Fifty kilometers or so was not a great distance for shinobi.
But between here and there, they had to avoid being detected by Kirigakure's shinobi and clear the traps the enemy had set up. That was what truly consumed the time.
Hearing Hyuga Kazuo's words, Nara Yoshioka pondered briefly, a contemplative gleam in his eyes.
Without even needing to think about it, one could guess that Kirigakure's shinobi were certainly stationed near the Great Bridge of the Land of Waves.
In other words, the chances of approaching the bridge without being detected were extremely low.
"So it seems we have no choice but to force our way through?"
Nara Yoshioka murmured to himself after finishing a quick reconnaissance.
Nara Yoshioka did not speak loudly, but Hyuga Kazuo on his side could still hear him clearly.
"Forcing our way in isn't necessarily a bad option."
Hyuga Kazuo's face was heavy with grim resolve, showing no surprise.
They were, after all, a Konoha unit stationed at the border of the Land of Fire.
This was also why they had been able to reach this location the very moment the Kirigakure shinobi entered the Land of Waves.
But compared to the Kirigakure forces, their numbers were ultimately insufficient. As for reinforcements from the village, there was no telling when they would arrive.
Kirigakure had already occupied the Land of Waves and begun fortifying their positions, so they did not have much time to waste. They had to destroy the Great Bridge of the Land of Waves as quickly as possible.
Nara Yoshioka let out a soft sigh. The current situation was somewhat unfavorable for Konoha, but not disastrously so.
According to the intelligence they had received.
Among the powerhouses Kirigakure had dispatched this time, it seemed that only Momochi Zabuza, one of the Seven Swordsmen, was present.
As long as they could find a way to tie Momochi Zabuza down and draw away a portion of the Kirigakure shinobi, there was still a very good chance of destroying the bridge.
With this in mind.
Nara Yoshioka looked up at the sky and silently ran through the calculations in his head.
"Reduce our pace. We'll launch the assault tonight."
Nara Yoshioka turned to Hyuga Kazuo at his side and spoke with stern resolve.
Hyuga Kazuo did not hesitate, giving a slight nod. The Nara clan naturally served as the strategists of Konoha.
Moreover, given the current circumstances, this was the only viable option. Hyuga Kazuo naturally had no reason to object to Nara Yoshioka's plan.
Once the two jonin reached an agreement, the entire Konoha squad slowed down considerably.
The Konoha shinobi recovered their stamina while carefully clearing the surrounding traps, inching toward the Great Bridge of the Land of Waves at a measured pace.
Fortunately, the Land of Fire was densely forested with towering trees.
The Konoha squad could use the woods to conceal their movements. Combined with the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, they could detect Kirigakure's patrol shinobi well in advance.
Because of this, their Konoha squad was unlikely to be discovered anytime soon.
Amid the silent waiting of the Konoha shinobi.
Night fell in the blink of an eye!
One by one, the Konoha shinobi crouching on thick branches rose to their feet at once.
"Move out!"
Hyuga Kazuo activated his Byakugan and led roughly ten Konoha shinobi, taking the first move.
Nara Yoshioka and the remaining ten or so Konoha shinobi remained standing on the great trees, waiting in silence.
Hyuga Kazuo's team needed to first draw the attention of the Kirigakure shinobi, then lure away a portion of the enemy forces.
At that moment.
A sensory-type Kirigakure shinobi stationed near the Great Bridge of the Land of Waves suddenly snapped his eyes open and immediately leapt to his feet, shouting:
"Enemy attack!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of Kirigakure shinobi emerged from the shadows, instantly blocking the path to the Great Bridge.
"Approximately ten enemies. There may be hidden Konoha shinobi as well — stay on alert!"
The sensory shinobi took position at the very front. After closing his eyes for a brief moment of concentration, he called out in a loud voice.
At the same time, several Kirigakure jonin also appeared at the front, each wearing a relaxed expression.
"Only ten of them? Not even enough to share among all of us."
"Konoha's finally made their move, huh?"
"Lucky draw for tonight's watch duty!"
One Kirigakure shinobi after another wore expressions of excitement as they stared into the dark forest in the distance.
They had expected nothing to happen tonight — they never imagined such a pleasant surprise.
"Intense chakra fluctuation, at three o'clock!"
The sensory shinobi spoke again. At this point, he had pinpointed the Konoha shinobi's exact location.
The moment his words faded!
BOOM!
A muffled roar erupted from the ground, and countless earthen spikes surged upward from below, hurtling toward the gathered Kirigakure shinobi.
Seeing this, the Kirigakure shinobi swiftly dodged while simultaneously charging toward the direction of the forest that the sensory shinobi had indicated.
But just as the Kirigakure shinobi were about to reach the forest's edge, kunai tagged with explosive tags came flying from the sky at blistering speed.
"Water Release — Water Surge!"
"Water Release — Water Surge!"
"Water Release — Water Surge!"
Several Kirigakure shinobi unleashed the same jutsu simultaneously, spewing thick streams of water from their mouths. The streams converged in midair, blocking all the incoming explosive tags.
BOOM! BOOM!
Massive explosions collided with the torrents of water in midair, like a sudden torrential downpour.
Thanks to the explosions, the Konoha forces temporarily halted the Kirigakure advance.
Deep within the forest.
Hyuga Kazuo saw the scene and a faint smile crossed his face.
"Perfect opening — all shinobi who can use Lightning Release, step forward!"
Three Konoha shinobi swiftly stepped out from the group, simultaneously forming hand seals and releasing Lightning Release toward the rain-soaked water.
Bolstered by the water, the electricity spread rapidly through the streams. Several Kirigakure shinobi who failed to react in time were instantly paralyzed by the current and collapsed to the ground.
"The enemy has Lightning Release users — switch to other jutsu. Get someone to drag the wounded back."
One of the Kirigakure jonin who had dodged in advance shot a glance at the genin electrocuted and lying on the ground, then quickly barked orders with a furrowed brow.
"What do you brats think war is?"
"This isn't one of your Ninja Academy playtime games!"
"Even though we have the advantage right now, you must remain cautious and careful. Next time on the battlefield, no one will come to save you."
The Kirigakure jonin reminded them in an ice-cold voice.
Had the Konoha forces not been outnumbered, and had there not been signs that the Konoha squad merely intended to stall them, the genin lying paralyzed on the ground would have been like helpless lambs awaiting slaughter.
The enemy could have tossed a single kunai over and killed every last one of them.
At this point, a Kirigakure chunin flashed to the jonin's side.
"My lord, none of the brats suffered fatal injuries. They should recover after a few days' rest."
The chunin spoke in a low, respectful voice with his head bowed.
The Kirigakure jonin gave a slight nod. Despite his earlier icy tone, he genuinely cared for these genin in his heart.
After all, these genin were the future of Kirigakure.
Assured that there were no serious casualties, the Kirigakure jonin looked forward.
"Attack! Don't let a single one of this Konoha unit escape."
The Kirigakure jonin's voice was laced with killing intent as he spoke with chilling coldness.
The moment his words fell, the Kirigakure shinobi fanned out rapidly, charging toward the forest where the Konoha squad was positioned.
[
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