Konoha Notes

Chapter 405 Puppet

The fog was so thick it couldn't be dispersed.

Hidan, carrying the Three-Moon Scythe on his back, waved his other hand in front of his eyes and pouted, "Hey, what's this? You can't even see your own fingers."

"We've come all this way to a place like this, we might as well find some decent offerings for the evil god on the island."

Kakuzu stood behind him, his dark green eyes scanning the thick fog.

Hundreds and thousands of shoots came from all directions.

Kakuzu formed the Si Mudra with both hands, his whole body turned pitch black, and the senbon needles that were shot at his torso bounced off weakly, falling into a circle at his feet.

Hidan swung his three-handed scythe soaring through the air, creating a cacophony of clanging sounds, but the sheen was so dense that more than a dozen needles pierced his arms and back.

The slight pain jolted Hidan awake, who had been feeling a bit sleepy. He charged towards the direction from which the senbon had been fired, his figure disappearing into the depths of the thick fog.

Immediately afterwards, a frenzied roar, the sharp clang of metal clashing, and the splashing sound of footsteps stomping through puddles came from the fog.

Kakuzu remained standing in the same spot, his ears picking up every subtle sound in the fog.

Suddenly, the sound stopped abruptly.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.

The skin begins to wriggle and crack.

Three masked monsters emerged from the crack and hovered beside him. One of them opened its mouth, and lightning gathered in its throat.

The blinding lightning spear tore through the fog, illuminating the direction where the sound had disappeared.

Six members of the Kirigakure ANBU surrounded Hidan. Four of them were using water whips to bind his limbs, while the other two held swords and were about to strike.

The lightning spear shot down.

It pierced straight through the chest of an ANBU member, its momentum carrying it through the tree trunk behind him, exploding into a cloud of charred wood chips. As the body fell, Hidan's Water Whip, which had been binding him, was now missing a strand.

The lightning continued to strike, sweeping across the area around Hidan.

Without any hesitation or even glancing at their fallen comrades, the remaining five Hidden Mist ninja disappeared back into the thick fog.

"Kakuzu! Aim properly, you idiot!" Hidan shook his arm, which was numb from the electric shock, and grabbed the scythe that had fallen to the ground. "My hair is standing on end!"

Corner ignored his complaints.

The fog made it feel even heavier.

The fine rain started falling at some point, its cool touch brushing against my skin.

The pseudo-dark lightning was noticeably dimmer, and its spread had also shrunk.

Kakuzu was unsure whether it was the effect of ninjutsu.

Another masked monster with a grudge opened its mouth.

The high-pressure wind ball roared out, which should have completely dispersed the fog. However, the wind ball slowed down and its power rapidly diminished the moment it left the masked monster's mouth.

really.

"A technique that weakens ninjutsu..."

Hidden Mist Technique, Water Release: Cutting Rain.

This is the first time he has ever seen a ninjutsu that can weaken the power of all ninjutsu and secret techniques except for water-style ninjutsu.

A fourth masked monster emerged from Kakuzu's body.

Water Release: Water Curtain!
The high-pressure water cannon swept out in the direction where the Hidden Mist ninja had disappeared, snapping trees in half and whipping up the water on the ground to form a violent torrent mixed with wood chips and mud.

One of the Mist Shadow members, who was unable to dodge completely, was grazed by the edge of the water cannon and was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into a tree trunk.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Hidan swung his scythe and gave chase.
-
In the Hidden Mist Village, Ao observed every detail around the battlefield.

"They broke through to the vicinity of the village and only Kakuzu and Hidan were there, which is exactly as described in the intelligence."

"Kisame and Zabuza have already held off Juzo Biwa and Hiruko."

"The mobile squad led by Lady Terumi Mei is returning at full speed, and the joint rapid reaction force has also departed from the Forest Country base."

Yagura listened to these reports: "Only four people?"

"So far, only four people have appeared, but the owner of the Rinnegan and Madara Uchiha have not yet shown up. We cannot rule out the possibility that these four are being used as bait," Ao said.

“Is that so?” Yagura stood up.

"Fourth Hokage, should we wait for reinforcements..."

“Take care of the two first,” Yagura said calmly. “Among the Akatsuki, only Madara Uchiha has the ability to provide rapid support.” “If he appears here, I will immediately activate the explosive tags on my body, and you don’t need to hesitate.”
-
Hidan cut down the second Kirigakure ANBU member.

The scythe blade embedded itself in the other man's shoulder blade; with a single pull, blood splattered all over the ground.

not enough.

Far from enough.

Mere slaughter cannot please the evil god. It requires rituals, prolonged suffering, and sacrifices offered in despair to demonstrate faith.

These hidden forces in the mist didn't give him any time to set up the ritual. There was no fear, no hesitation, and even death was treated as a tactical step.

Kakuzu didn't give him any time to play.

The moisture in the air suddenly dissipated, and the continuous drizzle stopped.

The two Earthly Grudge Masked Monsters merged and opened their mouths.

Wind Release and Fire Release are merging and intertwining.

The swirling flames shot out, turning a bright white due to the wind pressure. Wherever they passed, the mist was instantly evaporated, and the trees were carbonized and disintegrated without even a chance to burn.

Three secret agents leaped out from their hiding place.

A short figure holding a hooked staff passed over the three people, drawing a water mirror in the air.

Flames gushed out from the mirror.

Two identical, destructive energies collided in mid-air.
The impact of the explosion spread in a spherical shape, and the remaining fog was completely cleared away.

The surrounding trees all leaned outwards in unison.

Yagura stood at the edge of the explosion's epicenter, his hook staff planted in the ground, crimson chakra surging from his body and covering his entire form.

Three tails spread out behind them.

He immediately fired a Tailed Beast Ball in Kakuzu's direction.

"Lord Mizukage!"

The three members of the Hidden Mist Anbu quickly regrouped, and one of them once again lashed out with his Water Whip, the azure water rope wrapping around Hidan's ankle.

"It's in the way!"

Hidan swung his scythe at the water rope, but two other water whips simultaneously wrapped around his right arm and waist.

In that instant of vulnerability, Yagura appeared in front of Hidan and struck him with his Coral Palm.

On Hidan's body, grayish-white coral-like substance grew at a visible speed, covering his entire body in the blink of an eye.

An ANBU member rushed over and slashed down with his ninja sword!

Hidan's head rolled to the ground, bounced a few times, and came to rest by the puddle.

A hint of regret lingered on his face, and his lips moved as he uttered a final complaint: "Lord Evil God... I didn't receive a proper sacrifice at all..."

Then, Hidan's face began to melt, eventually turning into another completely unfamiliar face.

The March sickle that had fallen to the side also turned into white smoke and dissipated.

"This is……"

Yagura frowned.

He turned toward the edge of the deep crater created by the Tailed Beast Ball, where a charred corpse lay.

The shape is no longer discernible.

It wasn't them...

Puppetry? No, this level of chakra reaction and combat ability couldn't possibly be from an ordinary puppet.

"Sword, tell Ao, something's wrong!" Yagura ordered one of the ANBU to quickly return to the village to report the situation. "The rest of you, come with me to support Kisame and Zabuza."
-
Meanwhile, deep beneath the sea.

Shuji, who was aboard the submarine, received new intelligence.

The Sand Village's communications ninja stood beside him, reporting in a low voice:
"Breaking news. The joint rapid reaction force led by Lord Han and Lord Jiraiya was intercepted in the waters near Zaozhe Island while en route to reinforce Kirigakure."

"The identities of the interceptors are unknown, but the battle has already begun."

Shuji's gaze fell on the sea chart: Zaozuke Island, a small island in the northwest of the Land of Water, located right on the main shipping route from the Land of Forest to Kirigakure.

"A strategy of besieging the enemy's stronghold and attacking their reinforcements..."

(End of this chapter)