"The commander-in-chief said there are enough detonating tags-use them freely. Just don't die trying to save them!"
Shouting over the sound of marching feet and rustling leaves, the squad leader kept his eyes on the road ahead. The reminder was for the Genin under his command, civilian-born kids who would hesitate to use even one tag without permission. He couldn't risk them messing up the formation now.
None of the Genin had ever seen the commander in person, but hearing that they could use resources without restriction made them grateful. Before arriving, they'd asked veteran shinobi about what war was like. Most said they'd be handed one or two tags if they were "lucky." Yet here they were, each with twenty tags packed neatly next to their kunai and smoke bombs.
"We're about to enter enemy ambush range. Everyone, stay ready."
His tone tried to stay calm, but his fingers tightened around his weapon as he stepped through the trees. The second they crossed into target range, he raised his hand and shouted-
"Launch!"
Kuh-shhhh!
Dozens of kunai laced with detonating tags flew through the air in unison, arcing toward the forest ahead. They exploded moments later-boom boom boom-turning the jungle floor into cracked clay, uprooting trees and tearing through anything that tried to hide behind them.
"Shit-they spotted us!"
Mist-nin hidden in the underbrush cursed loudly as the barrage peppered their position. Their plan had been simple: wait until Konoha's squads walked right into spear range and then tear them apart under cover of fog. Instead, the forest had become open ground too dangerous to fight on.
"Does Konoha have this many detonation tags?! Are they as loaded as Uzumaki?!"
No answer came from the trees-but Konoha responded anyway.
"Second wave! Go now!"
Thud-thud-thud!
Flames and smoke already filled the battlefield as Genin moved in formation. Most were barely experienced in live combat, but that didn't stop them from moving precisely through embers and cinders. They launched their next round of projectiles without delay-another wall of explosives rained down ahead.
Boom-crack-snap!
Mist-nin scrambled behind stumps and half-broken logs for cover but couldn't avoid everything. The attack was crude and overwhelming, but it worked-and now what should have been close-quarter fighting had turned into artillery shelling.
Up on the hill behind the broken trees, Mist's acting commander narrowed his eyes and gave up any thought of conserving energy.
"Everyone prepare defensive water formations-build the wall now!"
Hundreds of Mist-nin moved through hand signs quickly-the staggering speed of coordinated technique casting echoed through the forest floor.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Whoooosh!
An enormous body of water burst forward from their lines-towering over forty meters in height and sweeping away branches, roots, and even some of their own comrades who failed to brace in time. The tide smashed through underbrush as it surged toward Konoha's front line without hesitation.
"What the hell is that?!"
"We're screwed-we're dead!"
Several Genin stumbled backward just at the sight. Their knees buckled slightly from the force approaching them-but they didn't retreat far before hearing-
"Focus!"
Captains barked orders just ahead, slicing through their fear before it spread too deeply. Uchiha hidden within the ranks stepped forward without delay.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Fwoooom!
Dozens of massive fireballs collided with the incoming wave-the moment they touched, explosions of boiling steam rippled across the battlefield. Ssssshhhh... The water hissed violently as clouds of vapor spread through the trees, swallowing visibility in every direction.
"Aaaaghh!"
Screams echoed faintly as steam scorched flesh inside the mist. Konoha's line held, and then the fog began creeping outward toward both camps as temperature and pressure warped the landscape entirely.
"Don't panic! Stay in your positions!"
Voices rose from commanders inside the fog, desperate to hold order in chaos.
Jsh-jsh-jsh...
Within the dense fog, some Mist-nin began to grin behind their masks. They'd trained daily in poor visibility-this was their chance to counterattack properly.
"Charge while they're blind!"
Clink-fwip-shck!
Mist-nin surged forward, blades drawn sliding down their wrists as they ran shoulder-first into Konoha's line. Or at least-they tried to.
"Hup...!"
One of them froze mid-run, a sound sliced through the mist again-
Whoosh!
They weren't blind enemies rushing foolishly in confusion-they were being baited.
"Are those... tags?!"
Indeed they were, dozens launched from within the smoke by Uchiha Genins whose Sharingan allowed them perfect clarity even within thick vapor. These shinobi moved in practiced sync-their kunai found targets without hesitation.
Boom!
One explosion went off at chest level-sending two Mist-nin into pieces midair.
Boom-boom!
Another erupted near tree roots-tossing debris and limbs across clearing shadows. Even so, Konoha kept launching-from flame points and jagged gaps that flickered orange even within the grey gloom.
"At the Direction of fire! Use the tags! Keep attacking!"
Hearing their captain's shout was enough-Genin refocused instantly and launched another wide spray across where they saw flames burst last. Konoha's counteroffensive was crude-but it worked under Akira Senju's brutal logistics.
Boom!
Another explosion knocked several Mist-nin straight off their feet-another two who tried retreating tripped over roots only to be caught by fire bursts seconds later.
Chaos consumed both sides now-but only Konoha had coordination left in it.
"We're losing too many! fall back! Fall back!"
Finally Mist's commander gave the retreat order but his words barely carried through soundless death zones where explosions kept ringing out every three seconds. Only his personal guard heard him clearly and even they hesitated as steam burned their ankles while passing bodies lay sprawled across cracked soil and burnt grass blades.
"Retreat now! report this to the Mizukage! Let her know what happened here!"
"Yes!"
Without hesitation they vanished into trees toward Water Country borders-the rest received no signal fast enough to run before impact caught them mid-step.
Water slammed down on cracked earth as final techniques activated one after another-and just before disappearing completely into enemy territory's grip-the Mist Commander turned back once with dead focus-
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
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