Chapter 20: I Came to Kusa Village for Only Three Things!

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Karin’s worries were, of course, unnecessary.
The group from Kusagakure Village were nothing but weaklings, without even a single shadow-class ninja. How could they hope to deal with Uzuha Tsuya now?
Upon hearing Karin’s words, Uzuha Tsuya smiled.
“It’s better if they return to report this; it will make the higher-ups of Kusagakure nervous.”
“When these leaders gather to discuss countermeasures, that will be the perfect time to capture them all in one net.”
“Otherwise, Kusagakure’s forces are complicated and faction-ridden.”
“I don’t even know who the top leaders are.”
“If they don’t gather in one place, we’d have to waste time hunting them down.”
Uzuha Tsuya’s words left Kado and Karin exchanging glances.
Neither had anticipated that Uzuha Tsuya’s reason for not dealing with the ambush ninjas lurking in the nearby forest was exactly this.
Inside Kusagakure Village, the higher-ups were indeed growing anxious.
Earlier, they had received intelligence that an important strategic asset of Kusagakure—Karin—had been kidnapped by ninjas from Amekage Village.
Moreover, during this time, the opposing side had been flaunting their arrogance, constantly keeping Karin by their side.
What was tolerable could still be endured, but what was intolerable could not!
The blatant provocation of keeping Karin so openly was a huge insult to Kusagakure.
Although Kusagakure was rife with corruption and chaos internally, they could still reach a consensus on this matter.
That was to eliminate the red-haired ninja from Amekage Village who had kidnapped Karin and retrieve their critical strategic asset.
Kusagakure couldn’t offend Konoha, nor Mizukage Village, so why would they be afraid of mere Amekage Village?
Did they really think Amekage Village was still under the reign of the demigod Salamander Hanzō?
Of course, the higher-ups in Kusagakure were unaware that after Hanzō the Salamander’s death, Amekage Village had not weakened; it had become a steel fortress!
If a shadow-class ninja from one of the Five Great Nations entered Amekage Village and caused trouble, they might not even make it out alive.
Inside Kusagakure’s conference room, the village chief, Chino, along with numerous elders and top leaders from various factions, were all present.
Chino looked at a Kusagakure Anbu ninja and said,
“Repeat the intelligence we collected earlier to everyone.”
The Anbu ninja, wrapped tightly from head to toe, spoke emotionlessly,
“The ninjas dispatched for retaliation against Amekage Village, who also brought back Karin, were completely wiped out.”
“Including two team leader Jonin, a total of twenty-two ninjas—all have died.”
“According to intelligence from our Anbu, the one who killed them was the red-haired ninja who took Karin.”
“Their name is Uzuha Tsuya, from Amekage Village, and recently they have been very active in Amekage’s black market.”
“This ninja is currently heading toward Kusagakure with their companions and Karin.”
After the Anbu finished reporting, everyone was shocked!
The retaliatory team sent against Amekage Village, including two Jonin leaders, had all been killed?
Though Jonin from smaller villages might be weaker, perhaps only top Chunin level in larger villages, to the many senior figures in Kusagakure, their Jonin were still formidable.
That such a thing happened was not because their Jonin were weak, but because the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful!
Many of Kusagakure’s elders immediately began to speak.
“Is the intelligence reliable?”
“That ninja from Amekage Village, Uzuha Tsuya, killed twenty-two of our ninjas alone?”
“What is Uzuha Tsuya’s purpose in bringing Karin to Kusagakure? Is he walking into a trap?”
“How many companions does he have? Who are they?”
Voices in the conference room grew noisy.
Only a man in a dark red cloak named Wu Wei remained calm.
Now, he only wanted to capture a tailed beast, extract a massive amount of chakra, and unlock that damned ninja tool.
He wasn’t particularly concerned with Kusagakure’s other affairs.
He had heard of this Uzuha Tsuya—apparently a reckless ninja who either was on a mission or en route to one.

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Capturing a tailed beast through personal strength alone was extremely difficult.
Perhaps he could cooperate with Uzuha Tsuya?
“Silence!”
Amid the chatter, village chief Chino spoke.
He glanced around the room and, once everyone quieted down, continued,
“The Anbu’s intelligence is reliable!”
“The urgent matter is: how do we deal with this enemy?”
Kusagakure had no guardians like Izumo Kamizuki or Tetsu Kaneko from Konoha.
With those two around, even the Six Paths of Pain wouldn’t dare enter Konoha through the front gate.
After Chino’s inquiry, an elder of Kusagakure stood up.
This elder wore a dark red cloak similar to Wu Wei’s.
On his head was a black mask adorned with yellow markings shaped like a horse’s zodiac sign, hiding his true face.
This elder’s name was Onimaru, one of Kusagakure’s most senior elders.
Onimaru looked around before speaking in a low voice,
“The fact that one ninja alone could kill twenty-two of our ninjas led by two Jonin shows the enemy’s power is extraordinary!”
“Such a ninja, even in a great village, would be among the closest to shadow rank!”
After the elder’s words, Wu Wei, seated at the side, involuntarily twitched.
Did these people really have so little understanding of the outside world?
A ninja team like that would be easily handled by any Jonin from the Five Great Nations.
While Wu Wei was inwardly sighing, Chino’s gaze fell on him.
“Wu Wei, what do you think?”
Wu Wei replied casually,
“First, find out the enemy’s purpose for coming to Kusagakure. Then decide what to do.”
Wu Wei’s opinion was quickly drowned out by other leaders.
“Nonsense!”
“They’ve already invaded Kusagakure; how can we negotiate with them?”
“Besides, they killed twenty-two of our ninjas; they must be killed here!”
“Exactly! If we don’t kill them, it will affect our village’s business!”
“My subordinate, Hatta Shinichi, can kill Uzuha Tsuya!”
Hatta Shinichi, a Kusagakure Jonin wearing the village forehead protector, was confused at these words.
Was he really that strong?
Why hadn’t he heard of it?
Although the conference descended into chaos, the consensus was clear.
Since Uzuha Tsuya dared kill their ninjas and brazenly brought Karin, an important strategic asset, to Kusagakure to provoke them,
They must ensure Uzuha Tsuya never leaves alive!
They also wanted Amekage Village to know that the current Amekage was no longer the demigod Salamander Hanzō’s era!
Chief Chino immediately ordered,
“Hatta Shinichi and all Jonin not on missions in Kusagakure,
Along with the Kusagakure Anbu elite, mobilize and intercept the enemy!”
“Be sure to kill Uzuha Tsuya and the Amekage ninjas with him, and bring Karin back!”
After Chino’s orders, Hatta Shinichi and the Jonin saluted and instantly vanished.
At Kusagakure’s gate, Uzuha Tsuya swaggered in with Karin.
“First, let’s go to your home. Pack everything you want to bring.”
“When we leave, you can take your belongings back to Amekage Village.”
As Uzuha Tsuya walked forward, he spoke to Karin.
Upon hearing this, Karin obediently nodded.
When the trio arrived at the place where Karin and her mother once lived, Karin hurried to pack.
Her home was originally empty, and during her absence, other ninjas had visited.

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The house had been ransacked and was a mess.
As Karin packed in the familiar room, tears silently streamed down her face.
At this moment, under the lead of Kusagakure’s elite Jonin Hatta Shinichi and the Anbu chief, Kusagakure ninjas arrived outside.
Noticing their arrival, Karin nervously ran to the window to observe.
She then saw Uzuha Tsuya casually crossing his arms as he spoke to Kado.
“Kado, you should step up occasionally, just to show some effort.”
“This is the mission assigned to both of us by the organization; you can’t just be a bystander the whole time.”
After Uzuha Tsuya finished, Kado raised his hand and threw.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Three kunai flew out, instantly piercing the necks of three Kusagakure ninjas.
The kunai continued onward, powerfully killing another three behind them.
“What?”
Kado’s move shook the Kusagakure ninjas.
Of course, after a brief shock, they chose to fight back!
“Kill them!”
“Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!”
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”
As numerous Kusagakure ninjas quickly formed hand signs and unleashed ninjutsu,
Uzuha Tsuya wasted no time and stomped the ground.
“Lightning Release: Earth Path!”
“Sizzle, sizzle—”
“Hiss!”
Blue arcs of electricity wildly danced over the ground.
The many blue lightning snakes instantly electrocuted a large group of Kusagakure ninjas.
Only a very few, including elite Jonin Hatta Shinichi, used swift body movement to avoid it.
“Lightning Finger!”
Uzuha Tsuya raised a finger, and a beam of lightning instantly pierced Hatta Shinichi’s shoulder.
More lightning beams followed, and the Kusagakure elite fell to the ground convulsing like dumplings.
Uzuha Tsuya then looked at the barely mobile Anbu chief and said,
“Go and gather all the Kusagakure leaders here. I have something to discuss with them.”
“Of course, they can choose not to come. If so, I will have no choice but to utterly destroy Kusagakure.”
The Anbu chief dared not delay and fled hastily.
Shortly after, the Kusagakure leaders had all gathered.
They were now certain that the invader was no ordinary Jonin!
When Chino approached, he was surprised.
Uzuha Tsuya was very young; it was the first time he had seen such a young shadow-class ninja.
“What brings you to Kusagakure, sir?”
Despite his tension, Chino summoned courage to speak.
Uzuha Tsuya raised three fingers:
“I came to Kusagakure to accomplish three things!”
“First, I demand Kusagakure execute the murderer who killed Karin’s mother.”
“Second, from now on, Kusagakure must become a vassal of Amekage Village.”
“Third, I want to find Wu Wei—I have a business proposal for him.”
Upon hearing Uzuha Tsuya’s words, Chino flew into a rage.
“You are outrageous!”