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When Sawara Kiri's intelligence report first reached the forward command, it failed to draw anyone's attention.
Considering his promising future, Nara Shikama, after forwarding the report to the general headquarters, merely reprimanded the Sawara Squad as usual, instructed them to continue their mission, and then dismissed it from his mind.
It wasn't until a day later, when Orochimaru saw another intelligence report, that he suddenly retrieved the one from the forward command.
"Estimated five to eight days ago, twenty-three individuals from the Southwest Border Patrol Squadron went missing."
"No bodies found?"
Orochimaru slammed the report on the table and turned to his assistant, a rare stern expression on his face:
"Why is this intelligence only arriving now?"
"Who is in charge of the Southwest Border Intelligence Department?"
The assistant froze, his voice tightening slightly, but he still immediately replied: "Lord Orochimaru, due to severe infiltration phenomena across various battlefields, several intelligence reports, including this one, were missed due to communication interference."
"The Southwest Border Intelligence Department only reissued a copy today because they hadn't received a corresponding reply."
In the assistant's view, the silent disappearance of one or two squadrons, or even large units of dozens of people, on the battlefield was a common occurrence during wartime.
However, why was Lord Orochimaru, who usually didn't even frown at numerous casualty reports, so furious today?
"..."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's hand on the table clenched into a fist, a rare display of intense emotion.
However, after understanding the cause and effect, he no longer reprimanded his subordinate.
Orochimaru took a deep breath, calming himself, and after a moment of thought, immediately instructed his assistant:
"Immediately notify Nara Shikama and instruct him to conduct a large-scale search of the southwest front line!"
"All intelligence departments are to immediately conduct full-scale enemy intelligence searches within their respective territories, and deploy the Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka reconnaissance reserve teams from the general headquarters with Kikyo Castle as their base…"
After issuing a series of commands, Orochimaru sat at his desk, looking at the intelligence report from yesterday, his face grim.
"Sawara Kiri."
"He really saved my life."
Since this Sunagakure team was only discovered by a single reconnaissance squadron during their entire operation, it indicated that this Sunagakure team, which had penetrated deep into the Land of Fire, should not exceed three hundred people. Their numbers were small, yet they had advanced to this position.
"A Tailed Beast? Or is the Third Kazekage personally leading them?"
"Or perhaps, both?"
As a Kage-level expert, Orochimaru knew very well the destructive power of the Third Kazekage, who mastered Magnet Release and was known as the 'Strongest Kazekage'.
If a Tailed Beast appeared within Kikyo Castle, all his plans for a comeback would be ruined.
Orochimaru's expression grew even tenser; he could not accept such a significant oversight in his strategic planning.
"I must immediately ascertain their location!"
"Earlier, he was saying things like, 'How dare I retreat without orders?"..."
"Now, he's eagerly pulling Kiri out again!"
"That old geezer…"
Miss Megumi grumbled discontentedly, gritting her teeth, looking like she was nursing a grudge.
In reality, it was entirely because Nara Shikama had spoken a few extra words about Sawara Kiri that day.
Only when it came to matters concerning Kiri, Miss Megumi, who was usually calm, rational to the point of being unapproachable, and not very talkative, would appear exceptionally vindictive.
At this point, not only Sawara Kiri knew this.
Even Namikaze Minato and Yakushi Nonō, his teammates, had all noticed. Faced with such a situation, they all remained silent, silently urging Sawara Kiri with their gazes.
"Alright, Megumi."
Under their gazes, Sawara Kiri could only lean closer and softly console her: "After all, it's wartime, and Lord Shikama is also upholding military discipline."
With just one sentence, Miss Megumi said no more.
"Hmph."
Sawara Kiri secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, when he turned his head, he caught Minato giving him a teasing smile in his peripheral vision, and even the little one, Yakushi Nonō, was trying hard to maintain her poker face, doing her best not to show too much emotion.
These two guys…
Do you even know how much effort I've put into protecting this world?
If I'm not careful, Miss Megumi, with her Yandere power, might just punch the Tenseigan and kick Ōtsutsuki Kaguya!
Unfortunately, only he knew about such things.
Seemingly noticing his resentful gaze, Minato pursed his lips slightly, making his expression less obvious, before speaking:
"Speaking of which, it's been almost two days since we started searching from the patrol team's disappearance point, hasn't it?"
"Should we request another reconnaissance squad from above?"
"Having been here for so long, the front line…"
Minato was ostensibly helping Kiri out, but in reality, he was also expressing his own concern.
When they were on the front line, the pressure was already immense; what would happen if another squad took over?
"Indeed."
Sawara Kiri also had this intention.
In fact, he still carried the psychological inertia from his previous life.
In the original work, the Second Shinobi World War ultimately ended with Konoha's complete victory. If that was the case, it meant that it was unlikely for a monster exceeding Tailed Beast level to appear now.
If so, what was he worried about?
Idling here now, Sawara Kiri thought, was more likely to increase casualties on the front line.
However, just as he was thinking this, his hand suddenly covered his right ear.
A series of indistinct voices suddenly sounded in his mind.
Sawara Kiri's footsteps halted completely, his expression solemn, as he actively refined his Chakra on a larger scale.
After the transmission target became clearer, the clarity of the voice in his mind significantly improved, though it was still somewhat intermittent.
"Lord Sawara… Southern, south of Mount Katori… Sunagakure…"
"Hang in there."
He simply replied and immediately activated 'Six Eyes'.
This should be Yamanaka Omo's voice. The direction their squad was in was…
Seeing his appearance, the teammates beside him immediately fell silent, looking at him quietly.
In an instant, the vision rapidly surpassed a range of tens of kilometers. After compressing the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree brain processing range into a small area, the range his gaze could reach immediately became quite terrifying.
Finally, the image locked onto the face of an old man with white hair and a white beard.
Before him and several puppets, lay several fallen Konoha Ninja corpses.
As if by telepathy, the old man suddenly looked up, meeting his gaze that transcended space.
He bared a sinister smile.
Sawara Kiri's expression grew even more serious.
The only thing worth celebrating was that before they set off, Minato had given a Kunai to each squad.
"Minato! Locate Yamanaka Omo."
"About three meters behind the marker."
Sawara Kiri immediately issued the command, simultaneously drawing his Ninjatō and preparing for battle.
Although Minato had not yet reached the level of Flying Thunder God mastery he would in his previous life, he could already more or less perform teleportation with others.
Upon hearing Kiri's command, he didn't hesitate for a moment, forming hand signs with both hands.
"Grab my back."
The three immediately reached out their hands in unison.
Almost in an instant of spatial distortion, their figures abruptly appeared before the old man.
The moment his figure materialized, Sawara Kiri suddenly took a step forward.
His Ninjatō ignited, and he abruptly swung it forward.
Blazing like a meteor.
"Boom!!!"
The explosive flames spread forward with lightning speed, engulfing the white-haired, white-bearded old man and emitting a deafening roar.
However, to his surprise, that body suddenly spun and burst through the flames, rising into the air with the several puppets, hooked between the lush, tall ancient trees, swaying like dolls.
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh—!"
A series of piercing, hoarse laughs echoed in his ears.
"How terrifying, how terrifying!"
"To think that even today, I would witness Tobirama's spatial Ninjutsu again?"
The old man, with his slightly hunched figure, slowly walked out from behind another large tree.
"You're quite a hothead, kid."
"But, if that's all you've got, you'll never even touch this old man!"
The several puppets also simultaneously froze in mid-air.
Their puppet heads all turned towards the group.
"Let me show you."
"The puppet technique I've created with my entire life."
Monzaemon stood there, a look of excited amusement on his wrinkled face:
"White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets!"
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