Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 307: The Battle Ends (Daily Written Version)

"Okay, then two floors it is."

Sasuke Umino stopped insisting and readily agreed.

He knew perfectly well that after Hatake Sagumo got his hands on these two-tenths of the spoils, he would most likely just pack them up and sell them directly to the village or the merchants accompanying the army, converting them into cash at a "junk recycling price".

He controls the puppet factory in the Land of Waves, with a complete technical team and production line. The captured puppets and materials, after professional dismantling, refurbishment, reorganization and modification, can easily increase their value more than tenfold!
At that time, even a fraction of the profit would probably be much more than the 20% "original price" that Hatake Saigumo received.

Thinking of this, Umino Sasuke looked at Hatake Sakumo's honest and earnest face and felt a subtle sense of guilt. Oh well, he'd find an opportunity to make it up to Kakashi later, maybe by giving him something nice or helping him out in a pinch.

As for the Mito Gate ninjas?
Sasuke Umino's gaze swept lightly over the figures who were bowing their heads, suppressing their anger and humiliation.

We'll see how things go from here. If they know what's good for them and behave like dogs, maybe after their clans are destroyed, I can give them a bite to eat. But if they don't know what's good for them, hehe, there will be no place for them in the ninja world!
The Mitomon ninjas tensed up instinctively as they felt that cold gaze sweep over them. Several hot-blooded young men were about to explode again, but Mitomon suppressed them with an even more stern look.

Mito Kadota himself clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, but he tried his best to maintain a respectful expression on his face.

He knew that any resistance now could destroy the family's last hope.

Sasuke Umino gave Mito Kada a cryptic look, nodded slightly, and accepted this superficial submission. He then ignored the Mito ninjas who were suppressing their anger and quickly put away the last sealing scroll.

The battlefield was completely cleared, leaving only charred sand and gravel.

After watching Umino Sasuke finish his work, Hatake Sagumi said solemnly, "Sasuke, the spoils have been counted. We can't stay here any longer. The Hokage has ordered us to return to Konoha immediately to report for duty. This is a matter of great importance and cannot be delayed. Use the Flying Thunder God Technique, and we'll set off right away!"

Upon hearing this, Umino Sasuke smiled knowingly: "What Senior Sagumo is right, it is indeed time to go back. So, let's set off now."

Before he finished speaking, he put a hand on Hatake Sagumo's shoulder.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

hum~
A spatial ripple flashed, and the two figures instantly disappeared from their original spot, leaving only a lingering chakra fluctuation.

The Mito Gate ninjas watched helplessly as their two powerful "protectors" vanished into thin air. They were first stunned, and then a huge sense of panic surged into their hearts.

"They just left like that?!" A ninja's voice trembled as he stared incredulously at the spot where the two had vanished.

"They just left us here like that?!" The other man's face turned pale as he looked around at the empty, silent battlefield filled with the stench of blood and gunpowder.

"Won't the Sand Village ninja come for revenge? That crazy woman Chiyo escaped. Her son is dead, and her brother is dead too. She will definitely not let us go!" someone screamed in terror, as if they could already see Chiyo leading her vengeful army across the yellow sand.

"Without a Kage-level expert to protect us, our remaining troops are nothing but lambs to the slaughter in the face of Sunagakure's revenge. That bastard Sasuke Umino, does he really want us to die that badly?!"

Panic spread rapidly among the Mitomon ninja.

After the initial fear, there was an intense, suppressed resentment that erupted like a volcano.

"Umino Sasuke, that damned white blood demon, that cold-blooded butcher!"

"He did it on purpose, forcing us to come and die so he could keep all the spoils for himself, and now he's leaving us here in the middle of nowhere to die."

"What kind of bullshit Konoha Iron Wall is he? He's a complete schemer! A murderer!"

"So many of our people died in vain, and he got all the spoils!"

"Elder, look at this! This is the result of your insistence on making us swallow our anger. He doesn't treat us like villagers at all!"

Curses and accusations rose and fell. Seeing that Umino Sasuke did not suddenly appear because of their curses, some people became bolder. They no longer just grumbled in their hearts, but shouted out all the resentment and unwillingness that had been accumulating in their hearts without restraint.

The criticism was not only directed at Umino Sasuke, but also subtly at Mito Kadoda, who had submitted to Umino Sasuke.

"That's enough! Shut up, everyone!"

Mito Kadota's face turned ashen, and he roared again, trying to quell the chaotic scene.

His forehead veins bulged, and his frustration and anger were no less than those of his clansmen, but he had to remain rational.

"Instead of wasting your energy cursing here, you should save your energy and retreat quickly. This is the territory of the Land of Wind. The ninja stationed at the border of the Sand Village could appear at any time. If you want to live, immediately treat the wounded and retreat to the border camp of the Land of Rivers at full speed!"

However, this time, his authority was questioned like never before.

"Elder, why should we take your orders?!"

A special Jonin loyal to Mitokado Homura suddenly stood up, pointing at Mitokado, his face filled with distrust and anger. "Why were you so obsequious to Umino Sasuke just now? He treated us like cannon fodder, like trash, and you still expect us to swallow our anger? What about the dignity of our Mitokado clan?!"

"That's right! Elder, you must give us an explanation. Why are you so afraid of him? Elder Yan is still an advisor to Konoha, protected by the Hokage. Although our clan has suffered heavy losses, our foundation is still intact. Even if Umino Sasuke has some dirt on Elder Yan, those old things like smuggling weapons and eliminating dissidents have long been settled, haven't they?!"

"The Konoha ninjas have taken a huge share of our businesses, and the Umino clan has also benefited greatly. Since the Konoha ninjas have already taken advantage of us, how can we let them bring up the past? If he dares to bring up old matters again, he is making an enemy of all the clans that have taken advantage of us!"

These words rekindled a glimmer of hope in the eyes of some uninformed members of the tribe, making them feel that there might still be room for maneuver.

Looking at these innocent clansmen, Mitomonda felt a surge of bitterness and helplessness.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't reveal the truly fatal evidence in Umino Sasuke's hands—evidence that could uproot the entire clan. It involved the heinous crime of murdering the grandson of the First Hokage, and even the son-in-law of the Fire Country's Daimyo. Once exposed, not only would Mitokado Homura be torn to shreds by the angry villagers of Konoha, but the entire Mitokado clan would be wiped out. Even the Hokage wouldn't be able to protect them. Those clans that had received "benefits" would only sever ties immediately, or even kick them while they were down.

"What do you know!" Mito Kadota's voice was hoarse, filled with an indescribable pain and heaviness. "Things are far more complicated than you think. There's something inside Umino Sasuke that we simply cannot bear. Shut up, carry out the order, and retreat immediately!"

Unable to speak openly, he could only try to suppress the issue again with forceful orders.

"Something unbearable? What is it? Tell me!" the special ninja pressed relentlessly. "If you don't explain clearly, why should we believe you're not betraying the family's interests?!"

"Yes! Explain yourself!" "Elder, were you bribed? Did you receive a bribe from Umino Sasuke?"

"Elder Yan is our clan leader. We must wait for Elder Yan's instructions!"

The voices of doubt and dissatisfaction rose again, and the resentment that had just subsided surged up again. Some people even began to directly question Mito Kadoda as a "traitor" and a "coward".

Looking at the chaotic scene before him, Mito Kadota felt a chill in his heart.

He felt an unprecedented sense of isolation and despair. The divisions within his family, his ignorance of the real crisis, and the disregard for Umino Sasuke's power all made him feel powerless.

He could only clench his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, and forcefully command in an almost roaring voice: "I am still the clan's Grand Elder. I say we withdraw, and we withdraw. Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to clan rules. If you don't want to die here, shut up and run faster, keep up with me!"

He stopped trying to explain and turned to leave with the clansmen who were still willing to follow him. Although some Mitomon ninjas had considerable objections, they knew that they could not retreat separately. Maintaining their unity would make them more combat-effective and increase their survival rate, so they all followed Mitomon's footsteps.

However, the cracks in the team were already clearly visible. Many people looked at Mito Kadota with suspicion and distrust, and the cursing of Umino Sasuke did not stop. Instead, it became even more vicious because of the suppressed anger.

Meanwhile, on the front lines of the Land of Rivers, at the Konoha camp.

A spatial ripple flashed, and the figures of Umino Sasuke and Hatake Sakumo appeared beside Umino Tobirama.

Before he could even check on the little guy's progress in his training, Hatake Sakumo started complaining.

He glanced around at the familiar tents and busy Konoha ninja, his brows furrowing instantly. His sharp gaze, like a knife, shot towards Umino Sasuke: "Sasuke, this is the Land of Rivers' camp, not Konoha at all. What do you mean by this? Didn't you promise to return to Konoha immediately to see the Hokage? What kind of trouble are you trying to cause now?"

His tone carried a hint of displeasure and wariness, finally revealing some dissatisfaction with Umino Sasuke's ability to stir up trouble.

Faced with Hatake Sagumo's questioning, Umino Sasuke remained unusually calm, even with a hint of solemnity: "Senior Sagumo, please calm down. I did not intend to break the agreement, but there were reasons for it, and I had no choice but to do so."

He paused, his gaze turning towards the Land of Wind, and said in a deep voice, "Senior, think about what we just did. We wiped out the most elite puppeteer force that Sunagakure had accumulated over more than a decade, completely killed Sunagakure's most likely successor to the Kazekage, the genius puppeteer Sunagakure, severely injured Sunagakure Elder Chiyo, and seized a massive number of puppets and core secrets. Do you think Sunagakure will let this go?"

Upon hearing this, Hatake Sakumo frowned even more deeply but did not respond.

Umino Sasuke continued with his worries: "What is Sunagakure's biggest asset on the front lines right now? It's Bunpuku, the monk who has been holding back and guarding the Sunagakure front-line camp. He is currently the only perfect Jinchuriki in the ninja world, with the One-Tailed Shukaku sealed inside him. He is most skilled at manipulating sand!"
Imagine how amplified Shukaku's power would be in this vast Gobi Desert terrain? Could the destructive power of an enraged, perfect Jinchūriki unleashing its full power change the course of a battle?

If we just pack up and leave, leaving these two thousand Konoha ninjas on the front lines of the Land of Rivers here, and once Sunagakure launches a frenzied retaliation, and Monk Bunpuku personally takes action, Senior Sagumo, do you think that Lord Torifu alone can reliably hold off a perfect Jinchuriki who is fighting on his home turf and whose strength has increased many times over?
"Who will protect the soldiers on the front lines then? Who will bear the consequences of the collapse of the defenses and the rivers of blood shed by Konoha ninja?"

Umino Sasuke's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck Hatake Sagumo's heart like a hammer blow.

The scenes he described were exceptionally vivid and brutal.

Hatake Sagumo fell silent. As a top-tier ninja, he naturally understood the terror of a perfect Jinchuriki, especially in an extremely advantageous environment like the desert, where they were a nightmare for large ninja armies.

Thinking of this, his dissatisfaction was replaced by a great sense of responsibility and concern for the safety of his comrades on the front lines. He really could not stand idly by and watch this possibility happen.

Seeing Hatake Sagumo remain silent, Umino Sasuke knew that his words had had an effect. In fact, after the Iron Wall Legion was reorganized and specially trained, the combined ninjutsu system of the five elemental battalions had been completely perfected. The scale, power, and coordination of each combined ninjutsu battalion were in no way inferior to the Earth Release ninja army that Iwagakure was so proud of. In fact, with the exquisite combination of multiple chakra attributes, the power it unleashed had already surpassed the simple Earth Release combined ninjutsu of Iwagakure.

Facing a perfect Jinchuriki, the current Earth Release combined ninjutsu team, while unable to deal with a monster like the Ten-Tails, can still suppress the perfect Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku.

As the actual commander of the Iron Wall Legion, Umino Sasuke naturally knew the true strength of the Iron Wall Legion. In order to get Hatake Sagumo to stay and help, he certainly wouldn't reveal the true combat strength of the Iron Wall Legion. Instead, he would complain that after the reorganization, the time was still short, the coordination was not coordinated, and the combat strength was a bit unstable. He needed a master to take charge.

"Senior Zuoyun, instead of waiting for Sunagakure's revenge, why not take advantage of the fact that we are still on the front lines and Sunagakure's puppet elites have been wiped out and are in a state of shock, and completely crush the main ninja army of Sunagakure guarding the border under Monk Bunfuku, and drive Sunagakure back to the heart of the Land of Wind, so that they will be unable to invade the border again for at least ten years? This is the real solution that will last forever and lay a great foundation for Konoha's invincible cause!"

Then, Sasuke Umino's voice, carrying a persuasive force, continued to urge, "If we return to Konoha now, and if the Hokage, under pressure from the Daimyo's forces, sidelines us and prevents us from going to the front lines, then we will miss the opportunity to defeat Sunagakure. If we allow them to recuperate and make a comeback, it will be too late to regret it. Senpai, don't you want to end this war yourself, to win a more stable environment for Konoha and for Kakashi's future?"

He finally offered the lure of a stable future, precisely hitting Hatake Saigumo's weak spot.

Hatake Sagumo's eyes flickered violently as he struggled internally. The Hokage's orders, his responsibility to Konoha, his worries for the soldiers on the front lines, his fear of the perfect Jinchuriki, his confidence in his own power, his desire to end the war, and his considerations for his son's future... all sorts of thoughts churned in his mind.

Finally, he took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening and becoming firm again, and looked at Umino Sasuke: "You're right, Bunpuku is indeed a huge threat. If we leave him alone, the front lines will be at considerable risk."

Umino Sasuke leaned closer and chuckled softly, "Senpai, so you agree?"

"Yes!" Hatake Sagumo nodded emphatically and made his decision. "Then let's deal with Bunpuku first, crush the main force of Sunagakure, and then return to Konoha in glory. This battle! Victory is the only option, defeat is not an option!"

"That's exactly right!" A glint flashed in Umino Sasuke's eyes, and a weight lifted from his heart. He had successfully persuaded Hatake Sagumo to stay, and his plan was half successful.

Of course, he didn't reveal the deeper reason; he was buying time for the intervention of the Daimyo's government in the Land of Fire.

To bring down Mitokado Homura and completely destroy his political life, making Hiruzen Sarutobi's fate irreversible, relying solely on the internal power struggles within Konoha, the irrefutable evidence in his hands, and Mitokado's "surrender" and defection, felt insufficient to ensure success. It was necessary to introduce the powerful external force of the Fire Country Daimyo to specifically target Hiruzen Sarutobi. However, the Fire Country Daimyo's edict and special envoy would need considerable time to travel from the capital, traverse the vast heartland of the Fire Country, and safely and reliably reach Konoha.

During this period, he must remain on the front lines, maintain a strong presence, and continuously accumulate undisputed military achievements. Returning to Konoha with the prestige of a great victory would be far more advantageous than rushing back now and getting caught in a political vortex.

Once the daimyo's decree arrives, he can then use overwhelming force, with irrefutable evidence in hand, and combined with the daimyo's political pressure, to completely nail Mitomon Homura to the ground, leaving no room for Hiruzen Sarutobi to maneuver or turn the tide.

The front lines of the Land of Rivers are his most important stage now, and also the key springboard for him to ascend to the core of power in Konoha.

Now, he needs a glorious victory that will shake the entire ninja world to pave the way for the coming political storm.

“Then, Senior Sagumo,” Umino Sasuke composed himself and looked at Hatake Sagumo, his tone decisive and swift, “Time is of the essence! Sunagakure has suffered such a heavy blow, and the morale of the army is at its lowest point. We must seize this opportunity, strike while the iron is hot, and finish them off! I will now order the entire army to march out, our target—the Sunagakure front-line garrison oasis—and finish them off in one battle!”

Upon hearing this, Hatake Sagumo's spirits lifted. He was quite satisfied with the decisiveness and ambition that Unno Sasuke was showing at this moment: "That's exactly what I wanted. The sooner the better. If we defeat Sunagakure, we can return to the village to report as soon as possible!"

He seemed somewhat anxious, wanting to defeat the Sand Ninja as soon as possible while also fulfilling his orders to the Hokage.

This time, Sasuke Umino didn't hesitate at all. He immediately turned to the messenger ninja beside him, his voice resounding throughout the camp: "Order! The entire Iron Wall Legion, level one combat readiness! Target: Sunagakure Oasis base! Move out immediately! In this battle, we must annihilate the enemy!"

(End of this chapter)