manynovel Chapter 472 Sasuke: Come on, I'll take you to the Land of Stars
Chapter 472 Sasuke: Come on, I'll take you to the Land of Stars
Chapter 472 Sasuke: Come on, I'll take you to the Land of Stars
The training ground was filled with hundreds of orange figures, each shadow clone focused on condensing a Rasengan with one hand, striving to be faster, more stable, and less strenuous.
Pale blue chakra orbs lit up repeatedly in the palms of the shadow clones, whistling as they struck thick tree trunks, hard rocks, and even the ground, leaving behind shocking spiral-shaped dents and cracks.
Sweat quickly soaked through Naruto's orange jackets, and beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads, cheeks, and necks in the afterglow of the setting sun.
But they were completely unaware, focusing intently on repeating the process of condensing, releasing, adjusting, and condensing again.
Time flew by during his arduous training.
The sunset on the horizon gradually changed from a brilliant golden red to a deep crimson, and finally turned into a hazy dark blue.
The light in the forest dimmed quickly, and the night breeze brought a chill.
"Haaah————Haaah————"
After the shadow clone dissipated, a large amount of information flooded into the main body. Naruto, with his hands on his knees, bent over and panting heavily. Sweat dripped from his chin like streams, leaving dark stains on the ground.
He had used up most of his chakra, his muscles ached, but he felt a sense of catharsis.
Naruto looked around. Within a radius of two hundred meters from him, the trees and ground were in a mess, with traces of destruction left by the Rasengan everywhere.
Although the area of damage is not particularly exaggerated, the penetrating and destructive power concentrated in one point is already quite substantial.
"Phew—that's about it for today." Naruto straightened up, wiped the sweat off his face haphazardly with his dirty sleeve, and a tired but satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He is very satisfied with his progress today.
"Alright! Training over!" He raised his fist, encouraging himself.
"When I get home tonight, I absolutely have to treat myself to a super-sized bowl of the limited-edition tonkotsu ramen!"
Just as Naruto was enjoying the evening's feast, a cool evening breeze swept across the training ground, bringing with it a very faint, sweet, and metallic scent.
It smells like blood!
Naruto instantly became alert, immediately turning his head and scanning the edge of the training ground, under the densest shade of the trees.
A familiar figure suddenly appeared, standing quietly beside a large tree.
He was wearing the gray combat uniform and light armor of the Anbu, with a plain white cat-face mask on his face and a standard ninja sword slung over his back.
It's Sasuke!
But Sasuke looked different from usual at this moment.
He stood there quietly, seemingly blending into the shadows, with only his scarlet eyes calmly watching Naruto.
What startled Naruto the most was that there were several glaring dark red marks on Sasuke's right cheek near his jawline.
is blood.
"Sa...Sasuke?" Naruto paused for a moment, then subconsciously called out the other's name, his voice filled with surprise and a hint of barely perceptible unease.
What's Sasuke doing here?
What's with the blood on his face?
Sasuke did not respond to Naruto's question.
He simply emerged slowly from the shadows, stepping across the ground littered with splinters and potholes, which Naruto had destroyed, and walked toward Naruto.
His steps were steady and light, and the evening breeze ruffled the black wisps of hair on his forehead.
Sasuke stopped when he was about four or five steps away from Naruto.
He raised his right hand and casually tossed it aside.
A bulging, somewhat worn-out dark blue backpack traced an arc and landed precisely in Naruto's arms.
Naruto instinctively caught it, looked down, and immediately recognized it as his backpack!
Inside were some of his changes of clothes, ninja tools, soldier rations, premium instant noodles he had saved up to buy, and a slightly crumpled group photo of Team 7 after their first D-rank mission.
The photo shows him, Menma, Hinata, and Kakashi-sensei.
He always kept this backpack under his bed in his apartment.
How did Sasuke get this backpack?
Naruto suddenly looked up at Sasuke, his eyes filled with shock and questions.
Sasuke met his gaze, his crimson Sharingan appearing exceptionally cold in the dim light.
He didn't explain where the backpack came from, nor did he mention the bloodstains on his face; he simply said, "Let's go."
He paused, then turned his gaze to the protective walls of Konoha.
"Weren't you going to the Star Kingdom?"
"I'll take you there."
On the other side, in the outer forest of Konoha, near the Third Training Ground.
Jiraiya did not appear at the newly opened hot spring shop on the east street of the village as he had said.
After passing through the denser forest surrounding the training ground, he followed a faint scent of blood and arrived at a forest stream a few kilometers away from the third training ground.
The stream babbles, its surface shimmering in the evening light.
What should have been a tranquil and serene scene was shattered by the scattered pebbles and fallen weeds on the shore, as well as the increasingly strong smell of blood in the air.
Jiraiya stopped in his tracks, his gaze beneath his white eyebrows becoming sharp and serious.
He slowly scanned the weeds along the stream bank.
There, three figures lay sprawled haphazardly.
They wore tight-fitting combat suits with gray armor and various animal masks on their faces, such as cats, dogs, and birds.
-
A standard Konoha ANBU outfit.
But Jiraiya immediately noticed the subtle differences: the way the pieces were connected and the special patterns on the edges of the mask.
They are ninjas of "Root".
Danzo's most loyal, yet most ruthless, tool.
Jiraiya crouched down, his previous frivolity and nonchalance from his conversation with Naruto vanished without a trace, replaced by the calm and scrutinizing presence of a seasoned ninja.
He did not immediately touch the body, but first carefully observed the surrounding environment.
There were no traces of large-scale ninjutsu clashes, no mess of kunai and shuriken scattered everywhere, and not even many chaotic footprints left from struggles and fighting.
The battle began quickly and ended just as quickly.
The location was chosen by the stream, where the flowing water could dilute and obscure the smell and traces to the greatest extent possible.
His gaze fell back on the three corpses.
The fatal wounds were clear: one body had its neck precisely pierced from the side by a sharp blade, severing the trachea and arteries; another body had been stabbed from behind, with the blade tip protruding from the chest and piercing the heart; and the last body had a huge gash in its abdomen, with its internal organs vaguely visible.
They all kill with a single blow, swift and decisive, ruthless and efficient.
However, when Jiraiya's gaze swept over the weapons that had fallen from their hands or beside them, his brows furrowed slightly.
The ninja with the cat-face mask gripped a short sword tightly in his hand, but the blade was deeply embedded in the ribs of the ninja with the dog-face mask.
The ninja with the dog-face mask had several poisoned senbon needles stuck in the neck of the ninja with the bird-face mask.
The bird-faced ninja's kunai, still stained with blood, was embedded in the joint of the cat-faced ninja's arm holding the sword.
All three men's weapons hit their comrade.
The traces at the scene, at a cursory glance, suggest that a fierce infighting suddenly broke out among the three, resulting in them killing each other in a very short time and ultimately perishing together.
"Fratricide?" Jiraiya muttered to himself, reaching out to gently nudge the cat-faced ninja's wrist holding the knife, checking the angle and depth of the wound, and then looking at the location where the dog-faced ninja's short knife had pierced his ribs.
His eyes became even more profound.
so perfect.
Perfectly mutually lethal, the perfect angle of death, so perfect that —
It looked like a meticulously planned event!
Given the inhuman training and absolute obedience of the Root ninjas, the probability of them suddenly and without warning surrendering on a large scale during a mission is so low as to be negligible.
Moreover, while the positions of the three corpses, the direction of their wounds, and the way their weapons were intertwined might seem reasonable at first glance, Jiraiya's rich combat experience and keen eye could always detect a very subtle inconsistency and a sense of deliberate contrivance.
It's like—
Jiraiya immediately thought of illusion!
If they were all under the influence of genjutsu, which could instantly disrupt or even control the minds of one or two Root ninjas, inducing them to attack each other, and then be followed up by the caster's swift finishing blow, it would indeed be possible to create the illusion of infighting in a very short time!
To instantly kill three highly trained elite Root ninjas without even a chance to react, such a master of genjutsu is extremely rare, even in the entire Hidden Leaf Village.
Who has the motive and the ability to silently kill three elite Root ninjas near Konoha?
A name flashed through Jiraiya's mind in an instant.
Meanwhile, in Konoha Village, the territory of a clan in the mountains.
-
The Yamanaka clan's territory is located in the relatively quiet southeastern region of Konoha. Unlike the Hyuga clan, which occupies a large area of land and has a formidable mansion with high walls, the Yamanaka clan's territory is a neighborhood composed of many simple and elegant independent houses with courtyards.
The courtyard is lush with flowers and plants, especially various colorful flowers, and the air is filled with a light and refreshing floral fragrance all year round, showing the family's close relationship with plants.
The patriarch's residence is located in the center of the neighborhood; it is slightly larger and has a more exquisite courtyard.
As evening approached, warm lights had already illuminated the courtyard.
The sound of a door opening came from the entryway.
"I'm back!"
Looking exhausted, Yamanaka Ino opened her own door.
She tossed her pale golden ponytail and bent down to take off her shoes.
"Ino, you're back." The gentle voice of her mother, Rino Yamanaka, came from the direction of the kitchen.
Wearing a dark green apron, she was dignified and elegant. She peeked halfway out of the kitchen doorway and made a "shh" gesture to her daughter.
He gestured and chuckled in a low voice, "Training with Shikamaru and Choji must have been tough, right?"
"Go wash your face first, then come to the kitchen to help me prepare dinner. We have guests today."
"Guests?" Ino blinked her bright green eyes curiously, changed into her indoor shoes, and walked lightly toward the living room.
The Japanese-style lattice door in the living room was open, leading to a wide veranda.
The veranda faces a meticulously maintained courtyard, where stone lanterns are now lit, emitting a soft glow.
On the veranda, there was a low cypress tea table.
The father, Yamanaka Inoichi, dressed in a dark blue casual kimono, was kneeling beside the coffee table, his expression focused, his brows slightly furrowed, staring intently at the Go board.
The guest opposite him was a young man wearing a dark green robe and with his long black hair neatly tied back.
The man sat upright, exuding a calm demeanor, with clearly defined profile lines; he was none other than Hyuga Hiashi, the former head of the Hyuga clan.
The two are playing shogi.
The chess pieces are scattered across the board, and the game seems to be in the middle stages, a close and delicate contest.
The only sounds were the occasional crisp sound of chess pieces landing on the board and the faint chirping of insects in the courtyard.
Ino was no stranger to this important figure from the Hyuga clan.
As the former head of the Hyuga clan, who is now the undisputed number one clan in Konoha, Hiashi Hyuga holds a highly respected position in the village.
As the head of the Yamanaka clan and the former leader of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Yamanaka Inoichi, the father, was also the captain of the Konoha Analysis Team. He maintained a private relationship with Hiashi, his former superior, comrade-in-arms, and old friend.
Ino knew from a young age that her father, Uncle Shikaku, Uncle Choza, and Uncle Hiashi had a life-or-death bond with him. They had fought side by side and supported each other on the battlefield of the Third Shinobi World War.
She was just a little surprised that her Uncle Hiashi would visit at this time.
After all, the atmosphere in the village lately has been somewhat delicate.
Ino didn't disturb her father and the guests. She nodded to her mother and obediently walked towards the washroom.
The Yamanaka clan, an ancient ninja clan that has existed since the Warring States period, may not be as numerous as the Hyuga or Uchiha clans, but it has its own profound heritage and way of survival.
Their "Ino-Shika-Cho" alliance with the Nara and Akimichi clans is a force overlooked by the customers within Konoha.
The Nara clan deals in medicinal herbs and deer breeding, the Akimichi clan controls the production of strategic materials such as military rations, and the Yamanaka clan, in addition to their well-known spiritual arts and intelligence capabilities, actually has one of its true pillar industries in the large-scale and highly skilled cultivation and breeding of medicinal plants.
Ino's mother's flower shop was more of a personal hobby and a showcase of the family's flower cultivation techniques.
After washing up, Ino went into the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and helped her mother prepare side dishes and tea for dinner.
As she washed the vegetable leaves, she couldn't contain her curiosity and whispered to Rino, who was busy at the stove, "Mom, why did Uncle Hiashi suddenly come? Is there something wrong?"
Rino Yamanaka gracefully opened an exquisite wooden tea box, smiled at the question, and said gently, "Isn't it normal for old friends to get together occasionally, play chess, and chat?"
She used a small bamboo spoon to scoop out the bright green tea leaves from the tea box and put them into the already warmed white porcelain teapot.
"Your Uncle Hiashi prefers a lighter shade of Gyokuro, and the water temperature should be just right—"
She did not answer Ino's question directly, but Ino could sense something unusual from her mother's calm tone and subtle movements.
Recently, undercurrents have been swirling in the village, especially after the revelation of Menma, a former classmate, and the subsequent earth-shattering battle that sparked the Shura identity. The relationships between the various ninja clans within the village seem to have become even more sensitive and complex.
Under the leadership of the young clan leader Hinata Hyuga, the Hyuga clan has undergone significant internal reforms in recent years, and Hinata and Menma have a very close relationship.
Although Rishi, as the former clan chief, has semi-retired, his influence and connections are still considerable.
His visit was definitely not just a simple gathering of old friends.
On the veranda, the fierce battle on the chessboard seemed to have come to a temporary end.
Yamanaka Inoichi picked up a "gold general" piece, pondered for a moment, and slowly placed it on a key position on the chessboard, making a soft "tap" sound.
He raised his eyelids and said in a casual tone, "I heard that sir—has already set off for the Land of Iron."
The "that person" he was referring to was naturally Danzo Shimura, who had just assumed the position of acting Hokage and rushed off to attend the "Four Kage Summit".
Hiashi Hyuga's gaze also fell on the chessboard, as if he was considering his next move.
He picked up a "horn-shaped" coin, rubbed it between his fingertips, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"That person is always decisive and efficient. For such an important meeting of the Four Kage," he naturally wouldn't trust anyone else; he would definitely go personally to demonstrate Konoha's—or rather, to demonstrate his own authority."
He moved "Horned" forward two spaces, then raised his pure white eyes to look at Yamanaka Inoichi opposite him, and casually asked, "When he returns from the Land of Iron this time, and his reputation is at its peak, I'm afraid a new round of selection will begin, won't it?"
Upon hearing this, Yamanaka Inoichi's fingers, which were holding the Go pieces, paused almost imperceptibly. The gentleness and composure on his face crumbled slightly, and his brows furrowed tightly.
Selection —
Danzo Shimura's covetousness of the bloodline limits and secret techniques passed down through generations of various ninja clans was no secret among the Konoha leadership.
Among the "Root" faction under his control were many ninjas from the Yamanaka clan, the Aburame clan, and even other smaller clans.
After being absorbed by "Root", these ninjas are often given a cursed seal called "Tongue Trouble Root Severing Seal", which forcibly severs their connection and emotions with their original families, turning them into absolute tools who are only loyal to Danzo.
This would be an unbearable erosion and division for any ninja clan that values bloodline inheritance and family cohesion.
In the past, with the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi mediating and balancing things out, Danzo's actions were somewhat limited, and the various ninja clans were able to tolerate them.
But now, with the Third Hokage dead and Danzo in power, he quickly seized the position of "Acting Hokage" with the support of the Fire Country Daimyo.
s position.
Given his personality and ambition, once he returns from the Land of Iron, he will likely use the pretext of "participating in the Four Kage Summit to discuss a grand plan to confront the Land of Stars."
With its prestige, Root will inevitably consolidate its power further, and it is almost a certainty that it will exert pressure on various ninja clans to forcibly select more clan ninjas with bloodline limits or secret techniques to join Root under the pretext of enriching the Anbu and strengthening the village's combat power.
This is not simply about depriving the ninja clans of their talents; it is a serious provocation and weakening of the ninja clans' independence and autonomy.
"We can't just—" Yamanaka Inoichi remained silent for a long time before finally making another move. His voice was even lower than before, carrying a heavy worry.
"Would he really become the fifth generation so easily?"
This statement is almost a direct expression of resistance to Danzo's succession as the Fifth Hokage.
Hiashi Hyuga gave a soft "humph".
"Who knows?" Hiashi's gaze fell on the swaying bamboo shadows in the courtyard.
"The Daimyo Prefecture has been coveting and feeling uneasy about Konoha's semi-independent status for quite some time now."
"Have any of the successive daimyo of the Land of Fire ever truly trusted their high-level military force, the ninja, to be completely left to the autonomous governance of the ninja villages?"
"They formed their own Twelve Guardian Ninjas, wasn't that just to have a deterrent force directly under the daimyo's command?"
He paused, a hint of sarcasm in his voice: "If Danzo continues to use the power of the daimyo to interfere with the upcoming formal election of the Fifth Hokage—"
"Given the fact that the Daimyo Prefecture has been providing financial support to the village for many years, coupled with the inclinations of the two advisory elders within the village—"
He glanced at Haiyi, but didn't say anything more, though his meaning was clear.
The two advisor elders, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, have always been close to Danzo and tend to maintain the old class and good relations with the daimyo in many policies.
If they also tend to support Danzo in the Fifth Hokage election, coupled with the influence exerted by the Daimyo's office, and Danzo's own manipulation and recruitment of lower-ranking ninjas through the Root organization—
It is not impossible that Danzo will eventually be officially recognized as the Fifth Hokage.
Just thinking about that scene made Yamanaka Inoichi feel as if a huge rock was pressing down on his heart.
A Konoha completely controlled by Danzo, a Konoha where the Root organization's power expanded infinitely and wantonly eroded other ninja clans, a Konoha that completely sided with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and lost its independent spirit as a ninja village—
Is that still the Konoha they know and are willing to protect?
The atmosphere on the veranda became even more somber because of this conversation.
The only sounds were the occasional sound of chess pieces falling onto the board and the rustling of the evening breeze through the grass and trees in the courtyard.
Hiashi picked up the slightly cooled teacup beside him, took a small sip, and seemed to be carefully considering his words.
"Speaking of which—" After a while, he turned his gaze back to Inoichi and, in an even softer voice than before, slowly brought up another old matter: "Back then, in front of the Uchiha clan compound, facing the Third Hokage and many former colleagues, Uchiha Shisui's accusations against Danzo—"
He paused deliberately, observing Haiyi's reaction.
Yamanaka Inoichi's pupils contracted slightly, and his fingers gripping the Go piece tightened.
Six years ago, on that bloody and chaotic night when the Uchiha clan massacre occurred, the defector Uchiha Shisui, along with Shura, Uchiha Hikaru, and others, led the Star Ninja to attack Konoha and took advantage of the chaos to rescue some of the Uchiha survivors.
When the Konoha ninja forces arrived to intercept him, Shisui, in front of the Third Hokage, clan leaders including Inoichi and Hiashi, and many Jonin, vehemently accused Shimura Danzo of ambushing him and stealing one of his Sharingan eyes. He also accused Danzo of stealing buried Uchiha clan corpses to collect Sharingan eyes and conducting unspeakable secret research.
At the time, Hiashi Hyuga was present and, with the help of his Byakugan's X-ray vision, he was able to confirm that the chakra fluctuations hidden in Danzo's right eye, which was always wrapped in bandages, were extremely similar to those of the Sharingan, and that the chakra in that eye was not in harmony with Danzo's main body.
However, Danzo later used the far-fetched excuse of "gift from an old friend" to cover it up. The Third Hokage, for the sake of stability, also forcibly suppressed the controversy by citing insufficient evidence and temporarily shelving it, and temporarily relieved Danzo of his direct command of the "Root" organization as an explanation.
However, not long after, war broke out between the Land of Stars and the Land of Wind. Danzo was ordered to lead a support force to aid Sunagakure and regain firm control of Root.
This incident was like a thorn in the hearts of all the ninja clan leaders present at the time.
Danzo's greed and recklessness towards the Sharingan and bloodline limits are evident from this.
"Back then, with the Third Hokage around, there were some things we were powerless to do." Hiashi's voice was soft, but it struck Inoichi's heart like a hammer.
"But now, the Third Hokage is gone. And that one doesn't seem to be showing any sign of restraint; on the contrary—he's become even more outrageous—"
The implication in Japan's words was clear enough.
Even with Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressing him back then, Danzo still dared to act this way.
Now that Hiruzen Sarutobi is dead and Danzo holds all the power, he will only act more recklessly.
If the various ninja clans continue to remain silent and back down, what will await them?
Will the tragedy of the Uchiha clan be repeated in their lives?
Yamanaka Inoichi fell into a long silence.
He stared at the chessboard, but his gaze was unfocused.
The battle on the chessboard seemed to reflect the turbulent and unpredictable situation in Konoha at this moment.
Danzo's ambitions, the Daimyo's interference, the interests and safety of the various ninja clans, and the future of the village—
Countless thoughts churned and collided in his mind.
Hiashi didn't say anything more, just quietly sipped his tea and waited.
He knew that some things didn't need to be said too explicitly, especially to a veteran clan head like Yamanaka Inoichi, who was in the intelligence department, meticulous, and well-versed in the stakes.
That's enough; the rest is up to the other party to weigh and decide.
He also knew that Inoichi had a big question in his mind, a question that all the Konoha ninja clan leaders who knew certain inside information might have, but he never asked it.
Regarding the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze —
But the Japanese team won't bring it up on their own initiative.
Some secrets are better known to as few people as possible, especially before the situation becomes clear.
The conversation between the two was like a game of chess; beneath the seemingly mundane moves and casual conversation lay the probing, clashes, and silent alliance between the Konoha ninja clans.
Until they heard light footsteps coming from the direction of the living room.
Rino Yamanaka approached gracefully, carrying a black lacquered tray with a teapot and exquisite teacups, a gentle and refined smile on her face: "Lord Hiashi, Inoichi, the tea is ready. It's freshly arrived Gyokuro, please enjoy."
With her arrival, the heavy and subtle atmosphere on the veranda seemed to be quietly diluted.
Hiashi and Inoichi raised their heads almost simultaneously, their faces regaining the peaceful smiles they wore during their old friends' reunion.
"Thank you for your trouble, Mrs. Rino." Hiashi nodded slightly in thanks.
"Oh, just in time, the game is over." Haiyi smiled and pointed to the chessboard, where the outcome was decided, with him losing by a narrow margin.
"His Go skills are still so seasoned; I concede defeat."
The end of the game of chess also meant that this private conversation had temporarily come to a close.
But Hiashi's words were like pebbles thrown into a lake, creating invisible ripples in Inoichi's heart.