Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 189 The hearts of the people are with me! The trend is also with me!

Three days later, at night.

In the southwest of the Land of Lightning, in a dense forest near the border, a group of more than 300 people were taking a short rest in a forest clearing.

A truly large brigade.

They started with 500 men, but after the first raid on Yunyin, only a little over 400 remained. After so many days of fighting, the team has now shrunk to just over 300 men.

Almost everyone was injured. Some had only torn clothes and blood-soaked bandages, while others were pale and leaning against tree trunks to rest, barely maintaining their fighting strength.

But at this moment, regardless of the severity of their injuries, everyone's eyes shone with pride—the pride of having achieved astonishing victories in recent days, manipulating powerful Cloud Village enemies who outnumbered them by more than ten times.

However, beneath this radiance, a deep weariness was hard to conceal.

Several days of intense infiltration, raids, skirmishes, and counter-encirclement operations were constantly draining everyone's physical strength, mental energy, and chakra.

Even with the support of specially made medicine provided by Captain Shinichi Higashino, whose effects far surpass ordinary medical drugs, and even though everyone is an elite ninja with strong beliefs.

But after all, the captain's medicine was not some kind of magic potion, and they were still just mortals.

Especially in the last three days, the pursuit force of Yunyin suddenly increased dramatically, and the frequency and intensity of the encounters rose sharply, with each fierce battle accompanied by casualties.

The more than three hundred people who were still standing were almost all at their limit. Their chakra was nearly exhausted, their physical strength was severely depleted, and they were only holding on by their willpower and passion.

"Captain, there are enemies to the east, about five hundred of them, and they are advancing this way."

"Captain, there are about 500 people in the western mountains, and the mountain pass has been sealed off."

"Captain, we've spotted several enemy battalions at the northern valley entrance. They're tightening their encirclement; the number is estimated to be no less than eight hundred."

"Captain, the largest number of people are to the south, estimated to be over a thousand, and they have already blocked the road leading to the border."

In the Shinichi Battalion, the reconnaissance team members, represented by Ryo Inuzuka and his wife, and the Shimi Aburame brothers, kept gathering bad news from all directions and reporting it to the young captain in the center of the team, who always had his eyes slightly lowered, as if he was resting with his eyes closed.

We're surrounded!

The thought arose in the minds of everyone present.

What would happen if you were completely surrounded by enemies ten times your size, or even more, on unfamiliar land?

Perhaps there's only one?

However, the expected panic did not materialize. Instead, a sense of relief and calm quickly enveloped the small clearing in the woods, and everyone's eyes turned to the young captain in the center.

They are waiting.

Their commander awaited the order that would likely be the last one they ever had to carry out in their lives.

Shinichi Higashino slowly raised his eyes, calmly scanning each face—whether young, weathered, bloodstained, or resolute.

Then, he suddenly laughed.

"It seems that Yunyin has gone all out this time and is determined to keep us here."

"But then again, these days we've been coming and going in the village, treating it like our own backyard, smashing our own Raikage Building again and again. If I were them, I'd want to tear us apart alive too."

As soon as he finished speaking, the team members were stunned for a moment, and then someone burst out laughing. The laughter seemed to be contagious, one after another, from suppressed laughter to unrestrained laughter, from low laughter to loud laughter, echoing through the dense forest.

They were surrounded by enemies ten times their size, and the encirclement was tightening around them, yet they laughed here, laughed heartily, laughed without restraint.

At this moment, Shinichi's smile slowly faded, and his eyes returned to a calm and undisturbed state.

"The border of the Land of Lightning is less than fifty kilometers ahead. As long as we break through this last encirclement, we can successfully escape and rejoin the main force of the Third Hokage on the front line of the Land of Frost."

"However, it's clear that the Hidden Clouds are determined to completely trap us here. Their forces outnumber us ten to one, and the encirclement is rapidly closing in. For most of us to successfully break through, some must volunteer to stay behind and cover the retreat, drawing attention to the main force's withdrawal and delaying the enemy's pursuit. Therefore..."

2

At this point, Shinichi slowly scanned everyone present.

"Who's coming?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the woods fell into a deathly silence. Then, in the next second, it was as if a volcano that had been suppressed for too long had finally found an outlet and exploded violently.

"I'll cover the rear!"

"Me! Count me in!"

"What the hell are you talking about! Your wife just gave birth to your son a few months ago, and your whole family is waiting for you to come back to Konoha for a reunion! Let a bachelor like me handle this!"

"Bullshit! You know I already have a son, and you didn't even leave behind a seed. Get lost!"

"I'm skilled in Wind Release ninjutsu, which is the best counter to Lightning Release. If I stay, I can buy some more time!"

"My leg is injured, so I can't run far. I'll just stay here and fight those bastards from Yunyin!"

"No! I'll do it!"

"Let me do it!"

Shouts, scrambling, and even profanities instantly filled the small clearing in the woods.

No one backed down, no one tried to dodge; everyone vied and fought to take on the certain death mission, as if it were not some desperate situation but some supreme glory.

The sounds rose and fell, each one more urgent and louder than the last.

A moment later, all the scrambling suddenly stopped, and everyone's eyes turned silently to the center.

The young captain, who had simply watched them argue quietly from beginning to end without uttering a single word, was the one who embodied this.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, the boy suddenly smiled again. His smile stood out starkly against the oppressive night and the somber atmosphere.

Like a ray of dawn tearing through thick, dark clouds, clean and open, carrying an incredible warmth.

"Captain," Haruno Chō scratched his already messy hair and asked in confusion, "What are you laughing at?"

Upon hearing this, Shinichi's smile deepened: "I'm smiling because all my teammates are loyal and righteous, and they're all excellent."

"So, I couldn't help but be happy, so..."

At this point, Shinichi slowly stood up. This simple action seemed to carry immense power. The moment he stood up straight, he suddenly unleashed a mountain-like, imposing aura.

At the same time, an ominous premonition rose in everyone's hearts.

"Therefore, none of you can die here! So! I'll take care of covering the retreat!"

"What?!"

Like a thunderclap from a clear sky!

The entire forest clearing fell into absolute silence for a moment, and then...

"Captain! This won't do!"

"Who will lead us if you leave?! The team can't do without you!"

"The Shinichi Battalion isn't even missing Shinichi?! Is that even acceptable?!"

"It's not your turn to cover the retreat! You're young, you have a long road ahead of you, let us old guys handle this!"

"No! Shinichi, you can't do this!" As the vice-captain, Yuhi Shinku stepped forward and pressed down on the boy's shoulder with great force, as if pressing down the boy's body along with his thoughts.

"Shinku-senpai." Shinichi shook his head. He slowly moved Shinku's heavy hand away, his gaze sweeping over the faces flushed with shock, anxiety, and anger. He spoke softly, "Five years ago, when I was still in the Senior Ninja Academy, someone asked me a question that put me in a very difficult position."

He said, "If one day in the future, as the captain, I'm leading my team on a mission and we're being chased by the enemy and trapped in a desperate situation, and someone has to stay behind to cover our retreat, what would I do?"

"My answer at the time was that if that day ever comes, the one who should cover for my teammates and take the greatest risks should, of course, be me, the captain!"

So today...

'

At this point, Shinichi's voice became very soft, as if he were talking about something extremely ordinary.

"It's time for me to keep this promise."

As his words fell, only the mournful sound of the wind echoed through the woods.

"It's just something a child says, how could you...."

"Besides..." Shinichi raised his hand, stopping one of his team members from continuing, "Besides, the person Kumogakure truly wants to kill is me! To put it bluntly, you guys are just extras. Apart from me, no matter who stays behind to cover the retreat, as long as I'm there, the pursuit will continue. So from beginning to end, there's only one person who can stay behind to cover the retreat, and that's me!"

"Then we'll risk our lives to send you, Captain..." Shinichi raised his hand again to stop him, and directly ordered, "All members of Captain Shinichi, listen to my command! You..."

""

"No! Shinichi! You can't give that order!"

Kurenai Yuhi abruptly interrupted him. The usually composed vice-captain was now agitated, her voice trembling as she said, "Kurenai! If Kurenai knew I watched you go to your death, she would never forgive me! And I will never forgive myself!"

"I believe Kurenai knows that I made this choice to keep my promise, so she will understand if she couldn't stop me." Shinichi shook his head, then said seriously, "Then, Kurenai-senpai, from now on, you are the captain, and you will be responsible for leading them back safely."

After saying that, he gave no one a chance to refute, persuade, or even say goodbye, and resolutely turned away.

As he turned around, the team members became restless and were about to chase after him, but Shinichi stopped them.

"Step back! That's an order! Execute it immediately!"

The shout was like an invisible wall, abruptly halting everyone's progress.

The crowd froze, watching helplessly as the young yet upright figure resolutely walked into the ever-deepening darkness ahead, his outline gradually blurring until he was completely swallowed by the shadows and disappeared.

Shinku's outstretched hand remained frozen in mid-air, her fingers slightly curled, unable to grasp anything, only feeling the chill of the night wind passing through her fingers.

Oh...

The formula is old-fashioned...

But it really... works really well.

With his back to everyone, Shinichi, in the instant he completely disappeared into the darkness, subtly curled the corner of his mouth upwards, a smile unseen by anyone.

Now, it's his turn to perform.

After Shinichi left, the forest clearing returned to deathly silence, with only the heavy breathing that had not yet subsided and a group of team members standing there dumbfounded and at a loss.

Ten minutes later.

boom!!!

From the depths of the distant dense forest, a series of enormous explosions suddenly erupted!

The firelight tore through the night, and even from a great distance, one could feel the slight tremors emanating from the ground.

Immediately afterward, a clear yet penetrating youthful voice, carried by the aftershocks of the explosion, resounded throughout the forest like a declaration: "Konoha Village! Shinichi Hidden in the East is here!"

That sound was like a spark thrown into boiling oil.

In an instant, the vast, dense forest, which had previously seemed to be filled only with the sound of the wind, came to life! All the lurking killing intent erupted instantly!

From all directions, the treetops swayed and the branches rustled wildly. One after another, the long-dormant black shadows, like a pack of wolves that had smelled blood, no longer concealed their tracks and burst forth at top speed, rushing towards the direction from which the sound came!

In an instant, the sounds of footsteps, wind breaking, and hand seals intertwined in the darkness, forming an impenetrable net.

Another ten minutes or so passed.

The explosions and shouts of killing gradually faded into the distance, moving further into the forest.

"The surrounding Cloud Village reconnaissance teams and the main pursuing force... have all been lured away by the captain."

Aburame Shiki retracted the parasitic insect, her voice low, and looked at Yuhi Shinku, who had been standing silently like a stone sculpture.

With his eyes closed, Shinku's chest heaved violently. Then, after taking a very slow and heavy deep breath, he reopened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "We... retreat."

After saying that, he turned around first and started walking in the southwest direction, opposite to the sound of the explosion.

The team members followed in silence, their steps heavy as if filled with lead.

However, they only walked for a few minutes.

At the end of the line, a dozen or so figures stopped almost simultaneously. They didn't look at each other or exchange words, but they turned around in unison and sprinted back the way they came!

"Stop! What are you all trying to do?!" Kurenai Yuhi flashed into view, blocking their path and demanding sharply, "Intending to waste Shinichi's...?"

2

"I'm going to support the captain!" A young Chunin interrupted him, his voice hoarse. "I can't just watch him die alone! He's only eleven! Younger than my brother! He'll definitely become Hokage someday, leading the village to a more glorious and prosperous era! How can he die in a place like this!?"

"Are you disobeying orders?!" Kurenai Yuhi stared at him, her gaze sharp as a knife.

"Yes! Lieutenant Crimson! I'm going to disobey orders right now!" The young Chunin met his gaze without flinching. "There's absolutely no need to carry out this order!"

"That's right!"

Count me in!

"And me!"

"I'm going too!"

The suppressed emotions were instantly ignited, more team members stopped in their tracks, and voices rose and fell one after another, the scene was about to get out of control.

Kurenai Yuhi abruptly stopped and turned around. His face was ashen and his gaze, sharp as a knife, slowly swept over the faces of the people in the room.

Instead of immediately yelling and cursing, he took another deep, extremely slow breath.

"it is good."

He surveyed the crowd, his voice no longer agitated, but strangely calm: "Then tell me, how many people still want to disobey this order to retreat? Or how many want to turn back and support our captain?"

The moment the words fell.

brush!

Almost everyone present raised their hands at the same time, without hesitation or doubt. More than three hundred hands were raised in unison in the night, like a forest that had suddenly sprung up.

Kurenai Yuhi stared at the severed hand in silence for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. The laughter echoed in the darkness, carrying a sense of relief, resolve, and something else entirely indescribable.

"good!"

He turned abruptly, facing the direction he had come from, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Shin-ichi Battalion, all members! Hear my command!"

"exist!!!"

"Target changed! Everyone, turn around!" Yuhi Shinku swung her arm sharply in the direction she had come from, shouting, "Full speed back to support our captain—Higashino Shinichi!"

"yes!!!"

Amidst thunderous shouts of agreement, over three hundred Konoha ninjas, battered but with piercing eyes, unleashed a speed and momentum far exceeding their previous retreat. Like a bursting dam, they turned head fiercely and launched a relentless charge towards their captain, whom they had just "abandoned," towards that certain death trap!

Hong... forgive Dad.

As he sped along, a thought flashed through Kurenai Yuhi's mind, and then his figure completely merged into the torrent of death.

Shinichi was unaware that his carefully crafted "backup plan," in which he intended to take on all the blame to save his subordinates, was met with a "strike" and "encore" from all the actors, who disregarded the script, after only a short time.

If he knew, perhaps amidst the cold calculations, a complex sigh would escape from somewhere deep within his heart:

Does the will of the people lie with me? Does the trend of the times also lie with me?

At this moment, he was like the most accurate hunter and the most dazzling bait, darting through the dense forest at high speed, leading wave after wave of Cloud Shadow pursuers away from the direction his subordinates had retreated.

A moment later, he stood on a horizontal branch of a large tree, his gaze piercing through the gaps in the leaves, landing on a five-person Cloud Hidden Squad searching below, and he was about to make his move.

laugh!

A sharp, almost silent vacuum wind blade shot out from the shadows on the side without warning, faster than the eyes could catch!

A flash of cold light disappeared in an instant.

Before the five Cloud Village ninjas could even react, a thin line of blood appeared on their necks, their heads rolled off, and their bodies went limp silently.

-

Oh?

Shinichi raised an eyebrow and withdrew his sword, countless glittering lights flashing from the depths of the light.

In the darkness, a figure strolled out unhurriedly. He had brown hair, neat sideburns, and a slender figure that was elongated in the moonlight. He walked slowly, but each step was steady, so steady that there was not a sway.

Danzo Shimura!

What's he doing here? Is he here to kill me? Surely not?

Shinichi was puzzled, wondering why this guy was here, but he still jumped down from the tree branch.

"Elder Danzo? What brings you here?"

Danzo Shimura didn't answer. He stopped in front of Shinichi, gave the boy a cold look, and said, "Fool!"

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