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After leaving Riken Hill Villa, Karin turned to Mujin and asked, "Was that woman, Yuhi Kurenai, really important?"
Mujin thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Not particularly. She's just a spare piece on the board. Her father once commanded nearly ten thousand genin in Konoha, and most of those genin have now grown into chūnin or even jōnin over the years. She has excellent political resources but lacks both strength and ambition."
"Where there are people, there will always be disputes. Different ideologies clashing lead to contradictions, contradictions spark conflict, and conflict results in chaos. If Yuhi Kurenai were to truly establish herself in Konoha, whether she likes it or not, people would begin to gather around her. By the time that happens, she won't be able to step back even if she wants to, because she'd no longer represent just herself."
Karin pondered this for a moment, then asked, "What if she hadn't come after us?"
"It wouldn't have mattered anyway," Mujin replied dismissively. "She's nothing but a useless genjutsu user."
Karin nodded, though she couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. She hadn't been able to personally eliminate Yamanaka Kurenai—she should have acted sooner.
The two walked through the streets of Konoha, which were engulfed in raging flames. Due to the lack of reinforcements at the southern gate, the Sand Village's main force had already breached the gates and infiltrated the streets.
The Hokage Building remained unable to send out any communications. The scattered Konoha shinobi found themselves isolated, each fighting their own battles. They were unaware of the current situation and had no idea how many enemies they were facing.
However, some experienced shinobi managed to regroup with others. These individuals gathered their forces and slowly began to stabilize their positions.
If they succeeded, the tide of the battlefield would undoubtedly shift significantly. After all, this wasn't a full-scale invasion—just a surprise attack by the combined forces of Otogakure and Sunagakure.
Among these regrouped shinobi, Morino Ibiki held the strongest force.
As the head of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Department, he had also taken on the role of defense captain during the war, leading his subordinates to guard the walls. From the start of the battle, he had used the ANBU's special communication methods to gather a large number of personnel and assess the situation at the Hokage Building. He was now leading his group toward it.
The movement of such a large group quickly drew attention, prompting the enemy forces from Suna and Oto to block their path.
However, their numbers were fewer, and Morino Ibiki's forces were bound to break through the blockade eventually and reach the Hokage Building.
But just as this was about to happen, a white-haired shinobi suddenly burst onto the battlefield, launching an immediate attack on Morino Ibiki.
From a distance, Mujin and Karin, who were also heading toward the Hokage Building, witnessed the scene.
"Homura?" Mujin immediately recognized the white-haired shinobi. Seeing Karin's puzzled expression, he elaborated, "During the split of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, Homura was the leader of the Daimyō faction. He believed that Konoha didn't need a Hokage—that the village's power should be handed over to the Daimyō, and that shinobi should obey the Daimyō's orders. After being defeated by Asuma, the Hokage loyalist, he disappeared. But now it seems the Fire Daimyō must have been hiding him."
A sly smile crept across Mujin's face. "It looks like this shinobi world is going to become increasingly chaotic."
Karin understood the significance of Homura's appearance—it meant that the secular forces led by the Daimyō were finally stepping into the fray. She couldn't help but grin. "Isn't this exactly what we've been hoping for?"
"Yes," Mujin nodded. "Then let's give him a little more help."
Mujin tapped the rune-covered staff against the ground and raised his left hand in a sword seal. "Binding Sealing Chains!"
With a sharp clinking sound from the iron rings at the top of the staff, a chain of runes instantly materialized beneath Morino Ibiki's feet. In the blink of an eye, the chains solidified, tightly binding his ankles and rendering him immobile!
"What?!" Morino Ibiki was shocked. His strength was already inferior to Homura's, and he had been straining himself to resist the latter's attacks. The sudden appearance of the chains became the final straw that broke the camel's back!
Schlick!
Blood sprayed into the air as Waka's iron blade nearly cleaved Ibiki Morino in two!
There was no suspense in this outcome.
Morino Ibiki, fallen in battle!!!
Waka glanced toward Mujin and Karin, recognizing their identities. Recalling the Fire Daimyo's orders, he gave them a brief nod before moving on to seek other targets…
Mujin surveyed the battlefield briefly. With their commander dead, these Leaf shinobi no longer possessed the means to break through the blockade.
Moments later, Waka struck again, eliminating another Leaf ninja attempting to rally the scattered forces. It seemed that being a battlefield commander truly was one of the most perilous roles.
Mujin and Karin continued their advance toward the Hokage Tower. Along the way, they swiftly dispatched two Sound Village shinobi, stealing their faces to disguise themselves as members of the opposing faction.
They intended to join Suna's assault on the Hokage Tower, so adopting new identities was prudent.
As for why they didn't choose to impersonate Suna shinobi—it was too risky; familiar faces might expose their ruse. The Sound shinobi were perfect allies, allied with Suna yet entirely unfamiliar to its forces.
While traveling, they occasionally glanced at the distant battlefield where titanic beasts clashed.
Jiraiya and Gamabunta worked seamlessly together, combining fire and oil into an oversized Fire Release technique that obliterated nearly half of Shukaku's body. Yet in the blink of an eye, the One-Tail regenerated completely.
Witnessing this, Mujin couldn't help but reflect: no wonder Hashirama Senju had believed distributing the tailed beasts would deter war. Everyone would fear retaliation from others wielding equally powerful entities.
Even someone as formidable as Jiraiya struggled to subdue just a single-tailed Shukaku.
Avoiding large-scale engagements, Mujin and Karin only dealt with a few stray Leaf shinobi along the way. It didn't take long for them to reach the vicinity of the Hokage Tower.
"Who goes there?!" A Suna jōnin guarding the perimeter immediately spotted their approach.
Mujin tapped the Sound Village forehead protector now adorning his head. "No need to be alarmed. We're here to assist."
"Assistance? Hmph, who knows what schemes you're plotting."
"It's none of your concern. All you need to know is that we'll fight alongside you against Konoha's shinobi."
The Suna jōnin nodded, seemingly convinced—but then, without warning, a glint of steel flashed as a kunai shot straight for Mujin's throat!
However, before it could connect, Karin reached out and caught the blade mid-flight, crushing it effortlessly into fragments.
Just as Karin prepared to retaliate, the jōnin spoke up. "Seems like you aren't here to slow us down. Follow me."
Mujin and Karin followed him inside to the first-floor hall of the Hokage Tower, where several Suna jōnin rested and tended to their wounds.
"Captain, they claim to be reinforcements from the Sound Village."
"Reinforcements? What can two people possibly do?"
Mujin sneered. "At the very least, we won't make your current predicament worse."
The Suna captain paused thoughtfully. Their situation indeed left little room for argument. Finally, he explained, "The main battles are currently on the second floor and in the underground barrier room. We once pushed all the way to the third floor, but Nara Shikaku led a counterattack that drove us back. Things aren't looking good—their tactics have caused significant trouble."
Their arrival was timely, then.
Mujin considered this for a moment before replying, "Nara Shikaku, the strategist of Konoha… He's the leader of the jōnin squads. If he breaks through, sealing off the Hokage Tower becomes meaningless. But why hasn't he simply broken through the walls?"
"We've sealed the area with barriers. His only escape route is through here." The captain narrowed his eyes at Mujin. "Sound shinobi, I don't know what your plans are, but as you said earlier—if Shikaku escapes, neither side benefits."
Nara Shikaku's combat prowess wasn't particularly overwhelming, but his tactical brilliance could potentially surpass even the legendary Sannin Jiraiya during future wars.
Realizing this, Mujin nodded decisively. "Then let's settle things here!"
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