Naruto: From Novice to Grave

Chapter 88-088 - Support Battle

After a day and a night of travel, the support troops, escorting easily portable strategic supplies, arrived at the Northern Second Command Post on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water before noon the next day.

Currently, this area is under the jurisdiction of the Hyuga clan, primarily to resist the invading Kumogakure ninja.

Minato Namikaze did not stay there for long. Soon after, he led a group of familiar personnel to the actual Northern Command Headquarters.

That place is not too far from here, located at the junction of the Land of Fire, the Land of Rice Fields, and the Land of Hot Springs. It is a battlefield where the three major ninja villages of Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure fought.

Unlike the Eastern Front command post he went to when he first participated in the war, when Higashino Makoto arrived at the Northern Front, he could feel that the atmosphere here was very heavy, with a sense of oppression as if a storm was approaching.

Most of the Konoha ninjas coming and going had serious expressions, and laughter could be heard very rarely. The temporary medical ward was also full of wounded people, as if a large-scale battle had recently taken place.

However, when Higashino arrived, the wounded had already been treated and did not need his help, as the medical resources here were sufficient.

This is just a single battle against a single Cloud Village, and the situation is already so tense. One can only imagine how brutal the Three Kingdoms war further north must have been.

This also proves a point from another angle: Kirigakure is really weak; Konoha only had to spare a portion of their strength to easily defeat them.

In a village plagued by constant internal strife, even the fiercest ninjas trained there are nothing more than paper tigers.

After a half-day rest, on the morning of the second day after arriving at the northern front, the support troops were dispatched to the defense line located within the Land of Hot Water to relieve the exhausted patrolling ninjas, allowing them to return to the command post to rest.

The defensive setup was similar to that on the eastern front, but unlike last time, the squad that Higashino Makoto belonged to had all been promoted to Chunin. The Jonin leading the squad, Gekko Kumomi, did not leave the squad after the members were promoted, unlike ordinary squads. After all, they were not only superiors and subordinates, but also teachers and students.

This is the norm for teams with strong bonds, so the outstanding Team 3 was not assigned to station defense, but instead carried out patrol and support missions, roaming outside the defensive line, searching for Cloud Ninja tracks, and providing support to comrades who were attacked at any time.

Higashino Makoto's exceptional perception was one of the reasons why the command made this arrangement.

Time flew by, and three days passed peacefully.

Nothing much has happened in the last three days. The last raid has just happened, and both sides need to catch their breath and rest.

Ninjas are not perpetual motion machines; they cannot engage in high-intensity battles continuously every day. Even an iron man would not be able to withstand that.

In a village within the Land of Hot Springs, the Cloud Village patrol team secretly searches for traces of the Cloud Ninja outside the village.

Soon after, the four who had scattered to search reunited.

Moonlight Cloud asked, "How was it? Did you find anything?"

Hayate replied, "Nothing was found. No ninjas have passed through here recently."

The search results for Uzuki Yugao and Higashino Makoto are the same.

What's the situation inside the village?

Higashino had already sensed this: "Only some elderly people remain in the village, and there is no chakra fluctuation, ruling out the possibility that they are Cloud Ninja in disguise."

"Really? Then let's go to the next key point."

Higashino and his two companions glanced at the dilapidated village not far away, erased any traces they might have left behind, and left without contacting the villagers.

Some of the older people inside were also unable to detect the approaching ninjas. Most of them had listless eyes, were sallow and thin, and showed little vitality or hatred.

The purpose of these elderly people living seems to be waiting for death to come and take them away at any time; perhaps this is a kind of relief.

The four men had visited several such villages over three days, and the situations were mostly the same: the villagers were either dead or had fled, leaving only a few elderly people with mobility issues who stubbornly remained at home.

If they're lucky, they'll survive; if they're unlucky, they'll be killed by passing Cloud Ninja, completely eliminating the possibility of information leaks.

Therefore, the Ninja World War was not just a matter for ninjas; in fact, the number of ordinary people affected was much greater, but no one paid attention to it or kept track of the casualties.

Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki initially felt some pity, but after seeing it all, they became numb. It's always better for people from other countries to die than for people from their own country to die. Isn't that the purpose of Konoha ninjas participating in the war? To protect Konoha and the Land of Fire.

On the fifth day of their patrol, Higashino and his three companions finally discovered fresh traces by a stream. Although the traces had been specially treated, some residue had obviously been missed.

As Yueguang Yunjian discovered the clues, he investigated while instructing his disciples.

"Judging from their movements, there are quite a few of them, and they haven't been gone for long. They're heading straight for our Konoha defense line. Go after them! Shin, be aware of your surroundings."

"yes!"

Shortly after, Higashino suddenly accelerated and explained, "We've spotted them. There are 10 of them, and they're close to the defensive line."

Just then, a signal flare used by Konoha ninjas rose into the sky in the distance, and the Konoha ninjas on the defensive line also spotted the approaching enemy.

Higashino and his three companions immediately went at full speed to provide support.

When they arrived at the battlefield, the two sides had already started fighting. Fire Release techniques were burning and lightning Release techniques were striking wildly, destroying the area that was originally covered in vegetation.

The bushes were set on fire, and the grass was overturned.

A team of Konoha ninja stationed there joined another team of reinforcements and fought against 10 Cloud Ninja.

Upon noticing the four approaching Higashino Shinichi and his companions, the Cloud Ninja immediately dispatched four of them to intercept them, thus balancing the numbers on both sides to ten.

But the Cloud Ninja were confident in their strength and believed they could wipe out the despicable Konoha ninja in front of them.

Facing Higashino, the Cloud Ninja was a young, dark-skinned man. Seeing that his opponent was a young brat, he revealed a cruel and terrifying smile, his eyes filled with hatred.

As the two approached, he formed hand seals, suddenly spat out several bolts of lightning from his mouth, and then drew his ninja sword and slashed at them.

[Lightning Release: Tongue Lightning Needle]

The lightning crackling in his mouth transformed into sharp senbon needles and shot towards his opponent's face. Higashino Shin didn't dodge; instead, he stretched out his left hand, forming an earthen-yellow shield with the defensive ninjutsu "Cornered Great Wall," and charged forward, enduring the lightning senbon needles.

Lightning Release counters Earth Release? That only applies when both sides are evenly matched.

"Ding!"

Upon getting close, they drew their swords and slashed at each other, the two ninja swords, one long and one short, colliding together.

The Cloud Ninja's smile remained cruel, seemingly trying to put psychological pressure on the Konoha brats, while using his adult strength to forcefully press his sword down.

But he soon discovered that the Konoha brat in front of him was also quite strong, and there was also some ominous sound coming from the blade.

"Snap!"

Cracks appeared on the longsword infused with lightning chakra. He tried to retreat in fear, but it was too late. Higashino Makoto gripped the sword with both hands and thrust it forward, breaking the sword in two, then slashing across his neck.

Blood spurted out, life ended.

Higashino didn't even bother to glance at him. He turned and rushed towards Uzuki Yugao's direction. Before he even got close, he swung a wind blade and killed the dark-skinned brat who was happily bullying the little girl.

The young Cloud Ninja fighting Moonlight Gale was a handsome man with fair skin, but after seeing his teammates defeated so decisively, his eyes changed from cruelty to horror, realizing that they had encountered a master.

It turns out they are also afraid, but being distracted in battle is a major taboo for ninjas.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Gale seized the opportunity and slashed open a hole in his chest.

The young Yun ninja fell to the ground, letting out a terrible scream to alert his teammates, but his screams suddenly stopped, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

【Wind Release: Wind Finger Spear】

Higashino raised his hands and fired two wind bullets, one of which was given to the fallen young ninja. The wind bullet exploded in his mouth, sending him to his death.

Another bullet was fired at the middle-aged Cloud Ninja who was fighting against Moonlight Cloud.

This person was no match for Moonlight Cloud, and seeing the wind bullet coming at him, he was greatly shocked and tried his best to twist his body to dodge.

However, the wind bullet was too fast, and even though ninjas are known for their incredible reflexes, they couldn't completely dodge it.

The wind bullet hit his shoulder, but more fatal was the vacuum sword of Moonlight Cloud that sliced ​​across his neck.

Within a short period after the two sides made contact, all four Yun Ninja were killed.

Seeing their comrades who were trying to stop the Konoha reinforcements being defeated so quickly, the six Cloud Ninja nearby knew that their mission for the day had failed. They immediately ended the battle and fled from the side.

Coming and going as you please? It's not that easy.

With a burst of speed, Higashino Shin accelerated, his body light as if ignoring gravity, and rushed to the rear of the fleeing Cloud Ninja at a pursuit speed even faster than Gekko Yunjian.

He then leaped up.

【Wind Release: Shadowless Sword】

Wind blades, as big as fists and as dense as rain, rained down relentlessly, riddling the six Cloud Ninja with holes. They died before they could even muster any defensive tactics.

>