Chapter 155: 151: Taking a Stand
Within the forest Kushimaru and Jinpachi fled frantically, with their lives hanging by a thread.
They had experienced firsthand the vast gap in strength that separated them from their enemies during the recent battle.
Their only option was to relinquish any thoughts of combat and focus solely on escape.
Eliminating thoughts of battle enabled them to flee at an incredible speed. They even used deliberate tricks, like using the explosive sword to smash the trees they passed, creating obstacles for their pursuers.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.
As long as they could increase their chance of escape, no matter how stupid the method was, they had to use it.
But the enemies chasing them possessed both Sharingan and Byakugan. Escaping under the combined might of these eyes was nothing short of wishful thinking.
Long black hair billowing in the wind, two figures, one black and one white, raced like lightning and thunder. They left no clear distinction between their afterimages and tangible forms in their wake.
"Damn..."
Kushimaru didn't have time to complete his thought before two striking female ninjas, landed in their path.
Compared to them who had been running with all their strength, Ruri and Ayane had relaxed expressions on their faces.
"Damn! Since I can't escape, I'll just blow you both to pieces!"
Jinpachi's face contorted with fury. Seeing this scene, he had understood the fact that defeating these two enemies was the only means of escape from here.
Kushimaru also recognized the futility of escaping, and his eyes gleamed with determination.
Since there was no chance of escape, it will be a battle to death. Ninjas from the Blood Mist don't know the word surrender.
Jinpachi his sword covered in exploding tags, and charged toward Ruri. Meanwhile, Kushimaru used his Nuibairi to weave a thread trap around Ayane.
Without uttering a word, Ruri and Ayane leaped in unison, exchanging positions in mid-air like black and white, and started their attack.
Ayane pressed her palm onto Shibuki that was about to and she released a powerful chakra shockwave.
A fiery explosion followed in mid-air, sending Jinpachi hurtling backward. He looked at Ayane who remained unharmed and with her palm intact, in disbelief.
'This Monster!' Jinpachi was filled with terror.
Ayane had used chakra alone to nullify the power of his explosive sword and she still had the strength to strike back.
On the other side, Kushimaru was suspended in mid-air, as if he was performing a graceful puppetry act, with his body pierced by his own long knife and needle.
Blood coursed along the threads, and his concealed expression beneath the mask must have been one of pain.
Ruri stood before him, peering up at him from below with an expression of indifference.
"...how is this possible... I would never miss..."
Kushimaru couldn't fathom how he'd fallen into Ruri's genjutsu so easily.
"Why...why...you didn't even use.. the Sharingan..."
He was confused as to when he'd fallen under Ruri's genjutsu.
Without using tools or direct bodily contact, genjutsu couldn't be executed.
Kushimaru had merely looked into eyes not in the Sharingan state, yet he had fallen into to the genjutsu. He hadn't even realized that he himself was the target of his needle sword. He, the master of the sword was stabbed. He'd been vigilant against Ruri's genjitsu, cautious and vigilant, but his defenses had crumbled.
He couldn't comprehend what the trigger medium for the genjutsu might be.
Using eyes not in the Sharingan state to induce genjutsu merely by visual contact appeared inexplicable. Yet no other factors could explain the situation.
But Ruri had no obligation to clarify the mystery to Kushimaru. Each ninja's abilities were confidential and couldn't be disclosed to unrelated parties.
Ruri then shifted her attention to the woods, from which Shiraishi emerged, scratching his head.
Ayane had also successfully concluded her battle. The explosive power of Shibuki offered no resistance to Ayane's gentle fist.
Jinpachi's whole acupuncture points were blocked, chakra flow stopped, and his pathways and internal organs had been impacted by the gentle fist.
Ayane threw Murashi Jinpachi on the ground and waited for Shiraishi to handle the remaining two.
"The battle's over, and you're fashionably late." Ayane laughed.
"You two acted rather quickly." Shiraishi said honestly.
Even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, renowned for their countless legendary feats, couldn't withstand the sheer might of these two individuals, who had ruthlessly crushed them.
"Why have people from Kirigakure come here?" Ruri asked as she frowned.
"Most likely, they came to hunt down Ameyuri Ringo." Shiraishi replied after giving it some thought. It seemed the most plausible reason.
Kirigakure was plagued by internal conflict currently, and the fact that Ringo was almost assassinated by her own people hinted that some didn't want her to live in peace.
Otherwise, Shiraishi couldn't fathom what the notorious Seven Ninja Swordsmen members were doing in the Land of Demons.
"Chasing and killing Ameyuri Ringo... But isn't she one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? I heard she's seriously sick." Ayane expressed her surprise.
"I only got this news recently. The situation is more complicated than it seems."
Shiraishi explained briefly, touching upon Kirigakure Mission's visit to the Land of Demons. He outlined the turbulent internal situation in Kirigakure.
"I didn't expect Kiri to fight so fiercely, even more ruthless than Konoha."
Ayane admitted, she was clearly impressed.
At this moment, Shiraishi squatted down, placing his palm on Jinpachi's forehead, making the man instantly drowsy, who then fell into a deep slumber.
After a while, Shiraishi withdrew his hand from Jinpachi's forehead.
"How are they?" Ruri and Ayane inquired with concern.
"Based on their memories, these two haven't made contact with anyone from the Land Of Water for four days, and Kirigakure has no knowledge of their whereabouts. They entered the Land of Demons through smuggling, using a hidden route. So, no need to worry about them causing diplomatic issues." Shiraishi reassured them.
"In other words, it's okay to kill them both?" Ayane asked with a smile.
"Well, after all, both of them have significant bounties on the underground black market, and their heads are quite valuable."
With many ninjas in the Land of Demons army involved in the underground black market and working as bounty hunters, he was well-versed in the high-value targets there.
As top combatants from Kirigakure, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen carried huge bounties in the underground black market, ranging from tens of millions of ryo.
On the underground market's reward list, the owner of Nuibairi, Kushimaru, had a bounty of 35 million ryo. The owner of Shibuki had a bounty of 30 million ryo. Together, the two were worth a total of 65 million ryo.
"Even though their corpses are valuable, what's even more precious are the two ninja swords handed down through the generations in Kiri."
Ayane pointed the two swords.
Despite their unimpressive appearance, Ayane recognized that the cost of these two swords exceeded the reward offered by their owners. Each of the Seven Kirigakure Ninja Swordsmen wielded top-tier swords considered priceless in the ninja world.
These seven ninja blades, responsible for countless bloodshed in the ninja world, had been crafted uniformly by top swordsmiths using rare chakra metals and ores over an extended period.
Each sword had unique abilities.
For example, Shibuki only required a chakra supply to unleash a terrifying explosion. The user can control the exploding tags in the swords body. Touching it lightly would maim or kill normal ninjas.
Nuibairi was remarkable for its piercing ability, effortlessly penetrating any solid object, even the human body. A steel wire was connected to the hilt, which could be used both for direct combat and to create advantageous trap environments. Its performance was exceptional.
But for now, these two swords were theirs. Although they didn't appreciate how these weapons were used, they were invaluable collectibles.
"Before that, I want to extract all the secrets from their bodies."
The physical worth of the two ninja swordsmen didn't merely lie in the bounty offered, but also in the numerous precious secret jutsus and confidential information about Kirigakure. These held more value for Shiraishi.
The Mizukage opened and read the letters, his brows furrowing after finishing them.
"What's going on, Mizukage-sama?" Yagura asked curiously.
"Kuraki took Ringo to Konoha to seek medical treatment from the Tsunade."
"I see." Yagura nodded thoughtfully. "What's the reason for the Land Of Demons High Priestess?"
"Konoha's Third Hokage stated that Tsunade is powerless to treat Ringo's disease and recommended seeking medical care at the Purple Rose Medical Company in the Land Of Demons. The Priestess is asking about the situation."
"Understood. So Ringo is now recovering in the Land of Demons. I will dispatch someone to deal with her immedia--." Yagura stated with a cold expression.
"Wait a moment" The Third Mizukage called Yagura to a halt.
"Is there anything else, Mizukage-sama?"
"Forget it."
"Forget it? You mean... you'll let her go like this?" Yagura's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Too much has been sacrificed..."
The Third Mizukage stood up and gazed out of the mist-covered village from the window. His eyes, cloudy with fatigue, seemed to detect a hint of blood amidst the thin mist. His gaze grew more pained.
"Gengetsu-sensei left this village in my care before he died, and I've failed in leading it properly. This is my responsibility."
As the disciple of the former Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, he had inherited the mantle of Mizukage in a time of turmoil. However, as the Third Mizukage, he had not been able to effectively lead the large Kirigakure.
Kirigakure was now embroiled in self-inflicted chaos, a quagmire of infighting resulting from his hesitation and ineffective command.
Yagura stood in silence, observing the aged and weary back of the Mizukage. At this moment, Yagura realized just how old the third Mizukage had become.
....
In the dark.
A presence emerged, but the figure's identity remained concealed.
"Lord."
Kuraki, who had secretly returned to the Kirigakure, knelt and bowed to the shadowy figure.
"The third has ordered Yagura to send you to take Ringo with his permission. But you must return to the village immediately with Kiba and ensure no accidents occur. Yagura is already preparing to leave, and you should head to the Land of Demons as soon as possible to avoid arousing suspicion."
"And what about Ringo?"
"Kushimaru and Jinpachi were killed by Konoha's S-class rogue ninja, Hyuga Ayane. Their bodies were exchanged for bounties in the underground black market. Kirigakure will soon announce that Ameyuri Ringo went to the Land of Demons for medical treatment and died to a serious illness. It appears the third has grown old and has become hesitant."
The figure in the dark sighed.
Kuraki understood the message. The third would not target Ringo anymore; they would conceal her death as a result of a severe illness, allowing Ringo to live out her life safely in the Land of Demons.
"Yes, I'll convey this news to Ringo-san as soon as possible to stabilize her mood."
Since there was a new decision in the village, Kuraki had no choice but to obey.
"By the way, is there truly no way to treat Ringo's illness?" The figure in the shadows inquired once more, not wanting to give up such a valuable Jōnin.
"No, whether it's Tsunade-sama or the Land of Demons, they can only alleviate further body deterioration." Kuraki replied.
"That's a shame then." the figure responded.
They had hoped that Konoha's Tsunade could heal Ringo's injury, which had prompted Kuraki to bring her to Konoha. However, the outcome remained unchanged.
"But..."
"But what?"
"Konoha's Tsunade-sama mentioned that Chiba Shiraishi, an S-rank rogue ninja, could potentially heal Ringo's illness."
Kuraki conveyed Tsunade's message.
"Chiba Shiraishi? I remember he was a medical ninja from Konoha's White Fang team in the past, and he was with Hyuga Ayane, who killed Kushimaru and Jinpachi." The figure in the darkness recalled.
"With all due respect, the chances of finding Chiba Shiraishi are very slim." Kuraki sighed.
She honestly believed that even with Tsunade's mention, they had little hope of locating Chiba Shiraishi. The lack of information, the traitor status, and the embarrassment of seeking assistance from the defected ninja made it a daunting task.
"I understand. This is the situation, and there's no alternative. You should leave quickly, and ensure Yagura doesn't become suspicious. He's a more ruthless and ambitious individual than the third." The figure warned.
"Understood." Kuraki nodded but didn't leave, her face displaying hesitation.
"What's troubling you?"
"My lord, could you reveal your true identity to me?"
Kuraki didn't find this request impolite. She had been communicating with this unknown individual in the dark for over a year without a face-to-face meeting.
The resources, intelligence, and connections the individual possessed had made him increasingly wary. In her perception, even Yagura, the prominent figure beside the third Mizukage, couldn't have such a strong background and connections.
The figure in the dark hesitated.
"You're right; it's time for you to know my true identity. I apologize for keeping it hidden for so long. I had initially planned to wait for a while, but there's no harm in revealing it earlier."
In the darkness, the figure emerged halfway, leaving Kuraki with a shocked expression. She stammered,
"You- you are..."
.....
After handling the problem with Kushimaru and Jinpachi, Shiraishi not only acquired various secrets and ninjutsu from their minds, but he also gained a deeper understanding of the current state of decay within Kirigakure.
In Kirigakure, ninjas were constantly pitted against one another, and this seemed to be connected to the daimyo and nobles of the Land Of Water.
Overall, the entire territory of the Land of Water could be described in one word—chaos.
Given the ongoing infighting within Kirigakure, Shiraishi needed to rearrange personnel. He was even contemplating withdrawing some of them.
With the internal strife at this level, a large-scale internal conflict would erupt sooner or later if things continued to deteriorate.
While Shiraishi pondered, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
A member of the intelligence department entered, looking concerned, and placed a scroll in front of Shiraishi.
"Shiraishi-sama, this is for you."
"For me?" Shiraishi was slightly surprised.
The scroll had eight characters written vertically on its exterior, "Chiba Shiraishi, this is an Invitation for you."
Shiraishi scrutinized the scroll, quickly scanning its contents. Though the scroll was not particularly long, it conveyed a significant amount of information, enough to leave Shiraishi in a state of confusion.
The final lines of the message read: "Shiraishi-san, please come to the Land of Rainbows for a discussion."
At the end, the sender added their own name, a name that struck Shiraishi like lightning, followed by the logo of Kirigakure.
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