"All the enemy scouts have been eliminated!"
"Excellent!"
Hearing the Hyuga clan's report,
Uchiha Fugaku nodded with satisfaction.
Reconnaissance was truly a task for professionals.
The Byakugan lived up to its reputation as a top-tier detection ability.
Every sentry from Kumogakure's camp had been silently eliminated without a trace.
With no scouts alerted,
Fugaku led the main force straight to the edge of the Kumogakure camp without the slightest effort.
Inside the camp,
the ninja of Kumogakure remained completely unaware of the danger.
Perhaps they truly believed Konoha had just arrived and needed time to settle in,
or perhaps they assumed Konoha wouldn't dare launch an attack.
Whatever the case, the enemy camp was relaxed,
utterly lacking any sense of vigilance.
Seeing this, Fugaku wasted no time.
He struck while the enemy was off-guard.
"Operate in small squads. Infiltrate from the periphery!"
"Minimize any noise or commotion!"
"If any team makes a mistake and alerts the enemy, all squads must immediately regroup!"
"Understood?!"
At Fugaku's command,
the allied forces broke into smaller squads, infiltrating the Kumogakure camp silently.
"Pft!"
"You… gu-gu-gu-gu!!"
In an instant,
the outer defenses were slaughtered.
Those who managed to react barely uttered a word before their throats were cut,
letting out countless gurgling sounds of rage and despair before falling.
It seemed the outer Kumogakure ninja were nothing more than cannon fodder,
completely powerless against the Konoha squads.
Inside the Konoha squads,
the warriors' eyes glinted red with excitement.
These were battlefield achievements,
obtained with such ease.
With their morale high, the squads pressed deeper into the camp.
However, deeper inside,
the Kumogakure ninja grew stronger,
and eliminating them silently became more difficult.
Still, the Konoha squads executed their mission flawlessly.
Meanwhile, Yugito, who had returned to her tent, suddenly sensed something amiss.
Her brow furrowed as she looked toward the camp's perimeter.
By moonlight,
the camp was unnaturally silent—too quiet.
Sniff—
Sniff—
As Yugito inhaled,
the Second Tail spoke within her mind.
"Yugito, be careful! There's the scent of blood!"
"Your camp is under attack!"
Yugito's expression changed drastically.
"Damn it! We were careless!"
"These Konoha people really know how to pick their moments!"
They hadn't expected Konoha to launch a sudden strike.
Now, before the Raikage even arrived,
the enemy lines had already been breached.
Yugito quickly fired a signal flare.
Instantly, the Kumogakure camp awoke in alarm.
The remaining ninja quickly became alert.
Killer B emerged from his tent,
and after a brief exchange with Yugito,
his expression turned grim.
As the remaining ninja gathered,
they realized the extent of the disaster:
the outer Genin had all been eliminated,
most Chunin were missing,
and even a few Jonin were nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it!"
"Everyone, watch your surroundings!!"
The heavy casualties enraged both Yugito and Killer B.
Though the main Kumogakure force had yet to arrive,
this camp represented a significant part of their frontline,
and already so many had perished before the battle even began.
Meanwhile, the perpetrators of this chaos—
the Konoha army—
had vanished the moment Yugito fired the flare,
all squads regrouping together.
Fugaku, seeing the smiles on their faces,
knew the operation had been a huge success.
"Ha ha ha, let's move!"
"Before the main force of Kumogakure arrives!"
"Let's wipe out their vanguard in one sweep!"
At Fugaku's order,
the army surged toward the center of the camp.
Soon, the central Kumogakure forces spotted the invading Konoha ninja.
"Lord Killer B! Uchiha ninja spotted to the north!"
"Lord Killer B! Uchiha ninja also spotted to the west!"
"Uchiha ninja spotted to the east as well!!!"
With each report,
Killer B and Yugito grew more serious.
Konoha had already surrounded them on three sides.
The south had been left open—likely to prevent the Kumogakure ninja from dying in a corner with no escape,
especially with two Jinchuriki in the camp.
If the Tailed Beasts were unleashed,
they would inevitably inflict significant damage on Konoha's forces.
Amidst this chaos, both Yugito and Killer B were perplexed.
Such a maneuver didn't feel like something Sarutobi Hiruzen or Danzo could orchestrate.
And Konoha's visible combat strength?
There weren't many who could handle such a task.
As they pondered,
the surrounding Kumogakure ninja suddenly let out shouts of shock.
The Genin guarding the perimeter stumbled backward, frightened.
"What's happening?!!"
"Hold your ground! What's going on?!"
When Yugito inquired,
the ninja in the front pointed forward,
some too terrified to even stand.
"It… It's… the Uchiha!!!"
Looking toward the front of the chaos,
led by Uchiha Fugaku,
a massive group of Uchiha clan ninja advanced.
Most importantly,
all of them had activated their Sharingan.
In the dim night, their crimson eyes glared sharply.
Even the hardened Yugito felt her heart skip a beat.
The sheer oppressive aura was terrifying—
even Yugito, seasoned as she was, was shaken.
"The U-Uchiha clan… How are they on the battlefield?!"