Naruto: From Novice to Grave

After spending more than nine years in the ninja world, Higashino Makoto finally saw for the first time what battles between ninjas looked like during wartime.

Neither side had any intention of stopping to chat or probe each other for information. Konoha and Kirigakure, who were at war, seemed to have an irreconcilable feud, and their ninjas fought to the death whenever they met.

The 12 Hidden Mist ninjas broke through the encirclement separately, but Konoha had an absolute numerical advantage, and each Hidden Mist ninja had to face several opponents.

These water-playing ninjas are all ruthless. Faced with such a disadvantage, no one chose to surrender. The ninjas from the Blood Mist Village are ruthless to their own people and even more ruthless to their enemies.

Surrender? This option was not part of the bloody education they received from childhood.

After the initial clash of ninjutsu, the two sides quickly engaged in close combat, with a brief rumble echoing across the lake and its shore, followed by a series of metallic clanging sounds.

Unfortunately, the outcome of the battle was predetermined from the very beginning.

In the absence of top-tier experts who can suppress you with absolute strength, numbers are the biggest advantage.

Even when it comes to exchanging ninjutsu, some people in Konoha are better at Water Release than those in Kirigakure. At least they don't have to painstakingly form 44 hand seals for Water Dragon Bullet.

A certain old demon with a thousand hands from the Pure Land: "These are all my ninjutsu, all developed by me."

The battles started quickly and ended quickly; that's how ninja battles are.

The rookie genin guarding the perimeter watched the battle unfold in the distance with envy, witnessing for the first time how chunin and jonin fought their enemies.

Unfortunately, everyone can only observe from the sidelines. This battle isn't their turn yet, so there's no need to go up and cause unnecessary casualties. They should just stay on the sidelines and learn from the experience and credit.

Regardless of how the higher-ups interpret the Will of Fire, the powerful Chunin and Jonin below at least do not have a distorted understanding of the Will of Fire. In chaotic battles, they will usually stand in front of their juniors.

Higashino Makoto's team of three was responsible for defending the area between the lake and Konoha.

Not far to their left was the Tokuma Squad, and to their right was the Gatekeeper Squad.

Well, although they graduated last year and participated in the Chunin Exams, only Hyuga Tokuma has been promoted to Chunin so far, and his team is still a Genin team.

Higashino Makoto stood on a tree, intently observing the battle in the distance.

Although he was very strong, he wasn't the type to show off and had no intention of joining the fight.

But sometimes, when luck comes your way, you can't stop it.

In his perception, a clever little rascal from the Mist Village had luckily survived the encirclement and was breaking out directly in their direction.

Higashino Makoto immediately said to Hayate and Yugao, "Prepare for battle, the enemy is coming."

"Yes!" The two drew their weapons, ready for battle.

Soon, a female Kirigakure ninja, around 20 years old, stumbled and ran towards them across the clearing between the lake and the forest.

Higashino and his two companions had excellent eyesight and saw that the beautiful woman had more than a dozen kunai stuck in her body, making her look like a hedgehog. One of them was even stuck in her heart. But they didn't know what special constitution she had that made her not die. That was probably the reason that allowed her to get away with it and escape by sheer luck.

It's definitely not because of the size of her breasts; the curve of this female ninja's chest is rather disappointing.

Unfortunately, there were still Konoha's ambush on the perimeter. Even if it wasn't Higashino Makoto, but any other genin squad, she probably wouldn't be able to escape much further in her half-dead state.

This Hidden Mist ninja knew there were people in the forest, so without hesitation, she gathered her chakra and immediately used a B-rank Water Release: Exploding Water Wave to clear a path.

I don't seek to kill anyone, I only seek to clear a path so that I can escape.

A massive flow of water rushed in like ocean waves.

Unfortunately, she wasn't Kisame Hoshigaki, and this technique wasn't like "Who's going to fix the dam?", so the amount of water and the impact were limited.

Higashino Makoto jumped to the ground, his feet sinking deep into the soil. Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao, trusting in their teammate's protective abilities, landed beside him without asking any questions.

Higashino Makoto stretched out his hands, and a large amount of chakra surged from his ten fingers.

[Water Release: A Corner of Tranquility]

A light blue hemispherical protective shield protected the three of them. Despite the rushing water and the slight deformation caused by the pressure, the shield remained as solid as a rock, like an unbreakable soap bubble.

After the injured Hidden Mist ninja used his ninjutsu, his consciousness became increasingly hazy, and he didn't even notice the strange flow of water.

As she rushed after the current, she saw the three little devils unharmed, and her dazed consciousness paused for a moment.

Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki were no novice killers; they seized the opportunity to strike.

Sensing the other's depleted chakra and dazed eyes, Higashino Makoto gave a prompt: "Take them alive."

As their blades veered to the side, each severing the other's tendons in the hands and feet, Moonlight Gale delivered a spinning kick, sending the enemy flying towards Higashino Makoto.

Higashino Makoto shifted his body slightly, having already sensed support from his left. He punched the Mist Ninja in the back of the head and then used the momentum to knock him towards his opponent.

Remember to share your credit with your teammates.

Hyuga Tokuma activated his Byakugan and naturally saw enemies rushing out of the battlefield by the lake, so he quickly came to provide support.

He faced the approaching Mist Ninja and, without a word, used Gentle Fist to strike pressure points. Then, Aburame Muta beside him used Parasitic Insects to drain the remaining chakra from the opponent.

The poor Hidden Mist ninja, who thought they could escape alive, ended up encountering two excited Konoha squads eager to make a name for themselves, and enjoyed a smooth little combo attack.

If she were still conscious, she would definitely have bitten her finger.

Using psychic magic? No, she's going to write a string of tragic characters on her thigh.

But that's how the ninja world is; during battles, no one cares if you're a pretty woman or not. They'll seize any opportunity to beat you to death.

Fortunately, he survived, but the bad thing is that his future situation may be even worse.

You should know that the commander of the Eastern Front is Orochimaru. After extracting all the information from his brain, he would naturally put him on the experimental table. For this kind of physique that can survive being pierced in the heart by a kunai, Orochimaru would wash his face with his tongue while shouting "Sparashi!"

He has no woman in his heart, and experiments with nature and the gods.

Snake is a person who has transcended the base desires of humanity and has no interest in matters of the sexes. In the future, he might even be able to transform himself into a woman.

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After Aburame Muta retrieved the parasitic insects, Higashino Makoto stepped forward to check on the completely unconscious Kirigakure ninja. His hands were wrapped in chakra as he carefully removed the little contraption the ninja had used to commit suicide from his body.

He then used one hand to pull out a kunai and the other to heal.

They're alive and well; they can't die.

Female ninja, beautiful, captured, incapacitated...

For some reason, many scenes of Muzan he had seen in his previous life popped into his mind.

Unfortunately, when it comes to removing the venom sacs from the opponent's mouth, the distinctive sharp shark teeth of the Mist Ninja will shatter any illusions.

Sharp teeth... wounded Ding.

No wonder Mei Terumi couldn't get married later. Although that woman was excessively beautiful and didn't have Shark Tooth, she still possessed Boil Release and Lava Release...

Hyuga Tokuma grew increasingly unhappy: "Shin, you're not only incredibly perceptive, but you also know medical ninjutsu! You really are a monster!"

"Huh? Tokuma, why are you swearing? I knew I shouldn't have shared the credit with your team."

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Tokuma immediately bowed and said, "I was wrong. Please be sure to share some of the credit with us."

This guy's personality doesn't seem like that of the Hinata from the branch family at all.

Weren't they supposed to all have that bitter, resentful look on their faces? Have you and your two taciturn teammates gotten your identities mixed up? Is the Caged Bird Seal etched on their foreheads?

Gekko Unmi and Sarutobi Higetsu had arrived. The battle in the lake was over, and the two were unharmed, not even their hairstyles had changed.

Moonlight Cloud exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? We actually managed to get one alive?"

Uzuki Yugao: "Teacher, don't tell me that out of all of you, not a single one survived."

Moonlight Clouds didn't want to talk.

Sarutobi Hiugetsu said awkwardly, "Haha, the Hidden Mist ninjas are all crazy. If they can't beat someone, they stick explosive tags on their heads. Who wants to die with those bastards?"

Moonlight Cloud immediately changed the subject: "Alright, both of your teams did a great job and made a significant contribution. Let's go to the lakeside to meet up and treat the wounded while we're at it."