vncnus Chapter 138 Sand Ninja's Defeat
Chapter 138 Sand Ninja's Defeat
When Chiyo saw Jiraiya suddenly appear, carrying someone, her heart tightened, and she quickly took several steps back, while remaining fully alert to his every move. After all, this wasn't the first time she had clashed with Jiraiya, and Chiyo knew the approximate strength of his opponent. In the past, they had always needed to join forces with the Fourth Kazekage to barely suppress this powerful adversary.
However, Jiraiya's unexpected arrival filled Chiyo with a sense of foreboding. According to the original plan, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was supposed to face Jiraiya, while she herself was responsible for leading the Jinchuriki to quickly defeat the Konoha ninja, then rushing to the Kazekage's battlefield to join Rasa in defeating Jiraiya. But now, Jiraiya had appeared on the very battlefield where she was, while Rasa was nowhere to be seen. Could it be… that Rasa had already been defeated by Jiraiya?
But with Rasa's true strength, plus that unparalleled bloodline limit—Magnet Release ninjutsu—how could Jiraiya defeat him so easily? Chiyo was filled with doubt, but the facts before her eyes forced her to start worrying.
Chiyo never dreamed that Jiraiya had never used his less-than-perfect Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku during their previous encounters! After all, whether considering the speed of its release or dealing with the combined attack of several Kage-level ninja from Sunagakure, Jiraiya knew that even using Sage Mode wouldn't guarantee a decisive victory against their combined strength. However, with only Rasa remaining, he could prepare a plan beforehand and wanted to end the battle quickly. Therefore, using Sage Mode to swiftly defeat the enemy became the only viable option.
When Jiraiya slowly walked to a spot not far from Chiyo, Chiyo finally saw the face of the figure Jiraiya was carrying. She couldn't help but widen her eyes, and her face showed an expression of extreme horror.
Chiyo thought to herself, "This... how is this possible?!" Because she recognized the person captured by Jiraiya as the Jinchūriki of Shukaku, the strongest weapon of the Sand Village! Chiyo could hardly believe her eyes; she couldn't understand how such a powerful being could be defeated by Jiraiya.
It's important to understand that every time they tried to seal Shukaku, the Hidden Sand Village had to mobilize dozens of top-tier elite ninjas, and sometimes even the Kazekage himself had to join forces with Chiyo to barely suppress it. More importantly, the Kazekage's Magnet Release ninjutsu was extremely effective against Shukaku, which allowed them to achieve final victory.
However, it is truly astonishing that Jiraiya has managed to subdue this Shukaku Jinchuriki, who possesses terrifying power, all by himself! In comparison, the shock that Jiraiya's victory over Rasa brought to Chiyo was not this great.
As Jiraiya approached, he keenly noticed the change in Chiyo's terrified expression. This discovery secretly pleased Jiraiya, for he was well aware of the important position and influence Chiyo, a high-ranking elder from Sunagakure, held.
Chiyo was not only a highly respected puppet master with exceptional puppetry skills, but she also served as the head of medical affairs for Sunagakure, shouldering the heavy responsibility of treating the wounded and maintaining the health and peace of the village. She enjoyed an incredibly high reputation in Sunagakure and could be considered a pivotal figure.
If negotiations with Chiyo are successfully completed and she is persuaded to lead the Sand Village in a withdrawal, the war with the Sand Village will quickly end. This would relieve Konoha of immense pressure, allowing them to focus more on dealing with challenges from other ninja villages. Consequently, they will be more composed and confident in future battles.
Arriving a short distance from Chiyo, who was still on high alert, Jiraiya placed the figure he was carrying on the ground, gave Chiyo a friendly smile, and let his hands hang down to show that he had no intention of continuing the fight.
Seeing that Chiyo remained wary and on high alert, Jiraiya shook his head dismissively and said directly to her, "Grandma Chiyo, you probably already know most of what's going on. Yes, your village's Fourth Kazekage has been defeated by me and is seriously injured. He will likely need a considerable amount of time to recuperate before he can return to the battlefield. As for the person standing beside me, I don't need to elaborate further; I believe you, with your experience, naturally understand his importance. Now that things have come to this, it is indeed necessary for us to sit down and calmly discuss this matter in depth. What do you think?"
Chiyo's face instantly darkened, her eyes blazing with fury that seemed about to burst forth. She clenched her fists, her muscles tense, as if she might attack Jiraiya at any moment. However, after a moment of inner struggle, Chiyo ultimately managed to suppress her impulse.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Jiraiya with a hint of disdain, and coldly replied, "Hmph, I see. You, Jiraiya, came here just to show off your so-called glorious achievements and prove that you are capable of defeating the Kage and Jinchuriki of my Sand Village? Fine, I understand. In that case, let's not waste any more words and see who's the real deal!"
As she spoke, Chiyo swiftly pulled a mysterious sealing scroll from her bosom and prepared to unfurl it without hesitation. It was obvious without guessing that this scroll contained Chiyo's most powerful and secret techniques, whose power was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Having witnessed Granny Chiyo's actions, Jiraiya understood that further idle chatter was futile. His immediate priority was to clearly state his purpose. After all, he hadn't come solely to challenge Chiyo, especially given his depleted chakra and Chiyo's apparent preparation for a powerful technique. More importantly, a renewed conflict would escalate the conflict, which had initially seemed to be nearing its end, into an indefinite and protracted war. Konoha would suffer even greater casualties, forced into a long and unpredictable battle with Sunagakure. This would not only plunge both villages into utter ruin but could also trigger a new wave of turmoil and conflict throughout the ninja world.
Jiraiya shook his head at Chiyo, immediately indicating that he had no intention of continuing the fight and was not there to intimidate. Looking at Chiyo's gloomy face, he said, "I just want to end the war between our two villages. Enough ninjas have been sacrificed. There's no need for our two villages to continue fighting like this. If we continue, I think both of our villages will become targets for other ninja villages. You should be very clear about that."
Granny Chiyo, who had already assumed a fighting stance, hesitated upon hearing Jiraiya's words. She knew very well that Jiraiya was absolutely right. If they continued to fight Konoha at this moment, not only would Gaara, the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure, be in mortal danger, but the entire village would face a tremendous crisis.
Moreover, judging from the information revealed earlier, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, seems to be seriously injured and unlikely to recover to his original condition and return to battle in the short term. This leaves Sunagakure with very few top-tier combatants left. Worse still, Pakura, responsible for guarding the border and repelling the invasion of Kirigakure from the Land of Water, cannot be easily transferred to support the battle against Konoha. Thus, a sustained advance into the Land of Fire is hopeless; they might even be given an opportunity to counterattack and ultimately be driven out of the Land of Fire's borders. Thinking of this, Granny Chiyo felt a deep sense of worry.
Giving up the fruits of victory already gained is obviously not so easy. But considering what might happen in the future, the safety of the Sand Village in the Land of Wind must be the top priority.
Chiyo ultimately decided to retreat first, returning to headquarters to discuss matters with the village's leadership. However, Chiyo knew very well that this retreat signified a defeat for the Sand Village in the war against Konoha. The Sand Village couldn't possibly abandon its Jinchūriki under the current circumstances. The Mist Village of the Land of Water was currently acting recklessly, advancing towards the coast of the Land of Wind. Without the deterrent effect of the Jinchūriki, the enemy would likely become even more aggressive.
"I need to have a good discussion with the village's higher-ups before I can give an answer. I hope Konoha can take good care of Bunpuku and prevent any problems from happening to him. We will inform Konoha of the results later."
Chiyo's face was extremely grim. She quickly left, preparing to issue a retreat order, but there was still nothing she could do. Konoha had already gained the upper hand in this war. Rasa's defeat and the capture of the Jinchuriki foreshadowed another defeat for Sunagakure and Konoha.
Jiraiya watched Chiyo leave, a smile playing on his lips. He knew that the nearly two-year-long war with Sunagakure was finally coming to an end. With that, Konoha could finally breathe a sigh of relief after this Shinobi World War.
With the battle concluded, both villages sent delegations to begin discussions and negotiations for peace.
Konoha used the captured Jinchūriki as leverage to engage in nearly three months of intense negotiations with Sunagakure. In the end, Sunagakure succumbed to these negotiations because Kirigakure of the Land of Water intensified its attacks on the coast of the Land of Wind, leaving Sunagakure with no resources to continue its protracted conflict with Konoha.
The Sand Village declared its defeat in the war against Konoha, withdrew completely from the Land of Fire, and relinquished its sphere of influence in the Land of Rivers, agreeing to allow Konoha ninjas to enter the Land of Rivers to accept missions.
Konoha returned the Jinchūriki to Sunagakure without demanding any compensation from the village, and the two sides also signed an alliance agreement.
The signing of the alliance agreement signifies the official end of the war between the Sand Village and Konoha, which was instigated by the Sand Village.