Frontline Outpost.
Despite his body being riddled with injuries, Myōji Sarutobi ultimately accepted the mission given to him by Hizashi Hyuga.
Watching Myōji depart from the command post, Hizashi turned to the surrounding jonin and solemnly said:
"Tonight, I leave it in your hands."
"We must stop the Sand shinobi at the border. No matter the cost."
...
Mount Kikyō, Frontline Command Post.
Orochimaru had also received the intelligence report transmitted by Shikuro Aburame. Seated at the head of the room, he narrowed his eyes. Every word written on the scroll was like a sharp kunai, piercing and urgent.
Silently, Orochimaru assessed the current situation.
Truth be told, even he hadn't anticipated that the Sand would send a force of over a hundred to infiltrate the frontline outpost. But the facts were undeniable.
The Sand were planning to launch an assault tonight, an all-out attack.
From the intelligence, Orochimaru inferred their battle strategy:
A surprise night raid. A pincer movement, front and rear.
It was a cunning plan. The Sand commander had cleverly feigned weakness through intermittent skirmishes at the frontline, disguising their real intentions.
Their decisive blow… would strike tonight.
Orochimaru found himself quietly grateful, grateful that he had received such crucial intelligence before things were set in motion.
Had it been otherwise, the Sand could've launched a sudden ambush under the cover of darkness, catching them completely off guard. The outpost might have fallen, and countless Leaf shinobi would've died on the battlefield.
"Orochimaru-sama, give the order!"
"Orochimaru-sama, what do we do now?"
Multiple Konoha jonin voiced their concern in the command post. Having read the intelligence as well, they were understandably anxious. If the outpost fell, the Sand could march directly on Mount Kikyō and threaten the command itself.
Such a catastrophe must not happen. Everyone in the room understood what would follow if it did.
Opening his narrowed eyes, Orochimaru spoke in his signature raspy tone:
"Except for essential defenders, mobilize every combat-capable shinobi from the command post. You'll come with me to reinforce the frontline."
This time, Orochimaru was going to take the field himself. He couldn't afford not to.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama!"
The jonin responded in unison, their expressions grim.
At this point, after accounting for the wounded, the number of Konoha shinobi on Mount Kikyō still fit for combat was around five hundred.
This meant Orochimaru could send about three hundred to the frontline.
After the jonin dispersed, Orochimaru turned to Tsunade, who had been silently observing.
"Tsunade, I'm leaving the command to you and Shikaku."
"Before I depart, I'll request additional reinforcements from the village."
Half an hour later, Orochimaru departed Mount Kikyō with twenty jonin and nearly three hundred chūnin and genin, heading at full speed toward the frontline outpost.
There's still time. Hopefully.
The sun had fully vanished below the horizon, and night descended swiftly.
After a half-hour trek, Shikuro, Yamashi, and Veigar, along with twelve Konoha shinobi, arrived just outside the frontline outpost.
Coincidentally, they ran into Myōji, who was leading the wounded away from the battlefield.
"Jonin Myōji."
"Jonin Shikuro."
The two greeted each other briefly and spoke for a few moments.
After accepting Shikuro's request, Myōji gave a solemn nod and led the nearly hundred injured away from the frontline.
Not long after, Hizashi Hyuga appeared in person to greet the new arrivals and led them into the outpost.
With the Sand's attack imminent, every ounce of combat strength was vital to both Hizashi and the Konoha.
Aware that Veigar and his group had expended considerable energy, Hizashi didn't press them into active combat roles. Instead, he arranged for them to rest in a quieter area.
Inside a makeshift tent, Veigar, his chakra nearly depleted, closed his eyes to meditate and recover.
Time ticked by. Under the cloak of a silent night, the atmosphere at the Konoha's outpost turned heavy, saturated with killing intent.
Since the exact time of the Sand's attack was unknown, the Konoha forces had been lying in ambush beyond the perimeter, waiting deep into the night.
3:00 AM, the hour when people are most fatigued.
Within the command tent, Hizashi sat, vigilant and alert, unwilling to let his guard down for even a moment.
Several jonin sat silently with him, the tension thick in the air.
Veigar stirred from his light sleep, his chakra fully restored.
Despite having nearly exhausted himself, he had recovered rapidly thanks to the Phenomenal Evil Power's absorption of Life Essence, which had completely purged his fatigue and returned him to peak condition.
However, unlike Veigar, Shikatsu Aburame and the others had not yet fully recovered from their last battle.
Stepping out of the tent, Veigar walked toward the one where Shikuro was resting.
At that moment, Yamashi was inside with Shikuro.
"Shikuro… do you really think the Sand will attack tonight?" Yamashi asked, unease in his voice.
It was true, if the Sand didn't attack tonight, the three of them, Veigar included, could be accused of falsely reporting military intelligence and face punishment from the village.
"Wouldn't it be better if they didn't show up?" Shikuro replied calmly.
If the Sand didn't attack, then there'd be no fighting… and no deaths.
Outside the tent, Veigar overheard their conversation and softly called out:
"Shikuro-senpai, may I come in?"
Hearing his voice, both Shikuro and Yamashi were momentarily surprised. Then Shikuro responded immediately:
"Come in, Veigar."
As Veigar entered the tent, Yamashi asked with concern:
"Veigar, are you fully recovered?"
Veigar nodded. "Yes, Yamashi-senpai. I'm fine now."
Shikuro looked at him and gestured to sit.
"Take a seat, Veigar."
"We haven't had a chance to properly thank you for earlier, during the fight with the Sand."
"If it weren't for you, we'd all be dead in that ambush."
Veigar sat down and replied politely:
"You're being too generous, senpai."
"I'm a shinobi of the Leaf. I simply did what I was meant to."
Though young in appearance, Veigar possessed a mature mind. He understood the nuances of gratitude and duty.
And more importantly, his conviction was resolute.
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