By the time the coastal town garrisons reacted, the Hidden Mist ninja forces had already cleared a path for the Land of Water's regular army to advance.
Thus, after the ships carrying large-scale troops docked, numerous samurai poured out and quickly marched towards the surrounding areas.
The garrisons hastily organized resistance forces, while simultaneously sending distress signals via communication hawks, trained by ninjas, to nearby ninja units.
However, even when the ninja units received the message and dispatched troops, the garrisons themselves had little confidence in how long they could hold out or how many towns they could save.
Compared to the smaller, elite Hidden Mist ninja forces, the subsequent movements of the Land of Water's regular army were very obvious.
Even without the Fūma clan ninjas providing intelligence, they were detected by the eastern front forces, though their destination remained unclear.
At this time, the Land of Water's forces had already begun operating along the southern border.
The communication hawk, like an arrow, streaked across the sky, appearing as only a black line from a distance.
These communication hawks were trained in a manner similar to summoning animals; although they couldn't compare to ancient summoning animals with human-level intelligence, nor to the Inuzuka clan's ninja dogs, their stamina and speed were still superior to ordinary animals.
The first to notice were the transport teams responsible for delivering supplies to the southern front.
Ninja eyesight was extraordinary, and to ensure the safety of their supplies, they were constantly vigilant of their surroundings.
Therefore, they quickly noticed the communication hawk flying across the sky.
Knowing the meaning of a communication hawk, they certainly didn't consider it a minor matter, as such hawks were only used during wartime.
The leaders of the transport teams immediately gathered, discussing what had happened.
Without seeing the information carried by the communication hawk, they couldn't possibly know the specifics of the situation ahead, only vaguely confirming it was a major incident related to the war.
"What exactly happened up ahead? Although troops are about to be stationed here, it's only for unexpected situations. Generally speaking, there shouldn't be any battles."
"But since the communication hawk was dispatched, it means something urgent has happened. Unless something truly unexpected occurred, how could a communication hawk be sent?"
"So, the southern towns were attacked by the enemy? That's hard to imagine."
"No matter how unbelievable, the communication hawk is solid evidence. We can't advance further, or we might encounter danger."
"What about these supplies?"
"Of course, we're transporting them back. If they fall into enemy hands, that would be aiding the enemy! Can you bear such a responsibility?"
The several leaders debated amongst themselves.
Although they were only ninjas in logistical positions, they had consistently reviewed past knowledge and never forgotten it, all so that when true danger arose, they could fight as true ninjas.
In any case, ninjas in the logistics department were only in the second line; it was unlikely they would ever be fully on the front lines, but now it seemed they truly had encountered such a situation.
Not just them, but the younger ninjas behind them were also whispering.
They had just graduated from the academy, and their specialized knowledge was at its peak.
Among them were also some with excellent eyesight, who also noticed the communication hawk flying across the sky and immediately sensed the problem.
"Do you think the enemy suddenly attacked the southern towns?" Uchiha Fugaku asked Minato Namikaze, who was beside him.
Minato Namikaze looked at the solemn faces of the leaders.
Even the most optimistic person would likely be unable to say anything lighthearted.
He nodded slightly and said, "Perhaps."
"I don't know whether to call it lucky or unlucky." Cold sweat slowly seeped from Uchiha Fugaku's face.
He admitted that fighting the enemy was something he had always dreamed of, but their team was only responsible for logistics transport, not suited for combat.
Even if he considered his combat power not inferior to combat ninjas, the enemy forces would certainly not be just one or two, and with so few combat ninjas, they couldn't win a frontal battle.
"Now we'll see what the seniors decide. We just need to follow orders," Minato Namikaze said.
At this moment, the leaders of the transport team seemed to have reached a conclusion.
One of them said:
"If the enemy truly attacks, the vanguard will definitely be ninjas. We can't yet determine the state of the front line.
If enemy ninjas have already infiltrated this far, we can't simply retreat like this. Some people must stay behind."
"Very well. Then let's select some people from among us to scout ahead.
If we encounter the enemy, we can also hold them off for a period, buying time for the transport team to retreat," another leader said.
Once everyone's opinions were unified, they immediately began to announce the current situation to the members of each transport team.
Due to the high probability of enemies ahead, the entire transport team would turn their wagons back to the rear towns, while the older and more capable ninjas would go to scout the situation.
"I'm counting on you." Might Duy said to a female leader in front of him.
Her strength wasn't particularly strong, so he entrusted her with leading the transport team back.
It wasn't possible to have all the young ninjas in charge; experienced and older leaders were still needed.
"Duy, be careful." The female leader felt very nervous.
This was her first time encountering such a situation, and she presumed it was the same for everyone else, as even Might Duy's face was glistening with sweat.
"It's alright. In fact, this is what I hoped for.
I've always wanted to perform well on the battlefield, and to be able to face the enemy directly this time, how can I not be happy?" Might Duy revealed his shining teeth, raising his hand and giving a thumbs-up to reassure her.
Might Duy wasn't putting on a brave front. His mind was inherently pure.
Although this was his first time facing such an emergency, his hot blood was already surging.
Without a doubt, his greatest dream was to dedicate his strength to the village on the battlefield.
He was just a commoner, and after coming to Konoha Village, he received the village's benevolence.
Always grateful, he believed that with nothing else, he only had his burning passion to offer.
For this reason, even when choosing to accept the Eight Gates Formation, which required an immense price, Might Duy had no regrets.
At that time, the Hokage had actually shown some regret, but it was only after Duy's repeated requests and the Hokage being moved by his sincerity that this training method was passed on to him.
And now, it had already yielded results.
—Lord Hokage, if possible, I truly wish I could show you the results of my training so far.
With this thought, Might Duy bid farewell to the rest of the transport team and rushed forward with the other leaders who had stepped up.
Although Uchiha Fugaku and Minato Namikaze were eager to fight alongside them, the transport team's wagons still needed protection, and they were still too young, so they could only continue with the transport duties.
At the same time, the southern towns were in complete chaos.
Without the assistance of powerful ninja forces, even the Land of Fire's samurai army could not contend with the Land of Water's regular army, which was aided by Hidden Mist ninjas.
The Hidden Mist ninjas were not merely fighting the enemy; they were selectively wreaking havoc on crucial towns, allowing the subsequent regular army to occupy them at a lower cost.
One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, named Bakuretsu, performed exceptionally well in this operation.
His name was simple and easy to understand, and he wielded the Bakutō (Explosion Blade) among the ninja swords, as if it were destined for him.
While the Bakutō could perform traditional slashes, it could also summon a large number of explosive tags, engulfing enemies in explosions.
Those unaware of its true nature, who instinctively engaged in close-quarters combat, could easily be blown to pieces by the summoned explosive tags.
In principle, the Bakutō was identical to the Mutual Exploding Tag technique developed by Tobirama Senju.
However, because the Mutual Exploding Tag's power was too immense, it would engulf not only enemies but also the user.
Only the immortal Edo Tensei users could unleash the full power of the Mutual Exploding Tag.
The user of the Bakutō, however, was a living person.
Even if the principle was identical to the Mutual Exploding Tag, he couldn't unleash the Bakutō's power to a comparable degree, otherwise his power would likely be even more terrifying.
Even so, Bakuretsu's performance with the Bakutō was excellent.
Its powerful explosive capability directly blew a gap in the sturdy walls.
No matter how many samurai rushed forward, a mere swing would unleash explosive power, obliterating all enemies.
"Haha! This is truly exhilarating, nothing is more enjoyable than this; it's so much better than a regular sword!" Bakuretsu exclaimed excitedly, vigorously swinging the Bakutō in his hand, blasting the enemies in front of him completely away.
Most were blown to smithereens, and even the few who retained their bodies were killed by the violent shockwaves.
Hōzuki Gengetsu, as the commander, silently watched Bakuretsu clear the path ahead.
Hearing Bakuretsu's voice, he chuckled inwardly.
If the Bakutō's power wasn't strong enough, then what kind of mindset did his ancestor, Hōzuki Gengetsu, have when he created this thing?
It was important to note that the Bakutō was the most resource-intensive of all ninja swords.
Its creation involved carving summoning formulas onto it, based on its explosive capabilities.
Each use consumed a large number of explosive tags.
While explosive tags were strategic resources and not difficult to produce, their sheer quantity represented a very significant expenditure.
Moreover, Hidden Mist ninjas primarily used Water Release ninjutsu, making the production of explosive tags inherently more troublesome.
All available resources could only supply one Bakutō, and even other battlefields couldn't use many explosive tags.
Despite this, the Bakutō's effect was very significant for such a high cost.
A ninja with a solid foundation wielding it could unleash power far exceeding that of an ordinary jōnin.
Watching the Land of Fire samurai turn to dust in the explosions, Hōzuki Gengetsu's mood was equally pleasant.
Since the battle began, this was the first time they had advanced so smoothly, step by step.
Although it was because Konoha Village's main forces were not here, it didn't affect his mood.
Ninja battles were always about deception and cunning.
The Land of Fire didn't maintain a sufficient military presence here, and as a result, they were forced to retreat repeatedly.
Whose fault was that?
"Alright, don't waste time here with these guys." Seeing Bakuretsu intent on pursuing the samurai army, Hōzuki Gengetsu quickly spoke to stop him, "The enemy forces have completely collapsed.
There's no need for us to relentlessly pursue them.
Instead of eliminating these stragglers, it's better to continue advancing."
After all, this was the Land of Fire's home turf.
Even if they didn't react immediately, once they noticed the enemy's presence, they could quickly mobilize troops.
The Land of Water's forces, having traveled a long distance to the battlefield, couldn't sustain prolonged combat.
If they failed to establish a stable defensive line before the enemy forces arrived, they would be surrounded and isolated, and even if they could escape by sea, the battle would become meaningless.
The Hidden Mist Village's battle strategy was to utilize the powerful combat and rapid mobility of the Hidden Mist ninja forces to completely disrupt the south, while the responsibility for establishing a stable defensive line would fall to the regular samurai forces.
Only a large-scale samurai army could establish a sufficiently long and stable defensive line.
"Alright, alright." Bakuretsu reluctantly sheathed his sword.
"It's not like we're short on time. Is Teacher Hōzuki too impatient?"
"This battle is all about speed. We don't have time to waste here. Let's go quickly." Hōzuki Gengetsu said this and turned to leave.
Bakuretsu glanced at the samurai who had fled into the distance, shrugged slightly, and followed in the footsteps of his teacher, Hōzuki Gengetsu, who had taught him the Bakutō techniques.
After throwing a certain town into chaos, the Hidden Mist ninja forces no longer lingered in battle.
They immediately shifted the battlefield, moving to other locations.
To increase efficiency, the entire force was divided into various-sized small teams, each heading to different towns to fight.
After all, the local defenses were sufficient for these forces.
Among them, one Hidden Mist ninja squad was heading precisely towards the transport team's route.
Of course, the transport team had already retreated by this time, and some of the leaders were scouting the situation, prepared to act as a delaying force if necessary.
At the forefront of the squad were the reconnaissance ninjas.
Scouting the situation was always paramount in ninja warfare.
A squad of Hidden Mist ninjas observed their surroundings.
Because the operation had been very successful, their expressions were somewhat relaxed.
They felt that the enemy couldn't possibly have arrived in such a short time, and thus became a bit careless.
Precisely because of this, it was the Konoha ninjas who first noticed the Hidden Mist reconnaissance ninjas.
They did not act rashly, hiding in the nearby bushes and observing their every move.
They all knew that these Hidden Mist ninjas might only be scouts, and the true main squad was behind them.
At this point, rashly attacking the enemy would not be a wise choice.