Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 119 Konoha in Action

At the same time, in Konoha Village.

Three days have passed since the Hyuga clan's funeral, but the clan grounds are still covered in white cloth. The mourning hall has been removed, but the grief has not dissipated.

Hiashi Hyuga stood in the study his father had used, looking at the family genealogy on the wall. From the Warring States period to the present, the Hyuga clan had never lost its head during a mission; this was the first time.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Hyuga Hizashi pushed it open, his face weary. "Brother," he said, "the elders are still arguing. The main clan is demanding severe punishment for the Uchiha. They believe that Chief Fugaku deserted his post, which led to Father's..."

"Enough." Hiashi Hyuga interrupted him: "Clan Chief Fugaku brought back two clansmen, and he himself was seriously injured and on the verge of death. If he wanted to escape, he wouldn't even need to activate Susanoo."

Hiashi paused for a moment, then asked, "So what's the truth?"

"I don't know." Hiashi Hyuga turned and looked out the window. "The report from the Fugaku clan chief to the Hokage is top secret. But one thing is certain: the Grass Village has forces we don't know about. The Seven-Tails, the Dragonfly Messenger, and that strategist Shiraki—I suspect they're all just on the surface."

"Daily change, starting today, the training intensity for the separate units will be doubled, no, tripled."

"Because times have changed." Hiashi Hyuga's voice was low. "The Hokage promised our clan an elder's seat, but that was charity. If the Hyuga want to truly stand firm, we must demonstrate our strength and take back what we lost on the battlefield."

The Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, the swirling smoke making his face appear even more somber.

Three reports were laid out on the table: one from the Anbu, monitoring the immigration trends of the Land of Grass; one from the Root, analyzing the true relationship between the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Grass; and the last one was still the oral record of Uchiha Fugaku.

"The Seven-Tails is completely under control, the Dragonfly Clan is suspected to be an ancient summoning beast, and the true identity of the strategist Shiraki remains unknown..."

He murmured, glancing at Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sitting opposite him, "What do you two think?"

Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses: "Regardless of the truth, Konoha must take revenge. The death of the Hyuga clan leader and the loss of nearly a thousand ninjas—if we don't respond, the other ninja villages will think Konoha is weak."

"But how do we fight?" Koharu Utatane frowned. "Kusagakure has the Seven-Tails and flying units. If we launch a direct attack, the losses will be even greater than last time."

"Then let's change targets." Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. "The Land of Waterfalls."

The two were stunned. They didn't understand what was wrong with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Had he been possessed by Danzo?

"The reason why the Land of Grass dared to attack is because the Land of Waterfall was supporting them. Immigrants, supplies, ninjas—all of this originated from the Village of Waterfall."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and walked to the map. "If we attack the Land of Waterfall directly, the Grass Village will definitely come to our aid. At that time, the Seven-Tails will leave its home ground, and our advantage will be gone."

"The land of Takitani is a neutral country..." Mitomon Homura hesitated.

"It used to be."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression suddenly changed; his kind gaze vanished, as if the once-mighty ninja had returned.

"However, their neutrality was nullified the moment they interfered in the affairs of the Land of Grass. I will personally go to see the daimyo and request an order to subjugate the Land of Waterfall."

In fact, that's not all. Last time, they annihilated the Konoha Village's rogue ninja pursuit force and caused the death of Hatake Shigeki, which can be considered an open provocation.

If it weren't for the incident in the Land of Grass, he would have been dealt with long ago. Now, after experiencing two failures, he has seen through everything, and there must be some connection behind it all.

Even if not, cutting off their logistics is still necessary. Only by keeping the Land of Waterfalls preoccupied with their own problems can the forces from the Land of Grass be annihilated in one fell swoop.

He didn't believe that if a two-sided war broke out, the Tailed Beasts could split themselves into two.

"Also, contact Kumogakure and Iwagakure. Tell them that some ninja villages have mastered the method to completely control the tailed beasts. This matter cannot be left to Konoha alone."

Border of the Land of Rain.

The rain never stopped.

Aburame Shisei, wearing a waterproof cloak, walked along the muddy road. After entering the Land of Rain, the sky darkened, not because it was dark, but because the rain clouds were too thick and blocked out the sunlight year-round.

The villages along the way were dilapidated, with most houses being simple shacks. The fields were flooded, and the crops were sparse and withered. The villagers we occasionally saw were all emaciated and had numb eyes.

This is the Land of Rain under the rule of Hanzo the Salamander, a country struggling between three great nations.

"Halt." Three ninjas emerged from the rain ahead. They wore gas masks and gray uniforms, the symbol of Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village).

"Identity, purpose."

Aburame Shisei removed his hood, revealing a Kusagakure headband: "Shiraki, the strategist of Kusagakure, requests an audience with Hanzo, the leader."

The three Amegakure members exchanged glances. The leader stared at Aburame Shisei for a few seconds before suddenly speaking, "You're the one who defeated Konoha?"

Yu Nu Zhicheng laughed and said, "It was just luck."

"You can't kill Hyuga Tenjin by luck." The Amegakure ninja stepped aside and gestured for them to come with him. "Come with us, the leader is waiting for you."

Amegakure is built on a towering mountain peak, with buildings stacked along the mountainside, and at the very top is a steel tower—Hanzo's residence.

Aburame Shisei was led into the lobby on the top floor of the tower. There were no windows, only a faint light filtering through the skylight, and the sound of rain coming from above was continuous.

In the center of the hall, a figure sat on a stone chair; it was Hanzo the Salamander.

He wore a breathing mask and carried a huge scythe on his back; even sitting, he exuded a heavy sense of oppression.

"The strategist of Kusagakure." Hanzo's voice, muffled by his mask, said, "I've heard of you. You defeated Konoha's thousand men with only five hundred."

"There's nothing to brag about; it's just relying on external forces. We couldn't have won without the Seven-Tails' support from Takigakure."

"External forces are also a form of strength." Hanzo stood up and walked to Aburame Shisei. "So, what kind of force do you hope to borrow from the Land of Rain?"

Aburame Shisei looked up and stared directly into Hanzo's eyes: "Cooperate."

"What kind of cooperation?"

"Population, land, future," Aburame Shisei said calmly. "The Rain Country is constantly rainy, its soil is acidified, and its food production is insufficient. The Grass Country has fertile land lying idle, and I can decide to cede that river valley in the south to the Rain Country."

Hanzo's eyes flickered: "Conditions?"

"The refugees of the Land of Rain, and the complete cooperation between our two countries, please, Demigod of the Ninja World, lend your full strength."

Aburame Shisei said, "Those who lost their homes in the war and could not survive, we will send them to the Land of Grass, where they will be settled. Their children can enter the Ninja Academy and become ninjas."

After a moment of silence in the hall, Hanzo suddenly smiled.