Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 429: Splitting Into Two Teams (Part 2)

They froze for a moment but quickly regained their composure.

The Iwa-nin assumed their reaction was due to the revelation that Rōshi was a Jinchūriki.

After all, in every village, a Jinchūriki's identity was a closely guarded secret.

"Let's keep this brief," Nawaki said, skipping any unnecessary pleasantries.

"How strong is Akatsuki's force, and where are they now?"

In reality, he already knew exactly how many people Nagato had brought.

"Their numbers are roughly the same as ours," Kitsuchi began, leading them to sit down.

"But after this prolonged battle, their forces have gained the upper hand."

"That Akatsuki ninja, Nagato—he's truly insufferable!"

Before Kitsuchi could finish, Rōshi cut in, his face filled with frustration.

"Nagato... his strength is indeed formidable," Nawaki mused, drawing out his words as his brow furrowed.

"He won't be easy to deal with."

"Even my sensei's wife was caught off guard and lost to him," Minato added, deliberately making an excuse for Tsunade.

His expression was solemn, and perhaps out of shared frustration, both Rōshi and Kitsuchi's faces eased slightly.

"His techniques are incredibly troublesome," Kitsuchi admitted.

"He can absorb ninjutsu, deflect attacks..."

"And he even has mechanical arms growing out of his body," Rōshi added bitterly.

"Even when we fought him together, it was a struggle."

Kitsuchi sighed heavily, shaking his head.

To an outsider, it might sound as though they had barely managed to hold their own.

But the truth? They hadn't even forced Nagato to go all out.

"All style, no substance," Minato scoffed, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.

"Just watch—I'll make him pay for what he did to Sensei's wife."

Internally, he was grinning. These two fools probably hadn't even seen seventy percent of Nagato's power.

"Don't underestimate him," Nawaki warned, his voice carrying a rare seriousness. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

He sounded so genuine that even the Iwa-nin found themselves momentarily convinced.

"I know what I'm doing."

Minato nodded firmly, and the exchange left the Iwa-nin speechless.

Given the current situation, they had expected Konoha's reinforcements to simply provide support.

They never imagined the Konoha shinobi would be this bold—willing to take on such a dangerous task head-on.

"Yes, yes, Minato, it's best not to be careless," Kitsuchi chimed in, though deep down, he doubted Minato could stand a chance against Nagato.

"Thank you for the warning, Kitsuchi," Minato replied with a polite smile, giving the illusion that he was taking their advice to heart.

"You can't handle him alone. The three of us should team up and find an opportunity to take him down," Rōshi stated bluntly.

He didn't sugarcoat things—if he thought someone wasn't up to the task, he would say it outright.

"Rōshi!"

Daisuke Nakano's temper flared again.

No wonder Lord Ōnoki couldn't stand this guy.

"It's fine, he means well," Minato said, surprisingly easygoing.

"He's not one to hold grudges," Nawaki added, patting Daisuke on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Because we were outnumbered, we couldn't gain the upper hand during the daytime battles," Kitsuchi continued.

"Sustaining some injuries, Rōshi and I managed to drive Nagato back and set up camp here with our remaining troops."

"We sent scouts out afterward, but they haven't returned with any updates on Akatsuki's current position."

After some discussion, Kitsuchi explained their situation in a roundabout way.

"I see... no wonder you both look exhausted," Nawaki said sincerely, his tone even carrying a hint of concern.

Kitsuchi and Rōshi nearly turned red in embarrassment.

They hadn't exactly repelled Nagato—calling it a full-blown retreat might be an exaggeration, but they had definitely run for their lives.

"Not knowing their location isn't an issue," Nawaki reassured them.

"Akatsuki is a small village. They don't have unlimited manpower."

"To avoid being attacked from both sides, they wouldn't advance further until they finish dealing with you."

"As long as we show up, Akatsuki will come to us."

His analysis was clear and logical, and Kitsuchi and the others nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense. Nawaki is absolutely right," Daisuke quickly flattered him, knowing the value of keeping a good attitude when asking for help.

"You flatter me," Nawaki replied modestly, though it was obvious he enjoyed the praise.

"Then I'll stay with part of our forces and make sure we drive Akatsuki back," Minato declared decisively, his tone unwavering.

"Then we'll thank you in advance, Minato."

Kitsuchi knew they had no choice but to accept whatever Minato decided.

Besides, Ōnoki needed reinforcements too—he couldn't afford to have all the Konoha shinobi stay here.

"Just doing my duty," Minato replied with a bright smile, his golden hair practically radiating warmth.

No wonder he was called the Yellow Flash.

"Then it's settled. I'll take the rest and go with Daisuke to find Lord Tsuchikage's forces," Nawaki concluded, working seamlessly with Minato to finalize their split.

"Understood," Daisuke agreed without hesitation.

"It's late—we'll head out tomorrow," Kitsuchi said.

Though he wished Nawaki would take his men and leave immediately, he had no authority over them.

"Alright, we'll make the necessary arrangements and leave first thing in the morning," Nawaki replied, making it clear that he wasn't going to rush just to accommodate them.

After all, it wasn't his people getting beaten up by Kumo.

"Thank you for your hard work," Kitsuchi said, forcing a smile.

Internally, though, he was disappointed—his attempt at pushing them to act faster had completely failed.

"I'll show you where to settle in," Rōshi said bluntly, not thinking too much about it as he led Nawaki and Minato away.

"This guy..."

Watching Rōshi's retreating figure, Kitsuchi had a thousand words on his mind but could only sigh in frustration.

"If one night makes the difference between victory and defeat, then I suppose it's just the Land of Earth's misfortune," Daisuke muttered.

He didn't bother comforting Kitsuchi.

Even with Konoha's reinforcements, he wasn't exactly optimistic.

"That's that, then. The rest is up to you," Kitsuchi said, standing before Daisuke for a moment before leaving alone.

Daisuke remained seated for a long time before finally getting up and departing as well.

That night, whether others slept well or not, Nawaki and Minato certainly did.

The next morning, after regrouping with Daisuke, Nawaki gathered the younger shinobi—led by Ginji—and bid farewell to Minato and the other Konoha forces.

"Safety first. Don't be reckless," Nawaki said, making no effort to lower his voice.

Rōshi and Kitsuchi pretended not to hear.

"You too," Minato replied.

The two brothers embraced, exchanging firm slaps on the back.

Meanwhile, Ginji turned to Kakashi with a smug grin.

"Brother, you probably won't be able to beat me this time."

Of course, Ginji knew who Nagato was—he was his senior brother, after all.

The battle Minato's forces would fight was just for show.

But they? They would be fighting Kumo for real.

"Hmph, lucky for you," Kakashi huffed before quickly softening.

"Be careful."

"I will," Ginji replied, his expression turning serious as he nodded.

"Move out!"

With Nawaki's command, part of the Konoha forces quickly set off with him.