Early January, Year 44 of Konoha.
Sunagakure sounded the horn of a full-scale counteroffensive against Konoha.
The Yamaji Clan mobilized multiple elite jōnin simultaneously, activating large-scale Sand Control Techniques. In an instant, a sky-shrouding sandstorm swept across the outskirts of Kikyo Pass, with a massive desert torrent rolling forward, plunging the Konoha camp into a hostile sand environment.
Sunagakure seized the initiative with overwhelming force.
Konoha's high command reacted quickly, issuing orders to adjust formations and prepare countermeasures. Just as various counter-techniques were about to be deployed, countless senbon and concealed weapons rained down from above.
Orochimaru extended his tongue slightly and let out a cold laugh.
"Ebizō really is bold… attacking even when Sunagakure is in this state."
Konoha knew Sunagakure's true strength very well. This assault looked spectacular, but how many waves could it truly sustain?
As long as they endured Sunagakure's initial push, Konoha's full counteroffensive would follow. This was the inevitable gap in overall strength between the two sides.
On the Sensory Unit front, Tsunade personally took command to guard against a Sunagakure strike, while Orochimaru remained on the front lines, summoning massive serpents to meet the enemy head-on.
Within the raging sandstorm, Shiraishi's squad advanced alongside the main force.
As a mobile vanguard unit, their true objective was not the Sensory Unit—
—but the Medical Corps.
Among everyone present, Shiraishi was the most certain of the Medical Corps' location.
Over the past few days, the number of cards within the Konoha camp had increased again, and they were extremely scattered, almost one per person.
They were not concentrated, but deliberately dispersed.
This clearly meant they were not being used offensively, but as defensive ninja tools. Aside from a few Konoha high-ranking officials, who else would warrant such protection?
Only medical ninja.
Combined with Ebizō's intelligence, Shiraishi confirmed that Konoha had distributed the majority of its skill cards to the Medical Corps as personal defensive equipment.
In truth, these indestructible cards had significantly increased the survival rate of medical ninja on many battlefields. That was precisely why Tsunade dared to leave the Medical Corps and personally sit with the Sensory Unit.
"It's Sunagakure!"
In the main Medical Corps area, the moment Sunagakure's forward units appeared, Konoha reacted swiftly. Nearby squads rushed in to reinforce, and fierce close-quarters combat erupted around the camp.
The opening charge was led by Kitajima, his face twisted with ferocity. His massive, blackened muscles surged as he smashed forward with a single punch, carrying terrifying, destructive power. Behind him, Fukuyama supported the assault, further amplifying the damage.
Saki and Haruka provided cover, unleashing dense volleys of senbon that left many Konoha ninja wounded.
Under Sunagakure's relentless offensive, several medical ninja began to retreat. Although most medical ninja were currently assigned across different squads, a significant number of logistics-focused medical ninja remained in the camp.
The leading medical ninja—skilled chūnin themselves—quickly organized resistance while continuously sending out distress signals. Before long, nearby Konoha units rushed in to support them.
Outside Konoha's main camp, Ebizō personally entered the battlefield.
Four colossal sand-and-mud giants advanced step by step with annihilating momentum. Orochimaru responded by summoning giant serpents to clash with them head-on.
Countless puppets descended from the sky, dropped directly into the Konoha camp.
Under normal circumstances, puppets were among Sunagakure's most precious military assets. This kind of cost-blind deployment could only mean one thing—
Sunagakure was fully committed.
"You old man… you're really willing to spend," Orochimaru sneered.
His figure moved like a venomous snake, closing in, but Ebizō responded coldly, surging his chakra as all four giants swung their fists down simultaneously.
At that moment, a massive sun-like sphere fell from the sky.
Pakura, wielding Scorch Release, charged straight into Konoha's main camp with overwhelming ferocity. Flames instantly engulfed the area.
Bathed in fire, Pakura unleashed torrents of searing energy, ripping at Konoha's defensive line. However, a powerful Hyūga jōnin soon emerged to engage her, entangling her in combat.
Though this Hyūga was inferior to Pakura in raw power, his Byakugan and extensive combat experience allowed him to restrain her temporarily.
This was Konoha.
Countless clans. Endless experts.
With Pakura held back, Sunagakure's frontal momentum weakened—but the mobile units, including Shiraishi's squad, had already infiltrated deep into the camp, plunging Konoha into chaos.
Multiple Yamaji Clan elders worked relentlessly to manipulate sand control techniques, reshaping the terrain to favor Sunagakure.
Amid the collision of senbon, kunai, and shuriken, Shiraishi moved with ghostlike speed, charging straight toward a Konoha ninja directing battlefield operations.
White Card — Reading Complete!
Sensing Shiraishi's approach, the Konoha ninja spun around and prepared to throw a kunai.
But Shiraishi's silver blade was faster.
A Whirlwind Blade erupted in a terrifying vortex, violently churning the surrounding airflow.
Compared to other ninja types, medical ninja generally possessed weaker direct combat ability. Aside from rare exceptions like Tsunade, most medical ninja served in support roles and had limited self-defense capability.
As Shiraishi's blade thrust toward him, the Konoha medic clenched his teeth, activating his card's defensive property while simultaneously forming hand seals to counterattack—
Only for the explosive sound of a blade piercing a heart to abruptly end the exchange.
In a single instant, the card shattered into fragments.
Shiraishi's silver blade drove mercilessly into the medical ninja's heart.
Frozen in shock, the medic couldn't comprehend why his card had failed. His mind never had time to process the answer.
Shiraishi didn't trust that the enemy was truly dead.
He twisted the blade.
The heart was shredded.
Skill Unlocked: Ice-Type Skill — Black Mist
The reading interface within the glasses displayed the result.
The white card etched with cyan patterns contained an Ice-type transformation skill: Black Mist.
According to the system's rules, Ice-type skills required mastery of both Wind and Water chakra attributes.
Unlike true Ice Release (Hyōton) in the shinobi world—which required a bloodline limit—this system only demanded dual-attribute proficiency.
Black Mist's effect:
Exhale a special dark mist that resets all combatants' enhanced states to their baseline. It erases buffs, suppresses amplification techniques, and severely disrupts vision.
It had no direct offensive power—
—but it was an exceptional support-type technique.
The system indicated that three other Konoha ninja with cards were still nearby.
Shiraishi stared intensely at the skill-to-technique conversion preview, imprinting every detail into his mind.
"Ice Release: Black Mist Technique!"
Hand seals snapped into place.
An eerie, pitch-black mist poured from Shiraishi's mouth, rapidly spreading throughout the Konoha camp.
Knowing this was his first time using Black Mist—and that its duration would be short—Shiraishi pushed Gathering Sand into overdrive, rapidly forming seals and layering the technique repeatedly.
Within the silent darkness, several Konoha ninja with strong sensory abilities turned pale in terror—
Their perception had been drastically weakened.
Silver light flashed.
Standing amid the expanding black fog, Shiraishi coldly observed the battlefield.
The blade—
Cut open the prologue of terror within the darkness.
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