Deployment (Revised)

Qi Shuang's new instructor was a young man who looked to be under twenty, probably only eighteen. He could still be called a teenager.

"My name is Kamiya Ki. I'm a Chunin who has just been pulled back from the front lines, and I'll be your instructor from now on!"

The young teacher introduced himself as he hurried along. Then, he turned to glance at the three of them and continued, "Now, each of you, give a brief introduction of yourselves!"

Hearing this, Qi Shuang immediately gave the young teacher ahead of them a careful look and thought, He really isn't simple!

Though this teacher was young, he was already a Chunin who had spent several years on the battlefield.

He could not be called battle-hardened, but he was certainly experienced.

After all, surviving on that man-eating battlefield until now was enough to put him above many others.

At the teacher's prompting, Qi Shuang's other two Companions cautiously introduced themselves.

Taking the opportunity, he learned their names. One was called Kamimura, and the other was called Natsuki.

They were Genin who had graduated in the same class as him, but Qi Shuang had no impression of either of them. They were not among the talented few and were likely just ordinary mediocrities.

Their following introductions confirmed his guess.

Other than the basic Three Body Techniques, basic Taijutsu, and the use of ninja tools, they knew nothing else. They truly were exceedingly ordinary.

People like them would probably have a difficult time surviving on the battlefield.

Qi Shuang felt that unless the ancestors of these two Companions' families blessed them, they probably would not last more than a few days on the battlefield.

At the same time, he caught the fleeting disappointment on Kamiya Ki's face.

"And you, kid? What can you do?" The young teacher looked expectantly at the last student who had yet to introduce himself.

If it had not been an order from above, he would never have wanted to babysit a flock of fledglings like this.

After all, he was taking these freshly hatched chicks onto the battlefield! This was not some simple mission. One moment of carelessness could get someone killed!

Taking a group of little ones who only knew basic skills and had never witnessed the brutality of war was nothing but a burden.

So long as even one of these three fledglings knew some advanced skills and could offer even a little help, he would thank the heavens!

"Cough, cough!"

Qi Shuang cleared his throat and slowly said under the envious gazes of his other two Companions, "Aside from the basic skills taught at the academy, I also know some Ice Release and Water Release."

"Really?" Kamiya Ki asked in ecstatic surprise.

He had not expected to pick up a prospect capable of using two kinds of Ninjutsu—and a Kekkei Genkai ninja at that. It was truly a pleasant surprise.

"Teacher Ki, everything Qi Shuang said is true. Among the Genin who graduated with us, he is publicly acknowledged as one of the strongest. I even saw him practicing Ice Release at the training grounds before!" Kamimura excitedly introduced him to the teacher.

"Mm-hm! I've seen Qi Shuang practicing Ninjutsu too!" Natsuki nodded along beside him.

"That's truly wonderful!" The weight in Kamiya Ki's heart could finally be set down, if only barely.

If all three of them were useless, then bringing them to the battlefield would not only be dangerous for them—it would be dangerous for him as well.

Wasn't there a saying?

Better a godlike opponent than pig-like teammates!

He had no intention of losing his life while looking after these three fledglings.

After all, the bond between teacher and students was nowhere near deep enough for that.

Now that he had an Ice Release user, even if he did not know just how much the boy could do, it was still better than having nothing.

After a day of travel and a ride aboard a warship, the group of four soon arrived at the border of the Land of Water.

More accurately, it would have been more appropriate to call it the border of the Land of Fire.

The Land of Water consisted of numerous islands and vast stretches of sea. As long as a sea region was unclaimed, they could call it their territory.

Furthermore, Mist Ninja were mostly skilled in Water Release. At sea, few forces could contend with them, so the other Four Great Villages simply turned a blind eye to the matter.

After all, there was no use fighting over the boundless ocean, and the Land of Water could never bring every sea region under its rule anyway.

Thus, the others treated the Land of Water's verbal claims as empty words and continued using their own coastal waters as they pleased.

This war between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water was, in truth, an invasion launched by the Land of Water against the Land of Fire.

Therefore, the main combat zone was along the coastal regions of the Land of Fire.

Upon reaching the front lines, Kamiya Ki immediately brought the three of them to Kirigakure's frontline command headquarters to register their arrival.

Then, amid the faint rumble of explosions, Qi Shuang spent his first tense night on the front lines.

Early the next morning, Kamiya Ki gathered the three of them.

"None of you slept well?" the young teacher asked teasingly as he looked at their dark circles.

"Mm!"

The three nodded in unison, all silently grumbling to themselves.

It would be strange if anyone could sleep well in a place like this!

"Once you gradually get used to this environment, you'll be able to sleep."

Kamiya Ki smiled, then solemnly told the three, "Only proper sleep will keep you alert when facing the enemy and make you less likely to make mistakes."

"But if you sleep too deeply, it'll be easy for someone to launch a night attack on you!"

As he spoke, he made a murderous throat-slitting gesture at the three of them, frightening Kamimura and Natsuki into trembling.

Qi Shuang frowned slightly at the sight and could not help wondering, "Can cowards like them really go to the battlefield?"

Though he was somewhat uneasy himself, he had at least been an adult in his previous life.

Now, although he was in the body of a ten-year-old child, his mental fortitude far surpassed that of his two "good-for-nothing" companions.

At the very least, he still possessed the composure he should have had.

He was starting to worry that these two companions might hold him back.

On the other side, seeing Qi Shuang remain "calm and composed," Kamiya Ki nodded inwardly. Sure enough, this kid is more dependable! Those two are complete wimps! They might not be reliable when it really counts!

"Teacher Ki, did you gather us because headquarters has assigned us a mission?" Qi Shuang asked the young teacher curiously.

Other than that, he truly could not think of any reason Kamiya Ki would have summoned them.

After all, they had come to the front lines not to handle logistics or sightsee.

Still, he was somewhat concerned that being sent directly into some combat mission would be dangerous.

Seeing the solemn look on his face, Kamiya Ki laughed. "Don't be nervous! Since I'm bringing three rookies like you, the higher-ups won't assign us anything too dangerous!"

"We're only going to conduct a simple reconnaissance of the enemy situation!"