Shut Up, Stop Using Your Powers

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and several fully equipped squads had already gathered at the entrance of Konoha.

Namikaze Yoru and Nawaki, each carrying their own supplies, stood among the ninjas about to depart, looking exceptionally young.

Tsunade also came to the village entrance, watching the two about to head to the battlefield, feeling somewhat emotional in her heart.

"Alright, sis. I'm the man who's going to become Hokage, so rest assured." Nawaki puffed out his chest, speaking with full confidence.

Watching Nawaki loudly setting up flags beside him, Namikaze Yoru felt like a big "danger" sign was floating above his forehead.

Tsunade slapped her brother's shoulder with feigned boldness and said, "Go on, don't disgrace Konoha."

Just as Nawaki was about to say something more, Namikaze Yoru timely pulled him back.

Hurry up and shut your mouth, rein in your powers! One flag he might be able to handle, but if he sets too many, I'm afraid the Death God will come to collect his soul directly.

After speaking, Tsunade turned to look at Namikaze Yoru and tossed him an ancient ninja sword she held in her hand.

"This was a sword used by Second Grandpa back in the day. Consider it compensation for the ninja sword I broke yesterday. Don't disgrace it."

Namikaze Yoru caught the ninja sword, and the moment his fingertips touched the scabbard, he could feel the sharpness contained within. Even though it hadn't been drawn for a long time, the blade still exuded a chilling coldness.

"This... is too precious." Namikaze Yoru hesitated. This was the Second Hokage's personal blade.

Tsunade waved her hand, turned around, and left without allowing refusal, her figure gradually fading into the morning mist.

At that moment, the leading jonin of each squad walked over from the direction of the Hokage Building. A man wearing standard jonin uniform with pure white pupils stopped in front of the two.

"I am your leading jonin, Hyuga Teruki." His voice was calm and flat, his white irises making his emotions unreadable.

After a brief self-introduction, the squad immediately set out, heading toward the Land of Rain battlefield.

Before departing, Namikaze Yoru looked back. The faces of the First, Second, and Third Hokage on the Hokage Rock seemed to overlook the village in the dawn light, solemn and dignified.

In his heart, though, he thought: In this seemingly peaceful morning, how many undercurrents were surging? Was Danzo already frantic because Root had been completely ransacked? The Uchiha Military Police Force and the villagers were locked in endless opposition. And they were about to step into the "Shinobi World Meat Grinder" that was the Land of Rain battlefield.

Several days after leaving the village, the surrounding scenery began to change. The once lush forests were gradually replaced by rugged terrain, and the humidity in the air increased noticeably.

Nawaki's initial high spirits were gradually worn down by the fatigue of the long march.

"Pull yourself together, and remember to conserve your stamina." Namikaze Yoru, as someone who had been through this before, reminded Nawaki. "This is just the beginning."

His vigilance was extremely high. After leaving the village, although he hadn't fully activated the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, he maintained a basic awareness of his surroundings.

Coupled with the fact that their leader was a jonin from the Hyuga clan, they were always at the very front of the squad, responsible for scouting the terrain and enemy movements.

After marching, when they set up camp by a stream, since they were close to the war zone, everyone could only subsist on military ration pills and stream water, unable to light a fire.

Just past midnight, a somewhat tired Nawaki woke the lightly sleeping Namikaze Yoru for the shift change.

On duty, Namikaze Yoru clearly felt that the sky was now covered with dark clouds, and the air was thick with the earthy smell that precedes rain. It seemed a heavy downpour was coming.

Before the raindrops even fell, Namikaze Yoru's expression tightened. In his perception, besides the small animals in the forest, he sensed quite a few chakra reactions farther away, seemingly approaching stealthily.

"Something's wrong." With a grave expression, he woke Nawaki and their leader, Hyuga Teruki.

Without even having time to ask why, Hyuga Teruki's veins bulged around his eye sockets as his Byakugan swept across the dense forest by the stream.

Under the high-penetration of the Byakugan, the traces of the ninjas who hadn't yet closed in were completely exposed. Confirming the situation, Hyuga Teruki glanced at Namikaze Yoru with some surprise, as if he hadn't expected this genin to have such sharp perception.

Since other squads were camped not far away, Hyuga Teruki ordered the two to take cover while simultaneously splitting off several Shadow Clones to send word.

By the time everything was ready, the hostile ninja squads had already silently closed in.

"Heh, a rookie squad from Konoha?" The leading Stone ninja sneered coldly as he looked at the seemingly defenseless camp.

He gestured for several subordinates to step forward and use Earth Style to stealthily approach.

However, when they crept up to the tents, they found them completely empty. The entire camp exuded a dangerous aura.

"Not good! Something's wrong."

Before the words faded, a scorching wave of fire surged toward them, instantly engulfing the foremost Stone ninjas. They opened their mouths to scream, but flames rolled into their throats, leaving only the smell of burnt flesh in the air.

After that one strike, the hidden Namikaze Yoru quickly retreated to avoid a direct confrontation with the Stone ninjas.

The deaths of their comrades enraged the remaining Stone ninjas, and over a dozen figures burst forth from all directions!

"Earth Style: Earth Mausoleum Spear!"

Countless sharp stone pillars suddenly erupted from the ground, forcing everyone to dodge. Hyuga Teruki moved like lightning, his Gentle Fist precisely shattering the incoming stone spears.

"Nawaki, watch out!" Namikaze Yoru shouted while throwing a kunai to drive back a Stone ninja trying to ambush him.

"Water Style: Water Wall Technique!"

Nawaki instantly formed hand seals, and a wall of water rose to block shuriken flying in from the right.

Namikaze Yoru drew the sword at his waist, a faint blue light flowing along the blade. He met a Stone ninja charging at him with a sword, and their blades clashed, sending sparks flying.

Thanks to the sword techniques he had gained from Kushimaru Kuriarare and days of intense training, his moves were sharp and precise. In just a few exchanges, he had already slain his opponent.

Hyuga Teruki's Byakugan observed the entire battlefield, and he calmly directed: "Three o'clock, two enemies are forming hand seals!"

"Water Style: Water Turbulent Wave."

Namikaze Yoru instantly retreated, and Nawaki's Water Style arrived just in time, interrupting the enemy's jutsu preparation.

The battle fell into a stalemate. Stone Hidden sought to apply constant pressure through numerical superiority, but the remaining Konoha squads arrived just in time, seemingly on the verge of encircling the Stone Ninja.

Just then—"Earth Style: Earth Tremor Core."

The entire battlefield's ground suddenly shook violently, as if a massive earthquake had erupted! Under the horrified gazes of all, it crazily swelled and collapsed, transforming the terrain in an instant, forcibly cutting off the Konoha reinforcements arriving to help.

A small figure hovered without warning above the battlefield. The Stone Ninja, who had been locked in a bitter struggle, shifted their momentum, their eyes blazing with nearly fanatical reverence.

No words were needed. The only one in the entire Shinobi World capable of mastering such a flying ninjutsu was the Third Tsuchikage, the sole wielder of Kekkei Tōta—Ōnoki of the Two Scales.

After releasing the terrain-altering jutsu, he hovered there silently, hands clasped behind his back. The overwhelming pressure of a Kage-level presence enveloped the entire field, nearly solidifying the air itself.

"Heh heh heh... The honorable Tsuchikage, making a move like this is hardly befitting your status."

Accompanying this hoarse voice, a cold, slimy chakra aura quietly began to spread.