Although Ao's words had an element of flattery, they were not entirely incorrect. With the recent change in power in Kirigakure, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was now in overall command.
Furthermore, even if Kirigakure had not become Konoha's blade, just considering his own standing, the Four Great Villages were not something a mere village like Yugakure could compare to! Calling himself the army of a king was not a problem.
Danzo smiled, then patted his shoulder with appreciation. This young man had ambition, strength, ideals, was obedient, willing to sacrifice, and knew which way the wind blew. He was practically a replica of another Ryun Uchiha.
However, Danzo understood that this person could not reach Ryun's level. That was reality. He once believed that with enough effort, he could surpass legendary shinobi like Madara Uchiha.
But ever since Ryun sealed the One-Tail, Shukaku, inside Danzo, Danzo's thinking changed. His limited mindset was shattered, and he understood that not everything in the ninja world was equal.
Talent. It was innate. Being born into the right family was a good deal. If you were born well, you could surpass an entire lifetime of others' efforts without even trying. In the original story, was Danzo not hardworking enough?
Yet, faced with a rookie like the Second Young Master (Sasuke) and the second form of the Susano'o, he couldn't break through. Kunai stabbing the Susano'o, how ironic!
"Well said, Ao. From now on, you follow me!" Danzo said, then turned and walked towards the front of the troop. Any Kiri-nin he encountered obediently made way, not daring to challenge him.
Danzo did not speak. He walked forward, eyes fixed ahead, and marched in silence. Ao was momentarily stunned, then felt a surge of wild joy. He followed behind Danzo, humble and respectful.
Yugakure
At this moment, the gates of Yugakure were tightly shut and pitch black. This was incomparable to Konoha. On one hand, Yugakure's technological strength was backward, still enforcing a curfew that the entire ninja world used twenty years ago.
On the other hand, ever since their emissary, Hidan, wreaked havoc and wantonly killed people in Konoha Village, the Kage of Yugakure fell silent at the time. He immediately ordered the village gates closed at night, forbidding anyone in the village from going out.
They began playing that set of closing the country and locking the gates. Yugakure instantly became tense and on high alert.
Danzo and the others stopped about ten ri outside Yugakure. Danzo took out Konoha's thermal imaging binoculars and looked over.
He saw eight shinobi standing on the two towers flanking Yugakure's gate. This made Danzo a bit confused. Damn, were Yugakure's towers that high quality?
Ahem, just kidding. The fact that Yugakure dispatched eight shinobi for night watch meant they had entered a state of combat readiness.
In other words, Yugakure anticipated that after Hidan's incident, they could not escape death, so they prepared defensive measures in advance. But these defensive measures, while cautious, seemed like child's play in Danzo's eyes!
He said, "Ao, do you see those two watchtowers?" Danzo pointed at the towers. Ao quickly followed up, saying, "I see them, sir!"
"Good. There are four patrol shinobi on each watchtower, eight in total. They must all be eliminated in the first moment. Otherwise, we will be bogged down in a siege battle!" Danzo said slowly.
Ao nodded, then bowed with clasped hands. "Sir, I am willing to lead men to take care of these eight..." As he spoke, Ao made a throat-slitting gesture.
Danzo nodded, then added, "The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, you will cooperate with Ao to eliminate the guards on the watchtowers. Remember, be fast!"
"Yes!" The seven men bowed. This was an order directly from Danzo. At this moment, he represented the Kiri-bu Commander, Tobirama Senju. His words were Tobirama Senju's words! No one dared to disobey.
Danzo nodded. "Move out." As he spoke, he ordered the main force to advance slowly, while the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Ao took advantage of the night to sneak over and quickly eliminate the eight shinobi on the watchtowers.
He himself periodically took out the thermal imaging binoculars to observe the situation.
Eager to prove himself, Ao charged at the very front. This scene made Fuguki Suikazan look at Ao's back with a complicated expression.
Ao's strength had already reached Jonin level! And he was infinitely close to Kage-level. Everyone had misjudged him, thinking Ao could only reach Jonin by relying on that Byakugan.
But after losing his Byakugan, he didn't give up on himself. He cultivated in seclusion, and now he was also a semi-Kage-level expert. Perhaps his strength was somewhat inferior to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
But if the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't rely on their swords, they would probably lose to this young man. Fuguki Suikazan sighed. Now, all of this was a settled matter. Even the Mizukage, Yagura, had become Konoha's dog.
Kirigakure had been reduced to Konoha's blade. What was the point of thinking about this now?
Ao glanced at the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, then immediately formed hand signs. Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique! Instantly, a large amount of mist materialized out of thin air. This made the already tense Yugakure guards pull out flare signals.
The next moment, one guard held a flare in his left hand, his right hand ready to pull the fuse. A cold light flashed. His arm fell to the ground with a thud. Then pain surged. He wanted to cry out.
Jinin Akebino appeared behind him, covering his mouth with his left hand, his right hand forming a shushing gesture. "Shh~" Then, amidst the panicked expression of the Yugakure shinobi, he pulled his hands together!
The patrol shinobi's head was silently removed. Even his three fellow shinobi behind him didn't notice!
After completing his task, Jinin Akebino took down the shinobi and then hid within the thick mist.
Fuguki Suikazan wielded Samehada for violent demolition, directly smashing one person's head, then retreated.
At this moment, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen each used their methods. Dealing with these Yugakure patrol shinobi was simply too easy. In less than three seconds, seven were dead.
The eighth person on the watchtower sensed something was wrong. He hurriedly tried to call out, to have the captain on the other tower launch the flare signal. Just as he was about to shout out.
Ao struck his throat with a palm. *Thud!* The shinobi clutched his throat, feeling the intense pain from his neck. He wanted to shout, but couldn't utter a single sound.
Ao reached out, grasped the shinobi's throat, lifted him up, and threw him off the watchtower.
No matter how the shinobi struggled, in Ao's hands he was like a lamb to the slaughter. After being thrown, he landed on a rocky outcrop. The sharp rocks impaled him.
His eyes stared unwillingly towards the watchtower from which he had come, unable to rest even in death!
After doing all this, he dispersed the Hidden Mist Technique. Danzo, who had been monitoring the watchtowers' movements, was pleased. "Everyone, charge!"
At his command, the three-thousand-strong Kirigakure shinobi force surged forward, preparing to use various ninjutsu to break open the village gates.
Yugakure
Inside the Yugakure Kage's Office, he sat there, not daring to sleep, afraid that if he fell asleep, his head would no longer be on his shoulders when he woke. He hated Hidan, unable to understand why he had done such a thing!
Even if you're crazy, there should be limits. Going crazy in Konoha—wasn't that like an old man hanging himself, tired of living? Just as he was panicking and thinking wildly, a Yugakure shinobi suddenly entered his office.
"It's bad, Lord Kage! Shinobi—large numbers of shinobi are attacking the village gates!"
"What? The guards? What are they doing? Why is there no flare signal?" The Yugakure Kage immediately stood up and roared.
The shinobi's eyes dodged. "Lord, is it possible… they're already dead?" His gaze carried embarrassment.
Wasn't the village's own strength clear? At best, it was a small mountain stronghold bearing the name of a Hidden Village. How could it possibly compare to proper shinobi?
Having this outcome now was not unexpected!
The Yugakure Kage's expression froze. He felt dizzy, momentarily at a loss for what to do!
The shinobi's eyes shifted, and he smiled. "Lord, there is still a way! Do you remember Jashin?"
The Yugakure Kage was stunned. He looked at the shinobi before him in horror and slowly said, "You're insane! That thing has been sealed for over a thousand years. If it's released, whether the shinobi outside die or not, I don't know—but the people of Yugakure… probably not a single one will be spared!"
The shinobi sneered. "Lord, if we let those shinobi in, can Yugakure survive?"
"Hidan attempted to assassinate the daughter of Ryun Uchiha. Who is Ryun Uchiha? The most ruthless person of a thousand years, the one who leads Konoha, willing to unify the ninja world even if rivers of blood flow!" the shinobi continued.
"Do you think a man like that, whose daughter was nearly assassinated by a shinobi from our Yugakure, would spare us? Would he care about other countries' opinions of him?" the shinobi continued, beguiling him.
The Yugakure Kage was left speechless. However, apprehension lingered in his expression. If he released Jashin today, he would definitely become a sinner of the ninja world. He absolutely did not want such a title!
Seeing this, the shinobi's face turned expressionless. "Think of your daughter. Think of your son. Think of your parents. They will all die under Konoha's slaughtering blade. And you—unable to take revenge even in the Pure Land. Wouldn't you hate it?"
The Yugakure Kage trembled all over. Then his gaze sank. He took a deep breath. "As you say. Release that thing." He slumped weakly into his seat.
The shinobi's face lit up with joy. "Please, Lord Kage, issue an official order so I can have people carry it out!" He was both a Yugakure shinobi and a devout servant of Lord Jashin!
However, the relationship between Yugakure and Jashin was complex. Many Yugakure shinobi believed in Jashin, but the Yugakure Kage had clearly stated that belief was permitted—obsession was forbidden!
Gaining power was allowed, but not too much, or one's consciousness would be eroded by that power, turning into an avatar of Jashin.
This shinobi was clearly abnormal. Under normal circumstances, the Yugakure Kage might have had the clarity to recognize this. But now, with Yugakure on the brink of annihilation, his own mind had also become somewhat unclear.
Hearing the devil's whisper of the Jashin avatar, evil sprouted in his heart. Rather than watching his family die, it was better to drag the enemy down to hell with him!
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