infodatos Chapter 498: The Great Battle Begins Part 1
Chapter 498: The Great Battle Begins Part 1
Chapter 498 - 498: The Great Battle Begins Part 1"Father, what happened?"
As soon as Kitsuchi saw Ōnoki return, he rushed to meet him.
His eyes instinctively
"So what if we die?"
"At the very least, we'll make Konoha pay the price!"
"Damn it all, it's just Konoha! Nothing special!"
"They've got one mouth and two eyes just like us!"
"What, do Konoha shinobi have extra heads or something?"
The tent erupted with battle cries, each voice louder than the last.
The morale of the Iwa-nin soared, like warriors ready to charge into the flames of war.
"Good. Very good."
"This is the spirit we need."
"Let Konoha know—Iwagakure will not be trampled so easily."
Ōnoki's voice was thick with emotion. A single tear, unnoticed, slipped down his weathered cheek.
"Father, this battle won't be easy. We need a solid strategy."
Kitsuchi's words weren't meant to dampen the mood, but he refused to let blind passion cloud their judgment.
They were already at a disadvantage. If they charged in recklessly, Iwagakure might not survive the first battle.
"Well, it's time to plan our strategy."
Ōnoki nodded, his gaze falling on the map of the Land of Earth hanging on the wall.
"The commander Konoha has sent this time is Fugaku Uchiha."
"His uncle was the previous Uchiha Clan Head."
"The last recorded battle he fought ended in mutual defeat against Lord Rōshi."
"But considering he managed to kill Lord Rōshi this time, his strength has clearly improved significantly."
"Other than Lord Tsuchikage, there may be no one capable of stopping him. He's an extremely dangerous opponent."
"He also has a deputy."
"A well-known taijutsu fanatic from the Second Shinobi World War—Might Duy."
"He once fought Lord Han and proved to be a formidable adversary."
"Konoha's main force consists of the Uchiha Clan."
"Their Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan, is one of the Three Great Dōjutsu of the ninja world."
"They specialize in Fire Release, genjutsu, and taijutsu, making them far more troublesome than the average ninja."
With each statement from the intelligence officer, the furrows in everyone's brows deepened.
The fire in their blood, just starting to ignite, was quickly doused by a bucket of cold water.
Konoha's strength was truly terrifying—the idea of an entire village going up against a single clan seemed almost unbelievable.
"Uchiha Fugaku is indeed strong," someone acknowledged.
"I'll take care of him."
"Might Duy... he's one of Konoha's veteran warriors."
"When he activates his secret technique, his taijutsu becomes especially terrifying."
"Who among you is willing to take him on?"
Ōnoki had seen Fugaku's Susanoo firsthand and knew that, aside from himself, no one in Iwagakure could stand against it.
As for Duy, he wasn't confident he could take on both opponents at once.
If something happened to him, Iwagakure would be left at Konoha's mercy.
"Father, I'll do it."
Kitsuchi stepped forward without hesitation. With the losses of Han and Rōshi, he was now undoubtedly Iwagakure's second-strongest fighter.
In the original Fourth Shinobi World War, his combat record had been remarkable.
He had sent the Tailed Beast-transformed Kinkaku flying with a single punch and used the Earth Release: Mountain Jutsu to suppress both the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and the Ten-Tails.
He might not have reached that level yet, but he was certainly qualified to face Duy.
"Be careful."
Ōnoki's gaze softened with a hint of guilt.
Countless words swirled in his mind, but in the end, he could only bring himself to say these three.
If he hadn't held onto false hope—if Rōshi were still alive—his son wouldn't have to face such a dangerous opponent alone.
"Yes, I will."
Kitsuchi nodded, but deep down, he was far from calm.
How could he not feel pressure?
Anyone who made a name for themselves in the Second Shinobi World War was not an easy opponent.
But right now, Iwagakure had no other choice.