Chapter 173, Oyster Sauce.
"I allocate so much money to you every year! You get first pick of the graduating ninja! And now you're telling me that all three Anbu squads, led by the Anbu Captain, were killed by three ninja from Konohagakure?! Why don't you go die?!" The Third Mizukage hurled the document in his hand at the masked Anbu standing before him.
Anbu: "..."
As the captain of the only remaining Anbu squad, he could only stand there and bear the brunt of the Third Mizukage's fury.
Even though the matters of the Anbu were not something a squad captain could decide.
Watching the squad captain standing silently with his head bowed, the Third Mizukage let out a long sigh.
The Third Mizukage understood that this time, it wasn't that the Anbu were too weak, but that the opponents were too strong.
The two towering columns of thunder and water that night were clear even from Kirigakure Village.
Such power...
The Thunder Sword Saint of Konohagakure...
Has he grown to this extent now?
"Dismissed."
Calming the frustration in his heart, the Third Mizukage waved the Anbu away.
Without a word, the squad captain vanished from the Mizukage's office.
Rubbing his temples, the Mizukage felt a headache coming on.
It's over, Hozuki Takuya's squad is definitely not coming back.
Within two days at most, the top ninja clan of Kirigakure Village—the Hozuki clan—will fall into a state of disrepair.
Of course, if it were peacetime, the Mizukage would be very pleased.
But now, during wartime, nearly half of the Hozuki clan's elite have been completely wiped out by the ninja of Konohagakure.
Not only that, but the seven Ninja Swords might also end up in the hands of Konohagakure ninjas because of this.
Even Kirigakure has nearly lost its entire Anbu!
What a mess!
The Third Mizukage clenched his right hand tightly, veins throbbing on his forehead.
Truth be told, the Third Mizukage wanted to continue sending people to rescue Hozuki Takuya.
Aside from Lightning Release, the Hozuki clan is really strong.
But now, Kirigakure really has no way to rescue Hozuki Takuya.
Apart from the necessary ninjas left to guard the village, almost all of Kirigakure's main forces have entered the Land of Whirlpools.
Originally, the Third Mizukage's plan was for the main forces to enter the Land of Whirlpools and quickly eliminate the Uzumaki clan.
This wasn't difficult, after all, the Uzumaki clan, compared to combat, is actually more proficient in sealing techniques.
Their number of ninjas is also far behind Kirigakure's.
Under a full-scale attack, the Uzumaki clan would hardly be able to hold out for long.
And Hozuki Takuya was leading an elite force into the Land of Waves, to seize all of Konohagakure's assets there, and then directly enter the northern part of the Land of Whirlpools from the Land of Waves.
He was to hold off any ninjas Konohagakure might send as reinforcements as much as possible, and finally, Hozuki Takuya would regroup with Kirigakure's main forces to launch an attack and march north against Konohagakure.
The plan was perfect, and in the eyes of the Third Mizukage, it was unlikely that anything unexpected would happen.
But now, not only have all the Anbu sent out died in battle, but Hozuki Takuya is also completely trapped in the Land of Waves.
If the remaining forces in the village were mobilized, it would basically be impossible to successfully rescue Hozuki Takuya.
Even if he took action himself.
Although he cursed the Anbu as useless, the Third Mizukage was very clear that compared to other ninjas of Kirigakure, the Anbu were already a gathering of elites.
Sixteen years old...
The beginning of a ninja's peak in life.
Konohagakure... you really deserve to die!
First, it was Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, and now it's Tsunade and Uchiha Raijin!
Will you ever be done?!
Although the Third Mizukage was very clear about one thing, the current Uchiha Raijin and Tsunade could not yet be compared to Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
But what's the difference?
Either way, they can't be beaten...
What the Mizukage is more afraid of now is whether Raijin and the others will directly attack Kirigakure Village.
And what to do next.
The main forces have already been sent to the Land of Whirlpools, and it's roughly estimated that they might have already engaged with the Uzumaki clan by now.
Really...
So annoying!
Compared to the Third Mizukage's troubles, the atmosphere on Raijin's side was much more cheerful.
The captured Anbu commander has already been carried by Tsunade's shadow clone to find the retreating merchant caravan.
Uchiha Natsuki is with the merchant caravan, and Natsuki's Three Tomoe Sharingan ensures that the Kirigakure Anbu commander remains asleep.
As for Raijin, he's leisurely lying on Tsunade's legs, enjoying the charcoal-grilled oysters Tsunade peeled and handed to him.
The taste is great!
"Want a cup of oyster soup?"
After finishing the last charcoal-grilled oyster, Tsunade took out a kettle, unscrewed the lid, and offered it to Raijin.
"Huh? Oyster soup?"
Upon hearing this, Raijin was taken aback, his face visibly contorting.
He glanced at the bowl, barely making out the sticky, thick oyster sauce garnished with a few bright red goji berries.
"I won't drink it."
Raijin looked up at Tsunade, shaking his head. His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.
"It might not look great, but it actually tastes quite good."
Tsunade leaned in close to Raijin, looked him in the eyes, and said earnestly.
"Have you had it?"
Raijin asked Tsunade skeptically.
"I have."
Tsunade replied to Raijin without hesitation.
"I don't believe you, unless you drink some now for me to see."
Raijin spread his hands and said to Tsunade.
"Hmm..."
A hint of hesitation appeared on Tsunade's face as she looked at the flask in her hand and pursed her lips.
"If I drink it, will you?"
A flicker of resolve passed through Tsunade's eyes as she asked Raijin.
"If you drink it, I will."
Raijin replied to Tsunade without any hesitation.
"Okay."
Without saying more, Tsunade picked up the flask and tilted her head back to drink.
"Ugh—bleeeh—bleh!"
Nearly half a flask of oyster sauce went down, and its unique taste made Tsunade instinctively want to vomit. She covered her mouth with her hand in an instant, but ultimately couldn't hold it in and threw up.
Seeing this, Raijin stood up, ready to pat Tsunade's back to help her ease up.
"I just don't like the taste much, but it's actually quite good to drink."
Tsunade grabbed Raijin's wrist, trying to sound calm, tears welling up in her eyes from the vomiting.
"Alright."
Raijin lifted his wrist, which Tsunade was holding, pretending to reach for the flask in Tsunade's hand. Tsunade, unsuspecting, let go of Raijin's wrist and handed him the flask.
And in the instant Tsunade let go, Raijin's figure vanished from the spot.
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