"You two. With me."
While Yuji and Sasori waited for Endo's return, the canyon outside had grown restless. Movement flickered across the cliffs, and the distant clash of steel echoed through the night.
A Sunagakure shinobi appeared at the cave entrance, his tone grave.
Yuji and Sasori exchanged a brief look and followed without hesitation.
By now, combat had broken out in multiple sectors of the canyon. Figures darted across rock faces as reinforcements rushed toward the sound of fighting.
They regrouped at a valley floor where more than twenty Sunagakure shinobi had gathered.
These were not all the forces stationed along the border. Many experienced fighters had already moved to intercept infiltrators deeper in the canyon. Those assembled here either held specialized roles or were not suited for direct frontline combat.
Yuji recognized several faces among them. Genin who had graduated alongside him.
They looked pale.
A Jonin stepped forward. He wore a white turban wrapped tightly around his head.
"My name is Takuma," he said. "I am commanding this engagement and will serve as your temporary squad leader."
His gaze swept across the group.
"Amegakure forces have breached the frontline defenses and penetrated into this sector. Their objective remains uncertain, but intelligence suggests reconnaissance. They are likely probing our deployment patterns and defensive structure."
His voice hardened.
"They cannot be allowed to leave alive."
The atmosphere tightened.
"Medical-nin. Step forward."
Seven shinobi, including Yuji, moved ahead. That was the full extent of the medical support currently stationed in this rear border zone.
"Logistics and intelligence personnel."
Several more stepped out.
Takuma unrolled a rough map and pointed to marked positions across the canyon.
"You will divide according to sector assignments. Medical and logistics units will move toward designated battlefield zones. Your priority is not direct engagement. First, reduce casualties. Second, relay intelligence immediately if the situation escalates. Combat units will ensure your protection."
He tapped several small marks on the map.
"This canyon contains multiple concealed supply posts. If necessary, use the terrain. Engage in guerrilla tactics."
"Yes!"
The response came in unison.
The formation began reorganizing quickly.
Takuma's eyes shifted.
"Sasori."
In this gathering, one person stood apart.
Even as a child, Sasori's presence altered tactical considerations.
Takuma clearly intended to assign him to a forward strike group.
"I will move with Yuji."
Sasori spoke calmly.
Takuma paused, studying him for a moment.
"Very well."
He did not argue.
"Move out."
The assembled shinobi dispersed swiftly.
Yuji's newly formed squad consisted of five members. Two medical-nin, one intelligence specialist, Sasori, and a chunin assigned as temporary leader and primary defender.
As they ran along the canyon wall, Yuji considered the situation.
Nomura's squad had not reported in. The odds were high that they had already fallen.
On his first day at the border, nearly all his assigned teammates were gone.
War did not give second chances.
Yuji glanced at Sasori.
He had chosen this group deliberately. He could have joined a frontline strike unit, yet he had stayed.
'Does he want to observe my abilities?'
Yuji did not mind.
If he wanted to influence the future of Sunagakure, Sasori was a critical piece. The closer they operated, the better.
Under the chunin's lead, their squad moved toward another active sector of the canyon.
They were not heading there to take the lead in battle.
Their task was to use the active battlefield as a center point, sweep the surrounding canyon for wounded allies, and monitor enemy movement across scattered sectors.
The five of them advanced in a loose formation, maintaining enough distance to avoid being caught in a single strike, yet close enough to respond instantly if one of them was attacked.
Before long, Yuji spotted a fallen Sand shinobi lying against a rock face.
He raised a hand, signaling the others, and moved immediately. Kneeling beside the unconscious man, he performed a rapid assessment before opening his medical kit.
Field treatment was notoriously difficult for most medical-nin. Without proper facilities, their effectiveness depended heavily on chakra-based healing techniques. Simple bandages and medicine could only accomplish so much.
And on a battlefield, injuries were rarely minor.
If a shinobi fell, recovery without advanced ninjutsu was unlikely.
Yuji, however, was different.
Inside his pouch were not only standard bandages and surgical tools, but also several small vials he had prepared himself. Most were antibiotics and restorative solutions refined from local herbs and materials.
The medical level of this era could not compare to modern standards. But as a transmigrator who had inherited extensive surgical knowledge, Yuji could extract and synthesize compounds far beyond what most medical-nin considered routine.
It was one of his quiet advantages.
His movements were efficient and deliberate. Within minutes, he had cleaned and stabilized the external wounds. He administered an injection of his own antibiotic solution, followed by a measured dose of nutrient fluid.
Throughout the process, Sasori stood nearby, observing in silence while keeping watch.
'What is that?' Sasori stared at Yuji's somewhat miraculous waist pouch. Even though he wasn't a doctor, he had never seen some of the delicate tools Yuji took out.
'They were likely self-made.'
Once finished, he turned to Sasori. "Take him to the nearest supply post."
Without hesitation, Sasori extended chakra threads and lifted the injured man as if manipulating a puppet, carrying him swiftly toward a hidden outpost.
Yuji rejoined the squad.
Sasori returned shortly after. His speed was remarkable.
They continued deeper into the canyon.
Along the way, Yuji treated more wounded shinobi. Some were unconscious but still breathing. Others had suffered severe limb injuries and could no longer fight.
And many were already beyond help.
As long as there was a pulse, Yuji could do something. However, his current limitations meant that full recovery was impossible. He could stabilize, not restore.
Even so, his performance began to change how the others viewed him.
Including the second medical-nin in their squad.
To that shinobi, Yuji's skill bordered on master-level. His confidence and composure often made people forget he was only eight years old.
Yet the most formidable presence in their group was not Yuji.
It was Sasori.
Several times, Amegakure shinobi attempted to intercept them.
Each time, the encounter ended quickly.
Sasori's puppets descended without hesitation, eliminating threats before they could escalate. Precision. Efficiency. No wasted motion.
It was not an exaggeration to say that Sasori alone ensured the squad's survival.
"This terrain favors concealment," Yuji thought as they advanced. "Amegakure chose it well. But they likely did not anticipate such a rapid response."
Based on the frequency of contact and the scale of scattered engagements, he estimated that at least one or two hundred Amegakure shinobi had infiltrated the border region.
The battlefield was fragmented, not concentrated. A coordinated probing action.
For Yuji, it meant something else.
Experience points.
Compared to his time interning in the hospital, the accumulation rate here was vastly higher.