Chapter 71: The Revenge Plan!
"We... won't have any reinforcements, and there are rumors in the village that it's because of your poor intelligence relay, Uchiha Takashi, that the border camp fell!"
Kobayashi Heiji relayed the message he received from Honda.
This was a piece of news that left them in despair.
No reinforcements!
They had originally thought that if they just held on a little longer, reinforcements would arrive. But to their dismay, there would be none.
And of course, they pinned the blame on Uchiha Takashi.
Anyone else would surely think it was his fault.
But as those who experienced the event firsthand, they naturally understood the truth.
Facing a surprise attack from a strong opponent like Pakura, without a similarly strong ninja to counter her, no one could have held their ground.
The responsibility lay with the village's leadership.
The Sand Village had been showing signs of activity for some time, yet the village leaders did nothing besides gathering supplies. Who else could be blamed?
Uchiha Takashi remained utterly calm, unaffected by the news.
Are you kidding?
Why should he be affected?
With Taiichi in hand, he had a guaranteed escape route, so he didn't care whether reinforcements came or not.
As for being blamed?
Sorry, he's not White Fang, nor is he one of those proud Uchihas who would take on responsibility due to rumors.
Rumors might affect ninjas with a strong sense of morality and responsibility.
But Uchiha Takashi had long abandoned his moral compass and was enjoying a life without scruples, so such rumors had no effect on him.
"Alright, let's discuss how we can break through next!"
Kobayashi Heiji, though unsure why Uchiha Takashi was so calm, shifted the topic.
Regardless of whose responsibility it was, the priority was to escape first.
"…"
No one spoke.
Because everyone understood that in their current situation, it was impossible to fight their way back to Konoha through the Sand Ninja encirclement.
As for abandoning the convoy and escaping, no one even suggested it. Doing so would mean certain death even if they made it back to Konoha.
"Actually, there is a way!"
Uchiha Takashi wasn't willing to continue this awkward silence and broke it directly.
"Our mission is to escort the convoy back to Konoha, but there's no time limit or route restriction, right?"
He made it clear.
They could take a different route and hide for a while.
This way, escaping the encirclement would be much easier.
"No, those who are poisoned can't hold on for much longer. We need to get them back to Konoha for treatment as soon as possible!"
Kobayashi Heiji rejected Uchiha Takashi's suggestion.
Doing so would mean abandoning the poisoned ninjas, which was no different from abandoning the mission.
It's not that the method wouldn't work, but reality didn't allow it.
The Will of Fire didn't allow them to do such a thing.
Konoha ninjas were raised with the 'Will of Fire' from a young age, and their loyalty to the village was unquestionable.
"What if I can delay the effects of the poison?"
Uchiha Takashi's words made everyone's breath quicken.
No one wanted to die!
Before, they had no choice. Now that there was a way out, how could they not be excited?
"Really?"
Kobayashi Heiji's eyes glowed with eagerness as he asked.
"I have a 'bit' of experience in drug development, so delaying the poison's effects shouldn't be a problem!"
Uchiha Takashi 'humbly' assured them.
And he wasn't worried about anyone finding out.
The treatment potion was developed by him, so claiming he couldn't develop drugs would be a lie.
Revealing this ability posed no risk.
You could say Uchiha Takashi benefited from Tsunade.
She left him with a wealth of medical knowledge, including detoxification.
With such a foundation, it's no wonder he was confident in making such a promise.
Curing might be difficult, but delaying? That's easy!
Chapter 71: The Revenge Plan!
If it were truly a potent poison, these ninjas wouldn't have survived long enough to be sent back to Konoha. So, delaying its effects isn't as difficult as one might imagine. The materials are also easy to find, as they are abundant in the forest.
"So, which way should we go?"
Kobayashi Heiping stopped pretending and directly spread out the map to inquire about their specific target.
"Here!"
Uchiha Takashi traced a line on the map with his finger and then pointed.
"The Land of Rivers?"
Everyone looked at the spot Uchiha Takashi indicated.
It's a small country located south of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire.
Due to the numerous rivers that make farming impossible, the population is sparse, and the situation is chaotic and disordered.
Ironically, the Land of Rivers borders the Land of Wind.
One lacks water, while the other is plagued by overflowing rivers, making the contrast quite stark.
"Exactly, the Sand Ninja would never expect us to flee to the Land of Rivers. As long as we hide there for a while, we can return the same way once the Konoha army arrives!"
Uchiha Takashi explained the plan.
"Alright!"
Kobayashi Heiping nodded immediately, and the other two Chunin had no objections.
Because this plan was indeed sound.
However, to buy time, someone naturally had to act as bait to divert the Sand Ninja's attention.
"Leave it to me!"
Uchiha Takashi decisively took on this task.
Not because he was selfless, but because it was a rare opportunity.
Previously, whenever he left the village, it was either for a mission or with someone accompanying him, leaving no chance for free action. This was the perfect opportunity.
With the freedom to act, he intended to accomplish some important tasks.
For instance, relocating the Fusang tree! It was no longer safe to keep it in Konoha. Uchiha Takashi even refrained from investing more resources into it to prevent it from growing too large to move.
Once he took on the task of luring the enemy, Uchiha Takashi would have the time to relocate the Fusang tree to a pre-scouted location.
"Alright!"
Kobayashi Heiping agreed without hesitation, allowing Uchiha Takashi to act as the bait to divert the Sand Ninja, rather than choosing to undertake the task himself.
Because he was in extremely poor condition.
Attempting this task would be a death sentence, and Uchiha Takashi had already proven his strength, making him the best choice for the job.
After their discussion, Uchiha Takashi set off overnight.
No... he went to gather medicinal herbs overnight, producing a large quantity of antidotes to alleviate the poison before actively drawing the Sand Ninja's attention.
When moving with the convoy, he was restrained.
Acting alone, he could unleash his full potential.
If it weren't for conserving his strength, Uchiha Takashi could have led the team to break through the encirclement and return to Konoha.
But doing so would be foolish unless one had lost their mind.
Returning to the village would only mean endless tasks awaiting him, and only a fool would rush back.
Instead, he planned to use this time to cause some trouble.
It's obvious who was behind the rumors about him.
An eye for an eye!
He wasn't one to swallow insults.
Just like when the Root sent a team to capture him, he didn't hesitate to wipe out that entire squad.
This time, he intended to teach Root a lesson and seize that coveted item he'd been eyeing for so long.
Life and death are trivial; if you're not satisfied, fight back! Before crossing over, Uchiha Takashi despised phrases like "for the greater good" used to manipulate the weak.
You can disregard the greater good when attacking me, but I have to consider it when retaliating?
The greater good is yours, not mine.
When powerless, one must endure; with power, enduring is for turtles.
It's clear that with power, his mindset has changed.
When he first crossed over, Uchiha Takashi might have sacrificed for the "greater good."
Now, with power, he doesn't even want to endure for a moment.
With a sharp mind, the desire to kill arises! This phrase is indeed true.
Relocating the Fusang tree and taking revenge on Danzo can both be accomplished while diverting the Sand Ninja.
This way, he would have an alibi.
(End of Chapter)
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