So far, he had received two conflicting orders via two different codes.
One came from the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, ordering him to cease resistance immediately and surrender to Konoha's ninja forces.
The other was issued from within the village itself. Yet he could clearly sense its inconsistencies—it definitely didn't sound like a command issued by the decisive Kazekage.
This second order demanded that he hold his ground and intercept Konoha's forces at the border!
Of course, the Land of Wind covered vast territory, making this kind of defense totally doable right here—
because this spot linked Konoha directly to Sunagakure.
Not far behind him stood a small town built around an oasis. From here all the way to Sunagakure were similar settlements along the route.
It formed a perfect supply line!
Choosing any other path wouldn't just risk getting lost in the endless desert,
but would also greatly increase travel time toward Sunagakure. Such a route would make resupply difficult and easily drag Konoha into a prolonged war.
No nation, no matter how strong, could survive a long war against a rival of equal power.
"I'll still go with the village's judgment," Sakurai Kōji said bitterly. After all, that Daimyo was beyond infuriating.
As a high-ranking member of Sunagakure, he well understood how the Daimyo of the Land of Wind had taken missions originally meant for Sunagakure and handed them over to Konoha Village.
All just to save a bit of money for his own extravagant spending!
If it wasn't for that clueless Daimyo, the village probably wouldn't have so easily approved the decision to attack Konoha in the first place.
"Now push forward along the entire line! Tell our elite units to hold fast—if the enemy has strengthened their presence on this battlefield, we must adjust our objectives accordingly. Our current goal is to stop them right here and use the terrain to maximize enemy casualties!"
Meanwhile, Konoha's regular defense force had just discovered fighting erupting behind their own lines.
Before them, Sunagakure's forces surged forward, locking them in place.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?!"
Konoha's regular defenders hadn't yet figured out exactly what had happened—how could combat suddenly break out behind their positions?
But there was no time for deep thought; the battle had already begun!
The second wave of Konoha ninja charged forward, passing through a rain of kunai as they launched their counterattack against the ambushing Sand forces.
"Thanks a lot, Shiki! Kusei! Never thought we'd be charging behind you two!"
Still slightly turned, Shiki Uzumaki replied to Nara Shiomi, "Try talking less, or those notes of yours really will turn into farewell letters!"
Nara Shiomi joked back, "Yes sir, Commander!"
Yet he couldn't help but admit that even though Shiki Uzumaki was only twelve years old, he carried himself with the decisiveness of someone way older.
And standing behind him brought an overwhelming sense of security!
"But Yamanaka San Tian, this is *our* moment to shine!"
The Sunagakure ninja now appeared before them. Though strangers to each other, on the battlefield they had become deadly enemies.
[Ninjutsu: Heart Disturbance Technique!]
[Ninjutsu: Shadow Bind Technique!]
[Ninjutsu: Shadow Strangulation Technique!]
"Ahh!!"
Cries of agony echoed without end.
On the battlefield, the Suna ninja began turning on each other amidst the chaos. Eerie shadows twisted and danced, strangling their victims!
The Suna ninja finally realized the severity of the situation.
"Not good! We must eliminate those two immediately!"
"That kind of secret art isn't simply damaging on the surface. Now our ninja have more than just enemies in front of them—they must watch their step for shadows and even worry about their allies turning against them!"
"Take them down!"
Only one Suna ninja hesitated as he spoke, "B-but those two—Shiki and Kusei—are not so easily defeated."
Standing guard before Shiki and Kusei were two ninja who performed a deadly, elegant dance of slaughter with masterful sword techniques!
What was even more unsettling was that one was just a twelve-or-thirteen-year-old boy, and the other was an old man cloaked in gloom!
What an eerie pairing! To be continued.
Chapter 213: Chaos (Mid)
"Heh heh, it's been ages since I've had such a satisfying battle!"
Nara Shiomi grinned widely. Those from the Nara clan were quite similar to those of the Yamanaka clan—if someone didn't stand before them to protect them, they weren't particularly strong in close combat.
Close-quarters combat was their greatest weakness, but now they could freely use their family techniques, which naturally made for a thrilling experience.
"C'mon, don't get sentimental here! The battle isn't in our favor yet! Don't relax just because you took out a few guys!"
Shing!
Once again, Shiki drove his blade into the abdomen of a Suna ninja. When he pulled it back out, blood splattered everywhere!
However, Shiki had long gotten used to this blood-soaked state, and even the Seiquan Sword was drenched in crimson.
"Mm, we should definitely stay serious on the battlefield, though you're being a bit too strict, Shiki."
Kusei's swordplay was even fiercer than Shiki Uzumaki's; no ninja had managed to get close to him.
In this brutal close-quarters battle, swordsmen clearly had the upper hand.
That's because ninjutsu couldn't be used effectively at close range!
"It seems like everyone is beginning to intentionally scatter a bit during the fight."
Shiki observed the surrounding situation and couldn't help but comment aloud.
Search [BookHelper] official address: www.kanshuzhushou.com Millions of popular books, free reading forever without ads!
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>