"Sure enough, exactly as I expected, the ultimate goal of the Land of Demons in the northwest region of the Land of Wind is to obtain Kazami castle."
Rasa examined the unfolded map of the Land of Wind before him, his expression confirming his expectations.
The northwestern region of the Land of Wind was primarily an area with scarce resources, and its structures were laid out in villages and towns. Large cities were relatively scarce.
Regrettably, Kazami zastle stood as the sole large city in the northwest region.
Kazami City was constructed around an oasis in the northwest region, offering ample water and soil suitable for agriculture. It has consistently served as a vital resource collection area for the Land of Wind.
Due to this, the Land of Wind established a large-scale city on this oasis, known as Kazami City. This city was a crucial hub connecting the northwest of the Land of Wind with the central, making it indispensable for the Land of Wind.
The Land of Demons' strategy in the Land of Wind's northwest region ultimately targeted Kazami Castle, validating Rasa's conjecture.
Although they were unaware of the Land of Demons' specific intentions in the northwest region, their ambitions were apparent, and significant plans must be underway in this region.
Preventing their plan from succeeding was the singular thought in Rasa's mind. But executing the bait strategy involved a certain degree of risk.
For instance, prior to defeating the Land of Demons, Sunagakure would face considerable public pressure. Despite briefing the daimyo about the matter early on, secrecy was paramount to ensure the strategy's success.
Additionally, if the Land of Demons disregarded their strategy, refrainimg from taking the bait, directly stopping their surprise attack. In that case, no matter how well-devised their plans were, they would fail to deal an effective blow to the Land of Demons.
Fortunately, the Land of Demons was currently blinded by their continuous victories, intensifying their offensive stance with each engagement. Even the Kazekage himself was purportedly "heavily injured." further fueling the arrogance of the Land of Demons.
Rasa meticulously scrutinized the strategy several times, finding no flaws from its inception to execution. Maintaining secrecy about Konoha's situation from the Land of Demons was a fundamental prerequisite for implementing this strategy.
With all conditions for the bait-and-trap strategy in place,
"In that case, we'll act as soon as possible. Is there any problem with your injury?" Jiraiya, standing beside Rasa, inquired.
Rasa nodded and responded with a smile, "Don't worry; my injury healed almost two days ago. Despite its severe appearance, it was merely a superficial wound inflicted by myself."
During the enemy investigations, he, the Kazekage, had indeed returned to Sunagakure to recover from his injury. The frontline Sunagakure troops were left leaderless, facing low morale.
However, appearances were deceiving. After returning to Sunagakure, Rasa secretly repositioned himself to the front lines through alternative routes. He mobilized a surprise force of 1,000 elite Suna ninjas from the dunes. They navigated the coastal route of the Land of Wind, flanking the Land of Demons' stranded ninja troops in the northwest of the Land of Wind, effectively cutting off their retreat to the Land of Demons.
"However, there's one thing we need to pay attention to —the Mangekyou Sharingan ability of Uchiha Ruri I've mentioned before."
Rasa's countenance turned solemn as he recalled this, still harboring some lingering fears.
Seeing Jiraiya and the others listening intently, Rasa continued, "Let me summarize Uchiha Ruri's Mangekyou Sharingan abilities. The first ability involves infusing a special lightning into her Susanoo's sword, granting it powerful cutting power capable of bending space to some extent. She used this move to counter my largest and most destructive gold dust jutsu."
Jiraiya nodded in understanding. He recalled that Minato had mentioned before his death that the mastermind behind the Nine Tails rampage Konoha possessed a form of space-time ninjutsu. This revelation seemed connected to their group.
From this perspective, Uchiha Ruri, the direct controller of the Nine Tails, was undoubtedly the one. The connection to Chiba Shiraishi and possession of a Sharingan capable disrupting time and space aligned with Minato's assumptions at the time.
"The second dounutsu is also related to the special lightning. It covers her Susanoo's entire body with the lightning, allowing it to move at high speed. This movement speed surpasses ordinary body flicker. Therefore, the seemingly cumbersome Susano, under Uchiha Ruri's control, is remarkably maneuverable. Be careful."
The Susanoo possesses formidable offensive and defensive capabilities, often making even seasoned ninjas despair.
Even for a Kage like Rasa, breaking through the Susanoo's defenses proved challenging. However, the Susanoo has its drawbacks, particularly its slow movement speed and apparent unwieldiness.
Uchiha Ruri, however, utilizes her doujitsu to instantly move the colossal Susanoo like a speed ninja. It implies that, in Ruri's hands, the Susanoo's bulky downsides have been mitigated.
High mobility, large-scale destructive capability, and an iron-like protective shell— her Susanoo seems nearly flawless.
If there would be any weakness, it would be the chakra restriction, though it couldn't be considered a true weakness.
"Kazekage-dono, you've gained valuable information from just two battles. This significantly improves our chances of success." Jiraiya smiled.
"Well, of course, we can't rile out the possibility that Uchiha Ruri has other means of attack she hasn't used. But by my estimation when she faced me, she should have used at least 70% of her strength. All in all, she's not an invincible enemy." Rasa nodded, affirming his estimate.
Without pause, Rasa pointed to the map of the northwest region and continued, "Now, I'll assign the missions. With 4,000 ninjas from Suna participating in the attack, plus the 1,000 ninjas handling the coastal approach, totaling 5,000 ninjas for the attack. I'll divide the force into five assault troops, with each thousand forming an assault regiment. The coastal assault troop is the Fifth Assault Corps, tasked with encircling and cutting off the retreat of the Land of Demons' ninja troops."
Rasa glanced at the Jonin in the meeting room.
"We have four assault regiments here, designated one through four. The first and second assault regiments will be responsible for leading the frontal assaults, cutting into the battlefield in an enveloping posture. The third assault regiment, under my command, will engage from the east, providing lateral support. The fourth assault regiment won't partake in the encirclement and suppression battle."
The first, second, and third assault troops will penetrate the main battlefield, while the fourth assault regiment will intercept enemy reinforcements to avert issues on the main battlefield.
The Fifth Assault Corps will encircle to block all enemy retreat routes in the Land of Wind, preventing any escape from the northwest region.
Penetrating the battlefield, blocking reinforcements, and ultimately severing the enemy's retreat—all aspects have been meticulously considered by Rasa.
With a total of 5,000 ninja troops invested, Rasa believed the siege campaign was foolproof, and there was no flaws.
"Understood"
Several Suna ninjas, each leading a regimen team, nodded solemnly.
"Finally, everyone from Konoha, please be the forward assault team for this annihilation mission. Once the tactical containment is successful, we will launch a surprise operation according to the signal sent by everyone in Konoha. I'll be troubling you." Rasa said, directing his attention to Jiraiya.
"Leave it to us." Jiraiya responded with a nod, indicating there was no problem.
"So, let's go now." Rasa declared solemnly, taking the lead and guiding everyone toward the battlefield.
.....
On the endless desert, recently battered by a sandstorm, remnants of flying sand still lingered.
In such adverse weather, visibility was significantly reduced. The sound of wind and sand blowing could be heard in the ears. Ordinary travelers, during such times, would seek refuge in the nearest town, waiting for the storm to pass before resuming their journey.
However, ninjas in the region had long grown accustomed to such harsh environments. As long as they didn't encounter a major storm, the conditions were bearable for them.
On the storm-affected desert, a surprise team comprising more than a dozen individuals swiftly traversed the sand, making their way toward Kazami City.
The sun in the sky was obscured by the yellow sand, casting a gloomy atmosphere over the landscape.
Shiraishi looked up, finding no one else on the sandy expanse ahead. Only he, Ruri, and twelve ninjas were advancing.
Among the twelve ninjas, three Jonin were from to the Uchiha clan. Each wore a serious expression, moving silently with bated breath.
In a moment of silent communication, Shiraishi gave Ruri a wink, and she nodded in understanding. The two, running side by side, suddenly shifted their bodies sideways, leaping to opposite sides.
The twelve ninjas behind them also dispersed into two groups, jumping away with Shiraishi and Ruri, respectively.
Nine people followed Shiraishi, and only the three Uchiha ninjas followed Ruri.
The moment they scattered and leaped, a violent explosion erupted from the sand layer below, whipping up a frenzied storm. Shiraishi and the others squinted briefly to shield their eyes from the wind and sand.
Afterward, figures emerged from the sand layer, uniformly clad in Suna uniforms, jumping to the four corners around Shiraishi. Upon landing, they swiftly formed hand seals and released ninjutsu.
"Four Violet Flame Formation!"
Purple, transparent beams of light shot into the sky, connecting in pairs to form a sealed barrier with no gaps.
Following the barrier's activation, the four Suna ninjas abruptly dispersed in thick smoke, transforming into Konoha ninjas wearing Anbu uniforms.
The remaining eleven Suna ninjas within the barrier underwent the same transformation, removing the disguise of the Transformation Jutsu.
The leaders were Jiraiya, Takashi, and Masaki.
Accompanying them were other well-known ninjas from Konoha.
Observing the successful execution of the Anbu's operation, Jiraiya cast a triumphant smile toward Shiraishi and his trapped companions.
"Thevcapture is complete."
Shiraishi looked thoughtful as he observed the purple cube barrier unfolding around him. He glanced at Jiraiya, who was smiling confidently, and said, "I see you've chosen to use this method. It seems it would be more troublesome than I expected if i intend to break through this barrier."
After uttering these words, Shiraishi raised his head, observing a flare soaring into the sky and exploding, its blast echoing in the distance. Recognizing it as the signal flare used, Shiraishi anticipated the imminent arrival of Suna's large army.
"Long time no see, Shiraishi brat. What do you think of my flashy greeting? Did it catch you by surprise?" Jiraiya spread his hands and jokingly asked Shiraishi's impression.
"I'm truly flattered to be valued so much by Jiraiya-sama. How should I put it, if Jiraiya-sama is asking me to make a surprised expression at this time, I'd be happy to oblige." Shiraishi responded with a wry smile, and made a fitting remark..
It was as if he already knew how things would unfold. Upon reflection, his lack of shock was unsurprising.
"Oh really? I don't remember you speaking this 2ay." Jiraiya said, his smile fading as he recalled the past.
"Please don't act so familiar with me. It just makes me think you're arrogant. Even Sakumo-sensei barely understood the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding me." Shiraishi retorted, closing his eyes and sighing softly.
"Why? Do you dislike listening to the teachings of your elders? But looking at your current situations, it seems you have no way out. Will you quietly surrender?" Jiraiya said, still with a hint of laughter.
"Unfortunately not, Jiraiya-sama. I have no such plans." Shiraishi responded plainly, opening his eyes.
"That's a pity."
"It is indeed a pity because I don't like things going beyond the plan. Let me ask again directly, is Konoha truly planning to intervene in this war?"
Jiraiya fell silent, apparently conceding that outcome. Seeing Jiraiya's acquiescence, Shiraishi continued, "Then it seems negotiations are impossible. Since it has come to this, I will have to regard you as the enemy and eliminate you." His tone held a note of regret.
"You, who made attempts twice on the Fourth Hokage's life, have the audacity to speak out here. What makes you judge Konoha won't be joining this war? Or did you think we would let you roam freely? Konoha do not make compromises with traitors." Takashi interjected before Jiraiya could respond.
The Fourth Hokage Minato's death in the Nine-Tails rampage remained a painful hidden wound for Konoha. With tje true culprit before them, there was no way Konoha would retreat now, especially with the upper hand.
"It seems useless to converse further. We shall have to use our respective strengths to prove our path is right."
Shiraishi stated. He had expected his words would not make Konoha back down. Part of him still hoped these ninja would withdraw and avoid participating in this battle. After all, staining his hands with the blood of former "colleagues" would cause some discomfort.
But since they were enemies, he could only ruthlessly destroy them, here and now.
After Shiraishi finished speaking, Takashi and Masaki stepped forward, ready to take action. However, Jiraiya reached out to halt their movements, fixing Shiraishi with a serious gaze before posing a question aloud, "Before the battle, I want to ask you a question."
"Question? Is it about my reason for defecting? There should be no need asking something so meaningless."
"No, my question has nothing to do with that. I would like to know why you started this war."
"To seek justice from the Land of Wind. That's the answer." Shiraishi smiled lightly.
"No. If it were just to reclaim some alleged debt, peaceful diplomacy could achieve that. To immediately resort to war means you have ulterior motives." Jiraiya countered.
"That's just wishful thinking on your part, Jiraiya-sama. The Land of Wind attacked first and forced the Land of Demons to retaliate. Whatever complicated reasons lay beyond that.. doesn't matter. That is the truth."
"We are all aware of the facts well, so drop the pretense for outsiders. Dragging a neutral country into a quagmire of war for personal desires cannot be considered a just act." Jiraiya asserted solemnly. His tone reflected a deep understanding of the cruelty of war, and he expressed a commitment to prevent its continuation. Shiraishi's approach, in Jiraiya's view, would only entangle the neutral country inyo the horrors of war, causing immeasurable suffering for innocent families.
As a fellow Konoha ninja, Jiraiya believed that Shiraishi should comprehend the pain of war and actively work to prevent its escalation rather than fueling conflicts behind the scenes. As ninja they should prevent that while cutting off the chain of hatred, not covertly stoking warfare's flames.
"So what?" Shiraishi replied indifferently.
"What!?" Jiraiya looked at Shiraishi in disbelief.
"Dragging a neutral country into the quagmire of war—so what? In this era, countries are mere pawns. If one is lost, another can easily be found. Anyway, there are as many pawns everywhere."
"It's nonsense! How could a country be used as a tool for fame and fortune in the hands of people?" Jiraiya responded with frustration.
Facing Jiraiya's evident displeasure, Shiraishi maintained an unruffled demeanor, presenting himself as an exceptionally sophisticated machine rather than a living human being.
"Why not? I'm just following my own sense of justice."
"There is no such twisted justice in the world."
"Then I'll carve out a just path myself." Shiraishi retorted with a smile, his eyes displaying a calm and resolute determination.
"You really are..." Jiraiya clenched his fists, visibly struggling. It pained him to see the former student of his friend veering off course in such a way. This individual was beyond reasoning. "Sure enough..."
Shiraishi tilted his head, not entirely grasping the meaning behind Jiraiya's words. Sure enough? What did he mean?
Takashi spoke in a low voice at this moment: "Jiraiya-san, give up. You can't understand such a person."
Jiraiya sighed and nodded, a determined glint in his eyes showing some decision was made. He looked Shiraishi, "I originally intended to spare your life and take you to Mount Myoboku, where the Great Toad Sage would guide you on the right path.... Now, it seems that the plan is no longer necessary. If I allow you to continue this way, the ninja world will be dragged into the quagmire of war sooner or later,, displacing countless people from their loved ones. Therefore, I will end you here with my own hands!"
A murderous glint shone in his eyes.
Shiraishi remained unfazed by the intimidating aura but responded with a tone of doubt, "Although I have no idea what has provoked you, but your self-righteousness stems from a prophecy made in Mount Myoboku... Perhaps, I should find some time to inquire from the so-called Great Toad Sage you know about?"
Shiraishi wasn't joking; he intended to visit Mount Myoboku sooner or later. If a group of chattering toads decided to entertain themselves by obstructing the world, they would need to be wiped out. In his view, there was nothing more arrogant than predicting and deciding fates.
"The realm of Sages isn't something ordinary men can transgress. Now, allow this gallant hero to teach you respect for Sages!." Jiraiya laughed, smearing both sides of his face with his hands red, outlining it for the execution of a specific jutsu.
Subsequently, Jiraiya closed his hands tightly and leaped backward swiftly.
Shiraishi narrowed his eyes, sensing the shifts in natural energy within the barrier. He extended his palm, and the shadow under his feet materialized, transforming into a shadow blade that tore through the air, heading towards Jiraiya's chest.
"Don't even think about it!"
Takashi drew his sword, infusion his chakra, the flame sword blocked the shadow blade's assassination, providing Jiraiya with the time needed for his transformation.
At the same time, Masaki formed chakra scalpels on both hands and charged towards Shiraishi at high speed. The nine Konoha ninjas on the sidelines were spurred into action, rushing towards Shiraishi together.
Shiraishi remained on his spot, and the nine Oni ninjas behind leaped forward, brandishing Kunai or swords to engage the enemy ninjas mid-air.
After successfully intercepting the enemy, the shadow under Shiraishi's feet burst open again. A large black shadow protruded, and numerous slender shadow blades scattered from it, mercilessly piercing the bodies of the nine Oni ninjas from behind. The blades continued their trajectory, aiming at the bodies of the nine Konoha ninjas as well.
In the air, a rain of blood ensued.
----
T/N: Life sucks