Escape from Konoha.

◎

The next day, they arrived at the nearest outpost.

The area has been damaged, with many buildings collapsed and more than a dozen Konoha ninja lying in the ruins, their blood flowing everywhere.

Along with Sakumo's squad, there was also a small squad of ANBU members who came here.

This squad's secret unit consists of one squad leader and three members.

The squad leader is a Jonin, and the three team members include one Special Jonin and two Chunin.

Shiraishi is desperately trying to save a Konoha ninja who is lying in a pool of blood. The ninja is so badly injured that his entire chest cavity has been blown apart by explosive tags, and he is teetering on the brink of death.

Even so, he wasn't quite dead yet; this Konoha ninja had an extremely strong will to live.

Because the outpost's buildings were completely destroyed, Shiraishi could only begin emergency surgery outside, but he wasn't very confident about the survival rate.

By the time they arrived, the Konoha ninja had already missed the optimal time for surgery.

As for whether he can survive, that's up to fate and depends on whether he can pull through.

Sakumo and the others did not disturb Shiraishi during the surgery and began searching for other traces in the ruins.

"It was a large-scale Earth Release ninjutsu that directly collapsed the buildings at the outpost. Then came the sudden surprise attack, leaving the people here no time to defend. In the first encounter, they were almost all wiped out by the enemy."

The squad leader, wearing a mask, briefly explained some issues after conducting a professional survey.

"One Jonin, six Chunin, and eleven Genin—they couldn't even put up a fight?"

Shuo Mao's eyes were serious.

"It's very likely the special Sand Village unit that your team encountered more than two months ago."

"That's what the squad leader of the Dark Division said."

"Have their identities been verified?" Sakumo asked the ANBU squad leader.

"The leader, a man and a woman, are Jonin from Sunagakure. They are the son and daughter-in-law of Chiyo, an advisor from Sunagakure, and are among the top fighters in the Sunagakure puppet army. As for the Earth Release ninja in the team who can easily divide the battlefield, there is no news yet."

Sakumo nodded after listening.

Just then, Ayane walked over and reported to Sakumo, "Sakumo-sensei, some of the supplies at the outpost have been taken away, and the rest have been burned. What should we do next?"

"Let's check out other outposts afterwards. By the way, could you send another squad of spies over?"

Sakumo looked at the ANBU squad leader.

“Impossible. There are always two squads of secret agents left in the village. Another squad assists from the shadows on the front lines, gathering intelligence. Right now, the only people the secret agents can send out are our squad. Even with the help of the garrison, the village's defenses have become very weak.”

"In short, I hope to send more people, preferably experts in tracking. I know that the village is also short-staffed, but now is not the time to worry about those things."

"Understood, I will report to the Hokage. As for whether we can send more personnel, that's up to the Hokage's decision."

"please."

The squad leader of the ANBU made a hand gesture, and the other three ANBU members nodded in understanding and left using the Body Flicker Technique.

"Can it work, Sakumo-sensei?" Ayane asked.

Sakumo shook his head; he couldn't guarantee that the village would send out more people to investigate.

Relying solely on Ayane's eye rolls is still too limited in scope for investigation.

The enemy forces also have excellent sensory ninjas who are proficient in counter-reconnaissance. They deliberately seek out weakly defended outposts to launch surprise attacks, causing chaos within the Land of Fire. Over time, this could easily put enormous pressure on the Konoha ninjas on the front lines.

However, the Land of Fire is so vast, and the whereabouts of that Sand Village unit are often elusive and unpredictable, which makes the search difficult.

Back on Shiraishi's side, Shiraishi had finished the surgery and was bandaging the injured person's external wounds.

"Shiraishi, how is he? Is he going to wake up?"

"It all comes down to how strong his will to survive is. That's all I can do."

Shiraishi packed up the medical kit and put it back in his backpack.

Sakumo patted Shiraishi on the shoulder.

"You've done enough. Medical ninjas aren't gods."

Shiraishi didn't intend to say anything in response to Sakumo's words of comfort.

Chapter Forty Enemy Attack

"Shuomao has requested additional manpower. What's your opinion?"

In the conference room inside the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, mentioned Sakumo's request to send more personnel.

"Is his strength insufficient to deal with the lurking enemies within the Land of Fire?"

Consultant Koharu Tsuyoshi frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Sakumo's request for more manpower.

"The opponents are two elite Jonin from the Sand Village Puppet Squad. There are also three other Jonin in the team, one of whom can use a wide-range Earth Release technique."

"But there is no direct evidence to prove that they were ninjas from Iwagakure."

Xiaochun said.

Hiruzen shook his pipe and said, "I don't think Onoki would do nothing at a time like this. We can't draw conclusions about this just because there are no unusual missions in Iwagakure."

"If that's the case, then Cloud Village and Mist Village are also prime suspects."

The advisor, Mitokado Homura, glanced at Hiruzen.

"So when the Third Kazekage set off, I stayed in the village to prevent other villages from getting involved and making the battlefield even more chaotic."

"So what do you plan to do? We don't trust the Uchiha Guard, and Danzo is currently leading the Root on a secret mission and isn't in the village. Leaving two ANBU squads to guard the village is already extremely risky for us."

Men Yan's eyes revealed an inquiring look.

"Men Yan is right. In the past, even in the face of a crisis, three squads of secret agents would be left behind. Now, leaving only two squads is a gamble."

Koharu also had little trust in the Uchiha clan.

“The Uchiha are also members of Konoha. We shouldn’t be prejudiced against them. They are Kagami’s clan.”

Hiruzen exhaled another smoke ring, his expression solemn.

The arrangement made by his late teacher, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, was to hand over the management of the security force to the Uchiha clan.

There are many reasons for this. On the one hand, it was out of fear, and on the other hand, it was to limit the power of the Uchiha to the police force.

Because only the Uchiha clan is capable of performing the duties of the security force.

The work of the Uchiha Guard is commendable. Although there are indeed some mentally unstable individuals who like to cause trouble, there are also some Uchiha ninjas who genuinely want to maintain the internal security of Konoha.

Hiruzen felt he couldn't generalize and condemn everyone.

Furthermore, his teacher also wanted to fully integrate the Uchiha clan into Konoha, rather than exclude them.

Unfortunately, the First Shinobi World War broke out at that time, and his teacher died on the battlefield, causing the Uchiha matter to be left unresolved.

All we've been doing these past few years has been waiting around.

Thanks to his efforts as Hokage, the relationship did improve somewhat, but there wasn't much substantial progress.

"Jing is Jing, and Uchiha is Uchiha; they are beings on different levels. Among the Uchiha, there are quite a few Uchiha ninjas who inherited Madara Uchiha's radical ideology. People from this clan all pose a potential danger."

Ultimately, the advisors didn't believe in the Uchiha, or rather, they didn't believe in Uchiha ninjas who possessed cursed powers and had awakened the Sharingan.

"Then let's compromise and split up two more squads of Anbu. Only by eliminating the rats in the Land of Fire can Sakumo go to the battlefield and launch a counterattack against Sunagakure."

"But……"

"If anything unusual happens to the Uchiha, I will personally take action to resolve the chaos, then you can all rest assured."

Hiruzen exuded an inviolable and powerful aura, and even Homura and Koharu felt an unprecedented pressure.

This also indirectly tells Menyan and Xiaochun that with him as the Hokage, no matter what, the Uchiha will stay obediently on their territory and do the work of the security team, and there will be no problems.

This innate confidence was deeply etched on Hiruzen's face.

"Since you've put it that way, Hiruzen, then we have no choice but to do so."

"We must not be careless about the Uchiha clan. They are a naturally evil clan, and we must always be on guard against them."

In the end, Momo and Koharu reminded Hiruzen, and only then did they temporarily put aside the issue of targeting the Uchiha.

"In addition, the supplies sent from the village to the front line are insufficient. Xiaochun and I need to go to Daming Prefecture to discuss with Daming and collect supplies there."

Men Yan and Xiao Chun exchanged a glance, and Men Yan spoke first.

"Supplies are running low again?"

Hiruzen paused in his smoking motion.

"Yes, medical supplies are the most lacking here, but we have enough ration pills and ninja tools."

"Go early and return early."

Any ninja leaving the village requires a letter from the Hokage. Even advisors need the Hokage's letter to leave the village; otherwise, it is considered a violation of the rules, and in serious cases, it can be regarded as a rogue ninja.

After receiving the letter from Hiruzen allowing them to leave the village, Menyan and Koharu left the meeting room.

◎

A sentry post in northern Konoha, guarded by about twenty Konoha ninja, which can serve as a temporary supply station for Sakumo's team.

Fortunately, there was a simple medical station at this outpost.

Shiraishi then carried the seriously injured Konoha ninja he had previously found at another outpost into the new outpost's medical room to rest.

Although he was still unconscious, he was out of danger, which was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

Ruri and Ayane negotiated with the Konoha ninja at the outpost to obtain supplies, food, water, and medical supplies, which were of utmost importance.

Before long, Shiraishi and the others were ready.

Sakumo put away the scroll in his hand and said, "There's good news. The Hokage has agreed to send reinforcements, experts in reconnaissance. But we can't let our guard down here. Now that we've resupplyed, let's set off immediately."

"Yes!"

The three of them responded and followed Sakumo to get moving again.

They are currently in the south-central region of the Land of Fire, and their next route is to head towards the east of the Land of Fire.

It is adjacent to the neighboring country of Yunoku, a country famous for its hot springs.