UGB Chapter 543 The Howling of the Wind
Chapter 543 The Howling of the Wind
Uchiha Kagami walked up, gently patted Sakumo on the shoulder, and said softly, "It's been too long since we've gone on a mission together, Sakumo. But that also proves that your Kakashi is excellent, doesn't it?"
He paused, his gentle gaze sweeping over the mess on the ground. The stench of blood began to ferment in the dry air, becoming particularly pungent.
"It seems that the welcome from Sunagakure is even more... enthusiastic than we expected."
Jing's tone remained calm, but the underlying sarcasm chilled the air. "Their resolve is unwavering."
"A firm resolve also requires matching strength."
Danzo's voice was completely flat, as if he were stating a physical law: "Otherwise, it's just foolish shouting."
Sakumo did not participate in their conversation. He simply and slowly sheathed the still gleaming white dagger, his movements meticulous, as if performing a sacred ritual.
The faint sound of the blade rubbing against the scabbard ended, and his mind was completely pulled away from the brief battle just now.
He reverted to being the leader of the delegation sent by Konoha, instead of the "White Fang" who struck fear into the hearts of the ninja world.
"Get rid of it."
Sakumo's voice was somewhat low, "We cannot negotiate with them as invaders."
This is a matter of principle.
They were envoys representing the Hokage and Konoha to negotiate after the war, not assassins sneaking in.
You can show your fangs, but you can't leave any evidence against you.
The goal is to ensure that when the high-ranking officials of Sunagakure see them, they feel awe and fear, yet are unable to openly criticize any of their unruly behavior.
Uchiha Kagami nodded in deep agreement. He stepped forward and stood in the center of the corpses and pools of blood.
"Leave it to me."
His hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals with fluid, almost imperceptible movements.
Yin-Si-Xu-Chen.
A standard printing method, but in his hands, it gained an indescribable sense of rhythm.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, accompanied by a scorching roar, and struck precisely the area where the corpses were most concentrated.
boom--!
The blazing flames exploded with a roar, instantly forming a sea of fire.
The temperature was so high that the surrounding air was distorted.
The blood on the ground sizzled the moment it came into contact with the flames, turning into white steam, which was then completely consumed by the even hotter flames.
The corpses curled and charred in the flames, eventually turning to ashes. The intricate internal structures of those puppets that the Sand Ninja were so proud of melted and deformed under the high temperatures.
The whole process lasted less than half a minute.
When the flames subsided, all that remained was a large, charred, slightly sunken sand pit, and some scattered, glassy substances that shimmered eerily in the moonlight.
A night wind blew by, stirring up a cloud of dust that easily covered half of the charred marks.
In a few hours, after a sandstorm, there will be no trace of a battle left here, as if the twelve-man Sand Village patrol had never existed.
After doing all this, Uchiha Kagami simply stood there calmly, as if he himself had not been the one who had just spat out that enormous fireball capable of melting gold and iron.
His chakra control had long since reached a level of complete mastery.
"That way, no one will know we were here," Jing said softly.
"No." Danzo shook his head, his mask-like face displaying an almost cold certainty. "They will find out."
"However, they couldn't find any evidence, so they could only guess."
"And what is unknown is the most terrifying."
Danzo's analysis hit the nail on the head.
An elite patrol team vanished into thin air in their own country, leaving no trace of their lives or even a trace of their remains.
This fear, born of the unknown, will spread like a plague within Sunagakure, continuing to fester.
When this "envoy" appears at the village entrance in a grand manner, the fear that has been building up in the hearts of the Sunagakure leaders will instantly reach its peak.
This is a thousand times more effective than simply placing a dozen or so corpses in front of them.
Sakumo nodded in agreement.
Although he disliked these convoluted schemes, he acknowledged their effectiveness.
That's Danzo for you—he always manages to touch the most vulnerable parts of people's hearts in the most direct and ruthless way.
"Let's go."
Shuo Mao didn't say anything more. He turned around, chose a direction, and with a flash, he transformed into a white afterimage, rushing towards the depths of the desert.
Danzo and Kagami exchanged a glance and immediately followed.
The three of them once again formed that perfect isosceles triangle formation, moving at high speed like three silent ghosts across the vast, boundless sea of sand.
The surrounding environment is becoming increasingly harsh.
The wind howled, and the swirling sand lashed against my skin with a soft, rustling sound. The air was so dry it felt like it could ignite; every breath felt like a burning sensation.
But none of this could have any effect on the three of them.
They are Konoha's top ninjas, and are used to fighting in all kinds of extreme environments.
Sakumo's attention was highly focused; he no longer thought about the dull battle, nor did he worry about the village's crops.
At this moment, he was like a drawn blade, all his senses heightened to the extreme, vigilant against any slight movement from this unfamiliar land.
As the team's spearhead, his duty is to clear all obstacles in front of him and ensure the safety of his comrades.
Danzo's mind was racing as he traveled.
The annihilation of that patrol team was just the beginning.
He was mentally rehearsing all the possible scenarios that might occur after he arrived in Sunagakure.
He had prepared several countermeasures for every possibility, including the Kazekage's reaction, the Elders' Council's attitude, and the provocations of those hawkish ninjas.
He wanted to ensure that the negotiations would proceed exactly as the Hokage had planned, without any deviations.
Uchiha Kagami, on the other hand, is like a silent guardian.
His three-tomoe Sharingan remained constantly activated, yet he kept his chakra consumption to a minimum. His vision covered his surroundings; no suspicious energy fluctuations or disguised traps could escape his notice.
He is both the eyes and the support of the team.
The three of them walked on in silence, without exchanging a single unnecessary word, yet they shared a tacit understanding that was difficult for others to comprehend.
A glance, a gesture, or even a slight change in breathing frequency is enough for the other two to instantly understand each other's intentions.
……
Late at night, at the No. 3 outpost on the border of Sunagakure Village.
Ken Takahashi, the Chunin in charge of communications, glanced at the old clock hanging on the wall for the fourth time.
The minute hand has mercilessly crossed the midnight mark, a full fifteen minutes ago.
The communication device in front of him remained silent, emitting only static.
There were no agreed-upon signals, no familiar codes, nothing at all.
The third patrol team has gone missing.
An hour has passed since the agreed time.
Jima comforted himself, thinking that perhaps the sandstorm was affecting the signal, something that had happened before.
He waited another hour.
Another, larger hourglass on the wall pointed to the contact time for the Fifth Patrol.
Still, deathly silent.
Jima's vest was soaked with sweat, and a chill crept up his spine.
"team leader……"
The outpost captain, an old Sand Ninja with three scars on his face, opened one eye from his dozing. He snatched the record board from Jima's hand and glanced at the time displayed.
"sandstorm?"
He uttered two words.
"No, Captain,"
Jima's voice was dry. "The weather is nice today, not a breath of wind. And... the Seventh Patrol's time is almost up."