Chapter 118

Chapter 118

 Chapter 118: Minato Has His Old Allies, and So Do I!

The quiet town lay shrouded in an uneasy calm.

Despite Konan and Nagato’s recovery, a trace of apprehension lingered in their expressions, betraying the weight of recent events.

“Don’t worry about it,” Uchiha Mikoto reassured them in a composed tone. “What happened earlier doesn’t matter—consider it as though nothing occurred. These people were nothing more than enemy spies, after all.”

However, deep within a secret chamber, Uchiha Yosuke’s demeanor was markedly different. His face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed.

“How’s the deciphering coming along?” he asked, his tone tinged with urgency.

Senju Moku, a seasoned Jōnin working on the scroll, wiped the sweat from his brow as he replied in a strained voice:

“Back when the Second Hokage established the ANBU, and later, when the Root division branched out from it, many encryption methods were devised. Over the years, these codes have evolved significantly. Our clan’s presence in the ANBU has dwindled to the point where…”

Hearing this, Yosuke’s frown deepened. The decline of the Senju over the years had indeed left them nearly powerless within the village’s shadowy inner workings.

But if Madara and Zetsu had gone through the trouble of sending this intelligence, it couldn’t possibly be unsolvable.

Suddenly, Senju Moku’s expression turned alarmed. “This is bad! Kushina and Lady Tsunade are in danger!”

“What?!” Yosuke exclaimed, his shock evident.

Although the deciphered content was incomplete, the fragmented words were enough to discern the gist:

*“Uzumaki Kushina… Jinchūriki… leak of intelligence to… lure Tsunade…”*

A mere sixteen characters had been decoded, but the implications were glaringly obvious. Moku’s face turned pale; Tsunade was not only a cornerstone of the Senju clan but one of its few remaining pillars of strength.

And Kushina? Once the Nine-Tails was sealed within her, she would serve as a crucial protector for the clan during its vulnerable years.

“No way! We absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to Kushina or Lady Tsunade!”

Before Moku could fully process the situation, Yosuke barked orders.

“I’ll go after them immediately! Moku, you must alert Mikoto, Hyūga, Aburame, and any other trusted allies. Tsunade and Kushina left only a day ago—there’s still time to catch up!”

Without wasting another second, Yosuke leaped out of the window, summoning his eagle summon mid-air. With a sharp cry from the bird, he sped off through the rain toward the direction of Tsunade and Kushina’s mission.

Meanwhile, in the chamber, Moku’s anger boiled over.

“The Root! And the Third Hokage! Are they really determined to wipe out the Senju entirely?”

Moku clenched his fists, trembling with rage. As a Jōnin in his forties, he had witnessed the Senju’s decline firsthand. Their sacrifices for the village had led to this moment—where the very village seemed intent on erasing their legacy.

---

### On the Rainy Borders of the Land of Rain

Outside, the relentless downpour set a grim stage. Orochimaru studied a report in his hand, his expression stern.

“Enemy spies and rogue ninjas infiltrating this area have increased in number recently…”

Just then, an urgent messenger burst into the room.

“Orochimaru-sama, bad news! The team sent to escort Lady Tsunade has lost contact!”

“What?!” Orochimaru’s shock was immediate and severe.

Although this was the Land of Rain, this territory was under Konoha’s control. For an escort team to lose contact, an ambush was the only explanation.

“Prepare all forces for heightened vigilance! Send teams Three, Five, and Six to flank from both sides to provide reinforcements!” Orochimaru commanded.

Unlike most, Orochimaru remained cold and calculating. Based on the timing, the escort team had likely already met up with Tsunade. This meant the ambush was a deliberate strike targeting her.

While unsure of the specifics, Orochimaru deduced that the attackers were likely small, elite forces. Even as he headed out for reinforcements, he ensured orders for a pincer attack were in place. No enemy would leave this battlefield alive.

---

### Deep Within a Rain-Soaked Forest

“Tch! This is Chiyo’s poison! Aren’t you afraid this will provoke war?” Tsunade roared, her voice filled with fury as she battled a group of enemy Jōnin.

Encased in a barrier, she fought relentlessly. The attackers had clearly planned this ambush well in advance.

Around her, rogue ninjas with scratched-out village headbands grinned wickedly.

“War? Do you think Konoha has the guts? If your village starts a war, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure are all itching for their turn,” one of them sneered.

Though her rage seemed unrestrained, Tsunade’s sharp eyes scanned her surroundings. When the distant rumble of battle reached her ears, realization dawned on her.

“Your true target is Kushina!”

The rogue ninjas smirked.

“Exactly. We’re taking your Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. She’s coming with us!”

The barrier trembled under Tsunade’s monstrous strength as she lashed out in a fit of fury. She hated herself—hated that despite years of relentless training, she always fell just short in crucial moments.

---

The story crescendos with mounting tension as betrayal and danger tighten their grip. Yosuke and his allies rush to the rescue, while Orochimaru orchestrates a counteroffensive. All the while, hidden puppet masters manipulate events from the shadows, pushing Yosuke toward his destiny.

As the storm rages on, one thing becomes clear—whether in war, survival, or the pursuit of justice, Yosuke’s resolve is unyielding. He vows to meet every challenge head-on, with allies by his side and the lessons of history as his guide.

"Minato may have his powerful backers, but so do I. And mine will overshadow his!"

*(To be continued...)*