Chapter 110

"All of Konoha's elite troops were decimated. You can't deny that, right, Chiyo?"

"Yes," Chiyo admitted.

Although the intelligence they gathered was limited, it was true that Konoha's elite forces were ambushed by Iwagakure, and the well-trained team was wiped out in one swift strike.

Seeing Chiyo's serious demeanor, Kitsuchi continued:

"When I led our forces to surround and eliminate Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Hatake Sakumo, and other notable young talents of Konoha, a ninja named Hyuga Shinki appeared. He unleashed dozens of puppets made from ninja corpses, taken from a sealing scroll."

"These puppets were formidable and inflicted heavy losses on us."

Chiyo glanced at the puppet remains by her feet. "Is this one of those puppets?"

"Yes."

Kitsuchi uncrossed his arms and gestured. "The strange thing is that this Konoha ninja, Hyuga Shinki, didn't control these puppets. They moved autonomously. We managed to destroy them, but at the cost of many lives. The real horror began when they glowed with blue light and exploded, far more powerful than any explosive tag."

Remembering the chaos, Kitsuchi's expression darkened, wishing he could catch Shinki and make him pay for the devastation he caused.

"That's impossible! Puppets can't fight on their own, let alone self-destruct!" Chiyo exclaimed.

As an expert in puppetry, Chiyo knew that such feats were unheard of. She could not control puppets without chakra threads, and the idea of them moving independently was ludicrous.

Chiyo laughed coldly. "Kitsuchi, your tale sounds like a far-fetched story."

"I thought so too, which is why I sought you out. But it's clear Konoha has discovered a unique way to create these puppets."

Kitsuchi's hope for an explanation from Chiyo dimmed. He had entertained the idea of collaboration if Sand Village held such secrets, but it appeared they did not.

Realizing he'd reached a dead end, Kitsuchi prepared to leave. If the Sand Village couldn't provide any insight, he'd turn his focus back to Konoha.

Despite recent hostilities, alliances between villages shifted with their interests. Today's enemy could be tomorrow's ally, especially with enough incentive.

"Wait!"

Chiyo's voice stopped him in his tracks. She began to believe Kitsuchi wasn't fabricating this information. He wasn't here to mock or propose collaboration, but to unravel the secret of these puppets.

"Are you sure these puppets acted as you said—without control and self-destructive?" Chiyo pressed.

"I'm certain. There were no chakra threads. Why would I be here otherwise?"

While Rock Village didn't have puppet users, they understood the mechanics of puppetry well enough. Was Chiyo missing something?

Chiyo hesitated, then asked, "Were those massive craters on the battlefield from the puppets' explosions?"

"Yes," Kitsuchi confirmed without hesitation.

The implications left Chiyo stunned. If this was true, then it was bizarre. Since when did Konoha dabble in puppetry? How many puppeteers did Konoha have? Likely a handful at best, and none noteworthy.

Where, then, did these puppets come from?

Chiyo searched her memory, then recalled a name she'd seen in reports.

Ah, wasn't that the man who had recently assisted Tsunade? No wonder it seemed familiar.

Her face twisted in frustration.

Kitsuchi watched, perplexed, as Chiyo's expression darkened, her eyes filled with fury. Why did she look ready to tear someone apart?

"Kitsuchi, I think we can work together."

Chiyo had long wanted to eliminate Shinki for his work in countering poisons and creating antidotes that greatly weakened the Sand Village's puppet forces. Now, with Rock Village showing interest, an opportunity presented itself.

"How would we cooperate?" Kitsuchi asked, wary but intrigued.

"By launching a joint assault on Konoha's camp." Chiyo clenched her fist, determination blazing in her eyes.

Sand Village attacking Konoha alone was suicide, but with Rock Village's support, they would have the upper hand.

The three major villages had committed similar numbers of troops to the battlefield. If two villages suddenly allied against one, the balance would shatter.

"…"

Kitsuchi was taken aback. He had considered several methods of collaboration, but joining forces to directly attack Konoha's camp? That was madness.

"Apologies, but I'm not interested. We can discuss cooperation another time."

Kitsuchi departed without further discussion, leaving Chiyo bewildered as she watched Rock Village's forces withdraw.

Collaborating to ambush Konoha's squads was one thing. Even an operation against Konoha was acceptable. But attacking their fortified camp? Absolutely not.

What a reckless suggestion.

Kitsuchi preferred strategic operations over reckless warfare. Besides, there was always the looming threat of Hanzo and the Rain Village. An overextended battle could mean being ambushed by Hanzo's forces.

"Kitsuchi! You'll regret this!" Chiyo shouted after him, frustration evident in her voice. "You fool! Idiot!"

Kitsuchi ignored her cries.

From the moment she proposed an assault on Konoha's camp, he'd lost interest.

With the Rain Village watching, Rock Village didn't want to escalate the conflict and risk being drawn into an unwinnable war. Cloud Village, with their opportunistic ways, would pounce at any sign of vulnerability.

Fighting to the bitter end was not on Rock Village's agenda.

Why refuse?

Because survival and strategy came first.

>>>>>

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