Chapter 43: Return Journey and Analysis

Chapter 43: Return Journey and Analysis

"So that's how it is! I'll relay this to my big brother after returning to the village!" Fuyuki took the scroll without checking it or opening it. There was no probing, no suspicion of Kiyoshi's identity, and he simply put the scroll into his ninja tool pouch, demonstrating his confidence in their powerful lineup and strength.

"In that case, I'll take my leave!" Kiyoshi didn't mind. He was naturally happy to have completed the mission smoothly, so he bid farewell to the Cloud Village group.

Having completed the uneventful secret mission, Kiyoshi, eager to return home, quickly chased after the direction his subordinates had left in. He soon caught up with Senno, Yagura, and the others. The others, completely unaware that Kiyoshi had already completed his mission and was returning, were still talking loudly.

Kiyoshi, having quietly caught up with the group, was about to show himself when he heard Munashi Jinpachi curiously ask Yagura, "Captain Kagami, have you ever sparred with the Squad Leader? How strong is he?" So, he dismissed the idea of revealing himself immediately and prepared to listen to what Yagura had to say.

"Heh, don't look down on Bone just because he used to be the captain of our Sixth Squad. My strength is not at all inferior to his. The results of our several fights were all draws in the end!" Yagura boasted shamelessly.

"Then why was Bone the original captain of the Sixth Squad, and why did he later become the squad leader of the First Division?" Ao calmly retorted. As an elite ninja personally requested by Kiyoshi, he clearly knew Bone's, or rather Kiyoshi's, true identity and approximate strength.

"Yes, they were indeed all draws, but it was two against one. And who knows if the captain was holding back? There were a few times when he didn't even use his Corpse Bone Pulse!" Senno also launched a venomous tongue attack on Yagura.

"The squad leaders of the Anbu are at least all Elite Jōnin. He definitely wasn't holding back, but maybe he held back an ocean!" Biwa Juzo and Kurare Kushimaru chimed in, teasing.

"Hana! How can you slander someone's innocence out of thin air like that?" Yagura's face turned red, and then he said, "Two against one is still a draw! How can sparring between teammates be considered holding back?"

Then followed a series of obscure and difficult-to-understand words, which made the surrounding air feel lively for a while.

The group had indeed become well-acquainted during this mission that lasted nearly a month. Although the difference in rank between superiors and subordinates in the Anbu was still very clear, Yagura still had the mentality of a teenager. Coupled with the fact that Kurare Kushimaru, Munashi Jinpachi, Biwa Juzo, and Ao were all exceptionally talented, Yagura didn't take their teasing to heart.

Kiyoshi, who had been eavesdropping on the side, couldn't help but smile. Then, he silently appeared at the back of the group and said faintly to Yagura, "Kagami, I will grant your request. After we return to the village, I will have a good spar with you again!"

Hearing Kiyoshi suddenly speak, Yagura was startled and stumbled. *Crap, I bragged too much, and the person involved caught me red-handed.*

"Lord! You're back!" the others said respectfully upon hearing Kiyoshi's voice.

Kiyoshi nodded to the others, then turned to the four new recruits and asked, "You four watched the entire battle just now from the side. Tell me your opinions."

"The title of Demigod is very appropriate for Salamander Hanzo. Although the final result was a draw between Hanzo and the Hokage, I think Hanzo actually won. He was just afraid that after defeating the Hokage, the Konoha ninjas would become enraged and forcibly keep him there," Biwa Juzo was the first to speak, stating his guess and opinion.

"Agreed!" Kurare Kushimaru said concisely.

"Me too!" Munashi Jinpachi followed.

"That's right, Hanzo did win. I could clearly sense that Hanzo's aura after the battle didn't decline as drastically as the Hokage's, and he was even able to remain completely unharmed under such terrifying ninjutsu!" Ao, the only one among them with sensory abilities, added.

"Hanzo did win, but he wasn't uninjured," Kiyoshi corrected Ao. "Ao, your sensory abilities have great potential for development, but you still need to strengthen them. Hanzo was actually injured, and the injuries weren't light."

"Although it wasn't visible on the surface, and Hanzo's Chakra aura didn't decline too obviously, I could sense that his life force was fluctuating. Hanzo was forcibly using his massive Chakra to suppress his injuries in order to deceive all the sensory ninjas present," Kiyoshi continued to explain to the others.

In fact, Kiyoshi hadn't noticed it at first either, but Hanzo's remarks after the battle, which were clearly inconsistent with his character, aroused a trace of suspicion in Kiyoshi.

So, Kiyoshi carefully sensed Hanzo's condition again, and that's when he discovered the clues.

"Hanzo's strength is indeed very strong, close to the limit of the Kage level, but to say he's the strongest in the ninja world isn't entirely accurate. Others aside, at least our Mizukage-sama is not much inferior to Hanzo." Although there was a slight suspicion of glorifying their own Kage, and their own Kage wasn't as strong as Hanzo in terms of raw power, Kiyoshi, who had seen the Third Mizukage's performance in the First Great Ninja War in his memories, indeed believed that he could contend with the current Hanzo.

Hanzo was a Kage-level powerhouse proficient in Water Release, Fire Release, and swordsmanship, but the Third Mizukage's Ice Release, which had been developed to its peak, could just happen to counter most of Hanzo's abilities.

Therefore, although Kiyoshi believed that the strength of their own Mizukage Ice was roughly the same as that of the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, under the effect of elemental advantage, he definitely had the power to contend with Hanzo.

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