https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-423-Malicious-Intent-Hidden-in-the-Shadows/12558547/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-425-Yet-Another-Unexpected-Event/12558554/
Chapter 424: The Seven Ninja Swordsmen
Chapter 424: The Seven Ninja Swordsmen
Despite being on the battlefield, Mu Yue's life had become somewhat easier.
Here, he didn't have to juggle between the Ninja Academy and his disciples, and for now, Orochimaru had not assigned him any combat missions.
It wasn't just Mu Yue; aside from Orochimaru himself, many of the Jonin who had recently arrived were not given combat assignments.
Undoubtedly, Orochimaru was planning to deal a heavy blow to Kirigakure, catching them off guard.
To make his deception more plausible, Orochimaru restricted the movements of most Jonin but left a small number of them and all the Chunin and Genin unrestricted.
After all, with Kirigakure having already infiltrated the Land of Fire, it wouldn't make sense for Konohagakure to not reinforce their troops.
Orochimaru was creating an illusion for Kirigakure, making it seem like Konoha wanted to strengthen their forces in the Kirigakure battlefield but was limited due to engagements in other areas.
To further entice Kirigakure to launch a full-scale offensive, Orochimaru even went as far as to gradually expose the locations of their troops to lure the enemy.
It must be said that Orochimaru's plan was ingenious. In the eyes of many Kirigakure ninjas, the Konoha ninja forces they were fighting seemed more like a paper tiger—strong on the surface but weak underneath.
Yes, a paper tiger.
Although they were still known as the strongest ninja village and had been winning battles on multiple fronts, they were already showing signs of decline in actual combat, and while there were quite a few active ninjas, their quality was lacking.
If Konoha truly had the strength to deal with Kirigakure, why would they need to specially request Orochimaru's help from another battlefield and deploy a large number of Chunin and Genin on missions?
"Lord Yakura, our intelligence agents have discovered the location of Konoha's new camp. I think this is a good opportunity to wipe out their forces," Mizunashi Samukiru said during the Kirigakure war council meeting.
Although Kaji Yakura appeared youthful, he was, in fact, a veteran Kirigakure ninja. Even Mizunashi Samukiru, one of Kirigakure's main forces, had to respectfully address him.
"So soon? Are you certain about the accuracy of this information? This could be a plot by Konoha ninjas," Kaji Yakura inquired calmly, his expression unchanged.
He may have looked like a teenager, but he was far past the age of impetuousness. A reliable adult would not take such risks lightly.
"I don't think so," Mizunashi Samukiru replied, voicing his speculation. "Based on our intelligence gathering over the past few days, although Konoha has sent reinforcements, their overall strength still pales in comparison to ours. They wouldn't willingly engage in a large-scale confrontation with us."
Kaji Yakura furrowed his brow in thought. Mizunashi Samukiru's information was something he was already aware of. Indeed, there had been a noticeable increase in Konoha ninjas lately, but they were mostly Chunin and Genin, with only a handful of Jonin among them.
Logically speaking, this was indicative of a ninja village's lack of strength.
However, Konoha's Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails had yet to appear on any battlefield, and this worried Kaji Yakura.
If the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails secretly arrived on the east coast, Kirigakure's forces might no longer hold the advantage.
The destructive power of a Jinchuriki was terrifying. Not only were they a match for Jonin, but even ordinary Jonin would struggle to make an impact in a battle against them.
Kaji Yakura was confident he could handle Orochimaru, but he didn't think Mizunashi Samukiru and Higaki Zangetsu could take on the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, especially with Konoha's current Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
"I don't want your opinions; I need facts," Kaji Yakura said, shaking his head.
"If the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails is in Konoha's camp, how should we respond?" Kaji Yakura asked the assembled Kirigakure ninjas calmly.
"We are the only ninja village that has successfully infiltrated the Land of Fire. It wouldn't be surprising if Konoha used underhanded means to deal with us."
Mizunashi Samukiru was at a loss for words. Even as the current head of the Yuki Clan, he didn't dare claim he could take on a Jinchuriki.
After all, the tailed beasts were the ultimate weapons of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, and the Nine-Tails was the most formidable among them.
The other Kirigakure ninjas exchanged glances, none of them daring to speak up.
"I understand your desire for glory, but we don't need to rush. Konoha is the one in a hurry here," Kaji Yakura said, breaking the silence.
He didn't blame Mizunashi Samukiru; not every ninja was adept at strategic thinking, and some were better suited for combat roles.
Kirigakure truly didn't need to rush. Unlike Konoha, they weren't at war with the other three great ninja villages. Kirigakure was currently only engaged in conflict with Konoha.
Among the ninja villages, only Kumogakure received the same treatment as Konoha, being at war with Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
However, unlike Konoha, which was mostly on the defensive, Kumogakure was more proactive in instigating conflicts.
"Are we just going to do nothing?" Mizunashi Samukiru asked, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
They had been lucky to obtain this intelligence. If Konoha discovered the issue and relocated, it would be much harder to find them again.
"You're being too extreme," Kaji Yakura said, his arms crossed. "War isn't just about all-out battles and ceasefires. We can start with a probe."
In Kaji Yakura's opinion, Mizunashi Samukiru was being a bit binary. Just because he suggested sending a large number of ninja troops to surround and attack Konoha didn't mean they were doing nothing at all.
After making the necessary arrangements for the probe, Kaji Yakura dismissed the meeting and sent for his trusted subordinate, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Normally, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist took orders directly from the Mizukage. In theory, only the Mizukage had the authority to command them.
However, during times of war, exceptions were made, and the Third Mizukage had granted Kaji Yakura the right to lead the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Go and disrupt Konoha's logistical support. Most of the Konoha ninjas that have been active recently are Chunin and Genin, and dealing with them should be easy for you," Kaji Yakura said, pointing out their target location on the map.
Kirigakure was renowned in the ninja world for its assassination capabilities, and as assassins, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen also possessed exceptional intelligence-gathering skills, rivaling even those of Konoha ninjas.
Kaji Yakura's goal was simple—to efficiently eliminate Konoha's mid-to-low-level forces and test whether Konoha truly lacked sufficient strength or if they were merely pretending to be a paper tiger.
He had wanted to do this for a while, but the Konoha ninjas had been cautious, rarely sending out multiple squads at once.
"Tch, Chunin and Genin? So we're being sent on a mission to bully the weak?" Biwa Juzo, wielding his massive decapitating sword, sneered.
Biwa Juzo could easily take on ten Chunin and Genin by himself, and yet Kaji Yakura was sending all seven of them to hunt down such ninja squads. Biwa Juzo couldn't think of a better description than "bullying the weak."
"It is bullying the weak, but when it comes to missions, we have no choice but to carry them out, isn't that right?" Kurozu Raiya looked at Biwa Juzo and said indifferently.
Suika Yama and Fuguki Suikazan, along with the other members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, turned to Biwa Juzo. They were not companions who stuck together; if Biwa Juzo dared to disobey orders because of such a reason, they would be the first to take action against him.
......
"So, Ebisu and the others are here too, but I don't see Chen sensei?" Tobirama, who had coincidentally encountered Might Guy's team, asked in surprise.
"Chen sensei has something to take care of and will be joining us later," Might Guy honestly replied.
"What a coincidence! So, we're in the same situation, without a sensei to guide us," Tobirama said, scratching his head as he thought about their current predicament.
Although Mu Yue was on the same battlefield as them, her heavy responsibilities prevented her from leading them on missions.
"Isn't Mizukage with you here?" Ebisu asked curiously.
He found it hard to believe that Hatake Kakashi would be so irresponsible as to leave his disciples unattended on the battlefield, especially since none of Tobirama's team had become Jonin yet.
"Mizukage is on another battlefield. It was Mu Yue sensei who brought us here, but he has other important tasks and can't guide us on missions for now," Tobirama explained.
"I see. So, this is the bond between us!" Might Guy exclaimed, as if he had just realized something, his eyes shining with excitement as he turned to Kakashi.
Kakashi: ...
How did it become about their bond when he hadn't even said anything?
"Since your sensei isn't here, you'll need to be extra careful when carrying out missions," Kakashi reminded them, a thoughtful look on his face.
Without a Jonin leading them, even though Ebisu and Hiashi had already advanced to Chunin, Might Guy's team couldn't accept B-rank missions or higher. But the situation on the battlefield could change in an instant, and even B-rank missions could turn dangerous. They had to stay vigilant.
The main issue was that Might Guy's team lacked strength. While Ebisu and Hiashi were considered outstanding among their peers, the battlefield wasn't a competition between peers. In war, no one cared how old you were.
To put it bluntly, it might even be safer for Might Guy to take on missions alone.
If Might Guy encountered three Jonin by himself, Kakashi believed that Might Guy, going all out, could escape unharmed. But if Ebisu and Hiashi were added to the mix, he wasn't so sure.
Because Might Guy wouldn't abandon his teammates, and Ebisu and Hiashi wouldn't be able to escape from Jonin opponents, Might Guy would have no choice but to fight head-on.
"As expected of my best friend. Chen sensei reminded us of the same thing," Might Guy said, giving Kakashi a thumbs up.
At that moment, an idea flashed through Tobirama's mind. Since none of them had a sensei and couldn't take on advanced missions, what if they formed a new team together? Then they would be a team of seven Chunin and would probably be qualified to take on A-rank missions.
"Why don't you guys join us? Then we'd be a team of seven Chunin, and we should be eligible for A-rank missions, right?" Tobirama suggested, voicing his idea.
Tobirama was truly feeling helpless. Before coming to the battlefield, he had thought that he could showcase his abilities and outperform Kakashi. But Kakashi's exceptional speed always put him at the forefront, dealing the most damage to their opponents.
After several missions, Tobirama realized that he had only fought in the first mission, using his Shadow Clone Technique against the Kirigakure ninjas. In the subsequent missions, he barely had a chance to lift a finger.
The ninjas they encountered were just too weak. In the first mission, they had faced a Jonin, but in the following missions, they only encountered Chunin and Genin.
Tobirama understood that it wasn't bad luck but the nature of the missions. It was normal not to encounter Jonin in B-rank missions, and encountering one would be considered an unexpected situation.
Therefore, Tobirama wanted to take on higher-level missions to face stronger enemies and have more opportunities to showcase his skills.
Of course, Tobirama wasn't foolish. He knew better than to demand to take on S-rank missions on the battlefield, as that would be akin to seeking death.
"We can't just casually join another team like that, can we?" Hiashi asked uncertainly.
"You can be more assertive in your tone. Of course, we can't," Ebisu shook his head.
They were on a battlefield, after all. How could ninjas be allowed to merge and form teams as they pleased? That would create complete chaos.
"It's not possible in theory, but I can ask Mu Yue sensei about it," Kakashi suggested after some thought.
Kakashi thought that merging with Might Guy's team would be beneficial for both sides.
His team would gain a powerful fighter in Might Guy, and Ebisu and Hiashi would be safer.
With seven ninjas on their team, they would be more than capable of handling A-rank missions. In fact, when they usually took on A-rank missions in Konoha, Kakashi and his team rarely needed Mu Yue or Hatake Kakashi to intervene, as long as nothing unexpected happened.
"Team up with my best friend? I'm all for it!" Might Guy was also eager to fight alongside Kakashi.
After discussing it among themselves, they decided to find Mu Yue and ask for his opinion.
"It's a good thing that you want to take on more responsibility. Let me mention it to Orochimaru-sama, and I'll help you make it happen," Mu Yue encouraged his disciples, indicating that he would assist them.
This was also a good thing for Mu Yue, as it would make his life easier. He wouldn't have to split his efforts to protect his disciples in different locations.
With all his disciples on the same battlefield, Mu Yue had to treat them equally and ensure their safety.
Although Uchiha Madara definitely wouldn't target Might Guy, the tragedy that befell Might Guy in the original story occurred in Kirigakure, so extra precaution was necessary.
Orochimaru didn't hesitate to lend his support for Mu Yue's upcoming achievements. He directly agreed to let Might Guy's team merge with Kakashi's team and even granted them permission to take on higher-level missions.
"Since we don't have a sensei with us, we'll need a vice-captain. I used to be the vice-captain of our team, but now that we've merged with another team, it's only fair that we hold a new election," Kakashi suggested, taking the initiative.
If it were just Might Guy joining their team, a re-election wouldn't be necessary. But since it was the entire Might Guy team joining, a new election was essential to ensure that the chosen vice-captain would be recognized and followed by everyone.
In the end, Kakashi was elected vice-captain once again with an overwhelming majority of six votes. Everyone except Tobirama, who voted for Nohara Rin, cast their votes for Kakashi.
While Might Guy gave them a strong sense of security, Ebisu and Hiashi felt that Kakashi was more suitable for a leadership position.
Usually, whenever their team needed to use their brains, Ebisu was the one who stepped up. But now, with a better candidate in Kakashi, Ebisu knew he couldn't compare, and he wouldn't put himself forward.
(End of Chapter)
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