In a dense forest of towering ancient trees, the clashing of steel, the roars of ninjutsu detonations, and furious shouts tangled chaotically together.
Moments later, two Konoha shinobi, both drenched in blood, stumbled out from the woods in panic.
The older of the two was gravely wounded—his shoulders and back bristled with over a dozen kunai and shuriken, and crimson blood had soaked nearly his entire body.
"Hahaha! Konoha trash, you won't escape this time!"
Leaves were swept into the air as gusts of wind roared past. Over a dozen Kumo-nin burst from the forest, hot on their heels.
Seeing the Kumo-nin closing in fast, the severely wounded Konoha shinobi barked at his comrade, "I'll hold them off. You must get the intel back to base!"
Without hesitation, he skidded to a stop and turned to face the oncoming pursuers.
His companion—a young man in his twenties—was also injured, his left arm a mangled mess of flesh from a ninjutsu strike.
He glanced back, the savage faces of the Kumo-nin clear in his vision.
Sadness flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "Captain, don't worry! I'll get the intel back, no matter what!"
He then saw his captain fling several kunai with explosive tags toward the enemy, before gripping two more kunai in his hands and charging forward.
Boom!
The explosions shook the forest, a thick wave of smoke rolling through the trees. Then, several Kumo-nin leapt out from the haze unharmed.
Suiton – Great Waterfall Technique!
With a roar, the Konoha shinobi's hands flew through seals, releasing a massive torrent of water toward his enemies.
A few minutes later, the clash ended. The Konoha ninja was half-kneeling on the ground, a massive hand gripping his hair, while a sword was driven through his chest.
A Kumo-nin with two streaks of war paint across his face yanked his blade free, then casually flung the corpse aside.
He glanced into the distance, scowling. "Damn it… one of them got away."
A nearby Kumo-nin chuckled. "Relax. You'll get your chance to kill more of them soon enough."
The first ninja—Uruk—snarled, "I want to face that Uchiha brat myself! I still can't believe he killed Isaka and the others. I'll make him suffer before I kill him!"
Another Kumo-nin spoke up, "Uruk, I know you want revenge for Isaka, but don't rush in blindly. That Uchiha kid fought Lord Raikage—and actually wounded him. It may have been a small injury, but tell me, how many in the entire ninja world could even scratch the Raikage?"
A third Kumo-nin smirked. "Don't worry, Uruk. This war's far from over. We'll cross paths with that Uchiha brat soon enough."
"That's right. The war will end when Kumogakure decides it does."
Yumegawa Town, Konoha Forward Base
Uchiha Yuan dismissed the messenger-nin, frowning slightly. "The Kumo offensives are getting fiercer. Seven of our recon squads have been ambushed—three completely wiped out, and only a few survivors from the rest."
Yamanaka Mokuno's brow was also furrowed. "According to the reports, Kumo's main forces are already approaching the outskirts of Yumegawa. Our patrols have clashed with them more than a dozen times, with mixed results."
Uchiha Yuan asked, "What's the situation with the Third Company?"
"Captain Moonlight Ryūfū reports that Kumo-nin have launched over ten probing attacks in the past month. His men are starting to struggle to hold the line. Other companies have also come under similar feints."
A puzzled look crossed Uchiha Yuan's face. "Strange. Kumo took a heavy loss against Iwagakure not long ago. How do they still have the manpower to press us this hard?"
Yamanaka Mokuno replied, "My guess is that Kumogakure dispatched reinforcements. Given their martial culture, a defeat only fuels their fighting spirit."
After a brief silence, Uchiha Yuan said, "Tomorrow, I'll personally lead a patrol."
Mokuno immediately objected, "You can't! You're the overall commander of our forces in this region—you can't risk yourself on the front line!"
"No need to say more. My decision is final," Uchiha Yuan said firmly.
Seeing the unyielding determination on the young commander's face, Mokuno sighed helplessly. "Understood… but please, be careful, Captain."
The Next Day
Dozens of miles outside Yumegawa, Uchiha Yuan stood on a treetop at the edge of a cliff, surveying the land ahead.
Below lay a gorge several miles wide. Traces of Kumo-nin activity had been found nearby.
Whoosh!
A blur of motion appeared beside him—a Konoha shinobi who had arrived via Body Flicker.
"Captain, we found a Kumo squad—fifteen men, about three miles into the gorge."
Uchiha Yuan's eyes flared with killing intent. "Exterminate them. Leave no survivors."
Inside the gorge, waterfalls cascaded down the surrounding cliffs, converging into a wide lake.
By the lakeshore, a group of Kumo-nin were resting when one dark-skinned ninja suddenly stood and shouted, "Enemy attack! Battle positions!"
The next instant, the surface of the lake surged upward into a massive wave dozens of meters high.
Suiton – Water Dragon Bullet!
Several voices shouted in unison, and a hundred-meter-long water dragon roared toward the Kumo-nin.
Boom!
The dragon's impact engulfed the entire meadow, water exploding in all directions as Kumo-nin leapt into the air.
Raiton – Gratitude Shockwave!
Doton – Earth Linked Bullets!
Bolts of lightning and clumps of stone shot toward the Konoha shinobi emerging from the lake.
As the water dispersed, it revealed a thick earthen wall—several meters thick but half-destroyed.
From behind the shattered wall, Kumo-nin erupted in fury, leaping forward—only to be met by a storm of kunai and shuriken whistling through the air.
The Kumo-nin were not only masters of taijutsu but also skilled swordsmen; nearly every one of them carried a blade.
They drew their swords, cold light weaving into a dazzling net of steel that deflected every projectile.
High above, standing atop a massive tree near the lake, Uchiha Yuan watched the clash below.
He had brought twenty Konoha shinobi, yet even with the advantage of ambush, they were gradually being pushed back by fifteen Kumo-nin.
His eyes locked onto one dark-skinned warrior—massive even among Kumo-nin, his frame towering over two meters, arms thick as logs, and presence like a raging beast.
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito