"From the east and south, we deployed over two thousand people, forming three blockade lines. Other directions are being assisted by Stone Hidden, bringing our total forces to over four thousand."
"Elder Chiyo, Rasa, Karura, Stone Hidden's Four-Tails Jinchuriki, the Explosion Release Squad, and our elite dispatched teams—multiple top experts, plus no fewer than twenty Jonin—are joining forces. After so many years of this Ninja World War, it's hard to find a battle on a grander scale than this."
Fukami Senran wiped his kunai, gazing at the vast forest behind his squad as he spoke with a sigh.
"Hmph, with this lineup, even the Third Hokage himself would fall, let alone his disciple. If we can kill Tsunade and Kato Dan, it will be worth it. Even if we only kill one, we won't lose."
Teshima Jiro stood beside Fukami Senran, speaking with a confident air.
"Our mission here is to hold this position for at least five hours, allowing no one to cross the inner or outer blockade lines. If the battlefield situation becomes critical later and I need to command the main army, I'll be spread too thin. Qingshui and his team will need you to keep an eye on them."
"I'll watch them, but I'm not sure I could beat the three of them combined."
Fukami Senran smiled faintly, about to say something, when a deafening explosion suddenly echoed from within the forest.
"That's... Explosion Release! They've already engaged Tsunade and her group!"
Teshima Jiro exclaimed.
"It's not far from us. Konoha might try to break through in our direction."
Fukami Senran estimated the location, making a deduction.
"Sensor Squad, two ninja must be assigned to sensing at all times. Kato Dan's Spirit Transformation Technique can interfere with a single ninja silently. Everyone else, stand by and be ready for engagement at any moment!"
No sooner had the order been given than Qingshui retrieved two Puppets and covered himself with Fatty.
Baki stood in front of Qingshui.
Pakura positioned herself behind the two.
This was the optimal formation for the trio, developed after numerous missions. Baki's excellent swordplay and impressive Body Flicker Jutsu could assist Fatty on the front lines, enhancing their direct combat capabilities, and provide close protection if Qingshui's main body was threatened.
Pakura remained in the rear, utilizing her Wind and Fire Release combination Ninjutsu for ranged support.
The Little Boy Puppet, being the most mobile, could provide support to any position at any time. If necessary, the Little Boy and Baki could swap positions to offer assistance.
This was the greatest advantage of a Puppet Master on the battlefield: not only could they fill multiple combat roles, but one person could effectively act as several.
As Fukami Senran predicted, about ten minutes later, a group of Konoha ninja appeared from a distant mountain.
"Their numbers should be around one thousand. No overly powerful Chakra detected."
A sensor ninja reported to Fukami Senran.
Fukami Senran couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
It seemed that while there were many enemies, they were likely just a feint along this route.
If Jiraiya and Orochimaru had truly appeared here, then no one here would be a match for them.
Blocking Kage-level experts would require sacrificing countless lives from the main army.
However, they couldn't let their guard down. If the enemy discovered that the defenses here were weak, their main force might switch targets and attack this position.
The military strategy of "feinting where you are strong, and being strong where you feint" had been summarized in the Ninja World's thousand-year history of warfare.
They still had to give it their all.
At the start of the battle, it was still a probing phase with various large-scale combined Ninjutsu from the military units. However, if handled properly and with pre-arranged deployments, there wouldn't be too many losses in clashes of similar scale.
After that came close-quarters combat.
*Boom!*
A powerful Pneumatic Fist ripped through the air and slammed into the muddy ground, sending countless specks of mud flying.
The Konoha ninja who dodged this attack from the Fatty Puppet didn't have time to celebrate before being engulfed by Fire Release augmented with Wind Release in the next second.
"Clang!"
The sound of a ninja blade clashing with a kunai rang out. As Baki used Wind Release and swordplay to pin down another Konoha ninja, the Little Boy's ghostly figure appeared. Its spinning mechanical arm instantly pierced the Konoha ninja's heart.
"Move to the three o'clock direction."
Qingshui fought while dedicating two-tenths of his attention to the battlefield.
Multitasking was an essential skill for a Puppet Master. While Qingshui's current level wasn't enough to perfectly control a third Puppet, it was sufficient to dedicate this much attention to observing the battlefield.
On the battlefield, the most crucial thing was to preserve one's own forces while eliminating as many of the enemy's living forces as possible.
This demanded keen observation and judgment from grassroots commanders.
You had to guide your squad to avoid the tough opponents, leaving them to those within your own ranks capable of handling them, while simultaneously seeking out the weak points you could exploit.
The trio worked in perfect synchronization. Under Qingshui's command, they deliberately avoided the areas where Jonin were creating large commotions. Most Chunin and Genin simply couldn't stand against them.
However, it quickly became apparent that the trio lacked experience in larger-scale battles.
They were all young, and their Chakra reserves and stamina were inferior to adult ninja. If this continued, they would eventually suffer casualties due to Chakra exhaustion.
Qingshui realized this because Pakura's Ninjutsu usage frequency began to decline.
He himself controlled Puppets, and the Chakra consumption from using Chakra Threads wasn't significant. Baki primarily used Nintaijutsu combined with Wind Release Ninjutsu.
Pakura, however, was constantly unleashing Wind Release and Fire Release, consuming far more Chakra than the other two.
"Change formation. Baki, you go to the front. Pakura, in the middle. I'll be at the back. Pakura, for now, Baki and I will be the main attackers. You recover your Chakra as quickly as possible. Then you'll switch with Baki, and finally, it'll be my turn."
"Understood," Qingshui said quickly, and the other two had no objections.
It was normal for opinions to diverge when executing major strategies, but in a frontline battle, it could be deadly.
While Qingshui's approach would lead to a decrease in the team's kill efficiency, it also ensured their sustainability.
No one knew when this battle would end.
After repositioning, Pakura took a Military Ration Pill from her ninja tool pouch and swallowed it, but she didn't remain idle. Instead, she provided support by throwing kunai and senbon, minimizing Chakra consumption.
However, even though the three had changed their combat strategy, their earlier prominence had still made them targets.
"Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique!"
A young male voice rang out, and Baki paused involuntarily, then swung the Ninja Blade in his hand towards Pakura.
"Clang~!"
Pakura turned and raised her kunai to block it.
Seeing this, Qingshui was about to react but found he couldn't move.
A straight shadow extended from him to his feet.
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