novelhk Chapter 97 The Missing Cloud Ninja
Chapter 97 The Missing Cloud Ninja
Chapter 97 The Missing Cloud Ninja
On the main battlefield where Konoha and Kumogakure were locked in fierce combat, the smoke of battle had not yet dissipated, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and dust.
In a secluded corner of a valley far from the main battlefield, a group of silent figures were cleverly concealed.
The real Yuan Tuoye leaned lazily against the thick branches of an ancient tree, tilting his head slightly and yawning casually at the sky, which was shrouded in ninjutsu smoke.
Beneath the tree, a silent busy activity is underway.
A group of unidentified people, who did not wear any ninja insignia, swiftly and securely bound the unconscious Cloud Ninjas lying haphazardly in the bushes and behind piles of rocks, and put them into specially made black restraint bags.
The leader in command was none other than the elite of the Snow Kingdom, Wolf Fang Avalanche.
He stood solemnly to one side until the last prisoner was dealt with properly, then turned around and looked up. His gaze, through the dappled shadows of the trees, landed on the figure in the tree. The unyielding awe in his eyes was almost overflowing, and his voice was extremely low but crystal clear.
"My lord, this batch of twelve Cloud Ninja has been packed up and is ready to be transferred back to the Snow Country prison at any time."
"Hmm, you've worked hard." Yuan Tuoye's voice floated down from above, carrying a hint of sleepiness and laziness.
"It is our greatest honor to serve you, sir!"
Wolf Fang Avalanche spoke with unwavering conviction, his sincerity coming from the depths of his heart.
Since they were conscripted into this brutal war involving two great nations, the strength and methods demonstrated by Gen Takuno have once again won over their defiant hearts from the icy plains.
It was far more than just his superior personal strength; what truly shook their souls was that he, like a chess player, was subtly manipulating the fates of two giants on the battlefield!
The war that Gen Takuno mentioned earlier has actually come as scheduled. With such power, it would be easy for him to crush the Snow Country!
Before being secretly sent to this meat grinder-like battlefield, each of them was filled with the tragic awareness that they were about to die, convinced that they were playing with fire right under the noses of Konoha and Kumogakure.
To be discovered? That would be tantamount to dying here, a soul lost in a foreign land.
However, reality is so absurd that it's ecstatic.
Months passed, and they suffered very few casualties, not even a single decent battle had taken place!
What they did was surprisingly simple.
Simply follow the precise coordinates provided by the elusive crow, sneak into a specific corner, and hide.
Those places always perfectly avoided both sides' patrol networks, like blind spots in war.
Once the crows have given them the indication as they fly by, they only need to reach the coordinates to see the target Cloud Ninja lying silently on the ground, as if all his strength has been drained by an invisible force, his chakra sealed, and his ninjutsu rendered ineffective, like a lamb to the slaughter.
All that remains is the work of the "porters" to quietly move away the fruits of victory.
The mission was so easy it was almost absurd, and the danger level was unbelievably low.
Yuan Tuoye ignored the almost fanatical flattery from Langya Xue Beng.
His fingertips unconsciously traced the rough bark of the tree, silently calculating the "harvest" of the past few months.
Hundreds of high-quality "materials" have been quietly added to the database.
Of course, the main gains were from the main battlefield. This place could only be considered a supplement, its purpose being merely to lure out the Two-Tailed Yugito.
Kagura's Mind's Eye, the most powerful sensory technique, demonstrated its unparalleled strategic value at this moment.
I have complete control over every drop of chakra fluctuation within a radius of tens of kilometers!
This allowed him to accurately locate the ninja squads sent by Kumogakure and Konoha to carry out reconnaissance or raid missions, just like the most astute hunters.
At the same time, it also provided near-perfect protection for the Snow Ninja Force's safe concealment.
The hiding places he arranged were cleverly embedded in the gaps of the two armies' huge sensory networks, and so far neither side has noticed anything amiss.
The current "materials" are all from Yunyin.
For Konoha, only unlucky Konoha ninjas who happen to stumble into the battlefield while they are ambushing a Cloud Ninja squad will be "casually" collected. Even without them, these unlucky souls would die at the hands of the Cloud Ninja.
Of course, the chaotic battlefield when the main forces of Konoha and Kumogakure were locked in a head-on battle also provided an excellent environment for taking advantage of the chaos.
He would sometimes disguise himself as an inconspicuous Konoha ninja, moving among them in search of a suitable "target".
Ok?
Gen Takuno was slightly taken aback, then gave a somewhat helpless smile. He didn't seem to need to pretend, because he was a Konoha ninja himself.
However, he could not have carried out those actions under the identity of "Yuan Takuya".
He yawned again, his cold gaze fixed on the direction of the Cloud Village command base.
Although he was cautious and meticulous in his actions, it was impossible for the Cloud Village to not notice anything unusual.
The number of small fish and shrimp that can be caught has visibly decreased.
This is exactly the situation he wanted to see: the other party is suspicious and anxious, yet unable to find any concrete evidence against them.
In their anxiety, they will inevitably throw in real "big fish," top elites, or jinchūriki, such as—that two-tailed jinchūriki, Yugito!
At this moment, inside the Cloud Hidden Frontline Command Post, shrouded in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.
The Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito, had his arms crossed over his chest, his handsome brows tightly furrowed together, like solidified ice.
Those sharp cat-like eyes swept over the silent Jonin gathered around the command table, finally settling on a communications ninja who had just delivered bad news. His voice was as cold as the wind on an icy plain: "The two new scouting teams—have completely lost contact again?"
The command center fell into dead silence.
Those whose gaze swept over her either lowered their heads in silence or exchanged uneasy glances with pale faces.
This was not the first time such news had been reported; like a poisonous vine, it had repeatedly entangled the hearts of the Cloud Hidden's high-ranking officials, bringing far more frustration and bewilderment than they had imagined.
Scouts are the vital "eyes" and "ears" on the battlefield.
However, the casualty rate of the elite teams they sent out to carry out routine reconnaissance missions was strangely alarming.
What's most terrifying is that the vanished team couldn't even send back any useful information, as if they had been swallowed up in an instant by an invisible giant mouth!
"Another eye roll?"
An elderly ninja with a scar on his face uttered this guess with difficulty, trying to find a reason to explain it.
They have fought against Konoha before; the Hyuga's Byakugan is indeed powerful and can provide a huge advantage.
But—this has never been the case before!
While the white eye could detect in the past, the elite team of the target was not without the opportunity to escape, send out an alarm, or even fight back.
The current situation is that even when the teams we send out are carrying out the lowest-risk missions in the safest areas, they disappear without a trace once they go beyond a certain distance!
This is an "isolation" effect that a roll of the eyes under abnormal circumstances could not achieve!
"We can't keep going on like this!" Yugito slammed his hand on the table covered with maps, making a dull thud.
The anger in her eyes was almost boiling into flames. "Select experienced Jonin to form new scout teams, with one or two members in each team! The main task will no longer be in-depth reconnaissance, but escorting."
Find out how our people disappeared! If there's danger, no matter what, at least bring back intelligence alive!
They were no longer able to break through the solid defenses held by Jiraiya through direct confrontation on the front lines.
Recalling his several encounters with the white-haired "Toad Sage," an indescribable heaviness rose in Mu Ren's heart.
Even after fully transforming into a tailed beast, her ferocious power could only match that of her opponent. In fact, during the ongoing confrontation, she could clearly feel an invisible pressure accumulating.
As time goes by, she will likely be defeated by Jiraiya!
This made her, the proud Jinchūriki, feel aggrieved.
How could a ninja who is neither a Jinchuriki nor has a bloodline limit be so incredibly powerful?
At the same time, an idea uncontrollably rushed into her mind.
Should we request reinforcements from the Land of Lightning's rear?
Should the Fourth Raikage, or Killer Bee, the strongest Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, be allowed to join the battle?
The reason they haven't mobilized them yet is because they're worried that once their top combat power enters the battlefield, Minato Namikaze, the "Yellow Flash" who intimidates the entire ninja world, will also descend upon the battlefield!
The terrifying Flying Thunder God Technique plays a role in war comparable to a humanoid strategic weapon. Its deterrent power and actual destructive power are even greater than the sum of the two top experts of Cloud Village!
However----
A few days later, the cold and cruel reality shattered Yugito's last shred of hope.
A powerful reconnaissance team equipped with two Jonin lost all contact again just hours after penetrating the designated area.
The air in the entire Cloud Hidden Frontline Command Base seemed to be instantly sucked out and solidified.
The oppressive, low-pressure atmosphere was so heavy it could suffocate you.
Those strategists and Jonin who had thought that increased security would guarantee them clues were now filled with shock and disbelief!
Yukito's face was as pale as paper. She stood frozen in front of the huge crystal screen, her clenched fists cracking from the force of her grip, her nails digging deep into her palms.
It failed! But this in itself also conveys a message.
This was not an accident, nor a chance mistake, but a premeditated massacre by Konoha targeting their sensory tentacles!
The command room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at their commander, the only one who could wield the power of the tailed beasts, their faces ashen.
Yumu slowly raised his head, his eyes burning with a mixture of raging anger and icy killing intent, along with a trace of uncontrollable bewilderment.
What methods did Konoha use to achieve this level of success?
"Next, I will personally get involved!" Yukito said slowly. This can't go on any longer; we must break out of this desperate situation!
"Absolutely not! We don't even know how the enemy did it, how can we let Lady Yugito risk her life! Send more Jonin over, we'll definitely find out what happened!" The surrounding Jonin immediately said.
"No need to say more, my mind is made up. I cannot let so many of my compatriots die without knowing why!"
Yukito made the decision!