Chapter 26: A Coordinated Battle
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Several days later.
A group of ninja forces from the Land of Fire crossed the border, infiltrating the Land of Grass.
As for the response from Kusagakure?
In peacetime, they might be given some consideration, but in wartime, they don't count for much. In the ninja world, whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules. The Land of Grass has no power to resist the Five Great Nations.
In the vast forests of the ninja world, ninjas are as insignificant as ants, yet they wield jutsu powerful enough to raze everything around them.
"Six teams are up ahead, with chakra levels up to mid-level chunin..."
Perched on tree branches, Hyuga Hizashi and Hyuga Hiashi, the two brothers of the scouting unit, activated their Byakugan and calmly reported the enemy's position.
Inuzuka Tsume, who was often rash, bared her teeth in a bloodthirsty smile.
"Already spotted the moment we entered the Land of Grass? Great, we can test the quality of these Grass ninjas."
On another branch, Nara Shikaku's expression was serious as he cautioned everyone:
"Be careful, everyone. Lord Orochimaru led an elite squad ahead of us, clearing a path. The ninjas who made it through should be from Kusagakure or mercenaries hired to gather information.
Stay alert and ready for combat."
Everyone's expressions turned grim. On the battlefield, no one would care about their identities.
"Yosuke, you have experience from the battles in the Land of Rain. You're the most seasoned among us."
Although Nara Shikaku was skilled in strategizing, most of them had only been on missions within the Land of Fire since graduating, typically in three-person genin teams. But this was different. This was war!
Under the questioning gaze of the others, Uchiha Yosuke calmly and seriously advised:
"Combat with ninja teams of over ten people is different. The target group has six squads. We mustn't let them surround us and force a chaotic melee; that would put us at a disadvantage..."
Since most of them had never experienced large-scale battles, especially where jutsu coordination was crucial, a lack of familiarity could diminish their effectiveness. Conversely, if the enemy was accustomed to fighting together, their combined power would be much greater.
"Alright, let's go with Plan B!"
Nara Shikaku looked approvingly at Yosuke, and everyone took a deep breath, growing serious as they prepared for battle.
Uchiha Yosuke glanced calmly at the group. The ninja world's situation must be dire for the village to push this generation so urgently.
Under normal circumstances, they would gradually become chunin. But it was clear that many chunin ranks were awarded all at once.
"Yosuke, execute the plan!"
Uzumaki Kushina took a deep breath, her expression also solemn, as she stood beside Uchiha Yosuke.
The lineup was: Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi as the classic Ino-Shika-Cho team.
Inuzuka Tsume and Aburame Shibi formed another duo.
Hyuga Hizashi and Hyuga Hiashi made up the scouting team.
And Uchiha Yosuke, Uzumaki Kushina, and Namikaze Minato were a team.
In mere moments, everyone had divided into three temporary teams, excluding Ino-Shika-Cho, since chunin squads weren't as fixed as genin teams. The Ino-Shika-Cho team was an exception.
"Kushina, be careful!"
Namikaze Minato gave Uzumaki Kushina a concerned look, and Kushina huffed.
"Just don't hold us back."
Minato, a civilian-born ninja, had decent grades upon graduation, but in the ninja world, family background and bloodlines often mattered.
Despite graduating with Jiraiya's team, Minato lacked a special bloodline or family-secret techniques. He might be considered a genius in a civilian team, but here, among clans with kekkei genkai or family techniques, he was relatively ordinary.
As of now, Minato had yet to reach his full potential. While his chakra levels might be above average for a civilian, until his space-time jutsu talents emerged, he was merely a promising talent.
"The enemy is approaching. Stick to the plan!"
With a cold shout, they vanished into the forest.
The sharp-minded Nara Shikaku squinted as he watched the figures closing in.
'Are they scout teams intentionally allowed to approach, so we can hone our skills?'
Their encampment in the Land of Grass was not only to relocate the battlefield but also to use the minor villages for training while weakening them.
The low-chakra scouting squads seemed to be deliberately allowed through by Orochimaru, who had cleared the way ahead.
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In the dim forest, an eighteen-person ninja team spread out, advancing carefully.
In the silence, a sudden snap of a steel wire rang out, alerting everyone instantly.
"Damn it!"
A voice cried out as a series of explosive tags detonated with a loud bang, creating intense flames.
"There's a trap!"
The trap, triggered by a delicate wire, killed one ninja and severely injured two others.
One squad was already rendered ineffective.
"Haha! The toad sage of Mount Myoboku has arrived!"
A boisterous laugh echoed through the forest as a white-haired ninja appeared on a high tree branch.
The enemies were shocked.
"A Konoha elite jonin... Jiraiya!"
Although Jiraiya had not yet earned the title of one of the legendary Sannin, he was already well-known in the Land of Fire, and his information was embedded in the minds of ninja across the nations.
Seeing his figure, the enemies showed fear.
"Retreat! We don't stand a chance against an elite jonin!"
As they attempted to escape, three figures suddenly appeared on their left.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu"
The trio positioned themselves at a forty-five-degree angle, led by Uchiha Yosuke. After forming the necessary seals, he inhaled deeply, causing his chest to swell, and then unleashed a fierce stream of fire.
""Wind Style: Great Breakthrough""
Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina formed seals on either side and then blew a powerful gust of wind from their mouths.
The wind fueled the fire, amplifying Yosuke's Fire Style jutsu.
"Oh no!"
The roaring flames turned into a massive fire dragon, sweeping over them. Some of the enemy attempted to defend or dodge, but the fire dragon overwhelmed them.
"Ahhh!"
Screams filled the forest as the blazing dragon consumed several figures.
"Dammit! Shuriken hidden in the fire!"
As the flames subsided, shuriken whizzed toward them, glittering in the light.
In an instant, one enemy's eyes widened as a teammate suddenly turned on him, slicing off his arm with a ninja sword.
"What are you doing, Captain?!"
"Damn, he's under a jutsu!"
Amid the screams, the realization hit – he was under a jutsu from the Yamanaka clan.
"No, it's a shadow! It's the Nara clan from Konoha!"
"And that wasn't Jiraiya!"
In a puff of smoke, the "Jiraiya" figure transformed into Aburame Shibi.
Barking erupted as ninja dogs, swarms of bugs, and the Hyuga brothers Hizashi and Hiashi closed in from all sides.
Through their teamwork, Konoha's ninjas had already thrown the enemy into disarray. The various secret techniques, along with Yosuke's Sharingan, clearly gave their side the upper hand despite the chunin rank.
Each member had their edge: kekkei genkai or clan techniques, even Uzumaki Kushina with her immense chakra reserves.
Only Namikaze Minato relied on his Wind Style talent and agile kunai skills.
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(Chapter Ends)
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