radicalducati Chapter 85 Never mind who their superiors are, I have no one above me anyway!
Chapter 85 Never mind who their superiors are, I have no one above me anyway!
Chapter 85 Never mind who their superiors are, I have no one above me anyway!
"That's all I've done during this time."
Inside the Hidden Mist Camp, Makoto Karatachi reported to the ninjas filling the tents.
He stood before the simple sand table, his expression calm and his tone unhurried, and succinctly recounted the process from leaving the Land of Hot Water, infiltrating the Land of Fire, to using the Grell Stone to destroy the Cangnan Supply Station, to setting traps to lure Konoha's pursuers, and finally successfully destroying the Wind Howling Valley transit station.
Of course, he didn't mention a word about the Rinnegan, Mei Terumi, or the battle with Fugaku Uchiha.
After learning with certainty from Makoto Gojibana that he had destroyed both the Cangnan Supply Station and the Fengming Valley Transfer Station, everyone present changed color. Even the composed Yagura clenched his fist, his heart filled with excitement.
"You did a great job, Cheng!"
"The Cangnan Supply Station and the Fengming Valley Transfer Station are both crucial strategic nodes on Konoha's eastern front."
"You destroyed them, dealing a heavy blow to Konoha's logistics and morale, and forcing them to shrink their defenses and adjust their deployment, buying us precious breathing room and time to counterattack!"
"This victory deserves the greatest credit!"
The other Kirigakure Jonin inside the tent nodded in agreement, their gazes toward Makoto Karatachi filled with amazement and admiration.
Although this young master of the Gouju clan didn't have a good reputation before, his performance since the outbreak of the war has been enough to make everyone look at him with new eyes.
The astonishing results achieved in this solo operation were truly remarkable.
As Yagura said.
Such achievements deserve the greatest credit!
Ao, Hozuki Mangetsu, and other members of the Mist Blade Squad stood aside. Although they had already guessed it, hearing their captain admit it still made them feel a surge of excitement. They straightened their backs, thinking that their captain's awesomeness was their awesomeness too.
The captain secretly pulled off a big heist without taking them with him! How despicable!
"It was because everyone on the front lines withstood the pressure that I was able to find opportunities in the rear."
Gouju Cheng smiled modestly and waved his hand: "Besides, this time we were also fortunate to have obtained that special 'Greel Stone' by chance; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to take down the Cangnan Supply Station in one fell swoop."
"What exactly is that Grell Stone?"
A Jonin asked curiously, "Captain Makoto, what exactly is that Grell Stone? Its power is so terrifying; I've never heard of it before."
Everyone present looked on with curiosity.
They already knew about the explosive power of that thing from their recent intelligence.
The entire Cangnan supply station was completely destroyed and leveled. Even thousands of explosive tags might not be able to achieve that level of power!
"I'm not entirely sure of its exact origin; I intercepted it from a black market caravan that was trying to smuggle it into the Land of Wind."
After a moment's thought, Goji Tachibana said, "According to those merchants, this stone seems to have come from some ancient ruin. It contains extremely violent chakra energy that is very unstable. Once it is subjected to a violent impact or specific chakra stimulation, it will erupt instantly. Its power—you have seen it yourself."
"Unfortunately, I've already used up the few pieces I got. The merchants also said that they only had a few pieces, and they seemed to have come from the sea."
Sure enough, the Jonin who had been looking eager all turned to look regretful upon hearing this.
"What a pity! If we could acquire this ore in bulk and craft it into special ninja tools or explosive tags, it would greatly enhance the fighting strength of Kirigakure!"
"A product of ancient ruins—it seems to be something that can only be encountered by chance."
"It's already a blessing from heaven that Young Master Cheng was able to obtain and use it at such a crucial moment!"
Yagura didn't dwell too much on the Grell Stone; it was just a windfall, good to have, but not essential.
He was more concerned with the sincerity of the goji jujube itself.
"Cheng, although your operation was highly successful, you went deep behind enemy lines alone and experienced continuous high-intensity fighting. Is your body still holding up? Were you injured?"
Yagura's tone was concerned.
Gouju felt a warmth in his heart and shook his head, saying, "Don't worry, cousin, I'm fine. I just used up a lot of chakra; I'll recover in a few days. But how's the situation at the front lines?"
The mention of the front lines invigorated Yagura.
"Since the destruction of Cangnan and Fengming Valley, Konoha's offensive has slowed down significantly, and they have even begun to withdraw some of their salient positions. Jiraiya and Danzo seem to be focusing more on reorganizing logistics and clearing the rear, which has greatly reduced the pressure on the front lines."
"We have taken this opportunity to stabilize our position and launched probing counterattacks in some localized areas, with good results."
He pointed to several remarked locations on the sand table.
"If this trend continues, we will soon regain the initiative and even plan a large-scale counter-offensive!"
The atmosphere inside the command post became even more heated, with everyone eager to fight and full of fighting spirit.
Gouju Cheng looked at the sand table, but his mind was racing.
Konoha's retreat and Danzo and Jiraiya's adjustment of their strategy were within his expectations.
But he knew very well that this calm was only temporary. Danzo, that old dog, had suffered such a great loss and would never let it go. He was definitely brewing an even more insidious counterattack.
And that traitor, the pufferfish demon—
However, what Yagura said is also correct.
He transformed into an explosive demon and captured two cities in quick succession, forcing Konoha to shrink its defenses and giving Kirigakure a huge advantage.
And now Fugaku is gone!
Fugaku was the absolute main force on the battlefield of Konoha and Kirigakure. Before Jiraiya arrived, he was even the supreme commander of the entire battlefield and the head of the Uchiha clan!
Makoto Koji didn't know if anyone in Konoha knew about Fugaku's actions. If no one knew, then Konoha's reaction would be quite intriguing.
The sudden and mysterious disappearance of an Uchiha clan leader, a high-ranking frontline fighter, and a high-level commander, without a trace of his body or whereabouts, is enough to cause huge suspicion and turmoil within Konoha!
"That's natural; opportunities are fleeting and must be seized."
Makoto Karatachi remained outwardly calm, simply nodding in agreement with Yagura's words. "However, cousin, Konoha's tightening of its defenses is probably not just due to the destruction of its logistics. Danzo and Jiraiya are not easy opponents; they may be deliberately feigning weakness or secretly adjusting their tactics."
"Captain Cheng is right. Konoha has a deep foundation. Although losing two supply depots is a serious blow, it's not enough to completely cripple their offensive capabilities. We must be wary of their possible counterattacks or other schemes."
"Especially those Uchiha, their Sharingan poses a great threat to us. Every battle requires multiple people to cooperate, and we must be wary of genjutsu!"
"And then there's the Ino-Shika-Cho trio; they're not easy to deal with either—"
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, but in the end, Yagura clapped his hands.
"alright!"
"Regardless of what's happening inside Konoha, we just need to focus on our own tasks. The reduced pressure on the front lines is a fact, and that's our opportunity. Staff, immediately reassess the enemy and our own situation based on the latest intelligence brought back by Makoto, and formulate the next offensive plan, focusing on how to expand our gains and consolidate our advantage."
"yes!"
"Cheng, you've just returned and made a great contribution. Take a good rest first. The Mist Blade Squad will also temporarily return to their unit and rest, awaiting new orders."
"but----"
Yagura looked at Makoto Karatachi: "During the rest period, you should also think about how to defend against and counter any new developments in Konoha, especially Danzo's Root. Your Mist Blades will definitely be facing them next."
O
"Understood, cousin."
Goji berries are indeed appropriate.
After the report concluded, everyone dispersed to return to their respective duties.
Makoto Kujira led the members of the Mistblade Squad back to the independent camp assigned to them.
As soon as they entered the tent, Hozuki Mangetsu eagerly approached them: "Captain, Captain, tell me quickly, what does that Grell Stone look like? Was it spectacular when it exploded? Also, how did you manage to take down Wind Howling Valley all by yourself? Did you use any new and ingenious tricks?"
Ringo Amuriya's eyes lit up.
"It must have looked absolutely amazing! Too bad we didn't get to see it!"
Although Kisame Hoshigaki didn't say anything, his shark face was full of curiosity.
Ao and Mizuki Yuki were more concerned about Makoto's health.
Surrounded by them, Gouju Cheng felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, but also a sense of warmth in his heart.
"Alright, alright, quiet down." He waved his hand and sat down on the simple bed. "The Grell Stone looks similar to an ordinary egg, except it's blue-green in color and filled with chakra and natural energy."
"I was initially thinking of absorbing them, but as you know, I don't have much chakra. However, the chakra nature of that stuff is extremely unstable, so I couldn't absorb it at all. I almost killed myself."
"But you know what, the explosions are really spectacular, though extremely dangerous. As for Wind Howling Valley, it mainly relies on infiltration and setting traps; we'll talk about the details later."
Gouju Cheng then looked at Qing and Xue.
"I'm fine. My chakra was used up a bit, but I wasn't injured. It's you guys who have been working hard on the front lines these past few days."
Qing shook his head: "Compared to you, Captain, fighting alone behind enemy lines, the pressure we're facing on the front lines is nothing. Besides, Captain, your two moves directly changed the entire battle situation, and everyone's morale has improved a lot."
"Yes, Captain, everyone in the camp is talking about you!" Hozuki Mangetsu exclaimed excitedly. "They're saying you're an unparalleled genius, the future hope of Kirigakure!"
Gouju Cheng couldn't help but laugh.
"A few months ago, everyone was saying I was a scoundrel from Wuyin and a stain on Gouju, but a few months later, everything has changed for me?"
""
"Stop listening to that nonsense. The war isn't over yet; the real battles are probably yet to come. You all need to take this time to rest and get back into shape. I reckon—new missions will be coming down soon."
Gouju Cheng's relaxed expression faded somewhat.
After sending the three excited little ones to rest, only Makoto Gojibana, Ao, and Yuki Mizuki remained in the tent.
"Qing, Xue, there's something you need to keep an eye on secretly."
"Captain, please give your orders."
"While I was operating in the rear, I vaguely sensed some signs. The village—may not be entirely clean." Makoto Karatachi lowered his voice. "The intelligence leak was too precise; it's not entirely due to Konoha's superior reconnaissance capabilities. Those of you on the front lines, keep a close eye on the behavior of our personnel, especially those who frequently contact the rear or act suspiciously. If you discover anything, don't make a fuss; just tell me directly."
Both Ao and Mizuki Yuki's expressions sharpened, and they immediately understood what Makoto Karutachi meant.
There's a mole!
"Tell me directly if you find anything, don't hesitate," Makoto Goji said in a deep voice. "No matter who's above them, just understand one thing: the people at the very top are my men!"
He didn't directly mention the pufferfish demon, partly to protect them, and partly because it was part of the plan.
Moreover, it's not appropriate for someone with such seniority to speak up.
"Understood, Captain."
The two exchanged a glance and solemnly agreed.
After the two left, Makoto Karatachi sat alone in his tent and took out a small communication scroll from his ninja tool bag.
This is his special way of communicating with Mei Terumi.
【My dearest Ming————】
After a sweet and affectionate opening, Makoto Karatachi also officially labeled the pufferfish demon as a traitor and told Mei Terumi to be careful in the intelligence department.
He knew Terumi Mei's personality very well.
That girl may seem harmless on the surface, but she's actually quite strong-willed. Once she's certain that the pufferfish demon is a traitor, she'll definitely take action.
Putting everything else aside, she'll definitely be fighting with Fuguki for control of the intelligence department!
Makoto Karuta wasn't worried about the girl's professional skills or trump cards. She was a double bloodline genius, the princess of the Terumi clan, and his fiancée. In terms of power and background, the old-era ninja swordsman who held the title of vice minister of the intelligence department could never be a match for Terumi Mei.
The problem is that while Mei Terumi is undoubtedly a genius, she still has a long way to go before becoming a true powerhouse.
In contrast, the pufferfish demon.
Although Might Guy's reputation as a ninja swordsman was ruined in the battle, this fat guy was a genuine veteran powerhouse. With Samehada, his combat strength, if not Kage-level, was at least close to the threshold of Kage-level.
What if Mei Ming's momentum gets too strong, and that fatso pushes her to the brink of desperation?
Eastern Land of Fire, Konoha Front Command Post.
In stark contrast to the high morale of Kirigakure due to Makoto Karatachi's return, an indescribable sense of depression and anxiety permeated the Konoha camp.
The patrolling ninjas walked with heavy steps, their voices hushed, and their occasional glances toward the command post revealed undisguised worry and doubt.
Inside Danzo's tent, the air was as still as iron.
-
A few lamps cast a pale, eerie light, illuminating several unsightly faces.
Danzo Shimura leaned on his ever-present cane, his one eye closed as if he were dozing. But the murderous rage emanating from him, almost solidifying into a tangible force, made Ryoma Aburame, standing not far from him, instinctively hold his breath.
The losses are too great!
Five elites, a full five elites!
These five are not cannon fodder to be used at will, but highly trained elites who are proficient in assassination, infiltration, and interrogation. Each of them is a direct subordinate force that has been cultivated with a lot of resources!
According to the information provided by Fuguki, Makoto Karatachi was seriously injured, but since that guy has the special ability to replicate bloodline limits, Danzo chose to send out the five of them for the sake of safety.
But the result?
completely annihilated!
But if it were just a matter of someone dying, Danzo wouldn't be so angry.
If you can't beat them, you can't beat them; it's a difference in ability.
What truly enraged Danzo was that damned Kirigakure fat pig, Suigetsu Hozuki!
In order to obtain this information from the pufferfish demon, he paid a huge sum of nearly two million ryo and some secret information about other factions within Kirigakure in exchange.
But it turned out to be a trap!
A meticulously laid, deadly trap, waiting for them to fall into it!
"Pufferfish Demon —"
Danzo slowly opened his single eye, the cold light in it hissing like the forked tongue of a venomous snake.
He wanted to contact the pufferfish demon immediately to question, threaten, or directly use the other spies planted in Kirigakure to teach that fat pig a lesson.
However, the secret message sent for communication disappeared without a trace.
He wanted to get an explanation from the pufferfish demon, but that fat bastard just didn't respond!
No! Yes! Answer!
Was it that the pufferfish demon deliberately provided false information, or was the pufferfish demon already exposed, and this information itself was a trap set by the Hidden Mist Village to lure him into a trap?
Countless dark thoughts swirled in Danzo's mind.
But whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain.
The threat level of Makoto Gojibana, this variable hidden in the mist, must be raised again!
The fact that he was able to wipe out five elite Root members so cleanly and efficiently demonstrates a strength far exceeding that of an ordinary Jonin. Combined with his special bloodline limit, his overall ability even reaches the threshold of Kage level!
"Makoto Kurita - The Hand of God - "
Danzo muttered these words to himself, his expression growing increasingly gloomy.
"Ryoma".
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
"Continue to send reinforcements. Keep a close watch on the defensive line. Report back to me immediately if any intelligence about Makoto Kuraki emerges!"
"Furthermore, we've mobilized all our personnel within Kirigakure to investigate Suigetsu Hozuki's recent movements at all costs. He's the first one to dare to play tricks on me like this!"
"yes!"
Oil Maiden Dragon Horse solemnly accepted the order.
But before he could leave, the tent flap was suddenly flung open with a whoosh!
It's Jiraiya!
Jiraiya strode in with a gloomy face, completely ignoring Aburame Ryoma, his gaze shooting towards Danzo like lightning.
"Old man Danzo! What on earth is going on?!"
"You swore you'd handle things at home and keep an eye on Makoto Koji, but what about now?!"
"Not only is the Cangnan supply depot gone, but Fengming Valley is also gone. We've suffered heavy losses in supplies, and morale on the front lines has plummeted. Our offensive has completely stalled! What are you doing?!"
Jiraiya's voice was filled with barely suppressed anger and frustration as he pointed outside the tent towards Cangnan and Fengming Valley.
"Didn't you say your Roots were infiltrated everywhere? Didn't you say you had reliable informants within Kirigakure? Why are we completely unaware of Makoto Karatachi's actions, and yet he's repeatedly succeeded, causing us such a huge mess?!"
"Right now, those lunatics from Kirigakure are sharpening their knives on the other side, while we can't even maintain our logistics—"
"Enough, Jiraiya!"
Danzo, who was already simmering with anger, suddenly stood up, his cane hitting the ground hard with a thud.
"I'll handle the logistics; you don't need to tell me what to do! I'll definitely take care of Makoto Karatachi; even the Mizukage couldn't protect him, I said it!"
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