Chapter 69 – Pressing the Advantage
Sunagakure's high command, at a loss for ideas, immediately grasped at Ebizō's suggestion like a life-saving straw. It was, indeed, a plan with a real chance of turning the tables.
Under the guidance of the elder, each Sunagakure commander quickly arranged their strategy.
After clearing out the scouts lurking around Konoha's encampments, Nan and his team returned to their regular duties.
Due to the unique composition of Nan's squad, their missions were different from ordinary teams.
Nan was a rare ninja, combining formidable combat ability with exceptional medical skill. His squad primarily handled support missions. Whenever a nearby team sent a distress signal, Nan's team would be dispatched first, thanks to their proximity and expertise.
Nan's overwhelming combat power could neutralize enemy squads efficiently. Coupled with his medical mastery, he could immediately treat injured allies, maximizing the chances of saving lives.
Having just completed a mission and returned to camp for a brief rest, Nan and his squad received an urgent distress signal.
A forward outpost was under siege, surrounded by a large force of Sunagakure ninjas. The Konoha defenders were few, struggling to withstand wave after wave of attacks. The fortifications were barely holding.
As time dragged on and more soldiers were injured, the outpost's defenses were steadily weakening. If exhaustion set in, the outpost would fall.
The defenders immediately sent a distress signal to the nearest Konoha camp—conveniently, the one where Nan's squad was stationed.
Without hesitation, Nan's team raced to reinforce the outpost. With Nan and Kosuke's extraordinary strength, even challenging missions felt relatively easy.
Although Anko and Hayate were weaker, the enemy's attacks did not require them to act directly, allowing them to conserve energy. As a team of four, they moved quickly and efficiently.
At the outpost, Konoha ninjas were struggling to fend off Sunagakure's relentless attacks, teetering on the edge of exhaustion.
Suddenly, a Sunagakure puppet master unleashed a massive puppet. Its gaping mouth fired countless flying needles toward a Konoha ninja.
One strike and he would be impaled like a porcupine—and the needles were coated with lethal poison. Even with an antidote, there was no time; death was imminent.
The Konoha ninja, already drained from prolonged combat, felt hopeless, unable to dodge or defend against the attack. His end seemed certain.
At that critical moment, a figure crackling with electricity appeared, blocking the attack: Nan had arrived just in time.
Facing the barrage of needles, Nan remained calm. He raised both arms, eager to test his latest creation.
On his forearms were arm guards, modified from the hands of a puppet he had seized months ago from a defeated Sunagakure puppet master. He had no formal training in puppetry, so he had repurposed these arms for his own use.
The modification took months of painstaking work, but now they were ready.
"Kiko Shield Seal (Kikō Junbū)!" Nan muttered, channeling chakra into the arm guards. Instantly, two chakra-based shields expanded outward from his forearms.
The dense chakra barriers intercepted the flying needles like rain striking stone, producing only faint clinks, with no damage penetrating.
Using his Sharingan, Nan carefully tracked the needles' trajectory, adjusting the shields with precision to ensure total defense.
Though the chakra shields were not large and only covered two sides, they perfectly protected Nan and the Konoha ninjas behind him.
When the dust settled, Nan stood unharmed before the Sunagakure forces.
His appearance was striking. The crackling electricity across his body and the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes immediately revealed his identity to the Sunagakure commander. Terrified, he shouted:
"Konoha Lightning!"
The rest of the Sunagakure ninjas, hearing the commander utter Nan's name, began to panic. The entire unit quickly descended into chaos.
Word had already spread on the battlefield about Nan single-handedly annihilating large Sunagakure squads. His reputation among Konoha's ninjas had grown immensely, and on the enemy side, it had become a source of sheer terror. Even hearing his name could make a Sunagakure ninja falter.
Nan had arrived first, blocking the current wave of attacks, and only after that did his three teammates arrive.
Seeing Nan in person, the Sunagakure commander immediately considered retreat. With reinforcements appearing, he quickly ordered a full withdrawal.
The Sunagakure squad scattered in confusion, leaving the Konoha side stunned.
Nan, however, felt puzzled. Could his reputation truly be so frightening to Sunagakure? He could understand a small squad fleeing, but this unit seemed to number twenty or thirty—surely they wouldn't panic at the mere sight of him.
Lately, however, such occurrences had become frequent. Konoha's ruthless elimination of Sunagakure spies had caused heavy enemy losses. Many of Konoha's forward outposts and independent squads often faced large-scale Sunagakure counterattacks.
The assumption was that Sunagakure sought revenge for their previous failures. Yet curiously, their combat eagerness seemed muted. Whenever a besieged Konoha squad sent a distress signal and reinforcements arrived, the Sunagakure forces would immediately retreat.
Konoha began to speculate: perhaps Sunagakure had suffered too many losses to sustain prolonged combat and was preparing to withdraw. Their feigned aggression might simply be a tactic to keep Konoha cautious while they planned a full retreat.
To verify this, Konoha dispatched skilled Hyūga clan ninjas to observe Sunagakure movements using their Byakugan. The Byakugan allowed them to monitor the enemy from afar without being detected.
Observations confirmed the suspicion: Sunagakure was already packing up, dismantling camps, and moving supplies back toward their village. A full retreat was clearly underway.
News of this reached Konoha, prompting the Hokage to convene an emergency meeting with senior advisors to decide whether to pursue the retreating enemy.
The conservative faction warned that it could be a trap and urged caution. Nara Shikaku, who had previously thwarted Sunagakure's schemes, advised prudence. However, the more aggressive faction, led by Danzo, disagreed.
Danzo had always sought a decisive battle with Sunagakure, dismissing conservative strategies. He argued loudly:
"Sunagakure's retreat is our chance! We must seize it and crush them completely. If we let them escape intact, future negotiations or conflicts will never favor the village."
Though radical, Danzo's point was not without merit. By this stage of the war, Konoha was in a precarious position. Opportunities like this were rare; failing to press the advantage could be costly.
After careful consideration, the Third Hokage made his decision:
"Dispatch an elite unit to pursue the Sunagakure ninjas."
Satisfied that his plan would be implemented, Danzo allowed a triumphant smile to cross his face. It was no mere scheme—rather, a calculated public plan.
If Konoha succeeded, Danzo's suggestion would be credited. If it failed, the blame would fall on the Hokage himself.