Capítulo 23: 23. Hidden Cloud Will Never Ally With Anon The Void Ripper!
As they neared the ridge, the distant sounds of enemy forces grew louder. Ryusei's senses heightened, the energy around him crackling with anticipation. They were on the edge of a battle that would test everything they had learned, but together, they were ready to face whatever awaited them beyond the next bend.
The team moved swiftly along the riverbank, their steps light and careful, the quiet rustling of leaves and distant sounds of battle providing a constant reminder of the war raging all around them. Anon led the way, his eyes sharp as he navigated the terrain, guiding them toward the Hidden Cloud forces. They knew this part of the mission would be delicate—convincing the Cloud shinobi to join forces wasn't going to be easy, especially considering the tense relationships between the villages.
As they approached the outskirts of the Cloud ninja's encampment, the group slowed down, crouching low behind a ridge to get a better view. Ahead, a cluster of tents and shinobi were scattered around a fortified position, their posture tense as if they were preparing for an attack. Ryusei could sense the hostility in the air even from their hidden vantage point. These weren't warriors resting—they were soldiers on high alert, battle-ready.
Anon glanced back at the team, his voice low but steady. "This is going to be tricky. The Hidden Cloud hasn't fully allied with the other villages yet, and I… haven't had the best history with them."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What kind of 'history' are we talking about here?"
Anon's face hardened, his voice flat. "Let's just say, during the earlier stages of the war, I had to make some hard decisions. Some of their best shinobi were… on the wrong side of things, manipulated by the Akatsuki's promises. I took them down. They see me as a threat—a killer of their comrades."
Naruto crossed his arms, his expression serious. "So, they think you're an enemy? This is going to be tougher than I thought."
Ryusei stood, brushing the dirt from his knees. "We don't have time for politics. If we can explain what's happening, maybe we can push past the hostilities long enough to get their help. We'll let them see for themselves what's at stake."
Sakura nodded. "If they're already on edge, they'll be even less inclined to listen if they think we're sneaking up on them. We should approach directly, but be ready for a fight."
Ryusei agreed. "We'll go in cautiously, but let's make sure they understand we're here for an alliance, not a conflict. Anon, stay close—don't give them a reason to act on any grudges. Let's hope they're willing to listen."
With the plan in place, they stepped out from their cover, moving as one toward the Cloud forces. As soon as they were within sight, several Cloud shinobi moved forward, their weapons drawn and eyes narrowing in suspicion. The tension was palpable.
"Who goes there?" one of the Cloud ninja barked, stepping in front of his comrades with a kunai in hand, his stance aggressive. "State your business, or we'll assume you're with the enemy."
Ryusei stepped forward, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "We're not your enemy. We're here to help. The Akatsuki is mobilizing their forces toward the Leaf Village, and we need all the help we can get. We want to join forces."
The Cloud shinobi didn't lower their weapons, their eyes scanning the group. It was clear they were on edge. One of them, a tall woman with a scar across her cheek, stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Anon behind Ryusei.
"You've got some nerve showing your face here," she spat, pointing at Anon. "Do you think we've forgotten? You killed our comrades—our friends—under the guise of 'doing what was necessary.' How dare you come here and ask for help."
Anon's expression darkened, but he didn't move, keeping his posture neutral. "I didn't have a choice. Your people were manipulated by the Akatsuki, and they would have turned against you all if I hadn't acted. I regret the losses, but they were already lost long before I found them."
The tension escalated, the Cloud ninja shifting uncomfortably, some of them tightening their grips on their weapons. Ryusei could feel the hostility building, and he knew they were on the edge of a fight. He had to defuse the situation, and quickly.
"We don't have time for old grudges," Ryusei said firmly, his voice commanding but calm. "Look around you. The Akatsuki are raising the dead and using forbidden jutsu to tear this world apart. If we don't unite now, we'll lose everything. This isn't about Anon. This is about survival."
The woman with the scar glared at Ryusei, her eyes flicking back to Anon with distrust. "You want us to forget our dead, just like that? To fight alongside the one who slaughtered them?"
Sasuke stepped forward, his tone cold and steady. "Holding on to the past won't help you survive the present. If you want revenge, you'll get your chance—but only if there's a world left to fight for."
Naruto nodded in agreement, his face serious. "We get it. You've lost people—so have we. But if we don't work together, all of us will lose even more. We've got a chance to stop this war, and we need you to help us do that."
The Cloud shinobi were silent for a moment, clearly torn between their anger and the reality of the situation. Finally, the woman with the scar lowered her weapon slightly, though the hostility didn't leave her eyes.
"We'll listen to what you have to say," she said grudgingly. "But make no mistake—this alliance is fragile. One wrong move, and you'll answer for what you've done, Anon."
Anon nodded, his voice quiet but resolute. "I'll answer for my actions when this war is over. Right now, we have a common enemy."
Ryusei exhaled, relieved that the situation hadn't escalated into violence. "Good. Now, let's talk strategy. We need to hit the Akatsuki before they can reach the Leaf Village. If you can join us, we might be able to stop them."
The Cloud shinobi looked at each other, then nodded reluctantly. "We'll hear your plan," the woman said. "But don't think for a second that this makes us allies."
Ryusei nodded, his face serious but determined. "We don't need to be friends. We just need to win."
With that, they began to strategize, knowing that the next battle would test not only their strength but their ability to put old wounds aside for the sake of a future they all had to fight for.
As they gathered in the hastily constructed war tent, Ryusei and Anon stood at the center of the room, surrounded by the wary Cloud shinobi. The tension lingered in the air, but for now, everyone was focused on the task at hand. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura hung back slightly, ready to assist but leaving the bulk of the strategizing to Ryusei and Anon, whose deep knowledge of the Akatsuki's tactics and the Edo Tensei threat made them the natural leaders of the discussion.
Ryusei unfurled a rough map of the surrounding terrain, his finger tracing the river's path and the ridge where they had seen enemy forces gathering earlier. "The Akatsuki are focusing their power on Edo Tensei and overwhelming our forces with sheer numbers," he began, his voice steady but urgent. "We have two primary objectives: disrupt their reanimation jutsu and eliminate their summoners. If we can cut off their ability to raise the dead, their forces will thin out, and we'll have a real chance to take them down."
Anon nodded in agreement, stepping forward to elaborate. "Their summoners are using key strategic locations near the Leaf Village to maintain their control over the reanimated shinobi. We've identified several camps—one to the east and another to the south—where their reanimation operations are centered. The plan is to split our forces and hit them simultaneously, causing confusion and disrupting their ability to coordinate."
The Cloud shinobi listened, some still eyeing Anon with suspicion, but the gravity of the situation kept them quiet. The woman with the scar, who had been the most vocal earlier, crossed her arms and frowned. "If we take out their summoners, they'll retaliate. We've seen what they're capable of. How do you plan to deal with that?"
Ryusei met her gaze evenly. "We'll use the element of surprise. We've trained in the Void of Time, a realm that gives us a deeper connection to our chakra and beyond. Anon and I have developed techniques to counter their reanimation jutsu, and we'll lead the strike teams. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura will back us up, using what we've learned to disrupt their chakra flow."
Naruto stepped forward, his usual playful demeanor replaced by seriousness. "We've been training with a mix of Void and Time energy. It lets us manipulate chakra in ways that can surprise even the Akatsuki. We've learned to disrupt their jutsus—Sasuke and I can attack from the front while Sakura supports with healing and counter-attacks."
Sasuke chimed in, his Sharingan flashing briefly. "The Akatsuki are strong, but we've seen their weaknesses. They rely on the summoners to maintain control of their forces. Take them out, and the reanimated shinobi will lose cohesion."
Sakura nodded. "My healing techniques have been enhanced with the energy of Time. I can accelerate the recovery of our wounded, and with Ryusei and Anon leading the way, we can push through their defenses faster than they expect."
The Cloud shinobi were silent for a moment, absorbing the plan. Finally, the woman with the scar stepped forward, her expression tight but accepting. "It's a bold plan. If we can split their forces, we might just have a chance. But make no mistake—this won't be easy. The Akatsuki have a way of turning even the best-laid plans against you."
Anon's face was grim. "I know. That's why we have to move quickly and decisively. If we let them regroup, they'll raise more forces, and we'll be back where we started."
The plan was set. They would strike in two days, giving the Cloud shinobi time to prepare while Ryusei's team worked on fine-tuning their techniques. Over the next day, Ryusei and Anon spent their time teaching the Cloud forces new ways to disrupt the Edo Tensei jutsu. They demonstrated how to sense the threads of chakra that controlled the reanimated shinobi and sever them at the source.
Ryusei showed them how to infuse their attacks with small bursts of Void energy, explaining how it could create brief moments of disruption in their opponents' chakra network, making it harder for the reanimation jutsu to hold. "The key is subtlety," Ryusei explained, demonstrating on a training dummy. "You're not trying to overpower their jutsu—just destabilize it long enough to create an opening."
Anon took a more direct approach, showing the Cloud shinobi how to strike at the summoners themselves. "Their control is fragile. Once we hit them, they'll lose focus. But you need to hit hard and fast. No hesitation."
As the hours passed, the tension between the groups began to ease—though only slightly. The Cloud forces saw that Ryusei and Anon weren't just powerful—they were strategic, focused, and, despite everything, trying to bring peace. Still, the undercurrent of distrust remained, especially when it came to Anon.
Finally, the day came for the assault. Ryusei's team and the Cloud shinobi were poised to head out, ready to hit the enemy camps and disrupt the Akatsuki's reanimation forces. As they prepared to leave the camp, Ryusei felt a strange shift in the air, a sense of something off. He exchanged a glance with Anon, who nodded slightly, sensing the same thing.
"We need to stay alert," Anon said quietly, as they moved toward the exit. "Something's not right."
As they approached the perimeter of the camp, several Cloud shinobi stepped forward, blocking their path. The woman with the scar, who had seemed to begrudgingly accept the plan earlier, now stood at the front, her kunai drawn and her eyes cold.
"This is as far as you go," she said, her voice steady but filled with hostility. "You think we didn't notice? You're too dangerous to trust. We'll take your plan and handle the Akatsuki ourselves."
Ryusei's eyes narrowed. "You're betraying us? After everything we just discussed?"
The woman didn't flinch. "We don't trust you. Especially not him," she said, nodding toward Anon. "You killed our people. This war is our chance to take back what's ours, and we don't need you or your cursed techniques to do it."
Anon's hand clenched into a fist, but he held himself back. "You'll lose without our help. The Akatsuki will tear through you."
"Then we'll die fighting for our own people," the woman snapped. "Not for you."
The Cloud shinobi began to surround them, their weapons drawn and chakra flaring. Ryusei's team instinctively prepared for a fight, but Ryusei raised a hand, motioning for them to stand down.
"We don't want to fight you," Ryusei said, his voice firm but calm. "But if you make this mistake, you'll be playing right into the Akatsuki's hands."
The woman hesitated for a brief moment, but her resolve was clear. "Leave. Now."
Ryusei sighed, his heart heavy. "You're making a grave mistake."
Without another word, he turned to his team, signaling them to retreat. They walked away, leaving the Cloud shinobi behind, but Ryusei knew this betrayal would cost them dearly.
As they disappeared into the trees, Ryusei's jaw tightened. "We can't rely on them anymore. It's just us against the Akatsuki now."
Anon nodded, his face grim. "Then we'll fight harder. We have no other choice."
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