Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

After a fierce battle with the Two-Tails and the sacrifice of his life to protect the base, he peacefully closed his eyes in front of a pot of roasted pork after the battle, thus ending his heroic and loyal life.

Inside the tent, there was a deathly silence.

Only the roast suckling pig in the pot was still emitting wisps of steam and an enticing aroma, creating an eerie contrast with the cold aura of death.

After a long while, Suzaku Nara slowly straightened up, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and bowed deeply to Akimichi Torifu's body.

Qingwu, Shisui, and the medical ninjas inside the tent all bowed in respect.

"Lord Qufeng... may you rest in peace."

……

When Nara Suzaku raised his head again, he had regained his usual calm: "Lord Torifu has achieved his wish; now is not the time for sorrow."

His voice was steady, carrying an undeniable decisiveness:

"Although the Cloud Retreat has retreated, its main force remains, and the threat has not been eliminated. We must decide on our next move immediately."

After gazing one last time at Akimichi Torifu's body, and gesturing for it to be handed over to a medical ninja for disposal, Nara Suzaku said to Seigo, "Let's go outside and talk."

Upon arriving outside the military tent, Nara Suzaku frowned and asked, "Captain Qingwu, what's your take on the current situation?"

Qingwu suppressed the heaviness in her heart and forced herself into a state of deep thought.

"The Raikage is crippled and will be unable to fight again in the short term. The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki will also need time to recover. The Cloud Village's surprise attack failed this time, and even the Raikage was seriously injured and crippled. Their morale will definitely plummet."

He paused, "And Tutai... according to previous intelligence, is best at weighing the pros and cons."

"What do you mean?" Nara Suzaku's eyes gleamed.

"My suggestion is to take the initiative, press forward, and put pressure on the Hidden Cloud Village."

Qingwu made a startling statement: "With Lord Qufeng gone, our morale is low, but it is precisely at times like these that we must not show weakness."

"Captain Qingwu, please continue," Nara Suzaku said, frowning in thought.

"Move forward and complete the unfinished work of Lord Tangdong, driving Yunyin out of Tianguo completely."

“But…” Nara Suzaku hesitated. Like most of the Konoha ninja, he didn’t want to continue fighting.

Qingwu sighed inwardly.

He gestured to his assistant, who was following behind Suzaku Nara, to unfold the map, and then pointed to the buffer zone between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Rice Fields:

"Senior Suzaku, I want to force Kumohime to make a choice!"

"How exactly do we do it?" Nara Suzaku pressed.

He had grasped some of Qingwu's intentions, but needed a clearer understanding.

Qingwu had completely calmed down by this time:

"We want to send a signal to Kumogakure—even though half of our base is empty, Konoha... has the determination to fight Kumogakure to the death!!"

Chapter 223 Natural Disaster!

determination!

That's right, it's determination!

This border war, which escalated from initial friction to conflict, has cost both sides dearly.

Qingwu believes that at this point, the opposite approach should be taken, rather than both sides shrinking back and licking their wounds.

"We must make Tsuchikage understand that the Raikage is crippled. Continuing to waste our time here will not benefit Kumogakure at all; it will only deplete our national strength and allow other countries to reap the benefits!"

The green wutong tree fell to the ground with a resounding thud:

“Tsuchidai is a smart man. He will understand that the best option now is not to continue fighting us to the death, but to... consider a dignified and safe withdrawal from the land of fields.”

Nara Suzaku remained silent for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the ninja tool pouch at his waist, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

Qingwu's suggestion was bold, even somewhat risky.

Having just endured a fierce battle and lost their commander, if they were to press forward aggressively, and if the Cloud Village were to act desperately or if Tsuchikage misjudged the situation and launched a counterattack, the consequences would be unimaginable.

But Qingwu's analysis is not without merit.

The Hidden Cloud Village suffered heavy losses in this battle, and the Raikage's serious injury was a fatal blow. Tsuchitai's biggest concern now is probably not Konoha's attack, but whether Konoha will press their advantage.

Even... what if Iwagakure takes the opportunity to kick someone when they're down?

"How confident are you that Tsuchida will act as you expect?" Nara Suzaku asked.

"About 70%." Qingwu didn't give a definitive answer:

“Tu Tai is not a reckless man; he is good at scheming. As long as we show enough strength and determination, and let him see that the cost of continuing to fight is far greater than the benefits, he is very likely to back down.”

"Moreover..." Qingwu pointed to the Takigakure line on the map: "The western front is in full swing, with the Hokage personally leading the campaign and Iwagakure launching a fierce offensive."

"If we can stabilize the situation or even force the Hidden Cloud Village on the eastern front to retreat, we can relieve a huge amount of pressure on the western front, and may even force the Hidden Iwagakure to reassess the situation."

The gains from successfully pressuring the Hidden Cloud Village will be substantial.

Suzaku Nara was smitten.

He had to admit that this 15-year-old captain of the Shadow Guard had a strategic vision that far surpassed that of many veteran Jonin.

This courage and composure are especially rare, especially after just experiencing a bloody battle and the loss of comrades.

"Alright." Nara Suzaku made his decision.

"Do as you say. I will immediately inform the entire army that Lord Qu Feng has died in battle, and I will temporarily assume the position of commander-in-chief at the front. At the same time, I will order all troops to prepare to cooperate with the Shadow Guard's operation."

Qingwu waved his hand, "All we need to do is send a small number of our people to cheer me on."

Nara Suzaku was taken aback: "What?"

“Here’s what I’m thinking…” Qingwu explained his plan.

Suzaku Nara nodded repeatedly as he listened.

Moments later, the order was quickly relayed.

When news of Akimichi Torifu's death spread within the base, grief and anger once again filled the air.

However, Suzaku Nara's calm command and the news that Seigo Senju was about to lead his troops to advance took the initiative as a reassurance, quickly stabilizing the panicked morale of the troops.

The ninjas of Konoha began silently collecting the remains of their comrades and repairing the damaged fortifications.

Besides sadness, his eyes also held a fierce determination to avenge Lord Qu Feng.

Soon after, the gates of the stronghold slowly opened again.

Qingwu walked at the front, followed by members of the Shadow Guard.

Their injuries have stabilized after the slugs' emergency treatment. Although they are not at their peak condition, their fighting spirit is high.

Behind the Shadow Guard were more than three hundred Konoha ninja.

"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"

Qingwu slapped his hands on the ground.

A scene that thrilled all the Konoha ninjas unfolded:

Fourteen unicorns, gleaming with divine light, raised their heads and neighed.

Next came nearly two hundred silver Pegasus horses, which spread their pure white wings and hovered at low altitude.

Then, eighty withered tree guardians descended, each extending roots to entwine around the silver winged horses. Each pair of silver winged horses carried one withered tree guardian, compensating for the withered tree guardians' lack of mobility.

Finally, there are the basic unit types.

There were thousands of centaur leaders, and behind them, more than three hundred centaurs, each ridden by a large elf with a bow.

The dwarves are not being summoned yet due to their limited mobility.

However, once war breaks out, the dwarves' defensive capabilities, combined with their sudden appearance in the enemy ranks, would make them the most solid main force in the legion's operations.

Boom boom boom—!!

There were no cheers, no shouts, only the heavy footsteps and the flapping of wings.

This "army," composed entirely of summoned beasts, exuded a cold, silent, yet incredibly powerful sense of oppression as it slowly and steadily advanced towards the direction of Cloud Village.

Qingwu rode a silver winged horse to the highest point, making himself visible to everyone.

The more than 300 Konoha ninjas who followed received orders and quickly began to clear the ninja tools scattered on the battlefield and collect the bodies of the fallen soldiers from both sides.

The Konoha carefully collected the bodies of the fallen soldiers, while the Kumogakure also showed them basic respect.

This was Suzaku Nara's arrangement, and it also represents Konoha's attitude!

……

On the watchtower of the Hidden Cloud Camp.

Upon receiving the intelligence, Tutai gripped the binoculars in his hand, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

He watched the slow but determined advance of the psychic beast army in the distance, the pegasus circling in the sky, and especially the withered tree guards and unicorns.

The last glimmer of hope in my heart vanished.

The Raikage was seriously injured and broke his leg, and was rushed to the rear for treatment. Killer Bee and Yugito were also greatly weakened, and the morale of the ordinary troops was low, with many wounded.

And Konoha...

With the "natural disaster" Senju Seigo and Mangekyou Sharingan Uchiha Shisui still around, how can we possibly fight those troublesome summoning beasts that are on such a large scale?

Perhaps Killer Bee could withstand Senju Seigo, but could Yugito withstand the combined attack of Uchiha Shisui and Akimichi Torifu? — He was unaware that Akimichi Torifu had already passed away.

Moreover, what worries Tsuchikatsu most is the large-scale psychic army.

The scattered Cloud Ninja who escaped back that night, including Kayui, are now somewhat mentally unstable—they are utterly terrified.

"Lord Tsuchidai, the people of Konoha are approaching the third alert line! Should we send troops to intercept them?"

A Cloud Village Jonin asked anxiously.

The earthen platform remained silent, its fingers unconsciously tapping on the railing.

Intercept? With what means?

Lord Raikage has fallen. Senju Seigo will definitely be able to hold off Lord Raikage. Should we rely on ordinary troops to charge at those tree people, unicorns, and flying monsters?