Chapter 64: Raikage: The Opportunity Lies with the Third Hokage

The Fourth Raikage was exhausted, shocked, and furious. With bloodshot eyes, he looked at Tutai and asked in disbelief:

"You mean to say that our supply center has been attacked?"

"Yes."

"Over a hundred ninja dead, the most heavily guarded main warehouse blown up, and only three Konoha ninja killed?"

"Um, yes."

"Judging by the trajectory of the attack, the enemy even infiltrated right under our noses?"

"Yes, the first point of combat was right in our camp from last night."

"Huff, huff... I, I damn well..."

The Fourth Raikage no longer knew what to say; he could only breathe in heavy, ragged gasps.

Killer Bee pouted and said: "If the enemy is this strong, why are we still fighting?"

"We might as well just go back to the Land of Lightning."

Tutai nodded: "That is my recommendation as well. We cannot keep fighting; let's withdraw the army and go home."

Slap!!

The Fourth Raikage slammed the table in anger, smashing the makeshift log table to pieces: "How can we retreat?"

"This is the first time we have pushed one thousand kilometers into the Land of Fire—one thousand kilometers! We are only this far from Konohagakure now!"

"Just hold on a little longer, and we will be able to see that Hokage Rock of Konohagakure with our own eyes alongside the Cloud Hidden Army!"

Tutai shook his head: "Lord Fourth Raikage, please calm down."

The Fourth Raikage Ai roared: "I cannot calm down!"

The Cloud ninja bowed their heads one after another; they felt equally unwilling to give up.

They really were not far from Konohagakure!

But Killer Bee could see that his older brother's attitude had actually changed; the current roaring and anger were merely a performance.

Killer Bee waved his hand at all the ninja, telling them to leave, leaving only himself and the Fourth Raikage inside the tent.

When Tutai was the last to exit the tent, the Fourth Raikage's anger vanished instantly, leaving only a trace of reluctant disappointment and deep calculation.

Seeing his brother's change, Killer Bee finally gave up hope.

He said disappointedly: "Big brother, so we really can't keep fighting."

Ai nodded: "We really can't keep fighting."

Killer Bee muttered unconvinced: "Just because that bit of supplies was destroyed?"

The Fourth Raikage shook his head: "It is not because of insufficient supplies. If there isn't enough food, we can plunder it; if there aren't enough weapons, we can seize them or force a purchase from the Iron Country. The problem is morale!"

"In the series of battles before reaching Sakurahara, our ninja sacrificed so many lives, yet we didn't kill many Konoha ninja, only pushing the front line forward."

"Morale was already a major problem back then; it was only being held up by the invincible image of you and me fighting together."

"Today we destroyed the Sakurahara fortress and killed many Konoha ninja, but you and I together failed to defeat Orochimaru, which is equivalent to pulling out the final support in the hearts of the Cloud ninja."

"As soon as the news that the supply center was destroyed spreads, morale will collapse completely."

"If the details of how the Konoha ninja attacked the supply center are made public, especially the point about them infiltrating through the middle of our defensive lines, it will make our ninja feel that the Konoha ninja are omnipotent."

"Their morale will absolutely collapse entirely and can never be stirred up again."

Killer Bee nodded heavily: "Big brother is right. Now, whenever I think about how they were able to infiltrate right past us, I find it inconceivable, and it even makes my heart go cold."

The Fourth Raikage pondered for a moment and said decisively: "Orochimaru's command has a problem!"

"In today's battle, Orochimaru's performance was too familiar; it was exactly the way I remember him, completely different from the feeling of being untouchable and unreachable before."

"On the contrary, the attack on the supply center had a strong feeling of the Battlefield Ghost."

"Orochimaru is providing cover for that ghost!"

The Fourth Raikage slammed his fist heavily into the ground: "Mobilize our spies. I want to know who this ghost is and exactly how he is commanding."

"Then, I want him dead!"

Killer Bee nodded with rare seriousness: "Big brother is right. This Battlefield Ghost must die for us to have peace of mind."

"What do we do next? A staggered retreat?"

The Fourth Raikage said: "No, we absolutely cannot retreat!"

"That guy Orochimaru is best at entanglement. If we retreat, he will definitely latch onto us, and with the command of that Battlefield Ghost, the omnipresent ambushes..."

Ai and Killer Bee thought of this scene and both shivered: "... we would be finished."

The two of them gritted their teeth and growled simultaneously: "The Battlefield Ghost must die!"

Raikage Ai took a deep breath and continued: "Therefore, we cannot retreat immediately. We must send people to Konohagakure to deliver a peace agreement to the Third Hokage in my name as Raikage."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen's nickname has already changed from 'Ninja Hero' to 'Professor of Ninjutsu,' which is enough to show that his spirit has collapsed and he only wants to maintain peace, even if it means giving up a victory that is within his grasp."

Killer Bee did not have Ai's certainty, but he trusted his brother's judgment and supported the Raikage's decision without hesitation: "I will send people to Konohagakure right now."

The Fourth Raikage nodded with satisfaction: "Good. After you go out, say that I am still very angry."

Killer Bee waved his hand: "Got it, big brother."

Ten-odd minutes later, a team of fifteen Cloud ninja, carrying white flags, set out from Sakurahara with great fanfare, heading toward Konohagakure.

They were naturally intercepted by Konoha ninja and brought before Orochimaru.

Jonin Kakashi Hatake heard that the Cloud wanted peace negotiations and immediately scolded them in a rage: "You killed so many of our comrades during the day, and now at night your Kumogakure wants peace? On what grounds?"

His words stirred up fresh hatred among the Konoha ninja, all of whom stared at the Cloud ninja with murderous intent; if Orochimaru gave a single look, they would rush up to tear these fifteen enemies to pieces.

Under Orochimaru's cold gaze, the Cloud ninja were trembling so hard their bodies shook.

But in the end, Orochimaru shook his head: "They cannot be killed."

"My teacher, the Third Hokage, will not allow us to kill these Cloud ninja."

"Regardless of whether the Fourth Raikage is harboring evil intentions, and regardless of what conspiracies Kumogakure has, as long as they are carrying white flags and claiming to be bringing peace to Konohagakure..."

"Teacher Sarutobi would absolutely never allow them to be harmed!"

"Do you... wish to defy the will of Lord Third Hokage?"

Orochimaru's words left all the Konoha Ninja speechless, and they let the Cloud Ninja go, feeling incredibly dejected.

They even had to dispatch a squadron of Konoha Ninja to escort this group of Cloud Ninja to Konohagakure.

The feeling of humiliation was like a great mountain, pressing down heavily on the heart of every Konoha Ninja, making them feel stifled and chest-pained, as if they could not catch their breath.

Without knowing when it began, a thought emerged in the hearts of the Konoha Ninja:

Is the Third Hokage necessarily always right?