Chapter 102: Three Strikes, One Dead—Half Gone? How Clumsy!

"Whew!" The battle had ended quickly, lasting only a few moments with just a few combination jutsu, but the toll it took was no small matter. Nearly half of his Sage Mode chakra had been depleted. The stronger one feels in Sage Mode, the more jarring the sense of disparity becomes after exiting it. And yet— Preparing for it takes a full ten minutes. If not for his shadow clone’s prior awareness, giving Kyohiko ample time to prepare, activating Sage Mode would have been impossible. No wonder Namikaze Minato rarely used it. Against ordinary opponents, in that same amount of time, he could have killed several. Still— The power boost was undeniably immense. With just one technique, as long as Kyohiko maintained its effects, he could suppress the defensive jutsu of multiple Iwa jonin, leaving them no room to counter. Without Sage Mode, it would have been nearly impossible to kill Han and retreat within less than a minute. "Kakashi, they’re not chasing anymore. Put the body down." Minato sensed their surroundings. They had fled all the way back to their initial rally point near the border. Both he and Gai still retained considerable combat strength—even if the enemy pursued, they could still fight back. This had been Kyohiko’s strategy from the start. To kill just one man, there was no need to commit all their strength. All they needed was a single blade sharp enough to tear open an opportunity. "Kyohiko, what was that jutsu just now?" Kakashi couldn’t hold back his curiosity. Kyohiko’s earlier state had been downright terrifying. That was no ordinary Water Dragon Bullet. Even the Second Hokage probably couldn’t have wielded such power. "Sage Mode." Kyohiko explained. Then, he added, "Remember when we met Chiriku before?" "Chiriku..." Kakashi thought for a moment, recalling the monk’s technique. Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder. An absolute defense capable of automatic protection and counterattacks, one that had given Kyohiko immense trouble. It had taken a long, hard-fought battle for him to gradually grasp its patterns. "His technique is a form of senjutsu. Though I was just using ordinary ninjutsu earlier, the chakra I employed was all natural energy." Kyohiko clarified. Kakashi nodded in understanding— The techniques themselves hadn’t changed, but the energy driving them had. And thus— Their power had become something entirely different. He now realized what Kyohiko had been disappearing to do over the past month. Sage Mode! Such formidable power. Kakashi couldn’t help but feel envious. "Is this technique hard to learn?" "It varies from person to person." Minato formed a hand seal while speaking. "For someone like Kyohiko, who has abundant chakra, sharp intellect, and can use genjutsu to self-hypnotize into a tranquil state—not to mention awakening Wood Release..." "For him, Sage Mode is undoubtedly beneficial. He can afford to use and train in it frequently. But for someone like me, it’s far less practical..." Minato used himself and Kyohiko as examples to illustrate the point. After listening carefully, Kakashi roughly understood why Jiraiya hadn’t taught him— The more chakra one had, the higher the chances of mastering it. Someone like him— Who could only use the Lightning Release: Rasengan twice—had no business dabbling in senjutsu. Kakashi sighed softly. Minato sealed the headless corpse away, then retrieved the alliance treaty. Its clauses were densely packed. "Iwagakure and Kusagakure have indeed joined forces. Though it’s limited to intelligence and resource support, the Land of Grass has deep commercial ties with us. They must have numerous spies within our borders." His expression darkened. This was nothing short of betrayal. "This was expected. The moment their leader met with Iwa’s shinobi, the decision was already made. But now that we’ve killed several of Iwa’s ninja, he’ll have to reconsider." Kyohiko remarked. He rubbed his temples. "Let’s go. Once we’re back in our territory, we’ll relay the intel to sensei." "Right." Minato nodded, storing the treaty scroll away. Just then— Kyohiko suddenly turned toward a particular direction. "Enemies incoming!" "Go. I have Flying Thunder God—I’ll cover the retreat." Minato handed the scroll to Kyohiko. Kyohiko nodded. The four of them sprinted toward the border. By the riverbank, two squads surrounded them—one of which they had encountered at the border earlier. "Does Kusagakure truly intend to make an enemy of Konoha?" Minato stepped forward, scanning the area. "You were the ones who crossed the border first." A jonin stepped out. Minato nodded. "Then there’s nothing left to discuss." In the next instant— He had already dashed several dozen feet ahead. Kyohiko and the others followed closely. The enemy, unwilling to underestimate them, immediately formed defensive formations. As Minato charged forward, explosive tags and fire jutsu rained down. Some even began weaving hand signs for restraining techniques. Kyohiko’s gaze swept across them. "Left flank." "Got it." Lightning Release chakra flickered around Kakashi’s body. But then— "I’ll go first!" Might Gai’s speed exploded instantly. First Gate: Open! As he rushed forward, several explosive tags detonated in his path—but— Whoosh! Gai leaped high into the air, evading the blast radius, then hurled several kunai armed with explosive tags in retaliation. Boom! A series of explosions threw the area into chaos. Gai wasn’t aiming to kill. His explosive tags were primarily cover for Kyohiko and Kakashi. After multiple A-rank missions together, their coordination in this regard had become seamless—no words needed. As the flames began to die down— Before the four closing in on them could regroup and reposition, a figure suddenly appeared in their midst— With a single-handed seal, he drew his blade. The next moment, multiple afterimages split from his body, lunging at them. Was this— Konoha’s Dancing Crescent Moon? Their hearts seized in terror as they scrambled to dodge—but something felt off. "Wait—it’s a genjutsu!" The first to break free saw— Two of his comrades collapsing, their necks gushing blood, faces frozen in shock, fear, and disbelief. The third was sent flying by a kick. Though still alive, death was inevitable. Sure enough— A second later, two blades flashed—one slit his throat, the other pierced his heart. In the blink of an eye, the three attackers had already vanished into the forest on the opposite riverbank. Leaving behind... Only... His lips trembled, his entire body gripped by terror— The other squad, who had been standing just moments ago, now lay motionless on the ground, felled by a flickering yellow figure. So fast! How— How could anyone be this fast?! His legs gave way beneath him. Amid the lingering flames of the explosive tags, Minato turned back to look at him. The usual smile on his face was now replaced by cold authority and killing intent. "Think carefully—do you want to be friends or enemies?" And then— In an instant, he was gone. It took quite a while. Asano Yu arrived at the riverbank and saw the devastation scattered across the ground. His expression instantly darkened. "Tsuchiya? Tsuchiya!" "Huh? Ah! Leader!" Tsuchiya snapped out of his daze, his entire body trembling. Asano Yu scrutinized him. The man’s face was deathly pale, his lips quivering uncontrollably, clearly overwhelmed by fear. He frowned. "What happened? They..." "I—it was just one encounter, just one, and they were all gone!" Tsuchiya stammered incoherently before breaking down into sobs. Asano Yu was deeply shaken. A chūnin—though perhaps not on par with those from major villages like Konoha or Iwagakure—was still experienced and well-traveled. For him to be frightened to this extent meant the enemy’s strength was truly terrifying! But... Why was he still alive? An existence capable of wiping out so many in an instant had simply let him go. Asano Yu immediately asked, "Who was it? Jiraiya?" "No, not Jiraiya. Yellow—yellow hair, like light itself! And... he said we should think carefully about whether we want to be enemies or friends." Tsuchiya shivered as he recounted. Asano Yu fell silent. It really was Konoha! He sighed softly. "Let’s just hope Iwagakure isn’t careless enough to lose the most crucial thing. Otherwise, Kusagakure’s stance will..." Worry gnawed at Asano Yu’s heart. Iwagakure had grown strong in recent years, its shinobi numbers rapidly increasing, recovering swiftly after the war. But Konoha— Danzo’s departure didn’t seem to have dealt them much of a blow. They were still as formidable as ever! Now, he was filled with regret. Had he known this would happen, he would never have engaged with Iwagakure. Even if Iwagakure won, how much benefit would Kusagakure truly reap in the end? Making deals with a tiger was nothing but folly! Asano Yu inwardly cursed his own shortsightedness, but he couldn’t show it. Instead, he forced a confident smile, even letting out a hearty laugh. Tsuchiya was bewildered, unsure why the leader was laughing. "Leader..." "Don’t be afraid. The shinobi world has long suffered under Konoha’s dominance, but no matter how strong they are, they can’t challenge the entire world!" The Land of Grass still had a way out—but he no longer did. --- Land of Earth, a border outpost. "Medics! Where are the medics?!" "Hurry!" "We have wounded!" Shouts echoed urgently. Soon, a medical team rushed out, quickly loading Mochizuki onto a stretcher. As they carried him inside, they used medical ninjutsu to stabilize his injuries. But— Mochizuki’s condition was dire. His breathing was shallow, his life hanging by a thread. Ōnoki hurried out. After a quick scan of the scene, his face darkened. Three squads had been dispatched, yet less than half had returned—and one of the survivors was a severely wounded jōnin. Wait— Where was Han? Han was crucial to the Explosion Corps. Ōnoki had intended to groom him as the next core member. His strength was undeniable. Yet three squads—composed of jōnin and elite chūnin—had been so easily decimated! "Kitsuchi, what happened?! I sent you out with a team, and this is all you bring back?" Unable to suppress his anger, Ōnoki berated his son. Kitsuchi didn’t dare refute. The losses had occurred under his command, and the way it had unfolded was downright humiliating. After enduring the scolding, Ōnoki finally calmed slightly and exhaled. "Who attacked you?" "They were disguised..." Kitsuchi recounted the events in detail. Ōnoki listened intently, his expression shifting between disbelief and grim realization. He glanced at the others before settling his gaze back on Kitsuchi. Others might exaggerate the enemy’s strength out of fear of reprimand, but Kitsuchi wouldn’t. He knew his son. Ōnoki fell silent. Such formidable Lightning Release ninjutsu... such terrifying combination techniques... Kumogakure? But— Kumogakure had no reason to attack them over Kusagakure’s affairs. Their relations with Konoha weren’t that strong. Unlikely. Ōnoki looked at his son again, his expression slightly less severe than before. If the enemy’s ninjutsu was truly that powerful, and they had set up an ambush, such losses were understandable. In shinobi combat, elemental advantages and intelligence were paramount. Han’s death was clearly due to underestimating the enemy’s techniques, thinking he could overpower them head-on—only to pay the ultimate price. But the most terrifying one was the one who provided cover for the assault. "Who do you think they were?" "Probably... Konoha." Kitsuchi hesitated before voicing his opinion. Ōnoki nodded. A trace of unease flickered in his eyes. Originally, they had believed Konoha was unstable—having lost powerful shinobi like the White Fang and Danzo, with the Third Hokage forced to step down and Tsunade taking over. Intel suggested tensions between Konoha and the Land of Fire, leaving them vulnerable. But now... It seemed this wasn’t the best time to move against Konoha. "Was the treaty scroll on Han?" "Yes. We couldn’t recover it." Kitsuchi bowed his head, prepared for punishment. Ōnoki shook his head. "They excelled in speed, and their techniques countered yours. Chasing them would’ve been suicide." A Konoha jōnin skilled in Lightning and Water Release? Their intel had no record of such a person. "Tsuchikage-sama, do we still proceed with the attack?" "Wait. Let’s observe first." Ōnoki shook his head. Then, he smirked. "Given the current situation, Kusagakure can’t afford to wait. They’ll have to make their move." Would they surrender or gamble everything? Given Kusagakure’s circumstances, the latter seemed more likely. "We lost the initiative but gained a village of cannon fodder. For us, that might not be a bad thing—though it’s a shame about Han and the others." Before long, the medical team reported Mochizuki’s death. --- Land of Fire, border region. Jiraiya was pondering how to negotiate with Kusagakure, using threats to stabilize the situation, when—barely an hour later— A toad appeared on his desk. "Jiraiya, this is intel from Minato." "Minato?" Jiraiya blinked in surprise. He had just received intel from Nagato less than half a day ago. What could Minato be sending now? Upon opening it, Jiraiya shot to his feet. "This is?!" The cooperation agreement between Iwagakure and Kusagakure—complete with signatures from both sides. One from Kitsuchi. The other from Kusagakure’s leader, Asano Yu. Judging by the handwriting, it was likely genuine. Minato had actually obtained such critical intel? Unbelievable! Jiraiya was stunned, then immediately turned to the toad. "How did they get this?" "Don’t know. But they’re already on their way to you." "To me..." Jiraiya realized. Right! To retrieve this scroll, they must have infiltrated the Land of Grass. At most, they were only minutes away. Still— Meeting them halfway would be faster. Jiraiya stored the scroll and rushed toward the border. Along the way, he sensed Kyohiko, Minato, and the others’ chakra signatures. The five reunited in a forest clearing. "You all..." "Sensei, let’s find shelter first, then discuss our next steps." "There are no villages or towns nearby. Where would we stay? Besides, we’re shinobi—we don’t fuss over such things." Jiraiya had no patience for lodging concerns. Minato, Kakashi, and Gai were equally confused. Shelter... Wasn’t Kusagakure the priority right now?! "It won’t take long." Kyohiko formed hand seals. In the next moment, wooden pillars erupted from the ground, swiftly shaping into a small cabin. Wood Release: One-Room Technique. A complete success! Kyohiko grinned. "Come on, let’s talk inside." They could do that?! The four were momentarily speechless.