Chapter 129: Brothers Meet
"Hey, what's with that look?"
Seeing Izayoi sizing them up with a strange gaze, Sasuke Uchiha's expression immediately soured.
"You guys were also urgently summoned?" Izayoi asked.
"Emergency assembly? What emergency assembly?!"
Team Seven was slightly taken aback, then Naruto Uzumaki pointed at Tsunade and loudly questioned, "Granny Tsunade, is there another big mission again? You urgently summoned Izayoi and them but not us! Are you looking down on us? It hurts, it hurts..."
Naruto had just finished speaking when he clutched his head with both hands and cried out in pain.
Kakashi Hatake flicked his forehead, scolding, "Idiot, don't talk to Hokage-sama like that."
Tsunade, however, didn't mind and instead felt a sense of familiarity.
The still-growing Naruto Uzumaki was practically a whiskered Nawaki. Both his appearance and personality were so similar.
"Here's your mission scroll. Go and negotiate with the client yourselves."
Tsunade first tossed a scroll to Kakashi Hatake, then said to Naruto with annoyance, "It's obvious that your cultural studies grades in the academy were at the bottom. Each squad has its own specialties. Some are more balanced, some excel in taijutsu, and some specialize in genjutsu or sensing."
"Izayoi's Team Eight is now Konoha's strongest sensing team. The fact that I'm urgently summoning a sensing team means this mission definitely requires their sensory assistance. What are you guys in Team Seven getting involved in? Can you sense?"
"With Izayoi's strength, what kind of sensing ninja is he?" Naruto Uzumaki couldn't help but retort.
"You guys are going on a mission? Then be careful on the way," Izayoi kindly reminded them.
"Why?"
Team Seven looked over in confusion.
"Because, based on your previous mission experiences, I've come to a conclusion," Izayoi said with a teasing smile. "Eight or nine out of ten of your missions encounter unexpected events. This mission might also be an exception-level one."
Team Seven instantly had black lines all over their foreheads, unable to refute.
What was even more frustrating was that they didn't receive higher-level rewards for each exception-level mission, and it didn't count towards their mission records.
"You jinx!"
Tsunade also rolled her eyes at Izayoi, then waved for Team Seven to leave.
Not long after Team Seven left, Hinata and Shino Aburame also arrived at the Hokage's office.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her expression serious. "The reason I've urgently summoned you is to give you a support mission."
"Just yesterday, a mysterious army suddenly attacked the port city of the Land of Wind. This mysterious army possesses very advanced steel warships, and the soldiers are all well-equipped armored figures who can also release power similar to ninjutsu."
"Because their warships are extremely fast and they only attack the cities of the Land of Wind at night and in the early morning, and because there is no chakra in their bodies, the sensing ninjas of Sunagakure cannot find their traces at all and can only ask our allied nation for help."
Taking out a scroll from the drawer, Tsunade tossed it to Izayoi, instructing, "Your mission is to help Sunagakure find the enemy's location. You don't need to worry about the rest."
"Yes!"
Team Eight nodded in response and left the Hokage's office.
Izayoi went to process his departure permit, while Hinata and Shino Aburame returned to pack their things.
Not long after, the three of them gathered at the village gate.
Coincidentally, they encountered Team Seven again.
"Eh! Are you guys going to the Land of Wind too?"
Upon learning Team Eight's mission location, Naruto Uzumaki was slightly surprised, then excitedly invited, "Then why don't we go together? We can keep each other company on the road."
"Although we'd really like to go with you, we're in a hurry right now, so we'll take the lead. Bye-bye~~" Izayoi said with a smile and a wave, then the three of them disappeared in afterimages.
Watching Team Eight fly away, Kakashi Hatake and Sasuke Uchiha looked thoughtful.
At the same time, in Obito Uchiha's Kamui dimension.
Ten figures sat around a round table made of Wood Release in front of a platform formed by Earth Release rock pillars. These were the Samsara Clones of all Akatsuki members.
"Not bad, Tobi. I didn't expect you to have such abilities."
Deidara looked around the dark Kamui dimension and praised Obito Uchiha, who was sitting not far away.
"Hahaha... not at all, Deidara-senpai, you flatter me," Obito Uchiha scratched his head, using Tobi's voice to laugh humbly, looking embarrassed.
However, apart from the two idiots, Deidara and Hidan, everyone else took Obito Uchiha seriously.
"Space-time ninjutsu. I didn't expect our Akatsuki to have such a person," Kakuzu said in a deep voice. "Under that mask, it's not a familiar face from the black market, is it?"
"Such powerful abilities, yet he's just an intern. I'm truly ashamed," Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled.
Itachi Uchiha activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, observing the current Obito Uchiha.
Seeing that the other party was also a Samsara Clone, he withdrew his gaze.
"Why specifically hold a meeting in this way?" Sasori's voice was low. "Did you find Otsutsuki Toneri? Are you preparing to counterattack?"
"Future meetings will all be held in this way," Tendo Pain said expressionlessly. "Otsutsuki Toneri's Tenseigan possesses sensing abilities that surpass the Rinnegan. I suspect the reason he can summon meteorites is because he can sense, or even see, meteorites in outer space. Only in this way can we explain why he knows so much about our information and can recklessly summon meteorite showers for precise bombing."
Hearing this, the Akatsuki members' expressions changed slightly.
"If he can really see them, doesn't that mean his Tenseigan is actually an enhanced Byakugan?" Kakuzu asked with a shocked expression.
You've actually guessed it right!
Black Zetsu thought inwardly.
The Akatsuki members felt a chill run down their spines at the thought of an enemy silently watching them from a place they couldn't see or sense.
Tendo Pain didn't answer but stated the theme of this meeting: "Last night and in the early morning today, my main body sensed a very large and special energy fluctuation in the direction of the Land of Rivers. It was fleeting."
"During that time, the Land of Wind was attacked by a mysterious army. The coastal port city was bombed, and half of the city was reduced to ruins."
"However, that army didn't use ninjutsu or explosive tags but the shells of steel warships and a kind of energy similar to chakra. The soldiers were all well-equipped armored figures."
"Moreover, Zetsu also discovered that their main base is not overseas but a flying mobile fortress."
"Armored figures? Mobile fortress?!" Sasori's interest was instantly piqued. "Has the technology of the ninja world developed to such an extent?"
White Zetsu smiled. "According to the eavesdropping of my clones, although they attacked the Land of Wind under the banner of establishing an ideal nation, they are actually searching for a mineral called the Gureiru Stone."
"Gureiru Stone, what kind of thing is that?" Deidara asked疑惑ly.
"I don't know, but it should be related to the energy they use," White Zetsu shook his head.
"The main body is very interested in that energy and the technology of the mobile fortress," Tendo Pain said indifferently. "Sasori, Deidara, and Itachi and Kisame, your locations are closest to the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers. Go and bring back those who can use that special energy and their mobile fortress."
"Understood," Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, looking at the art duo and asking, "Shall we act together or separately?"
"I'm more interested in those armored figures, and I'm quite familiar with the Land of Wind. I've also planted spies in Sunagakure. Leave the Land of Wind to me," Sasori said.
"In that case, leave the mobile fortress to me and Itachi-sensei," Kisame Hoshigaki nodded.
"Zetsu's clones will assist you. If you encounter any difficulties, you can summon the Six Paths of Pain," Tendo Pain stood up and said. "Meeting adjourned!"
...
Without using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Team Eight spent three days to finally reach Sunagakure in the Land of Wind.
"The main family's young mistress of the Hyuga clan, the genius of the Aburame clan, and a Wood Release ninja..."
In the Kazekage's office, Chiyo looked at Team Eight in front of her and sighed slightly, "I didn't expect Tsunade-hime to send you. She's truly thoughtful."
"We are here under orders to assist the Land of Wind," Izayoi said without any formalities, his expression serious. "I need to understand the more detailed information. Please send someone to take us to the most recent incident location to see if there are any scent trails left."
"Although this old woman would very much like to fulfill her duties as a host, the situation in the Land of Wind is very bad right now, so I won't stand on ceremony with you."
Chiyo clapped her hands, and then a familiar figure pushed the door open and entered.
"Temari, you take Izayoi-sama and the others to the most recent incident location," Chiyo instructed, using an honorific to remind Temari to be polite.
"Yes, Chiyo-sama," Temari nodded respectfully.
Stepping out of the Kazekage Building, Izayoi looked at the somewhat awkward and hesitant girl and couldn't help but smile, "Long time no see."
"Long... long time no see."
Seeing Izayoi take the initiative to break the atmosphere, Temari immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed slightly to Izayoi, her expression grateful. "Izayoi-sama, thank you for showing mercy to Gaara last time."
Izayoi was slightly taken aback, then smiled. "No need for thanks. Your Sunagakure must have paid a considerable price as well."
"Even so, I still thank you for sparing Gaara's life," Temari said seriously.
After learning that Izayoi was a Wood Release ninja, and the intelligence team analyzed that he had awakened Wood Release long ago, Temari felt a wave of lingering fear and gratitude.
With Izayoi's strength at the time, the secret ninjutsu fusing three nature transformations was definitely not his strongest move.
According to the Wood Release information recorded by the village, Izayoi had the full ability to kill Gaara at that time and extract and seal the One-Tail.
Moreover, the formal stage of the third round of the Chunin Exams was definitely the most suitable occasion to reveal Wood Release and become a hero of Konoha in one fell swoop.
But Izayoi didn't do so and instead spared Gaara's life.
Temari had always kept this favor in her heart.
Especially after Gaara returned, the huge changes that had occurred this year made Temari even more grateful to Izayoi.
"I accept your thanks. Now, let's focus on the mission first," Izayoi raised his hand to shield his forehead, looking up at the large fireball in the sky, changing the subject. "The weather in your Land of Wind is too hot. I feel like I'll turn black after staying here for a few days."
"That's because you're not wearing cloaks. I'll take you to buy cloaks and fresh water first," Temari said with a smile.
After buying cloaks and fresh water, Temari led Team Eight out of Sunagakure and headed to the most recent incident location.
On the way, Temari racked her brains to find topics to chat awkwardly with Hinata, not wanting to neglect the guests and helpers who had come from afar.
Izayoi, on the other hand, was contacting the Wood Clones who had been monitoring the Land of Wind for the past few days to see if they had gained any information.
Although the Tenseigan could monitor the ninja world, it wasn't omnipotent and had many flaws.
First, it couldn't eavesdrop, and Izayoi couldn't read lips.
Second, it only had two perspectives: God's view and first-person view. It couldn't monitor multiple places simultaneously with one pair of eyes.
Third, if the target was an ordinary person and was hiding, it would be difficult for Izayoi to find their location if he didn't know it beforehand.
Because they had no chakra, their energy fluctuations were the same as ordinary people.
If they had chakra, even in the deep mountains and forests, they would be as conspicuous as fireflies at night in Izayoi's Tenseigan's God's view.
However, during these three days of travel, Izayoi and the Wood Clones had searched the entire Land of Wind.
He had already discovered traces of that army. The soldiers were just as Tsunade had described: well-equipped armored figures with no chakra in their bodies.
Their mode of transportation was not only the rare steel warships of this era, but those things were even amphibious. After attacking, they didn't run away at all but hid in the desert.
Since none of the warships had returned and they had no chakra, Izayoi couldn't find the main base of this army.
However, Izayoi was quite certain that this was either a plot point he hadn't seen in his previous life or a butterfly effect caused by him.
After all, such an army without chakra and the large-scale mobilization of Sunagakure, even if the plot was terrible, would be deeply ingrained in his memory.
"Hmm?"
Just then, Izayoi suddenly frowned, his expression somewhat amused and helpless.
Noticing the change in his expression, Shino Aburame couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just remembered something," Izayoi said vaguely, but he almost couldn't resist slapping his forehead, thinking inwardly, "It seems relying too much on the Tenseigan isn't a good thing. My brain is getting lazy and slow."
Two Wood Clones transmitted two real-time images back to him.
One was a God's view, discovering two powerful chakras. Zooming in, they were Sasori and Deidara, who had found a steel warship hidden in the desert.
The other image showed Naruto Uzumaki missing, and Team Seven, following the scent with the help of the ninja dog Pakkun, finding a fortress hidden in the mountains.
Inside that fortress, Izayoi also saw a large number of armored figures.
Without a doubt, this was the main base of that army.
And the location of this fortress was actually in... the Land of Rivers!
Izayoi had seen the Land of Rivers, after all, they had passed through it to get to the Land of Wind.
But Izayoi had only briefly scanned the Land of Rivers with his God's view, and after seeing no powerful chakras, he had withdrawn his gaze.
Usually, reconnaissance was left to Hinata and Shino Aburame.
He had never imagined that the main base of this army was hidden in the Land of Rivers they had passed through, disguised as a large mountain.
However, the appearance of Sasori and Deidara piqued Izayoi's curiosity.
Were these two guys interested in the armored figures of the steel warship and the shells that bombed the Land of Wind, or were they acting under orders?
If it was the latter, had Nagato discovered something, which was why there was that secret meeting?
At this moment, another image appeared in Izayoi's mind, transmitted in real-time by the Wood Clone responsible for monitoring Team Seven to see if they would encounter any unexpected events.
Seeing this image, a flash of inspiration instantly struck Izayoi's mind, and a wild idea was born.
If this idea could be realized, then the difficulty that Nagato had just increased for him would instantly disappear.
Thus, Izayoi immediately issued instructions to the Wood Clone.
Meanwhile, inside the fortress in the Land of Rivers, Team Seven, who were following the scent to find Naruto Uzumaki, encountered a certain duo on their way.
"Uchiha Itachi!!!"
Looking at one of the members of this duo, Sasuke Uchiha's face instantly contorted, his killing intent and hatred seeming to materialize into black gas emanating from him, scaring Sakura Haruno beside him pale.
(End of this chapter)
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