besieged the Third Raikage, we only acquired his body, and we found no trace of the alleged artifact. Additionally, the siege of the Third Raikage exacted a heavy toll on our forces. It wouldn't be appropriate to resolve this matter lightly."

Further commentary followed, and the sentiment was clear that Iwa would not easily relinquish the Third Raikage's body. Such a concession, combined with agreeing to cease hostilities, would tarnish Iwa's reputation, suggesting cowardice and weakness.

Iwagakure had lost many resources and ninjas in the ongoing war. Hence, Kumo owed Iwa a suitable explanation and compensation.

"If they want to retrieve the Third Raikage's body empty-handed, it won't be so simple. Others may fear Kumogakure, but we in Iwagakure do not shy away from confronting trouble. To recover the Third Raikage's body, they must meet to our terms, make amends, and issue apologies in accordance with our established protocols. After all, it was their provocations that sparked this war."

Obtaining the Third Raikage's body was seen as a means of recouping Iwagakure's losses. Given the Raikage's status as one of the Five Kage, his corpse held valuable secrets. Preserving his body intact at the time of his death rendered it even more valuable.

"Although my intention is to end the war with Kumo, their approach, as it stands, is disrespectful to Iwa." Onoki declared, adding a note of dissatisfaction.

He recognized that bringing the war to an end with Kumogakure was a positive development. However, Kumo's letter failed to mention compensation for Iwa's losses in the war, making it challenging to agree to a ceasefire.

The military strength of Kumogakure was consistently formidable, second only to the dominant Konohagakure. Nevertheless, it was unreasonable for them to force Iwagakure into concessions that would harm its interests.

"However, this approach will prevent our participation in the Land of Rain battlefield. I'm afraid Suna will be alone there." A Jonin pointed out.

Following their alliance with Suna, Suna had the opportunity to invade the Land of Fire. This move would likely alter the situation on the Land Of Grass battlefield.

The troops led by Konoha's Jiraiya would be compelled to retreat to the Land of Fire. Refusing to do so would expose them to a double assault by Iea and Suna, ultimately leading to the annihilation of the Konoha forces in the Land of Grass. A retreat to the Land of Fire would open the door to Suna and Iwa, permitting them to achieve the primary strategic objective of this war.

However, with Kumo's attention now focused on the northern waters of the Land of Earth, Iwa found itself in a challenging position. They needed to divide their main force into two groups: one to combat Konoha's ninja, and the other to contain Kumo's troops.

Without this strategic division, they risked not only failing to achieve their goal of entering the Land Of Fire but also having their own territory trampled and ravaged by foreign ninjas, creating an unfavourable situation for Iwa.

"There's not much we can do about it. Kumo has us pinned down here, and it seems like Hanzo plans to lead Ame in a war against Suna. The battlefield is in constant change."

"Other people in the Land Of Rain don't concern us much. Hanzo is the real game-changer in the Land of Rain. I wonder what Chiyo is up to in Suna. Wasn't everything planned out? Hanzo's sudden involvement is throwing a wrench into our original plans!" An older Iwa Jōnin clenched his fists, and his tone was filled with dissatisfaction towards Chiyo,

"According to the message from Sunagakure, this seems to be a well-crafted conspiracy by Konoha, intending to use Hanzo's power to disrupt the situation in the Land of Rain."

"Hanzo isn't a fool, he won't be easily fooled. If he's fighting against Suna, it must mean that Chiyo crossed a line with him, or else he wouldn't make such a reckless move."

Seeing the helplessness and anger on the faces of many jounin, Onoki knew well the frustration they felt. The sudden intervention of Kumo and Ame had completely disrupted their planned alliance with Suna, resulting in the failure of their mission to invade the Land Of Fire this year. This naturally led to complaints about Suna's actions.

Onoki cleared his throat and began to speak to the Iwa nins present, "We must accept the situation as it stands."

However, before Onoki could finish his statement, a gust of wind blew into the tent, and a figure appeared in the midst of the Iwagakure ninjas.

"Tsuchikage-sama, it seems like you're in quite the predicament. How about a new cooperation?"

The figure stood still, with the corners of their mouth slightly raised, and smiled at Onoki who sat firmly on his sit.

"Who are you..."

Many of the Iwa nins immediately recognized the figure's identity.

The other party was a young woman with long black hair and unique pure white pupils. A Kekkei Genkai well known as the Byakugan, exclusive to the Hyuga Clan of Konoha. However, despite her surname Hyuga, she had long distanced herself from the clan and the village. She was now an incredibly dangerous S-class missing-nin in the ninja world—Hyuga Ayane.

"Hmph... coming in without even saying a common greeting, young people nowadays really don't know what politeness is."

Onoki expressed his dissatisfaction with Ayane's uninvited entry, but it was more of a scolding and an expressing his opinion.

After all, the cooperation last year had caused significant harm to the Konoha in the Land of Grass due to Hyuga Ayane's involvement.

Even the Root, an organization led by Konoha's darkness, had suffered losses. As long as Ayane was not a traitor to Iwa, Onoki was open to cooperation with this powerful bounty hunter.

Ayane, seemingly unfazed by Onoki's reprimand, offered an apology. "I apologize if I've inconvenienced you, Tsuchikage-sama."

"Little girl, i recall the other two members of White Fang's team defected from Konoha, right? Of course the medical ninja isn't that important. But both the Sharingan and Byakugan's abilities would be helpful. If we could temporarily gain their assistance in the wat, that would be great." Onoki suggested with a sinister smile.

Ayane seemed unperturbed by his comment.

"The Sharingan woman isn't interested in becoming a bounty hunter, and she won't be willing to serve Iwagakure. I should have clarified this with Jonin Kitsuchi before, so please don't hold unrealistic expectations."

This was a disappointment for Onoki. The Sharingan was a renowned Kekkei Genkai, much like Byakugan, but it held superiority in terms of offensive capabilities.

These two Kekkei Genkai could complement each other. Onoki had hoped to have both Sharingan and Byakugan fighting for Iwa. But Ayane's clarification extinguished his hopes.

"Such a pity. I was genuinely curious about the combined strength of the Sharingan and the Byakugan."

Onoki knew that Sharingan and Byakugan would make a formidable combination. But now that the opportunity was lost, he needed to shift his focus to cooperating with Ayane.

It wasn't the first time they were cooperating, and the terms of their employment remained consistent. However, the nature of the mission had become more challenging. As the difficulty increased, the remuneration provided by Iwa would also rise accordingly.

.....

"Damn Tsuchikage! How does he shamelessly employ defectors to provoke us!"

At the Kumo Camp's conference table, a man with dark skin unleashed a furious blow, punching a hole through the table, sending sawdust scattering.

As dense lightning began to spark around his body, his hair stood on end. The sight of such powerful chakra left the the other ninjas present deeply shocked.

"Raikage-sama, please, calm yourself."

A Kumo Jonin, approximately thirty years old, with a patch in one eye, calmly attempted to persuade the angry Raikage.

Long before the Third Raikage set off for the Land of Earth, discussions in high-level meetings had already established the candidate for the fourth Raikage.

This foresight ensured that Kumogakure wouldn't plunge into chaotic internal conflicts due to the sacrifice of the Third Raikage, it solved the problemof various factions fighting for who would be the successor for the position.

This young man, appearing no older than thirty, was Kumogakure's Fourth Raikage. He also happened to be the son of the late Third Raikage, with skills in Raikage Ninjutsu rivaling those of his father during his prime.

"Why would this make me calm? The Tsuchikage, as one of the Five Kages, shamelessly employed a defector. It's utterly unforgivable! And what's Konoha's deal? Why haven't they dispatched hunters to eliminate the defectors as quickly as possible? Konoha needs to also be held responsible for this."

The Fourth Raikage's anger still persisted.

Recently, Kumo patrol units had been under frequent attack. The assailant responsible was confirmed to be Hyuga Ayane, an S-class defector from Konoha now in Iwa's service.

Given that the opponent exclusively targeted Kumogakure's ninjas and the fact that the opponent had previously assisted Iwagakure during the war in the Land of Grass, the Fourth Raikage was certain that the Tsuchikage Onoki had hired hyuga Ayane to deal with Kumo.

"Although the Tsuchikage's actions indeed tarnish the reputation of the 'Five Kages,' now isn't the time to place blame."

"Of course I know about that. Dodai, immediately mobilize our forces. I will personally kill that woman, and perhaps acquire those arrogant eyes while I'm at it."

The Raikage instructed the Kumo ninja wearing the one-eye patch.

Despite his anger, the Fourth Raikage maintained a degree of composure. He understood that it wasn't the right time for assigning blame.

Furthermore, having the Byakugan appear on the battlefield of Kumo could have its advantages. If he could obtain those unique eyes, it would be more than enough compensation for any previous losses and significantly benefit Kumogakure.

"Proceeding so recklessly is unwise, Raikage-sama. We know nothing about the enemy's abilities." Dodai frowned..

Compared to the average Jonin, the recently-appointed Fourth Raikage was undeniably powerful. However, when compared to the dead Third, his abilities still had room for growth.

Information gathered by Kumo indicated that Hyuga Ayane had wreaked havoc in the Land of Grass. She single-handedly pressured Konoha's ninjas to the point of almost forcing their retreat to the Land Of Fire. Her encounter with Shimura Danzo, the leader of Konoha's Root, ended with no harm to her and huge losses for Root. She even managed to cost Danzo an arm.

While the specifics of the battle remained unknown, the final results indicated that Hyuga Ayane was likely stronger than the recently appointed Fourth Raikage.

"I have my own opinion on this. Although my Lightning Chakra mode isn't yet as powerful as my father's, I have an advantage in speed compared to my father. My father once declared that in the ninja world, none could match my speed."

The Fourth Raikage declared with unwavering confidence in his speed. His father gave up some advantages in speed and concentrated his abilities on defense and attack, thus achieving the reputation of the strongest shield and the strongest spear.

But he was different. In the past, he knew that no matter how hard he trained, his physical fitness could not be on par with his father's. Therefore, at that time, he decided to give up certain defense and attack capabilities, and concentrated his advantages on the speed that he was best at.

Dodai sighed in resignation. Seeing the determination of the Fourth Raikage, he realized that attempts to dissuade him would be in useless.

Both the Fourth Raikage and the Third Raikage, were characterized by their vigorous, unwavering determination. However, it was this very resolve that boosted the morale of Kumogakure and led to their victories on the front lines.

"I understand, Raikage-sama. Since you've made your decision, allow me to join you as well. Keep in mind, her Gentle Fist can bypass your Lightning armor, targeting your heart directly."

Dodai said with a serious expression.

The Fourth Raikage nodded, agreeing to Dodai's participation after his willful request.

"Then it's decided. Move quickly, I can't wait to claim those famous white eyes."

Dodai nodded and began to descend, selecting Kumo's elite ninjas to join the Raikage in the mission to capture the Byakugan user.

However, deep down, Dodai was skeptical about the mission's chances of success.

Raikage-sama is still too impatient in doing things. He would let the rest of the team go test the opponent's abilities first.

Dodai sighed inwardly.

...

"Infiltration complete."

Ayane murmured as she stealthily navigated the Kumo's Island forest, eluding the watchful eyes of Kumo patrol unit. She made her way to her intended destination.

After several attacks, she had investigated the patrol patterns of the Kumo team. With the assistance of her Buakugan, evading the detection of the Kumo became easier.

Ayane ventured deeper into the island's interior, following the route map provided by Iwagakure. Her eyes were open, allowing her to see everything within a ten-kilometer radius.

Approximately a thousand Kumo ninjas were assembled on the island. Half of them were guarding something of great importance, identified as the Kumo's supply point on the road map.

To determine the location of this supply point, Iwa had sacrificed over a dozen Earth Release ninjas skilled in stealth. Such tactics, when outright victory isn't guaranteed, aimed to disrupt an enemy's supply lines to secure a tactical advantage, which was quite common in warfare.

During the Second Ninja World War, Konoha had employed a similar tactic against Suna.

"Hmm?"

Midway through her advance, Ayane suddenly detected an abnormal concentration of chakra among the thousands of Kumo ninjas. This huge chakra signature overshadowed the rest and became Byakugan's primary focus.

"A Tailed Beast? No, it's slightly less than that."

While she had witnessed the power of Tailed Beasts before, this ninja's chakra, though not on par with a Tailed Beast, was remarkably powerful.

Ayane was taken aback by the incredible amount of chakra this Kuno ninja possessed. It resembled a Tailed Beast's chakra. The Third Raikage, whom she had previously faced, also had chakra of this magnitude.

Such an immense chakra capacity could almost be mistaken for that of a Tailed Beast.

The Third Raikage was able to battle thousands of Iwagakure ninjas for twenty-six hours, all while maintaining Lightning Chakra Mode fully activated.

This endurance was like a Human Tailed Beast.

To Ayane's surprise, she had encountered another ninja with an equivalent volume of chakra.

"You've spotted me, I see."

A faint, self-assured smile crossed Ayane's lips. With her Byakugan, she could see Kumo ninjas rushing toward her at an astonishing speed.

This did not come as a surprise to Ayane. Her current location was deep within enemy territory, and powerful sensory ninja were undoubtedly posted nearby to prevent infiltration of crucial supply points.

As the wind whooshed past her ears, Ayane accelerated her pace. Her feet lightly touched tree branches, and she inhaled deeply, propelling her chakra throughout her body at high speed.

"Vacuum Palm!"

Ayane yelled as she unleashed air-based projectiles directly at the oncoming ninja's face. His body emitted an intense flash of lightning, creating an incredibly thick layer of blue chakra feathers that momentarily enveloped him. To Ayane's widened eyes, the ninja vanished from sight.

The air projectile collided with a tree in the distance, splintering it upon impact, and sent debris flying.

Ayane quickly lowered her head, narrowly evading the armed Kumo ninja. He sheared a few strands of her hair, which fell to the ground.

Ayane leaped to the side, maintaining a safe distance from the Kumo ninja, adopting a Gentle Fist stance, her gaze unwavering.

The Kumo ninja was a strong figure with muscularly developed body. His stature was tall and his dark skin was characteristic of the Land of Lightning. He appeared to be a few years older than Ayane.

"Oh..... who is it? Aren't you Kumo's new Raikage? No wonder you have such an exaggerated speed, I almost didn't realize it was you."

Powerful blue lightning emanated from the chakra feathers that covered his body. Ayane was well-aware of his identity, recognizing him as the new Fourth Raikage of Kumo, who had inherited the title from his father.

This information had been circulated in the ninja world as soon as he succeeded his father. She had also gathered intelligence on him from the Land of Demons.

Similar to his father, the Third Raikage, this ninja was renowned for his proficiency in Lightning Ninjutsu. Their fight revealed that the Fourth Raikage's speed surpassed his father's.

"Being able to dodge my first attack, you're not just an ordinary Byakugan user. You won't be so lucky next time."

The Fourth Raikage said with a serious expression. Her quick reflexes and 360-degree vision rendered Ayane a formidable opponent.

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