Chapter 131: The Corpse Dumped at Iwagakure’s Gate!
“According to the intelligence we intercepted from Iwagakure, they’ll be sending an information squad along this route tonight toward the Land of Lightning.
“The strength of the squad is unknown, but based on previous intel-unit classifications, analysis suggests the team will include jōnin. Their objective is to confirm whether the Raikage and Killer B in Kumogakure have recovered their combat ability.”
...
Land of Earth.
In the shinobi world, the names of nations usually matched their geography. The Land of Earth, a country where mountains and plains intertwined, possessed soil rich enough to provide abundant food resources.
Within it, Iwagakure served as the country’s military power, wrapped in a ring of jagged rocky peaks that created formidable defenses. Yet from the mountaintop overlooking the village, Hakken found that very defense oddly isolating.
Communication between the village and the outside world was difficult, and there were only a few routes leading out.
Listening to Kakashi’s analysis beside him, Hakken stroked his chin. It seemed Ōnoki had never imagined that defenses so impenetrable would one day become Iwagakure’s cage.
Just as Jiraiya had said, the political structure of both the Land of Earth and Iwagakure was absurdly stable. Hakken had never considered seizing control or manipulating the upper hierarchy. Ōnoki’s Dust Release wasn’t something easily handled, and with his Will of Stone, he would never agree to becoming Konoha’s subordinate.
Which meant that slaughter was inevitable.
“Commander, how should we proceed?”
Kakashi’s tone was serious.
“Night Owl, it’s time to show ourselves to the entire ninja world.”
With his Zanpakutō resting on his shoulder, killing intent surged from Hakken.
“Have the other ANBU squads continue watching the remaining exits. Starting today, anyone leaving Iwagakure—
“Remember, anyone—
“Do not leave survivors.”
The blood-chilling order made Kakashi’s heart hammer violently.
No survivors.
With only two hundred ANBU ninja, was Owl planning to encircle Iwagakure?
“Relax. This is all part of the training we went through in Konoha.”
“If they deploy a large force or if the Tsuchikage takes the field himself, I’ll notify the sensory unit immediately so they can relay it to Jiraiya.”
Patting Kakashi on the shoulder, Hakken stepped forward and leaped off the mountain. Kakashi followed right behind him.
Below, the Night Owl squad was already assembled.
Tsunade, wearing her gambler’s cloak, stood in the far corner, staring straight at Hakken. She clearly wasn’t part of the Night Owl squad, nor had Hakken invited her.
After traveling day and night to reach the Land of Earth, Tsunade had developed a strange impulse.
She wanted to see exactly how strong this kid was.
He had taken a full punch from her and subdued the Nine-Tails with a single glance. There were simply too many secrets surrounding him. Especially the way he knew about matters concerning the Senju clan—things ordinary people couldn’t possibly deduce.
The more mysterious someone was, the more attention they attracted.
As for examining Itachi Uchiha’s condition, she had neither accepted nor refused. The history between the Senju and Uchiha clans was well-known. She would observe for a while before deciding whether to treat him.
Hakken raised his Zanpakutō.
He took a deep breath. Kurama, perched on his shoulder, snapped to full alert, baring its teeth in a fierce and imposing stance.
From left to right, the lineup was Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, and Might Guy, who had only recently joined Night Owl.
Including Hakken himself, the six-man elite squad radiated sharp, lethal intent.
Sometimes Hakken even wondered whether Night Owl, with him included, already possessed the strength to face the Akatsuki. If Pain attacked someday, what would happen when the Six Paths of Pain ran into the Night Owl squad?
He couldn’t help looking forward to that.
Under the night sky, a flash of steel cut through the darkness as Hakken let out a low growl.
“Night Owl!”
In an instant, everyone drew their weapons and entered full combat readiness. Only Tsunade scratched her head in confusion, then rolled up her sleeves, clearly ready to jump in.
Swish.
As Hakken’s figure shot forward, darkness fully swallowed the land.
...
The nights in the Land of Earth were never truly quiet. Unlike the violent wind tunnels of the neighboring Land of Wind, only drifting sand occasionally swept across the roads here. And unlike the dense forests of the Land of Fire, peculiar stone formations scattered across the terrain created the most striking scenery.
Around midnight, more than a dozen figures slipped out of Iwagakure and headed onto the path leading toward the Land of Lightning. They knew this road like the back of their hand. There were no places particularly suited for ambushes, so their guard had dropped considerably.
“Captain Shizuto, what exactly is the Tsuchikage planning?”
A dark-skinned, pockmarked kunoichi asked while keeping pace.
“What’s with all the questions? You know the Tsuchikage’s temper. Just do your job.”
Shizuto shook his head.
The answer was obvious. Even in an era of peace, a major village needed to monitor the combat strength of any potentially dangerous rivals. After the changes in Konoha, the Tsuchikage no longer seemed to consider them a threat and had shifted his attention back to Kumogakure.
The reason wasn’t difficult to grasp. The negotiations left unfinished last time were due for another round. How much benefit they could gain depended entirely on whether Kumogakure’s top fighters had recovered.
That was the squad’s core mission.
As they continued forward, a sudden chill crawled up Shizuto’s spine.
He instantly snapped his head up.
Dust drifted with the breeze. Amid the shifting yellow sand, several figures stood silently ahead.
“Enemy attack!”
Shizuto reacted immediately, giving the alarm—but time seemed to freeze in that instant. A sharp ringing filled his ears.
Then his head was flying upward.
The final image seared into his fading consciousness was the silhouette of a boy who wasn’t tall, with needle-sharp, inhuman pupils.
Blood sprayed through the air, merging with the swirling sand overhead and staining it a deep red.
Screams followed one after another. At the squad’s rear, Kakashi blocked their only escape route, Lightning Cutter in hand, moving in perfect sync with Shisui.
Waiting for them ahead was a blood-stained Zanpakutō.
The unprepared Iwa squad was wiped out in just a few breaths.
As Hakken had said, there was no reason to leave survivors.
He had come to cut them down.
“Throw their bodies at Iwagakure’s gate.”
Resting his Zanpakutō on his shoulder, Hakken spoke to Kakashi in a calm, steady tone.
“Yes.”
Kakashi nodded and instructed the team to start moving the corpses.
The wind swept across the land.
Fresh dust drifted down and slowly covered the carnage.
A single drop of blood slid down the edge of Hakken’s blade.
“This is only the beginning.”
Leaving those words behind, Night Owl vanished into the darkness once again.