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Chapter 622: Lightning Strike in the Land of Fire
Chapter 622: Lightning Strike in the Land of Fire
"Huff..."
Nara Yakumo, Inuzuka Tsuki, and Aburame Naoya panted heavily.
"You're too strong, Shimura Danzo. We can't beat you; there's just no way," Inuzuka Tsuki admitted, defeated.
The one who excelled the most in taijutsu among them had been thoroughly beaten by Danzo in close-quarters combat. Nara Yakumo's Shadow Imitation Technique couldn't land a hit on the agile Danzo, and Aburame Naoya's insects were burned to a crisp before they could even get close.
"He truly lives up to his reputation," Nara Yakumo marveled inwardly.
Each of the three of them was an exceptional Chunin on their own, and their abilities complemented each other well, so together, they might even be able to defeat a Jonin.
But in front of Danzo, they were like putty in his hands, with no chance of victory in sight.
Aburame Naoya silently nodded in agreement.
"If you train hard, you'll be able to attain my level of strength someday, too," Danzo encouraged them.
"Usually, this is when you'd say something like, 'If you train hard, you'll be able to surpass me,'" Inuzuka Tsuki quipped.
Danzo smiled but remained silent.
He was willing to comfort others, but he wouldn't lie to them, especially when the gap between their strengths was so vast. It wasn't that he looked down on Inuzuka Tsuki and the others; the difference in their skill levels was simply too large.
"Let's take a break. This afternoon, we'll have a lesson with Captain Muyue..." Danzo said.
In the afternoon, not only Inuzuka Tsuki's team but even Danzo, as a squad leader, would be a student, learning alongside Inuzuka Tsuki's team under Muyue's guidance.
"Captain Muyue? Is the captain of this training squad Teacher Muyue?" Inuzuka Tsuki asked, her eyes widening.
She had once participated in special training organized by Muyue and had a strong impression of her.
Danzo nodded. Although 'Muyue' wasn't a particularly unusual name, when followed by the title 'teacher', it could only be the Muyue he was familiar with.
"Alright! We get to attend Teacher Muyue's class again!" Inuzuka Tsuki exclaimed happily.
Nara Yakumo also looked forward to it and wondered if Muyue's lessons would be different in this special training institution.
At noon, the four of them went to the training squad's cafeteria for lunch.
After lunch, they had some free time, which they could use to take a nap or chat with friends.
Danzo chose to find a quiet place to review his performance from the morning.
"I should've been more restrained during the battle and given them more opportunities to showcase their skills. I also need to slow down my speaking pace when explaining things..." Danzo thought back on the areas where he felt he could improve.
"However, overall, today's performance was probably passable."
Danzo's heart wasn't as calm as he appeared on the surface.
Previously, he had always been the one being taught, but now he suddenly had to step up as a squad leader and guide others. Danzo wasn't very confident; he felt that being able to learn well himself and being able to teach others effectively were two different things.
However, judging from Inuzuka Tsuki and the others' reactions, he seemed to have done an adequate job, and they didn't seem to dislike him.
...
On the border of the Land of Fields:
"All eleven teams have arrived, and there were no incidents!" reported the tanned Konoha Jonin from Kumo, addressing the Fourth Raikage.
The Fourth Raikage nodded and ordered, "Let the troops rest immediately. We will be moving tonight."
Nighttime maneuvers were not only more covert but also took advantage of the enemy's most vulnerable period, making it the perfect time to strike.
The Kumo Jonin nodded and quickly relayed the Fourth Raikage's orders to his small team.
"I wonder if we'll get to face Namikaze Minato this time. If we do, we'll show him what we're capable of!" Killer B said, his face twisted in anger.
He was a highly confident individual, but Minato's performance had left him wary of this opponent.
Since leaving Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage had defeated numerous so-called elders, and he had only suffered losses twice: once to the mysterious Kirigakure ninja, whose information he couldn't uncover, and the other time to Minato Namikaze.
While the mysterious Kirigakure ninja remained elusive despite the Fourth Raikage's extensive investigations, it was Minato's abilities and combat prowess that truly made the Fourth Raikage cautious.
"It's not underestimation, but confidence from the heart! We fear no one, and we shall not retreat, for we are Kumogakure's Killer B duo!" Killer B replied in a rhythmic tone.
The Fourth Raikage gave his brother a look, his face lined with exasperation. His younger brother was perfect in every way, except for his big mouth.
"Get some rest. What's coming next is a battle to the death!" The Fourth Raikage said unsympathetically as he struck Killer B's head with the edge of his hand.
Logically, Konoha wouldn't have deployed any ninja forces in this area, at most, there would only be a few ninja squads on patrol, which the Kumogakure forces could easily crush.
However, when it came to war, one could never be too cautious, and strategies should not be based on the best-case scenario.
"Yes, brother," Killer B acknowledged seriously. With a light leap, he jumped onto a tree branch and promptly fell asleep.
"I wonder when he'll truly grow up," the Fourth Raikage sighed, shaking his head at his brother's antics.
Killer B was already seventeen this year, no longer a child, yet his personality remained childish.
The Fourth Raikage then proceeded to inspect the condition of his forces.
As the commander, he couldn't afford to rest just yet, even if his troops were taking a break.
Not all the troops had assembled yet, and he needed to be prepared in case any unforeseen situations arose that required his attention.
Time ticked by slowly, and finally, the last squad arrived at three in the afternoon, just like the others, without incident.
After giving the last team their orders, the Fourth Raikage's face couldn't help but break into a smile.
The situation was developing in the best possible direction. As long as they launched their attack now, they would become the second ninja village to invade the heart of the Land of Fire.
And unlike Kirigakure, which had taken advantage of an opening, they were invading from the border, even if it meant employing a bit of strategy.
At five in the afternoon, the Fourth Raikage had an early dinner and then rested his eyes.
Most of the Kumogakure forces were resting at this point, with only a small number keeping watch over their surroundings.
At half-past ten in the evening, the Fourth Raikage woke up and ordered the troops to make their final preparations.
Midnight.
Clad in Kumogakure's combat attire, the Fourth Raikage stood before a force of one thousand two hundred Kumogakure ninjas, his face stern as he gave the order, "Invade the Land of Fire!"
No more words were needed. The well-trained Kumogakure ninjas immediately charged toward the border of the Land of Fire in their planned formation.
The dark complexion of the Kumogakure ninjas blended seamlessly with the pitch-black night, making them nearly invisible to those with poor eyesight.
Of course, most ninjas didn't fall into the category of poor eyesight.
"A large number of ninjas are attacking from the direction of the Land of Fields!" The border patrol ninja shouted in alarm, quickly grabbing a signal flare from his ninja tool pouch, ready to fire it into the sky.
(End of Chapter)
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