"Commander Matsuda-sama! Konoha has developed an antidote!"
"What?!" Commander Matsuda's jaw dropped in shock, his expression as if he'd seen a ghost.
It hadn't even been an hour since the offensive began—how could Konoha have already created an antidote?!
"This... how is that possible?" The silver-haired girl turned pale.
She had spent a long time refining this poison.
And now it had been neutralized so easily?
Commander Matsuda quickly regained his composure and looked at the Sunagakure shinobi who had reported the news.
"Are you sure the information is accurate?"
"Commander Matsuda-sama, the report is absolutely reliable. The Konoha shinobi who had been poisoned have fully recovered after taking the antidote!"
Hearing this, Matsuda's face darkened further.
Suppressing his rage, he turned to the silver-haired girl.
"This is the poison you 'refined'? They cracked it in less than half an hour!"
The silver-haired girl pressed her lips together and said nothing, clenching her fists in frustration.
The poison techniques she had always prided herself on had been easily broken.
It was hard for her to accept.
Matsuda no longer paid her any mind and turned back to the reporting shinobi.
"Send the reconnaissance squad to investigate who in Konoha developed the antidote."
"Yes, Commander Matsuda-sama!"
As the subordinate left, Matsuda's eyes brimmed with killing intent.
"No matter what it takes, eliminate the one who developed the antidote!"
He looked at the girl with her head lowered, and his tone softened slightly.
"As long as we kill them, no one else will be able to make the antidote."
The girl raised her head stubbornly, her expression determined.
"I will create an even stronger poison!"
With that, she turned and walked out of the tent.
...
After Renya developed the antidote, Sunagakure lost their advantage.
Under the ferocious assault from Konoha's shinobi, they were pushed back repeatedly.
In the end, they had no choice but to retreat.
Sunagakure's second offensive ended in failure.
Although Konoha had gained the upper hand twice, their casualties were still extremely high.
Only a small number of the poisoned shinobi had been evacuated to the rear—most of them had died under the enemy's attacks.
There simply hadn't been enough time to save them.
...
Inside the Konoha command tent.
"Mikage-sama, the casualty reports from the last two days are ready."
The shinobi responsible for compiling battlefield data handed over a file.
Nara Mikage took it. His brow furrowed tightly as he read the figures.
[Total casualties over two battles: 41 dead, including 4 jōnin and 37 chūnin; 35 severely injured.]
There were fewer than two hundred Konoha shinobi stationed on the southwestern front.
In just two engagements, nearly one-fifth of their force had been wiped out.
And more than thirty had been severely injured, losing all combat capability.
The brutality of the battlefield was self-evident…
However, Sunagakure's losses were undoubtedly far greater than Konoha's.
War was, to a large extent, a contest of overall national strength—everything from manpower and equipment to provisions and logistics required a continuous supply.
When one side suffered heavy losses, exhausted its supplies, and lost logistical support, they often had no choice but to surrender.
Victory or defeat in war often hinged on such factors.
In a prolonged war of attrition, one side would inevitably be drained first.
The Land of Fire was currently in a dire situation. Attacked by four nations simultaneously, a single misstep could lead to total defeat.
Commanders across the various fronts were on edge, terrified that one wrong decision could cost them dearly.
Nara Mikage left the command tent and went to find Renya, who had developed the antidote.
"Renya-san, what are you working on?"
Renya sat at a table covered in medicinal herbs, not even looking up.
"I'm working on an antidote that can neutralize most poisons."
Sunagakure's poison masters would definitely create new types of poison.
He couldn't always remain passive, responding after the fact.
It was better to go on the offensive and prepare a more advanced antidote in advance.
That way, he wouldn't have to stay stuck here every day.
He hadn't worked hard to become strong just to end up a battlefield medic.
Besides, Renya had already figured out the techniques used by Sunagakure's poison masters. It wasn't hard for him to create antidotes based on their logic.
And if worse came to worst, he could just mass-produce antidotes for his own poisons.
Dealing with those weak poisons would be child's play.
Hearing this, Nara Mikage didn't disturb him further and tactfully exited the tent.
Once outside, the corners of his mouth began to lift uncontrollably, a smile even reaching his eyes.
If Renya could really create an antidote that countered Sunagakure's poisons…
Konoha's casualty rate would drop significantly.
Mikage didn't doubt Renya's words at all.
He believed that if Renya said he could do it, then he would.
Renya's performance over the past two days had completely won him over.
"No, I have to write to report this to Hokage-sama right away!"
Nara Mikage returned to the command tent and began composing a detailed report about Renya's achievements.
Thousands of words flowed from his brush, all of them praising Renya.
He rolled up the report and slipped it into the bamboo tube on a messenger pigeon's leg, patting its head.
"Deliver this to Hokage-sama."
Nara Mikage then began drafting the next phase of battle plans.
He firmly believed that it wouldn't be long before Renya developed a full countermeasure to Sunagakure's poisons.
And with reinforcements from the village already on their way…
Soon, they would sound the trumpet of counterattack.
Nara Mikage was full of confidence.
Perhaps the southwestern front would be the first battlefield to achieve victory.
And all of it would be thanks to Renya!
————————
Konoha Village, Hokage's Office.
Senju Tobirama sat at his desk, reading through intelligence reports from the frontlines. His expression was extremely grim.
[Northeastern Front: Hokage-sama, Kumogakure's forces are overwhelming. We're struggling to hold the line. Requesting reinforcements!]
[Southeastern Front: The Kaguya Clan are madmen. We've taken massive losses. Requesting reinforcements!]
[Northwestern Front: Currently in a stalemate with Iwagakure. They haven't launched an offensive yet.]
The war had only just begun.
And already, two out of the three fronts were calling for reinforcements.
Senju Tobirama rubbed his brow in frustration and sighed helplessly.
The Land of Fire was in a dire position...
"By now, that kid should have reached the battlefield, right?"
A few days ago, he had sent several jōnin and hundreds of chūnin to reinforce the various fronts.
Each jōnin was carefully assigned to a front based on their specialties.
Sunagakure specialized in poison, and that kid did too.
So Renya was assigned to the southwestern front.
With his poison skills, Renya should be a real asset on the battlefield.
...
Suddenly, a messenger pigeon flew in through the window.
Senju Tobirama retrieved the report from the bamboo tube and, upon reading its contents, rubbed his eyes reflexively.
"Wait... am I seeing things?"
He read the report five times in disbelief before finally confirming he hadn't misread it.
The entire document was nothing but praise for Renya.
It detailed every one of his achievements on the battlefield.
It even praised Senju Tobirama for being such a good teacher.
No one knew how long Tobirama sat there, unwilling to put the report down.
A rare smile crept across his face, and his eyes were full of satisfaction.
"That kid…"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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