Naruto: The Age of Ninja Swords Begins in Kumogakure

Chapter 210 Land of Waves Base

"Uncle Grass!"

Arriving at a harbor in the Land of Waves by boat, Tamura Hiroshi waved to the Kusano Eijin who came to greet him, and they were quite familiar with each other.

Tongcao Yeren first nodded to the boy who took the initiative to greet him, and then looked at the leader, Yeyue Ai.

"Ai, congratulations on becoming a Kage-level powerhouse."

He felt very good about this son of the Raikage, as he suited his taste perfectly.

They are all forthright and generous people, skilled in martial arts and swordsmanship, and have many common topics to discuss.

We had a lot of conversation when we were in Konoha last time, and we even had a meal together. Our relationship is pretty good.

He never expected that when they met again, the other person would already be a Kage-level powerhouse, while he was still stuck at the level of an elite Jonin.

That's talent; you can't envy it.

The Kage rank system originated from the work of a great writer, which is widely circulated in the ninja world and recognized by all the major ninja villages.

The hallmark of reaching the Kage level is the transformation of chakra, which activates chakra, improves its quality, and enhances its control. This qualitative change can only be achieved after cultivating and developing nature transformation to a certain extent, and it is not just an increase in strength.

He was stuck on the qualitative change in chakra, and it was very difficult to break through that hurdle.

Even the Third Hokage's disciple relied on the Three-Tails' chakra to break through.

Fortunately, he became a member of the split Jinchuriki project and will soon be able to break through with the help of the Tailed Beast's chakra.

Although the breakthrough achieved by relying on external forces is not as effective as breakthroughs through one's own cultivation, it is still better than being stuck indefinitely.

In this era of war, enhancing strength is even more important.

In particular, the village has decided to launch a full-scale attack on Konoha with the support of Kumogakure and seize a piece of land.

"You just need one more opportunity."

The leader of the team, Ai Yozuki, bumped fists with Kusanagi Haruto, showing his admiration for the man.

Tongcao Yeren smiled and then looked at the burly young man standing to the left of Yeyue Ai.

"This must be the Third Raikage's new disciple."

They have been keeping an eye on information about Kumogakure. Some time ago, the Third Raikage suddenly announced that he had taken on a disciple named Raijin, which is probably this person.

"Thor!"

Thor, wielding a hammer, shook hands with Kusano Haruto under Tamura Hiroshi's control.

"Tongcao Yebaiman!"

Tongcao Yeren also revealed his name, and then looked at Yeyue Ai.

"Come on, we've already arranged accommodations for you."

He was very satisfied with the lineup of the support team from Kumogakure. As for Yotsuki Ai and the others, they all possessed Kage-level combat power.

Behind them followed hundreds of Cloud Ninja. Although they were all young, their strength was definitely not lacking, and there were certainly quite a few Jonin among them.

The group followed Tsukuyano Erin to a manor in the Land of Waves, a very large manor.

"This place originally belonged to a wealthy merchant. It's fully equipped, with enough rooms for you to live in. You can use this open space for your cultivation..."

Tongkusa Nori was introducing the manor to the group. It was the most luxurious manor in the Land of Waves, which they had specially set aside for the support team from Kumogakure to live in.

As for the original owner of this manor, he was killed by the evil Konoha ninja, and all his money was looted. It was too cruel. Kirigakure strongly condemned Konoha's inhumanity for this.

"I didn't see any ordinary people along the way. Were they all moved away?"

Tamura Hao asked curiously, "All I've seen before are Hidden Mist Ninjas; there aren't any ordinary people around."

"This is a front-line base. We were worried that Konoha ninjas might launch a surprise attack here, so to avoid civilian casualties, we moved them all to our country."

Kusanagi nodded. They were going to turn this place into a military base, so naturally they wouldn't allow ordinary people to exist there. Otherwise, if they had connections with Konoha, or if Konoha ninjas infiltrated the area to steal intelligence or cause damage, it would be troublesome.

Therefore, to be on the safe side, all the people here were relocated, leaving only the Hidden Mist Ninja, who were much easier to control.

Moreover, the Land of Waves is surrounded by the sea, which is very suitable for the Hidden Mist Ninja to fight, so they are not afraid that the Leaf Village Ninja can attack.

"Please rest first. We have prepared a dinner for you. I will come back tonight. If you need anything, you can tell the ninja on duty outside the manor gate, and he will arrange it for you."

After saying this, Kusanagi hurriedly left, preparing to report his observations of the Kumogakure support team to Yagura.

There's no need to elaborate on Yotsuki Ai and the others; they have detailed intelligence. The focus is on the hundreds of Cloud Ninja. Judging from their ages, they were likely sent out by the Hidden Cloud Village for training, so their aptitude must be quite good.

This needs to be arranged carefully, so that these people can contribute better on the battlefield, while also ensuring the safety of the other side.

If they were to be wiped out by a single mistake, they would have a hard time explaining it to the Hidden Cloud Village.

"Kumakushi Village is really showing their sincerity!"

After hearing the report and analysis from Tsukuyano, Yagura was quite surprised by the level of support provided by Kumogakure.

He originally thought that at most one Kage-level expert would be sent, but who would have thought so many would come.

Especially Tamura Hiroshi and Uchiha Hikaru; just from the information, you can see how powerful they are. They are absolute powerhouses among Kage-level shinobi.

"They are all very young. It is clear that the Third Raikage still wants to use this Shinobi World War to hone them. Those people will definitely become the pillars of the Hidden Cloud Village in the future."

Kumogakure was able to guess the Cloud Village's thoughts, which clearly showed that the Cloud Village valued the future more and was putting a lot of effort into cultivating the younger generation.

"It is advantageous to maintain good relations with Kumogakure now and for the foreseeable future."

Yagura Karatachi does not reject the idea of ​​being on good terms with Kumogakure, even though Kumogakure betrayed Kirigakure during the War of the Land of Whirlpools.

But that was a collaboration between the teacher and the Hidden Cloud Village, which resolved the potential for internal strife within their Hidden Mist Village.

Otherwise, if those elite ninja clans were still alive, they would have suffered heavy losses, or even been wiped out, in the event of a coup.

Having benefited from that war himself, he naturally wouldn't deny it.

At the same time, the sincerity shown by the Hidden Cloud Village is so great that it's impossible not to be satisfied.

"How's the adaptation to the Three-Tails' chakra going?"

Turning the topic to the experiment with the Three-Tails' chakra, Yagura Karatachi wanted to take this opportunity to cultivate his own team.

The plan to split the Tailed Beasts into Jinchuriki greatly affected him. Besides splitting the Three-Tails' tails to weaken it and make it easier for him to control, there was another option.

He didn't know about the other tailed beasts, but there were many smaller three-tailed beasts inside the Three-Tails, an extremely large number, each containing a considerable amount of chakra.

It is entirely possible to seal it into the body of a ninja and create a large number of tailed beast jinchūriki.

Even if those smaller Three-Tails aren't very strong, they still significantly boost a ninja's power, especially in terms of Water Release techniques.

Those larger three-tailed beasts should be able to create tailed beast cloaks, which would provide a greater boost.

"It will take some time to adjust."

Tongcao Yeren replied, his heart filled with excitement.

This is a prerequisite for becoming a Jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast. Only by reaching a certain level of harmony with the Tailed Beast's chakra can one bear it; otherwise, sealing it rashly could easily lead to loss of control.

"We need to complete the integration process as soon as possible. Their arrival will greatly increase our overall strength, but it will also make us more valued by Konoha, and they will definitely send strong people to support us."

This battle will still be difficult.

His gaze shifted to the huge map hanging on the wall. Yagura Karatachi took this war very seriously; he could only succeed, and failure was not an option.

"I see!"

Tongcaono's solemn response also indicated his understanding of the danger of this battle.

Wild beasts are most dangerous when they are wounded, and Konoha is currently a wounded wild beast, so its counterattack will inevitably be desperate.

Not to mention, according to the intelligence they obtained, Konoha is suspected of possessing super-standard combat power comparable to the First Hokage.

Although they don't know what limitations such methods have, they are still a huge threat, and the Mist Ninja need to become stronger.

"And Qing and the others, I would appreciate your guidance on battlefield experience, senior."

Finally, he mentioned the subordinates he had recruited, all of whom had great potential. Among them, Ao, Juzo Biwa, and Raiga Kurosuki would also possess the three tails of the Three-Tails, assisting him in his training and battles. They would also become members of his Shadow Guard after he became the Fourth Hokage.

Those were all his own people, and the Third Hokage had already promised that after the next Shinobi World War, if he performed well enough, he would pass on the position of Mizukage.

He was convinced of this, mainly because the teacher was too old.

The teacher is a powerful figure who came from the Warring States period and even participated in the Five Kage Summit with the First Hokage. He should have become the Second Hokage, but the position of Mizukage was taken away by Hozuki Gengetsu in alliance with the ninja clan.

Therefore, among the current Third Hokage of the Five Great Ninja Villages, the teacher is the oldest and is still in his prime. However, he will inevitably decline significantly during the next Shinobi World War, and passing on the leadership is inevitable.

As the teacher's only disciple, the teacher naturally wanted to pass on the position of Mizukage to him, so as to maintain the lineage and avoid a situation like that of the second Mizukage that would cause the village to split again.

However, I also need to work hard. I not only need to have enough achievements, but also need a strong support team.

"I will provide them with serious guidance. If possible, I would like to send them to the Cloud Ninja to temper their arrogant nature."

Tongcao Yeren offered a suggestion. He had a headache dealing with those people; they were all unruly, bloodthirsty, and cruel, except for Qing, who was relatively normal.

That makes sense, though. After all, they were among the last batch of ninjas to emerge from the Blood Mist policy, so it's normal that they were difficult to control.

"It definitely needs some work."

Reflecting on the personalities of those individuals, Yagura Karatachi agreed.

To be honest, if he had other options, he really wouldn't want to train those people; they were all too difficult to tame, which was a drawback of the Blood Mist policy.

Although those trained are the elite of the elite, they all have some mental and ideological problems. The teacher's decision to hand those few over to him is also a test.

The Blood Mist policy over the past twenty years has changed many people. If he can't even control the younger generation, then he can't control the older generation either.

This is a good opportunity to use the Hidden Cloud Village to temper those people's character and let them know what a true genius is.

Putting aside what happened here, Konoha quickly received information that Kumogakure was supporting Kirigakure and learned about the strength of the support force, which shocked everyone.

Hiashi Hyuga went to the Hokage Building immediately to submit a request to withdraw. He didn't really want to retreat; he just wanted to use the retreat as a pretext to force the Hokage faction to send someone out.

The northern front was completely wiped out by the Hidden Cloud Village, and the Uchiha's elite forces were almost entirely destroyed. The Hyuga clan did not want to suffer the same fate as the Uchiha.

Furthermore, we need to be wary of those in the Hokage faction. The battle on the northern front revealed too many strange things, and the spearheads were vaguely pointing at the Hokage faction. We must be cautious.

"hateful!"

After Hyuga Hiashi left, Utatane Koharu slammed her hand on the table, clearly annoyed.

This is a threat, a blatant threat.

"The support from Kumogakure is indeed substantial. Those individuals are all genuine Kage-level powerhouses, and even the two Uzumaki girls can unleash Kage-level combat power when they join forces."

Mitokado Homura took off her glasses and wiped them. She hadn't expected that Kumogakure would suddenly send support to Kirigakure, and with such a large scale of support. It could be said that they had sent out all the best young ninjas, and even had the Raikage's son lead the team.

Needless to say, with the Raikage's son there, the Third Raikage will definitely arrive at any time to provide support, and the battlefield over there is about to be turned upside down.

"We cannot retreat from the Eastern Front."

Annoyed, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a drag of his cigarette and set the tone.

Although I had previously thought of making the Hyuga side suffer, the current problem is too big.

If the eastern battlefield gets out of control and retreats, resulting in the loss of territory, the Daming Prefecture will definitely flare up again.

They had gone to great lengths and exhausted their leader's efforts to finally persuade the envoy from Daming Prefecture, and they didn't want to face that again.

Moreover, the Daimyo and the Daimyo's office are already very dissatisfied with them. If they propose to replace the Hokage, he will be forced to abdicate.

Therefore, we must not retreat on the eastern front; we must hold it at all costs.

"Who should we send?"

Xiaochun, suppressing her anger, turned to her dormitory and asked about the personnel to be dispatched.

"Jiraiya should have finished his training by now; let him go and oversee things."

When Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke of his disciple, Jiraiya, after the battle in the Land of Hot Springs, began to diligently practice Sage Mode, even fusing with Lava Release and truly obtaining it, which greatly enhanced his strength.

That disciple's strength has surpassed mine, but fortunately, the relationship is still maintained, and given his personality, I don't need to worry about him or be on guard.

This time, it's a good opportunity for Jiraiya to go to the eastern battlefield to oversee things and take control of the front lines there.

"Jiraiya's strength is not a problem, but his thinking is not mature enough."

Mitokado Homura pointed out Jiraiya's shortcomings: his strength was definitely sufficient, but he was lacking in other aspects and was not enough to lead an army on his own, let alone fight against the entire Hidden Mist Village and Hidden Cloud Village.

Adding to the past grudges with Kumogakure, he worried that Jiraiya might not be able to withstand the pressure and make an irrational decision, thus falling into Kumogakure's trap.

"Let Shinku and Shishou go with them, and Minato can also go and gain some experience."

After revealing the three candidates, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also worried that his disciple might act rashly and fall into someone else's trap.

"Might Guy is almost fully recovered. Should we make some arrangements? It's time to retake the front lines in the Land of Rivers. Danzo has been urging us on this many times."

Koharu Utatane brought up another matter: they couldn't retake the northern front because Kumogakure was too strong now, especially since the Third Raikage seemed to have mastered Sage Mode.

The only thing they can plan for now is the front line in the land of rivers, which is what they promised the daimyo.

Before sending out Jiraiya and the other two, they should first gather enough strength to defeat Sunagakure and reclaim the battlefront in the Land of Rivers, which would stabilize the entire battle situation.

"No, Mighty must stay in the village to guard against any potential powerful figures. The village cannot be allowed to fall."

Hiruzen Sarutobi decisively rejected the idea. In the past, he would naturally have supported his old friend first, but after learning that his old friend might possess a Susanoo of the same level as Madara Uchiha, some things had to be changed.

Given their strength, Danzo's act of writing to urge them to come and provide support clearly indicates his ulterior motives.

That old fellow must be guarded against; perhaps he is my greatest threat.

Koharu and the other girl were taken aback, but seeing what Hiruzen Sarutobi had to say, they didn't say anything more.

They must be wary of that mysterious and powerful figure. Might Guy's Eight Gates Formation is their only trump card at present, so they shouldn't leave the village easily.

"Aren't you going to provide support?"

Mitomon asked if seizing the opportunity to gather strength and retake the battlefront in the Land of Rivers was the best option at present.

Otherwise, if Kirigakure and Kumogakure's support teams were to launch a general offensive on the eastern battlefield, their forces would inevitably be dispersed, making it difficult to regroup.

"Support is certain, but not now. We need to see what exactly Kumogakure is going to do. Their strong support for Kirigakure must be something special."

Hiruzen Sarutobi steered the conversation toward Kumogakure in an attempt to persuade the two.

In any case, he can't go to support Danzo right now. There are some things he needs to investigate thoroughly. He can't afford to be killed by Danzo like the Uchiha did.

"The Hidden Cloud Village is indeed the one we need to be most wary of."

The two exchanged a glance, agreeing with this viewpoint; the Hidden Cloud Village had always been one of their most troublesome opponents.

Its style is vastly different from before, and its scheming is many times more profound.

"This strong support from Kumogakure must be the work of that Raikage assisting Tsuchida again. That person is the most threatening figure in Kumogakure."

Thinking about the changes in Kumogakure over the years, Koharu Utatane couldn't help but think of the Raikage who had assisted her. After much intelligence, it was confirmed that the changes in Kumogakure all stemmed from the Raikage's assistance to Tsuchikage, and Danzo was extremely wary of that person.

They even suspected that the reason why Kumogakure was able to achieve a perfect victory in the last battle in the Land of Hot Springs must have been due to the Raikage's scheme with Tsuchikage's assistance, taking advantage of their fear of the Uchiha to achieve a great victory.

This person is truly terrifying and must be eliminated!

Meanwhile, Tsuchikage, far away in Kumogakure, was unaware that he had once again been framed. At that moment, he was training in a new Lava Release technique.

The reason why a powerful Lava Release technique, which combines its own Rubber Lava Release and the Lava Release of Iwagakure Village, was able to fuse so quickly and retain the characteristics of both was thanks to that kid's fusion eye technique.

With these two Lava Release techniques, his strength increased significantly, and he finally broke through to the Kage level.

"Now I can finally feel a little more at ease!"

Heating the tea with Lava Release finally put Tsuchida's mind at ease.

There was nothing he could do. The bounty on his head at the underground gold exchange was getting higher and higher, and countless people throughout the ninja world wanted his head. He lived in constant fear.

Even going on a date with his girlfriend requires several squads of ANBU ninjas for protection; it's incredibly frustrating.

"Aren't you still enjoying it?"

Whirlpool Jade Leaf, standing to the side, laughed. That kind of bounty amount was also proof of ability, and this dead guy had been quite proud of it.

"I was just finding joy in hardship."

Tu Tai decisively corrected him, then his expression changed, and he said in a cheeky tone, "Look, my Lava Release is fully fused now, it's about time we had a child."

They got married six months ago, but haven't had children yet. He wanted to wait until the Lava Release fusion was complete before having children, so that he could pass on the powerful Lava Release to his children.

With Uzumaki's immense chakra talent, combined with Lava Release bloodline limit and Uzumaki sealing technique, it would be difficult for him not to become a powerful figure.

Now that things have settled down, it's time to have children as soon as possible, the more the better.

"I want to be on top tonight."

Yu Ye did not refuse, but assertively indicated that she wanted to gain the upper hand.

"Whatever you say!"

Tu Tai's smile grew even wider; no matter what, he was the one who benefited.

Moreover, the stamina of the Uzumaki ninjas was too strong; it was only through Yu Ye's own initiative that she was able to persevere to the end.

(End of this chapter)