Just then, an Anbu ninja suddenly appeared, kneeling on one knee beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, holding a scroll in his hands, and respectfully said:
“Lord Hokage! Urgent report from Kusagakure!”
“Kusagakure…”
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe, took the scroll with a grave expression, and nodded slightly towards the Anbu.
The Anbu ninja understood and quickly disappeared.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly unrolled the scroll. Before he could read it, he noticed the gazes of everyone in the meeting room focused on him, their expressions solemn.
He didn't want any bad news at this time.
After glancing at it roughly and confirming that it wasn't a top-secret report, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and began to read the contents.
“Urgent report from Kusagakure: Recently, our forces and the Cloud ninjas have clashed multiple times at the Sakamoto checkpoint in Kusagakure, resulting in heavy casualties. However! The surprise attack team led by Minato Namikaze ultimately inflicted heavy damage on the Cloud ninja forces, achieving a phased victory…”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone sitting in the meeting room immediately relaxed.
At least it was good news, a rare piece of good news.
With the battle lines stretched thin in various parts of Konoha, a piece of good news returning was undoubtedly a major boost to the morale of the entire village.
“Minato Namikaze did well.”
Someone exclaimed.
This name had appeared multiple times in such meetings, and it was clear that Hiruzen Sarutobi was paying more and more attention to Minato Namikaze.
“If Konoha could produce a few more geniuses like Minato Namikaze, that would be great…”
Who could disagree?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression also relaxed slightly. He nodded and continued to read, recording some details and the losses on both sides.
“...In several battles at the Sakamoto checkpoint, our forces suffered forty-eight deaths, seven serious injuries, and over thirty minor injuries…”
Such losses were already significant for Konoha.
The slightly relaxed expressions of the crowd tightened again.
“What about the Cloud ninjas? Hiruzen,” Homura Mitokado asked, pressing for information.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't look at him, but kept his head down, continuing to read while saying, “The enemy, all the Cloud ninjas stationed at the Sakamoto checkpoint were killed, totaling over thirty people, but two support teams were dispatched one after another, totaling about two hundred people, including no less than forty Jonin, with elite ninjas accounting for the majority. The leaders are the Third Raikage's son, Ay, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B…”
A force of two hundred people!
Including the Third Raikage's son, the future Fourth Raikage, and even the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B!
Such a force could completely destroy a small hidden village, but the urgent report began by saying that their side had achieved victory.
How was this done?
— — — — — — — —
It will be on the shelves on August 1st, and there will be an expected burst of updates. I hope everyone can support the first order, thank you.
Chapter 121 The Shock of Konoha
The atmosphere in the meeting room was unusually heavy, and even the slowly rising smoke seemed to be affected.
Everyone knew how much damage a Cloud ninja force of this scale could inflict.
Especially the heads of some clans.
Some clans with small populations had only a few dozen ninjas, and only two or three could be considered elite.
Among the major clans, perhaps only the Uchiha clan and the Hyuga clan had the ability to contend with such a force, but in most cases, the outcome would probably not be optimistic.
This clash could be said to be the largest battle since the start of the Third Shinobi World War, aside from the Suna-Rogue ninja coalition's surprise attack on Konoha's base in Amegakure.
How was victory achieved?
This was the question in everyone's mind.
Because they simply couldn't see any hope of victory, even with Minato Namikaze leading the team.
It should be known that Kusagakure is very large, and checkpoints are everywhere. The clashes between Konoha and the Cloud ninjas would definitely not be limited to one location. The number of people Jiraiya could send out was definitely very limited.
It was uncertain if he could even have a hundred people.
The huge disadvantage in numbers and the huge disadvantage in strength made this a battle that was impossible to win.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was equally puzzled. He was calm, frowned, and continued to read.
He believed that Jiraiya would not make groundless accusations. Since he reported it this way, something unexpected must have happened.
“The Cloud ninjas' first support unit of a hundred people was successfully blocked and mostly killed by Minato Namikaze, Fugaku Uchiha, Hizashi Hyuga, Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, and others. Minato Namikaze even single-handedly fought against the Third Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, the A-B combination, while the rest suffered serious injuries…”
“Minato Namikaze!”
Praises rang out in the meeting room, one after another.
Fighting two people alone and even holding them back, this strength was worthy of any praise Konoha gave him.
“Our Konoha has produced an amazing ninja. The name 'Yellow Flash' is well-deserved.”
“Yes…”
The fact that Konoha had produced a ninja with such strength, who was fully capable of standing alone, made the currently precarious people of Konoha excited and joyful.
“Wait, it says here the first support unit of a hundred people, what about the second one?”
Koharu Utatane raised the key question.
Yes.
This was only one hundred people. Even if there was the Third Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, whose combined strength should not be underestimated, there were still another hundred people.
Her question also voiced the doubts of everyone present.
Including Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He immediately lowered his head and continued to read on.
“Subsequently, the Cloud ninjas' second support unit of a hundred people arrived, and the situation for our side took a turn for the worse. But at this time, Hiruma Sarutobi coincidentally awakened the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai and single-handedly stopped the Cloud ninjas' second support unit, even killing over sixty Cloud ninjas, causing the Cloud ninjas to be frightened and forced to flee…”
Said here.
