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Chapter 278: The Rebels
🕑 Added 2025-01-20 13:55:21 +0000 UTCChapter 278: The Rebels
"How do you feel?"
As they walked out of the palace, Senju Tobirama looked at the silent Mu and suddenly asked.
"There's nothing much to say."
Mu shook his head. "Onoki took the wrong path. The rebellion of the clones has proven everything. At this point, letting the Land of Earth withdraw is for the best. We can't let him continue making mistakes."
He had already reviewed the intelligence from the Land of Earth. Initially, Onoki must have intended to lure out the enemy. He might have been able to control the actions of the clones, but against Otsutsuki Isshiki, Onoki had no means of containment.
That man, claiming to be from the Moon’s Otsutsuki clan, was too dangerous. What might happen if he acted freely was beyond prediction.
"But the problem is, that Otsutsuki won’t easily let go of the Land of Earth. It seems he still has use for it," Senju Tobirama hinted. "Striking now might plunge Iwagakure into an inescapable abyss."
"Stop testing me. I’ve made my decision, and I won’t change it." Mu’s expression remained calm. "The Land of Water has already pledged allegiance. It’s time for them to show their worth."
The Land of Water was isolated from the other nations, making it difficult for them to influence the ninja world. They needed a foothold. While the Land of Earth was a bit far from the Land of Water, its proximity to the Land of Snow made it suitable.
Their plan was to engage the other nations directly while dispatching elite forces to assist the Land of Water in seizing the Land of Earth.
Senju Tobirama looked at Mu for a moment, noting how well-prepared his plans were, and nodded to himself.
It seemed there was no need to worry about this one falling behind.
"Maintaining an Edo Tensei body must be unpleasant, right? Would you prefer spiritualization or a complete resurrection? Don’t worry, Hyuga Fuji has already given me permission. You can choose freely."
"Complete resurrection."
Mu gazed toward the Land of Earth. "I want to see Onoki in person."
…
Elsewhere, Hyuga Miyuki approached Hozuki Gengetsu with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why are we acting first? Right now, the Land of Earth is clearly more concerned with Akatsuki, right? Wouldn’t it be better to wait and reap the benefits?"
"...Why didn’t you ask during the meeting?"
"Fuji didn’t assign me any tasks, so I waited and waited. By the time it was over, everyone had left, and I was too embarrassed to go back and ask…"
Hyuga Miyuki averted her gaze, giving a nervous laugh.
She understood that she wasn’t suited for handling complicated tasks and was better off as a frontline soldier. But now she had two thousand Terracotta Soldiers at her command, which was different from before. She hadn’t expected not to be assigned any tasks during the meeting.
Could it be that her recent success in using the Terracotta Soldiers for construction had made Fuji think she had transitioned from a combat ninja to a construction ninja?
She was still part of the combat forces!
Hozuki Gengetsu was somewhat speechless. Seeing Shinsetsu’s innocent expression, he patiently explained:
"War has never truly left us; it’s only taken a different form. Our presence makes the nations wary, preventing them from easily starting conflicts. But Akatsuki's recent move has shattered that fragile balance. Now, all sides will take action."
"Waiting to reap the benefits sounds nice, but in reality, it's too risky and passive. Akatsuki’s strength is greater than we anticipated. This operation shows they not only have powerful forces but also a solid intelligence network."
"If the nations realize they can’t quickly deal with Akatsuki, they won’t engage them directly but will adopt more cautious and conservative strategies. If we don’t act now, we might end up with nothing. Besides..."
Gengetsu paused before continuing:
"Remember, war isn’t just about strength. Taking the initiative and disrupting the enemy's plans is how we gain the upper hand. You should know what Akatsuki plans to do next, right?"
"The limited, infinite Tsukuyomi..."
Hyuga Miyuki looked up at the sky with a complicated expression. "Even now, I can’t believe such a jutsu exists in the world."
She was, of course, aware of the Tsukuyomi and the Yata Mirror. During the rise of virtual reality games, Hyuga Fuji had warned them about it.
And with White Zetsu in Akatsuki, pretending ignorance was impossible.
Currently, the upper echelons of the Land of Snow were well-informed about the Gedo Statue, the Rinnegan, the Ten-Tails, and other Akatsuki-related information, with only a few exceptions.
"Yes." Gengetsu’s expression wasn’t calm either, given that this was a jutsu capable of covering and even controlling the entire world. "Although chakra collection is necessary, the jutsu itself relies on the caster. The potential of the Uchiha is truly terrifying."
Recalling the power Fuji had casually displayed in the grand hall, Gengetsu added, "Of course, the Hyuga clan isn’t far behind either."
He was sure that after Fuji's trip to the moon, he had grown even stronger.
Now, Hyuga Fuji had probably surpassed Senju Hashirama, right?
The younger generation was indeed formidable...
After silently reflecting for a moment, Gengetsu continued:
"The Gedo Statue absorbed two Tailed Beasts, and Akatsuki will need time to recover. We must gain a foothold in the Land of Earth first. Akatsuki's attack and the clone rebellion have given us a golden opportunity."
…
"You traitorous scum, do you even deserve to be Iwa-nin? You’ve defected to Hyuga Fuji!"
On the coastal border of the Land of Earth, an Iwa-nin squad leader clutched his chest wound, glaring furiously at the Iwa-nin in the room.
This was a small outpost in the Land of Earth, originally guarded by dozens of ninjas. Now, only he remained, and the ones who had attacked were the five traitors before him!
The leader of the rebels withdrew his blood-stained blade from a corpse, wiping it clean with a cold smile. "Defected? We’re just loyally executing the Tsuchikage’s orders."
"The Tsuchikage? What nonsense! Are you saying the Third Tsuchikage betrayed the Land of Earth?" the squad leader retorted coldly.
"Of course not Onoki. I’ve long grown tired of listening to that old man."
The rebel leader’s eyes turned icy. "In our village, he couldn’t even protect two Jinchuriki and let the clones rebel. He’s truly outlived his usefulness. Compared to him, I’d rather trust the Second Tsuchikage."
The squad leader shook his head in pain. "You weren’t there. You don’t understand. Onoki-sama was just trying to—"
"Enough. I’ve heard all those excuses before. They’re just ways to evade responsibility."
The rebel leader interrupted. "The Second Tsuchikage has been revived. What’s wrong with following him? Our true Iwagakure lies in the Land of Snow!"
"You traitors!" The Iwa-nin squad leader roared in fury, struggling to stand, but his weakened body ultimately collapsed to the ground.
"Do it." The rebel leader, watching his agonized expression, fell silent for a moment before coldly issuing the command.
Several ninjas stepped forward, their blades gleaming, ending the squad leader’s life.
(End of Chapter)
