Chapter 58: Chapter 58 : Departing Mist Shinobi
"Let's move quickly. We mustn't delay. The Land of the Whirlpool may have been reduced to ruins due to the might of the Mizukage. When the time comes, don't rush recklessly," cautioned Danzo, who had already calculated the timing.
The Uzumaki clan had nearly been wiped out, but they had reappeared to rescue a group of survivors. Senju Hiroshi furrowed his brows but remained silent.
"Indeed, the current Land of the Whirlpool can't withstand the might of the Mist Shinobi army. We must choose a suitable Jinchuriki to succeed Mito-sama. If everyone in the Land of the Whirlpool escapes, it will be troublesome," Utatane Koharu added.
"Agreed. We shall expedite our journey immediately," Senju Hiroshi replied with an expressionless face, and the group of twenty pressed onward.
Normally, Danzo and Utatane Koharu wouldn't be involved in such matters. They could delegate them to lower-ranking ninja.
However, in front of the Third Hokage, Danzo had vowed to personally rescue the children in the Land of the Whirlpool in the future.
Utatane Koharu, perhaps considering the aid of the Nine Tails Jinchūriki, had also chosen to accompany them.
Meanwhile, at the coast of the Land of the Whirlpool, the Mist Shinobi remained in tense silence, speaking only in hushed tones. The sound of the sea waves occasionally punctuated the stillness.
Even the genin present had subdued their breathing, fearing that any noise might shatter the uneasy calm. It was as though breaking this silence would unleash a chaotic beast.
Inside the cabin, a similar hush prevailed among the auxiliary elders and their companions.
"Let's depart from the Land of the Whirlpool's waters first. The Land of the Whirlpool now boasts Kage-level ninja. We must show some respect to such powerful nations," advised one of the elders.
"Let's wait until Mizukage-sama awakens... A decision cannot be made yet," added another.
With these words, a collective sigh of relief seemed to sweep through the room.
"Very well!"
"Elder, to demonstrate our goodwill, the Land of the Whirlpool has released a group of severely injured Mist Shinobi."
The Land of the Whirlpool was hesitant to heal them, fearing they might die, leading to disputes with the Mist Shinobi.
"We've taken them on board, and they're receiving treatment on another ship."
"I'll inspect them later," the assistant elder brightened at the news, hopeful that he might find his grandsons among them.
"Then it's settled. Kawashima, you can offer solace to everyone later; their spirits are low right now. Everyone, get back to work."
"Yes, Elder."
Soon, the cabin emptied, leaving behind a massive iron box secured with iron chains and only a few air holes for ventilation.
The faint sound of soft breathing emanated from it—this was their Tailed Beast Jinchuriki.
Unfortunately, such Jinchuriki were highly unstable, lacking the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques to stabilize them.
They could only be sealed forcibly at great expense, resulting in instability and a one-time use. It was meant as a last resort, to be released only when the fleet was on the brink of destruction.
They had brought the Tailed Beasts as a deterrent against a potential ambush by Konoha.
Mist Shinobi worried it might be a Konoha conspiracy, albeit a remote possibility.
The elders and Mizukage had agreed to employ the Tailed Beast only in a dire emergency, such as when the fleet was about to be obliterated.
Mist Shinobi's fleet resumed its journey, moving further away from the Land of the Whirlpool's waters.
Their allies from the Hidden Cloud Village had already departed. This invasion had essentially failed—or perhaps, rather than a failure, it could be seen as an exchange of Tailed Beast sealing techniques.
Third Raikage appeared more satisfied with this outcome than the Land of Whirlspool perishing.
Mist Shinobi had realized that invading the Land of the Whirlpool was impractical, opting instead to negotiate a sealing technique exchange, their most significant achievement.
Kushina rushed back to the clan's territory, where Kazuhiko stood at the center of everyone's attention. Gazes of admiration were directed at him, particularly from the Uzumaki clan's girls, who eyed him with keen interest.
Kushina couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at this discovery, but she quickly noticed that her brother Kazuhiko was unharmed.
"Brother Kazuhiko!" she exclaimed and leaped into his arms. "Brother Kazuhiko, it's incredible! You defeated them, and you're safe!"
Kazuhiko, realizing the stares from the clan, gently put Kushina down, attempting to maintain a composed demeanor.
"Indeed, we emerged victorious, but it was a collective effort!" he replied, glancing at the jubilant crowd.
He felt a surge of excitement, knowing that the Uzumaki clan had averted the tragedy that once loomed over them.
Kazuhiko was confident that no matter what challenges they faced, the Uzumaki clan would endure.
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