Konoha Notes

Chapter 43 The Siege of Wasabi
The stench of blood from Wasabi's front yard had already spread to the towering watchtower behind it.

Uchiha Itachi stood motionless at the edge of the rampart like a silent statue. His dark eyes were fixed on the three figures in the courtyard below, figures that cast a shadow of death, and... the katana that was mercilessly reaping lives.

Each flash of the blade was accompanied by the piercing screech of metal breaking and the guttural, teeth-grinding sound of a human body being torn apart.

The screams and roars of the Wasabi family guards seemed pale and powerless in the face of absolute power.

The weasel's fingertips unconsciously tightened on the cold stone surface.

Only three people showed up. This result exceeded Wasabi Jiro's worst-case scenario and deviated from their contingency plan.

If dozens of people arrive, it means that the majority are henchmen of the Tea Mountain Gang, with at most one or two ninjas mixed in. With the strength of Senior Shizune and Senior Anko, and with the help of the Wasabi Clan's guards, they can still manage to hold their own and even repel them.

But only three showed up.

This means that the Black Eclipse Clan, who have been hiding behind the scenes and acting mysteriously, have finally come to the forefront.
These three are very likely the core fighting force of the Black Eclipse Clan, or even their entire force. Just look at the overwhelming, devastating power displayed by the lead warrior with a casual swing of his sword, and the aura emanating from the two behind him…

Danger!

The mission priority must be adjusted immediately: the original plan to repel the enemy is no longer realistic, and the primary objective must be to cover Wasabi Jirocho's evacuation in the chaos!
"Kid." A female voice sounded from behind.

The combat instincts honed through years of training instantly overwhelmed any observation of the environment. Itachi's body twisted violently like a taut bowstring, and the kunai in his hand transformed into a streak of black light, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound, piercing straight towards the source of the sound behind him.

However, an arm seemed to appear out of thin air, moving faster than the eye could perceive! That hand did not block the kunai's edge, but rather, as if brushing against a willow branch, it precisely placed itself on Itachi's wrist joint where he held the blade.

A powerful yet gentle force came from it, and Itachi felt his entire arm go numb instantly. The power he had gathered dissipated in an instant, and the kunai slipped from his hand, falling to the stone bricks at his feet with a "clang".

"Not bad." The voice carried a barely perceptible hint of approval before returning to its usual calm. "I am Shizune's master."

Itachi's tense nerves did not completely relax, but upon hearing the words "Shizune's master," his body instinctively relaxed a little.

He quickly looked up and saw a woman with casually loose blonde hair whose face was breathtaking in the light and shadow.

She was dressed in a simple green robe, leaning against a pillar inside the watchtower. Her eyes swept over the weasel, then turned to the blood-soaked front yard below, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

The woman who appeared at this moment was carefully examined by Itachi. She was an absolute powerhouse. So, perhaps he could continue with the original plan.

"No, I won't do it."

The woman's answer made Itachi frown. Shizune's master should also be a Konoha ninja, so why did she refuse to help?

This doubt flashed by, quickly replaced by a deeper calm. There's always a reason for strength; dwelling on it now is pointless.

Tsunade didn't explain. She suppressed the churning discomfort, raised her right hand, and there were four white slugs, each only the size of a palm, exuding a gentle life force.

"Here you go." She handed the slugs to the weasel with a swift and decisive motion. "Stick them to your body. I will use them to transfer my chakra to you." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the fierce battle below. "As for the other three, you know who to give them to. With them around, as long as they don't die on the spot..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

"Where's your captain, Shuuji?" Tsunade suddenly asked.

“The captain has his own mission.” Itachi’s answer was concise and clear, devoid of any emotion. He obediently placed a small slug under his shoulder. Almost the instant it touched his skin, a vast, warm, and inexhaustible stream of pure chakra, like a hot spring, flowed from the slug’s tiny body, quickly filling his limbs and bones.

This amount of chakra... Itachi's heart was in turmoil, but his face remained calm. He quickly and carefully put away the remaining three slugs, and turned his gaze downwards again.

The front yard, a scroll of hell.

More than half of the guards of the Wasabi family have been killed or wounded.

Limbs and broken weapons were mixed together, and blood stained the bluestone slabs dark red. Jubei walked with the ease of a stroll, each swing of his sword precisely taking one or more lives.

Behind him, the man on his left, whose left arm was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages and whose bone claws were grotesque, looked on indifferently as if admiring a work of art; the figure on his right, shrouded in an oilcloth cloak and carrying a huge gourd, was as silent as a rock, his aura even more obscure and difficult to understand.

"enough!"

A dark purple figure, like a cheetah hunting its prey, burst forth from the shadows of the side hall!

Mitarashi Anko's eyes blazed with fury, and the hem of her brand-new trench coat fluttered in the wind.

"Latent Shadow Snake Hand!"

The brown venomous snake hissed fiercely, shooting like an arrow to seize Jubei's throat, heart, and lower body! The attack was ruthless, fueled by a long-suppressed rage!
Almost at the same time that Hongdou made her move, another figure in dark blue swept into the arena like a wisp of smoke.

Shizune's expression was grave, her movements swift as the wind. She didn't attack directly, but instead instantly flashed to the side of several heavily wounded and fallen guards. A luminous green medical chakra instantly shone in her hands, like a beacon of life, attempting to stabilize their rapidly draining vitality.

Jubei paused slightly in his sword-wielding motion.

snake?!

Those sharp, hawk-like eyes precisely captured the Leaf Village symbol on Anko's headband, as well as her angry, young face.

It's her! The female ninja who stood guard at the city gate alongside the Konoha Jonin! She and Orochimaru...

What about the other little devil? Is he lying in ambush nearby? Or is he at sea? If the messenger was protected by that little devil alone, why hasn't the First Eclipse returned? Could such a mere little devil possibly stop the First Eclipse?

Who is the other ninja? Is he from Konoha, or was he hired by the Wasabi family?

The ninja who had been waiting finally appeared, but Jubei's doubts only grew stronger.

The situation seems to be getting out of control.

But the arrow has already left the bow!

The doubt in Jubei's eyes was instantly replaced by a deeper ruthlessness.

Regardless of what other plans Konoha may have, the immediate priority is to achieve the goal as quickly as possible—Wasabi Jirocho must die!

With a flick of his wrist, the blood-stained katana flashed with a chilling light, easily shattering the attacking venomous snake. The momentum didn't end there; the icy blade, carrying unparalleled killing intent, pointed directly at Shizune, who was shielding the wounded, and Red Bean, who had just landed and assumed a fighting stance!

(End of this chapter)