Naruto: Nawaki was already dead, how could you bring him back to life?

He seemed to be deliberately toying with Chiba and the others. The transparent cube flew at an extremely slow speed, like the Sword of Damocles, hovering over their heads and refusing to fall.

"Get out of the way!"

Even though they knew that Onoki was trying to toy with them, Chiba and the others still dodged around as fast as they could.

"Pointless struggle!"

Onoki crossed his arms and watched the scene with a cold smile.

At the speed of Chiba and the other two, they couldn't possibly escape the range of "Original World Stripping".

Clang!

However, at that moment, a flash of lightning appeared from not far away, as if it had pierced the sky and arrived in an instant, accurately stabbing the transparent cube that was floating towards Chiba and the other two.

The next instant, a piercing sound, like a hundred birds chirping, caught up with them, making everyone along the way's eardrums buzz.

"Hatake-ryu - Hundred Birds Sharp Spear!"

This was a long spear composed of dozens of fine lightning bolts, like mosquitoes gathering into thunder, which slammed into the transparent cube while spinning at high speed.

boom!

The balance inside the transparent cube was broken, and it exploded instantly in a dazzling burst of electricity, unleashing an annihilation force powerful enough to separate matter into atomic states (Book of Arrays).

Bang!

The annihilating power of "Original Realm Stripping" was released in mid-air, but the terrifying energy generated by its explosion still remained, slamming into the ground with undiminished force, directly sending Chiba and the other two flying.

"Pfft...cough cough cough!"

Chiba fell to the ground in a sorry state, his internal organs shaken violently. He rolled over and vomited. Nawaki and Kosuke were in no better shape than him.

"Ok?"

At this moment, Onoki's attention was no longer on Chiba and the others.

He turned his head slightly to look at the silver-haired man who had come like a streak of lightning and landed directly in front of him not far away.

"Sakumo Hatake, if I remember correctly, that's your name, isn't it?"

Looking at the exhausted Sakumo, Onoki asked with some doubt, "Even in your prime, you wouldn't stand a chance against me. Are you here to die?"

"It's Lord Sakumo..."

"Lord Sakumo has arrived!"

Whispers arose within the Konoha army ranks, and the expressions on everyone's faces varied.

"Chiba, Konoha's White Fang is here! We're saved!"

Nawaki scrambled to Chiba's side, grabbed his arm, and burst into tears.

"Shh, keep your voice down. Let's stay away and observe the situation."

Chiba comforted Nawaki, and the two of them helped Kosuke, who had strained his back. Taking advantage of Onoki's temporary distraction, they quietly began to retreat.

"Lord Tsuchikage is joking."

Under everyone's gaze, Sakumo spoke up neither humbly nor arrogantly: "I've come only to ask Lord Tsuchikage a question: Are you going to personally intervene in the war in the Land of Rain?"

Upon hearing Sakumo's words, Onoki frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed.

"Of course not. I came here only to avenge my nephew. These three were put forward by your Konoha to appease my anger."

The repeated wars between the Fire and Earth kingdoms in the Rain Kingdom are essentially just a means to seize the Rain Kingdom's interests.

However, if Onoki were to personally intervene, the nature of the war would change, and the scale of the war would expand further, potentially leading to a fight to the death between the two sides.

Facing someone of Sakumo's caliber, Onoki naturally couldn't treat him as casually as he had treated the previous small fry, so he gave a careful explanation.

"So, he actually doesn't dare to attack us at all?"

"No wonder he was so patient, waiting for us to hand him over," the Konoha ninja whispered among themselves.

"Then you must have misunderstood."

At this moment, Sakumo spoke again: "No matter their identity or reason, Konoha will never hand over any of our comrades. If you want to kill them, you will be making an enemy of everyone here!"

"Oh, is it so?"

Onoki sneered upon hearing this.

"Are you so sure I won't dare to make a move? I can easily kill dozens of people. Do you think Hiruzen Sarutobi would fight me to the death for those people?"

"No, no, no, Lord Tsuchikage."

Sakumo Hatake shook his head and said, "As I said, if you want to kill them, you will be making an enemy of everyone here. You will have to kill us all."

"Hahaha, I think you're the one joking, Hatake Sakumo."

Onoki laughed loudly in mid-air: "Why don't you turn around and ask the people behind you how many of them are willing to die for those three?"

Not far away, the hearts of Chiba and his two companions instantly leaped into their throats.

"It's over, I feel like it's going to be a disaster," Chiba lamented inwardly.

If these people were willing, they wouldn't have been tricked into coming. Besides, Chiba asked himself honestly, and he didn't think he would willingly sacrifice himself for a few strangers...

"They will!"

Sakumo said firmly.

"Because if we hand over these three people today, they might be the ones to be handed over tomorrow. If we turn a blind eye to our own compatriots, they will eventually find themselves isolated and helpless."

"Because these three people are the age of most of the parents and children present, put yourself in their shoes, no one would give up their parents and children just to appease them."

"Of course, the most important point is..."

Sakumo drew his short sword "White Fang" from his back and said coldly, "If anyone dares to betray their own people, I will kill them without the Tsuchikage having to lift a finger!"

After saying that, Sakumo turned around, his cold gaze sweeping over the group of Konoha ninjas like an ice blade.

"I've finished speaking. Who agrees? Who disagrees?"

The Konoha ninjas fell silent, trembling with fear. After a long while, one of the Konoha ninjas, who was already unwilling to accept defeat, stepped forward and roared.

"I agree! When I fought against Sunagakure, it was Dr. Chiba who saved my life. I'll just repay him with this worthless life!"

"And this old man! I also received help from Dr. Chiba, but I was unable to step forward immediately, for which I feel deeply ashamed!"

“That kid Rope Tree took a knife for me on the battlefield before. I was disloyal; I didn’t even have the guts to say a word of justice for him just now…”

With someone taking the lead, a steady stream of Konoha ninjas soon stepped forward.

"I've had enough. My son is about the same age as them. Looking at them reminds me of my son. Even if I die, I, Lao Liu, would never do such a despicable thing as selling my child!"

"Yes, we risk our lives on the battlefield so that the children in the village can grow up safely. This little kid is already on the battlefield at such a young age and has just earned merit. Who would be so heartless as to hand him over?"

"I agree with Lord Sakumo!"

"I agree! I'm going all in today!"

With each person stepping forward, Onoki's expression grew increasingly grim, while Sakumo's smile deepened.

"Did you hear that, Lord Tsuchikage?"

Sakumo turned around again, his short sword pointing at Onoki, and spoke with a burning gaze.

"So, does Iwagakure intend to wage a full-scale war against Konoha?!"

Before Sakumo could finish speaking, the Konoha ninja behind him had already raised their weapons and roared in response.

"Fight, fight, fight!"

"Fight, fight, fight!"

The unanimous, triumphant voices of the Konoha members resounded through the clouds!

"Chiba, it seems we don't have to die!"

Nawaki, who had quietly circled behind Sakumo, hugged Chiba again, wiping his tears and snot all over Chiba's body.

"Don't be so optimistic, Rope Tree."

Chiba's expression remained solemn. Whether they could survive ultimately depended on whether this Tsuchikage had any shame.

Chapter 27 Betraying me? You're doomed!

In mid-air, Onoki's expression shifted between light and dark.

He hadn't expected that Sakumo Hatake could unite hundreds of people in Konoha so quickly with just a few words.

This junior's skill in managing people is just as adept as his!

"I should have known better than to give him a chance to speak. I should have just killed those three!" Onoki said with some regret.

However, there's nothing that can be done about it. After all, as the Kage of the village, he represents the face of Iwagakure and can't really do whatever he wants.

pat, pat.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind, followed by several shouts.

"Nara Shikaku is leading the support team!"

"Uchiha Fugaku has led his troops to provide reinforcements!"

"...!"

In the Konoha army formation, a ninja couldn't help but begin to doubt his ears.

"What the hell? Did I hear that right?"

"Damn it, even the Uchiha clan is here, let's just go for it!"

The Konoha ninjas were spurred on, and they became even more motivated and spirited, as if they had been injected with chicken blood!

"What a fine Sakumo Hatake..."

One by one, Konoha squads merged into the battle formation. Onoki gave Sakumo a deep look. He knew that he could no longer lay a hand on those three today.

Suddenly, Onoki seemed to have thought of something, and a strange smile appeared on his face.

"With your strategic brilliance and commanding presence, you are truly a force to be reckoned with! The next Hokage position is undoubtedly yours!"

Onoki's loud exclamation, seemingly from the bottom of his heart, reached the ears of every Konoha ninja present.