Chapter 164: Attacking the Hidden Cloud Village
In order to regain his prestige, Kurama was racking his brains to trick Chōmei into giving up a portion of its Chakra.
For reading novels, your first choice should be anytime enjoyment.
Fortunately, Chōmei wasn't as irritable as Shukaku.
Otherwise, Naruto would have had to prepare for physical persuasion again.
He watched Fu for a while and planned to find Sakura.
Since he wasn't a medical Ninja, he had no research on poisons.
But Sakura was very good at it.
Although she hadn't been learning for long, her ability to neutralize Sasori's poison in the later stages of the original work proved her extraordinary talent.
As for Karin, she was better at saving people.
Naruto used a Shadow Clone.
Because if his main body went to Konoha, it would interrupt the conversation between Kurama and Chōmei.
The Shadow Clone used the Flying Thunder God Technique to arrive at the Hokage Building.
"Sakura, I need your help with something."
"What is it?"
Sakura was somewhat puzzled.
Yesterday you looked for Karin, and today you're looking for me?
The Shadow Clone didn't answer; he grabbed Sakura and left.
"Where is this?"
Sakura had a shocked expression.
An unfamiliar room.
An unconscious little loli.
There was something very wrong with this scene.
"What did you do?"
Sakura squatted down to examine Fu.
"Don't you know what I did? A man and a woman alone in a bedr—"
The Shadow Clone had a lecherous smile on his face, looking exactly like Jiraiya the Second.
What the hell are you talking about?
Naruto kicked the clone to death and said, "Sakura, don't listen to his nonsense."
Sakura looked at him suspiciously: "Silencing the witness?"
"..."
Naruto's mouth twitched, and he quickly explained the whole situation.
If he let her keep imagining things, his character image would completely collapse.
"I see."
Sakura patted her unremarkable chest and said, "But this is my first time neutralizing poison."
"First time?"
Naruto was stunned for a moment and asked, "Haven't you studied it?"
"I've studied it, but previously I only neutralized poison in rabbits, fish, and things like that."
"It's fine."
Naruto waved his hand. "The poison she's under shouldn't be complicated. It's just right for you to practice. Everyone has a first time."
"You have a point."
Sakura took out her medical kit and began the treatment.
Naruto jumped back into the Tailed Beast channel and was shocked by what he heard from Kurama.
It was actually bragging about itself.
"Chōmei, you sacrificing a part of your Chakra is just like paying a protection fee for your Jinchuriki. You understand, right? Your Jinchuriki's eye for talent is really lacking. Look at mine, he beat Shukaku until he was whimpering. Let me tell you, blah blah, abba abba, and so on..."
Naruto scratched his head.
Kurama, you've fallen so low.
Where is your integrity?
"She should be fine now."
Sakura's words pulled him back to reality.
Naruto looked at Fu, but noticed Sakura looked nervous.
He smiled but didn't say anything.
After waiting a moment, Fu showed some movement.
Sakura immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Waking up means the toxins have been cleared."
She packed up her medical kit and said, "It seems my theory was sound."
You didn't need to say that last part out loud.
Naruto glanced at Fu, who seemed to be waking up, and said, "Sakura, I'll send you back first."
"Okay, find me again if there are any problems."
Sakura nodded, then remembered something. She took out a sachet and said, "This is a super-improved soldier pill I researched. Give some to Sasuke."
"..."
Naruto accepted it in silence, mourning for Sasukein his heart for three seconds.
After sending Sakura back to Konoha, he looked at Fu and said, "Hello, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I'm from Konoha and came back with Leader Shibuki."
"Village Head Shibuki?"
Fu, who was still confused about the situation, immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Shibuki's name. She scrambled up, extended her hand, and said loudly and enthusiastically, "I'm Fu! I hope we can become friends!"
"I think we will."
Naruto shook hands with her.
During the contact, he felt a massive surge of Chakra flow into his body.
It was from the Seven-Tails, Chōmei.
Inside the Sealing Space.
Kurama was gloating, its nine tails waving in the air with excitement.
It claimed credit, saying, "How about that? My reputation is still worth something, isn't it?"
Stop wagging your tails.
Naruto said in an exaggerated tone, "As expected of you, Kurama! You easily did something no other Tailed Beast could do!"
Kurama took a comfortable sip of fire-attribute bubble tea.
It was rare to have Naruto admit defeat like this.
Outside the Sealing Space.
Opposite him, Fu tilted her head in confusion. It was the first time she had seen such a reaction from Chōmei.
But she didn't think too much about it and said happily, "Look, Chōmei is very willing too! You must be a very special friend."
This personality is a bit like the Naruto from the original work.
Perhaps Takigakure's attitude toward Jinchuriki is relatively friendly?
Otherwise, it would be hard for a normal Jinchurikito maintain such a personality.
Naruto smiled and said, "I'll take you to see Leader Shibuki."
Shibuki was the son of the previous village head; strictly speaking, he hadn't officially succeeded yet.
However, Fu always called him the Village Head.
The two arrived at the village building.
The battle had already ended.
"Village Head! Village Head!"
Seeing Shibuki, Fu was like a cheerful butterfly, running and shouting.
"Fu!"
Shibuki's worry instantly dissipated.
As long as the Jinchuriki was safe, Takigakurewouldn't suffer any major loss.
Naruto walked past the two of them.
Jiraiya was behind Shibuki, interrogating a certain Rain Ninja.
Suien and the others had all been suppressed.
In fact, nearly a third of them were prisoners.
"What's wrong?"
Naruto asked, seeing that Jiraiya's expression wasn't very good.
"It seems a major change has occurred in Amegakure."
Jiraiya let go of the Rain Ninja and stood up with a frown. "Hanzou might not be missing, but dead."
So it was this.
Naruto wasn't surprised.
Amegakure was currently under the control of the Akatsuki Organization.
Does that mean the Rain Ninja on the ground were actually sent by Nagato?
Naruto pondered slightly.
Akatsuki's goal was the Tailed Beasts.
If helping Suien seize Takigakure meant gaining control of the Seven-Tails ahead of time...
If he were in their position, he would do the same.
He just didn't expect to run into Jiraiya.
At this point in time, Akatsuki hadn't accumulated enough strength and wouldn't easily provoke Konoha.
It would likely end here.
But Jiraiya probably wanted to investigate Amegakure.
After all, the Demi-god Hanzou held special significance for him.
Hanzou was also one of the influential figures in the Ninja World.
It was necessary to investigate clearly.
Naruto looked at him and said, "Send the intel to Big Sister Tsunade and let her decide."
"You should deliver these Rain Ninjas to the Anbufor interrogation later; we should get more information."
Jiraiya nodded, took out a scroll, and began writing a mission report.
Naruto glanced over the Rain Ninjas on the ground.
They likely wouldn't know anything about the Akatsuki Organization, at most knowing about Nagato and Konan.
If he remembered correctly, Jiraiya knew about the organization Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan had previously founded.
In the beginning, Akatsuki didn't follow an elite path but was more like the White Lotus Sect—a group of idealistic people fighting against Amegakure.
Until they were too naive and were deceived by Hanzou into a trap, leading to Yahiko's death and Obito taking advantage of the situation.
The current Akatsuki was truly born then.
After Shibuki finished exchanging pleasantries with Fu, he came over to the two of them.
"How about letting us from Konoha handle these Rain Ninjas?"
Jiraiya noticed them and looked up to ask.
"Naturally, that's fine,"
Shibuki said without hesitation.
After the previous battle, he had already seen the strength of Konoha.
With his personality, it was impossible for him to compete for anything, so he needed a powerful ally now.
Konoha happened to be very suitable.
Besides, they didn't want to provoke Amegakure either.
Such a troublesome opponent was better left to Konoha.
Jiraiya quickly finished the mission report and handed the scroll to Naruto.
"I'll take them and leave first."
Naruto glanced at Shibuki and, considering Tsunade's words, didn't use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He took the five Rain Ninjas and, after getting a kilometer away from Takigakure, sent them to Konoha.
"I had Konoha's Anbu take them away."
Naruto returned to Takigakure and made up an excuse.
Shibuki didn't doubt him.
Konoha indeed had such capabilities.
Besides, they were their saviors; even if he were suspicious, he wouldn't ask.
Shibuki directed the Ninjas to repair the building and invited Jiraiya and Naruto to stay for a feast.
The two naturally went along with it.
After all, their mission was to investigate Kakuzu.
Because they had accidentally helped Shibuki, this mission became simple.
Naruto let Jiraiya play to his strengths—not for 'research,' of course, but to gather intel over drinks.
As for himself, he left a Shadow Clone and departed directly.
At a certain peak outside the Hidden Cloud Village.
"You're too slow!"
Sasuke, who was ready to go, said dissatisfiedly.
He had waited all morning, only for Naruto to arrive late at noon.
Why is he just like Kakashi?
This organization is hopeless.
If a member is in danger one day and spends half the day shouting'Save me! Save me!', no one will show up.
"I got held up by something."
Naruto explained casually as he looked at Sasuke's outfit.
He was already wearing black and white striped clothes, and his face had been altered to look like a young man in his thirties.
But none of that was the point.
The point was that he was actually wearing a green snake as a scarf.
And it was alive.
"What's going on with this?"
Naruto pointed to his neck.
"It's Aoda."
"I know it's Aoda, but why are you carrying it?"
"Didn't you say the Fourth Raikage is very strong? Carrying it will naturally help me enter Sage Mode."
Sasuke gave him a strange look.
Isn't this normal?
He remembered the White Snake Sage telling him that many people used this method to enter Sage Mode.
"Alright then."
Naruto thought about it; it seemed no one else dressed like this, and it was quite cool.
But it might be a bit unfriendly to some people.
He turned around and brought Karin over.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Karin greeted him enthusiastically, intending to get close, but she hesitated when she saw the green snake on his neck.
"It won't bite, will it?"
When did Sasuke-kun develop such a strange hobby?
"I will not," Aoda spoke.
"It can actually talk?" Karin was stunned for a moment before realizing it was a Summoned Beast.
"Everyone is here, let's go."
Sasuke nodded faintly, responding to her greeting.
"Before the mission, how about I give Sasuke-kun a full body check-up?"
Karin adjusted her glasses and asked solemnly, "If something goes wrong during the battle, it will be very troublesome."
"No—"
"I think that makes a lot of sense."
Naruto interrupted Sasuke and said seriously, "You're the main force for this mission; nothing can go wrong. It's necessary to check."
If Sasuke had Kurama's ability to sense malice, he would know that both people in front of him had ill intentions.
But he didn't.
He looked at Naruto, then at Karin.
Both were very serious.
Although he felt it wasn't necessary.
"Fine."
Karin immediately couldn't keep a straight face. She cheered, reached out her hands, and said, "Sasuke-kun, it'll be quick and won't hurt. Let me examine your body."
A few minutes later, she finished the examination with satisfaction.
If nothing else, she had checked very thoroughly.
"Karin, put on the clothes I gave you."
Naruto reminded her.
Karin put the clothes on over her own and looked at Naruto with approval in her eyes.
This organization is good; it's worth sticking with.
She asked happily, "What is our first mission?"
"Attacking the Hidden Cloud Village."
"Oh... huh?"
Karin's smile froze. "Att... Attacking the Hidden Cloud Village?!"
Is this the 'ordinary mission' you told me about?
What part of this is ordinary?
"Actually, it's not exactly attacking the Hidden Cloud Village, just sparring with the Fourth Raikage."
Naruto thought about it and put it in more precise terms.
"..."
Karin had just breathed a sigh of relief at the first half, only to gasp at the second half.
Is there any difference?
If you've beaten the Raikage, doesn't that count as attacking the Hidden Cloud Village?
She looked at Sasuke. Were they going to be a pair of fugitives?
"Don't worry."
Naruto said with a smile, "Even if we can't win, we can run."
"He won't be my match."
Sasuke said calmly.
A wave of powerful confidence washed over them.
Karin's eyes instantly sparkled, and she almost couldn't keep her legs together from smiling.
So handsome!
"Let's go."
Naruto was too lazy to burst his bubble.
Up until now, Sasuke had almost never fought a proper powerhouse.
Uchiha Itachi had been a pure stomp on the Clan Massacre Night.
After that, it was just Naruto and Kakashi.
Everyone was just sparring, and it was relatively friendly.
But fighting the Fourth Raikage would be a battle of life and death.
One mistake, and serious injury or death was possible.
The Hidden Cloud Village was located on high mountains, surrounded by clouds and mist, with occasional thunder.
With a few leaps, Sasuke arrived at the main gate.
The two Cloud Ninjas guarding the gate immediately discovered his presence.
"Who goes there?"
An unfamiliar face and strange clothes.
He looked like he had a significant background.
"This is the Hidden Cloud Village. Please show your identification."
One of the Cloud Ninjas said.
Naruto and Karin arrived shortly after.
The same attire made the two Cloud Ninjas even more certain of their previous guess.
However, the Hidden Cloud Village valued martial prowess, so they weren't afraid.
"Please show your identification!"
Naruto was about to speak.
Sasuke drew the sword of the thunder god, his speed so fast he was nothing but an afterimage.
The two men instantly collapsed.
But they weren't dead, only their legs were injured.
Their screams immediately attracted more Cloud Ninjas.
Naruto sighed.
He really is impatient.
Sasuke, a man shouldn't be too fast.
He frowned slightly. While Sasuke could certainly defeat these Ninjas, it would definitely consume a lot of energy, and he wouldn't have any strength left to face the Raikage.
Thinking of this, Naruto activated Kagura Minds Eye and quickly located the positions of the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee.
There was no helping it; those two had too much Chakra.
He just didn't see Nii Yugito, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
Perhaps she was out on a mission.
Naruto took out Enma and entered Sage Mode, then thrust the sword directly toward the RaikageBuilding.
Flames appeared from nothing and, in just two seconds, instantly transformed into a scorching five-clawed dragon. Its body, over twenty meters long, made it clearly visible to the entire Hidden Cloud Village. An unimaginable roar swept out in all directions.
Sasuke couldn't help but frown.
Very strong.
And the Cloud Ninjas who were fighting him all looked up now, their faces showing shock.
This likely exceeded the range of an S-rank Ninjutsu.