Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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"Don't forget your enemies. In addition to Konoha, there is also Kumogakure!"

After hearing Danzo's words, Onoki fell into deep thought. What Danzo said was true. Even if there was a hint of conspiracy in it, the facts were undeniable. Compared to Konoha, which often sought peace, Kumogakure was full of aggressive warriors.

They advocated the supremacy of force. If Iwagakure showed any signs of weakness due to this war, Kumogakure might seize the opportunity to attack next.

This was not something Onoki wanted to see, so he followed Danzo's words and asked, "You want us to deal with the Kumo ninja who are returning to their village...?"

"You must show sincerity in this matter. You know it's not easy to deal with him, and it could harm the interests of the village."

The conversation had reached a point where cooperation was almost certain. It was just a matter of who Konoha would send to deal with Raikage.

Danzo frowned slightly. With the location close to the Land of Wind, only two people were most suitable: Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato.

"I will send some of Konoha's men to attack together and surround the Raikage!"

If the plan succeeded, it would deal an unimaginable blow to Kumogakure. The village, already eager for revenge, would suffer yet another trauma, effectively stabilizing the front line of the Land of Lightning.

As Konoha and Iwagakure reached a consensus, the news needed to be sent to the front line quickly to prevent the war from continuing and causing more damage to both sides.

Meanwhile, Muzan was battling Kitsuchi. With his rapid healing abilities, Muzan seemed invincible. On the other hand, Kitsuchi was slowly weakening. In such a high-intensity battle, he had to be cautious with his attacks. A single misstep, and Muzan's chakra scalpel would leave a deep scar on him.

Kitsuchi was feeling physically and mentally exhausted. He didn't dare to use his ninjutsu recklessly because he couldn't be sure how long Muzan's healing ability would last.

In this battlefield, Kitsuchi had to deal with Muzan with extreme caution.

"Boom!"

Another attack sent Muzan flying backward. Kitsuchi wiped the sweat from his brow, noticing that Muzan stood up once again, showing no signs of weariness. Muzan's experience in battle was growing, and he was becoming more adept at countering Kitsuchi' attacks. It wouldn't be long before Muzan could overpower Kitsuchi with his physical advantage.

When that happened, despair would set in for the Iwa ninjas.

Kitsuchi was breathing heavily, his palms sweaty. Seeing Muzan stand up again, a sense of despair began to creep in. If this continued, Kitsuchi was certain he would lose.

Muzan, too, did not rush forward immediately after standing up. Though his body could heal quickly, the intensity of the battle was taking a toll on him. But, having adapted to Kitsuchi' fighting style, Muzan felt confident he could eventually defeat him.

"Strange Fist!"

Muzan combined the body-flicker technique with the power of a strange fist, becoming like a ferocious beast. Even in his current state, Kitsuchi didn't dare to take on the attack head-on.

"Boom!"

As the two clashed in close combat, a voice suddenly rang out from the distance.

"Stop!"

Danzo arrived, accompanied by an Iwagakure Jonin, and he was surprised to see the intense battle between the two. Danzo, in particular, looked at Muzan with great interest, as if he had discovered a hidden treasure. He hadn't expected Muzan to have grown so quickly and to be able to hold his own against Kitsuchi.

"Danzo?"

Kitsuchi was shocked to see Danzo intervening. What was he up to now?

Kitsuchi was wary, knowing that Danzo rarely acted without a significant interest. After the Third Ninja War, the Hokage's leadership had been criticized, and many believed it was time for the Third Hokage to step down due to his age.

Was it possible that Danzo was making a move for the Hokage position now?

Muzan thought it was unlikely. Danzo had not made any notable contributions in the Third Ninja War. In fact, many villagers in Konoha hardly knew who Danzo was.

"Why are you with people from Konoha?" Kitsuchi asked, suspicion heavy in his voice as he eyed the Iwa-nin warily.

"The war between Iwagakure and Konoha is over, Lord Kitsuchi."

With that, the Jonin handed Kitsuchi an envelope from Onoki, confirming the end of the mission. Kitsuchi recognized Onoki's handwriting and couldn't believe it. The war was truly over.

"It's really over..."

Kitsuchi found it hard to believe, but it seemed that his father and Konoha had reached some sort of agreement.

"Everyone, stop fighting!"

Kitsuchi' order echoed across the battlefield. The Iwa ninjas hesitated but ultimately ceased their attacks, though they still held onto their weapons, unsure if Konoha would retaliate.

With Kitsuchi and Danzo's arrangements, Konoha and Iwagakure had achieved a temporary balance, and there would be no more disturbances in the short term.

As the head of the Root and a close associate of the Hokage, Danzo took charge of the follow-up arrangements on the battlefield. Muzan didn't care much about these details.

There was only one thing he cared about.

"What happened?" Muzan asked.

Danzo looked at Muzan, who was hidden under his black robe, and explained with uncharacteristic patience.

"We've reached a settlement with Iwagakure, but we need to unite with them once more to kill the Raikage who's on his way here."

He summarized the situation in a few sentences. The matter was crucial to Konoha's stability, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better. But Danzo was satisfied with Muzan's abilities and potential.

He was determined to bring this kind of genius under his control. Once Orochimaru became Hokage, Muzan, as his disciple, would be the ideal candidate to continue Danzo's legacy. Muzan was the strongest among his peers and had already made significant contributions during the Third Ninja War.

Danzo could safely pull the strings from behind the scenes and control the entire village of Konoha.

"Kill the Raikage? That's not an easy plan."

Known as the strongest spear and shield, the Third Raikage had unparalleled strength. Ordinary ninjas couldn't even penetrate his defenses. Even Namikaze Minato, when facing the Third Raikage, had to rely on his speed to keep up, and his Rasengan could only cause minor injuries.

"Yes, but to prevent further damage to Konoha, this is our best option. The only advantage is that Raikage will pass through the Land of Earth, giving us a chance to intercept him. As for the candidates..."

Danzo didn't finish his sentence, but his glance at Muzan made his intentions clear.

"I understand. If we want to mobilize forces quickly, we'll have to use ninjas from the Land of Wind and those closest to the Land of Earth."

In other words, Muzan was likely to be sent to support the front line.

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