The crowd on the scene was well aware of how tricky this situation was.
Why had Konoha always been able to stand firm in past ninja world wars, even when facing two, three, or sometimes even four other villages at once?
Was it because Konoha's ninja were inherently stronger than those from the other great nations?
It was because Konoha's foundation was incredibly solid! It possessed numerous powerful Kekkei Genkai clans, secret technique clans, and a new generation of prodigies with extraordinary talent.
Take the Uchiha, for instance.
Even though most people present didn't like the Uchiha, no one could deny the power of the Sharingan. An Uchiha who awakened the dreaded Sharingan could become a terrifying force on the battlefield.
Then there was the Ino-Shika-Cho clan alliance, which handled strategy, communication, interrogation, and defense during times of war.
As for the Hyuga Clan, which stood alongside the Senju and Uchiha, the Byakugan's value in warfare far exceeded its value in direct combat.
Even the brutish ninja of the Land of Lightning, who had honed their Lightning Release techniques to smash through anything, would hesitate when faced with the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan and Gentle Fist.
The Byakugan excelled in observing enemy camps, gathering intelligence on manpower, and other crucial details!
It was precisely because of the Byakugan that Konoha often held the upper hand on the battlefield, allowing them to make preparations in advance.
The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan's main family was not only treasured by the Hyuga Clan itself but was also highly valued by Konoha's leadership.
If the Byakugan were to leak at this critical point in the war, it might bring Konoha more trouble than the emergence of another Kage-level opponent.
Thinking back to the earlier discussion about the Healing Tag, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but wonder why bad news always seemed to come in waves.
"How are you feeling?"
Looking at Yahiko, who was lying on the operating table, Kagetsu asked softly.
After taking on a mission outside the village, Kagetsu left the village and, after traveling a short distance, handed the task over to Shisui and Anko.
Then, using the Black Cavity, he returned to Ancor Vantian.
"It hurts! It's both painful and numb."
Yahiko endured the discomfort in his body, describing the sensations he was experiencing internally.
Carefully, Konan helped Yahiko, who was covered in various monitoring devices and medical patches, off the operating table.
She applied a green ointment to his wounds. After finishing, she wrapped him up again with bandages, leaving only half of his face exposed.
"This is a good sign," Kagetsu said, standing nearby and observing Konan's actions. He comforted them, "At least this shows that the treatment is working. Your dead nerves and sensory functions are starting to recover.
If you felt nothing, the follow-up treatments would be far more complicated."
"Does this mean I'm recovering?" Yahiko, for the first time, felt an odd sense of gratitude toward the pain and itchiness he was experiencing.
Compared to the previous state of complete numbness, where only his head could move freely, this was a world of difference. At least now, he could truly feel that his body was still there.
"Yes. But don't get too excited. Even I'm surprised you've recovered to this extent," Kagetsu said, glancing at Yahiko's vitals displayed on the monitoring devices. "The next phase of treatment won't rely on these medicines anymore.
I'll need to perform several nerve implant surgeries for you, and if necessary, replace your necrotic organs and limbs."
"I understand!" Yahiko nodded firmly.
"Don't we need Lady Tsunade for this?" Konan asked with a trace of doubt.
"That would be the last resort. Besides, Konoha is also searching for Lady Tsunade, but it's clear she's deliberately avoiding everyone this time. Let's stick with my treatment plan for now. At the very least, we need to restore Yahiko's mobility first," Kagetsu replied.
The battlefield was the place Tsunade, with her hemophobia, most wanted to avoid.
A torrential downpour engulfed the land, the sky overcast and grim.
The buildings of Amegakure appeared desolate and oppressive under the relentless rain, mirroring the heavy mood of Hanzo at this moment.
"Lord Hanzo, the envoys from Iwagakure have arrived in the village," reported a masked Amegakure shinobi, kneeling on one knee. His voice broke the silence as Hanzo gazed out of the window, watching the unrelenting rainstorm.
"And those three brats from the Akatsuki?" Hanzo's voice was muffled by the mask he wore, yet it carried a weight that demanded an answer.
"Still searching for them," the shinobi replied nervously.
Although Hanzo's tone revealed no hint of emotion, those serving as his personal guards knew well that their leader's mood had been foul of late.
They had scoured nearly every corner of the Land of Rain, including the former Akatsuki bases, yet there was no trace of the group's three leaders. The source of thɪs content is novel⁂fire.net
Even after capturing several Akatsuki members, interrogation yielded only one consistent piece of information: the last order they had received was to disband temporarily and leave the Land of Rain.
The Akatsuki's sudden dissolution and the disappearance of their leaders had put both Amegakure and Hanzo in a difficult position. Both Konoha and Iwagakure had sent strongly worded demands for an explanation.
Konoha, while formidable, was constrained by its two-front war against Iwagakure's full-scale assault and Kirigakure's constant raids.
This limited their ability to allocate resources to pressure Amegakure. They also had to tread carefully, lest they push Amegakure into Iwagakure's camp.
Iwagakure, however, had no such reservations. Riding the momentum of their successes on the battlefield, they were emboldened.
The Healing Tag had significantly reduced casualties for Iwagakure's forces. From Onoki's perspective, gaining control over its production would be a massive advantage.
Thus, the Akatsuki's sudden collapse deeply unsettled Iwagakure. Having witnessed firsthand the Healing Tag's value in warfare, Onoki was unwilling to tolerate any disruption in its supply.
After a series of aggressive demands, Iwagakure escalated matters, insisting Hanzo hand over the Akatsuki's leaders or reveal the Healing Tag's production method and technology.
Now, they had even dispatched envoys to Amegakure for a face-to-face confrontation with Hanzo.
This was precisely the headache Hanzo faced. He could neither produce the Akatsuki leaders nor provide the secrets of the Healing Tag's creation.
To make matters worse, Iwagakure had no reason to trust a single word he said.
Waging war against Iwagakure?
When Hanzo was younger, he had no fear of such a prospect. But now, the ambition and courage he once possessed had long faded.
Even though his strength was comparable to the Kage of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Rain still could not rise to become the sixth great nation.
The way for small shinobi villages to survive was to align themselves with a larger village when war loomed. Whether they claimed neutrality or sought to assert their own will, such actions were never tolerated.
Even someone as powerful as Hanzo could not change this harsh reality.
In times of war, Konoha—perhaps at a disadvantage—might endure Amegakure's encroachment on its interests. But how great a price would it take to quell Konoha's wrath?
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