NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58: We've Brought You a Treasure!
Outside Takigakure, hundreds of people waited nervously for judgment.
At that moment, someone finally couldn't hold back and asked:
"Leader-sama, do you think Uchiha Kaede will reject us? What if Iwagakure refuses to take us in?"
The leader of Kusagakure, Koga Takaki, wiped the sweat off his forehead and quickly reassured them:
"Of course not."
"Uchiha Kaede wiped out Takigakure alone. He's smart—he'll want capable subordinates."
"Besides, he's the kind of man who dared to destroy the entirety of Konoha. There's no way he'd be intimidated by Iwagakure."
"We're offering so many shinobi to follow him—he'll be thrilled."
The daimyo of the Land of Earth wanted to seize the Land of Grass, and Iwagakure was more than happy to help. After all, expanding their nation's territory meant more resources for them.
So, Ōnoki dispatched Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, along with five hundred Iwa shinobi to attack Kusagakure.
Kusagakure, powerless before the Tailed Beast-enhanced Han, fell in less than a day.
From there, Iwagakure had no intention of stopping until the village was completely annihilated.
Left with no choice, Koga Takaki led the surviving shinobi and their families out of the Land of Grass.
But with small nations across the ninja world being crushed one after another, his only option was to seek out Uchiha Kaede's protection.
Kaede's faction had only just begun to rise—surely he'd be willing to take them in.
Besides…
Koga glanced toward a little girl in their group who looked completely lost and overwhelmed.
He had one more trump card.
Just then, he saw a group emerge from the waterfall outside Takigakure.
"They're here!" Koga's heart skipped a beat.
The future of Kusagakure now lay in the hands of those approaching.
Kaede stepped forward, a faint smirk on his face as he looked over the shinobi of Kusagakure.
"I heard you want to defect to my side?"
Just by standing there, Kaede exuded such overwhelming pressure that the Kusagakure shinobi were instantly stricken with dread.
Many of them trembled—the sheer force of presence from a top-tier shinobi in the ninja world was beyond comprehension.
Just standing there made it impossible for them to summon the will to resist.
Snapping back to reality, Koga quickly stepped forward and spoke:
"Uchiha Kaede-sama, I am Koga Takaki, the leader of Kusagakure."
He cast a sorrowful glance in the direction of the Land of Grass.
"Iwagakure's people invaded us for the sake of the daimyo's greed."
"They sent their Jinchūriki. We stood no chance."
"Afterward, they even tried to wipe us out completely!"
Koga looked at Kaede with desperate eyes.
"We've heard of your might, and we have come to seek your protection!"
Kaede responded flatly:
"From what you just said, Iwagakure sent only a small force and still crushed you."
"Why should I accept a bunch of useless trash like you?"
Koga panicked. If Kaede didn't take them in, they'd be hunted down and killed by Iwagakure for sure.
The pursuit forces from Iwa were already on their trail.
He quickly argued: "Kaede-sama, that's only because they had a Jinchūriki."
"If they didn't, we could've held them off!"
"Oh, really?" Kaede sneered.
He wasn't running a garbage dump. These weaklings didn't interest him in the slightest.
He had only accepted Takigakure at first because he needed manpower.
Compared to these losers, he was actually more intrigued by the samurai from the Land of Iron.
Seeing that Kaede wasn't convinced, Koga grew desperate.
So, he played his final card.
He suddenly turned and grabbed the little girl, dragging her forward.
The girl struggled, but couldn't break free.
Koga shoved her in front of Kaede and spoke obsequiously:
"I also brought you a gift!"
With that, he pushed the little girl ahead.
Kaede's eyes flickered the moment he saw her bright red hair.
He glanced at Tsunade—her expression was one of absolute disbelief.
"Interesting…"
Koga, still trying to curry favor, added with a grin:
"Don't underestimate her. She's the most important 'tool' of our village."
"You remember the Uzumaki clan, don't you? This girl is one of their descendants."
"Her body is… very special. Just one bite, and—"
(End of Chapter)
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