Naruto: I have an attribute panel

Chapter 469 Counterattack

Taiichi's gaze slowly swept over Itachi's serious little face, then turned to Eta and Yami, who had equally determined eyes.

The three children straightened their backs, their youthful faces filled with determination, as if at this moment they had shed their immaturity and truly become capable ninjas.

The wind in the canyon ruffled the stray hairs on their foreheads, and the sounds of battle from the distant battlefield could be faintly heard.

Taiyi remained silent for a moment, then a relieved smile gradually appeared on his lips.

"Go ahead," he said softly, his voice calm yet trusting. "Be careful."

The eyes of all three children lit up at the same time.

Jiang Tai clenched his fist tightly, Ya Mei took a deep breath, and Itachi nodded solemnly. They had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

Taiyi turned to Huangtu beside him, his tone becoming businesslike: "Lord Huangtu, could you please arrange their combat positions? Although they are young, their strength has already reached the level of a typical Chunin, and they can undertake some frontline support missions."

Huang Tu's honest eyes swept over the three little ones, then looked at Taiyi, a complex expression on his face.

He knew, of course, that these three children were among the best of Konoha's new generation. The fact that Matsushita Taichi had brought them out on a mission at such a young age spoke volumes.

"Understood."

Huang Tu nodded; without asking any further questions, he turned to a scarred Iwagakure Jonin beside him and instructed, "Akaiwa, take these three Konoha lads to the front line and assign them to the Third Defense Zone to assist in the defense there."

"Yes!" The Jonin named Akaiwa responded. His gaze lingered on the three children for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The chakra fluctuations of these three children were much stronger than he had expected.

"Follow me," Chiyan said simply, and took the lead towards the canyon defense line.

The three little ones bowed to Taiyi and Huangtu, then quickly followed Chiyan.

Jiang Tai walked at the back, and before turning around, he winked at Tai Yi, his eyes seeming to say, "Teacher, watch us!"

""

Taiyi smiled and watched them leave. Only when the three figures disappeared around the corner between the tents did he slowly raise his right hand and form a hand seal.

Shadow Clone Technique.

A wisp of white smoke appeared, and a shadow clone identical to Taiyi appeared beside him.

The shadow clone nodded to the main body, then its figure flickered and silently followed.

The fact that he openly had his shadow clone follow and protect him right in front of Huang Tu was a way of intimidating Huang Tu. After all, the two families had only recently ended their hostile relationship, so it was still necessary to take precautions.

Huang Tu took in all of this, his expression becoming even more complex. He stroked his rough chin and finally couldn't help but say, "Konoha's talent cultivation is truly meticulous."

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These words were quite meaningful, seemingly expressing appreciation for Konoha's emphasis on and protection of the younger generation, while also carrying a subtle, ambiguous implication.

Is it envy? Or mockery?

Perhaps even the loess itself can't explain it.

Taiichi turned to look at the yellow earth, his deep black eyes calm and unwavering: "They are all the future of Konoha. Before they truly mature, proper protection is necessary, just as Iwagakure wouldn't expose young geniuses to dangers they can't handle too early, right?"

Huang Tu paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile: "You're right."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, "Just seeing them reminds me of the children in our village—"

After the Third Shinobi World War, Iwagakure lost too many outstanding young people.

The atmosphere became somewhat heavy. Two ninjas from rival villages stood together for the same responsibility: to protect their homeland and nurture the hope of the next generation.

"Let's go," Taiyi broke the silence. "It's time to discuss serious matters."

The two entered the main tent one after the other.

The tent was simply furnished, with a huge topographical map spread out on the wooden table in the center, and a few chairs scattered around it.

Several Jonin from Iwagakure were already waiting there. When they saw the two enter, they all stood up and bowed.

Huang Tu walked to the head seat and gestured for Taiyi to sit next to him. After the two were seated, the others took their seats in turn.

"Let's begin," Huang Tu said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "Lord Taiyi has already located the exact location of the demon's true form and brought back important intelligence. Now, we need to formulate the next course of action."

All eyes were on Taiyi.

Without wasting any words, Taiyi recounted in detail what he had seen and heard through his shadow clone.

"The true form of the demon is located within the territory of the Swamp Country, about 100 kilometers from our current defense line. Its form is similar to that described in the records, but it is much larger, standing 100 meters tall, with five dragon heads, its body covered in purplish-black scales, and radiating strong negative energy fluctuations."

His voice was calm and clear, and everyone in the tent held their breath.

"There are two most troublesome points." Taiyi held up two fingers. "First, it is indeed as legendary as it is said, capable of continuously creating ghost legions. And perhaps because it has accumulated enough power, it began creating new monsters as soon as I saw it. You have all seen those little dragon-shaped monsters."

"A vengeful spirit?" a Jonin from Iwagakure asked, frowning.

"Similar to a ghost, it's semi-solid, and ordinary sword attacks are barely effective. You need ninjutsu with chakra nature transformation to kill it effectively," Taiichi explained. "Fire Release and Lightning Release are the most effective."

A murmur rippled through the tent. Huang Tu's expression grew even more grave: "No wonder those troublesome monsters suddenly appeared at the front lines."

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"Secondly," Taiyi continued, "Kuiliang possesses considerable intelligence and is capable of direct mental communication. It attempted to recruit me and revealed some information; the Akatsuki organization is indeed behind all of this."

They helped the demon break free of its seal, promising to provide it with nourishment—the negative emotions generated by war, death, and fear.

In exchange, the demons need to restrain the power of the five great nations at the appropriate time.

"The right time?" Huang Tu keenly grasped the key point.

"The demon didn't specify, or rather, it doesn't care," Taiyi shook his head. "Its goal is clear: to devour enough negative energy to restore its full power, and then—turn the entire world into its nourishment."

A brief silence fell inside the tent.

A younger Jonin from Iwagakure couldn't help but curse, "These Akatsuki lunatics! Do they even know what they're doing?"

""

"Of course they know," another older ninja sneered. "That's precisely why they did it. Chaos is what they want to see."

Huang Tu tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention back: "Now is not the time to discuss the Akatsuki's motives. Lord Taiyi, what is your assessment of the combat strength of the true form of the demon?"

Taiyi pondered for a moment: "Judging from the energy level, it is no weaker than the Nine-Tails in its complete form. My shadow clones did not directly fight it, but I could sense that it contained an extremely large amount of chakra."

No, that's no longer just chakra; it's more like some kind of primal, evil power.

"Tailed Beast level—" Huang Tu murmured, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

At this moment, a Jonin from Iwagakure sitting to the right of Huang Tu suddenly spoke up.

His name is Ishikawa, a veteran elite of Iwagakure, known for his bravery and decisiveness. He has a scar on his face that runs from his brow bone to his chin, a medal he earned during the Third Shinobi World War.

"Now that we know its location, and with a powerful figure like Lord Taiyi present, why don't we attack directly?" Ishikawa's voice was rough and powerful. "Gather our elite forces and charge straight at the main body of the demon! Once we kill it, these puppet armies will naturally collapse."

He surveyed his colleagues in the tent, his eyes gleaming with intense confidence: "What do you mean by 'unkillable'? That's just ancient mythology! Our ninjas today possess ninjutsu and tactics unimaginable to our ancestors. I don't believe there's anything in this world that's truly unkillable. Even if there is, the method must be wrong!"

These words stirred up a ripple inside the tent.

The younger Jonin's eyes lit up with fighting spirit, clearly encouraged by Ishikawa's words.

But Huang Tu frowned: "Ishikawa, don't be impulsive. Lord Taiyi just said that the energy level of the demon is comparable to that of the Nine-Tailed Fox. You should know what that means."

"Of course I know!" Ishikawa stood up, placing his hands on the table. "Precisely because I know, we must act now! So what if they are tailed beasts? We Iwagakure have dealt with tailed beasts before! The Third Kage has suppressed the Four-Tails and the Five-Tails many times!"

With Lord Taiyi present, his strength is evident to all.

He pointed outside the tent. Although the direction of the canyon was not visible, everyone knew that there was a patch of scorched earth there, burned by platinum flames.

"With that kind of power, how could we not deal with a monster that has been sealed away for a thousand years?" Ishikawa's voice grew louder and louder. "We are forced to defend here, and our brothers are dying every day! Soldiers from the Land of Demons are falling in droves!"

Meanwhile, the demons are constantly creating more puppets from the rear! If this continues, it's only a matter of time before our chakra runs out and our soldiers are all dead, and our defenses collapse!

He abruptly turned to Taiyi, his eyes burning: "Lord Taiyi, what do you say? With your strength, if you went all out, were you confident you could kill Wangliang?"

All eyes were once again focused on Taiyi.

Taiyi remained silent for a moment.

The tent was so quiet that the faint sounds of fighting and the groans of the wounded could be heard outside.

"In terms of destructive power alone," Taiyi said slowly, "I am confident that I can inflict fatal damage on the demon."

Ishikawa's eyes lit up.

"But!" Taiyi changed the subject, "The problem isn't whether it can be harmed, but whether it can be killed." The essence of a demon is an aggregate of negative energy; as long as negative emotions in the world don't disappear, it can be constantly reborn.

It's like trying to kill an ocean with a knife; you can cut through the waves, but the ocean itself won't disappear.

"That's just theory!" Ishikawa retorted. "How much of the ancient legends are true? Perhaps the so-called immortality is simply due to its strong regenerative abilities. With a sufficiently fierce and thorough attack, it's entirely possible to annihilate it in one fell swoop!"

He looked at Huangtu and then at Taiyi, his tone earnest: "Lord Huangtu, Lord Taiyi, please give the order!"

Assemble a group of elite troops to cooperate with Lord Taiyi in a decapitation strike! If successful, this disaster can end sooner! If it fails—the worst outcome is simply retreating to the defensive line to continue defending, but at least we've tried!

The atmosphere inside the tent became subtle. Several Jonin exchanged glances, some nodding, some shaking their heads.

Huang Tu fell into deep thought.

As the commander of Iwagakure, he had to weigh the pros and cons.

Ishikawa's words are not without merit; passive defense is indeed a form of slow death. However, the risks of taking the initiative are also extremely high; once elite troops are lost, the defensive line could collapse instantly.

His gaze fell on Taiyi: "Lord Taiyi, if you were to lead the team, how many people would you need? What are the chances of success?"

Taiyi didn't answer immediately. He closed his eyes, his mind racing through various possibilities.

The fragments of memory transmitted by the shadow clone reassembled in his consciousness: the enormous body of the demon, its five ferocious dragon heads, the ever-flowing purplish-black mist, and the vengeful spirits born from the mist—

Furthermore, there has been no trace of the Akatsuki organization.

Where did they go? Did they really leave, or are they hiding in the shadows waiting for their chance?

After a long silence, Taiyi opened his eyes: "If we're going to try, I need an elite squad of no more than twenty people, skilled in speed, surprise attacks, and defense. Our goal isn't to engage the Ghost Legion head-on, but to break through to the Wraiths as quickly as possible."

He paused, then continued, "As for the success rate—if it's just about reaching the demon," I'm 70% confident.

If the goal is to "kill or seal".

He glanced at the group of Iwagakure Jonin around him. "I need you to hold off the Ghost Legion while I fight the Wraiths and create opportunities for me. So it depends on your strength."

Huang Tu's expression darkened as he recalled their earlier impetuous advance. He muttered to himself, "They probably didn't even reach 50%?"

"But if we don't try, the success rate is zero." Ishikawa stared intently at the yellow earth. "My lord, let me lead the team! I'm familiar with the terrain of the Swamp Country and know several hidden paths. With Lord Taiichi clearing the way, we have a chance to bypass most of the Ghost Legion and head straight for the core area where the Wraiths are located!"

Another Jonin stood up: "I'll go too! Ishikawa's right, we can't just sit here and wait to die!"

Count me in!

"And me!"

Five or six Jonin volunteered to fight.

They were all elites of Iwagakure, having experienced the Third Shinobi World War, and possessed the composure and decisiveness unique to elites.

Huang Tu looked at the ninjas from his village, then at Taiyi, and finally took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Alright." His voice was firm and decisive. "Organize a strike team, with Lord Taiichi as the lead commander and Ishikawa as the deputy commander. Select twenty of the most elite Jonin, and depart at midnight tonight to carry out the decapitation strike."

He looked at Taiichi and said solemnly, "Lord Taiichi, I entrust the warriors of Iwagakure to you. If things cannot be done, please bring them back—back alive."

Tai nodded: "I will do my best."

Over the next few hours, the camp entered a period of intense preparation.

Ishikawa and several Jonin began selecting team members.

When the final list was finalized, four Jonin and sixteen elite Chunin were selected, including Ishikawa.

Among them are defensive experts skilled in Earth Release: Hardening Technique, assault troops proficient in Lightning Release: Acceleration Technique, group attackers skilled in Fire Release: Fire Release, and versatile individuals skilled in taijutsu.

Taiyi used this time to recover his chakra. He sat cross-legged in his tent, entering a deep meditative state to adjust his condition.

As night fell, the commando team assembled in front of the main camp tent.

"Remember," Huang Tu's voice was deep and powerful, "your mission is to escort Lord Taiyi to the demon and assist him in battle. If the situation turns unfavorable, do not linger; retreat immediately. The Land of Demons needs you to return alive, and Iwagakure needs you to return alive too."

"Yes!" the twenty people responded in unison, their voices not loud, but firm.

Taiichi awoke from his meditation and stepped out of his tent. He changed into a dark combat suit that allowed for easy movement, with a ninja tool pouch strapped to his waist. Moonlight shone on him, outlining his tall and imposing figure.

"Is everything ready?" Taiichi asked.

"We can set off anytime!" Ishikawa replied in a deep voice.

Tai nodded slightly and looked at Huang Tu: "The defense line is in your hands. If—if we fail, the demons might become enraged and launch an even fiercer attack. Be prepared for the worst."

Huang Tu nodded solemnly: "I will. I wish you—great success in your military campaigns."

Without further farewells, the twenty figures vanished into the night like ghosts.