Chapter 408: The Lone Souls of Hidden Mist Village
"Elder Danzo seems to have changed a lot," Minato said, unable to hold back a sigh as he watched Danzo dissipate.
He remembered the days when he had been the Fourth Hokage. Back then, Danzo had always been two-faced. On the surface, he cooperated well enough, but in practice, the information he provided was always perfunctory and half-hearted.
Minato had not been too angry at the time. After all, Danzo was Konoha's shadow and one of its elders. Some special treatment was expected. Besides, Minato had been buried under countless matters during that period, and he had originally planned to deal with Root's affairs later.
But before he could free his hands, he died.
He had not expected that after Danzo's death, the man would seem to have made peace with many things. He had become much more composed, and in some ways, he now vaguely resembled the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"After all, he's already dead. Maybe he met the Second Hokage and many others in the Pure Land. Once people die, only a handful of them keep obsessing over making trouble in the world of the living." Amamiya Kenichi swept up the ashes left behind by Edo Tensei and poured them into a trash can.
Edo Tensei was a useful technique, but people in the Ninja World did not seem fond of interfering with the living world after death.
Even powerful figures like the First and Second Hokage had never thought of continuously remaining in the living world through Edo Tensei.
Even the Fourth Hokage and his wife would have been the same. If Amamiya Kenichi had not used Naruto as a bargaining chip, Minato would never have planned to stay in the present world, and neither would Kushina.
"The living and the dead belong to two different worlds. Those who have died shouldn't continue interfering with the living." Minato glanced at Amamiya Kenichi.
This child, whom he had watched grow up, had changed far too much. He had even used Naruto to bind him here.
Minato had once considered refusing to be influenced by Amamiya Kenichi, but he simply could not do it. Once he saw the kind of life Naruto had lived, Minato could not bear to let Naruto continue suffering like that.
"Who knows?" Amamiya Kenichi smiled.
That was not necessarily true.
That old man, Uchiha Madara, had still been obsessed with the Eye of the Moon Plan even after death. After being brought back by Edo Tensei, he had shown no attachment to the world of the dead whatsoever.
It had to be said that Madara was a firm idealist, and his Infinite Tsukuyomi plan was quite peculiar.
If the Infinite Tsukuyomi did not ultimately turn the people trapped inside the genjutsu into White Zetsu, then Amamiya Kenichi felt that the debate around that part of the plot would have been even more intense.
But now, the entire plot had completely collapsed.
The Three-Tails was dead. The Ten-Tails could not be revived. The Gedo Statue could only remain the Gedo Statue. Without the Ten-Tails, could Uchiha Madara still display such overwhelming power?
Moreover, the Rinnegan was currently with Nagato.
Without retrieving the Rinnegan, Madara's strength could not reach the heights he had achieved during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
"How do you plan to scout the Ninja Allied Forces' encampment this time?" Minato always felt there was some hidden meaning in Amamiya Kenichi's words, but he truly could not think of what the problem might be, so he simply asked about another matter.
In any case, he would leave those things for Amamiya Kenichi to worry about himself.
He had promised Amamiya Kenichi that he would help, so he would simply do what he was best at. When it came to scouting intelligence, Minato still had confidence.
"I plan to scout all three locations. Although Danzo said it might be that one location, what if Nara Shikaku chooses an unconventional route? So scouting all three locations at the same time is necessary." Amamiya Kenichi pointed at the three marked spots on the map.
He planned to assign the scouting of these three locations to different people, while he himself would remain in the laboratory in the Land of Water's capital to continue preparing his atomic bombs.
The more of those he prepared, the better. Only then could he truly deter the Ninja Allied Forces.
Once they witnessed the power of an atomic bomb, their confidence would surely be shaken.
Of course, doing so might also provoke a more intense response from them, even causing them to launch a reckless attack.
There were pros and cons.
"I thought you'd have your own idea," Minato said with a smile as he looked at Amamiya Kenichi.
Amamiya Kenichi shrugged after hearing that.
What idea could he have?
"I've always believed in leaving professional matters to professionals. Outsiders shouldn't meddle blindly." Amamiya Kenichi had never seriously considered trying to figure out where Konoha would attack from by himself.
In terms of familiarity with the geography of the Land of Fire, he was far inferior to Minato and Danzo.
Moreover, Minato and Danzo's former positions meant that they knew many things Amamiya Kenichi did not.
For example, that secret base, or the assembly point Danzo had pointed out.
So matters of intelligence gathering should be left to professionals. Minato and Danzo had already provided their judgment, so he did not need to interfere further.
Compared with those matters, he might as well consider how to face a possible Uchiha Madara and what Madara might do.
"Alright. Then I'll lead a team to scout that secret base." Minato was very satisfied.
He liked Amamiya Kenichi's way of handling things. What he disliked most was someone who knew nothing but insisted on giving reckless orders.
Amamiya Kenichi nodded, then let Minato select the squad members he needed himself.
However, before that, he first released Minato from Edo Tensei and then prepared a new body for him.
Otherwise, the previous body had already been used for eleven days. If the Edo Tensei body suddenly disintegrated during an intelligence mission, that would be a little too entertaining.
After seeing Minato off, Amamiya Kenichi sighed and looked at the gloomy weather outside the window.
Although the Land of Water was much better than the Land of Snow, the destruction of Hidden Mist Village had greatly reduced the number of ninja he could use.
After scouring the entire Land of Water, only a handful of ninja had been found. Now, there were even reports of former Hidden Mist ninja attacking cities.
These were ninja who had originally been outside on missions for Hidden Mist Village. After completing their missions, they returned only to find their Village gone, and so they became rogue ninja.
Only a small number of them were willing to serve the new Nation.
Most of them had bonds in Hidden Mist Village. Amamiya Kenichi's atomic bomb had killed their friends and families, making him their mortal enemy.
It could be said that while the atomic bomb had helped him sweep through Hidden Mist Village quickly, it had also brought extremely serious aftereffects.
He still needed to keep part of his forces behind to ensure the stability of the Land of Water. All captured Hidden Mist ninja were injected with parasite eggs by the Jonin of the Land of Snow.
They were being continuously transformed from vengeful people filled with rage into Amamiya Kenichi's most loyal military hounds.
"I have to admit, the Six Paths Sage was right to choose to eliminate this parasite. Its existence is truly a little..." Amamiya Kenichi clicked his tongue.
This parasite was indeed too powerful.
Even the most enraged avengers, after being implanted with the parasite and before finding a way to remove it, would become his military hounds.
Whatever Amamiya Kenichi told them to do, they would do it. They showed almost no humanity at all.
And the number of avengers throughout the Land of Water was constantly decreasing.
Their numbers dwindled while the enemy's forces continuously increased.
Even some hidden residential areas were attacked and wiped out by Land of Snow Jonin squads after being reported by traitorous ninja.
"Lord Amamiya, there's a stronghold that may require..." Uchiha Shiori pushed open the door and entered, speaking in a low and urgent voice.
"Why? Why did you betray us?!"
Hozuki Rei stared in shock and anger at the person before him.
The person standing there was his clansman, one of the few geniuses of the Hozuki clan, and once the pride of the clan, Hozuki Suigetsu.
But now, that person wore the forehead protector of the self-proclaimed United Nation and had led a large squad of ninja to surround them.
This was the final resting place of the lone souls of Hidden Mist Village.
"Uncle, times have changed. The backward and rotten Hidden Mist Village of the Land of Water has already become scorched earth. Joining the United Nation, led by that great being, is our only destination." Hozuki Suigetsu spoke fanatically, his eyes filled with reverence toward Amamiya Kenichi.
This made Rei's heart ache.
He fell silent for a moment, then quietly picked up his weapon and held it across his chest, cutting open his palm.
Blood slowly slid down the blade and dripped onto the ground.
"The Hozuki clan has protected Hidden Mist Village for generations. As one of Hidden Mist Village's great clans, how can we bow our heads to the enemy?! Suigetsu, from today onward, you are no longer a member of my Hozuki clan!" Rei glared hatefully at Hozuki Suigetsu before him.
The Hozuki clan had once produced a Mizukage.
And now, someone from that same clan had actually become a traitor?
The stunned and disbelieving gazes of his companions behind him sent a chill down his spine. He had never dreamed that he would one day be betrayed by his own nephew.
"Heh. The Hozuki clan will rise again under my leadership. Old fossil, you should just die!" Hozuki Suigetsu charged forward with his weapon.
The United Nation ninja behind him also began casting Ninjutsu.
The encirclement operation against the remnants of Hidden Mist Village began.
The clash of blades, the collision of Ninjutsu, wails, and screams became the main theme of this swampy land.
Rei gasped for breath as he looked at the nephew before him. He sadly realized that he was no match for this traitorous nephew at all.
But then again, the other party was, after all, the second genius of the Hozuki clan after Hozuki Mangetsu, a genius once carefully nurtured by the clan.
How could a useless old man like him possibly be his opponent?
For a moment, an indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.
Looking at his proud and talented nephew before him, Rei did not know whether he should feel happy or sad.
"Old man, you're old. Pledge allegiance to that great being, and you still have a chance to live." Hozuki Suigetsu put away his weapon and looked coldly at his uncle.
Rei spat out a mouthful of blood.
He turned his head and saw that the battle had already ended.
Facing the attacks of five Mangekyo Sharingan Jonin, these ghosts of Hidden Mist Village had no power to resist.
Many had been subdued, while some had already died, their blood soaking into the swamp.
"By this time next year, the plants here should grow especially well." Rei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He looked at his desperate and unwilling Hidden Mist clansmen, then at his companions, and finally back at his nephew.
The other party was waiting for his answer.
Beside Hozuki Suigetsu, two United Nation Jonin with strange patterns in their eyes were watching him.
"Only death!" Rei stood up.
He bit down on the pill he had hidden in his mouth.
This item could briefly grant him greater power, but he would die soon after.
A powerful force instantly filled his body. At that moment, Suigetsu felt as though he had even reached the Jonin level, a level he, as a Chunin, had never dared to dream of.
"Hidden Mist will never become slaves!" Suigetsu roared, raising his long sword high before charging toward Hozuki Suigetsu.
But then, he saw two pairs of eyes looking at him at the same time.
Those strange patterns.
Those peculiar designs.
"An ungrateful old man." Hozuki Suigetsu raised his long sword expressionlessly and pierced his uncle's chest.
The breath of life drained from Rei's eyes as he fell weakly to the ground.
At that same moment, the Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu was released.
Everything before Rei's eyes began to blur.
He trembled and tried to raise his hand, just as he had once caressed Hozuki Suigetsu's cheek when he was a child.
Then his hand fell limply to the ground.
So, a Jonin is nothing more than a chicken waiting to be slaughtered.
Rei thought of the eyes he had just seen.
He had taken the pill and burned his life to unleash power, yet he still could not do anything.
"Suigetsu..."
Rei's breathing slowly weakened, and his chest gradually stopped moving.
"Surrender, or die." Hozuki Suigetsu casually flicked his sword, scattering blood onto the ground. Then he looked at the Hidden Mist remnants before him and spoke.
Evasive gazes met one another.
Then more and more people knelt on the ground, bowing their once proud heads into the mud.
"We are willing to surrender to the great being..." scattered voices sounded one after another.
"You have made a wise choice," Hozuki Suigetsu said calmly.
Soon, these remnants of Hidden Mist Village put down their weapons. Then they lowered their heads and, according to the United Nation ninja's instructions, headed to a designated location, where they were injected with parasite eggs.
Hozuki Suigetsu watched silently and said nothing.
"Is this the last major resistance point?" the United Nation Jonin beside him asked.
Hozuki Suigetsu remembered that his name was Ryuji Kuroki, a strange name.
"Yes. It's the only one I know of," Hozuki Suigetsu nodded.
He did not know of any other resistance points.
"Oh, then..." Ryuji Kuroki suddenly paused.
Then a trace of fanaticism flashed in his eyes.
"Hurry and prepare! That Lord... That Lord is coming!" Ryuji Kuroki let out a sharp cry filled with joy.
Hozuki Suigetsu's heart trembled, and a strange emotion flashed through his eyes.
.....
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