Chapter 89: Special Promotion Again, Yoru Enters Battle
"This puppet old woman's guts are truly massive. Isn't she afraid I'll continue attacking Wind Country?"
Receiving news immediately, Hanzo of the Salamander couldn't help showing an intrigued smile.
Sagawa, kneeling on one knee, immediately asked: "Hanzo-sama, shall we attack Wind Country next?"
"No, this old woman is yielding while also warning me." Hanzo stated profoundly. "Wind Country has already lost this war's probing phase utterly. If not for being one of the Five Great Nations while we and Earth Country help divide Fire Country's forces, they might've already voluntarily withdrawn."
"Now Wind Country not only hasn't withdrawn. That puppet old woman garrisoning the border base even transferred frontlines to attack White Fang's frontline. This clearly intends breaking the current situation, forcing Konoha to adjust frontline force deployments and creating opportunities for us."
"We didn't take the chance to attack Konoha but instead strike Wind Country. Forced to fight on two fronts, they might use this excuse to declare full war on us, even deploying... their jinchuriki!"
Hanzo's eyes showed a trace of wariness: "Sunagakure's jinchuriki. Many have forgotten his name, calling him 'Shukaku.'"
"These decades, no one's witnessed him taking action. No one knows whether he's reached the jinchuriki's legendary realm."
"If he can rationally deploy Tailed Beast Balls, Wind Country pushed to cliff edges might truly activate this strategic weapon."
As though thinking of something, Hanzo showed another smile: "Though the main battlefield is in our Rain Country where we possess natural advantages regarding supply materials, we equally have one drawback. Once their supplies run low without timely replenishment, they'll definitely attack our Rain Country."
"I originally planned to proactively break this situation after some more time."
"Now that someone's helping proactively, I can't disappoint that puppet old woman."
Hanzo suddenly bit his finger, forming seals and slapping the ground: "Summoning Technique!"
With a bang, white smoke spread.
When smoke cleared, the salamander didn't appear. Instead, a super-large scroll was summoned.
Without voicing his thoughts, cautious Hanzo used techniques pulling Sagawa into the genjutsu world.
"...Yes, Hanzo-sama."
After Sagawa's consciousness returned to reality, he immediately bowed in acknowledgment before departing with the super-large scroll that could be summoned, clearly a special type.
Hanzo's side took action. Earth Country and Fire Country sides were similarly no exception.
Just as White Fang's frontline faced suppression with original confrontation balance broken...
Unless Konoha could provide White Fang's frontline with powerful forces capable of contending with Sunagakure transformed from two-front to single-front warfare...
Otherwise they could only transfer forces and elite forces from the other two frontlines.
This would cause other frontlines' defense and combat power to decline.
If still not acting but wanting to watch from mountaintops, Wind Country choosing to abandon efforts and withdraw would transform Fire Country from three-front to two-front warfare. Whether Rain Country or Earth Country would completely lose hope of biting off Fire Country's flesh.
So at three battlefields where Rain Country met River Country and Grass Country, atmospheres all grew oppressive like heavy storm clouds overhead.
One thunderclap would bring violent storms.
***
"Sarutobi-sensei's orders arrived."
At Fire Country's border base, Orochimaru held a scroll, addressing Tsunade who'd changed from dark blue coat back to armor after reaching the battlefield, his expression serious: "Tsunade, support Sakumo-senpai at White Fang's frontline first. The village will deploy forces to support you afterward."
"Indeed, no one suits this better than me." Tsunade showed no surprise, battle intent igniting in her eyes. "That assassin type like Hanzo counters me heavily. I, this taijutsu specialist type, precisely counter that puppet master old woman Chiyo most."
"Chiyo manufactured deadly poison with unknown toxins. The medical team there can't break it. The rest is troubling you." Orochimaru instructed. "Don't worry about Sunagakure activating their jinchuriki. The intelligence department is already extracting Ebizo's memories. Sunagakure's important intelligence will soon fall into our hands. Reconnaissance squads and ANBU will watch Sunagakure's every move closely."
Hearing this, Jiraiya couldn't help asking: "Do Ebizo's memories contain One-Tail jinchuriki intelligence? The world calls that jinchuriki 'Shukaku.' Has he already become a Perfect Jinchuriki?"
"Whether Perfect Jinchuriki or not doesn't matter."
Orochimaru showed a confident smile: "Even if Sunagakure activates their jinchuriki, they won't dare casually use Tailed Beast Balls. Using Tailed Beast Balls against nations possessing Flying Thunder God Technique. These great nations already paid painful prices during the First Shinobi World War."
Jiraiya's eyes immediately widened: "Could it be... Flying Thunder God Technique can even transfer Tailed Beast Balls?"
"Obviously. Don't you have chakra in your body?" Tsunade couldn't help rolling her eyes at Jiraiya. "Even we who possess chakra can be transferred. Why couldn't Tailed Beast Balls, that chakra materialization technique, be transferred?"
"Even if Yoru currently can't accomplish it, they don't dare gamble." Orochimaru stated coldly. "They should feel fortunate now. Yoru and Kushina haven't grown up yet. Otherwise their combination would make the entire shinobi world tremble."
As both their teacher, no one understood better than Orochimaru just how astonishing Yoru and Kushina's potential and growth speed truly were.
Once they matured, the shinobi world would become their era.
Tsunade suddenly asked as though remembering something: "I'm being transferred to White Fang's frontline. Who'll replace my position? Did Sarutobi-sensei persuade those clan heads? Someone willing to go to war?"
"Unless defenses collapse, those people won't go to war." Orochimaru smiled. "Your replacement is younger than all of us. You should guess who."
Tsunade and nearby Jiraiya both gaped.
The former asked incredulously: "It... it won't be Yoru, right?"
"Correct."
Seeing Orochimaru nod, Jiraiya couldn't help asking: "He's still just a tokubetsu jonin. Sarutobi-sensei will already give him command authority?"
"Tokubetsu jonin? He won't be soon." Orochimaru's smile turned intriguing. "Has anyone in our generation completed super S-rank missions? This situation's transformation was single-handedly orchestrated by Yoru. His wisdom, strength, and achievements all meet special promotion conditions."
"Twice specially promoted in one year. From genin rising to jonin with command authority. This promotion speed and record probably won't be matched for decades." Tsunade clicked her tongue. "We spent who knows how many years completing how many high-level missions, experiencing how many life-or-death moments going from genin to jonin, yet got caught up to in one year. Truly makes one sigh."
"No one wishes war's eruption, but must admit war is indeed civilian ninja's only shortcut for rapid rise. Now the village needs Gojo brat and must promote him to appropriate positions." Jiraiya analyzed quite calmly before teasing Orochimaru: "At this promotion speed, once this war ends, your disciple will become a Fourth Hokage candidate. Your most powerful rival as teacher."
Orochimaru instead showed an intriguing smile: "I've said it. Hokage isn't Yoru's endpoint."
Tsunade and Jiraiya both froze slightly, remembering Yoru's hidden secret. Their curiosity intensified unbearably.
But knowing Orochimaru wouldn't speak, they didn't ask.
This special promotion meant Yoru was no longer a special combat member but a jonin with command authority, needing to garrison border bases and enter battle anytime.
Fighting at frontlines, his secret probably couldn't stay hidden, right?
Perhaps soon they'd all know what Yoru concealed.
***
"Does he value me this highly? Or does he want to, while the Hokage Advisor is absent, resistance minimal, and Hokage authority greatest, rapidly promote me as Hokage faction?"
Leaving the Hokage Building, Yoru's expression rarely showed some distraction.
Rising from genin to tokubetsu jonin already greatly surprised Yoru.
Upon reflection, this status suited him perfectly.
After all, Yoru who mastered Flying Thunder God Technique indeed possessed special space-time talents.
Deploying Space-Time chakra, Yoru's strength was the shinobi world's most ambiguous existence.
He could be genin, also jonin and Kage-level, even beyond-Kage and Six Paths level.
Forget the current Five Kage. Even Ten-Tails jinchuriki, even Isshiki Otsutsuki hidden somewhere in the shinobi world, would break defense or even die if Yoru's blade struck them.
Kakashi Hatake was merely false fifty-fifty. Yoru was true fifty-fifty!
However, aside from Orochimaru and Slug Sage, even Kushina didn't know Yoru's Space-Time abilities now.
In Hiruzen's eyes, he was merely a chunin who'd mastered Flying Thunder God Technique and 'Black Lightning,' possessing ability to kill above his level. Yet Hiruzen specially promoted him to all-around jonin and granted command authority. Far too much credit.
Thinking of his upcoming mission sending Tsunade to White Fang's frontline, Yoru attempted analyzing from Hiruzen's perspective and suddenly understood why he'd been specially promoted again.
Twice famous throughout the shinobi world, plus instantly killing fifty-five Sand ninja completing super S-rank mission achievement. Yoru no longer suited being a secret weapon.
Konoha needed him with the achievement of injuring the salamander garrisoning the defense line opposing Rain Country, joining Orochimaru and Jiraiya in responding to the upcoming four-nation melee's next phase.
Yet Hiruzen also worried some idiots who'd barely climbed to current positions only to be caught up to and surpassed by Yoru in months might develop dark thoughts during wartime. So he specially promoted Yoru again.
Only all-around jonin were the Five Great Shinobi Villages' backbone forces possessing command abilities.
The special privileges Hiruzen granted Yoru months ago guarded against these idiots. Now promoting and granting him authority to command combat forces also guarded against these idiots.
Hiruzen definitely knew about those academy idiots bullying clan members.
Those who dared bully clan children and wealthy daughters in childhood. Who knew what stupid acts they'd commit as adults.
Understanding this, Yoru knew he'd triggered butterfly effects again.
The Legendary Sannin title as losers probably wouldn't appear anymore.
In canon's Second Shinobi World War, Rain Country persisted less than two years. Hanzo, seeing no victory hope, chose sparing the Legendary Sannin and voluntarily withdrew.
During Jiraiya's three years teaching the Ame Orphans, Konoha fought Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
Because taijutsu and medical ninjutsu countered puppet master and poison master Chiyo, Tsunade naturally transferred to Fire Country vs Wind Country frontline.
Kato Dan from the start was at Fire Country vs Earth Country, the scapegoat frontline. In war's later period, Iwa ninja found his real body and knocked his kidney flying.
In canon, Chiyo's frontline transfer came after Sakumo killed her son and daughter-in-law.
Now Ebizo's death caused Chiyo to rampage prematurely.
That deadly poison as fatal as the salamander's was nightmares for ninjutsu specialists like Sakumo needing close combat to display full strength.
Without antidote, they died upon contact.
Only Tsunade, future medical saint, could break Chiyo's deadly poison in Konoha.
Senju clan's chakra burst precisely countered puppets. Hanzo, the speed-type assassin, precisely countered taijutsu specialists like Tsunade. Hiruzen would definitely have Tsunade face Chiyo.
The border defense line losing Tsunade would also decline in strength.
Similarly, no elite force suited replacing Tsunade's position better than Yoru who'd injured the salamander.
So Yoru sought Kushina, telling her this matter.
"I might stay at battlefields long-term henceforth, rarely returning. Same reminder. Try avoiding wilderness. Now the village's defenses are weakest. Who knows if other villages will infiltrate." Yoru instructed. "When training, use Tsunade-sama's courtyard or school grounds. Don't visit that abandoned training ground."
"Mm-hmm..."
Kushina nodded repeatedly, always so obedient at such times.
After Yoru finished instructing, Kushina suddenly hugged his waist, raising her head to instruct: "Yoru, stay safe. Remember what I said last time. Don't overextend."
"Alright."
Yoru rubbed Kushina's round face, suddenly grinning mischievously: "By the way, I got specially promoted again. Now I'm a village backbone-level all-around jonin."
"Amazing."
Kushina cooperatively exclaimed without grasping Yoru's meaning.
Yoru could only remind again: "Sixth-year apprentice ninja Kushina Uzumaki, how many months until graduation?"
"March next year. Why?" Kushina blinked, still not grasping Yoru's meaning.
Yoru heavily patted her shoulder, his expression serious: "Then don't you need a powerful jonin as your guiding jonin instructor?"
Kushina's eyes widened, finally understanding Yoru's meaning.
Then her hair immediately rose anti-gravity in anger, her face furious: "Foul-Mouth Yoru, dream on! I won't become your student. I want to be Orochimaru-sensei's disciple!"
Imagining Yoru becoming her guiding jonin and constantly teasing her about it made Kushina shudder.
Such lifelong dark history. Absolutely not.
"If you became my student, we could always be together." Yoru tempted.
"Don't think I'm brainless. Can't teammates do missions together?" Kushina raised her fist threateningly. "Say more and I'll beat you."
"Such a pity."
Failing to trick Kushina, Yoru sighed helplessly before making a bold move, transforming Kushina from angry Blood Red Habanero into shy little tomato.
Yoru bit Kushina's small round face, sucking hard like containing a rice ball, leaving obvious teeth marks and saliva. He smiled: "I'm leaving. Remember to miss me every day."
After speaking, Yoru teleported away, leaving only Kushina with completely flushed face and white steam rising from her head.
***
"Yoru, stay safe."
Yoru reached the border base and immediately teleported Tsunade to White Fang frontline's rear.
Watching Yoru who'd seemingly grown taller again over these months, Tsunade retrieved a long-prepared storage scroll, stuffing it into Yoru's hands with serious instruction: "Your Flying Thunder God Technique and chakra-hiding ability are completely exposed. If Hanzo's target remains us, before taking action again he'll definitely make thorough preparations preventing your abilities from working."
"This scroll contains antidote I prepared for you. Your ninja tool pouch and pockets must always carry several doses."
Yoru froze slightly before his lips curved upward: "Don't worry. I'm the strongest!"
"But Tsunade-sama, you remember to stay safe. Before breaking enemy poison arts, don't take risks personally. Don't be careless like last time. I won't always arrive so timely."
"Need help anytime, send me messages immediately."
Heavily patting Tsunade's shoulder, Yoru teleported away.
Tsunade's lips also curved slightly upward before her expression suddenly grew annoyed as though remembering something: "That brat. He's definitely thinking about that again!"
***
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