Higashino Makoto had been in the ninja world for more than nine years, and this was the first time he finally saw what combat between ninjas during a war was actually like.
There was no intention on either side to stop and talk, to probe each other, or to exchange information. Konohagakure and Kirigakure, already in a state of hostilities, seemed to share an irreconcilable blood feud—once their ninjas met, they fought with lethal intent.
Twelve Kirigakure ninjas split up and attempted to break through, but Konohagakure held an absolute numerical advantage. Every Kirigakure ninja had to face several opponents at once.
These water-style fighters were all ruthless. Even in such a disadvantageous situation, no one chose to surrender. Ninjas raised in the Bloody Mist were cruel to themselves—and even more cruel to their enemies.
Surrender? That option had never existed in the brutal education they had received since childhood.
After the first wave of ninjutsu exchanges between the two sides, they quickly closed the distance and became entangled in close combat. A brief series of thunderous booms erupted around the lake and its shoreline, followed immediately by dense, continuous clashes of metal.
Unfortunately, the outcome of the battle had been decided from the very beginning.
In the absence of top-tier experts capable of suppressing the enemy with overwhelming strength, numbers were the greatest advantage.
Even in direct ninjutsu exchanges, some of Konohagakure's water-style techniques were executed better than Kirigakure's—at the very least, Water Dragon Bullet did not require the painstaking formation of forty-four hand seals.
Some old Senju ghost in the Pure Land: "They're all my techniques. Every single one of them was developed by this old man."
The battle began quickly and ended just as quickly. Ninja combat was simply like that.
On the outer perimeter, the genin newcomers assigned to hold the line watched the fighting not far away with envy, witnessing for the first time how chūnin and jōnin engaged their enemies.
Unfortunately, they could only observe from the sidelines. It was not their turn to participate in this battle; there was no need to rush in and add pointless casualties. Staying put, absorbing experience and credit, was the correct choice.
Regardless of how the upper leadership interpreted the Will of Fire, among the powerful chūnin and jōnin below, the Will of Fire in their hearts was at least not distorted. In chaotic battles, they would usually stand in front of the younger generation.
Higashino Makoto's three-man squad was responsible for defending this direction between the lake and Konohagakure.
Not far to their left was Tokuma's squad, and to their right was the Gate God squad.
Well, although they had graduated last year and had participated in the Chūnin Exams, at present only Hyūga Tokuma had been promoted to chūnin, and their team was still classified as a genin squad.
Higashino Makoto stood on a tree, carefully observing the battle in the distance.
Although he was very strong, he was not the type who liked to show off, and he had no intention of going up to join the fight.
But sometimes, when luck comes, you cannot stop it.
In his perception, a quick-witted little Kirigakure brat had fortunately survived the encirclement and was breaking through directly in their direction.
Higashino Makoto immediately said to Hayate and Yūgao, "Prepare for battle—an enemy is coming."
"Yes!" The two drew their weapons and stood ready.
Very soon, a Kirigakure kunoichi who looked to be around twenty years old crossed the open ground between the lake and the forest, stumbling as she ran toward them.
Higashino Makoto's group had sharp eyes. They saw that more than a dozen kunai were embedded in that beautiful woman's body, like a hedgehog. One of them was even lodged at the position of her heart, yet for some reason she was not dead. Perhaps she had some special constitution; maybe that was what let her slip through and escape by sheer luck.
In any case, it clearly wasn't because of a generous bust—this female ninja's chest was rather underwhelming.
Unfortunately, there was still a Konohagakure ambush on the outer perimeter. Even if it were not Higashino Makoto, it would have been the same with any other genin squad; in her half-dead state, she probably would not have been able to escape very far.
This Kirigakure kunoichi also knew there were people in the forest, so she did not hesitate at all. She poured chakra into it and opened with a B-rank Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave to clear a path.
She was not trying to kill anyone—she only wanted to blast open a route so she could run for her life.
A massive volume of water surged over like ocean waves.
Unfortunately, she was not Hoshigaki Kisame, and this was not a large-scale water technique. The volume of water and the impact force were limited.
Higashino Makoto jumped down to the ground, planting his feet deep into the mud. Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao naturally trusted their teammate's defensive power; they did not even ask, and with tacit understanding they landed together and stood beside him.
Higashino Makoto stretched both hands forward, and a large amount of chakra surged out from his ten fingers.
Water Release: One-Horn Tranquility.
A pale blue, hemispherical defensive barrier protected the three inside. No matter how the water battered it, the barrier was squeezed and deformed slightly, but it was as steady as an old dog—like a fat soap bubble you could never poke through.
After casting the ninjutsu, the injured Kirigakure kunoichi's consciousness grew increasingly hazy, and she did not notice anything wrong beneath the flowing water.
When she charged forward closely behind the water flow, she saw the three youngsters standing there completely unscathed, and her muddled mind froze for a moment.
Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao were not rookies who had never killed before; the two seized the opening and slashed at her.
Sensing the opponent's depleted chakra and unfocused eyes, Higashino Makoto gave a prompt warning: "Take her alive."
The two immediately shifted their blade trajectories, one on each side severing her hand tendons and leg tendons. As they passed each other, Gekkō Hayate followed up with a spinning kick, sending the enemy flying toward Higashino Makoto.
Higashino Makoto shifted his body slightly. He had already sensed support coming from the left, and with a single punch he struck the Kiri kunoichi at the back of the head, smoothly sending her onward toward the other side.
If there is credit to be earned, remember to share it with your companions.
With his Byakugan active, Hyūga Tokuma naturally saw that an enemy had broken out from the lakeside battlefield and rushed over to provide support.
Facing the Kiri kunoichi flying toward him, he did not waste a word and went straight in with Gentle Fist to strike her tenketsu. Immediately afterward, Aburame Muta beside him used kikaichū to drain the remaining chakra from her body.
The poor Kirigakure kunoichi had thought she would escape with her life, only to run into two eager little Konohagakure squads desperate to earn merit, and she ended up receiving a smooth, compact combo.
If she still had any consciousness left, she would definitely have bitten her finger.
To perform the Summoning Technique? No—at that point, all she would have wanted was to carve the word "miserable" over and over into her thigh.
But the ninja world is like this: in battle, no one cares whether you are a beautiful woman. Once there is an opening, they strike with lethal intent.
Fortunately, her life was spared. Unfortunately, what awaited her afterward would likely be even worse.
After all, the commander on the eastern front was Orochimaru. Once the intelligence in her head was thoroughly extracted, she would naturally be placed on the experiment table. For a physique that could survive having a kunai driven into the heart, the Uncle Snake would wash his face with his tongue while shouting, "Subarashii!"
With no women in his heart, experiments naturally become divine.
The Uncle Snake was someone who had cast off humanity's low-level interests and had no particular pursuit of matters between the sexes; in the future, he might even change his own sex.
...
After Aburame Muta recalled the kikaichū, Higashino Makoto stepped forward to check the Mist kunoichi, who had completely lost consciousness. With chakra wrapped around his hand, he carefully removed the small devices on her body meant for suicide.
Then, with one hand he pulled out the kunai, and with the other he treated her wounds.
A perfectly good captive—she could not be allowed to die.
Kunoichi, attractive, prisoner, stripped of the ability to resist…
For some reason, many unpleasant scenes he had seen in his previous life surfaced in his mind.
Unfortunately, when he cleared the poison sac from her mouth, the Mist kunoichi's distinctive set of sharp, shark-like teeth instantly dispelled all such fantasies.
Sharp teeth… harmful to future offspring.
No wonder Terumī Mei would have trouble getting married later. Even though that woman was excessively beautiful and did not have shark teeth, Boil Release and Lava Release…
Hyūga Tokuma grew more and more displeased as he watched. "Makoto, you bastard—having outstanding sensory abilities would be one thing, but you can even use medical ninjutsu. You really are a monster, aren't you?"
"Huh? Tokuma, why are you insulting me?" Makoto replied. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have shared the credit with your squad."
Hearing this, Hyūga Tokuma immediately bowed. "I was wrong. Please be sure to share some of the credit with our squad."
This guy really did not seem like someone from the Hyūga branch family at all.
Wasn't it said that every member of the Hyūga branch family always looked bitter and resentful? Did you and your two taciturn teammates get your roles mixed up? The Caged Bird Seal is carved on their heads, not yours, right?
Gekkō Kumomi and Sarutobi Hiyoma had already arrived. The fighting in the lake was over, and both of them were completely unscathed— even their hairstyles had not changed.
Gekkō Kumomi said in surprise, "Huh? You actually managed to take a live captive?"
Uzuki Yūgao said, "Sensei, don't tell me that with so many of you, you couldn't keep even one alive."
Gekkō Kumomi did not want to speak.
Sarutobi Hiyoma said awkwardly, "Ahaha… Kirigakure ninjas are all lunatics. If they can't win, they slap explosive tags on their own heads. Who wants to be buried along with those bastards?"
Gekkō Kumomi immediately changed the subject. "Alright, both of your squads did well and earned great merit. Let's gather by the lake— and treat the wounded while we're at it."
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