Naruto: Escape From Konoha

Chapter 196: 192: Kumo's Conspiracy

The new semester is upon me!! - 300L.

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Konoha Years 47, April, Early spring.

The war between Konoha and Kumo had lasted for a year, resulting in a stalemate at the border of the Land of Tea.

Konoha's resilience had exceeded all expectations, but Kumo's formidable power had played a significant role in bringing Konoha to this situation.

However, Kumo's initial aggressive assault had caused considerable problems for the Land of Fire and Konoha. As time went on, Konoha dispatched the Yellow Flash to the battlefield, which significantly slowed the momentum of the Kumo-Konoha war.

While Kumo had also used the space-time transmission ninjutsu method for transporting supplies and was unconcerned about the Yellow Flash's surprise attacks, the Yellow Flash had earned his reputation on the battlefield against Iwa, sealing his victories with sheer strength.

Previously, Kumo had adopted a combat strategy of using small elite teams to pressure the Land of Fire from multiple angles, causing Konoha to disperse its forces. In theory, this approach could have placed significant pressure on Konoha and shifted the advantage back to Kumo.

However, this strategy was effectively destroyed by the Yellow Flash.

Multiple elite Jonin teams sent by Kumo mysteriously disappeared within the Land of Fire's territory in just half a month. And at that time it was the moment the Yellow Flash's disappeared from the frontline battlefield, showing who was clearly for it.

The Hyuga ninjas had identified the Kumo teams' direction and hiding locations, enabling the Yellow Flash to neutralize the threat. As a result, Kumo not only failed to gain an advantage but also lost many elite ninjas, it was like shooting themselves in the foot.

Rumors circulated that the Fourth Raikage was furious about this, and his resentment was directed toward the Yellow Flash, though his hatred for the Hyuga clan's Byakugan was even stronger. The mention of the word 'Hyuga' reminded him of the extremely troublesome Hyuga woman he had met on the Iwa battlefield two years ago.

It seemed like every time Kumo's ambitions were thwarted, the Byakugan was involved. During the Iwa battlefield, the dominant Kumo side had repeatedly faced obstacles created by Hyuga Ayane's actions.

Presently, the Hyuga clan ninjas provided the Yellow Flash with precise routes, enabling him to wipe out th Kumo elite teams who had sneaked in the Land Of Fire within half a month.

It was clear that the Hyuga clan's Byakugan was instrumental in these victories. Without the assistance of the Hyuga, it would have been impossible for Konoha to eliminate these Kumo elite teams.

Moreover, these elite teams sent by Kumo were chosen from their shadow guards and ANBU. Suffering such substantial losses was a significant blow, leaving the Fourth Raikage deeply frustrated.

.....

Kumo Camp

Inside a makeshift tent office, Dodai was providing a report to the Raikage.

"Raikage-sama, based on our records, we lost a total of 123 ninjas last month, including seven Jonin, seventy-one Chunin, and forty-five Genin."

"How did we lose so much?!!!"

The Raikage was stunned. Though the loss seemed relatively small, it only accounted for Kumo's casualties in a single month. This figure excluded the wounded and the total losses sustained throughout the entire year.

Apart from a large-scale battle against Konoha the previous year, the overall statistics indicated that at least 2,000 Kumo ninjas had been lost, with an additional 4,000 wounded or rendered unable to fight.

Dodai remained silent.

The Raikage snorted angrily, he knew who was responsible for these losses. Except of the Yellow Flash, no one in Konoha possessed the capability to carry out such feats.

"Have the battle damage statistics for Konoha been calculated?" The Fourth Raikage asked.

Dodai shuffled through the documents in his hand and reported based on the information contained within them.

"Based on the entire year, Konoha's casualty rate should be less than 60% of Kumo's casualty rate."

Hearing Dodai's words, the Raikage's expression darkened..This meant that for every six casualties suffered by Konoha, Kumo was experiencing ten casualties, an unfavorable ratio for the Kumo's forces.

Kumo had remained dormant for many years, even during the Second Ninja World War, they were merely biding their time, recharging their strength, all the while waiting for the perfect opportunity to defeat Konoha and establish themselves as the overlord of the five great nations.

This reality did not align with the Raikage's predictions.

"Before the arrival of the Yellow Flash, Konoha's casualty rate was significantly higher than that of ours. His abilities in the battlefield is terrible, no wonder Iwa fell so quickly." Dodai said with a helplessness expression.

Before their fufht with Konoha, no one had anticipated that a well-known Konoha Jonin would become the decisive factor on the battlefield. It was only when they had noticed that it was too late.

Their opponent's strength had grown to an incredibly terrifying level.

Kumo was renowned in the ninja world for their fast and aggressive ninjutsu. For generations, the Raikage had been among the fastest users of speed jutsu, following the death of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, on the battlefield. Thus, the title of the fastest ninja had consistently belonged to Kumo's Raikage.

The Fourth Raikage, who inherited the excellent genes of the Third Raikage, was even faster than his father, making him arguably the fastest ninja of their time.

However, when facing the Yellow Flash, they couldn't help but admit that the title of the fastest ninja belonged to him. Even the proud user of the Lightning Release Body Flicker, the Fourth Raikage, wouldn't claim to be superior in speed over the Yellow Flash.

"He's simply a monster. I can only keep up with his neural response after activating the Lightning Chakra Mode. It's a level of responsiveness that humans can't achieve." The Fourth Raikage stated in a grave tone.

"Raikage-sama, are you admitting defeat?" Dodai smiled.

"Hmph!! For now, without a means to restrict or neutralize the Yellow Flash, any further plots on Konoha will be completely useless."

The Fourth Raikage said with a resolute tone. He could not help but feel admiration and respect for the Yellow Flash's abilities.

"However, we lack the means to limit or even restrain the Yellow Flash. There's no better way to praise him than to say he's our enemy's warm spring and our own people's cold winter."

Dodai too, held respect for young, promising ninjas like the Yellow Flash.

"Not only that, there's also the issue of the Byakugan." The Fourth Raikage muttered, recalling an unpleasant memory.

Dodai understood why the Fourth Raikage was feeling down.

The Byakugan was yet another problem. Dodai inwardly sighed, considering it an unsolvable one.

With the existence of the Byakugan, Konoha had no need to fear sneak attacks, and Kumo's strategies for sneak attacks would always be exposed by any Hyuga ninja. Before those eyes, regardless of how sophisticated Kumo's plans might be, it would seem as though they were unfolding in plain sight, revealing their locations completely.

"What should be our next step?" The Fourth Raikage thought aloud, his expression filled with caution.

"What about adding the power of the Eight Tails?" Dodai suggested.

"Are you mocking me, Dodai? The last time B and I teamed up to fight the Yellow Flash..."

The Fourth Raikage's face twisted into an ugly expression. He left the outcome of the battle unspoken, but his expression conveyed the entire story—things had not gone well. His younger brother, Killer B, was Kumo's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Moreover, he was a Perfect Jinchuriki, achieving perfect control over the Eight Tails sealed within him. Yet, even with the power of the Eight Tails, they had still been unable to defeat the Yellow Flash.

Even if they were to face the Yellow Flash once more, there was no way to change the outcome. The Fourth Raikage was beginning to feel a sense of despair when thinking about that blond-haired young man.

Over the next few decades, would Kumo have no chance of overcoming Konoha?

The Fourth Raikage was extremely unwilling to accept this. His father had worked with Kumo for decades, but his aspirations had been effortlessly quashed by a Konoha ninja younger than him. It was easy to envision a future in which the Land of Fire would continue to dominate the five great nations, with Konoha at the helm. Kumo would always remain in the second place.

Seeing the uncertain expression on the Raikage's face, Dodai understood that the Fourth Raikage's unwavering belief in his invincibility had been shattered.

During his battle with the Hyuga woman, his pride in the Lightning Armor had been unable to withstand her gentle fist attacks, resulting in numerous internal injuries. Against the Yellow Flash, his own speed had been entirely eclipsed by his opponent.

After encountering these two ninjas, Dodai struggled to find words to describe the Fourth Raikage's bad mood.

Perhaps this setback was something the Fourth Raikage had to go through, something Kumo itself needed to experience. However, facing setbacks wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Being able to view these setbacks as opportunities for growth was a positive sign of maturity for the immature Raikage.

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, recognizing the gap between one's enemies and allies, and broadening one's horizons rather than relying solely on brute force to secure victories were all qualities essential for the Five Kages.

Even the Yellow Flash had not led a perfectly smooth life.

However, Raikage-sama couldn't be allowed to suffer too much, so the setbacks needed to be controlled. It was almost time to put a limit on them. Dodai secretly nodded, making a significant decision.

...

In the Konoha Camp, the Land of Tea

A swift flash of lightning zipped by as the beautiful sword flash cleaved through the air.

Two figures, one large and one small, darted through the surroundings.

The moment they landed, the two turned around, charging toward one another with the ground as their fulcrum. The sword clashed with the three-pronged kunai, setting off a dazzling display of sparks as wind and lightning collided.

"Alright, Kakashi, let's call it a day; I still have missions to attend to." Minato's eyes showing relief as he ended his sparring session with Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded putting down his sword, allowing the lightning to dissipate before sheathing.

"Your speed is already quite impressive. Now, you only need to enhance your lightning release abilities."

It meant that his lightning abilities were still lacking.

IMinato believed Kakashi possessed the potential to surpass him.

"I understand, Minato-sensei." Kakashi replied lightly.

Team Minato today existed only in name.

Minato's killing speed was unparalleled, making it impossible for anyone in Konoha to match his skills. So, the formation of Minato's team was usually dynamic, tailored to specific mission requirements. This decision was also influenced by Konoha's senior leadership.

And in these dynamic teams, Kakashi was often paired with Minato. There were two reasons for this. Kakashi had served under Minato for several years, making him highly adaptable, and Kakashi had inherited his father's kenjutsu , allowing him to participate in challenging missions.

However, it seemed that this mission was somewhat special, as Kakashi had not received orders to accompany Minato. So, their training session came to an end.

Kakashi and Minato exchanged a brief farewell before Minato left to carry out the mission assigned to him. For Kakashi, it was likely another solo mission to infiltrate another Komo camp on his own. He suspected as much because this was Minato's daily routine.

Meanwhile, he couldn't help but be shocked by Minato's power. While he had once been able to sense the limits of Minato's abilities, this was no longer the case. At the rate Minato was advancing, he would eventually become the strongest ninja in the world.

Attempting to push these thoughts from his mind, Kakashi choose not to continue training after Minato's left. He knew that enhancing his Lightning Armor would be his next objective, but there was no need to rush the process; it couldn't be achieved in just a day or two. He occasionally had to allow himself relax, combining rest with work.

So, Kakashi decided to return to camp to rest, read a book, and gain knowledge beyond that of a ninja. While being a ninja was a part of life, it didn't define one's entire existence..As he headed back to camp, two people were coming towards his direction. There was a specific reason for his interest.

One of them was too young, a mere four or five years old with a small body, black hair, tiny arms, and a notably immature face. He was dressed in attire bearing the circular fan emblem representing the Uchiha clan.

The other individual, who accompanied the child, was someone Kakashi recognized - Uchiha Fugaku, the current head of the powerful Uchiha clan. Although his reputation didn't match that of the Yellow Flash, he was a well-known figure, with strength comparable to that of the Sannin.

Kakashi looked at the young boy next to Fugaku, he couldn't help but feel concerned. Was it really appropriate to bring such a young and ignorant child to an environment that might shape his views? This could potentially leave him with lasting scars.

Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if there was an issue between Fugaku and the child.

While Kakashi and Fugaku weren't acquainted, he did have some ties to the Uchiha clan. Among his father's three subordinates, one of them was an Uchiha - Uchiha Ruri. She had also been in the running for the position of Uchiha clan head before her defection.

But Kakashi had no desire to engage with Fugaku and quietly walked past him without uttering a word.

Fugaku stopped in his tracks, choosing to maintain silence, just like Kakashi.

Beside Fugaku, the young boy observed the scene and followed his father stopping. He boy turned his attention toward Kakashi's leaving figure, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"Father, who is that boy?"

Fugaku heard the child's question about and replied, "That's Hatake Kakashi. A prodigy who entered the ninja academy at four, graduated at five. After that he became a Chunin at the age of six, and a Jonin at twelve... He's one of Konoha's Jonin with the most legendary stories today."

The young boy remained silent but continued to look at Kakashi with curiosity in his eyes.

"Itachi, you have to grow up as soon as possible...to become such a genius. You have to surpass him."

His father's voice rang in his ears.

Itachi couldn't fully understand why his father made such a request, but he nodded ignorantly in agreement. Thoughts swirled in the young boy's. If he could become someone like Kakashi, would that be enough to make his father happy?

His head was filled with such thoughts.

...

In a meeting room within the Kumo Camp

The Raikage and all several Kumo Jonins assembled for their meeting. These Kumo Jonin were renowned and occupied vital roles within Kumo.

The topic of discussion for this meeting was how to deal with Konoha. Kumo had convened several meetings during the month, but none had yielded a viable strategy. The problem lay in their inability to overcome the Yellow Flash.

Despite their best efforts, Kumo couldn't shake Konoha or the Yellow Flash on the battlefield. Though Konoha didn't use thei full strength, Kumo had yet to penetrate their defenses, and both sides were testing each other's limits. However, the current circumstances appeared to favor Konoha over Kumo.

The Fourth Raikage observed Jonins present who were unable to propose an effective solution. While he was disappointed, he realized they had already exhausted their options against the Yellow Flash. However, it appeared as though fate was thwarting Kumo's long cherished aspiration to dominate the world over the years.

Dodai addressed the gathering, .

"There are two paths lying before us."

"Two paths? Whats two paths?"

Curiosity piqued, everyone in the room focused on Dodai's words.

"The first path is to retreat and negotiate a truce with Konoha." Dodai said.

The Raikage and the Jonins frowned. This option was the most practical, but no one was enthusiastic about it.

"At the moment, we have no means to deal with the Yellow Flash. A truce is our best choice."

The Fourth Raikage's temper flared.

"Dodai, why don't you just tell them the second option? What is the second path?"

Dodai sighed and continued, "The second path is also a truce with Konoha."

His words confused all of them. Nonetheless, Dodai spoke with composure, "It's not a real truce but an opportunity for preparation."

"But if we lose this so-called opportunity now, it will be even harder to find chances in the future." A Jonin added.

Dodai didn't think so, "No, now is the real opportunity, and I've confirmed it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, there are numerous internal dangers as of the moment within Konoha. The external pressure from us hasn't yet brought these issues to light. Moreover, Konoha has refrained from sending the Sannin Orochimaru in response to our attack. This has actually shown a problem."

"It is rather strange indeed. After Orochimaru ended the war in the Land of Rain, and we launched an attack on the Land of Fire, Konoha left Orochimaru idle and sent an Akimichi to command the battle. With common sense, Orochimaru should have been dispatched."

Kumo had been suspicious of Konoha's unexpected actions at the time, perceiving it as part of a hidden agenda.

Dodai continued, "Not only that, during our skirmishes with Konoha, Akimichi Tokukaze was essentially unable to secure a win against us, and Konoha was consistenly suppressed by us. After the Yellow Flash's victory with Iwagakure, Konoha's senior management immediately sent him here, reversing the tide. This shows that the Third Hokage is paving the way for the Yellow Flash.".Dodai's said seriously.

"In that is indeed case, then there should be no room for retreat."

"Yes, once the Yellow Flash becomes the Hokage, it will become even more challenging to deal with Konoha."

"Sure enough, we must continue the fight."

The Raikage largely ignored these discussions but signaled to Dodai to elaborate further.

Dodai understood that the Yellow Flash had left a significant impression on these people. However, he also shared their surprise regarding the Yellow Flash's power.

Dodai distributed the materials he had prepared, each Jonin received a set. The assembled Jonin stopped their conversations and focused their attention on the information summarized in the documents.

These documents contained extensive information about Konoha, beginning with an analysis of Orochimaru's actions following the end of the Battle of the Land of Rain. They explored the initial conjectures surrounding the topic.

Notably, they acknowledged the efforts of the spy who had infiltrated Konoha. While they couldn't reach the core of Konoha's activities, the information collected through long-term surveillance and secret investigations had proven valuable in deciphering the hidden benefits behind what appeared to be irrelevant data.

After the end of the Land of Rain War, Kumo initiated a challenge against Konoha. Orochimaru remained inactive, and Konoha confronted Kumo with decline. The situation only reversed when the Yellow Flash ended the battle with Iwa.

All these events were meticulously documented and analyzed by Dodai.

"As per my investigation, the majority of Yellow Flash's missions were done by one person. Despite his renown and immense power, he has never assumed a role as a commander. Does it seem reasonable for someone with no command experience to become a Hokage?" Dodai questioned.

Silence fell over the gathering as the they all began to think about the question.

The consensus was that it wasn't reasonable. If they were Konoha ninjas, they would be more inclined to recommend Orochimaru as the Hokage.

Kages were expected to have the necessary command skills to lead their military forces, serving as the core of their respective armies. However, the Yellow Flash had never held such a role, thereby highlighting a major flaw in his candidacy for Hokage.

Kumo ninjas were far from foolish, and they observed how Konoha's senior leadership kept Orochimaru idle when Kumo attacked, and how the Yellow Flash was immediately dispatched to confront them after Iwa.

They could only arrive at one conclusion: the Third Hokage from Konoha required a puppet, and the Yellow Flash was his chosen one.

"So, is it necessary to initiate a truce at this time, causing infighting among Konoha's council?"

"That's correct. We can't effectively deal with the Yellow Flash at this point. Continuing to go forward on this path will be highly detrimental to Kumo's progress. Personally, I advocate for a truce and allowing the Yellow Flash to inherit the position of the Fourth Hokage. Once he becomes the Third Hokage's successor, a conflict will arise between the two factions, creating an opportunity for us."

"But all of this is based on speculation. We can't be certain that Konoha's internal situation aligns with this assumptions."

Dodai responded confidently "Our speculations are based on a thorough analysis of accurate information. To be on the safe side, we should prepare for both scenarios. If Konoha's internal situation doesn't match our assumptions, we can still engage them at a later time."

"When's the deadline? We can't wait for a long time."

Dodai thought for a moment before responding, "Let's set the deadline for December of this year. We're currently observing a truce. By December, Konoha should have selected the Fourth Hokage candidate. If the Yellow Flash is promoted to Fourth Hokage at that point, regardless of whether the Third Hokage plans to use him as a puppet Hokage, it means he won't easily return to the battlefield again."

As long as the Yellow Flash was absent, the remaining Konoha ninjas posed no threat to Kumo, even if the Third Hokage personally intervened.

"Will there be a showdown at that time?"

While a faction of the Jonins showed opposition, most of the participants at the meeting appeared willing to the proposal.

A few months' delay was a minor issue for Kumo. The total losses of Konoha in the battles against Suna and Iwa exceeded Kumo's. Furthermore, Kumo had an abundance of military supplies and logistics. The only obstacle on their path was the Yellow Flash.

If the Yellow Flash assumed the role of Fourth Hokage and his power waned, he would inevitably clash with the Third Hokage, throwing Konoha into chaos.

Should the Third Hokage intend to groom the Yellow Flash as his successor and delegate all his authority, he would be too busy managing Konoha's internal affairs to engage Kumo personally, no matter how powerful the Yellow Flash was. Kumo was aware of the complicated interrelations among Konoha clans.

"That's correct. Our next course of action should be to create momentum for the Yellow Flash, portraying him as the world's top ninja. This approach, rather than reducing Konoha's prestige from the outside, challenges it from within." Dodai revealed with a glint in his eyes.

The Raikage nodded after listening to Dodai's plan.

While this method wasn't ideal for him, as a Kage, he understood the futility of resorting solely to brute force to resolve the issue.

"Dodai, can you guarantee success?" The Fourth Raikage inquired.

Dodai showed a helpless smile. "There are no guarantees; it is simply a reasonable inference based on our extensive information. In any case, we can't stop the Yellow Flash right now, can we?"

The Raikage found himself dumbfounded. Indeed, restraining the Yellow Flash was a difficult challenge.

"Hmph, then let's proceed with this plan."

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