Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Chapter 106: Tsunade Scolds Jiraiya

"Is this the underground river?"

Under the gloomy rain, at the edge of the collapsed pit in the back mountain, Uchiha Yosuke nodded gravely.

"That's right. This is the place where Konan and Nagato discovered something while patrolling."

This time, Uchiha Yosuke brought Uzumaki Kushina along. However, as she gazed at the underground river, her expression was skeptical.

"Yosuke, isn’t it normal for underground rivers to exist? Even the deserts of the Wind Country have subterranean waterways."

Yosuke, however, maintained his somber demeanor and replied in a deep voice:

"No! My two shadow clones went down to investigate and reported back. The underground river branches out in countless directions. Essentially, the entirety of the Land of Rain's underground is crisscrossed with waterways that eventually flow into the ocean."

He continued, "Think about it: as natives of the Land of Rain, don’t you think the Rain Ninja would use these underground rivers as a means to launch surprise attacks?"

The gravity of Yosuke's statement caused Uzumaki Kushina's expression to gradually grow serious.

"That’s possible! Although underground rivers are unpredictable and dangerous, the Rain Ninja wouldn’t overlook this advantage in their own territory."

Meeting her gaze, Yosuke noticed her look of determination and smirked. Kushina straightened up, full of confidence.

"I understand what you mean. Leave this to me!"

---

**Shadow Clone Jutsu!**

With a puff of smoke, over 200 Uzumaki Kushinas appeared, each brimming with confidence and energy.

"Leave this to me, Uzumaki Kushina-sama!" they declared in unison.

Seeing the scene, Yosuke couldn’t help but envy her immense chakra reserves. But inwardly, he consoled himself, knowing that he would soon achieve similar feats.

The recent absorption of White Zetsu—a creation imbued with the energy of Hashirama’s cells and the Divine Tree—had triggered a transformation in his Uchiha bloodline, significantly enhancing his chakra in mere days.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he chuckled. "This entire country is full of underground rivers. Even with hundreds of clones, a thorough investigation would take time. Kushina, your clones will search upstream, while I’ll send my summon downstream."

---

**Summoning Jutsu!**

With another puff of smoke, a giant slug appeared before them.

"Yosuke," it greeted him in a gentle, soothing voice.

Bowing respectfully, Yosuke responded, "Lady Katsuyu, I entrust the exploration of these underground rivers to you."

The slug’s tone conveyed delight, even if its expressionless form didn’t reveal it. "Investigating the flow of these rivers? Leave it to me."

The giant Katsuyu split into countless smaller versions of itself, disappearing into the pit and traveling along the river.

Kushina smirked, folding her arms. "How clever of you. Katsuyu-sama will certainly make this easier. Fine, the rest is up to me!"

With that, Kushina’s clones swiftly descended into the pit, vanishing into the shadows of the underground maze.

Yosuke, standing at the edge of the pit, pulled out a map of the Land of Rain. This action caught Kushina’s attention.

"Yosuke, what’s the point of a surface map? It won’t help with the underground rivers."

He rolled his eyes at her, teasing, "You never had patience in the academy, barely scraping by on written exams."

The mention of her academic struggles made Kushina grit her teeth in frustration. She fired back, "That’s not my fault! As a transfer student, I couldn’t keep up with the culture classes. Besides, those tests kept asking about the 'Will of Fire' and how amazing the Third Hokage was. How could I relate to any of that?"

---

**At the Command Center**

Meanwhile, in the command tent, Tsunade slammed her hand down on a desk, her tone laced with urgency.

"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, something’s wrong with the planned offensive! If the Rain Ninja use these underground rivers to infiltrate our rear lines, the consequences would be disastrous!"

The newly arrived intelligence caused Orochimaru to break out in a rare cold sweat. His hoarse voice carried the weight of realization.

"We underestimated the Land of Rain’s terrain. Their underground network is extensive, practically an alternate world. If they leverage it, our forces will suffer heavily. Worse, it could drag Konoha into a prolonged quagmire."

Even Jiraiya, typically carefree, appeared shaken. "Good thing that kid discovered the collapsed underground river and sent clones to investigate. Without that, we’d be marching blind into disaster."

As the discussion intensified, Orochimaru smirked coldly. "Cancel the attack? Impossible. The offensive serves to cover Hatake Sakumo’s mission, which is already underway. Instead, we must bolster our defenses in key locations while feigning full commitment to the assault."

---

As the three strategized in the tent, tension simmered beneath the surface. Tsunade’s sharp words directed at Jiraiya betrayed her growing dissatisfaction with Konoha’s politics, hinting at deeper fractures within the village’s leadership.

Even Orochimaru, known for his cold detachment, couldn’t help but silently reflect. The name "Nawaki" surfaced in his mind—a memory that ignited a storm of suspicion.

"Could Nawaki’s 'accident' have been orchestrated?"