https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-270-Myoboku-Mountain-Gone-Naruto-Gone/12553632/
Chapter 269: Konoha in Anxious Anticipation
Chapter 269: Konoha in Anxious Anticipation
In the Fire Shadow's office within Konoha, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air, a stark contrast to the usual bustling activity. Tsunade paced restlessly behind her desk, while Jiraiya, who had recently returned to the village, gazed out the window, his face etched with a rare look of anxiety. Also present was the jonin leader, Nara Shikaku, who stood quietly, his brows furrowed in deep thought.
Ever since Jiraiya received the intelligence from Myoboku Mountain about the impending attack from Huyi Xuanyue, the three of them had been in this anxious state.
Soon, the sound of heavy footsteps interrupted the silence.
Tsunade, known for her impatience, was the first to speak up. She stopped pacing and turned to Jiraiya, asking, "Jiraiya, what's the latest? Can we get in touch with Myoboku Mountain now?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "No luck. Myoboku Mountain has proactively blocked the summoning contract, and the summoning jutsu isn't working."
Tsunade's brows furrowed even deeper. "What are those toads thinking?"
Jiraiya shared her confusion. When he had heard that Huyi Xuanyue was attacking Myoboku Mountain, he had intended to ask the toads, like Gamata, to reverse summon themselves to offer assistance. However, after sending the message about Huyi Xuanyue, Myoboku Mountain had gone silent, and even Jiraiya's attempts to summon the toads had failed.
This was unprecedented since he had become a contractor of Myoboku Mountain. He couldn't help but feel worried, especially since Naruto was still there.
"Ahem." Nara Shikaku cleared his throat and offered some reassurance. "Fire Shadow, Jiraiya-san, there's no need for concern. Myoboku Mountain is one of the Three Great Dojos, filled with powerful shinobi, and let's not forget the Great Toad Sage himself. I'm sure Huyi Xuanyue won't get very far."
"The Great Toad Sage."
Jiraiya recalled the few encounters he had with the millennia-old true sage.
While he knew the Great Toad Sage was incredibly powerful, his eccentric and scatterbrained nature still gave him pause.
"Please don't go senile on us now, Great Toad Sage!" he thought to himself.
Furthermore, if it had been any other individual or organization attacking Myoboku Mountain, Jiraiya and Tsunade wouldn't have been overly concerned. But this time, they were facing Huyi Xuanyue, someone whose strength they had personally witnessed.
Even with the knowledge of Myoboku Mountain's might, they couldn't shake their apprehension.
Tsunade even considered sending a Konoha reinforcement squad, but the distance between Konoha and Myoboku Mountain was too great. By the time they arrived, it might already be too late.
And so, they could only wait anxiously in the office for news.
"Tsunade-sama!!!"
Just then, Shizune burst into the room.
"What is it?" Tsunade spun around, her voice sharp with urgency.
Shizune, who had rushed over as quickly as possible, panted as she delivered her message. "Sunagakure has been attacked by Akatsuki, and the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, has been captured. Sunagakure has sent an urgent request for Konoha's assistance."
"The Fifth Kazekage has been captured by Akatsuki?" Tsunade was shocked.
Even Jiraiya, momentarily setting aside his worries about Myoboku Mountain, turned toward her with a grave expression.
He had spent a long time investigating Akatsuki. It was during his absence from the village that he had discovered clues about them and infiltrated Amegakure in search of more information. However, his efforts had yielded no results, and he had returned empty-handed.
Now, hearing that Akatsuki was finally making their move and targeting one of the Five Kage, he felt a strong sense of impending doom, especially considering Huyi Xuanyue's concurrent actions.
Tsunade asked, "How many members of Akatsuki went? To be able to defeat the Fifth Kazekage and the Sunagakure shinobi?"
"Two," Shizune replied.
In that instant, the entire office fell silent.
Despite sensing the odd atmosphere, Shizune continued dutifully, "One of the Akatsuki members is Deidara, a missing-nin from Iwagakure and a former disciple of the Third Tsuchikage."
"I understand." Tsunade rubbed her temples and slowly replied.
Although she had a lot she wanted to say, the Sand Ninjas were ultimately allies of the Leaf.
She steeled herself and immediately gave her orders: "Notify Team 3 and have Yamato's Team 7 report to the Fire Shadow's office immediately."
"Yes!"
Shizune hurried off to deliver the message.
Watching Shizune leave, Tsunade couldn't help but shake her head:
"The Kazekage, Jinchuriki of the One-Tail, is certainly going through a lot these days!"
"Something's not right."
Nara Shikaku suddenly spoke up, "The timing of Huyi Xuanyue and the Akatsuki's actions is too coincidental."
"Indeed." Jiraiya thought of the same thing and nodded, "And their targets are both tailed beasts. I recall Huyi Xuanyue not being interested in tailed beasts before."
"Unless he has a use for them, just like the Akatsuki." Nara Shikaku continued.
He seemed to have a realization and immediately analyzed, "Aside from Mount Katsuragi, there was a suspected confrontation between Huyi Xuanyue and a member of the Akatsuki, which Huyi won. Near the lake where the Three-Tails was hidden, a ninja from the Lock Front Village named Ali, who is under Huyi Xuanyue, appeared but later escaped. However, the Three-Tails was captured by the Akatsuki members Deidara and Kisame Hoshigaki, who arrived afterward. Today, Huyi Xuanyue and the Akatsuki are capturing tailed beasts simultaneously. It seems that..."
As he spoke, Nara Shikaku's fingers trembled slightly, and he took a deep breath before stating the most likely truth:
"It seems that the relationship between Huyi Xuanyue and the Akatsuki is not as antagonistic, competitive, or indifferent as we previously thought. It's more likely that Huyi Xuanyue and the Akatsuki are now on the same side."
"Furthermore, Huyi Xuanyue has likely gained control of the Akatsuki! He's using those rogue ninjas for his purposes! All the tailed beast captures are being done at Huyi Xuanyue's will!"
After Nara Shikaku's words, the room fell silent.
Tsunade and Jiraiya's pupils contracted sharply.
One Huyi Xuanyue was already enough of a challenge, and now there was a group of Akatsuki members whose individual strengths were not inferior to the Five Kage.
This was truly a desperate situation!
Jiraiya's voice turned hoarse as he spoke, unable to hide his concern: "If that's the case, what is Huyi Xuanyue's goal in capturing the tailed beasts? With his strength, even if all nine tailed beasts united, they wouldn't stand a chance against him."
Nara Shikaku shook his head.
With limited information, he couldn't analyze further.
Once again, the office fell into silence.
Before long, footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Yamato, fully armed, along with Sakura, Sai, Kiba, Lee, Tenten, and Neji, led by Shizune, entered the Fire Shadow's office, breaking the silence.
"Fire Shadow!" Everyone greeted respectfully.
Tsunade was about to say something when a ninja from the liaison team suddenly arrived and handed her a scroll:
"Fire Shadow, urgent news from the Cloud Village!"
Tsunade had a bad feeling about this. She opened the scroll and read it.
As expected!
The Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails and the Two-Tails from the Cloud Village have gone missing.
It is said that the culprits include members of the Akatsuki and Uchiha Sasuke!
Tsunade suddenly raised her head and looked at Nara Shikaku.
Their worst prediction had come true.
But that wasn't all.
Beside her, Jiraiya suddenly exclaimed in delight:
"We've re-established contact with Myoboku Mountain!"
(End of Chapter)
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