"Pass down my orders."
"From this moment on, every unit must defend their positions to the death."
"Anyone who retreats a single step..."
He paused, every word sounding as if it were squeezed through his gritted teeth.
"...will be executed on the spot by the Assassination Unit!"
The air inside the cave solidified at Ay's command.
Every high-ranking Kumogakure official could hear the unquestionable resolve in Ay's voice.
This wasn't about stabilizing morale.
This was using iron and blood to forcibly weld back together the morale that had already collapsed.
Ay looked around, taking in everyone's expressions.
Fear, resentment, confusion, and a hint of ruthlessness from being pushed to a corner.
He was satisfied.
An army that had been beaten into fear needed to be re-armed with an even deeper fear.
"However, determination alone is not enough."
Ay walked to the massive military map, which still bore the cracks from his previous punch.
His gaze, like a hawk's, locked onto the location of the Konoha Great Camp.
"Dodai."
"Here!"
"Reassign all of our sensory Ninjas."
Dodai hesitated for a moment, subconsciously asking, "All of them? Then the scouting and counter-scouting on the Front Lines..."
"No longer necessary."
Ay interrupted him.
"From now on, they have only one mission."
His finger pressed heavily on a point on the map.
"Monitor the entire Battlefield twenty-four hours a day without interruption, and capture that blue-and-white energy fluctuation."
"I don't care what method they use, even if they have to throw their lives away, they must lock onto that Hyuga brat's location for me!"
"I want every time he draws his bow, every time he fires, to be a clear red dot on my map!"
Inside the cave, the captain in charge of the Sensory Unit trembled and immediately stepped forward.
"Lord Ay, please rest assured!"
Ay nodded and turned his gaze toward another Ninja.
"What about the Barrier Team?"
A thin Kumogakure Jonin, his hands wrapped in runic bandages, stepped out.
"Reporting to Lord Raikage, the Barrier Team is on standby."
"Very good."
Ay's voice was cold.
"From now until dawn tomorrow, I want you to fill the area in front of our new defensive line with the 'Light Refraction Smoke Seal'."
"I want the entire Battlefield shrouded in a thick mist that even the Byakugan cannot see through."
"Doesn't he like firing cold arrows from a distance?"
"Then I'll turn him into a blind man!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Barrier Team Captain took his orders and withdrew, his eyes flashing with excitement and cruelty.
There was no tactic more malicious than stripping a sniper of their vision.
The atmosphere in the cave began to change quietly as Ay's orders were issued one after another.
The initial despair and panic were being replaced by an orderly and cold plan.
Everyone realized that Lord Ay had not been blinded by rage.
He was weaving an inescapable net for that invisible Shinigami.
Just then, a voice with a unique rhythmic cadence rang out.
"Yo! Brother! Just making him blind and deaf isn't enough! Fool! Ya fool!"
Killer Bee walked out, the look behind his sunglasses more serious than ever before.
"That kid is fast, slippery as an eel."
"Even if we can find him, even if we can block his vision, the main force won't be able to keep up with his pace."
He extended a finger and pointed at the Konoha Great Camp on the map.
"If you want to kill him, you can only use the strongest spear to pierce his heart directly!"
Ay looked at his brother; no words were needed between them.
"You mean..."
"That's right."
Killer Bee grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.
"Tomorrow, when the main Battlefield falls into a stalemate, when everyone's attention is drawn by that mist and the slaughter."
"You and I will bypass the front."
"The two of us will go and twist his head right off!"
An assassination mission!
An assassination mission carried out personally by Lord Ay and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, targeting a Konoha Genin!
This crazy proposal caused everyone in the cave to gasp.
But upon reflection, it was the only feasible way.
Only by combining the two highest combat powers of Kumogakure could they be certain of hunting down that ghost-like youth from within ten thousand troops.
"Good!"
Ay slammed a fist into his palm.
"We'll do exactly that!"
With the plan set, the oppressive atmosphere in the cave vanished, replaced by a soaring Battle Intent for imminent revenge.
But would Konoha have any hidden cards for such a strange move?
Or... something else?
A hint of vigilance flashed in Ay's eyes.
Regardless of Konoha's schemes, as long as they could kill Aokawa, the initiative in this war would return to Kumogakure's hands!
...Aokawa sat in the Barracks, his consciousness sinking into his Sea of Consciousness.
[For accurately killing enemies from within ten thousand troops, you have received blessing.]
[You have obtained Lightning Release: Sanda Muruto (Proficient level) *1]
[You have obtained Cloud-Style: Flying Blade (Proficient level) *1]
[You have obtained Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear (Proficient level) *1]
[You have obtained Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison (Proficient level) *1]
[You have dabbled in multiple Earth Release Ninjutsu and have your own insights into Earth Release. You have obtained the crest: Earth Release Mastery.]
[energy crystals *2010]
The energy crystals were finally enough. Aokawa quickly opened his personal information.
---
racial imprint: Quincy (Mixed-blood, fusion rate: 100%)
Talent Skill: Spiritual Particle Cluster
Racial Skills: Holy Arrow, Holy Arrow: Scatter, Holy Arrow: Demon Break, Reishi Network, Hirenkyaku, Rantō Tenkū, Seietsu, Green Cup, Gokakuhō, Rain of Light, Sprenger, Blood Armor: Dynamic Blood Armor
crests: Innate Full Spirit, Water Release Mastery, Spirit Healer, Sword Mastery, Lightning Release Mastery, Fire Release Mastery, Earth Release Mastery
Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan (Complete)
Chakra Affinities: Water, Lightning, Earth, Fire, Yang, Yin, Wind
energy crystals: 21,000
---
He first opened the description for Earth Release Mastery.
[Earth Release Mastery: Merge with the earth, carry all things. Your understanding of Earth Release has transcended shape transformation, reaching the supreme Realm of 'Bearing and Immovability.' No matter how myriad things attack, I remain unmoved; standing upon the earth, I am already invincible.]
[Effect 1: Chakra consumption for releasing Earth Release Ninjutsu is reduced by 50%.]
[Effect 2: Earth Release talent increased by 100%.]
[Effect 3: Mastery over Earth Release nature transformation and shape transformation increased by 100%.]
[Effect 4: Earth Release Ninjutsu damage and range increased by 30%.]
[Passive: Earth Release density increased by 30%.]
Immediately following, the text he had been dreaming of appeared.
[Your Quincy Mixed-blood stage fusion rate has reached 100%, and the number of energy crystals has met the requirement of 20,000.]
[Please open the stone gate to obtain even greater power.]
[Open? Yes/No]
Aokawa rubbed his hands, his eyes glowing.
I've worked so hard for so long just for this moment of satisfaction.
Is there even a need to ask?
Naturally... "Open!"
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