Nara Shikaku walked to the very front to welcome them.
"Elder Homura, thank you for your hard work on the journey. I didn't expect Sandaime to send you personally."
"Hahaha!"
Homura Mitokado smiled and waved his hand. "The frontline commander is Jiraiya, but he is still on his way. Sandaime just asked this old man to come first to see what the frontline needs and to convey his regards to the soldiers on the front lines on his behalf."
"If the soldiers on the front lines hear of Hokage-sama's concern, their morale will surely soar!"
Nara Shikaku was truly worthy of being a person of high emotional intelligence; he never forgot to butter up his superiors.
"Elder Homura, please, let me introduce the situation at the front line."
The two walked into the command center, deferring to one another.
"Reinforcements have finally arrived. We don't have to worry about Kumogakure's sneak attacks anymore." Kenta walked to Aoki Yoru's side and let out a long sigh of relief.
Aoki Yoru nodded in agreement. "Yes, we can finally get a good night's sleep."
After all, everyone knew that Kumogakure's thought process was abnormal. What if they decided to vent their anger even at the cost of insufficient logistics? They were capable of such things, and had done so more than once.
He saw veteran Jonin like Asuma Sarutobi and Aburame Shibi among the reinforcements; the Village had sent out everything they had in reserve.
It was a pity he didn't see Might Guy; otherwise, things would be secure. Even if the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the Raikage combined forces, they wouldn't be able to turn the tables.
"They shouldn't send some of the newly graduated ones to the front lines this time, right?" Yui frowned and said worriedly.
She was most worried about her cousin who had just graduated this year. With mediocre strength, she wouldn't survive on the battlefield.
Seeing her concern, Aoki Yoru comforted her: "The Village hasn't reached the point of desperation yet; they shouldn't... right?"
Before Aoki Yoru could finish his sentence, he stared straight at the entrance, his face sinking and looking extremely ugly.
He saw a group of fresh-faced Genin walking in, curiously turning their heads to look around the camp, chattering away. The scene looked like they were here for a vacation.
He also saw Hyuga Neji and the other two in the crowd. Rock Lee, with his bowl cut, was curiously looking around.
"Has the Village gone crazy? Sending even the newly graduated Genin? Are there really no people left in the Ninja clans?" Yui's veins bulged on her forehead as she said this in a low growl.
She saw her cousin, Shimizu Hanon, in the crowd. She was a mediocre Ninja who only knew the Three Body Technique and the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu. What could she do on the battlefield?
Looking at the furious Yui, Aoki Yoru didn't offer comfort, but said indifferently, "If you want to change this shitty status quo, then strive to become stronger."
At this moment, Rock Lee, who was looking around, saw the three of them and pulled Neji and Tenten over.
"Senior Yoru, Senior Kenta, and Senior Yui, hello everyone."
Kenta stepped forward and bumped fists with Rock Lee. "Where is Senior Might Guy? Why isn't he with you?"
"Guy-sensei was also supposed to come, but he was called away when we were setting off. They said he had to go to the Land of Earth front line."
Tenten also took the opportunity to congratulate Aoki Yoru. "I also want to congratulate Senior Yoru on becoming a Jonin. Everyone in the Village is talking about you now."
Rock Lee and Neji also stepped forward to offer congratulations.
At this moment, Yui walked over with a shy girl, who looked weak and delicate.
"This is my cousin, Shimizu Hanon. Please take care of her on the battlefield."
The group introduced themselves to each other. They considered themselves acquainted, and they could look out for each other on the battlefield.
"Woo — Woo —"
A dull alarm sound suddenly rang out. The expressions of the group changed, and having no time for small talk, they all went to gather with their respective superiors.
...
One day later, the Land of Fire border battlefield.
The sky was terrifyingly gloomy. Thick rain clouds completely blocked the daylight, and the sky looked like it could collapse at any moment.
On the plains, two distinct groups of people stood in silent confrontation. Everyone held their breath, picked up their weapons, and stared intently at the other side.
Homura Mitokado's face was ugly. He didn't expect Kumogakure to arrive so quickly. Jiraiya wouldn't arrive for another day, so they were missing a top-tier Ninja.
He then walked forward and shouted:
"Raikage, withdraw your troops. This war is meaningless. You cannot invade the Land of Fire."
Opposite him, a figure as burly as an iron tower slowly walked out and glanced at him with disdain.
"Old man Homura, is Konoha out of people, letting an old man like you go to the battlefield? Meaningless? I can step into the territory of the Land of Fire in a few steps; that is the meaning."
Before he finished speaking, his whole body was surrounded by lightning as he rushed toward the Konoha side.
"Attack."
Homura Mitokado's expression darkened, and he gave the order sharply.
The two sides flowed like water, instantly intertwining and colliding with each other.
Shuriken flew, Ninjutsu of various colors intertwined, and the light of explosive tags was brief and brilliant, illuminating the gloomy sky.
Aoki Yoru and the other two stood on a rock wall, looking at the distant battlefield from afar.
"I hope Kakashi-sensei is okay. He is also on Kumogakure's hit list." Yui looked at the war-torn battlefield with some worry.
"Don't worry. With Kakashi-sensei's strength, even the Raikage can't do anything to him in the short term." Aoki Yoru was very confident in Kakashi; he was the famous "Double-Five" match.
At this moment, Kenta stepped forward. "Is it okay to just stay here? Don't we need to pay attention to the medical station?"
"Don't worry, I'm paying attention to everything within a three-kilometer radius. It's no problem."
In this war, the Village did not send those graduates to the front line; they only let them guard the main camp and medical station, while Aoki Yoru was the commander of the rear guard troops.
Aoki Yoru was very satisfied with this arrangement. He was also on Kumogakure's hit list. It would be best not to have to face the beast that is the Raikage.
At this time, the slaughter on the battlefield continued, with blood and fire intertwined.
The Fourth Raikage, in the state of Lightning Style: Lightning Armor, was unstoppable on the battlefield. Only the combined efforts of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio could exchange a few moves with him.
But the Raikage was too fast. He didn't fight them head-on at all, specifically picking on the weak to kill. The trio had no way to deal with him. At this moment, the Raikage was reaping lives in the Konoha camp like there was no one there.
Kakashi, revealing his Sharingan, wiped the neck of a Kumogakure Jonin and looked at the rampaging Raikage.
"We can't let him continue like this, or morale will collapse." He knew very well the consequences of being slaughtered by one person on a large scale.
He formed hand seals with one hand, his body surrounded by purple lightning, intending to form a Lightning Style: Lightning Armor.
The Raikage, who was enjoying the slaughter, seemed to feel something. He stopped, looked at Kakashi, and then walked toward him with a gloomy face, his killing intent exposed.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Armor? This move was taught to my friend by me. You actually learned it. So, that means Senior's death has something to do with you."
Kakashi didn't reply, just stared at him fixedly, condensing his lightning to the peak.
The two confronted each other in the battlefield. The purple lightning and blue sparks in the air collided, sizzling and exploding, and even the grass and trees under their feet were scorched black by electricity.
A breeze blew, and two blue and purple flashes of lightning collided fiercely.
"Boom —"
The shockwave swept through the surroundings like a tsunami, sending the surrounding Ninjas flying. Dust and gravel shot into the sky amidst the roar, and even the gloomy sky was torn open by this violent power.