Uchiha Akaishi Tour

Chapter 327 Kato Dan's Exhaustion

Just as Elder Yang Yong had predicted—

The Iwa ninja didn't have many fighting forces around them to begin with, and both of their Jinchuriki needed to recuperate. So they didn't immediately launch a counterattack against the Kannabi Bridge base, and instead watched as Konoha perfected the sealing technique for the Kannabi Bridge base.

Just a day and a half later, Kato Dan's support squad, led by him, arrived at the Kannabi Bridge base.

"Captain Kato, you've worked hard." Seeing Kato Dan's exhausted face, Akaishi quickly came to greet him.

The young Uchiha Chunin standing nearby quickly said, "Brother Akaishi! It was hard work for you and the two elders to take down the stronghold. What's so hard about us coming to reinforce? We'll carry them here even if we have to!" He then gave Kato Dan—that sickly guy—a disgruntled look.

Upon hearing this, Kato Dan couldn't help but twitch his lips. Indeed, he couldn't hold on halfway, and it was Kime who carried him for a part of the journey.

Kato Dan was powerless to refute the mockery of the Uchiha Chunin.

Akaashi:

As expected of a member of my Uchiha clan, his emotional intelligence is consistently high.

Kato, his lips pale, grinned and said, "That's right. This raid was a great help to both the front lines and the rear—where's Captain Akimichi?"

"He's resting. Should I call him?" Akaishi looked at Kato Dan with some concern.

It seems Kato Dan was exhausted from the journey—his health was already rather weak, and—

Akaishi was worried that Captain Kato's injuries from the previous battle in Yugakure might not have healed yet. He was already looking haggard before, otherwise he wouldn't have repeatedly asked to fight, and the Hokage wouldn't have let him come to the front line. Now that he's been working hard, it's even more obvious!

Of course, even so, the Uchiha Chunin in the squad still managed to get in line and urged Kato Dan to speed up their journey, arriving at Kannabi Bridge a day ahead of schedule.

"No need, let Captain Akimichi rest first." Kato Dan shook his head, clearly already aware that Akimichi had used a forbidden technique before taking the wind.

"Alright—everyone in the support team, take a rest. We'll discuss how to defend this outpost more formally tomorrow!"

Akaishi made a decision.

The Uchiha Chunin standing to the side was eager to take on the defense, but was glared at by Akaishi and shut up.

Akaishi led Kato Dan to a prepared, empty room.

"Captain Kato, you—you were in Yugakure before—" Akaishi couldn't help but ask after seeing that there were only two of them.

Kato Dan was an elite Jonin, and even if he was physically weak, it was still considered weak among Jonin. It's unreasonable for him to be so exhausted from a forced march with Chunin.

"I'm fine. Tsunade has seen me." Kato shook his head, indicating that Akaishi didn't need to worry.

However, what Kato Dan didn't say was that after Tsunade showed him the document, she didn't say "it's nothing," but rather "I don't know!"

After all, when he was in Yugakure, the injury wasn't to his body, but to his soul. He was almost dragged inside the seal by an evil god—

The realm of the soul is something even Tsunade couldn't reach!

Tsunade simply determined that Kato Dan's physical condition was perfectly fine.

However, in reality, ever since then, Kato Dan's body has been prone to fatigue, or rather—because his soul was always inexplicably depleted, causing his body to constantly expend energy to nourish his soul, and even—he often experienced delirious symptoms such as auditory hallucinations, which affected his body's recovery.

When it comes to matters of the soul, Kato Dan himself is an expert; there might not be anyone in the entire ninja world who understands it better than him. He himself doesn't know why, and others certainly don't.

In addition, he acted arrogantly, so no one else knew about his situation.

Although Akaishi told him to rest, Kato Dan still asked about the base. Seeing that he was only tired, Akaishi gave him a report.

"I see. So the two elders of the Uchiha clan will stay for a while afterward?" Kato Dan nodded after hearing Akaishi's report.

"Yes, but—the two elders certainly won't say they're staying to recuperate; they're just being too stubborn," Akaishi specifically mentioned.

He woke up.

Firstly, it was a reminder to Kato Dan that the two clan elders were not in good condition; secondly, it was also a subtle hint to Kato Dan that he should also take care of his health and not end up like the Uchiha.

Kato Dan didn't seem to understand, but he asked in return, "Is it because you invaded the Jinchuriki's consciousness that you're so tired?"

"That's right, this kind of illusion also consumes a lot of energy, especially when the target is very resistant to it."

Akaishi nodded.

In the past day and a half, Akaishi had been the absolute main force of the base—Akimichi Torifu was completely dead, and Yuu and Kouji Kyu should have been dead too, but they stubbornly refused to fall—

Although Akaishi also expended a lot of energy in the battle, compared to the other three Jonin, he was in relatively good condition.

"Thanks to the Uchiha clan, otherwise ordinary ninjas would be at a huge disadvantage against Jinchuriki," Kato Dan remarked, his gaze vacant as if lost in thought.

Seeing that Akaishi remained modestly silent, Kato Dan snapped out of his reverie, smiled, and said, "I've heard that not only did the two Uchiha elders limit the Five-Tails Jinchuriki's performance this time, but the renowned Konoha Akaishi also single-handedly fought the Four-Tails Jinchuriki?"

"Not at all, it's just a slight restraint. The pressure is still too great dealing with the two clan elders and Captain Akimichi who have fully transformed into their tailed beast forms," ​​Akaishi immediately replied.

This time, Akaishi didn't dare to boast.

After all, that old man Zi was nearby.

What if the Iwa ninjas fight back, and Kato Dan still believes them?

If Akaishi were to actually confront a Jinchuriki who had fully transformed into a Tailed Beast, he would have no choice but to flee.

"No matter what, the result is that you single-handedly held off a Jinchūriki!" Kato Dan praised.

Despite having objective advantages, Akaishi's achievements this time are truly substantial, even comparable to Akimichi Torifu and the two Uchiha clan elders combined!

Indeed, his fighting style involved some trickery; he mainly kept Rōshi under pressure, preventing him from further transforming into a tailed beast. However—

In the end, it turned out that Akaishi dealt with one Jinchuriki by himself, while Akimichi and the other two combined dealt with the other one!

Afterwards, Akaishi stayed behind and exchanged pleasantries with Kato Dan.

This is meant to make up for the negative impression the Uchiha clan left on Kato Dan!

With the addition of two Jonin, Kato Dan and Koto Moku, the Kannabi Bridge base is even more secure.

Meanwhile, starting the next day, Konoha began clearing out some of the enemy's small strongholds in the surrounding area—

Normally, these strongholds, or rather, hideouts, are dependent on the Kannabi Bridge stronghold and require its support.

o

Not only has the Kannabi Bridge stronghold changed hands, but the original Iwa ninja forces stationed there have also been dispersed.

Faced with Kato Dan's "Ghost Knocking on the Door," they were all helpless—the sealing techniques in these places were far inferior to those in core strongholds like Kannabi Bridge, and could not withstand the "Spirit Transformation Technique."

April 18, Konoha Year 38.

The small strongholds of Iwa ninja around Kannabi Bridge have basically been eliminated—even though Akimichi Torifu and the two Uchiha clan elders were recuperating and didn't make a move, Kato Dan's "Spirit Transformation Technique" was extremely useful at this time!

They don't even need to go there in person. As long as the location is determined and a Chunin from Konoha goes there, when they are close to the location, they can unfold the "Sealing Scroll" given by Kato Dan and emit a soul wave. Kato Dan will immediately lock onto the location and descend in spirit form!

In just a few days, almost all the Iwa ninja in the surrounding area had left.

As for the Iwa ninja who harbored wishful thinking or failed to escape, they all died inexplicably, some seemingly experiencing immense suffering before their deaths.

At the same time, Akimichi Torifu and Yoichi Yu, as well as Koji Kyu, also regained their fighting strength.

Although Akimichi Torifu still looks a bit thinner than before, his face has basically become rounder again.

As the wounded recovered, the fighting strength of the Kannabi Bridge base continued to be consolidated—and even overflowed!

"Just as Orochimaru predicted, after completely controlling the Kannabi Bridge stronghold, the battle lines have been completely pulled back because the Iwa ninja's retreat route into the Land of Rain has been cut off," Yang Yong said with satisfaction after reading the latest battle report.

"Yes, in this way, as long as we continue to hold this position, the number of Iwa ninjas entering the Land of Rain will be greatly reduced, which will reduce the pressure on the Iwa ninja countermeasures force by at least 30%." Akimichi Torifu nodded at this moment.

As for "our Orochimaru" and such, everyone pretended not to hear it, and no one was willing to ask.

"How can you call it 30%? I think it's at least 70%!" Yang Yong said, waving his hand.

Akimichi and Kato simply smiled awkwardly and did not refute this.

"Orochimaru's other surprise attack in his plan has also succeeded. Now the Rain Ninja must leave more fighting force at Mount Shiyu—in this way, the forces tied down in the rear are not much more numerous than before," Kato Dan remarked.

The strength in the rear is not much greater than before, which means that the strength on the battlefield of the Land of Wind has not been weakened much!

The ninjas of Konoha, however, became even busier.

in addition----

Akaishi's previous suggestion that "rear troops should not be used as recuperation sites" has naturally gone unanswered!

The Hokage-ryu clan now wants to use one person as two, and they have absolutely no interest in changes that require more combat power to achieve.

If Nawaki hadn't just died and the impact wasn't so terrible, the Hokage's office might even have wanted to continue encouraging "early graduation."

"However, it seems that the Iwa ninjas don't really intend to retake the Kannabi Bridge, and there's no sign of them gathering their forces," Akaishi said meaningfully.

If the Iwa ninja aren't planning on doing something, Akaishi estimates he won't stay here for long.

"That 'two-scale' company never had real guts; they're probably secretly relieved to see us take this place."

Yang Yong then made a sarcastic remark.

Judging from Old Purple's reaction earlier, it's clear that Iwagakure is also having a headache over the fact that a sneak attack killed Nawaki as well.

While Iwagakure was outmaneuvered tactically by the capture of Kannabi Bridge, they also hoped to reduce the intensity of their battle with Konoha—providing Amegakure with a convenient excuse to take the lead!

Therefore, Akaishi estimates that at most one Uchiha Jonin will remain.