The moment he heard the voice of Shikatsu, Veigar visibly paused, clearly surprised, though not entirely caught off guard.
Veigar had been seeking a clear understanding of the battlefield's current situation. As a seasoned scout and someone who had once served under Veigar's direct command, Shikatsu was undoubtedly one of the most suitable people for the task.
"The door's unlocked. Come in."
At Veigar's words, Shikatsu opened the door and stepped in, bowing respectfully.
"Captain Veigar, congratulations on your promotion to jōnin."
"Are your injuries all healed?"
Veigar gave a brief nod. "Appreciate it."
"I'm fine now. I'll be ready to return to the battlefield in a few more days."
A smile appeared on Shikatsu's face. "That's really good news."
Looking at the dust-covered Shikatsu, Veigar asked:
"How are Nanaki and Jun doing?"
"Are they alright?"
The mention of Jun and Nanaki dimmed Shikatsu's gaze momentarily. But he quickly composed himself and replied:
"They were discharged from the hospital yesterday. They're no longer in critical condition."
Veigar paused again, then said softly:
"That's good to hear. I hope they recover quickly."
As the conversation unfolded, Veigar learned that Shikatsu, Jun, and Nanaki had only just returned from the front lines the night before. Among the three, Shikatsu had suffered only minor injuries, but Jun and Nanaki had come terrifyingly close to death.
Shikatsu went on to describe the brutal reality of the front lines. Over the past month, battles broke out almost every three days, with major clashes every five.
Though the forces of Konohagakure had successfully repelled Sunagakure time and time again, keeping them outside the borders of the Land of Fire, the cost was staggering, over 600 Konoha shinobi had fallen.
Of course, the Sand forces suffered even more devastating losses, more than a thousand of their shinobi had perished.
Among the severely wounded on both sides, many would never fight again, even if they survived. The total death toll paled in comparison to the number of lives effectively lost to crippling injuries.
Now, fewer than 1,500 Konoha shinobi remained on the border.
In just over a month, their numbers at the front had plummeted by more than a thousand.
After Shikatsu left, Veigar finally had a complete picture of the harrowing state of the war over the past month.
...
Ten days later.
Veigar had fully recovered from his injuries. In that time, he had also fused fragments of Phenomenal Evil Power to integrate the Flying Raijin Technique seal left on him by Minato Namikaze.
He now possessed three Constant Ninjutsu techniques.
Fully equipped, a ninjatō slung diagonally across his waist, Veigar stepped confidently out of his room and made his way toward the command center.
Inside, Orochimaru sat alone at the head of the chamber. Compared to ten days earlier, the number of Konoha jōnin in the room had been cut by half.
Veigar found his place and stood to the side. Once four or five more shinobi had arrived, Orochimaru finally spoke.
"Everyone's here."
"Then let's proceed with the original plan."
As soon as he finished speaking, Veigar stepped forward from the crowd, accompanied by Shikuro Aburame and Yamashi Gekkō, two veteran Konoha jōnin.
"Orochimaru-sama."
The three knelt in unison at the center of the command room, awaiting orders.
"Shikuro. Yamashi. Veigar."
"This mission will depend on you."
In unison, they replied:
"Yes, sir."
Moments later, the trio departed from the command room. Veigar followed behind Shikuro and Yamashi as they made their way to a wide plaza carved out atop Mount Kikyō.
There, over fifty Konoha shinobi had already assembled. Most were chūnin or genin recently discharged from battlefield hospitals.
Shikatsu Aburame stood among them.
Some of these shinobi had suffered only minor injuries, others more severe, but now, despite their brief recovery, they were being sent to the front once more.
Stepping forward, Shikuro stood before the fifty gathered shinobi. His expression was cold and unreadable as he addressed them:
"You all know why we're here."
"I won't waste words. I just hope we all live to see this war end."
"Move out."
The shinobi answered as one:
"Yes!"
By noon, under a blazing sun, the fifty-plus Konoha shinobi departed Mount Kikyō, heading straight for the war-torn front lines on the border.
They were the reinforcements.
Leaving at midday, they were expected to arrive by sunset, where they would regroup with the Konoha forces entrenched at the front.
The formation swept through the forest like a black tide. As the sun began to dip westward, their high-speed advance meant they were only about thirty minutes from their destination.
Given the uncertainty of a potential attack by Sunagakure that night, it was crucial for the shinobi to conserve their strength and remain ready for combat at any moment.
From a high tree branch, Squad Captain Shikuro Aburame raised his right hand, a silent signal.
"Stop. Twenty-minute break."
The hours of travel had taken their toll. While Shikuro, Yamashi, Veigar, and a handful of chūnin remained steady, the genin among them were clearly reaching their limit.
Shikuro's sudden call for rest brought visible relief to many.
As the group paused, they immediately pulled out rations and water, devouring them with speed born of fatigue and urgency.
Veigar leapt up to stand beside Shikuro, wiped the sweat from his brow, and after taking a swig of water, spoke softly:
"Shikuro-senpai, I'll take over the perimeter watch."
Noticing the fatigue etched into Shikuro's face, Veigar offered to relieve him of the sentry duty.
"You can perform sensory jutsu?"
Shikuro looked at him with clear surprise.
Veigar nodded. "Not as far-reaching as yours, just over 500 meters."
Shikuro's eye twitched. A black vein popped on his forehead.
What did he just say?
Not as good as me? Five hundred meters?
Shikuro was almost certain Veigar was showing off, but he had no way to prove it.
He couldn't exactly reveal that his own sensory range maxed out at 300 meters, and that was only thanks to the Aburame clan's exclusive technique, Insect Resonance.
Still, seeing Veigar's calm, serious expression and recalling the unique legacy tied to his identity, Shikuro nodded slowly.
"If that's truly the case, then I leave it to you."
But in truth, he wouldn't rely solely on words. With over fifty lives on the line, seeing was believing.
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