While Obito headed off in search of the Eight Tails, Yako had already received Funan's order.
With a sudden movement, she unleashed the Adamantine Chains that held the Eight-Tails trapped, before launching it into the air with tremendous force.
At the same time, the Seven-Tails and Three-Tails simultaneously fired Tailed Beast Balls.
[Boom!]
"Roar!"
The Eight-Tails roared in pain as it was hit squarely by both attacks and sent flying violently.
"Uchiha Funan!"
Obito looked at Funan angrily.
"What are you looking at?" Funan replied, his annoyance not concealed. "This is a battlefield. Do I need to remind you how many Konoha shinobi are here? If you fight him here, what will happen to my men? If you hurt one by mistake, I'll kill you. Do you believe me or not?"
"Hmph!"
The space around him distorted and Obito disappeared without another word.
Funan turned his attention to the battlefield.
At that time, the Konoha shinobi were carrying small slugs on their bodies.
Tsunade along with a group of medical-nin had summoned a large part of Katsuyu's body, then the slug split into multiple parts to heal the wounded.
Minor injuries were treated immediately. If some shinobi suffered serious injuries, the slug would transport them off the battlefield to be treated at the rear. It could also act as a living shield to block enemy attacks.
Thanks to that, casualties in Konoha were limited.
For a shinobi to die, they had to fall instantly, or the slug had to be destroyed along with them.
Kumo's casualties, however, were much higher.
…
"Hokage-sama!"
When Itachi said this, Sarutobi Hiruzen almost burst into tears.
Hokage-sama?
How long had it been since someone last called him that?
"Itachi, do you really still see me as Hokage?" he asked in a trembling voice.
Itachi said firmly: "In my heart, only you are the real Hokage."
"Itachi..."
"Hokage-sama, I went to the agreed meeting points and sent messages several times, but I never got a response from you…"
"Alas!" Hiruzen let out a long sigh and explained, "Ever since I left Konoha, I haven't been able to stay in one place. I've been running away non-stop, so I must have missed a lot of your messages."
Despite everything, Hiruzen trusted Itachi again.
Because he had received Itachi's reports, which detailed Funan's movements exactly.
Thanks to that information, he had managed to evade multiple capture attempts.
If Hiruzen had doubts about Itachi's intentions before, he no longer did. He was just a traitor, there was no point in Itachi continuing to pretend loyalty to get something from him.
Itachi was a true heir to the Will of Fire!
"Hokage-sama!" Itachi exclaimed urgently. "He must go now! You guys have no chance against Funan, he is too strong!"
"I know," Hiruzen admitted with resignation. "But if we don't act now, we'll never have another chance. We can't allow Kumogakure and Iwagakure to be destroyed."
Itachi was silent.
Although he was very 'worried' about Hiruzen, he didn't know what to do if he put himself in his place.
Even if he tried to really think of a solution for him sincerely, he couldn't find a way out.
At one point, Itachi didn't understand why at this point, Fūnan still wanted him to continue playing with Hiruzen.
Then Funan explained to Itachi: "... If it were just Hiruzen, I wouldn't stop you. I would have eliminated him a long time ago. But the problem is that he has Danzo at his side. Although it seems that with my power I should be able to finish him off easily, but he is like a rat that senses danger. Before he acts, he has already run from his lair. Believe me, you won't be able to catch him."
At first, Itachi didn't believe him, so he tried to chase after Hiruzen several times with an ANBU squad… but he couldn't even find a single hair of his.
Then Itachi finally understood.
He would continue playing with him.
What to do?
Itachi was a little confused.
How was he supposed to get out of this?
His opponent had complete confidence in him.
Now he had to help this insect face Funan.
It was an impossible task!
Itachi was worried.
Hiruzen, seeing Itachi's changing expression, called out to him worriedly, "Itachi!"
He has nothing now.
He only has Itachi.
"Hokage-sama." Itachi came to his senses and spoke in a low voice. "How may I help you?"
Hiruzen opened his mouth, he didn't know what to say.
He didn't know what to do either!
When the power gap between the two sides is too big, no matter what you do, it is so meaningless.
Even if he wanted to assassinate Funan, he couldn't do it.
He, Uchiha Itachi and Danzo, three people, stacked together are not enough to beat Uchiha Funan.
"Perhaps..." Itachi groped. "Hokage-sama, why don't you run away? I could cover your escape."
"That..." Hiruzen hesitated. "Itachi, if I run away, might Uchiha Funan retaliate against you?"
Itachi shrugged. "Do you think he hasn't already? He stripped me of my position as the Hokage's advisor. Now I'm just his murder tool."
"No way..." Hiruzen was shocked.
Many of his informants had fallen, and he was unaware of everything that was happening. He knew that Itachi was not having a good time, but he did not imagine it was this serious.
What was really happening was that Funan had a different vision of leadership.
For him, a Hokage should not rule only from an office.
He wanted Itachi to live with the people, go on missions with the common shinobi, spend time in ANBU and other administrative departments.
A Hokage couldn't rely on reports alone!
He had to see the world with his own eyes.
So, ever since he left the office, Itachi had been doing everything, even missions as simple as finding stray cats.
Performing such tasks can put you in contact with some nobles and wealthy businessmen.
Funan wanted me to see firsthand the corruption and excess that some people in this world lived with.
It can be said that Itachi was making the final preparations before putting on the Hokage's hat.
But of course, the others didn't know.
Many people thought that Itachi really committed a crime and was being punished by the Hokage!
Hiruzen sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry, Itachi, this is my fault."
Itachi shook his head and said: "Everything is for Konoha!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "... Itachi, don't say that!"
As they spoke, their attacks never stopped.
Anyone would say that they were fighting to the death!
"Hokage-sama, you must decide quickly," Itachi said, his voice grave. "Uchiha Fugaku is also a formidable enemy. Danzo-sama will not be able to stop him."
"Of course he can't," Hiruzen replied with a sigh.
"Listen, Itachi, we're retreating. We're not running away, we're just regrouping in Kumogakure. Can you help us retreat safely?"
Itachi looked at him strangely.
So they're going to ally with Kumo?
Good fellow!
"Of course!" Itachi said in a deep voice: "Hokage-sama, I'll wait for your signal."
"Okay, Itachi, I didn't misjudge you. You are indeed a firm heir to the Will of Fire!"
Itachi: "..."
...
"Retreat!"
Seeing that Kumo's casualties continued to mount, and the defense lines were about to collapse, Darui had to give the order to retreat.
"Retreat?" An elder roared: "Kumogakure is behind us!"
"Then go back to the village!" Darui said coldly: "We have no other way."
"Damn it!"
The elder cursed and had no choice but to accept this reality.
But retreating would not be easy either.
Konoha pursued them relentlessly.
Darui closed his eyes in pain and ordered three thousand shinobi to stay behind.
They all died.
Although in the anime when the series is set it gives the impression that the shinobi villages are not very big. But in reality they are megacities. A place with more than a hundred thousand people living in them, shinobi training camps that are quite numerous and of a large enough area, makes the main shinobi villages quite large.
While the Kumo shinobi tried to maintain the barriers of Kumogakure and engaged in guerrilla warfare in the more remote urban areas, Darui held a meeting to discuss what to do.
In the meeting room, a new round of shouting began.
All the elders were furious.
Listening to the noisy elders, Darui and C looked at each other and saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.
C asked: "Is there any news about Killer Bee?"
Hearing this, the elders finally calmed down a little.
"No news!" Mabui sighed helplessly. "I sent reinforcements to assist him as soon as he appeared on the battlefield, but the ANBU unit couldn't find him."
A dark shadow fell over the room.
The elders looked pale!
Kumogakure was finished.
There was no way out. There was no hope.
"My, my... are the proud shinobi of Kumo trembling with fear?"
An old, mocking voice echoed through the room.
The elders turned around with a frown.
Sarutobi Hiruzen y Shimura Danzo!
They had been allowed into the emergency meeting only because their skills were still useful. During the battle, they had cooperated with Kumo and held back several powerful Konoha shinobi.
But in reality, Kumo didn't have much choice anymore.
"Well?" one of the elders said sarcastically. "Do the Hokage-sama and the Darkness of the Shinobi have any bright ideas?"
Hiruzen and Danzō's smiles instantly faded.
"Enough!" C quickly intervened to calm the situation. "Hoka… Sarutobi-sama, Kumogakure is facing its greatest crisis yet. Do you have any plans?"
Hiruzen stared at C with a dim gaze.
"Ahem!" Danzo coughed dryly and said: "Actually, if you want to talk about a solution, there is indeed one, but I don't know if you are willing to make sacrifices?"
Silence fell over the room. A chill ran through the Elders.
A solution proposed by Danzo?... That couldn't be anything good.
What good strategy can this guy with a dark soul give?
The elders exchanged glances. No one dared to ask.
"Speak," Darui said calmly.
"Darui!" an Elder scolded.
"Do we have any other choice?" Darui replied, his tone icy. "We are in a situation where we cannot even retreat. Any possibility… we must consider it."
The Elder remained silent.
Danzo smiled slightly and said, "If you want to talk about a solution, there is only one..."
He whispered a few words.
The people present were furious.
Damn it!
They already knew that nothing decent would ever come out of Danzo's mouth.
"What's wrong?" Danzo asked with a cold smile. "You can't do it? Or don't you dare? Ha! Kumogakure is on the verge of collapse. If we don't act now, there will be even more deaths. Perhaps, even the entire village will disappear. Do you really think you have a choice?"
"Let's do it!" Darui spoke firmly, his voice resonating with decision: "We agree with the plan. We will execute it immediately."
"Darui."
The elders looked at him hesitantly.
But Darui gave them a cold look and said, "We have no choice. It's all for Kumogakure!"
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