strictlysupreme Chapter 594 Slug
Chapter 594 Slug
The slug's warm light enveloped the wound, and the granulation tissue slowly writhed at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, the wound was too deep, and even with the slug's chakra, it would take time to fully heal.
In the midst of this rare tranquility, the slug suddenly let out a sharp warning, which entered Zhang Hai's mind directly: "Oh no! Zhang Hai! Lady Tsunade has been trapped by the Iwa ninja! Jiraiya is injured!"
Zhang Hai suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils contracting sharply, his voice filled with barely suppressed shock: "What?! What happened?!"
The slug received a series of urgent messages from Tsunade. It quickly organized the disorganized information and explained rapidly: "The Sannin's squad was ambushed by an elite force from Iwagakure! The enemy was too numerous and too strong. The squad suffered heavy casualties, and only three of them managed to escape! Jiraiya was seriously injured while covering Tsunade's retreat, and she is currently treating him! They are hiding in a mountain, but... but that mountain is completely surrounded by Iwagakure ninja! The situation is extremely critical!"
Upon hearing this news, the several members of the Dark Guard who had been resting with their eyes closed suddenly opened their eyes and turned their gazes toward Zhang Hai, clearly waiting for their captain's next order.
One of the more impatient members of the Anbu couldn't help but speak up: "Then what are we waiting for?! Captain! Let's hurry over and rescue them!" His tone was full of anxiety and worry, the most instinctive reaction to his comrades and Konoha's important fighting force.
Zhang Hai didn't answer immediately. He took a deep breath, calming his shock and surging emotions. His mind raced, analyzing the current battlefield situation. Tsunade and Jiraiya were vital strategic forces for Konoha; their safety was paramount. However, blindly rushing to their aid would only endanger more people.
A moment later, he took a map from his ninja tool pouch and quickly spread it out on the ground. His finger moved swiftly across the map, finally stopping at a location marked with a red circle.
“Here,” Zhang Hai’s voice was low and calm, carrying an undeniable firmness, “was originally my next target, the vital passage to the Iwagakure supply depot. Now it seems… we can move it forward.”
As soon as he finished speaking, an ANBU member immediately looked puzzled, his voice filled with obvious confusion: "Captain, do you mean... not to save the Sannin, but to continue the surprise attack?" His tone was incredulous, as if he were confirming whether he had misheard.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Hai raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the faces of each of his teammates, his eyes unwavering.
“Yes,” he answered confidently, “this is the perfect time for a surprise attack. The eyes of Iwagakure will undoubtedly be mostly focused on the Sannin. To wipe them out, Iwagakure will certainly divert a large number of elite troops and soldiers to that mountain. Therefore… the defenses here will inevitably be weak.” He withdrew his gaze and returned it to the marked location on the map. “Now, let’s go immediately!”
Facing the puzzled looks from the other ANBU members, Zhang Hai's eyes turned cold and resolute. He showed no sign of backing down, his voice deep and authoritative: "I am the captain, you only need to follow orders!" His words were unquestionable, carrying the unique dominance of a superior. "As for the Sannin, I will handle that."
"Are you alone?" an ANBU member couldn't help but ask, his voice filled with worry. Even if Zhang Hai was powerful, going alone against the Iwagakure army that had surrounded the Sannin would be like a lamb entering a tiger's den.
Zhang Hai ignored the worry and calmly explained, "Even if our entire team goes, the number won't be enough. The Sannin need a large number of reinforcements, not just a few of us. If we go, we'll only cause trouble, and we might even get trapped together. My going will be enough to delay the rescue." His analysis was clear and thorough, devoid of any emotion, and based entirely on rationality. He knew that with their team's current strength, charging into the Iwagakure encirclement would be tantamount to suicide. Only by using a surprise attack could they buy precious time for Konoha.
The remaining members of the secret service, though still harboring doubts, understood that Zhang Hai's judgment was correct. This was the best option to achieve the greatest possible result in the current situation. Without further hesitation, they quickly composed themselves, disappearing from their original positions in a few leaps, and sped towards the supply point designated by Zhang Hai to carry out their mission.
Only Zhang Hai remained in the cave. He held the slug in his palm and whispered, "Slug, guide me to the hiding place of the Three Ninjas."
The slug's antennae twitched, pointing precisely to a location deep within the forest. Zhang Hai didn't hesitate any longer; his figure moved like the wind, swiftly rushing towards the direction the slug had indicated. He knew time was of the essence; every second of delay could plunge the three ninjas into deeper danger.
When Zhang Hai arrived near the mountain, a shocking scene greeted him. Groups of Iwa ninja were relentlessly unleashing Earth Release ninjutsu on what appeared to be an ordinary small hill. Countless massive rocks, like cannonballs, pounded against the mountain with a whistling sound. Each impact caused rocks to crumble and dust to fly. Zhang Hai could clearly see that the small hill, under the continuous bombardment of Earth Release, had begun to develop large cracks, seemingly on the verge of collapsing under the powerful force of the Earth Release. Once the mountain collapsed, the three legendary ninja hiding within, no matter how strong, would be buried alive, or even crushed to death by the rocks.
"Are they in the mountains?" Zhang Hai asked urgently, looking at the slug in his palm.
"Yes, Zhang Hai! Jiraiya-sama's injuries are very serious, and Tsunade-sama is healing him!" Slug responded anxiously, her weak voice filled with worry.
Zhang Hai's heart sank. Jiraiya was injured, and Tsunade was treating him, meaning they were currently unable to retaliate and could only passively endure the attack. However, he remained outwardly calm, simply nodding and saying in a deep voice, "I understand. Go back; leave the rest to me." He glanced at the densely packed Iwa ninja, his mind racing as he considered a countermeasure. Facing such a massive Iwa ninja force, a direct confrontation would be tantamount to suicide.
Sensing Zhang Hai's determination, the slug worriedly warned, "Zhang Hai, you must be careful!" Then, it turned into a wisp of white smoke and disappeared into Zhang Hai's palm.
Zhang Hai's gaze swept across the Iwa ninja force, his mind racing. He noticed that although the Iwa ninja were numerous and their attacks were fierce, they seemed to be wary of the Sannin's strength and did not choose to rush directly into the cave, but instead opted for long-range earth-style attacks.