Chapter 446: Mist Ninja Army: Deployment!
Chapter 446: Mist Ninja Army: Deployment!
A massive ironclad warship slowly sailed into the port.
Blazing Sun!
This was the strongest ship of the Heavenly Fortress and the core of the Blazing Sun Fleet, finally arriving from the Tea Country.
Hmm, the second and third ships are also under construction.
Just by appearance, the Blazing Sun differed greatly in style from the other ironclad warships.
The other aircraft carriers and battleships didn't differ much from the previous ships, except for the replacement of wood with steel.
But the Blazing Sun's design alone set it apart from these warships, not to mention its actual capabilities.
After such a long transport journey, the Blazing Sun had undergone various tests and was incredibly stable, ensuring no issues.
Especially the Black Rods!
Just one of them could support the Blazing Sun's operation for over half a year, an absolute blast.
The Blazing Sun brought tremendous benefits to the Heavenly Fortress.
Especially for the smaller countries near Demon Country, numerous specialties could be transported out, and then the Heavenly Fortress's products could be supplied to them.
A huge profit!
Trade was the way to go.
However, to engage in trade, a reliable transportation method was essential. If they had to rely on carts like before... it was better to just give up.
Stomp!
Dong Ping, accompanied by Hyuga Cangyue, Shan Jian Hao Er, Ye Cang, and other high-ranking officials, stepped onto the deck.
"Let's go! It's time to show the Mist Ninja our true strength!"
"Yes!"
Shan Jian Hao Er nodded and then ordered the fleet to set sail.
Whoosh!
The Blazing Sun slowly started its engines and headed towards the fleet that had already raised anchor and was waiting outside the port.
This surprise attack required secrecy, so preparations had to be made on all fronts.
The battle lines were drawn south of the Heavenly Fortress, in a cluster of islands west of the Tea Country.
This position blocked the entrance to the central waters of the Heavenly Fortress.
As long as this area was held, the Mist Ninja Army would dare not venture further, or they risked having their retreat cut off, or being sandwiched like cheese.
Each island became a focal point of contention between the two sides.
With the Heavenly Fortress' prior arrangements, they naturally held the advantage of terrain, forcing the Mist Ninja Army to pay a heavy price.
Almost every island was drenched in the blood of Mist Ninja.
If he didn't know the truth, Dong Ping would certainly have thought so.
But upon learning that many noble forces were involved in this Mist Ninja Army, he realized how cunning they were.
Just by sending one name, countless cannon fodder would pave the way for them, not to mention their well-secured supply lines, making their lives heavenly.
So, even with heavy losses, the Mist Ninja had no intention of retreating. As long as other families' children kept dying, they could sit back and enjoy the show.
However, the front-line Mist Ninja Army had now developed new ideas.
They had received intelligence from the village.
"How is this possible?"
A female ninja with reddish-brown hair, a vertical braid, and sharp teeth exclaimed after reading the intelligence in her hand.
Rin Keinuyuri!
That was her name, and she was one of the new generation's strong Mist Ninja.
She already possessed the strength of an elite Jonin, specializing in lightning techniques, and her greatest desire was for the Lightning Blade, one of the Seven Ninja Swords. However, the sword had been taken by a traitor and hadn't been retrieved yet.
In this battle against the Heavenly Fortress, she had also made a name for herself.
At the very least, she held her own against Scarlet Lotus, one of the Heavenly Fortress' new generation leaders.
Geniuses had their privileges, so even with her low status and insufficient experience, she was allowed to participate in this crucial meeting.
"Nothing is impossible. This is intelligence sent jointly by Master Yuan and the village's higher-ups; it can't be wrong!"
Sitting at the head was an old Quasi-Kage.
Nagai Hideo!
He represented the neutral civilian faction within the village, so his appointment as the leader of the Mist Ninja Army faced no opposition.
With his high prestige, even a genius like Rin Keinuyuri didn't dare to challenge him.
"What should we do next? Should we retreat?" asked a High Rank Ninja.
With the village in trouble, they naturally wanted to return as soon as possible.
"No, we must attack with all our might!"
Nagai Hideo issued a command that surprised them all.
(End of Chapter)After such a major incident in the village, not only did they not retreat, but they launched a full-scale attack. If the speaker wasn't a commander who had been in charge for a considerable time, they'd genuinely want to ask if he was also being manipulated by illusion techniques.
Without holding back, Nagai Hideo continued, "It's precisely because the village is in trouble that we must strike with all our might to force Konoha to seek peace with us!"
His words made perfect sense.
If the Mist Village were to reveal its weakness, other forces might very well gang up on them.
Especially the Cloud Ninjas! They are no saints, known for their domineering and aggressive nature in the Ninja World.
Conflicts with the Mist Ninjas were not uncommon.
After all, the profits from maritime trade were enormous, and neither side had ever backed down from a fight.
If the Cloud Ninjas knew of the Mist Village's weakness, they would undoubtedly attack without hesitation.
Therefore, not only must they not withdraw, but they must also showcase their prowess, asserting to the Ninja World that they remain one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, unaffected in strength.
The ninjas, all of them intelligent, naturally understood that this was the right course of action, and so no one objected.
Note that their goal was to pressure Konoha into submission by attacking the Heavenly Fortress, not to breach the fortress itself. They were well aware that the three Shadow Level Shinobis with titles like 'Purifying Flame', 'Storm's Wrath', and 'Thunder Fire Queen' were not mere decorations, and alongside them were numerous unnamed strong Shinobis of Shadow Level strength. They dared not claim they could conquer the Heavenly Fortress.
Of course, if they disregarded casualties, there was still a chance.
After all, no matter how powerful the enemy, facing thousands of Mist Ninjas and a large number of cannon fodder, even the strongest could only handle so many.
They were also aware of the Heavenly Fortress's greatest weakness.
"But if we don't retreat after the village encounters trouble, how will we manage our logistics?" asked a Mist Ninja in charge of logistics.
Although the nobility handled logistics, they did so by purchasing supplies from the Mist Ninjas with money and then having the Mist Ninjas transport them to the frontlines.
This arrangement was to avoid any suspicion of interference.
With the Mist Village in disarray, money could not be exchanged for supplies.
"No problem. Haven't those guys been urging us to take action? Go negotiate with them. If they're willing to prepare war supplies for us, we'll fulfill their demands!" Nagai Hideo's tone carried a hint of mockery.
Were those people treating everyone as fools, allowing themselves to be manipulated?
Since they were taking action, it was only natural to seize the opportunity to gain something from the other party.
It must be said that Nagai Hideo was indeed a brilliant strategist, and with his strength as a Quasi-Kage, he could be described as 'both scholarly and martial.'
In the original storyline, he had no notable achievements, possibly dying unexpectedly. This time, due to Dong Ping's butterfly effect, he had the chance to showcase his talents.
"Yes!" The Mist Ninja in charge of logistics nodded.
With the logistics issue resolved, the next challenge was the offensive strategy.
For this, Nagai Hideo planned a 'direct assault.'
Given their overwhelming strength, there was no need for risky tactics; a straightforward attack would suffice.
The attendees naturally had no objections to his strategy, as they shared the same perspective.
What the Heavenly Fortress made them wary of was its high-end combat power. As for the ninjas, although they were formidable, facing an absolute numerical disadvantage, they posed no threat.
Especially when compared to the ninja coalition army formed by the Fire Country Daimyo, they had a fundamental difference.
Belonging to the same Mist Village ensured they wouldn't face internal division. Sending infiltrators was possible, but the numbers would never be significant.
Unfortunately, they were unaware that the Heavenly Fortress was also anticipating such a grand battle.
If the Mist Ninjas were to disperse their forces, even their trump cards might not have a significant impact.
Thus, upon learning of the Mist Ninjas' actions, Dong Ping even ordered the fleet to slow down and stall for two days before arriving at the battlefield on the day of the decisive battle.
(Chapter End)
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