boyutpedia #164 - Chapter 164: A Plan Within a Plan
#164 - Chapter 164: A Plan Within a Plan
Mount Myōboku.
Although Minato Namikaze was still training here, ever since learning that Iwagakure and Kumogakure had officially launched their attack on Sunagakure, Minato Namikaze had been paying close attention to the movements of the ninja world.
As for the source of information, it was news brought by his teacher, Jiraiya, from the village.
Amidst the tall grass, Minato Namikaze was developing his new ninjutsu, which he named: Spiraling Wind Release Super Wheel Dance Howl Style One. Although the name was somewhat un-critique-able, the destructive power displayed by this Rasengan, which incorporated Wind Release chakra nature transformation, surprised even Lord Fukasaku.
Just then, Jiraiya, dressed in casual clothes, appeared before Minato Namikaze. Compared to Minato, who could calmly train, Jiraiya's temperament was evidently somewhat restless, so he often traveled between the village and Mount Myōboku.
Seeing Jiraiya's serious expression, Minato Namikaze immediately knew that something must have happened in the outside world, and he asked anxiously.
"Jiraiya-sensei, has Sunagakure taken action?"
"Yes!"
Jiraiya sensed his disciple's emotional change, nodded, and took out a scroll.
Minato took it and immediately began to read it carefully.
The intelligence stated that two hours ago, Sunagakure, which had been inactive, suddenly gathered two-thirds of the village's ninja and left Sunagakure at a speed that caught everyone off guard. Based on the direction they left, it could be determined that their target was the Land of Rivers.
After reading it, Minato frowned deeply.
"Is Sunagakure planning to strike first?"
As the front-line commander of Konoha, Minato's military literacy was also very high. Based on the intelligence, he could naturally see Sunagakure's goal at a glance.
Jiraiya also nodded with a serious expression.
"That should be the case. From the current point of view, this is Sunagakure's only way to break the situation. I just don't know if it will succeed."
Minato looked at it, thought for a moment, and said.
"Since we in Konoha can receive the information, then Kumogakure and Iwagakure should be about the same. Although Iwagakure and Kumogakure are nominally united, it is impossible to expect them to share the same hatred. In other words, in a 4000 vs 4000 battle, Sunagakure still has the advantage in high-end combat power and may very likely win. However, one thing is rather strange: Sunagakure's target is not the Iwagakure ninja on the front line. Doesn't that mean that the interior of the Land of Wind is now empty, and the Iwagakure ninja can drive straight in?"
Jiraiya understood and thought for a moment before saying.
"Perhaps Sunagakure feels that facing Iwagakure's two Jinchuriki and four thousand ninja is too risky and they are not confident in achieving a decisive victory. In that case, they would instead put themselves in an awkward situation of being attacked from both sides. Sunagakure can completely trade space for time. Anyway, the Land of Wind has a large territory and a harsh environment. Invading the Land of Wind from the direction of the Land of Birds would require at least four or five days of travel. Moreover, because they are within the Land of Wind, Iwagakure would not dare to be too reckless."
Minato nodded. The reasoning was indeed sound.
This seemed to be the best countermeasure that Sunagakure could make at the moment.
Moreover, even the old One-Tail Jinchuriki had been dispatched, indicating that Sunagakure had clearly sent out all its elites.
It's just...
"What is it?"
Seeing Minato still frowning, Jiraiya asked curiously.
Minato thought for a moment and still voiced his doubts.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I always feel like something is not quite right. I always feel like this Kazekage's plan doesn't seem that simple..."
"???"
Jiraiya was stunned. He recalled the information the village had obtained and suddenly said, thinking of something.
"There is a piece of news that has not yet been confirmed. It came from Danzo's Root. It is said that Kirigakure is seeking an alliance with Sunagakure."
"Kirigakure!? Is it confirmed?"
"Whether or not an alliance has been formed, the village has not yet received definite news, but according to Danzo, he has special intelligence channels in Sunagakure and has indeed seen Kirigakure ninja appear in Sunagakure, and they are high-ranking officials from Kirigakure: Yagura Karatachi and Kisame Hoshigaki, trusted aides of the current Third Mizukage of Kirigakure."
These two names startled Minato, because these two were both famous figures in Kirigakure.
Moreover, although Minato strongly disliked Danzo's methods, he still had great trust in Root's intelligence capabilities.
"So, Kirigakure may also join this war?"
Minato was full of surprise. This Kazekage was indeed becoming more and more unpredictable to him.
Jiraiya shook his head instead.
"The village also considered this possibility, but ultimately rejected it."
"Why?"
"How should I put it..."
Jiraiya's expression was somewhat awkward, perhaps to remind his disciple of something, and he explained in detail.
"Kirigakure's Third Mizukage is very special. In a ninja village like Kirigakure, which is dominated by bloodline limit clans, the Mizukage is just an ordinary commoner. The vast majority of power in Sunagakure is controlled by the three major clans. Whether or not Kirigakure can join the battlefield is not something this Mizukage can decide. And these three major bloodline limit clans would never agree to help Suna, would they?"
"Why?"
"Do you still remember that woman from Sunagakure who fought you, named Pakura?"
Minato nodded.
"Let's put it this way, that woman's secret technique: Scorch Release, can be said to be the nemesis of the Hozuki clan and the Haku clan, two of the three major clans in Kirigakure. In recent years, many ninja from the Hozuki clan and the Haku clan have died at the hands of this woman. That's why this woman has such a great reputation and is even qualified to compete for the position of Kazekage. Therefore, Kirigakure will never help Sunagakure. Even if the Third Mizukage agrees, he will not be able to mobilize the village's ninja."
"I see..."
Minato fell into thought, but why did he still feel like something was wrong? He thought for a moment and still asked.
"Is there really no possibility at all? I always feel like this Kazekage isn't that simple?"
Jiraiya looked at his disciple's tightly furrowed brows and understood that the Kazekage's two actions that had caused Konoha to suffer major defeats had made his disciple somewhat too nervous when facing that Kazekage.
However, this was not necessarily a bad thing.
He thought for a moment and said.
"It's not impossible, unless this Mizukage can come up with some benefits that even those three major clans can't refuse, but if he really had them, this Mizukage wouldn't have ended up in his current awkward situation..."
Jiraiya's words suddenly made Minato's eyes light up.
"Benefits!?"
At this moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and countless images flashed through his brain, eventually focusing on his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, and then his pupils shrank.
"Sensei, I know, Kirigakure may really be participating in the war!"
"What!?"
Minato directly said the answer he had thought of.
"Sealing techniques, the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan. Don't forget that Kirigakure has the Three-Tails and the Six-Tails..."
Jiraiya's pupils also shrank...