Konoha's Tag-System Ninja

Chapter 163: Chapter 163: For the Advancement of Medical Technology Across the Shinobi World!

After listening to Mimura Yamakaze's report on the situation at the Cloud Shinobi battlefield, Shūichi had a good grasp of Kumogakure's strategic objectives.

Their goal was clearly the smaller nations in the northern region of the Land of Fire, such as the Land of Fields and the Land of the Moon, which usually commissioned their tasks to Konoha.

Of course, Kumogakure's ambitions didn't stop there; they also aimed to take a bite out of the Land of Fire itself.

However, Konoha's resistance had been fierce. Despite retreating into their own territory, they had successfully repelled three waves of intense attacks from Kumogakure, forcing a stalemate in the war.

According to intelligence, during this deadlock, Kumogakure was actively engaging with the daimyos of these small nations, trying to establish an effective sphere of influence.

It was clear that Kumogakure, even if unable to grab a chunk of the Land of Fire, intended to first devour these smaller nations to satiate themselves.

The greatest headache for Konoha in this war was undoubtedly the "AB Combo"—Killer B and A.

One was a Jinchūriki, the other a powerful lightning-style ninja with beast-level chakra.

This duo was just as frustrating for Konoha as Shūichi and Minato Namikaze were for Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure—almost impossible to deal with. Only through sheer numbers and impeccable coordination could they be contained, but at great cost.

Whether it was Killer B's reputation or the deadly speed of A in his Lightning Chakra Mode, both were well-earned.

Having understood this, Shūichi spoke up, "Yamakaze-senpai, leave the AB Combo to me. I've crossed paths with them before back at the Hot Springs Village."

Mimura Yamakaze nodded but cautioned, "The Third Hokage specifically transferred you from the Grass Shinobi battlefield for this task. However, even if you have the chance to capture the Eight-Tails, don't do it."

"That's a directive from the Third Hokage."

"If you were to capture the Eight-Tails, after already taking down the Four-Tails, both you and the village would be under immense pressure."

Shūichi laughed. "Senpai, taking down the Eight-Tails isn't easy. After all, he's guarded by a Raikage candidate."

In terms of raw chakra, the Eight-Tails was second only to the Nine-Tails.

Moreover, capturing it was not just about strength; the Eight-Tails' ability to sever its own tails and escape made it incredibly hard to pin down.

Not to mention, there was also the future Fourth Raikage, who could rival the speed of the Flying Thunder God technique.

Still, if the opportunity arose, Shūichi wouldn't hesitate to seize the Eight-Tails.

As for the pressure, he could always return half of the beast and use it to negotiate something from Kumogakure.

"Shūichi, two powerful chakra sources are approaching!" Asuka suddenly warned.

Shūichi immediately activated his Sensory Technique and smiled, "The AB Combo is here!"

Just as he spoke, a signal whistle rang out ahead.

It was a warning from the Konoha ninja on the front lines.

"They're really here!"

Mimura Yamakaze leapt forward. "Let's go!"

Shūichi and his two companions quickly followed.

Moments later, at the front lines, Shūichi saw his old foes.

"That guy from the Hot Springs Village..."

Killer B's eyes narrowed from behind his sunglasses, while A locked onto Shūichi. "You're the Blue Flash of Konoha, Shūichi Hoshita?"

Shūichi nodded slightly. "We meet again."

"The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer B, and A, son of the Third Raikage."

Inside Killer B's mind, the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, warned him, "B, be cautious of this one. He's even more dangerous than last time."

"And I sense strong malice coming from him."

Killer B nodded. "Word is, he captured Sunagakure's One-Tail. Maybe he's here because he also got Iwagakure's Four-Tails?"

"Can you sense the One-Tail and Four-Tails?" asked Killer B.

"I can't. The seals block me from sensing them, but be careful nonetheless," replied Gyūki.

This was the Eight-Tails' instinctive warning.

Meanwhile, A, recalling their previous defeat, was filled with fighting spirit. "Everyone, stay back! This guy is ours!"

Killer B, in his usual rhythm, chimed in, "Shūichi Hoshita, this time Big Bro and I will take you down, fool! You fool!"

Shūichi chuckled. "Funny, that's exactly what I was going to say."

As he finished speaking, Shūichi's right hand brushed against his tool pouch, and a barrage of Flying Thunder God kunai scattered in all directions.

In response, A's body was instantly engulfed in a fierce lightning aura, transforming into a moving bolt of electricity.

However, unlike the last time Shūichi had seen him at the Hot Springs Village, A now wore cylindrical bracers on both arms.

His new look matched exactly how Shūichi remembered him.

In a split second, Shūichi's limbs crackled with electricity, and the chirping of Chidori filled the air as lightning enveloped his entire body.

At that moment, both the Konoha and Kumogakure ninja were stunned.

Especially the Kumogakure shinobi—Shūichi's current form looked almost identical to the Lightning Chakra Mode.

"So, you've mastered Lightning Style too."

"Let's see who's faster!" A sneered before charging at Shūichi like a lightning bolt.

Shūichi flicked his wrist, launching a Flying Thunder God kunai infused with Wind and Fire Chakra.

A tilted his head slightly, effortlessly dodging it.

But in the next instant, Shūichi vanished from A's sight, reappearing behind him with the Totsuka Blade slashing down.

A was startled.

At the same moment, Killer B made his move, silently extending an octopus tail toward Shūichi, only for it to be bound by a Chain erupting from the ground.

It was Asuka.

Next to her, Uchiha Shisui had already activated his Sharingan and cast a Genjutsu on Killer B.

"B!" Inside Killer B's mind, Gyūki smacked him on the head, waking him up from the illusion.

Shisui was inwardly shocked. "As expected of a perfect Jinchūriki—the reaction speed is incredible. I couldn't control both him and the Eight-Tails at once."

"And the Eight-Tails' power is way too strong."

Previously, Shisui had barely managed to control the One-Tail and its host. But with Killer B and the Eight-Tails, he found it impossible to dominate both simultaneously.

However, even the brief distraction caused by Asuka and Shisui was enough to rob A of his support.

Boom!

A's massive body was sent flying, but he quickly rebounded, flashing back to the Kumogakure side in a few blinks.

Still, unseen by the Konoha shinobi, a charred slash mark now marred A's back.

The Kumogakure ninja behind him widened their eyes in shock.

"He... he injured A in a single strike!"

"That's a combination of Wind and Fire Style... This guy is using both Wind and Lightning Style simultaneously!"

"No wonder Raikage-sama issued the order to retreat at the sight of him!"

...

A Kumogakure ninja shouted, "A, should we retreat?"

A responded in a deep voice, "No need. This small injury is nothing."

"I've figured out his tricks!"

He then asked Killer B, "B, are you alright?"

Killer B's eyes locked onto Asuka, and he nodded. "Sealing techniques and Sharingan, fool! Idiot! They're specifically designed to deal with me!"

"But that's nothing for the great Killer B, Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, fool! You Idiot!"

As he spoke, his octopus tail gave a powerful tug, snapping the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Asuka was startled. "This guy... No wonder he's a perfect Jinchūriki. The power of the Eight-Tails is far greater than the Four-Tails and the One-Tail."

Uchiha Shisui added, "They're also highly skilled in countering the Sharingan. Truly troublesome opponents!"

Confirming that Killer B was unharmed, A commanded, "B, be careful of those two. I'll take care of Shūichi!"

His eyes scanned the Flying Thunder God kunai scattered around. "He can teleport to wherever these kunai are?"

"Then, as long as I keep an eye on these places, avoid his kunai and the blade in his hand, I should be fine."

"Let's see whose attacks are faster and more precise!"

With that thought, A let out a light shout and charged toward Shūichi again.

Shūichi remained still, waiting until A was right in front of him before tossing the Flying Thunder God kunai from his left hand.

In a flash, Shūichi disappeared, reappearing atop a tree, then flickered again.

But A had anticipated this, turning quickly, raising his left arm to block Shūichi's Totsuka Blade with his bracer, while swinging his right fist at Shūichi in a brutal counterattack.

It was a clear move of mutual destruction, or even a sacrifice of his hand to take down his opponent.

At the same time, Killer B attacked again, all eight of his octopus tails lashing out.

Asuka's Adamantine Sealing Chains managed to bind seven of them, but one tail still shot straight toward Shūichi.

With his Genjutsu ineffective, Uchiha Shisui activated his curse seal and unleashed a massive Fireball Jutsu at A.

Whoosh!

Shūichi vanished, causing Killer B's attack to miss.

The moment Shūichi disappeared, A spun around, swinging his right arm with full force. With a loud boom, his strike collided with Shisui's Fireball Jutsu, shattering it and sending flames scattering in all directions.

A immediately shifted his focus and charged toward Shūichi, who had reappeared atop another tree.

This time, Shūichi switched to his Fire Style Chakra Mode, as he had no advantage against A in terms of Lightning Style.

Blue Flame Waterfall Blade!

Shūichi swung his sword down, unleashing a massive energy slash.

This attack caught A off guard. He quickly raised both arms to block.

Boom!

The shockwave surged, and A was forced to his knees as the force of the slash drove his legs into the ground. However, his Lightning Chakra Armor and bracers managed to withstand the attack.

Before Killer B's octopus tails could reach him, Shūichi vanished again, reappearing to the side. A dragon's head appeared on his shoulder, firing twin beams of energy.

Flame Dragon's Breath!

Crash!

Killer B snapped two of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, using one tail to shield A and another to strike at Shūichi.

At the same time, three Shisuis appeared around Killer B—one on each side and one behind, each poised to stab with a short blade. But suddenly, all three paused.

Because Killer B had positioned three of his own blades in front of them—one in each hand and the third held by an octopus tail, hovering just behind one of Shisui's clones.

"Go ahead, stab me!" Killer B said coldly. "This is war. I'm prepared for anything!"

Uchiha Shisui couldn't help but admire him. "As expected of Killer B!"

In the next instant, Shisui's clones vanished, and he flickered back to Asuka's side.

Shūichi also dodged Killer B's tail and returned to Konoha's ranks.

On the other side, the octopus tail that Killer B had used to shield A had been severed by Shūichi's Flame Dragon Breath.

But it was this very act that allowed A to avoid being hit by the Flame Dragon's Breath.

In this second clash, the AB Combo once again fell into a disadvantage.

Shūichi's squad—victory!

...

"These three are really troublesome, fool! you Idiot!" Killer B exclaimed, sweat forming on his forehead.

His sense of pain was linked with the Eight-Tails, so having a tail severed felt almost as painful as losing a leg.

A retreated and asked, "B, how are you holding up?"

Killer B, still full of fighting spirit, replied, "Big bro, I'm totally fine."

"But it looks like we'll have to go all out against these three!"

Just then, a voice called out from the Kumogakure side.

A Cloud ninja shouted, "A, B, Raikage-sama has ordered us to retreat!"

A was reluctant but shouted back, "Got it!"

He glared at Shūichi Hoshita. "If you ever dare to target the Eight-Tails, I won't let you off!"

Shūichi's gaze sharpened. "Anyone who dares to target Konoha, I won't let off either."

"So, you'd better retreat. Otherwise, I won't mind killing a few more people."

"To be honest, as a medical ninja, I'm actually in need of more bodies for research."

"After all, it's highly unethical to kill people just for research purposes."

"But taking down invaders? Now that's just making good use of waste."

These words made A's fury explode. "This bastard... damn it!"

Killer B snorted, "You're really shameless, fool! Idiot!"

Shūichi chuckled lightly. "I'm just thinking of the advancement of medical technology for the entire ninja world."

"Of course, as the donors of those corpses, Kumogakure will deserve some credit as well!"

A, now thoroughly enraged, shouted, "You evil brat, I'm taking you down right now!"

"B!"

With that command, A charged again.

As A rushed toward him, Shūichi's Fire Nether Chains activated, bursting from the ground and grabbing hold of A as he sped forward. At the same time, with a swift movement and the rattling sound of chains, Shūichi's Totsuka Blade slashed toward A.

Uchiha Shisui and Asuka also moved into action.

Shisui launched a Genjutsu followed by a powerful Fireball Jutsu, while Asuka used her Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Killer B's tails, coated in Tailed Beast Chakra, shot out in response. Explosions erupted, and chains snapped. A was sent flying backward, wrapped in one of Killer B's tails, landing in a large crater where he had stood moments before.

Shūichi's attack missed its mark, and he immediately retreated.

"Not bad for the future Fourth Raikage..." Shūichi thought to himself.

Despite his Fire Nether Chains, A had managed to break free in that brief moment.

Still, that short amount of time had been enough.

Unfortunately, even with Asuka and Uchiha Shisui teaming up, they hadn't been able to completely hold back Killer B, who had pulled A out of danger at the last moment.

Shūichi had been targeting A first because his speed was too overwhelming. Even with Shisui's three-tomoe Sharingan, he couldn't keep up. Asuka also lacked the battle experience needed to control A, making it impossible for them to deal with Killer B while A was still in the fight.

"Big bro, these three are too tough to handle. Let's retreat for now!" Killer B suggested.

A, having narrowly escaped defeat again, nodded in agreement and led the Kumogakure forces in retreat.

As they withdrew, the Konoha ninjas erupted in smiles.

"As expected of the Blue Flash! He completely suppressed the AB Combo."

"What an incredible battle!"

"Kumogakure won't be acting so arrogant now!"

"Exactly! We're definitely winning this war!"

"Speaking of which, once Minato-sensei arrives, the Yellow Flash and the Blue Flash together should be enough to deal with the AB Combo, right?"

The Konoha ninjas chatted among themselves, their morale soaring.

Shūichi turned to Mimura Yamakaze. "Senpai, we can advance our front lines now."

Mimura Yamakaze nodded and remarked, "The Third Hokage was right to send you here!"

Just Shūichi's small three-man squad was enough to stand in for a hundred Konoha ninjas.

...

In Sunagakure, inside the Kazekage's office.

Shūichi's shadow clone once again met with the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, getting straight to the point. "The Cloud ninjas have already invaded the Land of Earth, and... the Third Raikage himself is leading the attack."

"Kazekage-sama, this is the best opportunity for Sunagakure!"

With that, Shūichi's shadow clone dispersed in a puff of smoke.

(End of Chapter)

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