Everyone was worried. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was their home, and the Land of Fire was its lifeline — their source of stability and mission income. If the Land of Fire were to fall, Konoha would not survive for long. They couldn't afford any losses.
Nara Shikaku, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Even if we want to send reinforcements, I doubt Iwagakure will give us the chance. They've left plenty of shinobi behind in the Land of Grass — no doubt to keep an eye on us. The moment we make a move, they'll know and attack the border. If that happens, we'll expose ourselves completely."
Hyūga Hiashi nodded in agreement.
"Shikaku is right. We must not move rashly. We're already in a passive position, and we don't even know the full extent of Iwagakure's forces. If we divide our troops now and they strike, the results would be disastrous."
Yamanaka Inoichi frowned deeply.
"We're under pressure from Iwagakure, Orochimaru-sama is facing the Cloud's invasion, and there's no one left to spare for support. Facing three great villages at once... the burden on Konoha is too great."
No one had expected the situation to turn this dire so soon after the war began.
Three great villages attacking simultaneously — even in Konoha's long history of conflicts, this level of pressure was unprecedented.
Lock sat quietly, his thoughts heavy. Before the war, the Third Hokage had prepared for countless possibilities, yet none of them seemed to matter now. The enemy's coordination was ruthless — as if the three great nations had decided to carve up the Land of Fire completely.
Jiraiya finally broke the silence.
"We can't send a large force, but a small elite unit... that's different."
Everyone turned to him as he continued, "I've already thought of a plan. Shikaku, Inoichi, Hiashi — you'll each lead an elite team. The numbers will be small, but you must move with maximum speed toward the western front to support Tsunade."
Shikaku hesitated briefly, then nodded. "That could work... but what about here?"
"I'll hold the line," Jiraiya said firmly. "Unless that old fossil Ōnoki comes in person, I won't let Iwagakure advance even a single step."
Then he turned to Lock.
"And you — you'll go with them. Tsunade's forces need strong fighters right now, and you'll make the difference."
Jiraiya's instincts were sharp. Though Lock was still young, his strength already surpassed that of most elite jōnin. Few could match him on this front — and Tsunade, unable to fight herself, needed someone like him to balance the battlefield.
Alongside Shikaku's Ino–Shika–Chō trio and Hiashi's Hyūga squad, they formed a small but powerful strike team — seventy-two shinobi in total, each one elite. They could fight like hundreds.
Lock didn't object. He knew that the frontlines near the Land of Grass would likely remain in a stalemate for now, while the western front — where the Rock–Sand alliance pressed hard — would be the true inferno of this war.
"It's settled," Jiraiya said. "Gather your men and move out immediately."
Within the hour, the team was assembled: Shikaku, Inoichi, Hiashi, their clansmen, and Lock among them.
Seventy-two shinobi in all, heading west.
Even though seventy-two was a small number against thousands, their coordination and strength could easily change the tide of a battle.
They traveled through forests and fields at top speed. By the next day, they were nearing the western border.
Just then, Yamanaka Inoichi suddenly stiffened.
"There's chakra activity ahead — a lot of it. Someone's fighting."
Shikaku's eyes narrowed. "The Rock–Sand alliance must be attacking again. Let's move in to support them."
"I'll go first," Lock said, and before anyone could reply, he vanished.
In a blink, he was gone — a flicker through the trees, his chakra masked. He couldn't afford to teleport directly into the middle of a battle; stealth didn't make him invincible, and walking into friendly fire would be suicide.
Within moments, he reached the edge of the battlefield.
The western border of the Land of Fire was covered in dense, ancient forests. Smoke rose between the trees, and Lock could see the chaos clearly from his perch.
Below, a squad of Konoha shinobi — barely a dozen — was surrounded by nearly forty enemy ninjas from Iwagakure and Sunagakure. The odds were hopelessly uneven.
Without hesitation, Lock flashed forward, appearing behind a Sand ninja.
A single, clean strike — one down.
He spun and cut through a Rock ninja next, felling him instantly.
The enemy reacted fast.
"Enemy attack! It's Konoha!" someone shouted.
Several Sand ninjas rushed toward him, weapons ready.
Lock's gaze sharpened.
"Smokescreen."
A cloud burst forth, enveloping the area. Hidden within the haze, Lock's movements turned fluid and deadly.
He slipped through shadows — each flicker followed by the glint of a blade and a scream cut short.
The Sand shinobi caught in the smoke were mid- and low-ranking fighters, far too slow to keep up. They couldn't even react before Lock's strikes found them one by one. Even when he didn't kill outright, his precision left them crippled and unable to fight.
Within moments, the tide had begun to turn.
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