69novels Chapter 151 Retreat
Chapter 151 Retreat
The surrounding Cloud Ninja witnessed the Raikage's severe injury and fall to the ground. Although they knew their opponent's strength was unfathomable, they still rushed to the Raikage's side without hesitation, forming a solid defensive line between Hyuga Kanan and the Raikage. Their faces were solemn and vigilant, their eyes sharp as knives as they stared at Hyuga Kanan, their bodies tense, adopting a defensive posture. It was as if they would rush forward without hesitation to protect the Raikage, who represented the village's honor and authority, with their lives if Hyuga Kanan made the slightest move. They shouted loudly for the Raikage, hoping to rouse him from his slumber.
However, facing the menacing Cloud Ninja, Hyuga Kanan glanced at them expressionlessly before turning away nonchalantly, heading straight for the outer barrier. He had already used his Byakugan to thoroughly investigate and discovered a fatal flaw in the barrier. Now was the perfect opportunity to break through! Having caused such a commotion in the Land of Iron, Hyuga Kanan knew that lingering here was unwise. Therefore, he decisively decided to leave quickly to avoid further unnecessary trouble. After all, he didn't want to waste his precious time on the complicated affairs of the ninja world.
The severely injured Raikage A regained consciousness amidst the shouts of the Cloud Ninja. He struggled to his feet, a trickle of bright red blood running from the corner of his mouth down his chin. Yet, his gaze remained steadfastly fixed on Hyuga Kanan, who was preparing to leave.
In that brief, fleeting exchange, Lei Yingai realized the immense gap in strength between himself and his opponent. He was far inferior in both speed and power; the difference was like an insurmountable chasm. His greatest pride had always been his unparalleled speed and impenetrable defense, but in that very moment, these advantages had crumbled instantly.
His right arm was pierced straight through by the opponent's fierce attack. If it weren't for the sharp reflexes honed by years of combat, he might have even suffered a head injury. Not only that, but in that lightning-fast, continuous barrage of attacks, his internal organs had also been severely impacted, and he still felt intermittent throbbing pain.
The idea of relying on people to capture the other party on the spot has become a joke, and all the plans made by the Cloud Village have become empty talk.
However, the Raikage had no intention of giving up easily. This operation was closely related to the future of Kumogakure, and even if it meant paying a heavier price, he would never let the enemy escape so easily. The more diverse the enemy's behavior, the more valuable they were to capture.
The Third Raikage perished when surrounded by a large number of Iwagakure ninja. This painful lesson clearly demonstrates that no matter how powerful a ninja is, they can still be defeated or even killed when facing a overwhelming number of opponents. The Fourth Raikage, A, was well aware of his father's strength—that unparalleled sage who had once faced the catastrophic Eight-Tails without being at a disadvantage!
In his view, the enemy before him was far less powerful than his father, whose strength was unfathomable. Therefore, he firmly believed that as long as the Hidden Cloud Village could muster sufficient troops for the battle, they would still have a chance to capture or kill him.
Furthermore, they cannot be allowed to return, further weakening the already crumbling Hidden Leaf Village. After all, the war between the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Leaf Village is not yet over, and a peace treaty has not been signed. If they were allowed to return to the Hidden Leaf Village, the Hidden Cloud Village would not have the same confidence to make favorable demands on the Hidden Leaf Village in the future.
Whether considering the present or the long-term future of Kumogakure, there was absolutely no reason to let the enemy escape back to Konoha. Moreover, the force Kumogakure had dispatched to meet him was quite substantial—a formidable elite force capable of withstanding large-scale invasions from other ninja villages. Once they added their own forces, even with a protracted war strategy, they would surely be able to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. The immediate priority was to stall the enemy's advance, preventing them from escaping quickly and thus buying enough time for the Kumogakure reinforcements to arrive. "Who exactly are you? My Kumogakure intelligence system has absolutely no information about you! When did Konoha produce a ninja of your caliber? And don't even think about easily breaking through this barrier and escaping!" The Raikage suddenly spoke, attempting to stop Hyuga Kanan, who was about to leave. At the same time, he was also confident in the exceptionally strong barrier jutsu on the outside, believing it would successfully delay them for a considerable period.
Hinata Kanan showed no intention of answering and continued walking towards the outermost edge.
The surrounding Cloud Ninja all turned their gazes to their leader, Raikage A. As long as Raikage gave the order to attack, even if they clearly knew the difference in strength, these Cloud Ninja would not hesitate to step forward to stop him, even at the cost of their lives.
This is the supreme glory of their Hidden Cloud Village! How could they possibly show weakness or surrender to the enemy? However, at this moment, the Raikage was caught in a dilemma, his heart filled with struggle and entanglement.
He knew perfectly well that if he gave the order, the loyal and brave Cloud Ninja around him would undoubtedly rush forward to stop the enemy without hesitation, even in the face of death, without fear or retreat. However, given such a vast difference in strength, wouldn't he, as the Raikage, be disregarding the precious lives of the village's ninja if he were to actually issue such an order?
However, if they simply let the enemy leave unchecked, their Hidden Cloud Village's painstakingly established forge in the Land of Iron would be exposed for nothing. Worse still, Konoha was about to welcome back this top-tier expert, meaning the Hidden Cloud Village's entire strategic plan against Konoha would have to be overturned and rewritten. Their long-held dream of becoming the "Number One Hidden Cloud Village" would also vanish, resulting in immeasurable losses!
At this critical moment, the Raikage's mind was in turmoil, a jumble of thoughts weighing heavily on him. How could he choose? How could he protect the village and its people while upholding the dignity and honor of Kumogakure? Time ticked by, the situation grew increasingly urgent, and the Raikage had to make a decision as soon as possible.
In the end, the Raikage remained silent, giving no order to stop his opponent. He knew that as a man carrying his father's dying wish, he could not stand idly by and watch the ninjas of his village die in vain. At this moment, his heart was filled with boundless rage, but what infuriated him even more was that he, who had inherited the name "Raikage" to this day, was powerless to defeat this formidable foe before him.
However, the Raikage also understood that the Hidden Cloud Village's support forces would soon arrive at the outskirts of this area. Even if the enemy fled now, they would eventually return to the Hidden Leaf Village. The immediate priority was to ascertain the enemy's exact movements, then concentrate the Hidden Cloud Village's forces to ambush them along their inevitable route, avenge their humiliation, and repay them tenfold for the disgrace they had suffered today!
Hyuga Kanan moved with lightning speed, reaching the relatively vulnerable spot at the edge of the barrier in just a few leaps. He slightly opened his Byakugan, intently examining the barrier before him.
The barrier was brimming with energy, continuously drawing upon the natural power of its surroundings to sustain its operation. Previously, when he unleashed his Wood Release technique, the sprawling trees had been forcefully halted. Although the power of his Wood Release technique was still somewhat lacking at that time, an ordinary barrier could not possibly have withstood it so easily. Clearly, to break this barrier, its weak point must be found.
After careful investigation, Hyuga Kanan finally discovered the weakness in the barrier. However, breaking through it required considerable power. So, he took a deep breath, channeled all his energy, and unleashed the surging power within him.
Immediately afterward, he summoned the power of the wind elemental law, gathering it in his palm into a swirling whirlwind. This whirlwind, accompanied by a sharp, piercing sound, resembled countless clashing blades, its power astonishing. Undoubtedly, the most prominent characteristic of the wind elemental law is its unparalleled sharpness, possessing extremely strong penetrating and destructive power, making it perfectly suited for breaking through the weaknesses of this barrier.
With a crisp "crack," the wind blade struck the weak point of the barrier like lightning. In an instant, the barrier's protection shattered, and a crack appeared in the once indestructible barrier.
The entire barrier began to tremble violently as this point shattered, instantly becoming covered in cracks. It collapsed completely after only a few breaths. The Cloud Ninja responsible for maintaining the barrier coughed up blood, clearly injured in their meridians and internal organs by the energy surge transmitted when the barrier shattered.
Outside the barrier, several armored samurai were gathered, keeping a close watch. The fact that these ninjas were using such large-scale ninjutsu in the heart of the Land of Iron's town had enraged Mifune, the Land of Iron's leader. Therefore, he had hurriedly led several samurai units to the area to guard and await an explanation from the ninjas fighting in the Land of Iron.
Seeing the barrier lifted, the samurai quickly surrounded the area, trying to control the situation immediately. Their leader, Mifune, waited on the outside for the people inside to emerge. He wanted to see which ninja village's ninjas were so brazenly attacking his country, showing absolutely no respect for him, the leader of the Land of Iron.
Seeing the situation outside, Hyuga Kanan had no interest in contacting these samurai, as it would surely bring countless troubles. His body slowly floated into the air, retreating towards the edge of the town.