Chapter 143: I Alone Will Launch the Assault!
With Tori's declaration, everyone's attention immediately focused on the document in his hand. When they saw that it indeed bore the official signatures and seals of many high-ranking officials from the Konoha camp, they were all astonished.
This Uchiha kid was going to lead their assault force?
He was only twelve years old!
Konoha's most talented young ninja, Hatake Kakashi, was still only a chunin, currently serving under Namikaze Minato.
And Tsukasa was going to become a unit commander?
For a moment, everyone looked at Tsukasa in astonishment, feeling as if they were dreaming.
Of course, after witnessing the boy's heroic performance on the battlefield, they had no objection to this decision. Even the proud Uchiha members in the unit didn't protest.
On the contrary, in such a chaotic battlefield in the Land of Rain—a meat grinder where ninja fought desperately for survival—having such a powerful leader would greatly increase their chances of making it out alive!
Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope rose in everyone's eyes as they looked at Tsukasa, silently praying this young man would accept the appointment.
Under everyone's gaze, Tsukasa was also somewhat dumbfounded.
He had considered that Orochimaru might allow him free action, but he never imagined that Orochimaru would so confidently entrust the command of an entire unit to him.
To him—a mere twelve-year-old chunin?
Tsukasa instinctively wanted to refuse.
What a joke! What did he know about command?
Leadership wasn't child's play, nor was it about having this unit stand behind him as spectators like before.
These were living, breathing people—his own comrades.
As a commander, intelligence gathering, coordination, attack, defense—all sorts of tactical considerations. If any one aspect wasn't handled properly, it could very well lead to their annihilation.
He looked up, about to refuse, when he saw the expectant gazes of the people around him.
Those gazes were complex, containing unease, trepidation, fear, and the clarity born from brutal self-awareness.
But above all, there was trust.
No reason needed.
Just that absolute trust—the kind that tells you at a glance, "I believe you can definitely lead us to victory!"
Tsukasa couldn't quite describe the feeling.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire Konoha assault force, a familiar line inexplicably popped into his mind—words he'd once heard from someone far wiser than himself:
"I never wanted to be a leader. I fight, and they follow. The weight of that burden... it's like a thousand people hanging on your every word. They're waiting for me to speak—what should I say?"
The words of refusal reached his lips, but under those gazes, Tsukasa inexplicably swallowed them back.
Yes, what should he say at this moment?
Would he have to fight alone again?
Knowing that the enemy was powerful enough to force Aburame Ryoma to fire a red signal flare, with his own chakra completely exhausted—in a state where he couldn't even defeat that arrogant snake—the disparity in strength was overwhelming. In this critical moment, every bit of power was invaluable!
Could he really refuse this gift?
Tsukasa fell silent.
In his current state, rushing to Aburame Ryoma's aid alone was impossible.
To save people, to join the battle, to turn the tide, he had to shoulder the lives of these people, their expectations, their fate.
With this opportunity placed before him, as long as he wanted to continue fighting, he couldn't refuse.
But bearing their expectations, personally commanding them to fight in this meat grinder, potentially sending them to their deaths—it conflicted with his solitary, reckless approach.
Wildfires raged in the night wind, and smoke drifted beneath the starlight.
In the center of a desolate battlefield, ninety assault ninja stood expectantly around Tsukasa, awaiting his decision and every word their young commander would utter!
Finally, under everyone's gaze, Tsukasa opened his dark eyes.
He took a deep breath, and with the help of Shin'ya and Shisui, struggled to his feet.
Then he raised his remaining left hand to receive the appointment document, holding it high!
This single gesture stirred the hearts of the entire assault unit, filling their eyes with jubilation!
Tsukasa faced the crowd, his gaze intense and voice resonant:
"Everyone!"
"In this Third Shinobi World War, in this operation against Sunagakure—we are the expendable pawns!"
"We are the abandoned ones!"
"We are bait deliberately fed to Sunagakure!"
"But—"
Tsukasa pointed to the battlefield he had blasted into ruins and shouted:
"If we compare the Sunagakure forces before us to an insurmountable wall, then at this moment, we have broken through that wall and proven ourselves!"
"From this moment on, we will be a true assault force!"
He surveyed his surroundings, then analyzed in a commanding voice:
"Now—the main battlefield is embroiled in fierce combat! The flank mission is facing failure! The fate of the core infiltration team is unknown!"
"Our intelligence has been compromised, and the tactical situation has fallen under enemy control!"
"Externally, the Sunagakure army is invading, and the predatory ambitions of various nations are blatantly obvious as they attempt to invade our homeland!"
"At this moment, we face threats from within and without—a critical moment of survival!"
"The only thing we can be certain of is that only we have achieved a decisive victory!"
"I now understand the full significance of my standing here!"
Tsukasa's eyes flashed with fierce determination, and he raised his arm high, pointing the document toward the edge of the desert ten miles away where red smoke billowed:
"Then, from now on, I will take command of the Konoha assault force—"
"To carry out a true surprise attack!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the entire Konoha assault force lit up, and they stared eagerly at Tsukasa.
"HAI!"
The crowd responded in unison, their postures straightening as if they'd been given a powerful stimulant, their faces radiant with renewed purpose!
The initial bewilderment and helplessness they'd felt upon learning of their predicament vanished completely after Tsukasa's words.
Indeed, as Tsukasa said, with the battlefields on all fronts in chaos, they—despite being used as bait—were the only unit to have achieved victory!
Although this victory was brought about by the young man before them, what could be more inspiring than witnessing this insane feat of one person forcefully suppressing three hundred enemies?!
Even Shin'ya, supporting Tsukasa, felt his blood rising, wishing he could shout and follow Tsukasa to witness what a true assault operation looked like.
However, just as the assault team members were immersed in jubilation, their blood boiling from Tsukasa's words, Uchiha Shisui—standing to Tsukasa's right and supporting him—suddenly felt his eyelids twitch violently.
Shisui suddenly realized that this scene seemed strangely familiar, and why did this tone feel so... ominous?
And what did Tsukasa mean by that? What did he mean by "I will carry out a true surprise attack"?
Shouldn't it be "we" when describing completing a mission?
Shisui suddenly looked up, sensing something was wrong.
At that moment, Tsukasa stood in the center of the jubilant crowd, observing their high-spirited expressions, and nodded with a smile.
The next moment, he gripped the document tightly, raised his left hand high, and commanded:
"Everyone, listen to my orders!"
At his command, everyone in the Konoha assault force immediately stood at attention, looked up at the boy in the center of the battlefield, and shouted back:
"HAI!"
The voices were so loud that even the crows circling overhead, attracted by the smell of blood, scattered in alarm!
Tsukasa looked at everyone with a solemn gaze, as if he was about to issue some critical mission!
For a moment, the surroundings fell silent, the atmosphere heavy with anticipation. Everyone held their breath, looking intently at the boy before them.
Then, he solemnly announced:
"All members of the Konoha assault force! Led by Uchiha Shin'ya, gather your equipment and return to the Konoha camp via the safest route!"
Tsukasa paused, then—amidst the astonished gazes of everyone who seemed to doubt their ears—clenched his left fist and pounded it against his heart!
He solemnly declared:
"This mission—will be carried out by me alone!"
"I alone will launch the assault!"
End of Chapter 143
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