“What?
You’re saying they were ambushed?” The fifty-year-old Chiyo abruptly stood up, her aged face instantly filled with shock and disbelief.
Beside her, Ebizo also sensed that something was terribly wrong and hurriedly asked, “Where are they?
Why haven’t they returned yet?”
The Sand Ninja kneeling on the ground trembled violently as cold sweat continuously dripped from his forehead.
“Lady Chiyo…
they…
they were all killed!”
“Impossible!” Chiyo was the first to reject the report outright.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the kneeling Ninja.
“Even if Uchiha Yu is strong, he shouldn’t be able to do something this outrageous.
There were nearly a hundred people escorting them!”
The Sand Ninja hurriedly explained, “Lady Chiyo, it wasn’t Uchiha Yu alone.
There was also a white-haired man with him!”
“White hair?” Suspicion immediately appeared in Ebizo’s eyes.
“Does Konoha possess such a powerful white-haired Ninja?”
Before anyone could continue speaking, another Ninja suddenly rushed into the tent while carrying two wooden boxes.
His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.
“Report!
Lady Chiyo, these were sent over by Konoha’s side.
They specifically requested that you personally accept them.”
As he spoke, he carefully glanced toward Chiyo before continuing cautiously, “We’ve already inspected them.
There are no traps inside.
However, inside there are…
there are…”
The Ninja stammered repeatedly without managing to finish his sentence.
In the end, he simply lowered his head and placed the two boxes onto the table.
“Sister…” Ebizo looked toward the boxes as a terrible premonition gradually rose within his heart.
He had already vaguely guessed what was inside, but he absolutely did not dare say it aloud.
At this moment, Chiyo’s hands were trembling uncontrollably as she slowly pressed them against the boxes.
Even now, she still refused to believe that her son and daughter-in-law had truly died.
Deep inside, she desperately clung to the final shred of hope remaining in her heart.
Click.
The lids of the wooden boxes slowly opened.
The instant Chiyo clearly saw the contents inside, the entire tent fell deathly silent.
Inside the boxes were two severed heads.
Her son.
And her daughter-in-law.
Surprisingly, Chiyo did not scream in rage, nor did she explode with killing intent.
She simply stood there motionlessly, as though her entire body had frozen.
“Sister…” Ebizo softly called out again, his voice filled with worry.
Chiyo slowly closed the lids before taking a deep breath.
Then, through gritted teeth, she spoke word by word in an icy tone, “Investigate immediately.
I want the identity of that white-haired man uncovered as quickly as possible.
Also, the moment Uchiha Yu appears anywhere on the battlefield again, report his location to me immediately.”
“Yes!” The kneeling Sand Ninja hurriedly lowered his head even further.
At that exact moment, the tent flap was suddenly lifted open as the Third Kazekage entered.
The moment he noticed the heavy atmosphere inside, he immediately frowned.
“What happened here?”
However, when his gaze landed upon the two boxes resting on the table, his pupils instantly shrank.
“Don’t tell me…
that report was true?”
Seeing nobody speak, the Third Kazekage’s expression immediately darkened further.
“Damn Konoha…
damn those bastards!”
Chiyo suddenly let out a cold laugh that caused everyone present to feel chills down their spines.
“Lord Kazekage, I request permission to lead the Sand forces in a full-scale offensive against Konoha.”
The Third Kazekage slowly closed his eyes before replying with only two words.
“Permission denied.”
“Why?!” Chiyo abruptly turned around.
At this moment, her aged face had become incomparably terrifying, resembling a beast that had completely lost its reason.
“Why not?!”
The Third Kazekage calmly met her bloodshot gaze.
“I understand your feelings right now, but war is not fought through emotion alone.
If you allow anger to cloud your judgment, do you understand what consequences will follow?”
Chiyo’s voice became icy cold.
“Then I will go alone.
Surely there is no problem with that.”
Ebizo immediately stepped forward without hesitation.
“And I’ll accompany her.”
The Third Kazekage’s expression darkened instantly.
“No.”
Chiyo still wanted to continue arguing, but the Third Kazekage interrupted her immediately.
“I am the Kazekage of Sunagakure.
Elder Chiyo, please remember your position.”
The atmosphere inside the tent instantly became suffocatingly heavy.
After a long while, Chiyo finally let out a deep sigh.
In that brief moment, she seemed to age several more years, and even her posture became noticeably more hunched.
“I am tired…” Her voice carried endless exhaustion.
“I wish to rest for a while and return home to see my grandson.”
The Third Kazekage silently looked at her for a long time before finally nodding.
“Elder Chiyo has already worked hard enough for the village during these past years.
Return and rest properly.
I will handle matters here from now on.”
Chiyo did not say another word.
She simply picked up the two boxes and slowly walked toward the exit of the tent with staggering steps.
However, the moment she stepped outside, her expression suddenly changed.
A sharp pain surged through her chest, and with a loud “pfft,” she spat out a large mouthful of blood.
Her vision instantly darkened as her body collapsed straight toward the ground.
“Sister!”
Ebizo was immediately alarmed and hurriedly caught her.
“Sister, how are you?
Are you alright?!”
After everyone else eventually left, the Third Kazekage finally sat down heavily inside the tent with an exhausted expression.
This war had already dragged on for two entire years, yet there was still no clear progress.
Now, even the surprise attack squad sent toward the Land of Rivers had been completely annihilated, including Chiyo’s own son and daughter-in-law.
At that moment, a young girl around twelve years old quietly walked over and placed a teacup onto the table.
“Teacher, please have some tea.”
Another boy of similar age also stepped forward and asked respectfully, “Teacher, what exactly is troubling you so much?”
The Third Kazekage rubbed his temples tiredly before sighing deeply.
“I’ve been wondering whether there is any meaning left in continuing this war.
For two whole years, both sides have suffered enormous casualties.
However, Konoha’s logistics and foundation are far stronger than ours.
If this drags on much longer…”
The young Rasa thought carefully for a moment before cautiously observing his teacher’s expression.
“Teacher, this war isn’t something we can simply stop whenever we want.
Over in the Land of Rain, Hanzo…”
Pakura also nodded in agreement.
“Even if we wished to stop fighting, Hanzo would never agree.
If he suddenly turned around and allied himself with Konoha instead…”
The Third Kazekage naturally understood this logic perfectly.
If Sunagakure attempted to withdraw carelessly now, Hanzo would very likely immediately cooperate with Konoha instead.
Regardless of how fiercely people fought one another, all grudges could easily be temporarily set aside when sufficient利益 were involved.
And Konoha would certainly not reject such an opportunity.
If that happened, the Land of Wind would truly face disaster.
Thinking about this possibility caused the Third Kazekage’s headache to worsen further.
“Damn Uchiha Yu and Sakumo Hatake!” he suddenly cursed angrily.
“Why did those two monsters have to block the route there?
Wouldn’t it have been easier if they had simply allowed our people to pass through?!”
Rasa and Pakura immediately lowered their heads upon hearing their teacher complain like this.
As disciples, they naturally could not openly comment on the Kazekage’s words, though inwardly they could not help grumbling a little themselves.
After venting for a long while, the Third Kazekage finally calmed down somewhat.
He then looked toward his two disciples seriously.
“Since the two of you insisted on following me to the battlefield this time, then besides observing and learning, it is also time for you to personally participate in combat.”
“Yes!” Rasa and Pakura immediately bowed respectfully.
The Third Kazekage nodded in satisfaction while looking at his two disciples.
Honestly, he was not particularly worried about their safety despite their young age.
Rasa had inherited his Magnet Release bloodline.
Although only twelve years old, his combat strength had already reached the Jonin level.
As for Pakura, the Third Kazekage felt even less worried about her.
Her Scorch Release bloodline limit possessed terrifying offensive power, and even many experienced Jonin would struggle against her abilities.
After remaining silent briefly, the Third Kazekage suddenly spoke again.
“If either of you encounters Uchiha Yu on the battlefield, you are permitted to immediately retreat with your forces.”
“Teacher?” Both of them looked toward him in confusion.
The Third Kazekage shook his head seriously.
“Although both of you possess considerable talent, that Uchiha brat is even more dangerous.
His Three Tomoe Sharingan’s Genjutsu is extremely troublesome, while his Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, and Taijutsu are all frighteningly powerful.
Furthermore, he possesses Manda as a summoning beast.
You are currently no match for him.”
A trace of unwillingness flashed through Rasa’s eyes, though he still respectfully lowered his head.
“Understood, Teacher.”
Meanwhile, Pakura merely smiled confidently.
In her eyes, her Scorch Release was practically invincible.
Ordinary Genjutsu users could not even affect her before being incinerated.
As for Taijutsu fighters, they would never even get close enough to touch her.
And regarding Manda…
With such a massive body, wouldn’t it simply become the perfect target for her Scorch Release?
She truly wanted to see how many blasts that giant snake could endure.
The Third Kazekage naturally noticed the expressions on both of their faces and could only sigh inwardly.
In the end, these children still had not suffered true setbacks yet.
However, perhaps experiencing defeat personally would not necessarily be a bad thing.
If matters truly became dangerous, then he would simply step in himself.