In the eastern region of the Land of Fire, at a Konoha ninja camp just a dozen miles from the coastline—
The stillness of night was shattered by the roar of exploding paper bombs.
Many shinobi, already deep in sleep, never had the chance to open their eyes again—killed in their sleep by the sudden assault.
Leading the charge was Fuguki Suikazan, bringing with him hundreds of Kirigakure shinobi, launching a frenzied assault on the camp.
He fought the Konoha shinobi with reckless abandon, trading blows without care for his own safety—staking his life on this battle.
The commander stationed along the eastern coastal border was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen's eldest son—Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
At this moment, Shinnosuke, gripping a chakra-forged ninjatō in both hands, was locked in a stalemate with Fuguki Suikazan.
The two were evenly matched, but each time their blades clashed, Shinnosuke could feel the chakra infused into his weapon being siphoned away by the strange sword in Fuguki's hands.
The balance of chakra between them kept shifting—his chakra slowly diminishing as Fuguki's surged. Before long, the tide turned against him.
Yet in the broader battlefield, Konoha's forces began to push back.
Under the leadership of Captain #1 and the seasoned Genin, Maruboshi Kosuke, they gradually overcame the initial disadvantage.
A large number of Kirigakure shinobi were cut down during Konoha's counteroffensive.
By the time Fuguki Suikazan realized what was happening, only around two hundred of the nearly seven hundred shinobi he had brought remained.
A surge of dread welled up in his heart, and he immediately ordered a retreat.
Once the enemy withdrew, Sarutobi Shinnosuke surveyed the wreckage of the camp and compiled a rough report.
There had originally been more than 1,500 shinobi stationed here, but after the enemy's surprise attack, fewer than 1,000 remained.
And this was only the enemy's vanguard. Despite their numbers, they had only managed to inflict casualties on a one-to-one ratio.
Without hesitation, the entire camp transitioned into wartime readiness. A second-level alert was issued, and a meeting was convened inside the command tent.
During the meeting, Nara #1 delivered the battle damage report and current supply status.
"Of the remaining 1,024 shinobi, nine are in critical condition and require immediate medical attention. Another 103 have sustained minor injuries that won't impact combat readiness."
"As for supplies—we have enough to hold out for a month if there's no renewed attack."
"However, the warehouse was destroyed. What food and weapons remain will last us three days at best."
Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Shinnosuke felt the crushing weight of command bear down on him.
"What about communications? Has word been sent to the village requesting reinforcements?"
"The supplies... three days? It'll take at least two for backup to arrive from Konoha!"
Captain #1 stepped forward calmly to ease Shinnosuke's growing agitation.
"It's already been taken care of. Shiranui Genma, Raidō Namiashi, and Tatami Iwashi once served as guards to the Fourth Hokage."
"They can perform the Flying Thunder Formation together. I instructed them to use it the moment the enemy struck, to transmit intel back to the village."
"Give it two days. Reinforcements will arrive."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke exhaled heavily in relief.
Thank heavens those three could use the Flying Thunder Formation. Without it, the entire eastern border of the Land of Fire might've been lost.
But just then—shouts erupted from outside the tent.
Shinnosuke, Captain #1, Maruboshi Kosuke, and Nara #1 rushed outside immediately.
A wounded shinobi collapsed before them, his shoulder pierced through. Using the last of his strength, he gasped out his dying message:
"Two enemies… black cloaks… red clouds…"
And then—silence.
The four immediately mobilized, leading surrounding shinobi toward the breached frontline.
But when they arrived, they found the northern edge of the eastern defense line had been completely overrun. More than twenty Chunin lay dead, their bodies dismembered, pieces scattered across the earth. The corpses of four Jonin and nearly a dozen more Chunin were missing entirely.
Maruboshi Kosuke drew the chakra blade from the scabbard strapped behind his back. The once gentle lines of his face now hardened, stern and steeped in killing intent.
"Looks like we're not just dealing with Hidden Mist shinobi."
"I'll hold this line."
"You and Shinnosuke will reinforce the other two defense lines."
"I may be old, but I still have this blade…"
"I won't let the Nidaime's Water Style legacy die here."
Kosuke wasn't wrong.
Judging from the devastation, ordinary Jonin didn't stand a chance.
With just two enemies, the entire defense line had been annihilated. Their strength likely rivaled that of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
In fact, given the sheer speed and damage, they might even surpass them.
Nara #1's mind raced as he observed the battlefield.
Wide scorch marks stained the ground. Trees bore lightning-scorched wounds. The soil was soaked, puddled where Water Style attacks had drenched the area—leaving behind strange, faint red circles.
A faint black scorch trail scarred the ground.
Clues everywhere. Pieces to a puzzle.
Eyes closed, he visualized the scene in reverse, reconstructing the events from the residual evidence.
One mutilated corpse had been bludgeoned by something massive—but not smoothly. The wounds weren't clean like a sword's cut. More like a scythe.
The body bore no single lethal wound. Could he have bled out from the severed limbs?
No—judging by the man's expression, that didn't fit. His face was frozen in fear and confusion, blood still fresh at his mouth.
Nara #1 placed a palm on the man's chest. A shadow tendril stretched from his fingers, slipping into the chest cavity as he searched.
Then—he opened his eyes.
Captain #1 approached quickly.
"Did you find something?"
"The torso was intact, but his heart was pierced clean through."
"There are residual markings on the ground. Could be part of a ritual… or a trigger for a cursed technique."
"The others were taken out by large-scale ninjutsu."
"These two—whoever they are—are extremely powerful. The one who uses curse techniques prefers a large scythe."
"That's all I can conclude right now. I'm sorry…"
Shinnosuke clapped him on the shoulder firmly.
"This is more than enough intel!"
"Don't worry. Reinforcements are coming in two days."
"There's no way we're letting this slip through our hands!"
Shinnosuke's words drew a bitter smile from Nara #1.
He knew it was meant to raise morale.
But as a Nara… he couldn't lie to himself.
If he were to make a worst-case assumption about the enemy's strength—
…it would be Kage-level.
He just didn't say it out loud.
Because someone had to keep hope alive.
…
…
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