"Naruto: My Ninja Skills"Chapter 227: Stirring the Pot!
"Who are you?"
A Jinchūriki who can communicate heart-to-heart with their Tailed Beast differs fundamentally from ordinary Jinchūriki—the former achieves true "unity of two as one."
Therefore, when Yūshin's "figure" appeared before Shukaku, Monk Bunpuku's "figure" also materialized here.
"Don't worry, I'm not a good person."
Yūshin was merely here to feed Shukaku, with no intention of doing anything excessive, but that didn't prevent him from cracking a joke.
However, while these words were jest to him, they constituted a horror story for Monk Bunpuku... A stranger suddenly appearing in the cell, then directly "invading" the Tailed Beast's seal—how could such a person harbor ordinary malicious intent?
As he spoke, Yūshin directly tossed the "fruit" in his hand to Shukaku, who showed no wariness whatsoever, swallowing it in one gulp... Yūshin had served as a Tailed Beast keeper a thousand years ago, and when he fed them, Shukaku would practically leap up to catch the treats—this had become pure conditioned reflex.
"Eh, what is this thing? It actually tastes quite good..."
After swallowing the fruit, Shukaku felt it instantly transform into energy, and in the blink of an eye, sensed its power strengthened by a fraction.
Yūshin smiled without speaking. Shukaku had essentially devoured over a thousand Sunagakure ninja in one bite—how could the taste be poor?
Strengthening Tailed Beasts was exactly what Yūshin anticipated. After feeding, he stepped back several paces, arriving before the seal's materialized "great gate."
"How about it, Shukaku? Want me to release you?"
This statement remained playful. Whether to release Shukaku was actually inconsequential, but if a Tailed Beast were summoned into Sunagakure during their leaderless period, the entertainment value would be immense.
Shukaku felt momentarily tempted, but upon glimpsing Monk Bunpuku's nervous expression, changed its nodding motion to head-shaking.
"Forget it. If I leave the seal, the monk will die."
This answer was unsurprising, yet still sounded miraculous.
Nine-Tails is a fox, foxes are canines—dogs can be domesticated, fine. But you, Shukaku, are a tanuki cat—cats can also be domesticated?
This qualified as feline world disgrace.
"Very well, then temporarily remain on your cat tower. Human lifespans are brief... We'll have opportunities to meet again in the future."
"Wait, Gan..."
As he spoke, Yūshin's figure vanished completely. Shukaku had many questions to ask, but lacked any such opportunity.
Why would a keeper from a thousand years ago appear in this era? This was the question.
With Yūshin inside the seal disappearing, Yūshin outside the cell naturally vanished as well.
Monk Bunpuku stood up, circled several times within the narrow cell, finding nothing. He reached up to touch his bald head—everything that had just occurred seemed like hallucination.
But this certainly wasn't hallucination.
"Shukaku, what was that person about? Do you know him?"
Deep in consciousness, Bunpuku asked Shukaku.
This question made the noise-loving Shukaku fall silent. Since Yūshin was alive and active in the Shinobi World for certain purposes, it became inconvenient to explain Yūshin's identity in detail.
Shukaku belonged to the type of Tailed Beast that occasionally used its brain, so after consideration, it said:
"A friend I knew very, very long ago. Like he said, human life is limited, but somehow he's survived until now."
Additionally, why had Yūshin fed Shukaku? Was this random action, or... Shukaku suspected "Gan" was purposefully strengthening the Tailed Beasts' power.
If so, this was serious business—such feeding activities easily sparked various unpleasant associations.
Shukaku's power had been enhanced somewhat, but Monk Bunpuku felt little impact, since Shukaku never resisted him anyway.
"Very long ago? If he's from ancient times, he should be sealed, right?"
Such inexplicable appearances and disappearances—Monk Bunpuku naturally couldn't guess his purpose.
This was actually his own limited experience. If he hadn't been imprisoned since childhood, perhaps he could have recognized Yūshin. Unfortunately, he'd never seen Yūshin before.
Why could Bunpuku become friends with the Tailed Beast? One reason was certainly that he could only become friends with the Tailed Beast.
"Nothing major will happen in the village, right?" Subsequently, Bunpuku couldn't help worrying.
These Jinchūriki all had psychological and mental issues. Given their lifelong experiences, becoming rogue ninja would be the most reasonable choice—suffering abuse naturally demands revenge. Yet in reality, the more miserable a Jinchūriki's circumstances, the more they seemed to love their village. This was strange indeed.
"Don't know. Probably not. There's no commotion above."
Shukaku had nothing to say. Regarding Bunpuku's thoughts, it never quite understood, but chose to respect and bless them.
At this moment, Monk Bunpuku didn't even know Sunagakure had declared war on Konoha and Iwagakure, initiating the Shinobi World War—what village concerns were there to discuss?
...
When Yūshin returned to the surface, he discovered strong winds sweeping through the nighttime desert. Walking Sunagakure's empty streets felt like traversing a Western film set.
Desolate streetscapes, sand filling the air—add a long tracking shot, and next should come a spectacular American-style Iaijutsu duel.
Iaijutsu aside, Yūshin sensed a squad of ninja approaching from ahead.
"Patrolling streets at this hour? Makes sense—during wartime, ninja villages indeed strengthen vigilance."
Yūshin continued forward, harboring no evasive thoughts.
In the Shinobi World, whoever has the hardest body and strongest power walks the main road.
Sunagakure ninja walking Sunagakure roads? This indicated they'd taken the wrong path.
When the opposing three-person group penetrated the sandstorm, nearly crossing paths with Yūshin, he raised his hand and actively greeted them.
"Nighttime patrol is hard work, everyone... Eh, your strength isn't bad."
Kamakura and his two guards instantly stopped and froze—this... one of our own?
Through the sandstorm, they hadn't seen Yūshin's face clearly, but Yūshin's attitude was too natural. He wasn't greeting Sunagakure ninja—clearly greeting Konoha ninja... Wasn't this standard "leisurely strolling"?
While the two guards continued bewilderment, Kamakura's forehead was already covered in cold sweat.
His body was abnormally rigid, wanting to act but being forcibly suppressed by some bodily instinct.
Without inquiry or investigation, he allowed Yūshin to pass by.
After solitary footsteps completely merged into wind sounds, Kamakura finally began gasping like a rescued drowning victim... Only then did he realize he'd unconsciously held his breath.
Was this encountering ghosts in the dead of night?
"That person just now... his clothing was very problematic, didn't seem like a Sunagakure ninja, right?"
"Acting alone at this hour—suspicious."
Hearing subordinates' words, only now did Kamakura's brain begin normal function. But honestly, after recovering normalcy, his conventional orders seemed abnormal and irrational.
"Chase after him—see what's happening!"
Fortunately, Yūshin paid no attention to the youngsters. After completing his business, he'd already departed Sunagakure. No matter how Kamakura pursued, he never rediscovered Yūshin's traces.
One could only say, truly worthy of the "Strongest Kazekage"—never mind his strength, at least his luck was excellent. Trying so hard to court death yet failing to die.
However, brushing past the Grim Reaper inevitably brings bad luck. By late night, various terrible news finally reached the village.
The purest instinctive reaction lasted only an instant. After recovering reason, Kamakura continuously regretted not successfully courting death.
He arrived at the Kazekage office building, beginning to direct Sunagakure ninja in midnight village searches, attempting to locate the intruder.
They searched various locations, naturally finding nothing... Only failing to search the truly clue-bearing location—the Jinchūriki's prison.
Sunagakure ninja did find the ninja Yūshin had controlled with Genjutsu, but by then he'd already "forgotten" what had previously occurred.
Subsequently, Kamakura had no time to worry about intruders.
"Kamakura-sama, a ninja from Lady Chiyo's side has transmitted intelligence..."
The reporting ninja appeared anxious yet hesitant to speak.
Kamakura immediately sensed the ominous implications—why was it a ninja from Chiyo's side transmitting intelligence, rather than Chiyo herself?
"Speak—don't stammer."
"...The First and Second have fallen in battle. Main forces completely annihilated—none survived."
After speaking, that ninja actually felt relieved—originally, such pressure shouldn't be borne by him.
"What did you say?!"
Kamakura's gaze turned sharp as blades, stabbing directly toward this ninja.
"Kamakura-sama, do you... need me to repeat it?"
That ninja looked completely wronged—you told me to speak!
Due to Chiyo blocking information, Sunagakure's received intelligence all came through private channels, so Kamakura subsequently received numerous additional messages.
These intelligence reports varied in writing style, but described consistent basic facts...
Sunagakure's vanguard forces were finished, Sunagakure's strategy was finished, Sunagakure itself seemed nearly finished.
But circumstances didn't stop there. Kamakura had contracted bad luck, quickly reaching "farting breaks teeth" levels.
"Kamakura-sama, Iwagakure forces have crossed the Land of Demons. Their commander appears to be a ninja named Ōnoki..."
Following bad news came worse news.
"Organize troops..."
Kamakura instinctively wanted to dispatch forces to intercept Iwagakure, but one of his trusted ninja immediately stopped him.
"Kamakura-sama! Iwagakure isn't important now... You must first handle Chiyo's concealment!"
Chiyo had hidden the vanguard's total defeat. Regardless of her reasons or the rationality of her actions, for Kamakura's faction, concealment marked unreliability.
The village leader was dead—such crucial information withheld from the village prince. Besides ulterior motives, what other reasons existed?
"It's not that serious."
Kamakura immediately understood his subordinate's meaning. On one hand, he felt circumstances weren't so dire, on the other...
"Raise vigilance to maximum level, strengthen village defenses, dispatch people to investigate Chiyo and her forces' situation, quickly determine her intentions."
Kamakura unhesitatingly deployed the time-honored, wisdom-crystallized internal-external strategy—"Pacify internal before repelling external."
...
Sunagakure declared war on Iwagakure; Iwagakure naturally responded in kind—they chose direct combat.
Different nations have varying land hunger levels. The Land of Fire doesn't care about deserts, but Iwagakure doesn't mind adding new terrain to the Land of Earth.
In the First Shinobi World War, Iwagakure gained maximum advantage, even qualifying as the war's victor. Having tasted sweetness, they craved more warfare.
Day one: Iwagakure declared war on Sunagakure.
Day two: Iwagakure declared war on Amegakure.
Iwagakure and Amegakure had grudges. During the chaotic era, the mighty Ishikawa Clan had suffered Amegakure minor clans' mockery. Without local power instigation, the Ishikawa alliance might not have rushed down the plateau.
Last Shinobi World War, Iwagakure couldn't spare attention for Amegakure. Now with free hands, they naturally wanted to settle scores.
Day three: Iwagakure declared war on Kumogakure.
Nothing to explain—this remained the previous Shinobi World War's continuation.
Subsequently, Kumogakure declared war on Iwagakure and Konoha.
Kumogakure's war declaration reason against Konoha was rather absurd—claiming Konoha killed their Jinchūriki.
Within mere days, the Shinobi World became chaotic stew... Facts proved everyone hadn't fought satisfyingly enough last Shinobi World War.
One week after war began, simply put:
Konoha's enemies: Sunagakure, Amegakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure.
Sunagakure's enemies: Konoha, Iwagakure, Amegakure, Kirigakure.
Iwagakure's enemies: Sunagakure, Amegakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure.
Kumogakure's enemies: Iwagakure, Konoha, Kirigakure.
Kirigakure's enemies: Konoha, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure.
Two villages stood out: First, Amegakure—no helping it, the Land of Rain was continental center, natural "chessboard." Second, Kirigakure—last war they barely fought, this time they began exerting force, warring with every major village, making people suspect this island nation was implementing "continental balance" strategy.
Shinobi World War? Cesspool! Begin stirring.
But only Konoha and Kumogakure could truly engage Kirigakure in large-scale combat. Geographic position determined they could only dispatch small infiltration units to the Land of Wind and Land of Earth.
So despite Kirigakure's "universal war declaration" momentum, their actual main battle directions were only two fronts.
Iwagakure was currently quite restrained—temporarily not mutually declaring war with Konoha. Even if conflicts occurred, they'd be limited within the Land of Rain.
Land of Fields.
A Konoha ninja squad was moving northward.
When passing a massive, humanoid wooden stake covered in various fungi and moss, the group temporarily halted.
"Everyone, show positive attitude. As the Hokage's disciples, once entering battle, your momentum should at least surpass the western front's Hatake, right?"
"This requirement isn't reasonable. That person's combat method determines his killing efficiency exceeds ours," a young smoky voice said somewhat hoarsely.
"Then don't compare numbers..."
"We'll make something big happen."
The other three exchanged glances, all showing "as expected" expressions.
One could only say this was a young, vigorous Konoha ninja squad, led by Hagūgen Aoi, with team members Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.
Aoi was one year older, plus personality-driven, so she held squad command authority.
Since she called the shots...
When she said make something big happen, they would indeed make something big happen.
...
PS:
Recently coding at night, couldn't sustain it—nighttime coding caused daytime heart palpitations.
These two days I need to adjust my schedule.
Thanks to Yashin Ya for the 15,000 Qidian coin reward.
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