https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-310-The-Power-of-Interconnected-Worlds/12558404/
Chapter 309: The Final Gamble (4k)
Chapter 309: The Final Gamble (4k)
"Does Kirigakure want to declare war on us? How dare they do such a thing!" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he monitored the situation from a distance.
Although the Chunin Exams were a joint effort between Konoha and Kirigakure, Konoha was the host, and Kirigakure was required to provide basic information about their participating ninjas. So, Hiruzen knew that the sudden appearance of a masked Kirigakure ninja was not a registered candidate.
"Do they have your Flying Thunder God seals on them?" Hiruzen asked, turning to Minato.
Kirigakure's actions were baffling and infuriating to Hiruzen, but he knew that the top priority was to ensure the safety of the examinees before dealing with Kirigakure.
Genius ninjas like Kakashi, if allowed to develop normally, would undoubtedly become powerful ninjas with renowned reputations. Their deaths would be a significant loss for Konoha.
"No," Minato shook his head. If they had, he would have teleported over immediately.
During a mission with the Fourth Raijin, Minato had given Kakashi and his team Flying Thunder God kunai to protect them. However, the kunai had been used up in battle and not retrieved due to the urgency of the situation. As they hadn't encountered any dangerous situations since, Minato hadn't specifically given them new Flying Thunder God kunai.
After all, the Flying Thunder God kunai served as locators, and Minato was generally cautious about who he gave them to.
Who would have thought that something like this could happen during the Chunin Exams in their own village?
"Don't worry, if I'm not mistaken, my main body was patrolling nearby and should have noticed the situation by now," Muye said at that moment.
Even after using her Identification on all the examinee's information, Muye still felt uneasy. In her memory, the Chunin Exams were prone to unexpected incidents, so the Muye in the monitoring room was a shadow clone, while her main body had been patrolling near Obito and the others.
Minato swallowed the words he had been about to say. He had been about to say that he could rush over at full speed and make it in time since Maito Gai could hold out for a few minutes. But it was even better if Muye could get there faster.
"However, to prevent any accidents, I'll transfer my memory to my main body," Muye continued.
Hiruzen nodded and said, "Muye, as the main examiner, it's your responsibility to deal with that Kirigakure jonin. Minato, go notify Jiraiya and have him go to the Kirigakure ninja's lodgings. Control everyone inside and find out what's going on."
It was best for Muye to handle this issue because, as the examiner for the second exam, she was responsible for any problems that arose.
Hiruzen then sent out a command to assemble a group of Anbu. Finally, he used his Telescope Technique to confirm that Yuan Shi, an elder of Kirigakure, was still in Konoha. He personally led the Anbu to find him.
Hiruzen found Kirigakure's actions very strange. Based on the performance of the Kirigakure ninjas, there were some talented individuals among them. It didn't seem likely that Kirigakure would bring along Yuan Shi, a heavyweight elder of the village, along with some jonin, just because they felt they had the strength to cause trouble in Konoha.
If they weren't so arrogant, Kirigakure's actions would seem even more foolish and unreasonable. If Konoha's Chunin Exams didn't attract many genius participants, Kirigakure would have made a huge loss.
Hiruzen suppressed his doubts. Whether it was stupidity or arrogance, he would find out when he met with Yuan Shi.
On the other hand, Muye, who was watching Obito and the others fight from a distance, received the memories of her shadow clone.
However, she didn't immediately act to kill Akemi Hideyuki. Instead, she paid more attention to her surroundings, using her Byakugan to carefully observe the area.
To Muye, Akemi Hideyuki could be killed at any time. The person she valued was the one who had brought Akemi Hideyuki here.
The Forest of Death was not a place one could enter and exit freely. For this exam, Konoha had set up barriers in the forest.
To enter the Forest of Death, Kirigakure ninjas would have to register as examinees. Before the exam began, Muye had used her Identification on all the candidates, and the Transformation Technique couldn't fool her Identification. So, no one had infiltrated the Forest of Death by disguising themselves as examinees.
If they weren't examinees, they must have used a special method to bypass the barriers and sneak in.
Muye guessed that this might not be Kirigakure's doing but rather, Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu causing trouble.
If it were Kirigakure's doing, it wouldn't make sense. They might not care about some genin, but Kirigakure had also sent Yuan Shi, a heavyweight elder of the village, along with some jonin.
It didn't make sense for them to deploy so much force just to kill some genin. The Mizukage would have to be out of his mind, or rather, his brain would have to be filled with nothing but water for him to approve such a plan where the cost far outweighed the benefits.
However, if it were Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu causing trouble, it would make sense. They had both the ability and the motive to do so.
There were many benefits to Uchiha Madara from this situation. The conflict between Kirigakure and Konoha could escalate into a war, creating more opportunities for him in a chaotic ninja world.
"But if that's the case, why target Obito specifically? Are they trying to stimulate his power?" Muye wondered about Uchiha Madara's true intentions.
Simply causing a war between Kirigakure and Konoha and having the examinees kill each other would have a similar effect.
Muye used her Byakugan to scan the surroundings meticulously but didn't detect any suspicious figures.
This was within Muye's expectations. Both Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu were formidable foes.
As Maito Gai and his team struggled more and more, Muye focused most of her attention on her disciples. If any of them were in mortal danger, she would immediately kill Akemi Hideyuki.
On the other hand, if they were not in life-threatening danger, Muye would not reveal herself.
This might seem cruel to her disciples, as they would have to endure the pain of injuries even if they didn't die. But Muye had no choice. This was the cruel world of ninjas, and she couldn't always protect them.
This time, because they were in Konoha, she had made extra preparations to secretly protect her disciples. But what about the next time, if they were outside Konoha? What if her disciples encountered danger in different places?
Even Minato, with his Flying Thunder God technique, might not be able to perfectly save them in time, let alone Muye, who could only run a little faster.
The best solution was to enhance her disciples' strength. If they became powerful enough, they could handle enemies on their own or, at the very least, hold them off until she could arrive.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
The knife wounds on Maito Gai's body did not dampen his fighting spirit as he launched another attack on Akemi Hideyuki with Kakashi's assistance.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Akemi Hideyuki calmly performed a water-style jutsu, spitting out an enormous ball of water.
While water itself might not cause much damage, a large volume of water rushing forth could generate a powerful impact.
The gigantic wave, like a tsunami, crashed onto Kakashi and Maito Gai, washing away the already exhausted Kakashi. Maito Gai, though managing to withstand the onslaught, was significantly slowed down.
Kaminari and Ebizu, already at a disadvantage in terms of skill, were now injured as well. Although they still had some stamina left, they were powerless to intervene in the intense battle between Guy and Kisame. They were easily swept away by the Great Waterfall Technique.
Yubi, injured, was using the last of her chakra to heal Obito, choosing to trust him over healing herself.
"Dynamic Entry!"
With more and more wounds on his body, Guy finally resorted to the strongest taijutsu he could currently muster.
He could only use this technique twice in a short period, and this was his last chance, but he had no choice. If he delayed any further, he wouldn't be able to use it at all.
Guy channeled all his strength into his legs, the powerful chakra explosion counteracting the force of the water stream. With a mighty sprint, he surged forward once more.
"Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Kisame quickly formed the seals and utilized the surrounding water, a common combat habit of the Kirigakure ninjas. They would first use supportive Water Style jutsu to create a favorable environment and then follow up with offensive Water Style techniques.
The massive amount of water swirling around Kisame eventually formed a gigantic water dragon that charged towards Guy.
Standing at only four feet tall, Guy appeared minuscule in front of the enormous water dragon, its head alone several times larger than him.
However, Guy's steps never faltered. Like a hunting cheetah, he charged forward, the chakra aura around his body faintly forming the shape of a leopard's head.
A tremendous roar filled the air, as tiny droplets of water splashed in all directions. The water dragon's head was crumbling, its teeth shattered, horns broken, and head deformed.
"This guy is a true monster," Kisame exclaimed, impressed by Guy's performance. Even after engaging in a previous battle, he could still unleash such formidable power.
"Can he do it?" Kakashi asked, struggling to get up with his arms bracing against the ground, his eyes fixed on the clash between Guy and Kisame.
"Guy, hang in there!" Obito maintained his breathing technique, his heart praying for Guy's success.
In the end, under everyone's watchful eyes, the dragon and the leopard clashed, the leopard biting and shattering the dragon's head to pieces.
However, Guy had exhausted most of his strength by this point, and the impact of the dragon's body sent him flying, crashing into eight trees before he finally came to a stop.
"If you're going to die, why not choose an easier death? Do you still delude yourself with fantasies of defeating me?" Kisame asked mockingly.
Faced with Kisame's ridicule, Guy stood up once more. By now, his green bodysuit was completely drenched in blood, turning it a deep crimson.
"There's no room for the word 'give up' in my youthful spirit!" Guy shouted, his fists clenched tightly.
Guy was well aware that he couldn't afford to fall, as none of his companions could face Kisame head-on.
Guy took a deep breath, intending to attempt to open the fourth gate of the Eight Inner Gates, something that was far beyond his current cultivation. However, Guy had once used the breathing technique to forcibly open the second gate during his fight with the Cloud Ninja, and he intended to replicate that feat. This time, though, he aimed to forcibly open the fourth gate.
"Open!" Guy's eyes widened, his fists clenched, and the veins on his arms bulged as he channeled all his might to break through the fourth gate of the Eight Inner Gates.
Whether it was due to the immense difficulty or the impossibility of performing such an action after the third gate, Guy failed.
Kisame took advantage of the moment and appeared beside Guy with a Water Body Technique, kicking the unsuspecting Guy and sending him flying.
"Your decision won't change the outcome, whether you give up or persist," Kisame said indifferently.
Capitalizing on his advantage, Kisame continued his relentless assault, casually knocking away Kaminari and Ebizu, who tried to intervene.
Kaminari felt a surge of bitterness welling within him. Whether it was victory or defeat, it seemed to have nothing to do with him. The gap between his skills and Kakashi's team was just too vast.
Ebizu felt the same. For the first time, he yearned for strength, not because of status, power, or wealth, but because of the sheer helplessness he felt, unable to do anything as his companions were injured.
Guy stood up once more, maintaining the Rock Lee's Breathing Technique as he fought against Kisame.
However, the disparity in their strength couldn't be bridged by sheer willpower alone. In the midst of the challenging battle, Guy collapsed once again.
Watching Guy fall and rise repeatedly, witnessing Kisame's mocking attitude towards their perseverance, the flames in Obito's heart burned brighter. Unbeknownst to him, his breathing technique began to undergo subtle changes.
"Fire Style: Concentration!" Once he had recovered enough to move, Obito activated his Sharingan and surged forward, his fist engulfed in angry flames.
Whether it was due to his extreme anger numbing the pain or some other reason, Obito's fist was wrapped in intense flames without the use of chakra to protect his skin, yet he felt no burning sensation.
However, Kisame was most vigilant about Obito, and he immediately noticed Obito's movement. He sidestepped Obito's attack and swung his short blade towards him.
Obito's Sharingan saw through Kisame's movements, knowing that this strike wouldn't be fatal. So, he allowed the blade to graze his chest, and his left hand erupted with even more intense flames, striking Kisame's abdomen.
Kisame stumbled back a few steps, feeling the searing burn on his body, and frowned slightly. He unleashed a Water Style chakra nature transformation, spraying a stream of water to extinguish the flames, but the burning sensation persisted.
Despite landing a successful hit, Obito didn't feel triumphant. Instead, he contemplated their strategy, realizing that if they continued fighting in this mutually damaging way, he would be the first to fall.
However, Kisame didn't give Obito time to think, pressing the attack and engaging him in close combat, leaving several new wounds on Obito's body.
"They're still trying..." Salt Nara, immobilized by his injuries, watched the scene unfold and had a bold idea.
As a fellow Konoha ninja, Salt didn't want to fall too far behind.
Salt shared his plan with Inuzuka Green and Aburame Shino, and they both nodded in agreement, deciding to make one last effort.
"Even if I die, Green will do so with dignity," Inuzuka said through gritted teeth, enduring the pain as he used the Beast Mimicry Technique and lay on the ground.
(End of Chapter)
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