vstars Chapter 824 Result
Chapter 824 Result
The rain continued to fall, washing over this ravaged land, but it could not wash away the three feet of blood that had seeped into the soil.
The outcome of this ambush was a massacre of corpses. Although Iwagakure claimed to have achieved a historic victory, killing Kumogakure's strongest shield and spear—the Third Raikage—the price behind this glory was suffocatingly heavy. Of the tens of thousands of Iwagakure ninja, only three or four out of ten were still standing; their elite fighting force had almost completely collapsed.
For the Hidden Cloud Village, this was an even more devastating nightmare. They lost not only their army, but also the spiritual pillar of their village.
Amid the chaotic cleanup efforts, no one noticed that beside the corpse of the "Hunter," who was hailed as a hero, a barely perceptible wisp of chakra quietly dissipated, as if it had never existed.
In the shadows of the distance, Zhang Hai leaned against a dead tree trunk, his face deathly pale. He slowly closed his eyes, undergoing a secret soul fusion.
The memories and emotions of "Hunter's" life, even if it was just a life spent in disguise, flooded into Zhang Hai's mind like a tidal wave.
"Hmm... that brat Deidara, next time I'll definitely teach him how to make the clay bird fly higher..."
This sudden thought made Zhang Hai abruptly open his eyes, his crimson Sharingan trembling violently. He instinctively pressed his hand to his chest, where a strange, fatherly warmth and concern was surging within him. For the cold and rational Zhang Hai, this emotion was not only superfluous but also fatal.
“The side effects of ‘Spirit Control Technique’ are so severe.” Zhang Hai took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the remaining emotion belonging to “hunter” using his eye power. Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. “Prolonged manipulation of the split soul not only consumes chakra but also assimilates at the soul level. If I had stopped any later, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish whether I was Uchiha Zhang Hai or the Explosion Release Hunter of Iwagakure.”
He looked down at his palms, his eyes gradually regaining their clarity and coldness.
"This forbidden technique must never be used lightly again unless absolutely necessary. Those who toy with souls will ultimately be devoured by them. In the end, we still need these eyes to survive in this world."
Zhang Hai disappeared into the darkness, leaving the battlefield that buried Lei Ying and "Hunter".
……
The news of the Third Raikage's death spread like wildfire throughout the ninja world overnight. This was undoubtedly the most shocking event since the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War, even surpassing the outcome of any previous battle.
In the direction of Yunlei Gorge, the brothers A and Killer Bee, who were originally wreaking havoc on the front lines, felt as if the sky had fallen the moment they received the devastating news. Their father, who was as invincible as an iron tower, had actually fallen to the sheer number of Iwagakure's troops.
Overwhelmed with grief and rage, A nearly went berserk and attacked Iwagakure. However, after Killer Bee and Tsuchidai desperately dissuaded him, he finally gritted his teeth and made the most rational yet most painful decision of his time as the new leader—a full retreat to defend Kumogakure. The Raikage's death could easily trigger unrest within the village, and if other forces were to take advantage of the situation, Kumogakure would face annihilation.
The Cloud Hidden Army retreated like a tide, leaving behind an empty defensive line.
The chain reaction triggered by this change was astonishing. Konoha, which was already exhausted and in a completely passive strategic position due to being attacked from three sides by Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure, suddenly felt the heavy pressure on its shoulders ease.
The collapse of the Cloud Village front meant that Konoha could free up a large number of its forces. With top fighters like Minato Namikaze no longer tied down on the eastern front, Konoha's leadership quickly adjusted its strategic deployment, shifting its focus to Iwagakure, which had just suffered a pyrrhic victory and was severely weakened.
The originally precarious battle situation was miraculously saved by the unexpected death of the Third Raikage, allowing Konoha to escape death and even showing signs of regaining the initiative on the battlefield and turning the tide of the war.
……
However, the turmoil in the ninja world was far from over. While the three great nations on the continent were fighting tooth and nail, Kirigakure, a village shrouded in mist overseas and perpetually shrouded in fog, finally opened its bloodthirsty eyes.
Deep inside the Water Shadow Building, in a dimly lit secret room.
The flickering candlelight cast several strangely shaped shadows. Those were the most feared fighting force of Kirigakure—the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
An elderly man with a hunched back and a cane sat in the seat of honor. He was none other than Genshi, the powerful elder of Kirigakure. Although he was advanced in years, a chilling glint shone in his cloudy eyes.
"Master Yuan, you didn't summon us here just to listen to some boring political analysis again, did you?"
The speaker was a man wielding a massive guillotine, Juzo Biwa. He grinned, his sharp teeth gleaming coldly in the candlelight, his tone filled with impatience, "The outside world is in the midst of a fierce battle, the Raikage is dead, yet we're forced to hide in this fog like cowards. My sword has been itching for a fight for ages."
"Hehe, Juzo is right." Nishiyama Kiton, who was bloated and carried Samehada on his back, also let out a sinister laugh. "I heard that the people of Iwagakure and Konoha were bleeding profusely. Just thinking about that scene makes me tremble with excitement. Let's attack. No matter who it is, as long as it's alive, Samehada wants to have a taste."
The others remained silent, but the sharp killing intent emanating from them made their stance clear. As the ace of Kirigakure, they were weapons born for slaughter, and the long-term suppression had long since made them restless.
Master Yuan slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the group of unruly subordinates. His aged voice echoed in the secret chamber: "Impulsiveness is a ninja's Achilles' heel. In the past, the ninja world was a three-way balance of power between Iwa, Kumo, and Konoha, with each side restraining the other. If we rashly entered the game, we would only be drawn into the vortex and become a victim of the great power's power struggle."
As he spoke, Master Yuan lightly tapped the ground with his cane, and his attendant immediately unfurled a huge map of the ninja world. The map was densely marked with the movements of armies from various countries, with red, blue, and black arrows crisscrossing across it. Clearly, although this old man lived on a remote island, he was well aware of the situation in the world.
"But now, the time is ripe."
The master's withered fingers traced across the map, finally stopping at a specific area. "The Third Raikage is dead, Kumogakure has returned to defend, Iwagakure is weak after a pyrrhic victory, and Konoha, though it has caught its breath, is also at its last gasp. The ninja world now is like a sieve that leaks everywhere, and it is the perfect time for us, Kirigakure, to stab it in the back."
Standing at the far side, Hozuki Chizuki, the calmest and most versatile genius among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, spoke calmly, "Since Master says so, you must have already chosen our prey. Who is our target? The remnants of Iwagakure, or Konoha's supply lines?"