Chapter 286: Konoha's Heavenly Soldiers Have Arrived, the Land of Lightning is Saved!
"Protect the supplies!" Mabui's command was decisive, her voice piercing through the brief silence. "Nintaijutsu Squad, form up and engage the enemy!"
The Cloud ninjas reacted with extreme speed. After the initial shock, they immediately displayed astonishing combat discipline.
The Nintaijutsu Squad, clad in chakra armor, instantly moved to the perimeter, their ninja swords unsheathed and glinting with dazzling lightning.
Several Lightning Release ninjas quickly formed seals, their hands pressing against the ground. A dense, piercing "zzt-zzt" sound rang out.
"Lightning Release: Earth Runner!"
Several thick, violent azure lightning snakes shot up from the ground, charging straight at Sasuke. The lightning rolled over the surrounding giant trees, igniting them in an instant. A churning sea of fire, accompanied by a crackling sound, quickly swallowed Sasuke's figure.
The thunder roared, and the sea of fire boiled. Just as everyone thought Sasuke had been buried under the rubble, a dazzlingly bright blue-white electric light tore through the boiling sea of fire. Purple lightning arcs forcefully carved a path through this sea of fire!
In the midst of the divided sea of fire, Sasuke stepped forward slowly and unhurriedly. The several lightning snakes that had been heading for him were now well-behaved/obediently swimming around his figure. This grandiose attack hadn't even managed to soil the corner of his clothes. Sasuke wore a slight smile. The ethereal temperament created by his Mangekyo Sharingan and Sage Mode eyeshadow made the Cloud ninjas blocking his path unconsciously take half a step back.
In the next instant, Sasuke gently raised his hand. A layer of purple lightning instantly appeared on the surface of the azure lightning snakes. In just a few breaths, the lightning snakes grew two horns on their heads, completing their transformation into dragons. They then roared and charged at the Cloud troops. The power of this ninjutsu was more than twice as strong as when it had been blasted at Sasuke just now.
"In your dreams!" Mabui's reaction was extremely fast. Her right hand flashed backwards, and the giant scroll on her back unfolded a corner as if it were alive, accurately blocking the path of the lightning dragons! The sealing runes on the scroll once again lit up with a strange, dark light.
"Sealing Art: Absorption Seal!"
Facing Sasuke's menacing attack, Mabui repeated her old trick, pulling open the giant scroll on her back. After the scroll flashed with a strange light, it swallowed Sasuke's ninjutsu.
"Uchiha brat, this is not a place for you to run wild!" Mabui's voice carried the unique hardness of the Cloud. "Leave your life here!"
Sasuke did not respond. He slowly raised his right hand. A cold killing intent, like a tangible cold current, spread out. The surrounding space seemed to distort and dim slightly due to this suddenly rising, terrifying chakra. The air at this moment seemed to solidify, so heavy that it was suffocating.
A purple God of War, wreathed in silver runes, rose from the ground. An invisible pressure, like a tsunami, swept across the entire canyon!
The faces of the Cloud ninjas turned pale, and their hands holding their weapons trembled uncontrollably. Facing the giant, immense fear gripped their hearts. The sense of oppression brought by that purple skeleton was like facing a natural disaster!
Not far away, Nagai Seiichi, who had already set up a trap according to the predetermined plan, couldn't help but be dumbfounded as he looked at this terrifyingly powerful giant Susanoo. It was only at this moment that he was suddenly shocked to realize that the reason Lord Hokage had put him in Young Master Sasuke's group was apparently not for him to protect Young Master Sasuke. Did Young Master Sasuke need him, a person who had barely reached the level of an elite Jonin after consuming a ton of resources, to protect him?
He then thought of a time not long ago when he had gone to the Hokage's office to report to Lord Hokage. Before he left, Lord Hokage had said to him for no reason that he looked very tired recently, had lost a lot of weight, and couldn't even tie his belt, so he should "move it up a bit."
At this moment, no matter how stupid Nagai Seiichi was, he should have understood Uchiha Douhuan's meaning. Uchiha Douhuan hadn't sent him to protect his disciple at all. It was clearly that Lord Hokage wanted to promote him, but he didn't have any notable merits. So he had stuffed him into his genius disciple's team to let him tag along and earn some battle merits!
After Sasuke summoned his Susanoo, the giant purple God of War raised its hands. Black lightning, containing a terrifying destructive aura, slowly gathered in the Susanoo's hands, forming two giant vajras.
"Why don't you try and see if that scroll of yours can absorb this?" After Sasuke finished speaking, the Susanoo threw the two vajras wreathed in black lightning to the ground, one on the left and one on the right.
Mabui gritted her teeth and once again pulled open the scroll. However, this time, the sealing jutsu, which had previously been invincible, was instantly disintegrated the moment it came into contact with the descending vajras. In the next instant, the several figures at the very front of the team, including Mabui, were swallowed by this lightning, without even leaving a speck of ash behind.
This terrifying scene almost instantly disintegrated the Cloud ninjas' will to resist.
The Cloud ninjas, under the baptism of militarism these past two years, had become somewhat pathologically fanatical, it was true. But in the face of this close-range natural disaster, no emotion could overcome the instinct carved into their bones. What's more, the person in charge of their mission this time was annihilated by this black lightning without even having time to let out a scream, not even a bit of ashes was left.
Thus, the Susanoo just gently raised its hand, and this team of ninjas transporting supplies immediately scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing for their lives. However, for them to flee in this manner, in the face of the Konoha ninjas who had already laid an inescapable net on the periphery, was undoubtedly throwing themselves into the net.
It took about 20 minutes to wipe out all the fleeing ninjas of this logistics team. After that, everyone returned to Sasuke's side to gather. At this time, Sasuke had already sealed the grain they were transporting, as well as the ninja tools, explosive tags, and other supplies. He then showed a slightly regretful expression, "It's a pity that in this batch of supplies, there was no chakra armor. And that sealing scroll just now was also destroyed by my dōjutsu."
"Captain Sasuke, we've caught one alive," a member of the Aburame clan in the squad said at this time, carrying a Cloud Chunin who had been knocked out by the insects' poison into the formation.
"Take him away. And Yamanaka Akira, directly use your family's secret jutsu to dig out the secrets in his brain, and then deal with him directly. We can't take prisoners right now," Sasuke nodded and said with a blank expression.
"Understood," Yamanaka Akira nodded, took the prisoner from Aburame Yūkawa's hand, and then followed Sasuke, leaving the scene.
...
The Cloud side soon realized that a very strong Konoha squad had targeted their grain supply line and launched a carpet search. However, they had no success.
Even so, Sasuke's group was not having an easy time either. In a few days, there were several times when they were almost discovered by the Cloud's sensory ninjas. Although Sasuke did not fear battle, this was, after all, in the enemy's territory. Once they were entangled, he would have no problem escaping, but his team members would be in danger.
While they were hiding from the Cloud's pursuers in the cellar of a farmhouse in a small village in the Land of Lightning, they happened to run into the owner of this cellar coming down to get something.
However, what Sasuke had not expected was that facing this squad of enemy troops, the villagers of this village showed no panic at all. On the contrary, they showed an expression of having seen a savior.
"Little brother, are you Konoha ninjas?" this middle-aged man dressed as a farmer said excitedly, looking at Sasuke's group.
Sasuke frowned slightly, and behind him, several ninjas had already prepared for a sneak attack.
Although Uchiha Douhuan had repeatedly instructed before the war that no matter what stage the war reached, under the condition of ensuring their own safety, they could not attack civilians. But it was clear that the current situation had obviously threatened their safety.
Sasuke's left hand behind his back signaled everyone not to act rashly, and then he said, "Old sir, we don't want to hurt you, but please don't reveal our whereabouts."
"How could I reveal your whereabouts! Our Stone Moon Village has been waiting for you for a long time!" This old man was anxious upon hearing Sasuke's words.
"What does the old sir mean by this?" Sasuke frowned.
"Sigh," the old man let out a heavy sigh upon hearing this, and then said, "Ever since that scummy Fourth Raikage of the Cloud Village became the Grand Minister of our Land of Lightning, the lives of us farmers have become unbearable."
Sasuke's face showed a trace of confusion upon hearing this.
"After that fellow became the Grand Minister, he began to levy exorbitant taxes under various names. We farmers who toil in the fields, a full seventy percent of our annual harvest is taken away by them," the old man sighed.
"Seventy percent?" Sasuke was dumbfounded upon hearing this.
Don't think that their Land of Fire also has people who pay seventy percent or even ninety percent tax. But can taxing a financial conglomerate seventy percent and taxing a farmer seventy percent be the same concept?
"And that's not all. If it were just harsh taxes, we could grit our teeth and tighten our belts and get through it. But they also, under the name of working for the country, from time to time, come to the village and conscript able-bodied men to work in the Cloud's ninja tool military factories. Those who are taken away have never come back. My own son was taken away by them."
After hearing what this old man said, Sasuke couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "These people from the Cloud Village really aren't doing anything humane for this war."
"So, after hearing that you Konoha and the Cloud had gone to war, we have been waiting for you. Not just us, but the surrounding villages are also the same. We all hope that you can defeat the Cloud," this middle-aged man said, his eyes filled with tears, grabbing Sasuke's arm. "Everyone from Konoha, please help us."
Looking at the weathered face of this old man before him, Sasuke pursed his lips. He now also understood a little why Naruto, even at the cost of bearing the name of a rogue ninja, wanted to protect the civilians of the ninja world in his own way.
"Don't worry, old sir. After Konoha defeats the Cloud, your lives will get better again," Sasuke said at this time.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you, little brothers?" After getting Sasuke's promise, a trace of joy finally flashed across this middle-aged man's face. He hurriedly asked, "I'll go get you something to eat first."
This middle-aged man said and then walked out of the cellar without allowing for refusal.
"Old sir, no need, we have something..." Sasuke was just about to stop him, but the other had already left the cellar.
Seeing this, Sasuke looked back. Aburame Yūkawa nodded. Two insects that were difficult to see with the naked eye flew out from his body and followed this old man's steps.
Although Sasuke saw that the sincerity in this old man's speech and expression did not seem fake, he was now the person in charge of a squad. He had to be responsible for the life of every member of the team.
Fortunately, under the surveillance of the parasitic destruction insects, this farmer from the Land of Lightning did not do anything extra. After preparing for a long time in his home's kitchen, he made a meal for every Konoha ninja hiding in the cellar, and then returned to the cellar with the food.
"We don't have much here. Perhaps you lords of the ninja might not be used to the food, but this is already the best we can offer," this old man said with some nervousness.
Sasuke looked back at Aburame Yūkawa. He had used the parasitic destruction insects to check the food while talking and found no abnormalities, only then did he nod slightly at Sasuke.
"Thank you," Sasuke nodded. After taking the food, he took a big bite of the coarse bun and then said.
Let alone delicious, Sasuke felt that just swallowing this thing was scratching his throat. However, Sasuke ate the food given by the old man with a normal expression, and then gave him a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hospitality, old sir."
According to the news brought back by Aburame Yūkawa through the parasitic destruction insects, these unpalatable wild vegetable coarse buns were already the last remaining food in this old man's house. But the other party still took it out without hesitation to let them fill their stomachs.
It could only be said that if the Cloud Village's policy had been even a little bit more humane, Sasuke and his team would not have received such treatment today.
"Old sir, we will just rest here for one night and then leave. If the Cloud's people find out that we have been here later, you can just say that we came here and robbed you of your grain," Sasuke said. "In short, your safety is the most important thing."
"This..." The middle-aged man was a bit puzzled upon hearing Sasuke's words.
"Old sir, you must live to see the day the new life arrives," Sasuke said, patting this middle-aged man's shoulder with a smile.
The next day, before the group set off again, they left in the cellar enough food captured from the Cloud's logistics transport unit for this old man to eat for two months, and only then did they set off again.
On the other hand, because this ghost unit led by Sasuke that was wandering in the territory of the Land of Lightning had repeatedly achieved merits, the Cloud troops on the main front, whose supplies were greatly affected, had their morale greatly reduced. In a few days, several key positions were successively taken down by Konoha. However, just at this moment, an accident quietly occurred.
A regiment led by the elite Jonin of the Sarutobi clan, with the rank of major, Sarutobi Shin'ichi, on the second day after taking a position and staying behind to rest, seeing that the troops ahead had successively advanced the front line by several tens of kilometers, then ordered his men to go down the mountain and cook a hot meal for the soldiers, so they wouldn't have to chew on soldier pills dry. He only left a squadron of about 100 men to guard. But in just this short while, an Impure World Reincarnation enemy suddenly appeared in their position.
...
(End of chapter)
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