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Chapter 157: Konoha Ninjas in Action
Outside.
Two figures leaped rapidly through the dense forest, heading toward the Root Headquarters located in a corner of Konoha's rear mountain.
"Kakashi-senpai," Yamato said with a solemn face. "There have been huge vibrations and rumbles coming from underground at the Root base since just now. A fierce battle is likely taking place inside the base."
His tone carried disbelief. He had served in the Root for a long time and deeply knew how cruel and powerful this organization hidden in Konoha's darkness was. Especially its leader, Danzo Shimura. One could call him insidious, and his reputation in the village was extremely poor, but one could never say the Root under his command were trash.
It was simply unbelievable that an enemy had charged directly into the Root base now. This was something that had never happened since the Root was established.
"Hm? The sound stopped. Did the battle end so quickly?"
Kakashi wore a mask, his only exposed left eye equally solemn. For the battle to end this quickly, either the Root had eliminated the intruder, or they had been wiped out by the opponent.
He didn't dare to think about the second possibility. If confirmed, how powerful must the enemy be? To wipe out the entire Root so quickly... That was the most elite force under Danzo. Hundreds of Root ninjas, including more than a dozen Jonin and Bloodline Limit users. All Root ninjas coordinated seamlessly and were experts in killing and combat.
If they were really wiped out by the enemy, the crisis facing Konoha this time would be no less than the Six Paths of Pain invasion a while ago.
He had to confirm the status of the Root immediately. Regardless of how disgusted the entire village was with this department and Danzo Shimura, they were members of the Konoha ninja force. They were also an important part of the village's strength and absolutely couldn't be lost.
"Not good!" Kakashi frowned deeply.
"Senpai, you smell it too?"
A pungent smell of blood wafted faintly from ahead. Yamato and Kakashi smelled it simultaneously. As the two rapidly approached the Root base, the scent of blood became stronger, nauseatingly so.
With two swish sounds, they leaped out of the forest and arrived at the clearing in front of the Root base entrance. Upon landing, their pupils shrank violently.
The clearing before them had almost turned completely blood-red. More than a dozen headless corpses lay in pools of blood, their deaths horrific and gory. The cuts were smooth, showing the sharpness of the enemy's weapon.
Yamato quickly checked every corpse, his voice heavy. "Kakashi-senpai, they were all killed by having their heads sliced off by some extremely thin and sharp sheet-like object."
"Judging from their expressions before death and the wounds, these dozen Root ninjas were likely killed by the enemy at the same time. No resistance at all, or perhaps they were instant-killed before they could resist."
He stood up and returned to Kakashi's side. "There were two Jonin among the dead, yet they still couldn't put up a shred of resistance. The enemy's strength is at least Kage-level."
Bang!
Kakashi fired a highest-level signal flare into the sky. The colorful firework exploded, visible to the entire Hidden Leaf. Comrades would rush over to support soon.
On the east side of the village.
Anko, with her voluptuous figure, wearing a gray trench coat over an extremely hot black fishnet suit, was buying dango at a stall. The commercial street had been largely rebuilt, and many small vendors had started setting up stalls to make money.
She loved the dango from this stall the most and hadn't eaten them for a long time.
"Boss! Give me five skewers... no, give me ten skewers of tricolor dango, and a bowl of red bean soup!"
Anko placed her order boldly, her movements large, the fishnet on her chest outlining a patch of whiteness.
"Anko." Kurenai Yuhi, with her black hair, walked over, shaking her head speechlessly. "Eating something so sweet and greasy early in the morning, aren't you afraid of getting fat?"
"Getting fat?" Anko didn't care at all. "I've been eating like this for years and never gained weight. So no need to worry at all; I should have a constitution that doesn't get fat! Hehehe, obesity can't stop my pursuit of sweets."
"Eh, Anko, you—"
Bang!
Just then, the signal flare exploded in the sky.
The two, still laughing and joking, changed expressions simultaneously. Anko looked at the firework and said urgently, "Not good, highest-level warning signal. Quick, go support!"
Kurenai nodded solemnly. "It seems someone has invaded Konoha again. We absolutely cannot let the enemy harm the village again."
The two exchanged a glance, then used the Body Flicker Technique to speed toward the rear mountain.
On the other side, near the largely rebuilt Hokage Residence.
Numerous Shadow Clones of Naruto were shuttling back and forth, carrying various heavy objects, their steps flying. Their faces were full of enthusiasm and spirit, showing no sign of fatigue.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, holding a wooden box. "Come over and have breakfast!"
"Oh! Coming!" Naruto responded. His main body said to the Shadow Clones, "You guys keep working; I'll go recharge my energy first!"
"Oh oh! Go, go! Only if the main body has strength can he create more Shadow Clones."
"Dattebayo!!" Naruto gave a thumbs-up to encourage his Shadow Clones, then jumped to Sakura's side.
"Sakura-chan, what's for breakfast today?"
"Eh, I'm telling you..." Sakura opened the wooden box. "Can you stop pushing yourself so hard? Look at the dark circles under your eyes; you surely didn't sleep much last night before getting up to work."
"Don't worry." Naruto said nonchalantly, "I have a hundred times the energy! I can't sleep well until the village is restored to how it was before."
"You—" Before Sakura could finish, she was interrupted by the sound of a firework explosion.
Her face changed drastically. "Not good! A warning signal from the rear mountain. Enemy invasion!"
She grabbed Naruto. "Naruto, let's hurry over!"
Naruto took Sakura, leaping rapidly across different buildings. His expression was serious. "I will absolutely not allow anyone to harm the village again!"
As the firework exploded, all Konoha ninjas put down their work instantly and gathered toward the rear mountain. Each pair of eyes was filled with indignation. Regardless of who the enemy was, they couldn't let them disturb the village's peace again.
Rear mountain.
Not long after Kakashi sent the signal, three people arrived, landing beside him with swish sounds. A pineapple head, a blond ponytail, and a burly, majestic figure. They were the patriarchs of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans—Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi.
As the core of the three clans, and even the brain of Konoha, Shikaku Nara swept his gaze over the corpses on the ground. Then he focused on the Root base entrance.
It was blocked tight by a thick wall of ice, emitting white cold air that chilled one to the bone even from over ten meters away.
"Ice Release..." Shikaku said in a deep voice. "Ice Release of such power is almost identical to the ice blocks from the battlefield on the Land of Fire border you mentioned yesterday, Kakashi. The enemy is highly likely that mysterious powerhouse."
His face was solemn to the extreme. "The enemy is extremely strong, but as Konoha ninjas, we must protect the village!"
"Everyone!!" Shikaku looked at the gathering crowd of Konoha ninjas and ordered, "Immediately bombard the ice with ninjutsu and enter the Root base!"
Crack!
Just as his voice fell, the thick ice sealing the entrance suddenly cracked from the inside. A cold figure walked out from within the Root base, appearing in front of the Konoha ninjas.
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