Three figures erupted from the ground, their Kunai gleaming with cold light as they targeted Nawaki's vital points.
Nawaki lightly tapped his toes, gracefully evading their attacks with a seemingly weightless motion.
On the sidelines, Minato had been waiting patiently. In a flash, he moved, striking down all three enemies with a single sword stroke. The Iwa Ninjas clutched their throats and collapsed to the ground with a thud, never seeing Minato's face before their demise.
"Not bad," Nawaki said, giving Minato a thumbs-up, a gesture he had picked up from Duy.
"It's amazing how quickly it was resolved." The two worked seamlessly together, their efficiency leaving the Konoha Ninja watching in stunned silence.
According to intelligence, this Iwa unit consisted of at least Chūnin-level fighters.
"No wonder they were taught by Lord Kawakaze," one observer murmured. A devoted follower of Kawakaze, he considered the man a god for his legendary feats, including taking on Tailed Beasts.
Despite their youth, these two displayed extraordinary strength, a clear testament to Kawakaze's training.
"They're both geniuses," another Konoha Ninja remarked, unable to hide their envy.
...
"Enemy attack!"
A cry from a Konoha Ninja echoed in the distance. They had just finished off three enemies, but someone lurking in the shadows could no longer stay hidden.
Minato darted toward the commotion and arrived just in time to witness a Konoha Ninja being struck in the chest by an Iwa Ninja.
A resounding "bang" filled the air. The force of the impact caused an explosion where the fist landed, sending the Konoha Ninja flying. His body was left in shreds.
The Iwa Ninja turned to target another Konoha soldier, but Minato hurled several Kunai to slow him down.
"Is this Explosion Release?" Minato muttered. He remembered Kawakaze mentioning it but had never encountered it firsthand.
"I think so," Nawaki replied uncertainly. "It's similar to what my brother-in-law described."
"Whatever it is, just beat the crap out of them."
If the enemy could explode up close, then they would strike from a distance. Nawaki formed a hand seal, pulled back his neck, and spat high-speed Water Needles from his mouth. The needles shot toward the vital points of the Explosion Release Ninja.
Meanwhile, Minato stepped forward with his sword, engaging the enemy directly. As soon as he heard the telltale sound of an explosion, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, retreating in an instant.
In the brief moment of distraction, Nawaki's Water Needles pierced the Iwa Ninja's throat, killing him instantly. Whatever strength his explosive ability gave him, it wasn't enough to save him from their combined assault.
"Not that strong, apart from the explosions," Nawaki noted.
Minato glanced to the other side, where another explosion erupted. It seemed Explosion Release users weren't in short supply.
He inspected his sword, noticing a crack in the blade. Despite the high-quality material, the force of the explosion had taken its toll.
"Let's go," Nawaki said, rushing toward the sound of the explosion.
The two moved swiftly through the forest like firefighters, responding to every threat. Under their leadership, the Konoha Ninjas coordinated effectively, and the Iwa Ninjas' surprise attack force quickly dwindled.
Minato kept a mental tally, counting twenty-three enemies he had personally eliminated.
"There shouldn't be many left," he thought. After such a long battle, any remaining enemies had likely either fled far away or possessed special abilities to avoid detection.
"This mission isn't that difficult," Nawaki remarked, noting the relative ease of the fights.
"It's not that the mission is easy," Minato responded, "but that we've faced far stronger opponents before."
He was right. Compared to the formidable enemies they had encountered in the past, this Iwa unit lacked anyone truly capable of challenging them. However, for most Konoha Ninjas, these opponents were no small threat.
"That's true," Nawaki agreed.
Unbeknownst to them, both Nawaki and Minato had grown into exceptional Jōnin, far surpassing the norm. Unless they faced a particularly troublesome Kekkei Genkai, the two working together could overcome nearly any challenge.
If Rasa were to face them again, the outcome of their battle would be far from certain. All three of them—Nawaki, Minato, and Rasa—were improving rapidly. At their current rate, reaching Kage-level strength was only a matter of time.
A few days later, the Konoha team completed a thorough sweep of the area, eliminating over ten more Iwa Ninjas. With no further discoveries, the mission came to a relatively successful conclusion.
The remaining Iwa Ninjas no longer posed any threat to Konoha's supply line. Nawaki and Minato led the team back to report their success. Out of the original 42 members who had set out, 35 returned.
For a mission like this, if an average Jōnin had been in charge, it was uncertain how many would have made it back alive.
When they arrived at camp, the atmosphere was noticeably tense. A sense of unease permeated the air. Sensing the change, Nawaki and Minato immediately went to see Tsunade to report the mission's outcome.
"Well done," Tsunade said after listening, her praise sounding slightly perfunctory—something uncharacteristic of her.
"Sister, what's wrong?" Nawaki asked, sensing that something troubling had occurred.
The two guessed that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.
"Sunagakure has also sent in a surprise attack force, and we've suffered casualties on both sides," Tsunade explained briefly. "Ōnoki has deployed more than one unit, and we've been attacked again. The situation is now very unfavorable for us."
Her tone carried an unusual weight, as though she were confiding in someone.
Minato thought carefully, piecing together the reasons for Tsunade's distress. "Sensei led the team out?" he asked, surprised. He had noticed Kawakaze's absence, as the two were rarely apart.
"Yes," Tsunade confirmed. "They just left a little while ago. There are Iwa Ninjas lurking nearby."
"Sister, then we'll go first," Nawaki said, grabbing Minato and heading toward the door. Minato followed, though unsure of what Nawaki was planning.
"I have a plan," Nawaki whispered mysteriously once they were outside.
"What's the plan?" Minato asked, his eyes showing doubt rather than excitement. He wasn't convinced Nawaki had come up with anything reliable.
"If someone beats up on us, can't we beat them up in return?" Nawaki's idea was simple: an eye for an eye.
Who didn't have a surprise attack unit?
This question made Minato pause. It was indeed a feasible plan, but it required refinement. The two hurried to their room, determined to study the idea and find a solution to ease Tsunade's worries.
Meanwhile, Kawakaze rushed to the location where the group had fought Iwa Ninjas. By the time he arrived, the enemies had already fled, leaving no trace. Frustrated, he had no choice but to return with the wounded, his anger mounting.
Sunagakure also adopted guerrilla tactics, though not as boldly as the Iwa Ninjas. Whenever they encountered a Konoha squad within the Land of Rain, they would strike swiftly and retreat.
This left Konoha in a highly passive position. Small-scale skirmishes exploited Konoha's greatest weakness: their limited manpower, an issue that could not be easily resolved. Unlike their future enemies, Konoha could not mass-produce reinforcements like White Zetsu.
Even with the combined efforts of Kawakaze and Sakumo, who successfully annihilated several enemy units using the Flying Thunder God Technique, progress was hindered. They often encountered Ōnoki and Bunpuku, whose presence ensured that neither Iwa nor Suna suffered significant losses.
In frustration, Konoha launched several large-scale offensives, but these were met with strategic retreats. The enemies refused to engage directly, withdrawing whenever Konoha advanced and returning to attack once they had left.
Kawakaze began to feel the same helplessness that Hanzō of the Salamander once experienced against him. The two enemy villages seemed to have conspired, avoiding direct confrontation and instead gradually wearing Konoha down through attrition.
By exploiting their numerical advantage, Iwa and Suna maximized the effectiveness of their strategy. As time passed, Konoha's casualties increased, forcing them to reduce the range of their activities.
This was a temporary solution at best, addressing symptoms without solving the root problem. The downward trend persisted.