NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35
“HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY, YOU GUYS~!” Rito calls out, waving to Lars, Yoichi, and Shion as they make their way back to Yoichi’s palace.
Jin and Ayanami wave them goodbye as well with Yeager and Yoichi waving back. When the three leave their sight, Ayanami turns to face Echo.
“Hey, Echo, where’s the Ninja Alliance HQ located…?”
Echo cocks his head to one side. “It’s in the vicinity of the Hidden Cloud, just south-east of it in fact. Why?”
“Jin, Rito! One of you, summon your hawk, we’re going to the Allies’ HQ.”
Not saying anything, Jin looks at Rito to see hesitation in his eyes and turns his gaze towards Ayanami. “Why would we go to a place where we’re persona non grata? They’ve probably bumped us up to S-Class on their bingo books.”
“Please go with me to the Allied Shinobi HQ!” Ayanami bows with her hands clasped together. “Do you really believe that the Five Kage would just kill you onsite…?”
The Raikage and Mizukage probably would try to kill me, I might be able to talk with Tsunade and Gaara, and I honestly don’t know what the Tsuchikage would do… Jin goes through multiple scenarios before finally speaking. “Fine we’ll go… but if they do attack us, we will defend ourselves.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.” Ayanami performs a backflip out of elation. “When we get there, just follow my lead.”
Jin claps his hands together. “Summoning Jutsu!”
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“The Fourth Company’s facing my old man and the First Company’s fighting Kinkaku and Ginkaku… Now that it’s come to this, I must go join the battle.” The Fourth Raikage gathers his wits.
Shikaku steps in. “Please recon-”
“H-hold on… I’m sensing several chakras headed right for us!” Ao informs everyone present as he begins to sweat and tremble. “They’ll be here any second and they’re all massive and powerful…! What are they?!”
“They’re right on top of us!” Inoichi shouts.
Three of the Five Kage present begin to infuse chakra, prepared for a fight. Seconds later, they hear banging on the widows and look to see a smiling young woman with white eyes and an athletic ponytail knocking on the glass.
Tsunade lowers her guard. “That’s Ayanami Hyuga of the Hidden Leaf.”
“But wasn’t she captured by the enemy?”
“That's what I’ve been told.” The slug queen bites her thumbnail. “Someone let her in!”
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“It’s good to see you again, Lady Tsunade.” Ayanami bows in reverence.
Tsunade stares at the young kunoichi with concern. “We heard you were kidnapped… what happened?”
“I’m sorry for worrying you, but as you can see, I’m fine. I’m here to help however I can in the war and… to mediate a parley… or is it a negotiation?” Ayanami looks toward the door. “You can come in now~.”
One-by-one, four individuals enter the room. One is a cloaked figure in an Anbu mask, the second is a boy no older than eleven, and third is a thing that resembles Naruto. Jin enters last with his eyes closed. The room goes dead silent with tension so thick one could reach out and touch it.
Inoichi takes off his chakra communication headgear and stares at Jin, eyes wide with surprise. “Jin…? Is… is that really you?”
“Hey… dad.” Jin awkwardly gives a curt greeting with his eyes still closed. I mean… he is my father in every way that matters, so…
Raikage Ay interrupts the reunion by activating his Lightning Style Cloak. “YOU!! You and that Uchiha brat threw Hidden Cloud into Chaos, and for that you will PAY DEARLY! Die!”
The Raikage runs at top speed, punching Jin so hard that his arm goes pierces straight through the young rogue's body and demolishes the wall behind him.
“JIN!!” Inoichi calls out to his mortally wounded adopted son.
“So big, so dumb.” Jin stares down the Raikage with a deadpan expression as he turns into a pile of snakes which all slither away.
Ao looks to both sides of the room then he looks up. “Above us!”
Everyone looks up to see the real Jin standing on the ceiling with his arms folded and his eyes still closed, annoyance creeps on Jin’s face. “Ay, you're the last person I want to hear that from.”
“What did you say to me, you brat?!”
“Remind me, just how many people have the Hidden Cloud kidnapped in their lust for power?” Jin opens his eyes, revealing his Rinnegan to a shocked audience that is the Allied Shinobi Forces leaders.
The Raikage grits his teeth in anger as his Lightning Cloak shoots off sparks. As the Raikage is about to rush Jin, Ayanami steps in his way with her arms stretched out.
“Don’t get in my way, girl…!”
Standing firm and full of resolve, Ayanami stares the Raikage down. “With all due respect, Lord Raikage, no. Like I said, I’m here to mediate, Jin and his team are here to negotiate--they have intel to share and will fight on our side in exchange for a full pardon.”
“Hmph, why should we listen to what an S-Class criminal has to say?” The Tsuchikage remains skeptical.
Echo takes a step forward. “Because without our help, your war is already lost.”
“I think we should at least hear them out then make a decision.” Shikaku takes a moment to think before returning his gaze on Jin. “What’s the intel you have?”
Thank god, the Nara Clan members are smart and reasonable. Jin maintains his poker face as he speaks. “There is a third party that seeks to both undermine and take advantage of your war in order to claim the Ten-Tails for themselves and take over the world.”
“And just who is this third party?” Tsunade intently questions the rogue ninja.
“I’m sure most if not all of you are familiar with Moryo, the demon who tried to conquer the world some time ago? He’s been fully resurrected and has his terracotta army.”
“Not only that, he’s even more powerful than ever.” Echo adds. “He’s put the five legendary dragons of Mt. Koryu under his thrall, making himself the new light dragon.”
The Tsuchikage stands up and begins to chuckle. “Heh heh heh… My that is one interesting story, you lot made-”
“Oh, we’re not lying.” A patronized Rito interjects. “We even brought these guys as proof.”
Gitai enters the room while dragging with him, a terracotta soldier impaled by a black receiver. Echo takes a few steps and removes the receiver from the stone soldier's chest, it immediately heals. The soldier gets up and runs at Ao with the intent to impale him on its spear. Jin appears right behind the terracotta and impales it with another black receiver, saving Ao in the process. Everyone save for Jin’s team is stunned with shock at what they just witnessed.
“Huh…?!” Inoichi returns his attention to the water sphere. “Incoming messages from multiple battlefields, numerous doll-like mud men have appeared all over and are attacking both the Allied forces and the Akatsuki.”
“What?!” The three Kage turn their attention to the Sensing Water Sphere.
“They’re called mugonhei and they’re purpose is to protect and serve the dragons of Mt. Koryu.” Echo informs the Alliance leaders.”
Ao shudders as he senses what’s happening on the frontlines. “F-four more chakra signatures have appeared… and they’re all comparable to tailed beasts!”
“First, Second, and Third Companies are all reporting that dragons have just entered their battlefields!” Inoichi clarifies. “At this rate, we’ll lose the war right as it began…!”
Moryo… your army’s surprise attack has inadvertently worked in our favor. Jin thinks as he walks up to the water sphere then turns to face the Alliance leaders with his arms crossed. “Ay, Tsunade, and Onoki… need I remind you that me and my team are willing to fight on your behalf in exchange for full pardons? So… what’s it going to be?”