Chapter 184. Konoha’s Full Counterattack

Chapter 184 - 184. Konoha's Full Counterattack"Lady Tsunade, what should we do now?" Minato Namikaze snapped back to the matter at hand and asked. "Since Iwagakure has brought out their Jinchūriki, it means they've abandoned their defensive strategy and are preparing for an all-out war with Konoha," Tsunade said gravely. "We must return to the camp immediately and prepare!" Sёarᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But wasn't the Jinchūriki already severely injured by Hanekawa?" Minato asked hesitantly. "Jinchūriki possess tailed beast chakra, granting them recovery abilities far beyond that of normal people. Given some time, they can fully heal," Tsunade explained before letting out a cold snort. "But this is the perfect opportunity for us to strike back and drive them back to the Land of Earth!" "Understood!" Minato instantly understood her intentions. It was true that Iwagakure wanted to wage war against Konoha, as evidenced by the appearance of Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki. However, Hanekawa's unexpected success in injuring the Jinchūriki had disrupted Iwagakure's plans. If Iwagakure hesitated to attack, then Konoha would go on the offensive. Minato once again used the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the three of them returned to Konoha's main camp. "Hanekawa!" As they arrived, Kurenai Yuhi and Rin Nohara, who had been anxiously waiting, rushed over to them. Besides them, the camp was already filled with senior jōnin, Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, Might Guy, and their squads, all having sensed the earlier commotion. They didn't need anyone to inform them; the release of the Tailed Beast Bomb had been unmistakable. "I'm fine," Hanekawa said with a smile as he met Kurenai and Rin's concerned gazes. "I just used up a lot of chakra." Ever since he began learning the Yin Seal two and a half years ago, Hanekawa had been storing chakra. Yet in this single battle, he had used up more than a quarter of it. In other words, if he fought Rōshi three or four more times, he'd be completely drained. "What happened just now?" Shibi Aburame, who had been observing the events through his insects, spoke with evident confusion. "I sensed an overwhelming chakra presence." "It was a Tailed Beast Bomb," Minato explained with a calm smile. "Iwagakure sent out Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki." "What?!" The group was visibly stunned. Most of them knew something about Jinchūriki and tailed beasts. The fact that Rōshi had appeared meant that a major battle was inevitable. "And you're still smiling?" Shibi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He knew Minato well enough to understand that he wasn't someone who found joy in despair. "Hanekawa severely injured Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki," Minato said, his smile growing wider. "Impossible!" Obito Uchiha blurted out before he could stop himself. It wasn't just his disdain for Hanekawa; he genuinely thought it was absurd. It was like hearing that a high school student had suddenly won a Nobel Prize—completely unbelievable. Kurenai, Rin, Kakashi, and Might Guy exchanged bewildered looks. Even Might Guy, who was usually bold and optimistic, wondered if he was hallucinating. "Minato, this isn't the time for jokes," said one of the jōnin skeptically. If someone like Hiruzen Sarutobi had injured Rōshi, it might be believable. But Hanekawa? A young chūnin who had only graduated three years ago and was a decade younger than most of them? "I wouldn't lie about this," Minato said seriously, clearing his throat. "Everyone, prepare for a full-scale counterattack against Iwagakure!" "Yes, sir!" Though still reeling from shock, everyone quickly responded. If the order for a counterattack had been given, it must mean Hanekawa's accomplishment was real. "How... how could this be?" Obito stood there, utterly shaken. He had already realized there was a significant gap between himself and Hanekawa when he lost to him previously. Still, Obito had clung to hope, believing that unlocking the three-tomoe Sharingan would allow him to close the gap. Now, hearing that Hanekawa had injured a Jinchūriki, Obito doubted whether even the three-tomoe Sharingan would be enough. "Amazing!" Rin looked at Hanekawa with eyes full of admiration. To injure a Jinchūriki, the ultimate weapon of a shinobi village, was no small feat. Hanekawa's strength had already far surpassed theirs. "I just got lucky," Hanekawa said modestly. "Water Release just happens to counter him." It was true that defeating Rōshi involved a lot of luck. If it had been a different Jinchūriki, Hanekawa knew he would've had to run. And even now, he wouldn't have survived a direct hit from the Tailed Beast Bomb. The jōnin naturally didn't believe it. Theoretically, Water Release counters Fire Release, but a Jinchūriki's immense chakra reserves could easily overcome elemental disadvantages. As Minato Namikaze's orders spread, the news of Hanekawa severely injuring Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, quickly reached everyone in Konoha's camp. Many shinobi held deep fear of Jinchūriki and tailed beasts due to their overwhelming power. However, the emergence of Hanekawa, someone capable of fighting a Jinchūriki, significantly boosted morale, even giving them hope of victory in the war. Half an hour later, the shinobi of Konoha received their assignments and left the camp. Minato took Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Might Guy with him. Their mission, similar to what happened in the original timeline, was to infiltrate Iwagakure's rear lines. With his Flying Thunder God Technique, no one was more suited for the task than Minato. As Hanekawa watched them leave, he couldn't help but wonder if Obito would still be gravely injured and saved by Madara Uchiha in this altered scenario. After all, the presence of Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, added an unpredictable variable, even though Rōshi was injured. "Hanekawa." Tsunade approached him and asked, "Do you need to rest?" "No need," Hanekawa replied with a smile. "With the Yin Seal, I only feel a bit drained from chakra consumption." "That's... insane," Shibi Aburame couldn't help but remark. What kind of person fights a Jinchūriki and comes out feeling fine? "Shibi-senpai, are you joining us for the mission?" Hanekawa asked, looking at the Aburame clan member standing behind Tsunade. Along with Shibi, there were three other Aburame clan shinobi, all of them jōnin. "Our mission is to track and stall Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki," Shibi nodded. "Of course, I can't beat him, but I'll track his location. The main effort will come from you." "You're too kind, Shibi-senpai," Hanekawa responded with a smile. "Let's move out immediately!" Tsunade commanded in a serious tone. "We only have one day!" With the tailed beast chakra's regenerative abilities combined with medical ninjutsu, Rōshi could recover significantly within a day. "Yes!" Hanekawa, Shibi, and the others promptly responded and, under Tsunade's lead, headed to the Iwagakure outpost from earlier. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the site. "What devastation..." Shibi said, observing the scene of utter destruction that looked like an apocalyptic wasteland. With a wave of his hands, he released a swarm of kikaichū insects to begin reconnaissance. Due to the Tailed Beast Bomb's destruction, Iwagakure's shinobi had already evacuated the area, leaving behind traces of their movements. Rōshi's injury had clearly thrown them off balance, making them less cautious than usual. "This way!" Shibi, invigorated by his findings, led the group forward. Following the kikaichū, the eight of them arrived at another outpost after half an hour. "This isn't Iwagakure's main base," Shibi observed after a quick look. "They probably anticipated our actions," Tsunade speculated. "If we attack their main base, it would hinder Rōshi's recovery rather than help." "What a shame," Hanekawa muttered, suddenly getting an idea. "If we could add poison to Water Release techniques, Rōshi wouldn't escape." "...?" Shibi took a subtle step back. "Poison in Water Release? Only you would think of that," Tsunade said, giving Hanekawa a glare. While poisoning water might be effective, most Water Release techniques cover a wide area, and spreading poison would take time. In battle, such tactics would often give the enemy the upper hand instead. "There are eighty-seven shinobi in this outpost," Shibi reported gravely after retrieving his kikaichū. "These must be the Iwagakure shinobi from the previous outpost," Tsunade noted. "Hanekawa and I will go in first. The rest of you stay back and support us as needed." With only eight people, it would be too dangerous for anyone other than Tsunade and Hanekawa to risk getting surrounded. "Yes!" Shibi, Kurenai, and the others responded promptly. "Wait," Hanekawa said, grabbing Tsunade's wrist. "This distance is perfect. I can use a Water Release technique to catch them off guard." "Go ahead," Tsunade agreed, recalling Hanekawa's performance against Rōshi. She couldn't help but pity the Iwagakure shinobi. Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave! Without hesitation, Hanekawa formed hand seals and unleashed a massive torrent of water from his mouth. In an instant, the entire outpost was engulfed in water, forming a giant, oval-shaped water prison. Screams filled the air. Although Iwagakure had patrol shinobi, they stood no chance against the catastrophic deluge of water and were unable to mount any resistance. Many genin and chūnin couldn't withstand the impact of the waves and fell unconscious. Shibi Aburame instinctively swallowed hard. Now he finally understood how Hanekawa had managed to suppress Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki. Was this even still Water Release? In the original timeline, the technique Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave was only used by Tobirama Senju and Kisame Hoshigaki. This was because it consumed an immense amount of chakra. For Shibi, seeing the technique for the first time was nothing short of shocking. At that moment, the ground of the outpost trembled, and a wave of magma surged forth, quickly carving out a vacuum zone. It was Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki. He appeared to be in the middle of receiving treatment, with bandages wrapped around his shoulder. However, as he activated his techniques, blood seeped through the bandages. "That's the Water Release monster!" The shinobi of Iwagakure gathered in the cleared area, their faces filled with panic. "Shut up!" Rōshi snapped irritably. But the movement aggravated his wound, making his face turn pale. "Lord Roshi, leave with the medical ninja. We'll hold them off," said Higashido after a quick assessment. "There are only eight of them!" "Be careful!" Rōshi hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing. In his current state, continuing to fight would only worsen his condition. It was better to focus on recovery and deal with that troublesome individual later. "Earth Release: Multi-Wall Earth Rampart!" At Higashido's command, more than ten Iwagakure shinobi formed hand seals in unison. In an instant, a thick wall resembling a fortress was erected around them. In a sense, this was a collaborative technique. "Don't worry, I've already sent my kikaichū to track Rōshi," Shibi Aburame informed the group. "Water Release monster... are they talking about Hanekawa?" Kurenai Yuhi asked, blinking. "Probably," Hanekawa replied, twitching slightly at the corner of his mouth. "That's not exactly a great codename." He preferred something grander, like the Yellow Flash of Minato Namikaze. Tsunade gave him a strange look. Her student being called the Water Release monster felt oddly out of place. It wasn't like she specialized in Water Release, after all—she was a medical ninja. "Let's move!" Snapping out of her thoughts, Tsunade charged forward without hesitation. The ground trembled, and two large hemispheres of earth flew toward her from either side, attempting to crush her. Reacting swiftly, Tsunade shattered the earth spheres with two consecutive punches. Secret Technique: Insect Tornado! Shibi Aburame waved his hands, and a tornado composed of kikaichū surged over the earth walls, heading straight for the Iwagakure shinobi. The other three Aburame clan shinobi followed suit, releasing swarms of kikaichū. Screams echoed almost immediately. Spirit Transformation Technique! Rin Nohara stood still, her soul leaving her body to pass through the earth wall and possess an Iwagakure shinobi, forcing him into a self-destructive attack. "Kurenai, the earth wall," Hanekawa reminded her before forming hand seals himself. Combined Ninja Art: Lightning Water Dragon Bullet! A massive water dragon roared and surged forward. It was followed closely by a second water dragon under Kurenai's control. The two dragons struck the earth wall in rapid succession, breaking through and creating a clear path. Body Flicker Technique! Seizing the opportunity, Tsunade leaped through the opening and landed amidst the Iwagakure shinobi. Heavenly Foot of Pain! With a single devastating stomp, the ground fractured, sending nearby shinobi flying, blood spraying as screams filled the air. Chidori Current! Hanekawa appeared beside Tsunade with a flash of lightning, his Raijin Blade in hand. Dance of the Crescent Moon! Three clones of Hanekawa lunged toward the Iwagakure shinobi, taking down three of them in an instant. "Damn it!" Higashido quickly formed hand seals. Earth Release: Earth Spike Trap! The ground surged upward, forming countless earth spikes aimed at Hanekawa. Tsunade snorted and punched the spikes, shattering them effortlessly. Shocked, Higashido retreated quickly and raised another earth wall for defense. But his efforts were futile—Tsunade's punch obliterated the wall, forcing him to retreat further. Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from the ground and grabbed his legs. Startled, Higashido looked down to see Hanekawa emerging from beneath the earth. When did he—? How was his hand seal speed so fast? And why could he also use Earth Release? As Hanekawa delayed him, Tsunade closed the distance. With a single punch, blood splattered everywhere as she pierced through his chest, ending his life. "Good teamwork," Tsunade commented briefly to Hanekawa before returning to the battle. With most of the Iwagakure shinobi either dead or injured, the remaining ones began to flee. "Don't chase them. Our target is Rōshi!" Tsunade, unbothered, redirected the group's focus. Following the trail of Shibi's kikaichū, they resumed their pursuit of Rōshi. _ Patreon.com/rashta 1. 330 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete) 5. 487 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird (Donation is closed, you can check the full breakdown in patreon)