'Are these two the enemies?'
'Judging by their appearance and build, I've never seen them before. Their profiles don't match anyone in the intelligence reports either.'
Kakashi retreated swiftly while calmly observing the physical characteristics of the two figures who seemed to be embroiled in an internal conflict.
'They're wearing identical standard-issue coats, likely from the same organization.'
'Black robes with red clouds... Which organization in the Ninja World dresses like that?'
Kakashi frantically searched his memory, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall any similar organizations or members in the Ninja World.
His thoughts raced at lightning speed. In mere moments, Kakashi leaped to Yamato's side, who was standing with the Konoha Anbu.
A quick glance at the surrounding corpses made his heart sink.
'They've eliminated ten elite Anbu members in such a short time.'
'The enemy is incredibly strong!'
'Our casualties are devastating!'
After assessing the situation, Kakashi forcefully suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind and turned to Yamato, who stood nearby, his face pale. "Are you alright, Yamato?"
Upon seeing Kakashi, Yamato's expression showed no relief. Instead, he grew even more frantic. "Senior Kakashi," he urged urgently, "the signal I sent wasn't for you to come reinforce us!"
The Anbu signal Yamato had sent earlier was the highest-level danger signal, conveying a simple message:
'We've encountered an extremely powerful and dangerous enemy. We're likely going to fall here. You should evacuate immediately with your team.'
After sending the signal, Yamato had braced himself for death, intending only to buy Kakashi's team a sliver of time. After all, compared to the lives of their Anbu squad, a Tailed Beast Jinchūriki held strategic significance for the entire ninja village.
"My escort mission was already completed," Kakashi explained casually, after carefully examining Yamato's injuries and noting they weren't critical. "So when I heard you'd encountered enemies, I rushed over to assist."
"That's precisely why you should have stayed there, Senior Kakashi," Yamato insisted, his tone growing more urgent. "You shouldn't have come to reinforce us!"
Yamato shook his head, his expression growing even more solemn. He said in a low voice, "Lord Hokage entrusted our team and you with the primary mission: to secure Uzumaki."
"Forget about the mission for now," Kakashi waved dismissively, his tone light but his eyes carrying an unreadable melancholy. "I can't just abandon my comrades to die for some mission."
"Besides, my adorable students are incredibly strong. I trust they can handle anything."
Yamato's heart warmed, but he still intended to persuade Kakashi to return.
"Senior Kakashi, our team appreciates your goodwill, but the situation remains unclear. You should return as quickly as possible; we'll hold them off."
"Enough. If you're truly worried about trouble back there, let's resolve this quickly. Time is short. Spare me the extra words."
Kakashi cut him off again, his gaze hardening as he stared at the two mysterious figures in the distance, who seemed to still be arguing. He said in a low voice, "Yamato, you've engaged these enemies before. I need you to give me a complete rundown of everything you know about them."
Yamato paused for a moment, then nodded.
"That silver-haired guy with the slicked-back hair is incredibly skilled in taijutsu and swordsmanship. We lost two comrades to him right at the start of the battle. What's more, his physique is exceptionally unique—the injuries we inflicted earlier had little effect, and he seems to possess regenerative abilities far beyond ordinary shinobi."
After a pause, Yamato added, "His Chakra also gives me a distinctly malevolent feeling."
Though not a sensory ninja in the conventional sense, Yamato possessed cells transplanted from the First Hokage, whose sensory abilities were among the strongest in ninja history.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, even in his Reanimation Body, Hashirama Senju could perceive the battlefield across half the Ninja World with crystal clarity, as if reading a text in the palm of his hand.
If his Reanimation Body could achieve such feats, imagine the capabilities of the fully realized Hashirama Senju in his prime.
While Yamato's sensory abilities pale in comparison to Hashirama Senju's—akin to the difference between a firefly's glow and the blazing sun—they still surpass those of many dedicated sensor ninja.
Under Yamato's perception, Hidan's Chakra, though substantial, remained within the range of an ordinary shinobi. However, the energy exuded an unmistakably sinister aura.
As for the other one...
Yamato's gaze sharpened as he tilted his head slightly toward Kakuzu.
"This guy," he said in a low voice, "is like you, Senior Kakashi—proficient in all Five Elemental Ninjutsu. He can combine them at will, creating powerful Combined Ninjutsu! But his Chakra feels chaotic, almost fragmented."
In Yamato's perception, Kakuzu's Chakra was immense—surpassing even the strongest ninjas he had encountered, save for the Jinchūriki.
Compared to Hidan's Chakra earlier, Kakuzu's was even more bizarre, as if it weren't a unified whole but rather a patchwork of disparate Chakra streams stitched together.
"Compared to the previous ninja, this one is not only stronger but also incredibly calm—a far more dangerous opponent."
Initially, Kakuzu had remained on the sidelines, letting Hidan engage them without intervening.
It wasn't until Yamato unleashed his Wood Release that Kakuzu suddenly erupted into action, as if triggered by something.
His first move was a lethal strike!
He unleashed Five Elemental Ninjutsu in rapid succession, instantly wiping out most of their squad.
"I understand!"
Kakashi nodded, glancing at the Flying Scythe in Hidan's hand. After a moment's thought, he drew his White Fang Short Sword.
"There's something strange and dangerous about the patterns in this guy's ritual. When we engage him, be careful not to let him complete it," Kakashi warned, tightening his grip on his weapon.
"Hai!"
Meanwhile, Hidan and Kakuzu remained locked in a standoff in the distance.
"Damn it! What bullshit about only you being able to kill him?!" Hidan roared, his heart burning with resentment. "You just want his heart! You're despicable!"
Kakuzu remained unfazed, glancing sideways at Hidan. "That's... one way to put it," he said coolly.
Enraged by Kakuzu's nonchalant attitude, Hidan snarled, "You bastard! I'll definitely kill you! How dare you interrupt my—"
"Rituals can always be performed again," Kakuzu interrupted. "Your troublesome ritual was already a pain in the ass. A little more inconvenience won't make a difference."
"Shut up! I know the ritual's a pain, but the tenets are strict. It's not like I have a choice!"
Hidan paused, realizing he'd drifted off-topic. 'Wait, wasn't I supposed to be grilling him about interrupting my ritual?'
'How did I end up explaining the ritual procedures myself?'
Hidan gritted his teeth and snarled, "Aaaaargh! You're driving me insane! I'm going to kill you, you bastard!"
With that, Hidan lunged forward, but Kakuzu's calm voice cut through the air.
"We can discuss killing me later, Hidan."
Kakuzu glanced sidelong at the Konoha Anbu team in the distance. "Rather than some unknown Wood Release ninja, wouldn't the Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi, a legend in the Ninja World, be a more fitting offering for your sacrificial ritual?"
"Hatake Kakashi?"
Hidan froze, following Kakuzu's gaze. After a moment's thought, he grinned.
"Excellent! If I offer such a renowned figure as a sacrifice to Lord Evil God, he'll be immensely pleased."
"Hmph! But don't think I'll let you off the hook for interrupting my ritual, Kakuzu!"
"We'll settle that later."
Now that he had distracted Hidan, Kakuzu turned his attention to the Konoha Anbu team in the distance—specifically, to Yamato.
At that moment, Yamato formed an unfamiliar hand seal.
The gruesome wound on his chest had stopped bleeding and was healing at an astonishingly rapid pace, far beyond human limits.
Seeing this, Kakuzu lowered his eyelids slightly and remarked in a dismissive tone, "With the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai you possess, your healing and recovery abilities are indeed quite impressive."
Though Kakuzu's voice was barely a whisper, it carried with uncanny clarity to everyone present.
The Konoha group exchanged grave glances, their minds on high alert.
"However," Kakuzu's calm tone suddenly shifted, and he spoke with condescension, "you're still far inferior to the First Hokage."
"Back when I fought the First Hokage, his formidable physique was brimming with life force. He could automatically and rapidly regenerate from injuries without even needing to form hand seals."
Hearing this, Kakashi's heart skipped a beat.
The enemy's words revealed two startling truths:
First, he had fought the First Hokage himself!
Second, he had actually managed to wound the First Hokage.
Otherwise, how would he know about the First Hokage's extraordinary regenerative abilities?
'This enemy truly is going to be a tough one to deal with,' Kakashi thought grimly.
Despite Kakuzu's claims, Kakashi remained skeptical.
After all, the First Hokage had passed away decades ago.
Even if this guy had fought the First Hokage as a young man, he'd be at least seventy or eighty years old by now.
How could he possibly still look like he was in his prime?
Though skeptical, Kakashi's vigilance reached its peak.
Gripping his White Fang Short Sword tightly, he ordered Yamato and the two surviving Anbu members:
"Prepare for battle!"
A major clash was imminent!
Meanwhile, at the great waterfall of Takigakure...
Team Seven, each lost in their own thoughts, followed the enthusiastic Fu into a hidden passage beneath the waterfall.
Their mission was essentially complete at this point. Shibuki had no intention of letting outsiders infiltrate the village through the maze of secret passages.
Fu, however, insisted that as gracious hosts, they should properly entertain their guests who had traveled so far.
Seeing her determination, Shibuki swallowed the protest he'd been about to voice.
'Konoha is a friendly ally of Takigakure. There shouldn't be any problems. I'm not exactly violating protocol,' Shibuki rationalized inwardly, trying to reassure himself.
The passage stretched endlessly. As the group pressed forward, the tunnel finally opened into a vast cavern where a swirling whirlpool awaited them.
Following the whirlpool downward, the passage initially narrowed, barely wide enough for a person. After swimming several dozen meters, it suddenly opened into a vast, illuminated cavern.
As they surfaced, Fu declared loudly, "Welcome, friends from Konoha! This is—"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" A faint yet urgent voice cut her off.
Shibuki and Fu exchanged alarmed glances and turned toward the source of the cry.
They saw a ninja wearing a Takigakure headband, his body streaked with blood and several kunai embedded in his thigh, limping slowly toward them.
"Huayan?"
"Brother Kiyo?"
Shibuki and Fu rushed forward to support him. After he caught his breath, they asked, "What happened?"
"Lord Shibuki," Kiyo gasped weakly, "the enemy attacked the village... we... we..."
"How is that possible?" Shibuki exclaimed, shocked. "How did they find the entrance?"
"It was Suien..."
'Suien?!'
Shibuki froze, about to retort, when Sasuke's voice rang out:
"Watch out!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The instant Sasuke spoke, a barrage of sharp, ear-splitting sounds pierced the air.
Countless kunai and shuriken streaked through the sky, leaving trails of vapor as they hurtled toward the group.
Boom!
"Konoha Great Whirlwind!"
Facing the overwhelming barrage of shuriken, Naruto acted swiftly.
With a rapid spin, he conjured a massive whirlwind that enveloped the group, its powerful currents deflecting every incoming shuriken.
"Oh? A Konoha brat?"
A group of Amegakure ninja, dressed in full battle gear, emerged from the shadows.
Their leader, a man with gray hair and war paint on his face, stepped forward.
"Konoha brats," he sneered from his perch in a tree, casting a condescending glance over the group. "If you want to live, get out of here now. Otherwise... hmpf."
Sasuke merely glanced at them before moving to Kiyo's side, who lay seriously wounded. He immediately began administering Medical Ninjutsu.
Under the healing effects of the Medical Ninjutsu, Kiyo's complexion improved noticeably. Sasuke immediately pressed him for information:
"How many enemies are there?"
"You're from Amegakure, aren't you?" Sakura's gaze sharpened as she scrutinized their attire. "As Amegakure ninja, launching an unprovoked attack on another ninja village—are you trying to ignite a new war?"
"Heh."
The gray-haired man chuckled dismissively. "Little girl, don't jump to conclusions. We were hired by Lord Suien, the advisor of Takigakure, to assist him in securing control of Waterfall Village."
"Suien is no longer an advisor! He's just a rogue ninja now!" Shibuki suddenly interjected, his voice rising in vehement protest.
"That's right! As Lord Shibuki said, your employer is no longer an advisor to Takigakure," Sakura nodded. "Even if what you say is true, you Rain Ninja have no right to interfere in the power struggles of other ninja villages. Your current actions are a violation of another nation's sovereignty."
"Violation of national sovereignty?! You Konoha dare speak of such things? Hahahahahahaha!" The gray-haired man burst into uproarious laughter, as if he had heard the joke of the century.
"How many times have you great nations disregarded the sovereignty and dignity of smaller nations, treating them as your battlefields whenever you please?"
"Your so-called prosperity, stability, and righteous pronouncements are all built upon the suffering of us smaller nations. Hah!"
"This..." Sakura stammered, momentarily at a loss for words.
Though she was more thoughtful than her counterpart in the original timeline, she remained a naive young girl, still unversed in the harsh realities of the world.
Naruto scratched the back of his head.
When it came to such complex matters, he couldn't immediately jump in with his usual loud protests.
Though he didn't fully understand, he felt an inexplicable lack of confidence in his ability to argue back.
___
This Sasuke Is Strange 230 advanced chapters: (5 ch updates everyday)
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