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Chapter 462: Fiery Sun, Mu Yue
Chapter 462: Fiery Sun, Mu Yue
"To slay a complete tailed beast with your own hands, Mu Yue, your name and this strike will forever be remembered in the ninja world after this battle. I shall report your achievement to the higher-ups shortly." Orochimaru approached Mu Yue with a smile on his face.
It was rare for him to reveal such an expression, but he knew it would make him appear more amicable.
"It was just a clever tactic, and it was a team effort. If it weren't for the attacks from our forces and the opportunity you and Jugo created for me, I wouldn't have been able to kill the jinchuriki," Mu Yue replied after some thought.
Mu Yue wasn't being overly modest. This battle was indeed the result of a united effort. Whether it was Mu Yue and Orochimaru, who provided the main assault, or Ino-Shika-Cho and the other Konoha jonin, each had contributed to varying degrees.
"The might of our forces is indeed crucial, but the final blow you delivered, Mu Yue, was even more critical," Orochimaru said with a slight shake of his head.
The head of a jinchuriki was not easily obtained, and Mu Yue's Flying Thunder God had played an indispensable role.
After his statement, Orochimaru didn't linger in conversation with Mu Yue and soon departed to attend to other matters.
He knew how to gauge the situation; displaying his intentions too obviously and intensely would only breed resentment. Moreover, Orochimaru was genuinely busy at the moment.
Despite their victory in the battle, the fighting on the eastern front was not entirely concluded, as Yugao Uzuki had fled with a substantial force of Kirigakure shinobi. This presented a significant problem.
Orochimaru also needed to report the process and outcome of the battle to the Konoha higher-ups and make arrangements for the various tasks that lay ahead.
"Teacher Mu Yue, what's the name of that jutsu you used to create a little sun in the sky?" Hidan eagerly stepped forward and inquired as soon as Orochimaru walked away.
That jutsu was incredibly cool, and Hidan genuinely wanted to learn it.
The ability to turn a patch of night into daylight, in Hidan's opinion, was akin to a sage's ability.
"Fiery Sun Jutsu," Mu Yue replied after a moment's thought.
The name 'Big Sunny Day' didn't quite fit as a jutsu name, so Mu Yue gave it a more Fire Shadow-style moniker.
"Fiery Sun Jutsu," Hidan murmured, "How fitting. A blazing sun appears after using it."
Then, with expectant eyes, he looked at Mu Yue and asked, "Teacher Mu Yue, do you think I can learn this jutsu?"
"Yes, you can learn it," Mu Yue affirmed.
In that instant, Hidan had even envisioned his future moniker—Hidan of the Blazing Flames, the Fiercest Fire Tiger of Konoha.
"But I don't recommend that you learn it right now," Mu Yue added, dashing Hidan's hopes.
"Why not? Isn't this jutsu very powerful?" Hidan asked, perplexed.
If Mu Yue hadn't suddenly used Big Sunny Day, their victory in the recent battle would have been much harder to attain.
"While the Fiery Sun Jutsu is indeed potent in terms of its overall effect, it's not as useful as you might think in small-scale daily battles," Mu Yue explained.
When he had first obtained Big Sunny Day, Mu Yue had tested it and found that using the Fire Breath Chakra Mode was more effective and chakra-efficient than the jutsu.
Big Sunny Day was akin to deploying a field that enhanced fire-style jutsu and weakened water-style jutsu. The range, duration, and strength of the field depended on the amount of chakra expended.
When Mu Yue had tested it by expending 40,000 chakra points, he had only managed to cover an area of 200 meters with the effect, and it had lasted for just five minutes.
In the recent battle, Mu Yue had managed to envelop the entire battlefield by expending a large amount of chakra and sacrificing some of the jutsu's strength.
In typical squad battles or solo fights, 200 meters was insufficient, and it was quite easy to exceed the range of Big Sunny Day. Sacrificing strength for range was simply not as effective as using the Fire Breath Chakra Mode and employing multiple jutsu.
"Moreover, this jutsu is difficult to master. You'd have to devote a significant amount of time to learning it exclusively," Mu Yue said, presenting the final hurdle for Hidan.
The high difficulty of Big Sunny Day was the primary reason Mu Yue felt Hidan shouldn't attempt to learn it at this stage.
Otherwise, even if it wasn't particularly useful in most situations, Mu Yue wouldn't have minded his disciples having more techniques in their arsenal, as they could always choose not to use it.
The most challenging jutsu Mu Yue had ever encountered was the localized version of the Transformation Technique. He had no idea how to teach that one.
Following that was Big Sunny Day. The first hurdle in learning it was the requirement for a high-level fire-attribute chakra nature alteration, which Hidan could barely meet thanks to the boost provided by the Fire Breath Chakra Mode.
The second difficulty was the inherently arduous training process. Given Hidan's rate of learning jutsu, Mu Yue estimated that he would need to focus on it exclusively for at least half a year before he could use it.
That time would be better spent focusing on other methods of increasing his strength.
The Lightning Blade No-Thought Sword was actually even more challenging than Big Sunny Day. However, since the process of training it brought about tangible improvements in strength, Mu Yue had taught it to Kakashi after he met the requirements.
Disappointment was evident on Hidan's face. Even if the jutsu couldn't be of much use in battles, he still wanted to learn it. At the very least, he could use it for showboating outside of combat.
However, upon hearing that it would take a long time to learn, Hidan reconsidered. Strength was the foundation of everything, and any jutsu that might hinder his growth wasn't worth pursuing. Otherwise, he would end up losing to his fellow disciples in their sparring matches.
Hidan didn't want to be constantly punished with tedious assignments just because he wanted to show off. The cost was too high.
After chatting with his disciples, Mu Yue treated Might Guy's injuries and was approached by Choji Akimichi and the others.
"Mu Yue, we owe you our thanks for today's battle. Otherwise, I would've been in grave danger from that tail," Choji said with a hearty laugh.
"If there's anything you need help with in the future, just say the word. While I may not be as strong as you, I have access to many resources when it comes to cultivating secret medicines."
"It's only natural for companions to help each other out," Mu Yue said with a gentle smile, before his expression turned slightly troubled. "I don't have any particular need for secret medicines, but there are some rare herbs I wish to purchase, and some of them are quite hard to come by."
Mu Yue possessed the formula for restorative medicines and could refine them himself. However, some of the ingredients were indeed extremely rare, and even with money, it would be challenging to acquire them.
Choji Akimichi laughed heartily and slapped his hand on Nara Shikamaru's shoulder. "Then you've come to the right person! The medical system in Konoha relies on the Nara clan for their supply of herbs. Just leave it to Shikamaru here."
Nara Shikamaru nodded slightly. "If there are any herbs you wish to purchase, Mu Yue, just give me a list, and I'll have someone prepare them."
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were like one entity, and by saving Choji, Mu Yue had effectively saved them all. It was only natural for Nara Shikamaru to offer some assistance.
Even without this incident, Nara Shikamaru would likely have helped anyway, as he had high hopes for Mu Yue's future.
"Thank you so much, Shikamaru. I'll write out the list and give it to you when I have the time," Mu Yue expressed his gratitude with a smile.
He intended to only entrust the purchase of the rarer herbs to Nara Shikamaru, as he could acquire the more common ones himself.
This restorative medicine was a little too effective, and if it fell into the wrong hands, it could cause trouble.
Following their victory, Orochimaru did not pursue the Kirigakure ninja but instead allowed his forces to rest for the night. It was only in the morning that he sent a large number of Konoha ninja to sweep through the eastern front.
It seemed that Yugao Uzuki had anticipated Orochimaru's desire to beat them while they were down, as she led the Kirigakure forces back to the Water Country. Orochimaru only managed to capture a few Kirigakure ninja who had been left behind to gather intelligence.
And thus, the war on the eastern front concluded with a resounding victory for the Konoha ninja forces.
...
Konoha Village.
In the Hokage's office, a meeting was underway.
"Hiruzen, if you had listened to me earlier and sent Mu Yue to the battlefield, perhaps we would have achieved even greater success by now," Danzo Shimura exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement as he addressed the Third Hokage.
He had been advocating for deploying Mu Yue to assist Orochimaru, and it was only when Orochimaru was reassigned to the eastern front that Hiruzen Sarutobi finally relented.
Now, with Mu Yue's impressive performance, Danzo felt vindicated, and it was a direct boost to his reputation, while also serving as a strike against Hiruzen. It was a clear demonstration that his eye for talent surpassed that of the Hokage.
Danzo was aware that he was perhaps taking too much pleasure in this, but he couldn't help himself. This was a sweet moment of vindication, and all of Hiruzen's past rebukes now reflected back on him.
At this moment, Danzo's regard for Mu Yue peaked, and he felt that Mu Yue was the perfect product of the Root Organization, the most successful creation since its inception.
After all, never before had a Root member given him the opportunity to outshine the Hokage so thoroughly.
"Perhaps Mu Yue needed that period of quiet cultivation to shine so brightly on the battlefield," Hiruzen countered.
Hiruzen did feel a bit embarrassed, but he didn't feel as though he was being directly challenged. After all, Mu Yue was, in a way, his semi-disciple.
When a disciple achieves greatness, a teacher should feel proud, not embarrassed. Hiruzen only felt that his teaching abilities had once again been proven.
When Mu Yue had left Root, he was already a capable shinobi, considered an elite among the jonin. Yet, his current strength far surpassed that.
While Mu Yue's current prowess couldn't be solely attributed to Hiruzen, the Third Hokage had certainly played a part. Many of Mu Yue's jutsu had been rewards from Hiruzen, and he had also taught him nature transformation.
"Or perhaps Mu Yue would have become even stronger if he had gained battlefield experience earlier!" Danzo asserted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He was feeling particularly confident at the moment, as Mu Yue's deployment to the front lines was the result of his persistent recommendations.
Hiruzen shot Danzo a dark look. If it weren't for Danzo's contributions, he would have kicked him out of the meeting room by now. His incessant harping on this one point was tiresome, and one might think that Danzo was the one who had single-handedly slain the jinchuriki.
"There's no need to argue over this any further," Homura Mitokado interjected. "You both have valid points, Danzo. You discovered Mu Yue's potential and Hiruzen nurtured him."
Usually, he would side with Hiruzen, but on this matter, it was difficult to refute Danzo's stance.
"Let's move on to more pressing matters," Koharu Utatane added. "How should we handle our relationship with Kirigakure from here on out?"
Danzo's expression gradually calmed, and he nodded slightly.
Knowing Hiruzen as he did, Danzo realized that the Hokage was likely at the end of his patience. It was time to back off, or he might provoke Hiruzen into taking action against Root.
While Danzo believed that everything he did was for the good of Konoha, many of his actions did not align with the village's rules and would not withstand scrutiny.
"We should demand compensation from Kirigakure for our losses in the war," Danzo stated bluntly. "If they refuse, we continue the fight."
Not only had they killed Kirigakure's jinchuriki of the Three-Tails, but they had also slain powerful ninja like Mizuuki Mangetsu and Kirigakure Oboro. It was an overwhelming victory, and if not for the other ongoing battles, Danzo would have advocated for razing Kirigakure to the ground.
"That's too aggressive," Homura objected. "According to the information relayed by Orochimaru, Yugao Uzuki still commands a significant number of ninja in Kirigakure, and they possess the jinchuriki of the Six-Tails. They are not so weak as to readily agree to our demands for large-scale reparations.
Furthermore, with the Six-Tails jinchuriki still in their possession, Kirigakure still boasted considerable military might.
"So, what now? Are we just going to unconditionally seek peace after winning a major victory?" Danzo Shimura retorted.
If Hiruzen were to suggest that, Danzo would strongly object; it would be far too humiliating.
"Of course not," Hiruzen shook his head.
How could they unconditionally seek peace after being invaded and fighting so hard for their homeland? That was something no Konoha ninja could tolerate.
"We can't ask for compensation, and unconditional peace is out of the question. So, what do you suggest?" Danzo asked bluntly.
Surely Hiruzen wasn't thinking of having Konoha compensate Kirigakure? If so, Danzo would have to see what was going on in the Hokage's head.
"Since the Kirigakure forces have withdrawn from Fire Country, let's temporarily set aside the issue of Kirigakure," Hiruzen proposed.
"Although the Kirigakure forces still have some fighting strength left, they have also suffered considerable losses. Such a major defeat will surely make them think twice before engaging Konoha again. Let's deal with our other ongoing battles first, and then we can send forces to handle Kirigakure."
Hiruzen's idea was quite simple: maintain a tacit peace.
Konoha would not demand compensation from Kirigakure, and in return, Kirigakure would lie low and refrain from provoking Konoha. This way, both sides could save face and achieve what they wanted.
Konoha would have one less enemy to deal with for the time being, and Kirigakure could recover from their defeat without paying a price.
"That's a good idea, Hiruzen. It takes into account Konoha's current situation," Homura Mitokado nodded in agreement.
He felt that Hiruzen's proposal was the most suitable course of action for Konoha's current situation; it would allow them to save face while also reducing the number of their enemies.
"Demanding compensation is indeed inappropriate. Asking for too little would be meaningless, and they certainly won't agree to a large-scale reparation," Koharu Utatane also agreed with Hiruzen's plan.
In the end, Hiruzen's proposal for handling the aftermath of the Kirigakure invasion was passed with a three-to-one majority.
Danzo huffed coldly but remained silent.
After thinking it over, he conceded that Hiruzen's suggestion made sense. However, since today was a rare occasion for Hiruzen to shine, Danzo didn't want to back down.
After discussing the major decision regarding Kirigakure, the meeting moved on to arrangements for the ninjas on the Eastern Front, rewards for meritorious ninjas, and promotions.
Due to his contributions on the battlefield and the recommendation of Orochimaru, Hiruzen decided to promote Obito to a full-fledged jonin.
Although Obito's theoretical understanding was lacking, his exceptional talent and impressive resume gave Hiruzen no reason to hold him back, especially during wartime.
To spread the news of this great victory and boost the morale of Konoha's ninjas, Hiruzen ordered the Konoha Report staff to work overtime to publish a new issue, and he mobilized resources to promote the news throughout Fire Country and other nations.
"The Eastern Front has achieved a significant victory! The Three-Tails jinchuriki of Kirigakure has fallen, and their ninja forces have been routed out of Fire Country!" Tsunade nodded as she read the newspaper that Shizune had bought while out shopping.
Killing a jinchuriki was no small feat, and driving out the only invading ninja village was also a significant accomplishment.
However, Tsunade furrowed her brows when she read the first subheading.
"The collaboration between the Sannin Orochimaru and the rising star of Konoha, Mu Yue, the Fiery Sun, in slaying a complete tailed beast."
The scene of Mu Yue releasing the Big Sunny Day jutsu was so impressive that the nickname "Fiery Sun" quickly spread among the Konoha ninja forces. The reporter thought it was catchy and used it in the article.
"Hmm, is Mu Yue that strong? I didn't realize he played such a significant role in killing the jinchuriki, alongside Orochimaru," Tsunade remarked, surprised.
She wasn't very clear about Mu Yue's strength, as she had never paid much attention to it. For Tsunade, Mu Yue's culinary skills were a more significant concern.
However, she was indeed surprised by Mu Yue's achievements. The Konoha Report was usually reliable, and if Mu Yue hadn't played a pivotal role in the battle against the jinchuriki, his name wouldn't have been mentioned alongside Orochimaru's.
"He's quite strong. I guess there's no need for him to develop a chakra-storing seal technique. I wonder where he gets the motivation to train so diligently," Tsunade muttered to herself as she tossed the newspaper aside and continued lounging on the sofa.
With the release of the latest issue of the Konoha Report, the name "Fiery Sun Mu Yue" quickly spread throughout Konoha.
Former colleagues of Mu Yue from the Ninja Academy couldn't help but feel amazed. Just two years ago, they were all teachers together.
And now, two years later, Mu Yue had become a jonin, the vice-principal, and had made a name for himself on the battlefield. It was truly unimaginable.
However, some people soon noticed a peculiar similarity. Like the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, Mu Yue had blond hair and a similar appearance, and they both possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique.
This led to inevitable comparisons between the two.
Some believed Mu Yue was stronger because he had killed a jinchuriki, while Minato had only managed a draw against the Akatsuki duo.
Others argued that Minato was stronger because Mu Yue had Orochimaru's help and the support of the ninja forces, whereas Minato had fought the Akatsuki duo alone.
However, everyone agreed that they were among the strongest ninjas of the new generation in Konoha, if not the entire ninja world.
(End of Chapter)
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