https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-415-Nagato-s-Golden-Coin-Explosion/12558541/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-417-The-Intimidating-Power-of-the-Sharingan/12558543/
Chapter 416: Return to Konoha
Chapter 416: Return to Konoha
Soon after Hanzo's retreat, the name "Ninja Master Souyuji" spread far and wide throughout the ninja world at an unprecedented speed.
The impact of this incident far surpassed any previous occurrences, and for good reason.
While Kakuzu was by no means weak, his fame within the ninja realm was rather ordinary. Only a select few powerful ninjas or those with connections to the black market knew of his name.
Hanzo, on the other hand, was a different story. Ninjas from large and small hidden villages, as well as nomadic ninjas from various countries, were all aware of the existence of a top-tier powerhouse named Hanzo, the Demi-God.
Even among ordinary folk, Hanzo was a household name—a true powerhouse who struck fear into the hearts of all in the ninja world.
Therefore, the news of Hanzo's defeat by the hands of Ninja Master Souyuji and his ninja forces spread like wildfire, becoming a shocking event in the already tumultuous ninja realm.
However, the speed of this information spreading was not solely due to Hanzo's fame. There were also those who secretly fanned the flames behind the scenes.
Mu Yue was a little surprised when she learned that the news had spread throughout the ninja world, as she had not instructed the Ninja Sect ninjas to deliberately publicize the matter.
As for the Rain Ninjas, they were even less likely to take the initiative to spread the word. In fact, after the news broke, the Rain Ninjas had come out to deny it, stating that their leader, Hanzo, had never made a move, let alone been defeated.
Of course, the Rain Ninjas' denial did not have much effect. Instead, it only served to further confirm the authenticity of the news.
The Rain Ninjas merely made empty statements without taking any immediate action, as if they were afraid of something.
Additionally, the details of the rumor were too specific, even including the location of the battle. Some ninjas had gone to investigate and found undeniable traces of a fierce battle between powerful ninjas.
Taking all these factors into consideration, Hanzo's defeat was deemed indisputable, and Ninja Master Souyuji was recognized as a top-tier powerhouse in the ninja world, specializing in fire-style jutsu.
Mu Yue suspected that Danzo Shimura was the one behind this, as it would further intensify the conflict between the Ninja Sect and the Rain Ninjas.
However, Mu Yue was not overly concerned. She understood that for the Ninja Sect to expand and spread its ideology, conflict with the Rain Ninjas was inevitable. Moreover, this incident had its benefits; at the very least, their fame had spread, and ninjas who resonated with the Ninja Sect's ideology would proactively join their ranks.
Stone Country, Tsuchikage's Tower.
Oonoki, the Tsuchikage, received a personal report from Kitane, who had been gathering information in the valley.
"Tsuchikage-sama, Hanzo intends to cooperate with us, the Stone Ninja Village, to eliminate the Ninja Sect. Should we accept his offer?" Kitane asked after placing the documents on the desk.
"While Hanzo may not be able to defeat Souyuji, it won't be easy for Souyuji to beat Hanzo either," Oonoki said.
As one of the few who had witnessed the entire battle, Oonoki was well aware of the capabilities of both individuals.
In terms of raw power, Mu Yue far surpassed Hanzo. Her fire-style jutsu could effectively counter Hanzo's water-style jutsu, but she lacked a countermeasure for Hanzo's salamander's toxic mist. Additionally, Hanzo's mastery of Water Body Flicker Technique was exquisite, making it a challenging task for Mu Yue to defeat him.
Oonoki shook his head and turned to Kitane, asking, "Why should we cooperate to eliminate the Ninja Sect? What benefit does it bring to our Stone Village?"
"If the ninjas from our village who were killed at the border were indeed slain by the Ninja Sect, I believe we should work with the Rain Ninjas to seek revenge for our fallen comrades," Kitane replied, expressing his thoughts on the matter.
Kitane was not one to act impulsively without sufficient evidence, but if the Ninja Sect was indeed responsible, he would not let it slide just because of Mu Yue's strength.
A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Oonoki's face. While it was commendable for Kitane to care about their village's ninjas, there was more to being a Kage.
"This incident is unlikely to be the doing of the Ninja Sect," Oonoki said as he rummaged through some documents on his desk before handing one of them to Kitane.
Kitane took the document and began to read. It detailed the various deeds of the Ninja Sect during their travels, including helping villagers and suppressing bandits.
"This is a group of ninjas who yearn for peace," Oonoki explained. "They have no reason to kill ninjas from major villages, as it would only bring disaster to the Rain Country."
In Oonoki's estimation, there was only one plausible reason for a conflict between the Ninja Sect and the Stone Ninjas—an attack on the Rain Ninja Village by the Stone Ninjas, witnessed by the Ninja Sect.
However, raiding the Rain Ninja Village was not within the scope of the Stone Ninjas' operations in the Rain Country. Their primary objective was to stir up discord between Konoha, Kiri, and Iwa.
Even if a clash occurred, given the nature of the Ninja Sect ninjas, Oonoki believed that they wouldn't have killed all the Stone Ninjas.
Drawing from his extensive experience in instigating conflicts, Oonoki surmised that it was more likely that another force had killed the Stone Ninjas and pinned the blame on the Ninja Sect.
As for which party was responsible, Oonoki couldn't be sure. Ever since the news of Souyuji possessing the Ninja Sect's legacy spread throughout the ninja world, numerous entities had their eyes on the Ninja Sect and Souyuji, especially after Souyuji's victory over Kakuzu.
"Based on the Ninja Sect's reputation, that does seem to be the case," Kitane agreed after a moment's thought. "However, all the evidence currently points towards ninjas from the Ninja Sect, possibly as a result of individual actions."
"Then continue your investigation in the Rain Country, but hold off on getting directly involved for now," Oonoki said with a slight sigh.
He would have been less disappointed if Kitane had said that the Ninja Sect posed a potential threat to the Stone Village due to their growing strength. Kitane's straightforward thinking in this matter was simply too honest.
Kitane respectfully bid his farewell and left the Tsuchikage's office.
"There are too few talented individuals in our village," Oonoki thought as he watched Kitane's retreating figure.
After a long period of recuperation, the Stone Ninja Village had developed significantly, boasting a force of over ten thousand combat-ready ninjas. However, what concerned Oonoki was the lack of a suitable successor who met his expectations.
While Kitane possessed decent strength, his honest personality made him ill-suited to become the next Tsuchikage. On the other hand, those with suitable personalities lacked the necessary strength to command respect.
Lightning Country, Office of the Raikage.
"What kind of legacy does Souyuji possess to have defeated Hanzo? Could it be the jutsu of the Rikudo Sennin?" The Third Raikage expressed curiosity about Souyuji after perusing the reports.
Although the Rain Ninjas were not particularly formidable, the Third Raikage acknowledged Hanzo's strength. Anyone capable of defeating Hanzo was undoubtedly an extraordinary powerhouse.
The Cloud Ninja Village believed in the existence of the Rikudo Sennin, as they had direct descendants of the sage and possessed his ninja tools.
"Raikage-sama, should we mobilize our forces in the Rain Country to investigate the Ninja Sect's legacy in Souyuji's possession?" one of the elders, Tsuchika, inquired.
"Not for now," the Third Raikage declined.
While he was intrigued, the Third Raikage believed that with the current state of war, it was not worth diverting their resources toward this matter, especially considering the formidable opponent that Souyuji presented.
Fire Country, Konohagakure.
Danzo Shimura, with a somber expression, entered the Hokage's office without even knocking.
"Hiruzen, I told you so. This Ninja Master Souyuji is not someone to be taken lightly. In such a short time, he has already made a name for himself. We must—"
"Danzo, why didn't you knock before entering?"
"That's not important, Hiruzen," Danzo tried to continue, but was cut off again by Hiruzen.
"Use my title when we're working," Hiruzen said sternly.
Danzo's face darkened, and he reluctantly addressed him as "Third Hokage."
He didn't want to call him that, but Hiruzen's assertive demeanor left him with no choice but to comply if he wanted to continue the conversation.
"You are, after all, the advisor to the Fire Shadow of Konoha. Don't be hasty in times of trouble," Hiruzen said, taking a puff from his pipe and exhaling a thin trail of smoke.
"Hiruzen, I'm doing this for the village," Danzo emphasized.
"There you go again, rushing things," Hiruzen said, tapping his fingers on the desk.
"Third Hokage, how can I not be anxious when it concerns the future of the village?" Danzo said, his face grim.
"To say that it concerns the future of the village is an overstatement. Souyuji may have defeated Hanzo, but his Ninja Sect is just a small organization of less than a hundred ninjas," Hiruzen disagreed with Danzo's assessment.
While Hiruzen acknowledged Souyuji as a top-tier ninja, he didn't think she posed a significant threat to Konoha.
The strength of an individual didn't necessarily translate to an impact on the war. In Hiruzen's experience, Hanzo's poisonous mist was a more formidable challenge than Souyuji in the midst of battle.
Danzo held back, knowing that there were some intelligence matters he couldn't disclose, or else he would expose Root's unauthorized operations.
"Instead of focusing on the Rain Country, you should pay more attention to Kirigakure. Our frontline ninjas report that Kirigakure is increasing their presence on the east coast, an invasion of our territory that cannot be tolerated!" Hiruzen's expression turned serious.
After all, the Fire Country's feudal lord didn't provide funding to Konoha for no reason; now was the time to act.
Danzo nodded in agreement on the surface, but he felt a little relieved inside. With this development, Hiruzen would be too occupied to investigate Root, giving him leeway to continue his operations undisturbed.
...
"This Hanzo guy seems to be quite something. It feels like Souyuji's fame skyrocketed after defeating him; a lot of people are talking about it," Obito remarked, realizing that Hanzo seemed like a perfect opponent to boost one's reputation.
The discussions about Ninja Master Souyuji were far more intense than before, and even some Konoha villagers were talking about it.
"Are you thinking of challenging Hanzo yourself?" Kakashi looked at Obito, knowing his unpredictable train of thought.
"Of course not," Obito waved his hand. "I'm just saying that if Sensei Mu Yue went, she would definitely become famous in the ninja world."
He did have the thought of challenging Hanzo himself, but not now. He wanted to wait until he felt his strength was sufficient.
"Do you think Sensei Mu Yue is like you, seeking attention?" Kakashi scoffed at Obito's tendency to project his own desires onto others.
Sensei Mu Yue could have become famous a long time ago if she wanted to. Just the feat of single-handedly stopping the Cloud's AB duo would have been enough to make her renowned in the ninja world.
Kakashi was confident in this assumption because that was precisely how Namikaze Minato had gained fame.
However, Sensei Mu Yue was too low-key and never publicized her achievements.
"It's not about seeking attention. I just feel that the title of 'Ninja Master' suits Sensei Mu Yue better," Obito said, glancing at Mu Yue beside him.
"Sensei Mu Yue, I truly think this title suits you. All the students you've taught agree that a true 'Ninja Master' should be strong and an excellent teacher," Obito added.
"But taking someone else's title isn't a good idea. How about you come up with a new title, something like 'Grand Ninja Master'? It sounds more powerful," Obito suggested.
Slap!
Mu Yue's fingers accurately struck Obito's head, "Stop thinking about these random things. Focus on the Great Fire Annihilation. Shisui has mastered it better than you."
Obito chuckled awkwardly, unfazed by the rebuke.
He didn't take the criticism to heart because he knew that, aside from the Fire Breath, he was ahead of Shisui in learning other ninjutsu. So, he never compared their progress in ninjutsu, only their overall combat strength.
"Let me demonstrate it for you one more time, pay attention," Mu Yue said and moved to an open space to demonstrate the technique.
She gathered a large amount of chakra in her throat, swiftly converting it into fire-attribute chakra, and then instantly expelled a massive blaze that could engulf a forest.
After a simple demonstration, she began explaining the intricacies of the technique while performing slow-motion movements to illustrate her points.
Both Obito and Shisui wore thoughtful expressions, and after a short rest, they eagerly began practicing.
It wasn't just Obito and Shisui who received guidance; Mu Yue shared her insights with all her disciples who had been training in the Southern Forest.
The disciples had been accumulating their strength for two months, and with Mu Yue's mentorship and enhancements, they all felt exceptionally energized and made remarkable progress in their training that day.
At this moment, the Mu Yue present was her true body, not a shadow clone.
While the Enlightenment skill could be remotely activated through the panel, the Professor skill required her physical presence to be effective.
This was a tricky situation, causing Mu Yue to constantly travel back and forth between the Rain Country and Konoha.
Fortunately, the improved Yang Seal had, to some extent, alleviated the chakra issues with shadow clones, allowing them to persist for more extended periods. Otherwise, managing her duties as a teacher in the Ninja Academy, leading the Ninja Sect, and teaching classes would have been even more challenging.
To address the issue of teaching her students, Mu Yue had an idea to develop a projection ninjutsu that would allow her to conduct online classes, visible to her students from a thousand miles away.
Since it would be her true body teaching the class, the Professor skill should activate normally.
"Shisui, the Chunin Exams are about to begin. Do you want to participate?" Mu Yue asked Shisui after their training session.
This time, the Chunin Exams were different from the ones Obito and the others had taken. These exams were solely hosted by Konoha and not a joint event with other ninja villages.
In fact, solo hosting was the norm, and joint exams were rare.
Joint exams were usually organized to showcase military might and attract commissions. Given Konoha's current situation, hosting a grand Chunin Exam was not advisable.
"I'd like to, please," Shisui replied after a moment's thought.
Advancing in rank would be beneficial for Shisui, as it would grant him more recognition within the Uchiha clan.
(End of Chapter)
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