Controlling the skies was crucial in wars of the previous era. After all, if you could attack without being hit in return, it was a near-unbeatable advantage.
In the ninja world, those capable of flight were few and far between. Among them were Iwagakure's Ōnoki, who used the Light-Weight Rock Technique, and the Sky Ninja Village from a certain movie, who employed machines to take to the skies.
Tobirama allowed his mind to wander briefly before refocusing.
Facing the gathered Konoha Jōnin and the ninjas of the Hoshigakure clan, he issued his orders:
"Tomorrow night, at exactly two in the morning, each of you will carry a Hoshigakure ninja and fly above the Sunagakure forces. Once in position, you will unleash explosive tags to obliterate their facilities. This mission must succeed!"
Explosive tags were not in short supply for Konoha. To ensure a decisive victory in this war, the village had expedited production and procurement, sending a large cache of tags to the frontlines alongside the Hoshigakure ninjas.
"And one more thing," Tobirama turned to the Konoha shinobi. "As the ones providing support, your duty isn't just to bomb the enemy. You're also responsible for protecting the Hoshigakure ninjas. They're part of Konoha, and I won't tolerate a single one dying on the battlefield."
His tone grew even more serious. "Of course, protect yourselves as well!"
"Understood, Hokage-sama!" The reply was sharp and unanimous.
The Konoha Jōnin chosen for this aerial assault were the elite of the village. Some among them were renowned even outside Konoha. Protecting the Hoshigakure ninjas while carrying out the mission was a challenge, but it was one they were more than capable of handling.
"Excellent. Rest up now and prepare for the operation at two. Ensure you're at your best for this mission!"
"We must crush the enemy's spirit with this attack!"
Tobirama's orders were swiftly carried out. The massive Konoha camp hummed with activity, the rustling of preparations blending with the tense atmosphere.
"Dammit! How many of us have died already? This guerilla warfare is a joke—they don't even see us as human!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down! You want to get yourself killed? If the elders hear you, they'll send you to the frontlines as cannon fodder!"
In a Sunagakure camp of about a hundred men, a few Jōnin gathered around a fire, their faces grim. Unable to sleep due to the string of losses on the frontlines, they had convened to vent their frustrations.
One Jōnin's outburst was immediately hushed by his companion. Such talk could demoralize the troops if overheard.
"Who would've thought... counsellor Chiyo's meticulous strategy was dismantled so quickly by Konoha. How did they know about our plans? We can't win in guerilla warfare, we can't win in ambushes, and even if we retreat on sight, they still chase us down..."
One of the Sunagakure ninjas lamented, slumping against the ground.
"If you ask me, we should just face Konoha head-on! Sunagakure isn't weaker than Konoha in terms of strength! These plans from the higher-ups have only wasted our resources and cost us countless lives. Now even a direct battle might be unwinnable..."
"Calm down," another ninja interjected. "I heard something from my brother, who serves as a guard for the elders. Counsellor Chiyo has already requested aid from Iwagakure. If they agree to join forces, we might still turn this war around."
"Then why hasn't Iwagakure sent reinforcements yet?" one ninja asked, confused.
"Well, my brother said their Tsuchikage made some outrageous demands. Counsellor Chiyo hasn't agreed to them yet."
The one-eyed Sunagakure ninja scratched his head awkwardly, prompting a mix of groans and worried looks from the others. The war effort felt like a losing game, no matter how they looked at it.
"Forget it," someone muttered. "This isn't something we should worry about. Let the counsellors handle it. We should just figure out what's for breakfast tomorrow."
The group, dispirited, stood up one by one, dusting off their clothes and preparing to return to their tents.
"Hey, look at that! There are so many birds in the sky!"
The shout came from a few genin on guard duty, drawing the others' attention.
They looked up to see a sky stained red by the setting sun, where a dense cluster of black shapes with enormous wings was flying toward the camp.
"Whoa, what kind of birds are those? I've never seen anything like them in all my 30 years."
The Jōnin, initially curious, quickly noticed something amiss. The "birds" flew closer, revealing they weren't birds at all. Along with them came a rain of paper strips that fell rapidly due to the kunai they were tied to.
Realization dawned too late.
The sight of explosive tags fluttering downward sent shivers down their spines.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"Explosive tags in the sky!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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