Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

At this moment, he was looking at the latest battle report that Akimichi Tou had just received from Nara Shikaku.

……

Chapter 206 A Special Mission

"On Shikaku's side, they successfully blocked another Cloud Village force at the border of Takigakure. The two sides fought fiercely and suffered casualties. The Cloud Village has temporarily retreated."

"Yes, Takigakure Village was a great help this time, helping Shikaku hold off the Kusanagi, allowing Konoha to focus all its efforts on dealing with Kumogakure."

"But several hundred Cloud Ninja broke through the defenses and penetrated deep into the Land of Fire."

"That would require our various outposts along the border to coordinate a crackdown, which would likely be a very troublesome process."

"Fortunately, we gave timely warnings, and we completely thwarted the Cloud Village's plot."

"Shikaku judged that Kumogakure would not launch another large-scale attack in the short term, because they and Iwagakure were also at odds with each other."

As Qiu Daotang Dong recounted the contents of the battle report, his face beaming with joy, he said, "That's wonderful! The crises on both sides have been resolved, and we can now enjoy a peaceful New Year."

Aburame Shiro also breathed a sigh of relief:

"In this way, the earthen platform can't stand alone, and it's been scared out of its wits by Captain Qingwu. At least we can have some peace and quiet for a while."

The atmosphere inside the military tent was noticeably more relaxed.

Although there are still hundreds of Cloud Ninja who have infiltrated the Land of Fire and need to be eliminated, it is believed that Shikaku and the village will make proper arrangements.

The threat to the front-line camp has been eliminated.

With the main force of Kumogakure under Tsuchikage's command, they remained holed up and did not come out, while another surprise force was blocked by Shikaku. At least around the end of the year, we can expect a rare period of peace.

However, Suzaku Nara's brows did not completely relax.

He pondered for a moment, then looked at Qingwu, his tone grave: "Captain Qingwu, although the current situation is favorable to us, there is something we must be wary of."

"Please speak," Qingwu said, looking at him.

"Raikage!" Nara Suzaku slowly uttered two words:

"The Fourth Raikage, A, is fierce and irritable, and he holds grudges. The complete annihilation of Kai's forces is a great humiliation that he would never silently endure."

The joy on Akimichi Tangdong's face faded, and he nodded, saying, "Suzaku is right. Raikage is a well-known battle maniac."

Aburame Shiro pondered:

"Our intelligence unit has learned that Captain Qingwu has acquired a nickname called 'Calamity' in Yunyin. Hmm, it's already spread throughout the Yunyin camp."

Qiu Daotang turned his head and asked, "Zhihei, what are you trying to say?"

Aburame said, "Hmm... If the evaluation of 'natural disaster' were to reach the ears of the Raikage, it would probably ignite his anger completely."

The eyes beneath the green wu mask flickered slightly.

The Raikage is coming in person? Far from being afraid, he felt a faint sense of anticipation.

The first two battles earned him a massive amount of experience points.

In particular, the experience points gained from annihilating 1,200 Cloud Ninja last night were considerable, and I am not far from leveling up to level 50.

If I could fight the Raikage, the experience...

Nara Suzaku spoke up: "That's exactly what I wanted to say. I suggest that the Shadow Guard should keep a low profile and not leave their base unless absolutely necessary, and they should not easily show themselves on the front lines."

Seeing Qingwu's surprised expression, Nara Suzaku said sincerely:

"Captain Qingwu, after this battle, you are now a thorn in the side of Yunyin. Once the Raikage makes a move, it will be with the force of thunder, and your primary target will definitely be you!"

Akimichi Tangdong also advised:

“Captain Qingwu, I know you are a genius and not afraid of the Raikage, but this matter concerns the overall situation. If the Raikage takes action, the Hokage will definitely respond as well.”

Suzaku Nara added:

"When the two Kage appear on the front lines, the situation will escalate instantly. What will Iwagakure think? Will they take the opportunity to intensify their offensive? Will Kirigakure and Sunagakure make any moves? It's a delicate matter!"

Qiu Daotang nodded:

"We have just won a great victory, and it is time to consolidate our gains, digest our triumph, and deter others. It is not advisable to suddenly escalate the conflict to the level of a Shadow-level showdown."

Yu Nu Zhi Hei succinctly stated: "Avoid their sharp edge and use stillness to control movement."

The three men's intentions were clear: to make Qingwu "disappear" temporarily, avoid a direct confrontation with the potential arrival of Raikage, and maintain strategic stability.

Qingwu remained silent.

He understood their concerns, and from a broader perspective, this was indeed the safest option.

However, his personal interests—gaining experience points and testing the limits of his own strength—are contrary to this, and deep down he does not believe that the Raikage can easily defeat him.

Things are different now; he still has some trump cards up his sleeve!

"I understand your concerns," Qingwu said slowly.

"If the Raikage arrives, it will indeed bring changes, but if I keep avoiding it, will it make Konoha and the Shadow Guard seem cowardly? Will the Cloud Village's arrogance be rekindled?"

"Furthermore, if the Raikage sees that I won't come out, won't he use other methods to force me out? For example, by storming the stronghold and slaughtering ordinary ninjas?"

He tried to persuade the three people in front of him.

Nara Suzaku's Calm Analysis:

"Although the Raikage is violent, he is not without wisdom. If he massacres ordinary troops without your explicit appearance, it will not only thoroughly enrage Konoha and trigger a full-scale war, but also put Kumogakure in an absolutely passive position morally."

Qiu Daotang pondered for a moment and said:

"It's more likely that Raikage is lying in wait for an opportunity, or provoking us in other ways. As long as we strengthen our vigilance and improve our defenses, he won't find an opportunity, and he may retreat in time."

Yu Nu Zhiwei agreed, "After all, he is the shadow of the village and cannot stay away from the village for a long time."

Qiu Daotang patted Qingwu on the shoulder and spoke earnestly:

"Captain Qingwu, your safety and very existence are the greatest deterrent to Kumogakure. The name 'Catastrophe' is known throughout the ninja world, and that's enough!"

"Now you are contributing to Konoha in a different way. Your presence in the rear is the greatest reassurance to the frontline soldiers and the most continuous pressure on Kumogakure."

"Trust us, we can handle the rest of the situation. Just think of it as... a strategic rest."

Akimichi Toudou understands the mindset of geniuses very well. Even his teammate Minato Namikaze, who was as gentle as sunshine, would not be afraid to fight just because the enemy is strong.

Therefore, he went to great lengths to ensure that Qingwu would "cooperate".

Looking at Akimichi Tou's sincere gaze, Nara Suzaku's rational analysis, and Aburame Shiguro's silent support, Seigo wavered somewhat.

He certainly craves experience points and wants to fight against stronger opponents, but he is not someone who cannot distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.

The stability at the front lines and the safety of our comrades are equally important.

"……I see."

Qingwu finally nodded, his voice steady, "Until I receive new instructions or confirm that Raikage has left, I will remain at the base and will not launch any offensive."

He had no doubt that the Raikage would come; Suzaku Nara's analysis made a lot of sense.

If it were him, and a young genius of 'catastrophe' level appeared in the opposing camp, he would probably come to meet him in person.

Qiu Daotang and the other two visibly breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great! Captain Qingwu, it's good that you understand!"

With the matter settled, Qingwu did not linger any longer.

He and the three shadow guards waiting at the door left the command tent and returned to the squad camp assigned to them.

On the way, Hongdou was sullen when she learned about the situation. "Ah... can't we go out? That's so boring. I was thinking of bombing Cloud Village a few more times."

She became somewhat addicted to throwing explosive tags while riding her silver Pegasus last night.

Tianzang tugged at her sleeve. "Snake Princess, the captain and the other officials are also considering the bigger picture."

Hongdou turned around and glared at him, "You think you know everything?"

Shisui said, "Captain, if needed, I can go out and scout out the Raikage's movements."

He was very confident in his abilities. With his speed and eyesight, he could easily escape any situation, especially now that he had a silver Pegasus.

Well, Qingwu gave Zhishui a silver Pegasus. Compared to the withered tree guardian, Zhishui preferred a summoned beast with high mobility.

"No need!" Qingwu shook his head: "Since we've decided to avoid this for now, let's not create any unnecessary trouble. Trust Senior Zhihei's investigative abilities."

Back in his independent military tent,

Qingwu dismissed the three and sat alone on the simple bed, taking off his mask and placing it aside, revealing a slightly thoughtful expression.

On a whim, he brought up the system panel.

【Thousand-Handed Green Wutong: Level LV48】

Experience points: 92%

His experience bar was about to reach level 49, not far from the level 50 mark, and he was looking forward to what kind of magical reward he would receive.

Based on past experiences, it's highly likely that you'll acquire your first advanced spell.

Last night's annihilation battle provided extremely valuable experience, even surpassing the battle against the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.

However, as the level increases, the experience points required to level up also increase.

This made him even more eager for the experience he could gain from "defeating a Kage-level powerhouse," but he also understood the considerations behind Akimichi Toudou and the others' decision to prevent him from clashing with the Raikage.

Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Qingwu had a strong premonition that he would definitely face off against the Fourth Raikage, and... in the very near future.

The focus shifts to the Natural Energy column: 43210 points.

The upgrades and campaign settlements yielded substantial rewards, bringing me to within 7,000 points of the 50,000 mark.

“Fifty thousand points…” Qingwu muttered to himself.

The last time the Tree of Life was upgraded, the trigger condition was when it absorbed "holy water" in Takigakure Village and reached 5000 points.

I've already built the Deadwood Arch and the Forest Sanctuary, but the upgrade conditions haven't been triggered yet.

He predicted that, just like last time, the natural energy level was still insufficient.

But I don't know if 50,000 points will be enough, or maybe more will be needed?

After all... the next Ancient Tree upgrade will unlock the ultimate unit for the Bulwark faction—the Green Dragon!