The next day.
Night.
In the midst of a light drizzle, a large group of Konoha shinobi was swiftly advancing.
Ao Ming looked up and scanned the surroundings. All he could see were countless shadows of people. A rough estimate would suggest there were several hundred, maybe even over a thousand.
Aside from those left to guard the main base and the frontline outposts, Orochimaru had mobilized almost every available shinobi. This clearly showed how massive the scale of this operation was!
It wasn't until noon that day that Ao Ming received his mission orders, finally learning that the target of this operation was an Iwagakure outpost.
Orochimaru wouldn't go to such lengths for a mere ordinary outpost. In fact, this outpost was Iwagakure's largest logistics hub in the Land of Rain, responsible for supplying two-thirds of their battlefronts with resources.
If this outpost were to fall, Iwagakure wouldn't be able to mount any serious offensive for the next month or two.
It was at that moment that Ao Ming began to piece together why Orochimaru had previously ordered a full-scale assault.
First, Orochimaru likely wanted to weaken both sides through mutual destruction, forcing Iwagakure to dispatch more forces to the frontlines, thus leaving their rear vulnerable, setting the stage for this very operation.
This was a transparent ploy. Even if Iwagakure sensed something amiss, they still had to send reinforcements to the frontlines. If they didn't, Orochimaru could launch a second all-out attack.
At that point, there was a real possibility Konoha could push the battlefront into Iwagakure territory, putting them in an even worse position.
So, Iwagakure had no choice but to bolster their frontline forces to make up for their manpower shortages.
Now, after careful reconnaissance and planning, Orochimaru determined the conditions were right.
Then, he quietly recalled some of his forces, temporarily creating a numerical advantage.
This was the foundation for Orochimaru's confidence in launching this surprise attack.
The second objective of the previous full-scale assault had been Ao Ming's mission—to destroy the enemy's stored supplies. This was probably a setup for Iwagakure's looming resource shortages after this battle.
As for Sunagakure, Ao Ming figured Orochimaru must've already made arrangements to ensure they wouldn't take advantage of the situation.
'Wow, it's all interconnected!' Ao Ming thought in awe as he followed the main force, quickening his pace.
According to the plan, after reaching the designated area, the troops would be divided into three groups: two teams would be responsible for intercepting the enemy reinforcements, while the third team would carry out the direct assault on the outpost.
Wait, wasn't the intel supposed to be secure? Why would there still be a need to intercept reinforcements?
Come on!
Their operation involved so many shinobi that Iwagakure would surely notice. Even if they hadn't detected anything along the way, once the fighting started, the Iwagakure command would definitely be alerted.
There were countless ways for shinobi to relay information, especially for something as critical as a logistics hub. They were bound to have emergency communication channels back to headquarters.
Thus, enemy reinforcements were all but guaranteed.
So, were all of Orochimaru's preparations in vain?
Of course not.
Orochimaru's entire plan was designed to create a time gap, preventing Iwagakure from responding effectively at the outset.
And that was enough.
From here on, it would be a test of raw strength between both sides.
If your strength was lacking, no matter how clever your strategy, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
As the saying goes, in the face of absolute power, any schemes or tricks are futile.
All Orochimaru could do was tilt the balance slightly in Konoha's favor.
…
Time flew by.
Ten or so hours had passed.
It was now early the next morning.
The sky was still dimly lit.
Ao Ming's group had stopped in a dense forest.
Their operation route had been planned meticulously, and no unexpected incidents had occurred along the way.
They would rest here for the entire day, and when night fell again, they would resume their march under the cover of darkness.
By doing this, they should be able to reach their destination by tomorrow morning.
After a brief rest, they would launch the assault before noon.
The schedule was tight, but it was necessary. The longer they delayed, the greater the risk of being discovered.
To catch the Iwa-nin by surprise, they had to strike as soon as possible.
…
The next day.
Morning.
Ao Ming and the others arrived at the designated location without incident.
After a short break, the forces were split into three groups.
Ao Ming and Mizutani Shizuko joined a 300-man detachment heading to the first interception point.
It was a river valley, with mountains on both sides and a long river running through the middle. The riverbanks had wide stretches of sandy ground.
This corridor connected Iwagakure's main base in the Land of Rain to the logistics hub they were targeting. If Iwagakure sent reinforcements, they would most likely take this route.
Their task was to hold off the reinforcements here, buying time for the team assaulting the logistics hub.
As the largest and most important outpost in the Land of Rain, the Iwa forces stationed there were numerous and strong.
Even though Konoha's side had more soldiers, it would still take time to breach the defenses.
Thus, the interception mission was destined to be grueling.
It would no doubt be another brutal battle.
With this in mind, Ao Ming turned to Mizutani Shizuko and said, "Stick close to me later."
"Mm-hmm," she nodded obediently, neither pretending to refuse protection nor letting her thirst for revenge cloud her judgment by shouting about avenging Furukawa and Ryosuke.
Ao Ming was pleased by this.
Though he had said before he wouldn't be anyone's babysitter, if his teammates were sensible, he didn't mind lending a helping hand.
After all, only the two of them were left in Team 17. If Mizutani died too, he really would be all alone.
…
Time ticked by.
As noon approached, Ao Ming checked the time and muttered to himself, "The assault should've begun by now."
Unfortunately, they were too far from the battlefield to hear any sounds of fighting.
Just then, the leader sent word that everyone should stay alert and keep an eye on their surroundings, ready to engage the enemy at any moment.
Hidden in the trees on either side of the valley, Ao Ming and the other Konoha shinobi gripped their kunai, breathing carefully, eyes locked on the river corridor, waiting for the enemy to appear.
One minute passed, then two.
Five minutes, ten minutes…
An hour…
Two hours passed, and still no sign of the enemy.
Ao Ming could sense the subtle unrest spreading through the group.
But it was quickly suppressed.
Another half-hour passed.
By now, they had been waiting here for two and a half hours.
Who knew whether Iwagakure was slow to react, whether Orochimaru's arrangements had taken effect, or whether the enemy had chosen not to take this route at all.
Either way, the enemy's reinforcements still hadn't shown up.
But if they had taken another path, someone would have reported it. There was no way there wouldn't be any news.
Just as everyone was beginning to feel anxious, a figure suddenly darted from the distance, disappearing into the trees.
Moments later, the leader sent a message: the enemy was three kilometers away and closing in. Everyone was to prepare for battle.
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