Chiba’s Expedition

Chapter 110: Chiba's Expedition

Hearing Chiba's order, Danzo nodded solemnly. He didn't dare to say anything else, but when it came to making friends, Danzo still had some self-confidence.

Moreover, the dozens of carts of feces he had collected before were purchased from the Land of Rain, which gave him a good reason to contact Hanzo.

"Hokage-sama, don't worry, I will hold Hanzo, even if it costs my life!" Danzo patted his chest as an assurance.

As a result, he noticed that no one else was volunteering for the mission. Only Chiba looked at him encouragingly.

"While I am going to war, Mitokado Homura will temporarily oversee the village's administration!"

Chiba's gaze shifted to Homura as he made his choice.

The meeting concluded, and Chiba ordered Hatake Sakumo to release Hiashi and Fugaku. Chiba believed that being on the battlefield was more worthwhile than waiting.

Hokage going to war was bound to be significant. Chiba, donned in the Hokage's royal robe, left the village en route to the Land of Uzumaki.

Surrounding him were hundreds of ninjas of various clans, with dozens of skilled scouts leading the way. The protection around Chiba resembled layers of wrapping, making it difficult for Hatake to get near the Hokage.

Chiba felt somewhat trapped. He had initially planned to travel with a few fast subordinates, using the sand mat to reach the Uzumaki clan swiftly. However, various clans strongly opposed the idea, insisting on providing multiple layers of protection, rendering him practically immobile.

Bored with the journey, Chiba's eyes wandered towards Jingmei's backpack.

"Jingmei, what have you brought in your backpack this time? Is there any toilet paper?" Chiba inquired, eyeing her bulging backpack with curiosity.

Jingmei proudly flipped her braid and responded, "Let me show you."

With that, Jingmei reached into her backpack.

She pulled out a thick notebook and a pen. Chiba was puzzled, not understanding the purpose of these items.

"No, I call this the Merit Book. It's used to record the number of enemies killed by everyone."

Chiba now comprehended. This was a meticulous statistician at work.

Then Chiba realized, "How will you judge the number of enemies killed?"

"Head!" Chiba responded.

With that, the system for rewarding gold bars for enemy kills was perfected. The large army continued its journey, making its way southeast without any incidents.

Suddenly, there was an explosion in the distance. The Konoha Shinobi rushed forward, but nothing happened afterward. Hatake Sakumo soon arrived with Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku, who had discovered something strange.

Hyuga held a white figure, lifeless in his hand. He presented it to Chiba.

"Lord Hokage, I found something unusual."

Chiba inspected the body of White Zetsu, feeling somewhat surprised. This White Zetsu had displayed considerable courage by coming alone to meet his end.

"Who killed it?"

"I did," Chief Hyuga raised his hand.

Chiba instructed Jingmei to record this, and Uchiha's patriarch found himself in an awkward position, having missed the opportunity to contribute to the battle. Chiba's journey continued into the night.

The large army set up camp for the night. Chiba, however, lamented that their progress was too slow, estimating it would take at least two days to reach the Uzumaki clan. The speed of the main force significantly contrasted with what Chiba could achieve by flying solo on a sand mat, a frustrating situation.

For this reason, Chiba considered escaping secretly. However, he was under the watchful eyes of Hiashi and Fugaku, who were clearly there to prevent him from running away.

"Forget it, I'll stay."

Compared to the large army's speed, Danzo's progress to Rain Shinobi Village was much faster. Shortly after nightfall, Danzo arrived at Hanzo's mansion.

"Danzo, are you planning to attack again this time?" Hanzo's tone was chilly, and his eyes were narrowed beneath his unique mask.

In response to Hanzo's question, Danzo nodded. "Lately, the village has been expanding farmland for growing melons, fruits, and vegetables, requiring a significant amount of manure. Besides, the situation is urgent, so the price could be high."

He stated this with an air of assurance, even though he didn't quite believe his own words. Hanzo, on the other hand, was equally skeptical.

"Tell me your real reason for coming here this time."

Danzo cleared his throat, transitioning to a more direct approach. "Since you've asked, I won't beat around the bush."

He shifted his demeanor to one of profound admiration and reverence. "Our Master Hokage has developed a technique. It can strike a village from an incredibly long distance."

"Oh? Is this the technique that turned Sand Shinobi Village into a cesspool?" Hanzo asked, appearing dignified.

Hanzo was well aware of how Chiba had turned Sand Shinobi Village into a cesspool, and he even knew that the Third Hokage had fallen in the process. However, because the Hōzuki Clan had sworn to resist Chiba, Hanzo had chosen to temporarily align with Mist Shinobi.

He was biding his time, waiting for Mist Shinobi to defeat the Uzumaki clan and then engage Chiba. If the Hōzuki's could indeed stand up to Chiba, Hanzo's border troops would fulfill their promise and invade.