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

Chapter 357 Sound Ninja Village
"Hmph!" Kakuzu snorted coldly.

He directed his men to quickly "receive" the mountain of spoils, especially Brubi, who was bound by numerous talismans, and a greedy smile of "satisfaction" appeared on his face.

This dramatic scene of "unequal distribution of spoils" leading to "fractured alliances" was clearly observed by the eyes and ears of all parties and quickly spread throughout the ninja world through various channels.

Almost everyone was convinced that the Land of Waves had displayed greed and powerful naval strength, while the Konoha forces, represented by Sasuke Umino, had suffered a great loss in the distribution of benefits in the Land of Whirlpools, and the two sides had reached the point of completely breaking off relations.

Given such enormous profits, it's no wonder that the Land of Waves' business alliance, which prioritizes the interests of others, broke up. This gives the Land of Waves' subsequent actions and Sasuke Umino's situation in Konoha a veneer of "reasonableness."

Meanwhile, the Uzumaki clan also completed its "split" on the ruins of Uzumaki Village.

With a somber expression, the Uzumaki clan chief led most of the able-bodied members and young children, under the "persuasion" of the ninja army of the Land of Waves—or rather, under pressure from the daimyo of the three kingdoms of Fire, Water, and Lightning—to formally announce that the Uzumaki clan would relinquish its independent sovereignty over the Land of Whirlpools and be incorporated into the Land of Waves as "Whirlpool Village," accepting its protection and jurisdiction. Of course, outwardly, they would be called Whirlpool Village, but internally they would all call themselves Sound Village. Moreover, while the ninja village of the Land of Waves was ostensibly located on the ruins of Whirlpool Village, its main military force was actually hidden on the Angkor Fortress Islands.

At this moment, the Uzumaki Elder, an old man with white hair and beard, the younger brother of Uzumaki Mito, and a living fossil left over from the era of the God of Shinobi, was leading a group of equally white-haired old clansmen whose expressions were filled with "sorrow" and "disappointment," as well as a box symbolically containing the ancient genealogy of the Land of Whirlpools and a few national treasures, as he slowly boarded Umino Sasuke's ship.

He stood on the ship's railing, taking one last look back at his homeland, now reduced to scorched earth. Two streams of tears flowed from his cloudy old eyes. He looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh, filled with accusation against Konoha's betrayal and worry for the future of his people.

He followed Umino Sasuke into Konoha not only to diversify the Uzumaki clan's investments and better ensure the clan's survival, but also to go to Konoha as the most undeniable victim and creditor, to demand an explanation!
Konoha's betrayal and treachery during the crisis of its allies' destruction must come at a price. He must strive for the best resettlement, the highest compensation, and the safest guarantee for the elderly, women, children, and clansmen who followed him to Konoha; at the same time, he must also strive for potential political support from Konoha for his clansmen who joined the Land of Waves.

With his high seniority, deep blood ties to the Senju clan, and the fact that the Konoha leadership was utterly in the wrong, he was absolutely confident that he could flood Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk with a list of claims and leave the Hokage Building in a state of chaos.

More importantly, once this Elder Uzumaki enters Konoha, he will be almost another Mito Uzumaki. Apart from being weaker, his political influence is no less than that of Mito Uzumaki. He can easily enter the power center of Konoha and become the most reliable political ally of the Umino clan!
Elder Uzumaki's political experience and influence are enough to make him bang on the table at elders' meetings, and at crucial moments, he can also speak up for the interests of the Land of Waves.

Therefore, the "split" of the Vortex Clan is not just a consideration of diversifying investments, but also a far-sighted political maneuver.

……

The dilapidated coastline of the Land of Whirlpools gradually blurred from view.

The transport ship, laden with the Whirlpool Clan and their spoils, cleaved through the azure waves and sailed steadily toward the Land of Fire.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy scent, blew across the deck and ruffled the pale beard and hair of the Whirlpool Elder. This old man, who had experienced the turmoil of the Warring States period and witnessed the fall of his homeland, no longer wore the sorrowful accusations of those who stood amidst the ruins. Instead, his face was filled with a profound solemnity and contemplation.

Leaning on an old wooden cane that symbolized his status, he walked with a slightly unsteady but unusually firm gait toward Umino Sasuke, who stood at the bow of the ship.

Sasuke Umino was gazing into the distance from the railing, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through the endless sea. The fluctuations of his chakra had long since subsided, but the oppressive aura of suppressing the Eight-Tails and dominating the entire battle still lingered around him, causing the Uzumaki clan members who approached to instinctively feel awe.

"Chief Umino." The Great Elder's voice was old yet steady, carrying a profound weight from the bottom of his heart.

Hearing the voice, Umino Sasuke turned around, his face showing just the right amount of gentleness and respect: "Elder, why did you come up to the deck? The sea breeze is strong, you should rest more."

The elder waved his hand, his cloudy yet still sharp eyes staring directly at Umino Sasuke, and bowed deeply: "On behalf of the entire Uzumaki clan, I thank Clan Chief Umino for saving our lives! If it weren't for the clan chief's efforts to turn the tide and his strategic planning, my Uzumaki clan would probably have been wiped out!"

Umino Sasuke quickly stepped forward and supported the old man's arm: "Elder, you flatter me! We are all of the Senju lineage, and it is only right that we help each other. Moreover, Lady Mito has been very kind to my Umino clan. How can Umino Sasuke stand by and watch Uzumaki suffer?"

The elder straightened up, a complex emotion on his face: "Sister Mito? If she were alive today, I wonder if she would feel gratified or sigh upon seeing the situation."

Then, he paused, his eyes becoming extremely solemn, even with a hint of determination, "Clan Chief Haiye, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace! After much consideration, I have decided to impart to you the core secrets of my Whirlpool Clan's sealing technique, which has been passed down for thousands of years!"

He beckoned, and a member of the Whirlpool Clan standing nearby carefully took out a giant scroll, which was a copy of the Whirlpool Seal Inheritance.

The atmosphere on the deck instantly became solemn.

The surrounding Uzumaki clan members, whether old or young, instinctively held their breath, their eyes focused on the scroll, their expressions complex. They knew the weight of this scroll; it was the foundation upon which their clan had made their living and stood proudly in the ninja world.

However, Sasuke Umino's reaction was unexpected by everyone.

He showed no sign of greed or excitement; instead, he remained calm, even with a hint of gentle apology, and firmly pushed back the scroll offered by the Grand Elder.

"Elder, this item is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

The elder was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Clan Chief Umino, why is this? I had no intention of testing you! This is from the bottom of my heart, hoping only to repay your great kindness and find a strong ally for the Uzumaki clan in Konoha!"

Umino Sasuke shook his head, his gaze honest and clear: "Senior misunderstands. I am not arrogant, nor do I look down on the Uzumaki Sealing Technique. On the contrary, I know its profoundness and unparalleled skill in the ninja world. It is a treasure of the Uzumaki clan's bloodline, the crystallization of the wisdom of countless ancestors, and the cornerstone for the Uzumaki clan's future resurgence! How could my Umino clan take advantage of a favor and commit such an act that is almost plunder?"

His tone was earnest, his gaze sweeping over the whirlpool clan members around him, whose faces showed tension and anticipation: "Today, our two clans are in the same boat, and our friendship is deep, so naturally we can talk about anything. However, the world is ever-changing, and people's hearts are unpredictable. If I accept this today, but there are disagreements in the future, this matter will become a thorn in the side of our two clans, and may even become a pretext for others to accuse the Umino clan of 'ingratitude and scheming.' This is not what I want, nor is it the way the Umino clan conducts itself."

Sasuke Umino's refusal was made with a clear and sincere reason, full of respect for the Uzumaki clan's heritage and long-term consideration for the future relationship between the two clans.

These words moved not only the Grand Elder, but also brought tears to the eyes of the surrounding Uzumaki clan members. The last trace of resentment they felt from being "forced to hand over their inheritance" vanished, replaced by deep admiration for Umino Sasuke's character.

The elder's hand holding the scroll trembled slightly, and his voice was choked with emotion: "Clan Chief Umino, what are you doing... Alas! But I am truly at peace with myself. If we do not repay this immense kindness, how can the Uzumaki clan maintain its foothold in Konoha?"

Looking at the worry and persistence in the old man's eyes, Umino Sasuke knew that without offering a way out, this stubborn old clan chief would likely find it difficult to let go.

He hesitated for a moment, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile: "If the Grand Elder insists on helping, I do have a request. This matter is of utmost importance to my Umino clan, and only the Grand Elder, the number one sealing master in the ninja world, can handle it. Moreover, this matter is not a major blow to the Uzumaki clan."

"Oh? Chief Umino, please speak freely! As long as it is within my power, I will do my utmost!"

The elder was invigorated; he was willing to pay any price to repay the family's debt of gratitude.

"Elder, you flatter me. You truly deserve the title of the greatest sealing master in the ninja world." Umino Sasuke offered a small compliment, then said seriously, "Elder, are you aware of the Water Cane and Black Rope Secret Techniques that my Umino clan is renowned for? These two techniques are quite powerful, however—"

He changed the subject, adding a touch of just the right amount of "regret": "In terms of 'sealing' and 'imprisonment,' there are still shortcomings. Although the Water Candy Secret Technique has strong adhesiveness, it is easily broken or neutralized when facing top-level experts or special escape techniques; while the Black Rope Secret Technique is also tough and flexible, it is more than enough to trap enemies, and its effect of sealing the flow of chakra is far less sophisticated than the Uzumaki Secret Technique."

If we could integrate the Uzumaki clan's chakra sealing, imprisonment, and rune stabilization techniques into our clan's Mizugae and Black Rope Secret Techniques, giving them both binding and powerful sealing effects, then our Umino Secret Techniques would be completely transformed and their power would be multiplied!

Given time, it may very well rival the secret techniques passed down through generations of the prestigious Konoha clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho!
"And in all the world, only you and the sealing masters of the Uzumaki clan could accomplish this!"

After saying that, Sasuke Umino's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"I see!" Upon hearing this, the elder's cloudy old eyes instantly shone with an astonishing brilliance. It was the excitement of encountering a top-level academic problem, and even more so, the relief of finding the perfect way to repay a debt of gratitude.

He straightened his back a bit, and the pride and confidence of a sealing master returned to his face: "Clan Chief Haiye, rest assured! This is my forte. When it comes to sealing, my Whirlpool Clan does have some experience. Integrating sealing power into binding techniques is challenging, but it is by no means without a path. The suppleness and permeability of the water candy can bear the subtle sealing runes; the black rope has a stable physical form and can also serve as an excellent carrier and medium for sealing energy! Clan Chief, this is truly a genius idea!"

He slapped his cane forcefully and declared with boundless pride, "To repay the great kindness of the Umino clan, and to prove the worth of my Uzumaki clan, I hereby swear! I will dedicate the remaining strength of my entire clan and exhaust all my knowledge to perfecting the Water Candy and Black Rope techniques for the Umino clan! If I do not develop these two techniques to a level comparable to the Ino-Shika-Cho secret techniques, how can I still have the face to call myself a member of the Uzumaki clan?!"

These words resonated deeply, brimming with the courage and responsibility of the older generation of ninjas.

The surrounding Uzumaki clan members straightened their backs, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Researching sealing techniques was their forte, and being able to repay a debt of gratitude and demonstrate their value was precisely what they excelled at and were most willing to do. Umino Sasuke smiled gratefully and solemnly bowed to the Elder and all the Uzumaki clan members: "In that case, we will trouble you all! The Umino clan is eternally grateful!"

Seeing the Uzumaki clan's generosity, Umino Sasuke felt a little embarrassed. After all, he had already copied the Book of Seals in the Uzumaki Treasury, and the core inheritance was in his hands.

At this moment, this embarrassed expression, in the eyes of the Uzumaki clan, made Umino Sasuke's image of selfless kindness even more admirable. They became even more determined to perfect Umino's secret technique, otherwise how could they repay the great kindness of the Umino clan?

Sasuke Umino's intention in guiding the Uzumaki clan to focus on researching the Water Candy and Black Rope Seal Enhancement was twofold. On one hand, it was to guide this "repayment" in a direction most beneficial to the Umino clan, increasing the power of Umino's secret techniques. On the other hand, it was to help these Uzumaki clan members, who were newly arrived in Konoha and filled with anxiety, find a sense of value and belonging, and to firmly bind them to the Umino clan's chariot.

The Uzumaki clan's sealing skills are indeed unparalleled. Sasuke Umino's own sealing techniques are based on the secret teachings of Iwagakure, and his style is inclined towards "solid and heavy", "physical isolation" and "powerful suppression", like a rock wall. The essence of the Uzumaki sealing techniques is all-encompassing, and even involves the interference of energy, soul sealing and the understanding of the origin of chakra.

Of course, the Rock Hidden Seal is not without its merits. Its earth-style barrier techniques, physical seals, and gravity suppression seals, while consuming a lot of chakra, are quite direct and powerful.

The seal that Umino Sasuke applied to the Book of Seals was a composite seal that combined the "heavy and solid" nature of Iwagakure with some of his self-developed "trigger trap" concepts, forming an extremely tough and heavy composite seal.

Faced with this complex seal, the sealing team of Kumogakure might not be weak in terms of overall strength, but it would not be easy to break it safely. Of course, they also had concerns, fearing that forcibly breaking the seal would damage the Book of the Vortex Seal. Therefore, they could only be careful and use the gentlest and most time-consuming method to analyze and peel it away little by little.

It took several days and nights.

The elite ninjas of the Cloud Village Sealing Team, their eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, silently disintegrated on the sealing platform as the last rune chain broke.

The entire Cloud Hidden Sealing Chamber erupted in long-suppressed cheers. The Cloud Hidden Elder in charge of the matter was so excited that his beard trembled, and he couldn't wait to step forward and unleash this legendary Vortex Treasure.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the scroll...

hum-

At the center of the scroll, the hidden black runes suddenly lit up, and a spatial ripple appeared.

Immediately afterwards, a devastating energy surge erupted like a flood bursting its banks, leaving no time to react!
Rumble rumble rumble rumble—!!!
The deafening explosion instantly engulfed the central area of ​​Kumogakure.

It wasn't a single explosion, but a terrifying roar that was continuous and layered like a torrential downpour.

The blinding flames and shockwaves instantly tore apart the solid outer walls of the Cloud Shadow Building, turning its internal structure into dust. The shockwaves spread wildly in all directions in a spherical shape.

Wherever it went, nearby administrative buildings, ninja hospitals, important archives... were easily torn apart, blown away, and set on fire, like paper toys!
Nearly a million explosive tags, imprinted from the explosive blade's droplets, released terrifying explosive energy through a multiplicative explosion, far exceeding the energy released during the explosion in Kirigakure!

"Do not--!!!"

Xiao Ai, who was fortunate enough to be out of the core area, stared in horror at the flames and mushroom cloud of death rising in the center of the village, and let out a heart-wrenching roar.

He had gloated over the tragedy that befell Kirigakure last time, but he never expected that the same nightmare would descend upon his Hidden Cloud Village in an even more intense way, and in the very heart of the village!

The damage from this explosion was even more severe than the destruction caused by the Iwagakure spies last time.

Half of the core area of ​​Kumogakure was reduced to scorched earth and rubble. Countless precious documents, ninja tools, and supplies that could not be moved in time were destroyed, not to mention the casualties of a large number of elite ninjas and civilians in and around the epicenter of the explosion.

The Hidden Cloud Village, a ninja village known for its strength and toughness, suffered one of the heaviest blows since its founding, leaving it severely weakened.

"Multiply each other's detonating talismans!"

Xiao Ai gritted her teeth, clearly recognizing this forbidden technique from Konoha.

At this moment, overwhelming rage was almost burning away his reason. He wished he could immediately muster his troops, march on Konoha, and tear Unno Sasuke to pieces.

However, the harsh reality is staring them in the face: the village is in ruins, the people are filled with fear, and it urgently needs reconstruction and stability; the Third Raikage is seriously injured and in a coma, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki has been captured; the main force of the Uzumaki clan is still alive and has joined the Land of Waves, and the strength of the navy shown by the Land of Waves and the greedy yet powerful Kakuzu make the Hidden Cloud Village hesitant to act.

Ultimately, under the desperate persuasion of the elders and practical considerations, Acting Raikage Aiolos could only channel his boundless rage into an unprecedentedly harsh diplomatic letter, like a declaration of war, which he hurled at the Konoha Hokage's office, demanding that Konoha severely punish the "war criminal" Sasuke Unno and compensate Kumogakure for all its losses.

He knew perfectly well that this furious letter might not achieve its goal immediately, but it at least demonstrated Yunyin's relentless attitude and laid the groundwork for possible negotiations or retaliation later on.

As for the Land of Waves, the acting Raikage, Aiolia, adopted a much more subtle and "gentle" attitude. Although this gentleness is still considered equivalent to toughness in the Hidden Cloud Village's dictionary, it already indicates that the Hidden Cloud Village is in a difficult situation.

Meanwhile, the envoy sent by Kumogakure, carrying the order to redeem the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Burubi, at all costs as soon as possible, finally arrived in the Land of Waves.

However, when the Cloud Village envoy arrived in the Land of Waves with an air of "command" and a ransom list that they considered quite "generous,"

What awaited them was Kakuzu's expressionless face, which revealed extreme greed and calculation, and the diplomatic rhetoric from the Land of Waves that "the feelings of the Uzumaki clan must be considered."

“I understand your feelings, Your Excellency.” Kakuzu’s voice was dry and cold, his eerie green eyes sweeping over the list as if it were a pile of waste paper. “Mr. Brubi is indeed ‘visiting’ our country, but your village seems to have overlooked a crucial issue.”

Then, he slowly took out a document and said in a deep voice: "The Land of Whirlpools has been incorporated into the Land of Waves in its entirety, in accordance with the wishes of the Whirlpool Clan and the formal treaty of the Daimyo of the Land of Water."

The Hidden Cloud Village played an extremely disgraceful role as an aggressor during the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, causing immeasurable and enormous losses to the former Whirlpool Village and its people.

Don't you deserve reparations for the buildings you destroyed, the wealth you plundered, the civilians you murdered, and the war wounds you inflicted on the people of the Land of Whirlpools?!
As the protector of Uzushio Village, the Land of Waves has the responsibility and obligation to avenge this blood debt from Kumogakure for our new people!
Mr. Bruby is just a small part of this reckoning!

Kakuzu's voice was quite forceful, and the pressure of a Kage-level aura made the Cloud Village envoy gasp for breath.

The Cloud Village envoy's face was ashen as he tried to argue that Cloud Village was also a victim, but Kakuzu completely ignored him, insisting that Cloud Village had invaded first and that the Land of Waves was acting on behalf of Heaven and upholding justice.

Ransom? It's negotiable, but "war reparations" to the Land of Whirlpools must be paid first. And the amount of this reparations, according to Kakuzu, skyrocketed to an astronomical figure that almost made the Cloud Village envoy faint.

The negotiations immediately stalled, and the atmosphere became tense.

Just as the Cloud Village Messenger was so enraged by Kakuzu's greed and "fallacies" that he was about to storm off,

As if "unintentionally," Kakuzu muttered a low "complaint" to the respectfully standing official from the Land of Waves beside him, his voice just loud enough for the envoy to hear:
"Sigh, the seal inside that Burubi is very unstable and could go berserk at any time. Just in case, it seems we have no choice but to consider activating 'Plan B'. Although there are considerable risks, it's better than letting the Eight-Tails run rampant within the territory..."

"Plan B?" Upon hearing this, the official from the Land of Waves showed a nervous expression. "Sir, you mean transferring the Eight-Tails into an elite Uzumaki ninja? Isn't that too risky? We have no experience with this. What if it fails..."

Kakuzu waved his hand impatiently: "Risk and reward go hand in hand. If we succeed, our Land of Waves will truly possess its own 'ultimate weapon,' enough to deter all sides! It's better than keeping a 'bomb' that could explode at any moment, right? Go, have the sealing team and the Uzumaki clan prepare a plan. If they really can't reach an agreement, then activate Plan B!"

This "whispered" conversation struck the Cloud Hidden Envoy like a bolt from the blue, instantly chilling him to the bone and soaking his back in cold sweat.

(End of this chapter)