Chapter 138
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Upon waking up again, Fugaku immediately checked his body and found that it was much better.
A piece of bread and a cup of water were placed on the bedside cabinet.
The bandages on his face were not removed, tied in the same way he had done before, but the medicine on his body was changed, making him feel less pain.
"Such naivety."
While grateful for the medicine change, Fugaku felt this naïve behavior would eventually cost them in the ninja world.
After touching his eyes, Fugaku picked up the bread and water and began to eat. He needed to replenish his strength; the bread was better than nothing and would help him recover some energy.
The eyes were from Hachidai, received from the great elder, belonging to a clan member who died in battle. Although they weren't his original pair, the Uchiha physique allowed Fugaku to freely use the three tomoe Sharingan.
Even so, Fugaku felt he could still use Susanoo.
However, the techniques like Amaterasu, which resided in the eyes, were no longer usable since he had removed his original Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Where to next? Bear Country? Or Snow Country?"
After finishing the bread, Fugaku began pondering his next move, considering hiding from Konoha and the Uchihas' search to possibly return after a few years and check on Itachi's situation.
Heading west from the Land of Rain, these two smaller countries were his options, of which he had only heard of Snow Country but knew practically nothing about it.
Distant small countries had no dealings with Konoha, and it was common not to communicate for decades.
"Maybe I should settle in Snow Country first to evade Konoha and Yōichi's pursuit for a few years."
Having decided, Fugaku got up, ready to leave; but before leaving, he thought to buy some more medicine.
Leaving the room, he saw that people were already busy moving goods in and out, not knowing whom to ask, he spoke up: "Where is the person who let me stay yesterday?"
"Ah, you're awake. Looking for Konan-sama? She's at the main gate. Just go there and say thanks if you want."
Learning the name and location of the female ninja from a passerby, Fugaku headed straight to the main gate.
He had also noticed that this place wasn't an inn but seemed to be a base for their organization, apparently called Akatsuki.
When Fugaku reached the gate and saw the ninja named Konan, she spoke before he could: "You're awake? What are your plans, to leave or stay a bit longer? If you're staying, you can't just live here for free, you'll need to abide by Akatsuki's principles and help others who need it, spreading the beliefs of Akatsuki; if you're leaving, then take the chance while it's not raining to go wherever you're planning."
Konan spoke, recognizing the bandaged face likely belonged to a ninja, possibly even a rogue ninja, but she didn't care about Fugaku's identity. As long as she felt no malice from him, she would ask if he wanted to join Akatsuki.
Strictly speaking, Akatsuki also had many rogue ninjas, Rain ninjas who never obeyed Hanzō's orders, even harboring many ninjas dissatisfied with Hanzō's policies of strengthening the Rain Country through war.
To Rain Village, Akatsuki was indeed a primary thorn in the side, a rogue organization.
"I..."
Fugaku initially planned to buy some medicine and leave, but seeing so many people busily working, including some older ninjas who all respected the blue-haired female ninja:
"Can I stay?"
"Of course, but you need to accept our organization's principles. We need people who share our vision. If you don't accept Akatsuki's principles, you can still stay at our base; Akatsuki will protect all those who aspire to peace."
Konan said, having developed Akatsuki into an organization troubling to Hanzō at just thirteen or fourteen, relying on this ideology to attract like-minded people.
In just a few years, it grew into a force that could not be ignored; eventually, even Hanzō had to rely on Danzō's power to try to eradicate Akatsuki.
---
Konoha's counterattack began, catching the Sand ninja off guard.
In the Sand's view, Konoha had no capability to counterattack; as long as they deployed Shukaku, Konoha stood no chance; although it was hard to take down Kikyō Castle, without a way to handle Shukaku, Konoha couldn't possibly counterattack.
But Konoha's counterattack took Sand by surprise. Before the war started, Jiraiya finally received good news; under Yōichi's direction, Mina's bear agreed to join the battlefield.
Thus, Konoha had the confidence to take on the main battlefield tasks.
Once the war started, Konoha directly attacked the position where Chiyo was, even though she had Shukaku, the One-Tail Jinchūriki. Konoha wasn't afraid, directly having Minato hold off Chiyo, then letting Mina and Gates handle Shukaku.
Although Gates was still growing and not as powerful as Shukaku, he had the support of Mina, whose Adamantine Sealing Chains had considerable restraining power against Tailed Beasts. Even just binding Shukaku's two arms with Adamantine Chains provided great help to Gates.
Gravity techniques, Stone Burst techniques, along with Gates' powerful bear claws and biting force, made it relatively easy to handle a Tailed Beast with its hands restrained.
Especially since Shukaku's movements weren't very fast, and being watched closely by Gates, it was difficult to release Tailed Beast Bombs and ninjutsu. As soon as there were signs of Shukaku using ninjutsu, Gates' bear claws would come down like continuous Mount Everest crushes, relentlessly slamming into Shukaku's head.
Upon hearing this, Rasa immediately dispatched reinforcements to support Chiyo.
But just as the large squad of reinforcement ninjas set out, Jiraiya attacked with summoned creatures.
Though Jiraiya brought fewer people, having two toads in support made the battle with Sand even.
Rasa quickly realized this was Konoha's strategic counterattack and ordered his subordinates to gather reinforcements from behind to immediately counterattack Konoha; during this time, as Konoha dispatched ninjas for support, Sand also didn't stop.
They wanted to completely take over the resources of the River Country, thus even pulling back from the war with the Mist to send many ninjas as reinforcements to the River Country.
Rasa intended to call back the reinforcements from behind to counterattack Konoha and completely take Kikyō Castle.
But after sending out three groups of subordinates with messages, only one returned, bearing bad news.
Rain had sent troops into the River Country, blocking Sand's reinforcements from behind.
Rasa now understood why Konoha had the courage to counterattack; they had formed an alliance with Rain Village.
Knowing this, Rasa worried about the situation with Shukaku; if Shukaku also encountered trouble, it would significantly weaken the strength of Sand Village.
Thinking this, Rasa became anxious, but even if he was worried, Jiraiya wouldn't let him pass easily.
The war and killing continued from morning until night.
Many ninjas were already tired; the Konoha ninjas attacking Sand could hardly hold on, even the two large toads had to return once, switching out with new large toads after fighting for a while before returning again.
Jiraiya, seeing it was about time, ordered a retreat.
Rasa wanted to pursue, but fearing an ambush, he didn't chase Jiraiya and the Konoha ninjas, instead sending many to scout for information.
Soon after Rasa sent out his people, Chiyo came back with a group of Sand ninjas.
She also brought back troubling news; Bunpuku was almost unable to hold on and needed to be sent back to the village quickly to reseal Shukaku.
Without a suitable vessel, Shukaku had to be sealed back on the altar temporarily, waiting to find a suitable Jinchūriki vessel to reseal Shukaku inside.
After hearing this, Rasa's expression turned very grim, but he had no other choice; otherwise, if Bunpuku died, they would have to find Shukaku's traces again in a few years and capture and seal it.
After Bunpuku was sent back, Chiyo had to follow because she was in charge of the sealing transfer; without her, it wouldn't work.
Thus, Sand's presence on the River Country battlefield suddenly decreased by two strong figures, leaving Rasa alone unable to handle Konoha's powerful ninjas.
"Retreat, contract the defense lines!"
Rasa didn't want to admit defeat, having achieved significant victories, it was a pity to give them up, so he gathered the Sand ninjas to retreat to the borders of Wind and River Countries, contracting their defense lines.
But Konoha and Rain didn't let up because Rasa contracted his direction, the ninjas from both villages continued to attack, making it hard for Sand to even show their faces.
Without Shukaku and Chiyo, Sand struggled against Konoha's three large summoning creatures.
Especially the Earth Bear Gates!
Not only did it disrupt with its gravity techniques, but its body was also covered with an incredibly hard magical shield. Sand could use exploding tags to damage the other two toads in a desperate attempt, but facing the Earth Bear was not so smooth.
Desperately crossing the area affected by gravity techniques, and cautiously avoiding the Stone Burst attacks, but when they used exploding tags, they found they couldn't break the Earth Bear's magical shield, instead getting slapped to death.
Sand became increasingly precarious under such an offensive, and after holding on for less than two months, Rasa decided to concede.
Even though conceding, Rasa had no intention of signing a document of defeat but decided to negotiate a peace treaty with Konoha.
---
"Finally, it's over!"
The decision of Sand to sign a peace treaty spread throughout Konoha's camp, prompting many Konoha ninjas to celebrate and cheer.
Mina was also very happy inside; she had been at the frontline for about half a year. Initially, she was constantly treating the wounded and preparing poisons, but in these last few months, she not only had to manage the medical camp but also join the battlefield.
Now, people at the River Country frontline were complimenting Mina, saying she was the strongest medical ninja after Lady Tsunade.
Every time Mina heard this title, she would shyly shake her head and refuse, but the other Konoha ninjas truly believed it.
Medical ninjas don't usually engage in offensive jutsu; once on the battlefield, they are typically protected by other ninjas, but Tsunade was different. Her title as one of the Sannin was earned through combat, and the rules protecting medical ninjas were meant for others, not her.
Only the last medical ninja rule was designated by Tsunade for herself.
But Mina also broke this rule; although she didn't possess the Creation Rebirth technique, relying on the Adamantine Sealing Chains unique to the Uzumaki clan and the help of the Earth Bear, she was invincible on the River Country battlefield.
On the seventh day after Sand announced it would stop the war and intended to sign a peace treaty, Jiraiya gathered all the Jōnin from the frontline, including the head of the medical squad, Mina, and told them:
"Sand has confirmed its surrender. After the negotiations end and the peace treaty is signed, the frontline ninjas will also gradually return, but the medical squad and the wounded can leave for the village earlier, our squad has confirmed that Sand Village won't start a war again."
Jiraiya announced this good news with a smile; he let the medical squad leave first because he had confirmed that Sand had already sent back a batch of ninjas, unable to start a war again.
"Those who sacrificed on the battlefield, the village will compensate and also issue rewards; the village won't forget those ninjas who contributed to defeating Sand."
After Jiraiya finished speaking, everyone looked towards Mina. In their eyes, Mina's surname should be Uchiha; on the River Country battlefield, the Uchiha clan had contributed significantly.
Just Mina's medical jutsu and antidotes were key factors in defeating Sand, along with Hachidai, who critically blocked Sand's reinforcements during the counterattack war.
And having fought one against three, he even killed two of Sand's Jōnin.
Afterwards, the Uchiha clan sent thirty more ninjas, all performing commendably; it could be said that the River Country battlefield victory over Sand was at least 20% due to the Uchiha clan.
When it came to distributing credit, they accounted for at least 20% or more!
Mina asked: "Jiraiya-sama, when can the medical squad and the wounded team depart?"
Jiraiya thought and said: "Let's depart tomorrow morning. Although the war has ended, a team composed only of the medical squad and the wounded is still somewhat dangerous. Shikaku, you select four mission teams to go back to Konoha with the medical squad first; I'll stay here waiting for the negotiation personnel."
Shikaku nodded in response: "Yes, I understand, Jiraiya-sama."
After the meeting ended, Mina went back and was also complimented by her medical squad mates. This time returning to the village, Mina would definitely become a medical Jōnin and might even be promoted to a high position at the Konoha Hospital.
A war had significantly improved Mina's medical jutsu; without Tsunade, she might now be Konoha's number one medical ninja.
However, Mina didn't care about these distinctions; after returning, she lay on her bed, rolling around laughing, looking forward to seeing Yōichi-sama the day after tomorrow.
(End of Chapter)