Unlike the fierce fighting across the three northern nations, the southeastern front wasn't under much pressure. It only needed reinforcements because some of its forces, mostly Hyuga, had been sent north to support the battle.
The unit led by Nara Suzaku was one of the support forces Konoha had managed to spare.
More than half its members were rookies who had graduated only a few years earlier. It was clear that, by this point in the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha was already desperately short of available Ninja.
Other Ninja villages, large and small, were in much the same situation. Once war broke out, no one could stay out of it. Did the Small Ninja Villages of countries like Grass, Waterfall, and Hot Water really expect the great nations to fight each other while they hid on the sidelines and profited? Dream on.
During wartime, what mattered most when Ninja traveled?
Keeping enough strength in reserve to handle sudden emergencies. Stability and safety came first; they only needed to reach their destination on time.
After Higashino Makoto and the main force wiped out a Kirigakure Ninja squad they'd unexpectedly encountered and finished clearing the battlefield, night had fallen. The Jonin leading the group decided they would rest there before continuing. They reached the Eastern Front command headquarters at around seven the next morning.
That was the difference between Ninja and ordinary people. They'd crossed nearly half the Land of Fire in less than a day. If they'd pushed themselves to travel at full speed, it wouldn't even have taken half a day.
As they neared the outer perimeter of the headquarters' security zone, the scattered Support Force began to gather. Just then, Higashino Makoto saw a group of Ninja up ahead wearing standard Konoha flak jackets. After confirming their identities