Chapter 423: Grateful for the Opportunity, Byakugan Wolf!
Chapter 423: Grateful for the Opportunity, Byakugan Wolf!
"The Cloud Village's goal is not to destroy us but to replace us as the leader of Konoha. So, they can't afford to suffer heavy losses either. As long as we pose a significant threat, they will retreat on their own!"
Dong Ping clarified the reasoning behind his counter-attack plan.
The Cloud Village's invasion this time was to avenge their losses and teach Konoha a lesson.
But they didn't intend to fight to the bitter end.
A dying camel is still bigger than a horse; others might not know this, but the Lightning Shadow and Tadao certainly did.
If they truly wanted to push Konoha to the brink, they wouldn't be able to retreat unscathed.
So, while weakening Konoha was their genuine intention, and they might consider severely damaging or even eliminating Konoha if the opportunity arose, it all depended on the circumstances.
If they felt the losses would be too great, they would give up.
With the current battle results, they could already report back to their villagers.
Of course, there was a prerequisite to forcing the Cloud Village Army to retreat.
They had to feel threatened.
If they believed they could easily defeat Konoha or even inflict heavy damage, they wouldn't back down; they would fight to the bitter end.
"...That's a good point!"
Kujousei Nara's mind worked quickly, and he immediately understood why Dong Ping had said this.
The Cloud Village's dream was indeed to become the leader of the Five Great Ninja Villages, but if they fought to mutual destruction with Konoha, they wouldn't achieve their goal; instead, they would only benefit the Stone Village.
"So, do you agree with my plan?"
Dong Ping asked.
He wanted to quickly wrap up this battle and rush back to the Heavenly Fortress to take command.
This was a golden opportunity.
It would allow him to gain control of the Mist Village in advance.
If it were any of the other Great Ninja Villages, it would be nearly impossible to conquer them by force.
Due to their close proximity, if the Heavenly Fortress showed any signs of aggression, the other villages would immediately intervene to stop or take advantage of the situation.
Unless they had overwhelming strength, military conquest was out of the question.
However, the situation with the Country of Water was different.
Because it was far from the mainland.
This was the fundamental reason why the Mist Shadow could invade freely, yet no one ever bothered to retaliate.
In naval warfare, who could rival the Mist Shadow? If they wanted to invade, they could easily attack the supply lines, instantly isolating the enemy ninja army.
If these were the only challenges, it might be manageable.
The real issue was, what was the purpose of invading the Country of Water? It couldn't just be for the salted fish.
Although the Country of Water had abundant materials and minerals, its harsh natural environment made development nearly impossible.
The Great Ninja Villages would only invade such a place if they wanted to commit suicide.
Therefore, if the Heavenly Fortress invaded the Country of Water, the other Great Ninja Villages wouldn't interfere.
By the time they realized it, the Mist Village would already be in the hands of the Heavenly Fortress, and the digestion process would have begun.
Once the Mist Village was under control, they could gradually take over the Country of Water, one of the Five Great Countries isolated from the mainland.
Brilliant!
Such a perfect opportunity, Dong Ping wasn't sure if he should thank the Byakugan Wolf for bringing it.
If the Heavenly Fortress initiated the invasion, it would be hopeless.
Because the major powers would be extremely vigilant, but if it were a 'counterattack,' these forces wouldn't be as sensitive and might even enjoy the show.
After all, they would be happy as long as either the Heavenly Fortress or the Mist Village suffered heavy losses.
Of course, the prerequisite was that one side didn't absorb the other.
Dong Ping wasn't in a hurry to return; he was giving the Mist Village a chance.
A chance to attack the Heavenly Fortress.
Then, his 'counterattack' against the Mist Village would be a natural course of action.
Furthermore, he had secretly conveyed his thoughts through the Summoning Technique.
As a member of the Uchiha clan, he could also sign a summoning contract with the Ninja Cat Clan.
Although he didn't highly regard their combat abilities, he was very satisfied with their sales, intelligence channels, and information transmission capabilities.
Now, Dong Ping wanted to resolve this matter quickly.
"I hope I won't regret today's decision!"
Nara Kujousei sighed lightly.
With these words, he indicated his support for Dong Ping.
With the support of this 'military advisor,' and Dong Ping's position as the Vice Commander, he naturally had undisputed command authority, given that Elder Danzo didn't object.
"Elder Danzo, take the Root Division to Moon Canyon Lake immediately... and proceed according to the plan. Any issues?"
After obtaining command, Dong Ping issued orders without delay.
"Alright!"
Danzo nodded decisively and left.
Although the Root Division members who had previously delayed the Two-Tailed Byakugan with him were all wiped out, there were still some usable individuals.
The difficulty of this task wasn't in combat strength but in stealth, speed, and execution ability. In these aspects, no one was more suitable than Danzo and Root.
As Danzo went to carry out the task, Dong Ping instructed Nara Kujousei to lead the team in a certain direction and dispatched squads to snipe and surround the approaching Cloud Village Ninja.
If it were Sarutobi Shinzo, he would undoubtedly opt for a full retreat.
But Dong Ping had other ideas.
How could they slow down the pursuers' pace and rhythm without inflicting pain?
Under his command, everything proceeded smoothly.
With Dong Ping as the 'backbone,' Nara Kujousei fully demonstrated the strength of a Leaf Village strategist, organizing everything in an orderly manner.
Dong Ping and Hyuga Houshi naturally took command in the center of the team.
If the 'AB' combination or Byakugan launched an attack, it would be up to them to respond.
As for his injuries?
Dong Ping remained unchanged.
It wasn't that he wanted to continue playing the victim, but he intended to keep it as a trap.
Under Dong Ping's command, these Cloud Village Ninja who arrived first dared not initiate an attack easily, only able to maintain their distance and wait for the rest of their forces to arrive.
After all, the signal had been sent, and it wouldn't take long for reinforcements to arrive.
Several hours later, dawn was approaching, and a faint glimmer of light rose in the east, as if about to tear through the dark night sky.
The remnants of the Leaf Village forces came to a halt.
It wasn't that they didn't want to continue, but all possible escape routes were blocked by the Cloud Village Ninja.
The three thousand Cloud Village Ninja hadn't split up to attack the Leaf Village; they had been searching for them all along.
Step by step, the Fourth Raikage, A, emerged from the surrounding Cloud Village Ninja.
With the enhancement of Chakra, even in the pitch-black night, one could discern his identity from his silhouette and figure, not to mention that each person's Chakra was distinct, making it effortless to differentiate between them.
"You have nowhere to run. Surrender now, and I guarantee that you will all return to the Leaf Village unharmed in the future!"
A shouted out a plea for surrender.
It wasn't that he didn't want to take action, but the Leaf Village Ninja were too dangerous at this moment.
A battle of trapped beasts!
In his eyes, the remaining Leaf Village forces were like caged beasts.
Scanning the exhausted faces of the Leaf Village Ninja before him, A's mood was better than ever.
Finally!
The long-held wish of the Cloud Village was finally within reach in his hands.
As long as this force was dealt with, preferably by killing or severely injuring several powerful individuals, they could attempt to attack the Leaf Village.
Even if they couldn't succeed, they could create opportunities for other ninja villages to attack, and at that time, they might be able to divide the Leaf Village.
At the very least, they could severely damage the Leaf Village, allowing their village to become one of the true Five Great Ninja Villages.
If the other ninja villages didn't take action, they wouldn't lose out either.
By leading the army to the Leaf Village, not only could they avenge the Fourth Raikage, but it would also enhance his reputation as the Raikage.
The key was that they had also humiliated the Leaf Village.
When your village is invaded, what right do you have to claim to be the strongest ninja village?
The title of the strongest ninja village wasn't just about honor; it also represented countless resources.
It was like task assignments; everyone preferred to give missions to the Leaf Village rather than the other four great ninja villages.
Why?
Because they were the strongest ninja village!
It was an unbeatable reputation.
Therefore, the Cloud Village had spent countless efforts and sacrifices to earn this title and honor.
The accumulation of several generations of Raikage had finally presented them with the opportunity to challenge the Leaf Village.
So, when the chance to bring down the Leaf Village arose, all Cloud Village Ninja were thrilled, trembling with excitement.
However, facing this desperate situation, Dong Ping showed no signs of anxiety or fear.
Snap! He crushed the medicine bottle in his hand and inhaled the elixir within.
A domineering and fiery aura spread.
A golden flame pattern appeared between his eyebrows.
It was only because he controlled the Sacred Ground and used the personality switching method to avoid corrosion; otherwise, it would be genuinely daring for anyone else to use the Sage Mode so frequently.
"Let the flames purify everything!"
Dong Ping's aura transformed.
"Even with the Sage Mode, you alone can't stop us!"
A spoke confidently.
"Of course not!" Dong Ping shook his head and said softly, "The time is almost up!"
Just as he finished speaking, a loud commotion suddenly erupted.
(End of Chapter)
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