Chapter 50: Comrades! Bonds!
"This is all of the explosive tags from our Hyuga clan, Yosuke."
The Hyuga jōnin gathered the explosive tags from the other Hyuga ninja and solemnly handed them to Uchiha Yosuke.
Uchiha Fugaku stood silent, finally letting out a deep sigh, raising his hand to signal the Uchiha clan ninjas to hand over their explosive tags.
As the explosive tags were gathered, Uchiha Yosuke looked at the somber expressions of everyone, but he revealed a rare, relaxed smile.
"Don't all look so grim. I am an Uchiha, and this time, we do have a chance of survival."
Uchiha Fugaku respected Uchiha Yosuke's decision, handing over his explosive tags as he said gravely, "Yosuke-kun, although Lady Tsunade is surrounded within the borders of the Land of Grass, she will undoubtedly choose to break through. The best route for her is... this rocky area. If you reach it first and make contact, you can set traps using these explosive tags."
"Moreover, this location is the closest to the Land of Fire's border, where reinforcements could reach us fastest."
Reinforcements?
Though Fugaku spoke of the chance, everyone knew it was a heavy prospect. They were all seasoned jōnin and understood that this so-called rescue was a mission of near-certain death.
"I understand."
As the group moved quickly across the grassland, Uchiha Yosuke nodded at everyone with a smile, while the other jōnin now looked at him with newfound respect.
Perhaps they once thought Uchiha Yosuke's promotion to jōnin was somewhat unearned and underestimated him. But this time, all of them regarded him with admiration.
"Yosuke!"
From behind, in a squad also on the move, Minato Namikaze seemed to have noticed something, and he took a deep breath, saying seriously, "Yosuke, since Jiraiya-sensei is also here, I…!"
But before he could finish, a nearby jōnin frowned and cut him off.
"You're just a chūnin, don't cause more trouble. Yosuke-kun's plan is risky, but it indeed raises the chances of success. With this many explosive tags and Yosuke-kun's superior speed and stamina, he is our best choice."
To a jōnin, a chūnin under such circumstances would just be a burden. Minato Namikaze was momentarily lost for words, while Uchiha Yosuke gave him a nod and smiled at the jōnin, saying:
"Minato, this isn't just for Lady Tsunade and the others. We left behind many comrades, too. I may not be the strongest of the jōnin here, but I am the best fit for this task."
"All the other jōnin have their own missions, and I have completed mine. More importantly, I have the ability to communicate with animals, and there are plenty of flying creatures in these woods that can help me get through the enemy's encirclement."
This was a skill he had recently developed as he merged with the Senju constitution. He had let Lady Tsunade know about his ability to communicate with animals, preferring not to keep it a secret.
In the ninja world, especially in such close-knit environments, secrets would eventually come out.
Thus, he didn't fake anything; he made real what he showed.
His intelligence was real, and his life-risking commitment was real. Who would doubt it?
Of the nearly ten jōnin, the rest had been ordered to escort the younger generation back into the Land of Fire, while Uchiha Yosuke had a different mission.
His task was to impersonate Tsunade to boost morale, so by the rules, he had autonomy over his choices, which was why he could say he had completed his task.
With a determined gaze and a steady smile, Uchiha Yosuke said, "Send orders through our swift hawks for the Konoha ninja falling behind to withdraw in this direction and regroup."
"Understood!"
A Hyuga jōnin then commanded firmly, "Instruct all Konoha ninjas behind us to hand over half their explosive tags to Uchiha Yosuke."
"Yes!"
As orders were given, Uchiha Yosuke gradually slowed his pace, falling behind the main group of jōnin. Ninja after ninja solemnly handed him their explosive tags.
"An Uchiha, huh!"
At that moment, many Konoha ninjas who previously couldn't stand the aloof attitude of the Uchiha clan now had a new understanding.
"Yosuke-kun, come back alive."
Minato Namikaze wore a look of determination, while Nara Shikaku, usually so nonchalant, spoke seriously, "Yosuke-kun, if the Iwa ninja's encirclement has already formed, withdraw immediately!"
Shikaku had swiftly deduced Yosuke's plan and knew it was a gamble.
He gambled on the encirclement not being complete. But even if it was, the Iwa ninja might welcome a stray fish in their net, which was Shikaku's way of encouraging him.
"I will make sure Lady Tsunade and the others return safely!"
With a smile but resolute eyes, Uchiha Yosuke spoke without mentioning his own survival, giving the impression of someone placing their life on the line.
The group fell silent, as Uchiha Yosuke's fiery Will of Fire radiated, casting a powerful image in everyone's minds—a ninja willing to risk it all for his comrades.
From above, it was clear that the Konoha ninjas racing across the grassland suddenly had one figure diverging from their path.
Looking back at that diminishing figure, every Konoha ninja wore a solemn expression.
"Damn it! I'm a Konoha ninja too!"
One of the chūnin let out an angry shout, tears of frustration in his eyes.
In this harsh world, though ninja were seen as tools, they still valued their comrades immensely.
Many clenched their fists, feeling helpless. They weren't afraid of death, but they were now forced to leave a comrade behind.
"That's not entirely true! Our survival has a greater purpose."
Nara Shikaku began analyzing the situation calmly.
"Our presence impacts many clans back in the village, and that's not even considering how we might affect strategy. If we stayed to fight, the best spot would be our campsite, but our camp is deep in the Land of Grass. That would force Lady Tsunade and Lord Orochimaru to retreat, closing the encirclement, and rescuing them would be much harder."
"By discarding all non-essentials and retreating now, Lady Tsunade and the others can focus on breaking through and are now closer to the border, with a better chance of receiving reinforcements."
As Shikaku analyzed the situation, the Konoha ninjas nodded silently, realizing they had no choice but to fulfill their assigned missions.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Yosuke separated from the main Konoha force, running swiftly into the Land of Grass as birds flew overhead.
"Although I can communicate with animals, most of them are quite simple-minded and can only follow basic instructions."
Maintaining his speed, Yosuke felt the weight of the danger ahead.
He had to find Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya before the Iwa ninja noticed him, and he also hoped that, as in the original story, reinforcements would arrive.
Time to take a shot!