Dividing the story into two parts, we shift our focus to Senju Ryuken. After Senju Kogane secretly departed, Ryuken didn't slow the troops' advance, but instead accelerated. After all, defeating Aizen was a minor concern for him; the overarching war in the sky was the priority!
Dealing with a mere Aizen, Ryuken thought, was as simple as squashing an insect. It wasn't long before Ryuken, leading a force of 150 shinobi, arrived at one of the three hidden bases of the Sky Ninja.
This base was situated on a high plateau in the western wastelands of the Land of Sky, its location incredibly secluded. If not for Aburame ninja tracking abilities, finding it would have been near impossible.
"Lord Ryuken!"
Two Konoha shinobi emerged from the ground, kneeling respectfully before Ryuken. They were members of the previous reconnaissance team left behind.
"Well, what's the current situation at this base?" Ryuken nodded, his voice tinged with urgency.
"Reporting to Lord Ryuken, the Sky Ninja's main force has not yet returned. The base is currently occupied by only a small number of them!" one of the shinobi, Kaido, reported.
"Excellent! This is even better than I anticipated!"
Ryuken's face lit up with excitement as he waved his hand. Truthfully, even if the Sky Ninja's main force had been present, Ryuken was confident in his ability to obliterate them completely.
But this best-case scenario was more than welcome.
"Give me the map of the Sky Ninja base you've been surveying these past few days," Ryuken demanded.
"Yes, sir." The other shinobi bowed, presenting a map from his pocket.
He quickly explained, "Lord Ryuken, because this base is built on a plateau cliff, it's difficult for us to infiltrate and gather information. We've only conducted limited external investigations to avoid arousing their suspicion!"
A hint of fear flickered in his eyes. However, Ryuken, known for his sternness, simply nodded in understanding. In his view, the two shinobi had acted wisely. If they had risked alerting the Sky Ninja for a few minor details.
Ryuken would have been furious. He was no fool. Otherwise, he wouldn't have earned Hiruzen Sarutobi's favor.
"Alright, you've both done well. Go rest, and leave the rest to us," Ryuken said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The two Konoha shinobi breathed sighs of relief and hastily retreated. Ryuken studied the information in his hands, formulating a battle plan, then assigned tasks to the nearby jonin captains.
Meanwhile, the Sky Ninja at the base remained oblivious to the impending doom. Even the guards at the gates were slacking off.
After all, thanks to Shinno's strategies and the Sky Ninja's aerial advantage, they had always been the aggressors, never the victims. This constant dominance had inevitably bred complacency and arrogance within their ranks.
Little did they know, an elite Konoha force was already scaling the cliff face. This unit consisted solely of chunin and jonin-level shinobi, many of them specializing in assassination techniques.
Hand-picked by Ryuken himself, they were the cream of the crop.
Swish!
As they neared the unsuspecting Sky Ninja guards, the shinobi moved like arrows loosed from their bows, swiftly taking positions behind them. Their blades gleamed in the moonlight.
Whimper!
The Sky Ninja's eyes widened in terror as their mouths were covered, their muffled cries silenced as their bodies slumped to the ground.
"Don't stop. Keep moving silently. Kill any Sky Ninja you encounter," Ryuken ordered coldly. The shinobi nodded in acknowledgement, their faces grim with determination.
The Konoha force continued their silent advance. However, it wasn't long before Ryuken and his shinobi encountered a hurdle. The Sky Ninja base was sprawling, far larger than they had anticipated.
With just over a hundred men, it was impossible to eliminate all the hidden enemies quickly. Moreover, their presence would inevitably be discovered. If the Sky Ninja were alerted and counterattacked, they would be in serious trouble...
Ryuken swiftly made a decision.
"I'll lead a team of ten to infiltrate further. Kimura, Takeshita, Kangishi, Jianxi, Aoki, and Tanaka, each of you will lead a team of twenty to infiltrate the base from eight different directions!" Ryuken ordered.
He had chosen to split their forces. Although this strategy carried risks, it was the only way to achieve maximum efficiency. Furthermore, Ryuken himself would be taking on the most dangerous task with the smallest squad.
The other jonin captains, respecting his authority, had no objections. The Konoha force dispersed, swiftly spreading throughout the base...
As fate would have it, this base was the Sky Ninja's core stronghold, the very place where Hirata Ichiro and the other high-ranking officers had once hidden, the place where they had vanished when their plans were foiled.
Now, Ryuken and his shinobi had sealed off all exits.
Ryuken's team even managed to capture a high-ranking Sky Ninja, extracting information about a secret escape route. This meant Hirata Ichiro and the others were cornered, their last escape route blocked. They could only flee towards the heart of the base, hoping to make a final stand.
However, the captured ninja had revealed more than just the escape route. He had also divulged the location of Hirata Ichiro and the other leaders! Ryuken was elated. There was no way he would let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
Just as Hirata Ichiro and his comrades reached the core of the base, before they could even react, Ryuken's team struck swiftly and decisively! They eliminated the Sky Ninja leaders with ruthless efficiency.
With his mission accomplished, Ryuken began to explore the base's core.It was a vast space filled with mysterious metal tubes. Ryuken deduced that the Sky Ninja leaders had chosen this location for their last stand for a reason.
There must be a significant secret hidden here!
As Ryuken investigated, a familiar figure slowly emerged into view. It was his childhood bodyguard, the very person he had sent to assassinate Aizen: Senju Kogane.
...
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