Chapter 952: Ambassador Shikamaru!
Chapter 952: Ambassador Shikamaru!
"If my intelligence is correct, the one who performed the Edo Tensei Forbidden Technique is Orochimaru's assistant, Kabuto Yakushi!"
"As long as we deal with him, these Edo Tensei warriors will be defeated without a fight!"
...
Yakura slowly revealed the information.
Among those present, not many were aware of these details.
Even Jiraiya was not entirely clear about this, as Konoha's initial cooperation with Orochimaru was mediated through Danzo, so they didn't have extensive knowledge about him.
As for how Yakura obtained this information, several people were curious, but no one would dare to ask out of politeness.
Intelligence!
For a ninja, this was of utmost importance. Asking about someone's intelligence sources was akin to provoking them and inviting trouble.
Daioku nodded in agreement, "That's indeed a good plan, but how do we find him?"
The decapitation strategy was always effective, regardless of the situation.
If you can't defeat the enemy's forces or their forbidden techniques, you take out the person behind them.
The key was to locate the individual!
Since the person performing the Edo Tensei was likely to be well-hidden, finding him would be challenging.
"We, the Suna ninjas, have a way. Tomorrow, during the battle, we hope you can distract the Edo Tensei warriors and the Akatsuki members, while we Suna and Kiri ninjas take care of the decapitation!"
Yakura proposed her plan with determination.
Naturally, no one would oppose her plan.
If anyone did, they would be met with the response, 'If you think you can do better, then go ahead.'
And so, the plan was approved.
"By the way, we can also send a messenger to the southern region to understand the intentions of the Scorch Sun Army and gather some intelligence!"
Teremie added.
To find out the Scorch Sun Army's objectives, they could simply send someone to ask, and at the same time, gather some 'intelligence.'
After all, until the Ten-Tails' Chakra Flow appeared and they received orders, she and Yakura were part of the Allied Forces, and they had to fulfill their roles.
"The Mizukage's idea is excellent!"
Ai nodded in agreement.
However, he was unsure about who to send as the messenger.
If the messenger wasn't important enough, it might be seen as a sign of disrespect, but sending a high-ranking official could lead to complications if something went wrong.
Although the Scorch Sun Nation hadn't taken any action against them, it didn't mean they were allies, so caution was necessary.
"Raikage, let Konoha handle this task!"
Jiraiya volunteered to take on the mission.
It wasn't that he was unafraid of danger, but rather that each village had its own strengths, and Konoha couldn't afford to lag. At the very least, they needed to demonstrate their worth.
Otherwise, enjoying power without fulfilling responsibilities would be too convenient.
"Then it's all up to the Hokage!"
Ai couldn't possibly refuse someone who willingly stepped up to solve the problem.
With that, the discussion on both matters concluded, and the five Kage dispersed from the command center.
As soon as they left the cave, Jiraiya assigned Shikamaru to take the Allied Forces' token and head south to the area where the Scorch Sun Army was located.
Shikamaru!
Yes, this time, the diplomatic mission wasn't assigned to Mito or Shizune.
The two elder advisors, Mito and Shizune, weren't in the Land of Lightning but were stationed in Konoha.
After all, the village had been rebuilt not long ago, and it was essential to have someone of their caliber overseeing it. There was no one more suitable for the task than them.
Their high prestige, extensive connections, and capabilities... were all commendable! Even Shikamaru's weakened strength, which had regressed to below that of a Jonin, could be seen as an advantage.
Therefore, with the two elders absent, sending Shikamaru as the ambassador was a reasonable decision.
Jiraiya had considered replacing him, as Shikamaru was Nara Shikaku's son, but his request was denied.
Shikamaru's reasoning was sound.
'I am first and foremost a Konoha ninja, and only then Nara Shikaku's son!'
Replacing him would be favoritism and unfair to others.
Of course, Shikamaru also had his own personal motives.
He wanted to meet the Scorch Sun Nation's high-ranking officials and identify the assassin who killed his father.
Hyuga Aozuki!
This individual, according to speculation, was a member of the 'Shell' Organization and was responsible for the deaths of numerous powerful Konoha ninjas.
Shikamaru was determined to meet this formidable opponent in person.
Undoubtedly, such a powerful ninja would accompany the Scorch Sun Army.
The messenger team naturally couldn't consist solely of Shikamaru; it was a small squad of about ten people, with most members from other ninja villages.
It was impossible for the messenger team to be entirely controlled by Konoha; even if the other villages trusted them, they would still send their own representatives.
From Konoha, in addition to Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji and Lee were also part of the team.
Naruto had also been clamoring to come along, but he was outright refused.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki was far too important, and it was naturally impossible to send him to the Scorch Sun Army, a place where friend and foe were indistinguishable.
As for Akimichi Chouji and Rock Lee, they had now reluctantly formed a small team.
Rock Lee!
With Konoha's resources at his disposal, his strength had increased at an insane rate.
Compared to the original storyline, his strength had grown exponentially.
At the same time, his progress in the Eight Gates Formation far surpassed the original timeline.
Apart from the change in resources, the death of their teacher, Guy, also served as a powerful motivation.
Not to mention his personal growth, with the abundance of resources, Rock Lee underwent a metamorphic transformation.
Adding him to the team was like having an extra insurance policy.
He didn't even need to sing a song, and he could unleash his power at a critical moment, making it possible to bring people back.
After all, the Allied Forces were not far from the Scorch Sun Army's controlled area, and Konoha would naturally have a reception team ready at the border, so they wouldn't be caught unprepared.
Whoosh!
Under the moonlight, these dozen figures leaped over the cliff and entered the area considered the 'death zone' by the Allied Forces.
This area got its name because all the scout ninjas or flying units sent here for reconnaissance never returned.
However, this time, Shikamaru and his team were openly marching with flags and wearing the Allied Shinobi Forces forehead protectors, clearly identifying themselves as envoys.
The flags!
They were the most important proof of their identity.
If they were here for reconnaissance, no one would carry such an item.
So, as soon as they entered this area, Shikamaru instantly felt like they were being watched, but neither he nor anyone else in the team overreacted.
This was precisely their goal.
To be envoys to the Scorch Sun Army!
If they hadn't been discovered beforehand, it would have been a problem if they had barged in too close.
Shikamaru discreetly signaled Chouji and Rock Lee not to be impulsive, and then slowed down to continue their journey.
They had to slow down.
Otherwise, a distance of several hundred kilometers, which was like a chasm for ordinary people, could be easily crossed by their team in a matter of hours.
Shikamaru believed that someone would soon come to meet them.
Unless the Scorch Sun Army's target was the Allied Forces.
Hmm, actually, he wasn't wrong in his guess. Tang Ping's target was not only the White Absolute but also the Allied Shinobi Forces. In other words, he wanted it all!
So, Shikamaru's guess could be considered both right and wrong.
Not long after, a team wearing Scorch Sun Army forehead protectors blocked Shikamaru's team.
Leading them was a 'familiar' person.
Hyuga Hinata!
However, it wasn't surprising to encounter such a situation.
The Scorch Sun Nation had sucked too much blood from Konoha and dug up countless walls, so it was normal to run into acquaintances. It would be strange if they didn't.
Konoha's high-quality ninjas had risen to prominence.
Take Hinata, for example, a 'disciple' of Uchiha Meika, who naturally became a key cultivation target.
She was now responsible for daily patrol missions.
With abundant resources and her own efforts, her strength was astonishing.
Kage-level!
There was no choice; with the combination of the Hyuga Byakugan and the Bone Pulse Kekkei Genkai, her bloodline limits merged and enhanced, and her strength soared like a rocket.
If Naruto and Sasuke hadn't received power-ups, she would have been the fastest-growing one.
However, upon careful consideration, this made perfect sense.
Not to mention losing both parents at a young age, she also faced various targeted attacks, making it difficult not to turn dark.
It's common knowledge!
Darkness increases strength tenfold.
So, there was no need to worry about her mental fortitude, especially with her formidable natural talent and the foundation laid by Uchiha Meika.
Finally, after Tang Ping transplanted the Bone Pulse Kekkei Genkai into her, her strength skyrocketed.
It was relatively 'slow' for her to reach the Kage level now.
However, this refers to her overall strength; in terms of combat power alone, she could also hold her own against strong Kage-level opponents.
The combination of Byakugan and Bone Pulse Kekkei Genkai was genuinely powerful, at least in terms of combat strength.
It could be said that the current Hinata was completely different from her counterpart in the original storyline, both in terms of mental fortitude and strength.
Now, after meeting, Hinata's expression remained calm and serene, and a hint of delight appeared in her eyes as she spoke.
(End of Chapter)
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