Chapter 79: If the Hyuga Can Be Abandoned, Then What About Me?

Orochimaru walked at the very front of the formation, relying on his own experience and his summoned beasts to prevent the Konoha army from being hit by landslides.

Yamanaka Chujiu walked at the very rear, directing ninja to climb the mountain peaks they passed and plant enough Explosive Tags in the cracks of the splitting rocks.

Once the Cloud Ninja pursuers caught up, an endless rain of rocks would be waiting for them.

The Cloud Ninja pursuers were indeed severely slowed down, and instead fell further and further behind the Konoha army.

The Fourth Raikage was hopping mad with rage, but he ultimately did not dare to chase the Konoha army with only a handful of top-tier ninja.

He did not fear Orochimaru, but he could not ignore Yamanaka Chujiu's command ability.

Precisely because he was the Fourth Raikage, he understood best the truth behind the Third Raikage's "one against ten thousand."

The Third Raikage carefully chose specific terrain and exploited the Iwa ninja's impatient mindset, amplifying every advantage to the extreme, creating a miraculous battle result.

What was powerful was the Third Raikage himself, not the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

If the Third Raikage had faced Yamanaka Chujiu, forget holding out for three days and three nights — in half a day at most, his chakra would have been exhausted by the layered, continuous Ninjutsu. Want to read more novels? Visit 𝐭𝐭𝐤𝐬. 𝐭𝐰 daily for the latest chapters.

Then he would have been killed like any ordinary ninja, by just about anything.

Killer Bee also knew this reasoning, but he was worried about Kumogakure's safety, so panicked and at a loss: "The Konoha Ninja are too underhanded! We—we can't catch up—what do we do about Kumogakure?"

The Fourth Raikage closed his eyes in agony: "We can only rely on Nii Yugito, on the ninja staying behind in the village, and on the children at the Ninja Academy."

"As long as they can hold out against the Konoha army for three days, we can catch up, pincer the Konoha army from front and back, and wipe them out instead."

But the Cloud high command all knew this was impossible.

But the Konoha army was drawing closer to Kumogakure step by step, and they had no way left to stop it — they could only comfort themselves with this sliver of hope, to keep from being driven mad by despair ahead of time.

Since the Cloud Ninja were nearly going insane, Orochimaru and Yamanaka Chujiu were naturally very pleased.

They were even in the mood to discuss Konohagakure, to discuss the conflict between the Third Hokage and the Hyuga clan.

Yamanaka Chujiu suddenly asked as he walked: "Orochimaru-sensei, do you think Sarutobi Hiruzen knows that we've fought our way into the Land of Lightning and are about to threaten Kumogakure?"

Orochimaru thought for a moment, then answered: "We've been on the march for three days now. Sarutobi-sensei must know we've left, but he definitely couldn't have imagined what we're planning to do, and it's even less possible he knows we've already fought our way into the Land of Lightning."

"Wait a minute — you brat, are you scheming something nasty again?"

Yamanaka Chujiu laughed: "Orochimaru-sensei, you understand me better and better."

"I'm thinking — if you sent word back to Konohagakure about where you'd gotten to, what victories you'd won over the past three days, and what astonishing thing you were about to do next, just how big a storm would that stir up?"

Orochimaru: "……"

"You brat really are ruthless. Your persecution of my Sarutobi-sensei never lets up for a single moment."

A sharp glint flashed in Yamanaka Chujiu's eyes: "Can't be helped. The Third Hokage is my enemy."

"Even though the top-priority enemy to deal with right now is Kumogakure, and we have to ease the conflicts within the village, we still can't let Sarutobi Hiruzen cause trouble behind our backs."

"He has a track record, after all. In the Second Shinobi World War, our Konohagakure had clearly won the war, yet Sarutobi Hiruzen demanded no benefits at all, just to bring peace a few days earlier."

"Last war I hadn't grown up yet, hadn't contributed to the village, so I have no right to say anything."

"But this war I've actually taken the field and given my blood and sweat. I won't allow Sarutobi Hiruzen to casually trample the fruits of my efforts!"

Orochimaru shook his head helplessly: "Fine. Since my good student is asking, I'll reluctantly lend you a hand."

Yamanaka Chujiu: "Orochimaru-sensei, if you could say that without smiling, I might believe you a little more."

Master and disciple looked at each other, then burst into laughter at the same time.

Hearing their laughter, the Konoha Ninja's confidence grew even stronger.

……

Konohagakure, just as day broke.

The air still held the moisture of morning mist, and the Hyuga clan's counterattack had already begun.

Byakugan-wielding ninja appeared all over the village — from the Hokage Building plaza to the Ninja Academy, from the bustling commercial streets to the Jonin bachelors' dormitory, and to the residential clusters of every ninja clan.

The Hyuga plastered large-character posters written in thick black ink on walls, on utility poles, and on any surface that could take them.

The Hyuga clan ninja divided their tasks clearly and worked with crisp efficiency, quickly finishing their assignments.

Ensuring that every Konoha villager would see them the moment they stepped out the door.

Not only that — they also wore white clothes bearing the Hyuga Clan crest, stood at intersections crowded with people, and handed one out to every passerby,

while pleading without a trace of arrogance: "Please, fellow citizens of Konoha, take a look — look at the truth of how the Cloud Ninja died, look at the Hyuga clan's grievances, look at what the Konoha leadership is thinking!"

Whether the large-character posters or the handouts being distributed, they all told one story: Cloud Ninja had infiltrated the Hyuga clan to steal the Byakugan Bloodline Limit, and were killed after their tracks were discovered. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had the Hyuga clan sacrifice one of their own to curry favor with the defeated Kumogakure in exchange for peace.

Not a trace of emotion ran through the words — only a calm statement — yet it struck at the most sensitive spot in the hearts of the Konoha Ninja and villagers.

That was the pride of being a member of Konoha.

So we're telling ourselves that Konoha Ninja paid with their lives, fought hard on the front lines to win the war, and the Third Hokage went wagging his tail and begging for mercy from the defeated Kumogakure?

Is that something a Hokage would do?

The Hyuga ninja solemnly declared: "The Hyuga clan is willing to sacrifice for the defense of Konoha, but we will never bow to the enemy. We would rather die on the battlefield than be slaughtered in our own village!"

Soon, the Hyuga's actions stirred up an enormous uproar in Konohagakure.

The early-rising villagers gathered to talk it over, their mood shifting rapidly from confusion and surprise to anger.

"What? It was the Cloud who struck first?"

"How could the Third Hokage force the Hyuga to die, to curry favor with the defeated Cloud?"

"I may not like the Hyuga's arrogance, but they are our people!"

"But these past few days I've kept hearing people say the Hyuga deliberately killed the Cloud ninja — I don't know what they're after…"

"You really are a fool. What would the Hyuga gain from killing the Cloud?"

"Nothing…"

"No benefit, yet they deliberately killed Cloud ninja — the Hyuga aren't fools. That has to be a rumor!"

"Bullied by the Cloud, oppressed by the Third Hokage, and now slandered on top of it — this is too much! The Hyuga are comrades who fought for Konoha!"

The ninja's reaction was even stronger.

Many Genin and Chunin saw the bulletin, and their expressions all grew grave.

Quite a few of them had fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Hyuga ninja before, and knew well the loyalty and bravery of the Hyuga clan, so they naturally believed the Hyuga account.

Learning that the higher-ups could actually disregard the Hyuga sacrifice, the thought of doubt could not be suppressed no matter what.

【If they can even sell out the Hyuga clan, then what about me?】