Fighting to the Last Moment

The next morning, upon waking.

Aoya immediately used Shadow Clones, sparring with himself to quickly adapt to the increased perception brought by the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Yūhi Kurenai said flusteredly, "Aoya, why do I feel like something's not right?"

"Is a major battle about to start?" Hyuga Himon felt the same way.

The atmosphere in the entire Konohagakure camp today was off!

Personnel were moving supplies around the camp, a clear sign of an impending major battle.

"Isn't this very normal?" Aoya shook his head.

Some people had originally thought that with Minato Namikaze's arrival, peace would follow.

But the result was precisely that with Minato Namikaze's arrival, the great battle could finally begin.

"Are you all ready?" Aoya asked.

Without needing further explanation, Yūhi Kurenai and the other understood what preparations Aoya was referring to.

The best preparation for going to the battlefield was Explosive Tags!

"I've borrowed from every channel I possibly could!"

Hyuga Himon wore a grief-stricken expression of facing death.

If he died on the battlefield, the loans would naturally be forgotten. He was an orphan anyway, his parents had died early, and he had no siblings.

The lenders couldn't possibly go to the Hyuga Main Family to demand the money, could they?

If that were to happen, Himon felt he wouldn't have died in vain.

"I used all the money my dad sent me to buy Explosive Tags."

Yūhi Kurenai, being the only one in the squad with a father, chose to rely on him completely.

Originally, Yūhi Shinkō had considered trying to get Yūhi Kurenai transferred away from the Iwagakure battlefield, but unfortunately, due to a lack of influence, it failed.

Aoya nodded in satisfaction, "Good. Remember not to hold back on using your Explosive Tags when the time comes."

Across from him, Yūhi Kurenai's face suddenly flushed slightly. She gritted her teeth, as if making a firm decision, "Um, Aoya, if, I mean, if we manage to survive until the end of the war..."

"Stop!"

"Hold on!"

"Don't say such unlucky things!"

Aoya immediately shouted to stop her halfway through, cutting off Yūhi Kurenai's attempt to tempt fate with a rapid-fire trio of commands.

Yūhi Kurenai pouted and didn't continue.

After discussing a few more points about their coordination on the battlefield, the Konohagakure camp suddenly called for an emergency assembly, stating that they were going to assign missions.

However, the three members of Aoya's squad received no assignments.

Instead, Minato Namikaze came looking for them.

After a brief explanation, Aoya understood. The gist was that the organization had decided that their squad would participate in the demolition of Kannabi Bridge.

Aoya immediately felt like reciting a couplet: "For Konohagakure, I'd risk life and limb, but what the hell is going on?"

The next day, on the border of the Land of Fire.

A group of ten people had already quietly infiltrated the Land of Grass.

In addition to Minato Namikaze's team of three, which included Kakashi, there were the three members of Aoya's squad, and an additional Ino-Shika-Cho squad.

Aoya was familiar with these three: Akimichi Dōtō, Nara Shiosui, and Yamanaka Santen.

They were all responsible for blowing up the bridge!

Aoya really wanted to ask, "What the hell happened to the Battle of Kannabi Bridge!"

"How did I get dragged into this?"

"Why did one squad become three squads?"

After infiltrating for more than ten miles, Minato Namikaze suddenly stopped and unfolded a map:

"This mission is extremely difficult, everyone must take it seriously."

"From now on, you three squads will head towards Kannabi Bridge from three different directions. As soon as you blow up the bridge, you can retreat immediately. You will have made a great contribution to this war!"

A total of nine scrolls were distributed, one for each person.

According to Minato Namikaze, simply unfolding and throwing these scrolls would be enough to completely destroy Kannabi Bridge.

"Don't worry, Teacher Minato, I'll definitely complete the mission with ease,"

Uchiha Obito smugly pushed up his goggles and glanced at the expressionless Aoya beside him, thinking that after this war, he would definitely be able to awaken his Sharingan.

By then, whether it was Kakashi or Uchiha Aoya, they would just be waiting to become his defeated opponents!

"Obito, we absolutely cannot let our guard down," Minato Namikaze cautioned.

Kakashi asked, confused, "Teacher Minato, aren't you coming with us?"

"I have my own mission. I'll be splitting up from you all shortly," Minato Namikaze said with a sigh.

He felt a pang of guilt sending his disciples on such a dangerous mission.

However, his own mission today was even more critical!

After making simple arrangements, Kakashi's squad would take the left path, Qingye's squad the middle, and Akimichi Dōtō's Ino-Shika-Cho squad the right path, further north.

Then, Minato Namikaze produced three Flying Thunder God Kunai and distributed them to the three squads.

"If you encounter danger, hold on as best as you can. I'll get there to support you as quickly as possible."

With that, Minato Namikaze's figure flashed, and he vanished instantly.

Qingye put away the Flying Thunder God Kunai, completely ignoring his words.

That statement was essentially saying, "If you hold your ground firmly, there will be a way." The last person who believed that... Qingye couldn't place his hope on this ninja, who was likely to be the slowest among the fastest in the ninja world.

Exchanging glances with Kakashi and Akimichi Dōtō, they didn't say anything further. The three squads separated and immediately began their operations.

On the northern right path.

Not long after Akimichi Dōtō and his two companions set off, Nara Shiosui suddenly called a halt.

"Everyone, let me first explain the true objective of this mission," Nara Shiosui said, his expression extremely grim, his face pale.

"The true objective?" Akimichi Dōtō questioned.

Yamanaka Santen asked, "Is there any other purpose besides blowing up the bridge?"

Nara Shiosui took a deep breath, his arm trembling slightly as his fingers traced figures on the ground:

"We are in enemy territory. Blowing up the bridge is merely a diversion."

"Konohagakure is currently fighting a hasty battle. Our forces on the main front are at a significant disadvantage against Iwagakure."

"Given the number of Iwagakure Ninja here, even if their main strength is focused on the frontal battlefield, there will undoubtedly be a considerable number of ninjas remaining to defend this area."

"My guess is that the Yellow Flash's mission is likely to use his Flying Thunder God Technique to continuously support various fragmented battlefields on the front lines."

"But that might still not be enough!"

Minato Namikaze's abilities also had their limits!

With so many battlefields and so many additional Iwagakure Ninja, could he kill them all by himself?

"Are you saying that while our apparent mission is to blow up the bridge, our actual purpose is to draw the main force of Iwagakure Ninja to reinforce, thereby relieving pressure on the main battlefield?" Yamanaka Santen's expression changed.

"Isn't this mission essentially sending us to our deaths?"

Akimichi Dōtō's face stiffened as he pulled out the Flying Thunder God Kunai he had just received.

No wonder he said he would come to support them as quickly as possible!

Without support, how could they, a Jonin squad, escape after blowing up the bridge?

"There's no other way. The village's situation is already like this. Clan Head Shikaku is also helpless," Nara Shiosui said with a wry smile.

Akimichi Dōtō and Yamanaka Santen's expressions shifted.

The highest commander in this area was one of their own from the Ino-Shika-Cho clan, yet they were still required to carry out such a seemingly suicidal mission.

"...Fine, let's go!"

After a moment of silence, Akimichi Dōtō suddenly hardened his resolve. "The Yellow Flash's disciples, the geniuses of the Uchiha clan, and they're all several years younger than us!"

"If they can undertake such a mission, are we going to back down?"

"You're right!"

Yamanaka Santen also made up his mind.

If it meant protecting the village, they wouldn't hesitate even if all three of them sacrificed their lives!

"For Konoha!"

Nara Shiosui extended his hand, his face solemn.

Akimichi Dōtō and Yamanaka Santen also placed their palms on top of his, their expressions grave as they declared, "For Konoha, we will fight until the very last moment!"