Chapter 71 » Mikoto's Distress! Kiri Vs Konoha, The Battle Continues!

"Report, Lord Yusuke! Konohagakure has gained strength with the addition of the Legendary Sannin. Their combat power has increased significantly. Should we deploy more ninja to the front lines?"

After receiving this firsthand intelligence, Mangetsu swiftly sought out his captain to report.

"Continue to preserve our village's ninja strength. Create a situation where it appears we cannot resist Konoha. Then, withdraw to the border of the Land of Water." Yusuke instructed.

Having previously received guidance from him, Mangetsu understood Yusuke's strategy: feign being overwhelmed, then retreat to the Land of Water's border to observe Kumogakure's moves.

Now informed of this plan, he departed to relay his captain's orders.

Yusuke calmly gazed through the window toward Konoha. As he expected, everything was under control. No matter what actions the other villages took, it wouldn't change his plans.

Behind him, Mikoto, who was putting some tea for him, grew even more worried internally after hearing his arrangements.

Konoha's slight upper hand over Kiri was actually orchestrated by Yusuke himself! This revealed his absolute strength — he could easily withstand this attack from the Leaf, even completely crush them! However, his goal was even greater: he aimed to drag Kumogakure into this conflict as well!

This man's meticulous planning was truly formidable!

While Mikoto was lost in thought, Yusuke had already come up behind her. He gently grasped the teapot and lifted it while speaking into her ear.

"Mikoto, the tea has spilled."

Hearing this, her body trembled. She quickly set down the teapot. Looking at the spilled tea on the table, she hurriedly said.

"Master, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I... I'll clean it up right away!"

Over these days, calling him "Master" had become a conditioned reflex. After all, if she didn't add the word "Master" before speaking to him, it would result in unbearable electric shock torture.

That feeling was numbingly painful and agonizing!

"Calm down, Mikoto. It's not the end of the world." His hands encircled her body, grasping one of her hands and placing it over her heaving chest, "Do you understand me?"

Mikoto's anxious heart, upon seeing that look of his which carried a slight trace of gentleness, beat more slowly at that moment.

"Y-Yes, Master..."

"Good." Taking a handkerchief from her pocket, he handed it to her. His hand then went to her chin, forcing her to look at him, "But you must also understand your place as my maid. And as such, your mistakes have consequences. Do you understand me?"

"I-I understand, Master..." Mikoto's momentary relief vanished as her heart raced anew. She knew escape from this manipulative demon's clutches was but a fleeting dream.

"Then tell me, Mikoto. What do you deserve?" Yusuke's piercing gaze bore into her, drawing her into an abyss of despair.

"Punishment..." After months of captivity, she knew the drill all too well. And yet...

"Speak louder." His grip on her cheek tightened, eliciting a flinch and tremble.

"Punishment!" She fought back tears, as she had countless times before.

"Exactly. When you make a mistake, you must be punished." Yusuke's bright smile belied his cruelty as he stole a brief kiss. Releasing her, he sauntered to the sofa and sat, legs spread wide, "So you already know what you must do now."

"Master..." Mikoto gently set down the handkerchief, her voice a mix of embarrassment and anger, "It's... daylight now... And we're in the main hall..."

Though she dared not refuse, she yearned to face her punishment with some shred of dignity. Such acts were typically confined to private chambers or under cover of night.

But now, in broad daylight? The risk of discovery loomed large. What if someone were to walk in?

Despite the myriad protests swirling in her mind and her desperate wish to refuse, Mikoto remained silent. She knew all too well that resistance would only intensify her torment.

"When you make a mistake, you must face consequences. That's what we just agreed upon, Mikoto. This is a rule you must follow as my maid." Yusuke's voice was smooth and patient, like the depths of a calm sea.

It was as if he knew that, eventually, everything he desired would fall into place.

"...Yes, Master..." Mikoto's eyes brimmed with tears, her anger mingling with deep resentment.

She knelt before him. Before she could begin, he grasped her hair, his voice lilting with devilish amusement.

"But if you please me well enough, I might grant you that one thing you always request."

And so, the punishment commenced.

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Outside the door.

Kushina reluctantly carried a sumptuous lunch toward the top floor hall of the ANBU building.

She had even contemplated poisoning Yusuke's food! However, she couldn't procure any poison, and she knew that if the meal was cold or tasted off, that demon would blame her — resulting in the dreaded slave collar punishment.

Despite her desperate desire to smash the food into his face, she didn't dare. This wasn't her first time bringing Yusuke lunch, after all. Though her heart rebelled, her body complied.

Swaying as she walked, Kushina quickly reached the door of the top floor hall. Balancing the tray with one hand, she used the other to open the door with a soft click.

Muttering under her breath, she entered. But the moment she stepped inside, she witnessed a scene that made her mind reel!

Yusuke reclined on the sofa, his head tilted back with an expression of pleasure. And under his hand, going up and down on that big... thing... was Sister Mikoto!

"!!!" Kushina's jaw dropped in shock.

Though she had heard indirectly about such activities from Mikoto, seeing it firsthand was entirely different. And now, these scenes were shocking her brain. Whether it was the act itself or that male thing she had never seen before, everything was overwhelming her senses.

Mikoto caught sight of Kushina from the corner of her eye. Tears streamed down her face continuously.

Yet, despite the interruption, the punishment continued unabated.

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[ Ding! Mikoto Uchiha experienced profound humiliation after being seen by her friend! She now feels like an unfaithful, tainted woman! Congratulations, host, you've gained 100,000 Villain Points! ]

[ Ding! Kushina Uzumaki is utterly shocked! Her heart brims with shame and fury! She yearns to slice you into a thousand pieces right now! Congratulations, host, you've gained 100,000 Villain Points! ]

After it concluded, Yusuke sat at the dining table, enjoying his lunch.

He glanced at Mikoto, who was sobbing in Kushina's arms on the nearby sofa. The two had just returned from the bathroom after the beautiful Uchiha matriarch had... well, "expelled" some fluids on the carpet.

One could only marvel at the sisterly bond between them. Remarkably, each had managed to generate 100,000 Villain Points.

It seemed that if he wanted a great volume of points, this kind of punishment should be administered more often in the future. Perhaps more entertaining, but a punishment nonetheless.

While eating, Yusuke could hear Mikoto and Kushina's hushed voices on the sofa, calling him names like demon, bastard, or scoundrel.

He shrugged indifferently. If it was for the good of his people, he would do whatever was necessary. He was a villain, after all.

Demon? If necessary, he would be more evil than a demon — worse than a bastard! The scoundrel part? Yes, it certainly was true.

But if he needed to commit evil deeds to keep those he loved by his side, then "Devil" was merely a compliment!

Yusuke's ambition far exceeded anyone's imagination.

The ambition he had shown so far was just the tip of the iceberg.

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Three days later, in the Raikage's office in Kumogakure, Land of Lightning.

"Hahaha! Excellent! Truly excellent!" The Fourth Raikage A exclaimed, bursting into laughter as he examined the latest frontline battle intelligence.

The report clearly stated that Konoha ninja, bolstered by the Legendary Sannin, had been steadily pushing back the Kiri forces stationed within the Land of Fire's borders. Over the past three days, the Mist ninja had retreated step by step, finally withdrawing to within the Land of Water's border.

"These Leaf ninja have some skill after all!" A's eyes gleamed with contemplation.

Though known for his brute strength, he possessed a keen mind as well. It was this combination that had earned him the position of Raikage, not raw power alone.

"Lord Raikage, when shall we deploy our border ninja?" Mabui inquired softly from beside him.

"No rush." A waved his hand, "Let Konohagakure continue to wear down Kirigakure for now. Konoha wants to use us to defeat Kiri, and we in Kumo also want to take advantage of this war."

"To swallow up the Mist in one fell swoop? If we were to make a move now, perhaps we could join forces with the Leaf Village and defeat Kirigakure. But if we do that, we would certainly suffer significant losses, while Konoha would be able to preserve some of their fighting strength in comparison."

"At that point, Konohagakure would naturally not let go of Kiri's resources!" A leaned back in his office chair, looking as if victory was already in his grasp, "So, we're in no hurry! We'll wait until Konoha and Kiri have fought each other to exhaustion. That will be the moment for us to enter the scene and clean up!"

Mabui nodded, also agreeing with the Fourth Raikage's approach.

"How many ninja have been sent to the border frontline?" A asked.

"There are already six thousand ninja." Mabui pushed up her glasses and immediately replied.

"Good!" A gave a deep laugh. "These ninja will be my support for annexing Kirigakure!"

The Fourth Raikage A's ambition was indeed vast. He yearned to bring the entire ninja world under Kumogakure's control.

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The war between Konohagakure and Kirigakure had been raging for about ten days.

Both sides were engaged in a life-and-death struggle on the border between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire! Ninja were losing their lives almost constantly!

After all, the battlefield is cruel! And flowers grown in a greenhouse are destined to face the ravages of storms!

Those ninja who can still stand tall are the true elites! Although cruel, this is, after all, the path of transformation.

After Mei Terumi, Kisame Hoshigaki, Mangetsu Hozuki, and others led elite Kiri ninja to join the battle, the fighting strength of both Kiri and Konoha began to balance out.

Mei, with her two Kekkei Genkai, was unstoppable on the battlefield!

Kisame possessed the strength of a Kage-level fighter. He even encountered Jiraiya leading a team of ninja during these days of fighting, he had also engaged in battle with him. Both sides could completely keep each other in check, leaving everything else to their subordinates.

Mangetsu led the Hozuki clan, combining water gun techniques with their clan's unique hydrification ability. On the battlefield, they steadily gained a formidable position.

However, the most extraordinary battlefield belonged to the Uchiha clan. With just over three hundred members, they unleashed the spirit and strength of a thousand ninja!

If not for the Kaguya clan from Kirigakure resisting with all their might, the Uchiha clan members might have broken through the battle lines. Yet the Kaguya, born to be battle-crazed, fought with reckless abandon.

To some extent, these clans achieved a strange balance. Neither side could completely overcome the other's fierce resistance.

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Kirigakure, in the Mizukage's office.

Yusuke examined the intelligence from the front lines. Three key points stood out:

First, they had reached a stalemate with the Leaf's forces, with neither side holding back. This meant Konoha's border combat power had somehow achieved a precarious balance with their own ninja forces.

Second, the addition of the Legendary Sannin to the battle line had resulted in a deadlock. Upon reflection:

Tsunade, a formidable healer, could summon a portion of Katsuyu's main body. By splitting it, she could simultaneously heal and restore chakra to thousands of ninja. This effect rivaled the blue recovery potions he had acquired with Villain Points. This factor alone significantly boosted Konoha's combat power.

Furthermore, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru possessed Kage-level strength and their own summoning animals. While Jiraiya might refrain from summoning the great toads, someone like Orochimaru, who had no moral boundaries, would undoubtedly call upon his snake summons.

The third point was particularly intriguing: the Uchiha clan's overall combat power had skyrocketed. This development was peculiar. Initially, five hundred members of the Kaguya clan could match the strength of five to six hundred Uchiha clan members.

Now, however, even with over six hundred Kaguya clan members dispatched, they found themselves at a disadvantage against just over three hundred Uchiha. Even Kimimaro was feeling the pressure.

"It seems the Uchiha clan has employed some new strategy." Yusuke mused, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Nevertheless, despite their increased combat power, the Uchihas still didn't pose a significant threat in his eyes.

"Yusuke, what's our next move?" Yagura asked, his expression grave, "Kumogakure has completed their large-scale ninja mobilization. True, our fifty Half Shadow ninja corps are formidable, but Kumo has amassed nearly six thousand ninja. If they engage us in a war of attrition... I fear we might be in trouble."

He could already feel the pressure mounting from Kumogakure's direction.

"The Cloud Village is quite patient." Yusuke said, narrowing his eyes slightly, "Notify Juzo. Reassign forty half-Kage ninjas to reinforce the Land of Fire's border."

"What?!" Yagura exclaimed, dumbfounded, "At a time like this... Shouldn't we be mobilizing forces to confront Kumo instead?"

Yusuke tilted his head, eyeing the Mizukage — supposedly the epitome of intelligence and wisdom.

"You really should read more books when you have the time."

"Uh..." Yagura's confusion was evident.

Yusuke decided to explain slowly for his benefit.

"Let's set aside the fact that I have ways to deal with Kumogakure's ninja. If we mobilized forces to the Land of Lightning's border now, Kumo's ninja could simply retreat and defend. They might not even attack us. We'd be wasting our village's resources for nothing."

"Then, Konoha would be free to launch a large-scale counterattack. And at this point, I'm withdrawing the Half-Kage corps' forces, putting pressure on the Hidden Leaf. Now, if you were the Raikage, what would you think?"

He looked at Yagura, who frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said in a low voice:

"If I were the Raikage and discovered this situation, there would only be two explanations. First, Kumo's border is vulnerable, with all forces reassigned to deal with Konoha. This would be the best time for the Cloud Village to attack! Second, Kiri is absolutely confident and not afraid of Kumogakure's attack."

"Keeping the imagination, which one would you believe?" Yusuke smiled contentedly. This "little boy" was finally using his brain!

"We definitely have to attack! Are we supposed to wait until Kirigakure repels Konoha and then returns to fortify the battle line between the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning?" Yagura said without hesitation. Then, he looked at the person in front of him in astonishment.

"That's why I said." Yusuke smiled leisurely. He slowly raised his right hand and gently clenched it, some snowflakes dropping onto the table, "Everything is under control! Go and reassign forty Half-Kage members to reinforce the front lines."

As ordered, Yagura nodded solemnly and accepted the command.

"Yes, sir!"

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