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TUS Chapter 269: The Battle Lines Are Drawn
🕑 Added 2025-01-26 22:38:12 +0000 UTC"You're talking nonsense!"
The elders could not accept such an accusation.
To bear the responsibility for the deaths of over forty jonin? That would be suicide! Such a burden would not only crush their reputations but also threaten the safety of their families.
What a joke!
"Ebizo! How dare you deny what you did?"
"Us? Why would we agree to something like that?"
"This is your fault! And now you're trying to blame us?"
The elders began to argue fiercely, while Ebizo, with a grim expression and clenched fists, responded furiously.
At that moment, keeping up appearances mattered little.
In the end, no conclusion was reached.
The elders refused to admit that it was their responsibility.
Ebizo also refused to admit it. Despite everything, there was no conclusive evidence against him.
Was it enough to assume something for him to be guilty?
This might work with others, but not with Ebizo. No one knew how many connections or how much strength this old man had hidden, and no one wanted to risk pushing him into a desperate situation.
In the end, the decision to go to war was technically accepted by everyone.
After the discussion, the topic changed to something much more important to Sunagakure: The Kazekage.
Baki thought for a moment and asked, "Pakura, the Kazekage-sama really..."
"I saw it with my own eyes." Gaara added coldly, "Orochimaru disguised himself as my father using the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique. That technique allows him to take on another person's face and use it as his own. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to fool my sensei."
Sensei?
Everyone present looked a little strange.
"What's wrong?" Gaara gave them a cold look. "Do you have any objections?"
"No, no!"
The elders shook their heads hurriedly.
Baki said: "I know the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique. If it was used, then the Kazekage-sama really is… dead. But, gentlemen, the village cannot remain without a Kazekage."
Everyone understood that. But the real problem was: who would fill the position?
All eyes turned to Pakura.
Ebizo was the first to speak: "Pakura, did you return to the village with the intention of assuming the position of Fifth Kazekage?"
Pakura looked at him coldly and replied, "If that were the case, what would you do?"
"If so, I..."
"Enough!" Pakura interrupted Ebizo, her expression disdainful. "I am not interested in the position of Kazekage. I recommend that Gaara take it."
"By no means!"
"Gaara? He is..."
"Although he is the son of the Kazekage, he is too young."
The elders collectively objected.
It wasn't just his age; it was also the natural fear of a Jinchuriki, combined with a personal dislike of Gaara.
Pakura looked at them calmly and said, "I'm not here to ask for your opinion."
"What does that mean? Is that an order?" snapped a particularly temperamental Elder.
"Exactly. Call it a warning if you prefer. But make no mistake: it is an order." Pakura continued, her tone icy. "Because this decision is not mine alone. It is the will of the Hokage."
That one sentence caused all the elders to fall silent.
Ebizo said coldly: "Is the Hokage ready to intervene in the internal affairs of Sunagakure?"
"That's right," Pakura replied frankly. "The recent invasion has angered him. If his disciple cannot be Kazekage, I cannot guarantee what measures he will take."
Her direct words left Ebizo speechless.
Pakura continued, "Also, I don't understand why you guys are so hesitant."
"Gaara, even though he is a disciple of the Hokage, is still the son of the Kazekage. As for his strength, although he hasn't reached the level of a Kage yet, he is close."
The elders looked at each other.
Making Gaara the Kazekage meant he would be under their surveillance.
Furthermore, this decision could significantly improve relations between Suna and Konoha, ensuring a period of peace.
The most important thing was his youth. At thirteen, Gaara could not rule alone; he would have to depend on them to guide him.
With all these factors in mind, the elders finally relented.
That same day, the news spread throughout Sunagakure.
Konoha's missing-nin, Orochimaru, had assassinated the Kazekage.
Sunagakure lost its Kazekage.
The Fourth Kazekage's son, Gaara, was named the Fifth Kazekage of the village.
What surprised the elders was that, despite the sadness that gripped the village, almost no one opposed the decision.
Many even seemed to accept Gaara taking over as Kazekage.
The elders began to realize that they no longer understood the village they had lived in for decades.
Given the general acceptance, they understood that even if they opposed it, Gaara would still become the Kazekage.
At the same time, Kakuzu and Hidan reappeared, and supplies began to flow again.
This completely reassured the villagers.
As for the rumors that Sunagakure was planning to attack Konoha and break the alliance between the two sides, the elders quickly denied them, turning them into an operation to clean up internal spies.
The alliance between Suna and Konoha remained intact, as strong as ever.
Thus, Sunagakure regained its prosperity overnight.
In just two days, the scars of war seemed to have disappeared.
However, the elders knew that this would not end so quickly.
The Hokage's first command came soon: Sunagakure was to send 8,000 shinobi to attack Iwagakure.
The Hokage gave the order directly?
After a brief moment of astonishment, the elders became a little angry.
Without hesitation, Gaara accepted the order and, as Kazekage, gave the necessary instructions.
Pakura supported the decision.
The new elders, Kakuzu and Hidan, also supported the mobilization.
Ebizo was silent. The old man was worried about his sister. According to the information that came from Konoha, his sister had fled... but where?
As for Gaara obeying the Hokage, the elders should not be surprised. When they agreed to let him take over, they should have foreseen that this day would come.
Gaara looked at them coldly, his voice filled with murderous intent, "If you do not agree, I will replace the elders."
Although they wanted to retort, those words remained stuck in their minds. Because they knew that Gaara, as a Jinchuriki, was capable of anything.
Thus, Sunagakure mobilized its army.
A total of 8,000 shinobi headed towards Iwagakure.
At that time, Konoha was leading an offensive against Kumogakure.
Onoki, on the other hand, had already prepared a counterattack.
No matter what, he couldn't allow Kumogakure to fall, otherwise, Iwagakure would be next.
Who knew that at this time, Sunagakure moved.
Dispatched a full 8,000 shinobi troops.
Konoha also had 5,000 shinobi troops.
Under the threat of this power, how could Onoki dare to send troops to aid Kumogakure?
There was also another thing that made Onoki's expression darken.
His successor and granddaughter Kurotsuchi had been captured by Konoha.
With Onoki's identity, his granddaughter should have been prepared for this kind of situation to occur, but first there was Deidara's defection, and now Kurotsuchi's kidnapping. Now Onoki has no successor.
However, his resolve was clear: "We repel the combined forces of Suna and Konoha! Afterwards, we will support Kumogakure."
"What about the Land of Iron? Have they not acted?" asked Onoki.
"They're blocked!" Kitsuchi reported. "Konoha sent 3,000 shinobi led by Uchiha Soji to contain them."
"Waste!" Onoki growled, his voice laced with contempt.
"Tsuchikage-sama, we must come up with a plan." Kitsuchi said anxiously. "According to reports, Kirigakure has sent more troops. Their number will reach 6,000 soon, we still don't know how many shinobi Konoha could deploy but looking at the number of Jonin they are mobilizing, it's clear that their goal is to completely destroy Kumogakure."
Onoki gritted his teeth. “I know!”
There was no diversionary strategy.
That damn Uchiha Funan had sent a large number of jonin from the Uchiha clan, and had even unleashed the tailed beasts. He was determined to destroy Kumogakure.
The most problematic thing was that Kumogakure did not have a Kage.
Once Kumogakure fell, the next target would undoubtedly be the Land of Iron or Iwagakure.
"Onoki, are you having a headache?" A playful voice sounded.
Onoki looked gloomy, looked in one direction, and said coldly: "Orochimaru, you dare to show up?"
"Hehehe, why wouldn't I?" Orochimaru stepped out of the shadows, ignoring the watchful gazes of the Iwagakure shinobi around him. With a smile he said, "I think you need help right now, don't you?"
"Yes!" Onoki answered directly. "I need support. Where is your Impure World Reincarnation Army?"
“They’re ready!” Orochimaru licked his lips in excitement. “This time, we’re sure to be able to surprise Fūnan-kun.”
Onoki looked at him coldly and said, "You also said the same thing last time, but the result was that the Raikage was directly captured by the Hokage, and our villages suffered huge losses."
Orochimaru glanced at him and said nothing.
He knew that Onoki was blaming him.
In his attempt to escape Konoha, Orochimaru had betrayed the Raikage, resulting in his capture.
But what did they want him to do? If he hadn't made that decision, did they really think they would have escaped from Uchiha Funan?
Besides, Onoki had been the one running the fastest at that time and was now pointing at him.
