Naruto Online: Hyuga Branch Family? Let's go all out!

Chapter 158 The Death of the Third Kazekage

At the border of Sunagakure Village, where it meets the Land of Rivers, there are four towns arranged from top to bottom.

These four towns arose because of trade with the land of Kawano, and because the wars of the Warring States period did not spread to foreign countries, these towns did not have city walls.

Or rather, cities in the ninja world basically don't have city walls; those things are a specialty of China.

However, the nobles in the city built many fortresses to protect themselves.

The northernmost town, Hailuo Town, is located on the border between the two countries and is also by the sea. He Sha gave up on the place after just one look.

There's too much moisture and soil here, making it suitable for Water Release and Earth Release techniques, but not for Wind Release.

Moreover, the ground is damp with puddles everywhere, making it easy for the puppets to get stuck in the mud. Furthermore, the metal parts they use are not rust-proof, making puppet maintenance too costly in such a place.

The second town is called Chuanyang Town, which is a town built next to the famous river in the land of rivers.

After looking around, He Sha felt that this place was not suitable as a battlefield.

Because, if we don't say 99% of the ninjas in the Land of Wind have ever seen a great river, at least 60% of them have never practiced water walking.

The town is surrounded by a large river, which will inevitably become a battlefield once war breaks out. Wouldn't the Sand Village, which can't even walk on water, be courting death?

The third town in "Yama-no-Town" is built between two mountains.

These two mountains are extremely long and very high, making them impossible for humans to climb. However, by sheer coincidence, there is a valley between them, which becomes the only passage between the two mountains.

As more people moved around, towns and cities were formed.

"It's 1500 meters wide, and the two sides are extremely dangerous. If we can modify this town and deploy a large number of puppeteers, I can't imagine how many lives the Konoha ninja would have to lose to break in!" He Sha nodded in his heart, having already temporarily made this the first direction of attack for Sunagakure.

Once this town is captured, Sunagakure will have a stable logistical base and fortress, capable of both offense and defense.

Actually, he hadn't thought this far ahead before. When it came to war, he just charged in headfirst. Ninjas didn't care about timing or terrain; they had formidable fighting power whether in the desert, on flat land, or on water.

However, in the past two years, he has read "The Great Wilderness," which contains many examples of war, especially "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," which he has read many times. He deeply agrees with the saying that war requires favorable timing, location, and human factors.

If we can gain an advantage by taking advantage of favorable timing and location, why not give it a try?

"Huh?" He Sha's eyes narrowed, as if he had seen someone familiar?

He quickly followed, only to see the man enter a forging shop.

Upon arriving at the store entrance, He Sha saw a red-haired, boyish-looking Scorpion inside, talking to the owner.

"Following me?" He Sha was taken aback, then shook his head. His trip was top secret. To avoid being discovered by spies, he not only disguised himself but also didn't bring any bodyguard ninjas with him.

Scorpions would have even less chance of knowing.

Therefore, it's highly likely that this was just a chance encounter.

He Sha originally intended to turn around and leave, but after thinking about it, he waited outside the door.

A moment later, Scorpion left the blacksmith shop with an excited smile. Just as he was about to head to the next shop, a voice suddenly came from beside him: "Looks like Scorpion had a big haul. Were he buying puppet parts?"

Scorpion was startled and quickly turned around, only to find that it was a stranger.

However, the voice was familiar.

"It's me!" He Sha formed a Magnet Release hand seal to identify himself.

"Three!" Scorpion's eyes lit up, then immediately fell silent.

He Sha was secretly pleased. Although this child argued with me in the office, he actually admired me a lot!

"It's already noon. There's a noodle shop up ahead; let me treat you to lunch!" He Sha said. "We can chat while we're there!"

Scorpion nodded silently and followed He Sha into the noodle shop.

As a ninja, he instinctively glanced up: a Korean beef noodle restaurant.

The photos of the noodle shop's signature dishes had faded a bit. A woman who looked to be in her forties or fifties was walking in the middle of the shop to take orders. There was also a child about her age at the entrance who was lying on the table, seemingly writing something.

As Scorpion passed by, he glanced at the paper and found it covered with words and symbols he couldn't understand.

"What is it?" A question mark appeared in Scorpion's mind. He then saw the child counting on his fingers, as if he was calculating something.

"Do children outside the village also need to go to school?" Scorpion asked curiously, and why didn't he recognize the words they used?

"Scorpion?" He Sha called out to him!

"Coming!" Scorpion hurriedly followed.

Inside the private room, He Sha and Xie sat facing each other, the atmosphere somewhat heavy, until the older woman handed them a pot of tea, and Xie subconsciously said thank you, which eased the tension a little.

"Are you buying parts to upgrade your puppet?" Hesha asked. "Why don't you make it yourself?"

"I can't make it!" Scorpion shook his head. "The metals sold outside these past two years have become extremely hard. My forging table at home is already struggling to keep up. Instead of wasting time on forging, I'd rather use it to learn. Anyway, hiring someone outside would just cost me some money!"

"The technology outside has improved incredibly fast; the quality of the kunai and shuriken we bought in the village is much better!" Kasa nodded in agreement, then asked, "So, you're buying spare parts to prepare for war?"

"My puppets are only for protecting the village!"

He Sha nodded and did not ask any further questions.

This child is indeed stubborn; she has given up trying to persuade her.

It doesn't matter if you don't like war, as long as you're willing to do things for the village.

Protect the village?

If I send you to the front lines, surrounded by villagers, are you just going to stand by and watch the villagers be killed by the enemy?

He had seen many people who were unwilling to go to the battlefield, but once on the battlefield, they would forget everything as soon as their comrades were injured or killed.

"Never mind, let's eat. There are so many dishes here that I've never tried before!" He Sha said.

Scorpion nodded without responding, simply watching the dishes arrive one by one, then silently picking at the food and eating.

You need to be well-fed to have the strength to fight.

Half an hour later, all the plates and bowls were emptied, and He Sha had paid the bill.

"Is there anything else?" He Sha asked. "Or are you coming back with me?"

"Let's go together!" Scorpion said. "I've finished my work here!"

"Okay!" He Sha nodded, stood up, and took the lead.

Scorpion followed behind with small, quick steps, and saw that He Sha had been walking slower and slower since leaving the city, until he finally stopped in the same spot.

Turning around, He Sha clutched her stomach, her face contorted: "Go back!"

"What?" Scorpion asked, looking completely bewildered.

"That shop poisoned us!" He Sha said fiercely. "They were probably spies from another ninja village. I didn't expect them to recognize me even after I changed my appearance?"

He didn't doubt why Sasori wasn't poisoned. For a ninja, targeted poisoning wasn't difficult at all, and Sasori's grandmother was an expert in poisons. Maybe his family had some kind of antidote.

Thinking of this, He Sha asked again, "Do you have any antidote on you?"

"Yes, yes!" Scorpion quickly took out a medicine and handed it to He Sha.

He Sha drank it down without even thinking.

After all, who would have thought that the grandson of his own village elder would plot against him, the Kazekage!

The moment the poison was administered, He Sha's face turned ashen.

"The medicine isn't working; in fact, it's made my symptoms worse!" Even now, he doesn't suspect that Scorpion is the one harming him.

Only Sasori shook his head and said, "Third Kazekage, if you are willing to stop the war, there is still hope for you!"

"It's you!" Hesha finally realized.

His eyes widened, his face blank: "Why, why?"

"I don't want war, and I don't want the village to be engulfed in war!" Scorpion looked at Kassa earnestly. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all live peacefully together?"

"Heh heh heh," He Sha laughed bitterly, "Too naive!"

Do you think I'm the one who wants to start a war?

This is the collective will of the Daimyo, the Kazekage, and even all the genin, chunin, and jonin who cannot earn money or advance in rank.

How could I, a mere Wind Shadow, stop it at will?

He stopped talking nonsense and suddenly raised his hand to form a hand seal.

This child is too dangerous. If he dares to assassinate me now, he will dare to assassinate other Wind Shadows in the future.

Moreover, given his status, no one would suspect him!

This kind of existence is too harmful to Sunagakure and must be eliminated!

"Iron Sand Waterfall!"

The boundless iron sand quickly condensed into handfuls of kunai, which then flew towards Scorpion.

Scorpion didn't move at all, just watched as the kunai blew him into a hedgehog.

He Sha didn't laugh. "Have you ever seen anyone get stabbed by a kunai and not bleed?"

"No wonder he's a genius puppeteer!" He Sha gritted his teeth, feeling the toxins spreading rapidly through his body. "And a genius poison master too!"

It's a pity that they weren't on the same page as Sunagakure.

He had previously mocked Hashirama for failing to subdue Madara and even causing a civil war to break out.

I never imagined that one day I would encounter the same thing.

He Sha's eyes slowly lost their color.

"On June 21st, Konoha Year 44, Sasori of the Red Sand, due to ideological differences, successfully assassinated the Third Kazekage using poison!"

(End of this chapter)