naruto-story #174 - Chapter 174 Aftermath
#174 - Chapter 174 Aftermath
Land of Fire, Hidden Leaf Village.
Hokage Building.
The moment he learned that war between the Hidden Sand Village and the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone Villages was on the verge of erupting,
Minato Namikaze, the current backbone of the Hidden Leaf, could no longer stay and train on Mount Myōboku.
At this moment, inside the Hokage Building, all the village's high-level officials were gathered.
The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was extremely heavy.
Everyone was waiting for news from the village's intelligence personnel regarding the battlefield.
Because the outcome of this war would determine the future direction of the Hidden Leaf in this conflict.
Now, everyone in the Hidden Leaf hoped that the war between the Hidden Sand Village and the Hidden Stone and Hidden Cloud Villages would completely drag these three villages into the quagmire of war, so that the Hidden Leaf could truly rest easy.
Moreover, they wouldn't have to wait long.
In just a day or two, news should arrive from the front lines.
Jiraiya, sitting next to Minato, asked rather casually.
"How is it? Have you been home? Is Kushina angry?"
Minato smiled somewhat awkwardly upon hearing this.
Although he had been writing letters to Kushina through the frogs during his time on Mount Myōboku, it was impossible for Kushina not to harbor any resentment after being separated for so long.
Just then, suddenly, clear footsteps came from outside.
Making the entire office quiet down again.
Then, the door to the Hokage's office was pushed open, and Shikaku Nara, the current strategist of the Hokage, appeared.
However, at this moment, the serious expression on Shikaku's face, as it fell into everyone's eyes, made everyone feel that something was wrong.
"What's wrong? Shikaku?"
Shikaku glanced at everyone in the office, then, regaining his composure, he came to Hiruzen Sarutobi, took out a scroll, and said.
"Lord Hokage, this is the intelligence just received from the Hidden Stone Village, please take a look!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned solemnly and took it. After glancing at Shikaku, he slowly opened it, and then his body trembled, and he roared in disbelief.
"How is that possible? Has the information been confirmed?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's loss of composure immediately made everyone in the office feel that something was wrong.
Shikaku nodded.
"We have already confirmed it, there will be no problem. After all, it concerns the Jinchuriki, the Hidden Stone Village would not joke about this."
"......"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand holding the scroll suddenly became forceful.
At this time, Minato Namikaze, feeling a sense of unease, finally couldn't help but ask Shikaku.
"Mr. Shikaku, what exactly is going on?"
Shikaku glanced at the Hokage, and after seeing that he had no objections, he slowly said.
"The news just received is that the Kazekage Rasa of the Hidden Sand Village, the Scorch Release user Pakura, and the Magnet Release user Mikawa have appeared in the Land of Birds, defeating the Hidden Stone Village's ninjas with overwhelming power, and capturing the Hidden Stone Village's two Jinchuriki: the Four-Tailed Rōshi and the Five-Tailed Han."
"What! ! !"
At this moment, everyone in the Hokage's office had a drastic change in expression.
Danzō's reaction was the most intense, and he immediately roared angrily.
"Don't talk nonsense, Shikaku, isn't the Hidden Sand Village's team in the Land of Rivers?"
"Yes!"
This was something that everyone had confirmed.
Just then, only Minato understood something and said in a low voice.
"Shikaku, are you saying that the Hidden Sand Village, with only three people, blocked the Hidden Stone Village's six thousand ninja team and also captured two Jinchuriki."
Shikaku looked at everyone in the office whose pupils shrank sharply because of Minato's words, and nodded helplessly.
"Yes, according to the intelligence from the Hidden Stone Village, the Kazekage Rasa of the Hidden Sand Village, the Scorch Release user Pakura, and the Magnet Release user Mikawa, displayed extraordinary power in this battle. Even the Jinchuriki's Tailed Beast Ball was easily neutralized, especially the Kazekage Rasa, who in the final battle, fought two opponents alone and captured the two Jinchuriki with overwhelming power!"
"! ! !"
Now, everyone in the Hokage's office trembled, their faces full of disbelief.
"What a joke, those are Jinchuriki!"
"One against two, and with overwhelming power? How is that possible?"
"The only one who could do such a thing would be the First Hokage, right?"
Everyone spoke one after another, and all could feel the panic in everyone's words.
At this time, the only ones who could calm down were Minato, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.
"Interesting! ! !"
Orochimaru, who knew some secrets, licked his lips somewhat excitedly.
Jiraiya frowned tightly.
Minato's eyes were also somewhat vacant at that moment, but he quickly returned to normal and said with a hint of admiration in his tone.
"So that's it, is this the Kazekage's real plan? Changing the landscape of this war with the power of three people. In that case, with the Tailed Beasts in hand, given the Tsuchikage's personality, the Hidden Stone Village probably won't attack the Hidden Leaf again. This completely breaks the alliance between the Hidden Stone Village and the Hidden Cloud Village. Next, the Hidden Sand Village will only need to face the Hidden Cloud Village. No... After this battle, with the power displayed by this Kazekage to suppress the two Tailed Beasts, even the Hidden Cloud Village wouldn't dare to act rashly, right."
Now, the entire Hokage's office fell silent once again.
Because everyone was somewhat unable to see what the future of the ninja world would be like?
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Land of Rain.
Under the pattering rain.
As the leaders of the Akatsuki organization: Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, were also looking at the intelligence they had received with disbelief.
Not long ago, according to their agreement with the Hidden Sand Village, they were intercepting the Hidden Stone Village ninjas who wanted to pass through the Land of Rain. Of course, Yahiko only ordered the Akatsuki ninjas to secretly obstruct them, without engaging in direct conflict.
After all, the Akatsuki ninjas were inferior to the Hidden Stone Village ninjas in both quantity and quality.
Fortunately, the Akatsuki organization was relatively familiar with the geographical environment of the Land of Rain.
However, even so, Yahiko was still somewhat worried that the conflict would escalate, causing the Akatsuki's comrades to die in this war.
But unexpectedly, this group of Hidden Stone Village ninjas didn't even complete the normal journey before suddenly choosing to retreat.
This made Yahiko and the others somewhat unable to understand, and they even thought it was a trick by the Hidden Stone Village!
Until they received the latest intelligence!
At this moment, looking at the overwhelming power displayed by the Kazekage on the intelligence, who had captured both Jinchuriki, the three were shocked. At the same time, Yahiko also recalled his past meeting with Rasa and the story that Master Jiraiya had once told them about the First Hokage Hashirama Senju pacifying the ninja world.
Yahiko also had an idea and said.
"Konan, Nagato, have you been to the Hidden Sand Village?"
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
While the entire ninja world was shocked by the terrifying power displayed by the Fourth Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village, Rasa, the protagonist of the story, returned to the Hidden Sand Village, settled the two Tailed Beasts, and went directly to Ryūchi Cave to meet the White Snake Sage...