The Third Hokage Was Stunned Senseless

Of the many Konoha Ninja floating in the large pit, only a few managed to rise; the rest were lifeless.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that their bodies were completely charred.

To put it bluntly, sprinkle some cumin powder on it and you can eat it like barbecue!

"Alert!"

"Quickly, find the Lord Hokage!"

"The enemy will definitely take further action!"

Not far ahead of Shikaku Nara, various resurrected Anbu Captain were directing their troops.

"Lord Hokage, are you alright?!"

In the distance, the Anbu) found the Third Hokage, attracting Shikaku Nara's attention.

He rushed over immediately!

The Third Hokage was unharmed and even protected many Konoha Ninja.

However, upon witnessing such immense casualties, I couldn't help but clench my fists in grief.

The number of casualties visible to the naked eye alone is several hundred!

Most importantly, morale has been severely damaged!

"White... color... cold... light!!"

The Third Hokage's low-lying path was filled with a chilling aura, exuding murderous intent.

There are probably not many people who could make him reveal such murderous intent!

The Konoha was reorganized and placed on high alert.

However, what happened after the Hyuga Clan puzzled everyone!

Even the Third Hokage couldn't help but frown.

According to the Hyuga Clan's report, the Mist Ninja army had vanished without a trace, and could not be found within several miles.

"Don't let your guard down. Scout the area within a ten-mile radius. We can't afford to be ambushed again!"

The Third Hokage issued a warning, then looked at Shikaku Nara and asked, "What do you think?"

Since the Third Hokage joined the war, he has never suffered such a great loss!

Even with a sufficient number of talented individuals in various fields, they were still beaten so badly!

From the start of the war until now, we haven't gained any advantage whatsoever.

"We underestimated him. This White Cold Light is not only powerful, but also incredibly skilled in strategy!"

"Especially his control over fighter jets is one of the best I've ever seen."

"In the first battle, we knew when to stop and didn't cling to a temporary victory, which would have dragged down the entire Mist Ninja army!"

"The battle just now fully demonstrated the power of some of their special ninja from the Mist Ninja, catching us completely off guard."

"Moreover, he still knew when to stop and did not confront us head-on, thus preserving his strength to the greatest extent possible!"

"It seems he intends to slowly wear us down in order to achieve victory. I must say, he is indeed a formidable opponent!"

Hearing Shikaku Nara's lament, the Third Hokage frowned and said, "Then this is how we should deal with it; we can't let them succeed again!"

"Given their incredibly precise strikes, we were almost completely overwhelmed. Even with our overwhelming numerical superiority, we couldn't afford the losses!"

The Third Hokage was quite worried, especially since the opposing team had a Jinchuriki, a Tailed Beast, which was the biggest hidden danger.

One Tailed Beast Bomb would be enough to cause them heavy losses.

After all, among them, he was the only one who barely had the strength to fight against the Tailed Beast Bomb.

This is why the Jinchuriki of the Tailed Beasts are so highly regarded, because they are essentially war machines.

"We can only strengthen our security measures. If we can get through tonight, the situation will improve a lot by dawn!"

"The fact that it was dark during the night is a significant factor in our losses!"

"Of course, we can't stay in this forest any longer; the terrain here is extremely unfavorable for us!"

"We need to move our base camp to an open area so that we can maximize our advantages!" Shikaku Nara.

As a strategist, even with such heavy losses, he needed to keep a clear head and analyze the problem rationally.

However, for some reason, he always had a bad feeling, as if there was something he hadn't expected.

After hearing Shikaku Nara's solution, the Third Hokage found it acceptable and immediately ordered his men to head towards an open area.

Of course, after suffering two losses, they increased their vigilance several times over to ensure they wouldn't be ambushed or suffer heavy losses.

But they will never know that all of this will have no effect on Ye Liangnai.

However, Ye Liangnai's situation was not easy either. Their consumption was considerable, and the supplies they carried were only enough to support their operations for a day and a half.

If they cannot gain the upper hand within a day and a half, then they will not only be unable to retreat, but may also be completely wiped out.

"They've retreated from the woods! That's Shikaku Nara for you, such a decisive reaction!"

Ye Liangnai sensed their route and squinted slightly, sighing with admiration.

"However, marching at night is a major taboo!"

Ye Liangnai smiled and said.

Of course, the Konoha was very lucky. After advancing only a few kilometers, they arrived at a plain!

Immediately, under the orders of the Third Hokage, the Konoha set up camp again and dispatched more guard forces, extending the perimeter to a full five kilometers away.

This is the farthest distance that the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan can reach in open areas.

With such a long warning distance, it should be enough for Konoha's headquarters to react.

It's impossible for Ye Liangnai to launch a sneak attack.

"This time, I will not let you succeed again! White Cold Light!"

The Third Hokage spoke with utmost seriousness.

The 12,000-strong army has suffered more than 3,000 casualties after being attacked twice by Ye Liangnai.

Of these, more than 1,700 died, and more than 1,300 were of varying degrees of severity.

The damage rate is as high as one-quarter!

This is something that Konoha has never done before in any of its external wars.

Throughout the First, Second, Third Shinobi World War, the casualty rate of the Konoha has always remained below one-fifth, and it was always a bloody battle.

But now, Ye Liangnai has lowered the bar for them!

This also allowed the Third Hokage to see how terrifying Ye Liangnai was.

"Iwagakure and Sunagakure did not lose unjustly!"

The Third Hokage began to understand why, even with Ōnoki Rasa personally leading the team, they still managed to lose the war.

It's not that they lack ability, but rather that Ye Liangnai is simply too extraordinary.

"But from now on, I absolutely won't let you get away with this!"

These words not only expressed the sentiments of the Third Hokage, but also those of everyone else.

They simply couldn't believe that Ye Liangnai could gain any advantage under such circumstances.

"Heh heh, it seems those people from Konoha still don't understand your true purpose!"

"Little do they know, the deeper their defenses, the more mental energy they expend, and the faster they deplete it, making it easier for you to achieve your goal!"

Thirty miles away, Yugito listened to Ye Liangnai's account of the current state of the Konoha camp and chuckled.