Chapter 234: S-Rank Mission: Multi-Village Alliance!
"Dad!"
A, drenched in sweat, burst into the command tent, his young, dark-skinned face beaming with excitement. "Are we finally going to war with Konoha again?! Have you figured out a way to deal with the Shadow of Darkness?"
CRACKLE!
With a dull thunderclap, a blinding arc of lightning flashed, and "Nara-Raikage's" figure instantly vanished from his seat.
"Don't call me 'Dad'." He appeared before A and brought his sack-sized fist down on his head. "Call me 'Lord Raikage'!"
WHAM!
The "Fist of Fatherly Love" landed squarely on A's skull, producing a sickening, tooth-rattling thud. He was sent crashing into the ground, leaving a man-shaped crater in the tent floor.
Dodai, the Kumo chief of staff who had arrived earlier, watched this scene, his eyelid twitching. Perhaps due to his recent defeat on the battlefield, Lord Third had been "training" his son quite a lot these past few days. But, as the "Raikage-in-waiting," if A had one virtue, it was his durability. Dodai wasn't worried about him being seriously injured.
"Yo! Big bro gets a blow! I—"
Killer B, who had followed A in, was about to launch into an impromptu rap when he met the "Nara-Raikage's" warning glare. He immediately abandoned the idea and stood perfectly still. He held the Third Raikage in a state of constant awe. How could he not, when his own boss was a man who could go toe-to-toe with the Eight-Tails and fight it to a standstill?
"Nara-Raikage" teleported back to his seat and began to neatly arrange the various intel and jutsu scrolls the masked man had "tributed." The dust in the tent gradually settled.
"Your fists are getting stronger, Dad—" A said, rubbing his head as he climbed out of the hole.
Hearing his son's form of address, "Nara-Raikage" shot him a cold, sharp glare. "Hm?"
"I mean, Lord Raikage," A quickly corrected himself.
Seeing his brother submit, Killer B offered a passionate "praise." "Brother! Bakayarō! Konoyarō!"
"Ahem!" Unable to stand their antics any longer, Dodai cleared his throat. "Lord Third, as A just said, have you found a way to deal with Konoha?"
This was, of course, code for "the Shadow of Darkness." For the past few days, Dodai had been wracking his brain for a strategy, but against a top-tier ninja who possessed both a "Tailed Beast Bomb" and "flight," he couldn't come up with a single counter. And if they did move against him and he escaped... what awaited Kumogakure might be a "Tailed Beast Bomb from the Sky." If that were to happen, what would be the point of any victories on the front line?
"As you know, those sneaky bastards from Kirigakure recently formed a temporary alliance with us," "Nara-Raikage" said, his voice serious. "However, due to the Konoha ninja's strength being somewhat... beyond expectations... that plan was aborted. In the past two days, Kiri has provided a new 'beheading plan' specifically targeting the Shadow of Darkness and the Yellow Flash. I have already agreed to it."
"We're working with those guys from Kiri?" A cracked his knuckles, his expression excited. "Are we going to launch a full-scale assault on their camp, just like last time?"
"That is indeed what the Kiri bastards suggested," "Nara-Raikage" said slowly. "Their forces have already landed in the Land of Hot Water, and together we have Konoha's army in a pincer. Their plan is for me, A, and B to act as the vanguard, to draw out the Shadow of Darkness, the Yellow Flash, and the Five-Tails. Then, while they are occupied, our main army, along with Kiri and Iwa's, will rush in and annihilate Konoha's remaining forces in one fell swoop."
"Lord Third!" Dodai said, his voice trembling with excitement. "This plan... is highly feasible!"
"Indeed. And I have agreed to it. But..." the Nara-Raikage said calmly, "our main army will not be pressing forward. The key to this operation is the Shadow of Darkness and the Yellow Flash, especially the former. We will not commit our full strength until they are dealt with. Otherwise, we risk a repeat of what happened last time."
Last time, of course, was when the real Third Raikage had eagerly moved his troops into the abandoned Konoha camp, only to have them all wiped out by Keisuke's Dark Spiral Annihilation Sphere.
"Lord Third is right!" Dodai's reason returned, his excitement calming. "There is no need for us to fight a life-or-death battle with Konoha at this stage. We can wait until Kiri and Iwa are finished, and then attack whichever side is weakest."
"How troublesome," A complained, flexing his fist. "Can't we just fight them head-on?"
B wanted to agree with his brother, but seeing the expressions on his father's and Dodai's faces, he stayed silent.
"Dodai, this is a map of the Konoha camp and the Five-Tails' location, provided by Kiri," "Nara-Raikage" said, perfectly playing his role and handing the intel to his chief of staff. "You will decide how to act. A, B. Your mission is to tie down the Yellow Flash. Lure him towards the Five-Tails, but do not let the Five-Tails interfere with the main battle. If you can't, just focus all your attention on the Yellow Flash."
The two brothers looked at each other and nodded. "Yes, sir!"
"Lord Third," Dodai said, holding the scroll. "When does this 'beheading operation' begin?"
"If there are no accidents," "Nara-Raikage" said, looking out of the tent, "tomorrow night."
The next evening, the Konoha unit led by Uchiha Kagami "accidentally discovered" the invading Kiri ninja and engaged them in a series of small-scale skirmishes. The news was quickly sent back to the main camp.
"Clan Head," Nara Shikaku said, his fingers trembling as he held the report. "Just as you said, Kiri engaged Kagami's forces at this exact time!"
Minato, who was also present, couldn't help but stare at Keisuke in wonder.
"And this won't be the only battle today," Keisuke said calmly from his meditative state, his Large Sealing Scroll on his back. "Shikaku-san, I have given you all the intelligence. How you win this war is up to you."
"Leave it to me!" Shikaku said with a solemn nod. He had no idea where Keisuke was getting this perfect intel, as if he had personally participated in the enemy's strategy meetings. But since the intel had been proven correct, winning this war was now almost a certainty.
Of course, it all depended on whether Keisuke and Minato could hold off the Third Raikage and the AB Combo. But looking at his Clan Head's confident expression, Shikaku couldn't voice his concerns.
At that moment, Keisuke's head snapped up, as if he'd sensed something. "The Third Raikage... is here!"
The instant he spoke, his figure vanished. Minato was right behind him.
A moment later, the "Shadow of Darkness" and the "Yellow Flash" shot out of the Konoha camp. Under the night sky, three trails of silver-white lightning were rapidly approaching.
"Nara-Raikage" and the AB Combo had arrived.
Keisuke looked at the enemy lineup, a fleeting smirk on his face. 'Their boss is my man. How do you even dare to fight me, Old Man Madara?'
He turned to Minato. "Minato-san. You take the AB Combo."
Minato looked at A and Killer B, a new, powerful confidence in his blue eyes. He was no longer just the "kunai-wielding Yellow Flash."
At the same time, Keisuke created a new S-rank mission for himself.
[S-Rank Mission: Multi-Village Alliance]
[Mission Content: Repel the combined assault of Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure.]
[Mission Reward: S-Rank Shinobi Secret Scroll]
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