Chapter 358: Danzo's Scheme!
Chapter 358: Danzo's Scheme!
Sizzle, sizzle!
The sound of igniting flames erupted from the Mountain Country's guardian ninja who had been knocked away.
"Everyone, retreat!"
Douhei had absolute trust in Hyuga Cangyue, and without a moment's hesitation, he issued the order.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Upon receiving the command, everyone quickly evacuated the hall, including Asama and Diri.
However, the two still had a conscience, and as they left, they took the Fire Country's minister with them.
They were well aware of Douhei's strength, and the fact that he made such a decision meant that it was beyond their ability to resist, so they followed without hesitation.
Only the other envoys remained unmoved.
They didn't sense any danger, and some even mocked them.
"Cowards, what are you afraid of..."
But before he could finish his sentence—
Boom!!
A massive explosion erupted, and flames and thick smoke blew away everything in the vicinity.
Each explosive tag had the power equivalent to a high-rank fire jutsu, undoubtedly stronger than a heavy cannon strike.
Outside the Heavenly Fortress!
Hearing the enormous blast from within, everyone was taken aback.
This level of commotion didn't require them to retreat, did it?
Even if they stayed inside without moving, no one would be affected.
However, the subsequent situation made it instantly clear why they had to retreat.
Boom, boom, boom!
The continuous explosions sounded like a string of firecrackers.
Despite the fortress's solidity and vast area, it eventually succumbed, collapsing on a large scale.
"Impossible!"
"What's happening?"
"There are too many explosive tags!"
...
Everyone was smart enough to realize that explosive tags were being detonated inside.
However, they couldn't fathom anyone carrying so many tags and using them so swiftly.
Only Douhei's gaze remained profound.
Asama shared his expression, also having an inkling of what was happening.
Indeed, only one technique could achieve this situation.
Multiplicative Explosive Tag Technique!
A technique rated only as an A-rank, but with an unlimited power ceiling, it was a forbidden jutsu.
Its power ceiling wasn't determined by the technique itself but by the number of explosive tags at one's disposal.
By attaching an explosive tag to a target, the explosion would 'summon' pre-inscribed tags with corresponding seals, bombarding the target with precision.
This continued until the summoning was interrupted or the tags were exhausted.
Even the Ten-Tails would find the relentless explosions overwhelming, let alone anyone else.
Now, the number of exploding tags had reached the hundreds or thousands, reducing the Heavenly Fortress to rubble and flattening the surrounding area.
It was merciless!
Fortunately, the explosions were concentrated; if they had been dispersed, an entire hill might have been obliterated.
A few years ago, Douhei's rise to prominence was the Kikyou Mountain Battle, where he strategically used explosive tags to defeat the Sand Ninja.
Now, he had fallen victim to the same tactic.
Five minutes!
For a full five minutes, the explosive tags showed no signs of stopping.
By then, not a soul remained in the fortress, not even a single intact stone.
Even the surrounding buildings had been reduced to ruins.
There were at least several thousand tags.
Don't underestimate this number.
Even if they weren't Uchiha-made, each tag would cost tens of thousands of gold, making the total cost astronomical.
The crucial point was that ordinary ninjas had no means to acquire such items.
Very few forces could amass this quantity, let alone inscribe the necessary seals on them.
Even without investigating the perpetrators, the use of the A-rank forbidden technique, Multiplicative Explosive Tag, was a clear indication of Leaf Village involvement.
Asama's complex expression reflected this realization.
However, it was all speculation; they had no evidence, and even if they did, it would have been obliterated in the explosion.
"This is bad!"
Asama muttered to himself.
The other envoys hadn't escaped.
The guardian ninjas of the Water and Wind Countries, even if they noticed the tags, felt confident in their ability to protect their masters from a single explosive tag.
Who would've thought that this wasn't just an Explosive Tag, but hundreds or even thousands of them? With no choice but to face the danger, there was no chance to escape.
"What's there to complain about? You saw it yourself, it's the Joint Embassy's people preparing to assassinate me, so I hope Lord Daimyo can give me an explanation!"
Dong Ping turned to the Fire Country envoy.
Yes, he had thought it through; this incident was undoubtedly Danzo's doing.
And with the opponent playing this way, a conflict between him and the nobles was inevitable.
Because the envoy represented the face of the Daimyo, killing him would be like slapping the Daimyo in the face, how could they tolerate that?
It was impossible to shift the blame onto Danzo.
There was no evidence.
When dealing with small factions or enemies without backing, they certainly didn't need evidence; saying it was their fault was enough to make it their fault.
But when it came to dealing with someone like Danzo, a high-ranking member of the Five Great Ninja Villages, without evidence, one couldn't just shift the blame recklessly.
Just like when the opponent tried to find his weakness, they would also present some data or other tangible evidence.
However, Danzo didn't know that he wasn't afraid of a conflict with the nobles.
In fact, this was what he wanted.
Without showing off his strength, how could he make a name for himself?
The silent, hard-working farming lifestyle was outdated; only with great fame could he attract more merchants and talented individuals to join him.
Fighting against the Great Ninja Village would not only result in heavy casualties but might also be a losing proposition.
But fighting against these nobles was different.
The casualties wouldn't be as severe, and he could also seize their assets.
The warehouses of the nobles were filled with gold coins and food, all of which were hard currency. As long as he could get his hands on them, there was profit to be made.
"You don't know that by doing this, you're making the Daimyo blame Konoha?"
Asama heard Dong Ping's questioning of the envoy, his face filled with astonishment.
It was already good enough that the Daimyo wasn't causing trouble for the Heavenly Fortress, but he actually wanted an explanation from the Daimyo. Was he tired of living a good life and seeking excitement?
The Fire Country Daimyo! But he was the supreme existence of the Fire Country. Even Konoha Village was just a military force under their control.
Asama didn't know what to say about offending such an existence.
"Are you a Konoha ninja or a Guardian Ninja, Asama?"
Dong Ping looked at Asama with interest, seeing how he placed the Daimyo above everything else.
"I... I'm a Guardian Ninja, of course!"
Asama didn't understand why Dong Ping asked this, but after a moment of hesitation, he firmly replied.
He genuinely joined the Guardian Ninja, not as a spy.
In his opinion, Konoha's existence was a waste of resources for the Fire Country.
If all the ninjas were led by the Daimyo, then the Fire Country could become stronger and even unify the Ninja World.
From this perspective, Asama was indeed not wrong.
The problem was, his surname was Asama!
The saying, 'Biting the hand that feeds you' described him perfectly.
Being able to become a ninja was all thanks to Konoha's nurturing, but now he felt that Konoha's existence was wrong and that power should be handed over to the Daimyo.
Tsk tsk!
It had to be said that Asama's thought process was that of a traitor. In the future, he would still be able to return to the village, marry a beauty like Kurenai, and have a daughter.
It was simply a sin.
That's why Dong Ping never liked him. In the past, he had taken the opportunity to give him a good beating, and now it seemed that beating wasn't enough to wake him up.
"In other words, if I kill you, the Third Hokage won't make trouble for me because of it?"
Dong Ping looked at Asama with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
If you said you were a Konoha ninja, then he naturally wouldn't take action, as they were both Konoha ninjas.
But if you said you were a Guardian Ninja, then there was no problem.
Even if he killed Asama, Hari couldn't make trouble for him as the Hokage. He could only seek revenge or retaliation in a personal capacity.
The Guardian Ninja were established by the Daimyo to replace Konoha's power; it was impossible for Konoha to seek revenge for their enemies.
So, Asama's expression became difficult.
Because he had also thought of this.
If it were anyone else, they might not be so crazy.
But Dong Ping, with his rebellious nature and crazy behavior, was someone whose thoughts no one could predict.
Seeing the critical situation, someone finally couldn't hold back and took action.
(End of Chapter)
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