Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 418: Clash

"Lord Nagato, isn't this an obvious place to set up camp?"

Daiki Nakamura looked uneasy as he surveyed the endless Kitsuchi plains.

This place didn't seem like a suitable campsite at all.

"That's the idea. If it weren't obvious, those idiots from Iwagakure would never be able to find us!"

Nagato didn't care in the slightest. That was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Umm... okay then."

Since Nagato had done this on purpose, Daiki Nakamura didn't press the issue further. However, his troubled expression remained.

"Don't worry. No matter what happens, he'll sense it."

Nonō pointed at Nagato, reassuring Daiki Nakamura.

"No, I'm not worried. I'll go help over there."

Daiki Nakamura forced a wry smile, waved his hands, and quickly made up an excuse to leave.

"This guy... the only hard part about him is his mouth."

Nagato couldn't help but laugh as he watched Daiki Nakamura walk away.

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have agreed to set up camp here."

Although Nonō wasn't a military strategist, she still understood the basics.

"Haha, thank you for trusting me, Lady Nonō."

Nagato laughed happily, momentarily forgetting they were in the middle of a war as he enjoyed spending time alone with Nonō.

"You're getting more and more unruly."

Nonō gave Nagato a sidelong glance, her expression soft and full of feminine charm.

"Just to be safe, why don't you stay with me tonight?"

Nagato leaned in slightly, catching himself just in time to replace sleep with a different word before speaking.

"Hmph, you wish."

A deep blush bloomed on Nonō's cheeks. She had never had such intimate contact with Nagato before.

"You're overthinking it. I just want to protect you."

Years had passed, and Nagato was no longer the innocent, naïve boy he once was.

"Pah, if you didn't have those thoughts, how do you know I'm overthinking?"

Nonō scoffed at Nagato's smooth talk, though the blush on her face only deepened.

"Good intentions are as worthless as a mule's wisdom."

"If you don't want to, that's fine."

Nagato was the first to call her out, his expression all but saying, Don't regret this later.

"Save it, little brother. I'll give you a few more years."

However, Nonō, who had just been flustered, suddenly took the upper hand.

She stood up, patted Nagato on the shoulder with the air of a magnanimous elder, and walked off quickly, leaving Nagato stunned in place.

This... this isn't how my script was supposed to go!!!

When he finally snapped out of it, he smiled again as he watched Nonō's slightly hurried steps.

Big Sister, you don't seem so calm either!

While Nagato was still reveling in the playful back-and-forth, Rōshi and Kitsuchi were racing forward, urgency burning in their every step.

"How far is it?"

Rōshi barely finished speaking when a response came from behind him.

"Fifty kilometers or so, Lord Rōshi."

Because of Nagato's deliberate actions, the Akatsuki camp's location had been exposed.

"Very good. Just as I thought, he's an arrogant brat who doesn't know his place."

Rōshi's lips curled slightly. He had assumed Nagato was just another muscle-headed idiot with no sense of military tactics.

"I feel like something's off."

Kitsuchi's brows hadn't relaxed since learning of Akatsuki's campsite location.

It was hard to believe that someone capable of waging a unification war would make such a blatant mistake.

"You're overthinking it. Are we not going?"

Rōshi shot Kitsuchi a glance, his tone far softer than the way he spoke to Ōnoki.

"Hey~"

Kitsuchi sighed, feeling helpless.

Even if there was a sea of swords and flames ahead, they had no choice but to charge forward.

This was the Land of Earth's territory, and they had to stop Akatsuki in their tracks.

If Nagato had laid a trap, then this was nothing more than an open challenge.

As the night deepened, Nagato lay in his tent, eyes suddenly snapping open.

His Rinnegan gleamed eerily in the darkness.

Without rushing to wake the others, he calmly packed away his tent before slipping into Nonō's.

"Hey, wake up and get to work."

Nagato gently pinched Nonō's nose, rousing her from sleep.

For someone with a spy's instincts, this was practically unheard of.

"Ugh."

Nonō swatted Nagato's hand away and let out a small yawn.

"Iwa ninja are almost here. It's time to get up."

Nagato's tone was gentle, his gaze full of warmth.

"What?!"

"Why are you just waking me up? Hurry and notify the others!"

Nonō instantly snapped to full alert. Unlike Nagato, she didn't have the luxury of staying this calm.

"Okay."

"Tell everyone to get ready for battle. Iwa ninja will be here soon."

Nagato and Nonō left the tent, each heading off to wake the others.

Three minutes later, all of Akatsukigakure was in full combat mode.

"Stop."

Rōshi raised a hand, halting their advance.

"Akatsuki's Village Head, Nagato, is not someone to be trifled with. Kitsuchi and I will distract him."

"Then, you all will attack."

Rōshi wasn't arrogant—he knew exactly how much damage someone of Nagato's caliber could inflict on ordinary ninja.

"Understood."

Kitsuchi stepped forward, standing beside Rōshi, while the large force behind them nodded in silent agreement.

"I can already sense a massive chakra presence ahead."

"Let's make them suffer first."

As soon as he spoke, Rōshi wrapped himself in a dark red chakra cloak.

As his Tailed Beast chakra surged, his body transformed.

Dropping to all fours, his entire figure became engulfed in dark red chakra, and four tails stood upright behind him.

Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.

The overwhelming pressure forced both Kitsuchi and the Iwa ninja to take an involuntary step back.

"Just standing near Lord Rōshi is suffocating..."

"So this is the power of a Tailed Beast?"

"It's terrifying..."

Some Iwa ninja, witnessing Tailed Beast power for the first time, couldn't help but murmur in awe.

But Rōshi had no time to care about their words.

A massive amount of Tailed Beast chakra had already gathered in front of his mouth.

He was preparing to unleash a Tailed Beast Ball—a devastating long-range attack aimed at Akatsuki's forces.

There was no need to hold back against an enemy.

"You're really not being polite!"

"Protect yourselves."

Nagato's lips curled in disdain as he spoke to Nonō.

Then, in an instant, he vanished from sight.

Even from this distance, Rōshi—bathed in Tailed Beast chakra—was like a blazing signal flare in Nagato's perception.

Nagato knew exactly what he was planning.

"No good."

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

By the time Kitsuchi noticed a figure rapidly closing in, it was already too late.

In the brief moment he had, he could only erect a thick earthen wall in front of them.

But at the same time, Rōshi's Tailed Beast Ball was only halfway condensed, rendering it completely useless.

"Shin! Ra! Ten! Sei!"

Before they could even see who had arrived, four thunderous words exploded in their ears.

A violent repulsive force surged toward them.

The earthen wall meant to protect them didn't just crumble—it shattered into debris and was sent hurtling backward.

Rōshi and Kitsuchi took the brunt of the impact, battered by stone fragments, and were sent flying.

The troops behind them fared no better—within seconds, bodies littered the ground.