https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-826-The-Leaf-Village-Rescue-Team-/12943817/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-828-The-Ultimate-Scapegoat-Nagato-/12943833/
Chapter 827: Interception and the Elephant Transformation Technique!
Chapter 827: Interception and the Elephant Transformation Technique!
The River Country!
This is where the pursuit target is located.
Since Gaara is the Jinchuriki of the Sand Village, it's natural that they would have a means to track him, ensuring they can find him.
Thus, the Sand Village's pursuit squad consists of Chiyade, Maki, Yuru, and Kan Kyuuro.
With this lineup, it's undoubtedly impressive.
After all, Chiyade is an experienced Shadow-level ninja, Maki is an elite Jonin, and Yuru and Kan Kyuuro are no slouches in combat either.
Moreover, with Chiyade in the team, they can handle any situation.
The River Country!
Conveniently located between the Fire Country and the Wind Country, both sides will meet in this small country.
Oh, right!
The southern region of this small country has completely taken on the shape of the Radiant Sun Country.
Due to the prolonged influx of refugees, it now has a population of over five million.
Don't underestimate this number!
In the Shinobi World, some small countries might barely reach a million, and only the Five Great Countries have populations exceeding a hundred million.
It can be said that this population is already quite substantial.
Furthermore, this is because the River Country serves as a transit point for refugees, with a massive number already resettled in the Tea Country, Wind Country, Water Country, and other places.
Oh, and to promote the benefits of these locations, Tang Ping also has the ships occasionally bring back some of the relocated citizens to the River Country to 'testify' and ensure that life is genuinely better there, not a life of suffering.
This strategy ensures that the refugees in the River Country never resist relocation plans, eliminating concerns about being treated as disposable.
Even so, there are still over five million people 'crowded' into the southern region of the River Country.
This area, due to its proximity to the Skyguard Tower and the presence of a port, is an ideal 'industrial zone,' and with abundant water resources, it produces everything except cutting-edge products, making it even larger in scale and quantity than the Skyguard Tower.
Warships, airships... the core components of flying machines are all manufactured at the Skyguard Tower, while the other parts are produced in the River Country.
The Akatsuki Organization would never willingly walk into a trap, setting up their base within the controlled area of the Radiant Sun Country; that would be suicidal.
It's the north!
The northern part of the River Country has never fallen into the hands of the Radiant Sun Country.
Not due to a lack of strength, but by choice.
In the past, they didn't want to attract too much attention by occupying an entire small country.
Now, they simply don't want to.
No comparison, no harm!
If they were to occupy the entire River Country, and everyone lived the same life, some might think that life under the Radiant Sun Country's governance is just as good.
However, with a nearby comparison target, these refugees would clearly understand the kind of life they are living.
Happiness is all about comparison!
Tang Ping understands this principle all too well.
So, in the River Country, he only occupies a small area.
At the same time, he constantly informs his people about the lives of the refugees just across the border.
The results prove that this strategy is highly effective.
The northern and southern parts of the River Country, separated only by a border, seem like two entirely different worlds.
It even purifies their faith to a certain extent.
The northern part of the River Country.
In a pitch-black, spacious cave by the river.
A colossal golem stands, with ten members of the Akatsuki Organization standing on its ten fingers, each wearing a black uniform with red cloud markings and performing hand seals.
Extracting the Tailed Beast is not an instantaneous process.
It requires multiple Shadow-level powerhouses to maintain the Illusionary Dragon Nine-Sealing Technique, and the process takes a significant amount of time, so they have already been at it for over a day.
However, extracting the One-Tailed Beast will take half a day, so upon learning that pursuit teams from the Sand Village and the Leaf Village are on their way, they naturally need to find a way to buy more time.
"The pursuit forces from the Leaf Village and the Sand Village are on their way. Who will go and delay them?"
Tendou Pain asks in a detached tone.
The organization members who appeared in this dark cave used the Illusionary Dragon Body Technique, so only their eyes are visible.
"I'll go!"
The owner of the blood-red eyes speaks up.
"Alright, you two will assist Scorpion and his team!"
Pain nods.
Although he had used the Shadow Body Technique to appear here, his real body was not present. However, he could also use the Phantom Transfer Technique to transfer most of his power into a prepared sacrifice, allowing it to fight directly.
Whether it was the Shadow Body Technique or the Phantom Transfer Technique, both were abilities of the Reincarnation Eye, naturally making them wondrous and powerful.
Soon, outside the cave, two unconscious ninjas were covered in a large amount of white paper, and then transformed into the appearance of Great Filial Son and Ghost Shark.
"Is this the Phantom Transfer Technique?"
Itachi murmured to himself, feeling the power of this body.
Even though it wasn't his own body, he could control it freely, and even use the Sharingan, as long as it wasn't the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Wondrous!
That was the only way to describe it.
As for Ghost Shark, he revealed his eager fangs.
Battle was what he loved.
It would have been better if he could bring along Samehada, but that wasn't possible.
"Next, let me witness the strength of the Sand Ninja and the Mist Ninja!"
Ghost Shark rushed towards the location where Pain had provided intelligence, where the two teams were gathering.
Itachi silently followed without a word.
At this moment, he was thinking about who the Leaf Village messenger was and how he could reasonably hold back without drawing attention.
When dealing with other targets, he was decisive as a sofa, but when facing the Leaf Village, he was incredibly gentle.
It could only be said that in Itachi's heart, his clan was just an accident, and the village and his brother were his true love.
On the other side!
Chiyade and the others, along with two support teams from the Leaf Village, gathered.
"What's going on?"
Asuma's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at the people in front of him, feeling a bit puzzled.
Even if the Kazekage, Yakujo, didn't come personally, it was unlikely that new generation powerhouses like Shuro and Maki wouldn't be present.
It was only because of the presence of the respected elder advisor, Chiyade, and the elite Jonin, Maki, that Asuma didn't suspect some kind of conspiracy from the other party.
"Elder Chiyade, this mission will be 'assisted' by us from the Leaf Village to help the Sand Ninja complete it. I wonder if you agree?"
Asuma first emphasized the nature of the mission.
Assistance wasn't the same as support.
It meant that the Sand Ninja would take the lead, and they also had full autonomy, not subordinates of the other party.
Although emphasizing this seemed redundant, it was actually very necessary.
Otherwise, if the other party gave an order that put them in danger, would he have to listen?
At the same time, it also indicated that the Leaf Village would only help complete the mission and wouldn't take advantage of the situation.
It could only be said that in this assistance, the Leaf Village truly had no ulterior motives.
After all, the current Leaf Village was too weak and indeed needed an 'ally'.
And the Sand Ninja was a very good choice.
Among the powerful allies, only the four great ninja villages were suitable.
Among them, the Cloud Ninja and the Rock Ninja would never be considered allies by the Leaf Village.
There was only one reason for this.
If they formed an alliance, who would have the advantage in terms of leadership?
With similar strengths, it was naturally impossible to easily give up leadership.
Moreover, these two ninja villages dreamed of pulling the Leaf Village down from its position as the leader of the ninja villages. Forming an alliance with them was as dangerous as a mouse seeking an alliance with a cat.
As for the Mist Ninja, due to their distance and the fact that they were too far away, even if an alliance was formed, the help they could provide to the Leaf Village wouldn't be significant.
Therefore, the Sand Ninja, who were weaker than the Leaf Village but closer in distance, was a better choice for an alliance.
As for their personal grudges?
Please, the Shinobi World is a place where war is as common as eating and drinking. If you really want to calculate grudges, Ohnoki also killed the Third Raikage, but that didn't stop them from working together for mutual benefit, did it?
Grudges are grudges, and benefits are benefits! Ninjas are clear about this and have never let their personal grudges affect the village.
It's like before Tang Ping's transmigration, how could those mercenaries let their personal grudges affect the company?
Under the premise of wanting to win over the Sand Ninja, it's not surprising that the Leaf Village attached such importance to this rescue mission.
Not only did they dispatch the 'Dragon of the Leaf', but they also sent two important teams.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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