Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra-Chapter 212: Offering His Neck for the Blade

"No time to waste—I'm heading to the Land of Earth right now."

With that declaration, the Kazekage set off, leaving the Land of Wind behind in search of reinforcements.

His journey was uneventful, and soon he arrived at his destination, gaining an immediate audience with the Tsuchikage.

"Tsuchikage-sama, I've come to ask for your help," the Kazekage said respectfully.

Even though they were of equal status, he knew that being the one to request aid meant he had to lower himself. He wasted no time and got straight to the point.

"This is about Shukaku, isn't it?" the Tsuchikage asked.

It was no secret that Jiraiya had captured the One-Tail. The news had spread far and wide. Given that, it wasn't hard for the Tsuchikage to guess the reason for the Kazekage's visit.

"Tsuchikage-sama, that's exactly why I'm here. The Land of Fire has grown greedy—they refuse to return Shukaku and clearly intend to keep him for themselves. Konoha already possesses the strongest Tailed Beast, the Nine-Tails, and their overall strength surpasses ours. Now, they even have Jiraiya, an elite on par with Kage. If they gain control of Shukaku too, their power will skyrocket. At that point, our two nations—both sharing borders with the Land of Fire—will be in grave danger."

"We were willing to offer compensation to retrieve Shukaku, but Jiraiya insists that I must personally negotiate with him. Otherwise, he won't even consider returning the One-Tail."

"That man is clearly plotting something. I have no doubt that Konoha's real intention is to lure me there under false pretenses. That's why I've come to ask, Tsuchikage-sama—will you send reinforcements to accompany me to Konoha?"

The Kazekage laid out his request.

The Tsuchikage furrowed his brows. "Kazekage-dono, you understand that entering Konoha is incredibly risky. If I send my elite forces to escort you and things go as you fear, the Land of Earth would suffer heavy losses."

The Kazekage remained composed. "I understand the dangers, Tsuchikage-sama. But at this point, the only nation capable of helping the Land of Wind is yours."

He could tell the Tsuchikage was hesitating because he wanted something in return. So, the Kazekage preemptively offered, "If you're willing to aid us, we're prepared to offer resources in exchange."

Hoping for unconditional support would be naive. If the Land of Earth was going to send troops, they would naturally expect compensation.

The Tsuchikage smirked. "No need to beat around the bush, Kazekage. Your country is well-known for its expertise in poison-making. If you're willing to share your most potent formulas, then I'll agree to your request."

The poisons developed by the Land of Wind were renowned for their deadly effectiveness, and the Land of Earth had coveted them for some time.

Now that an opportunity had presented itself, the Tsuchikage wasted no time making his demands clear.

Having access to those poisons would not only strengthen his own forces but also provide a way to neutralize them in case of conflict with the Land of Wind in the future. If his nation had the antidotes, their own forces would be immune while their enemies remained vulnerable.

The Kazekage's brows furrowed slightly. "And how many troops would you be willing to send?"

The Tsuchikage's demand was steep, but given the circumstances, the Kazekage was in no position to bargain. If the reinforcements were strong enough, then the trade would be worth it.

But if the Tsuchikage only sent average soldiers, then the deal wouldn't be worth considering. The Land of Wind already had plenty of standard shinobi. What they needed were forces that could put pressure on Konoha.

The Tsuchikage chuckled. "Kazekage-dono, if you accept my conditions, I'll send our perfect Jinchūriki, Rōshi, along with five elite jōnin. I assure you, I am fully committed to this."

The Kazekage's eyes lit up. This level of support was more than he had expected.

The Land of Earth had no choice but to intervene. If they stood by and allowed Konoha to take Shukaku, then the next target would inevitably be them.

By sending reinforcements, the Tsuchikage was making his stance clear—he had no intention of letting Konoha grow any stronger.

Rōshi was a perfect Jinchūriki who could wield the full power of the Four-Tails, making him a Kage-level fighter.

As for the five elite jōnin, they were also a force to be reckoned with. The Land of Earth was known for its teamwork in battle, and if these jōnin worked together, they could even take on a Kage.

This was no small favor—the Tsuchikage was effectively sending two Kage-level fighters to assist him.

With this, the Kazekage felt his confidence grow.

It also made him realize just how much stronger the Land of Earth was compared to the Land of Wind.

Not only did they possess two Jinchūriki, but both were formidable.

"Tsuchikage-sama, as soon as I return to my village, I'll arrange for our best poisons to be delivered," the Kazekage agreed without hesitation.

Not long after, the Tsuchikage summoned Rōshi and the five elite jōnin, briefing them on the mission.

Once the plan was finalized, the Kazekage led his newfound allies back to the Land of Wind.

Upon returning, he gathered an additional four elite jōnin from his own ranks before setting off toward the Land of Fire, accompanied by the reinforcements from the Land of Earth.

...

"A bold move... I didn't expect the Tsuchikage to have such guts."

Jiraiya smirked as he lounged in the Hokage's office.

It didn't take long for Konoha's scouts to detect the approaching force, and word quickly reached Jiraiya.

He had expected the Kazekage to seek help from the Land of Earth, but what he hadn't anticipated was just how much support the Tsuchikage would provide.

They even sent a Jinchūriki.

That played right into Jiraiya's hands.

Originally, he had only intended to use this situation to weaken the Land of Wind. But now, the Land of Earth had practically offered themselves up as well.

Even with the strength of the Kazekage's reinforcements, Jiraiya wasn't worried in the slightest.

With himself and Konoha's forces, he was confident they could wipe them all out.

And if he killed Rōshi and absorbed the power of the Four-Tails, he would become even stronger.

Jiraiya leaned forward, his expression darkening. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"Gather the best of our shinobi. We're taking this fight outside the village—I don't want Konoha getting caught in the crossfire."

The battle was about to begin.

...

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