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"We'll be splitting into two teams for this mission."

After sweeping his gaze over everyone, Namikaze Minato continued slowly:

"Kakashi, Rin, and Obito will remain one team. You'll be responsible for destroying the bridge. Kiyohara, Genma, and Kurenai, you'll form the other team and distract the Iwagakure shinobi, drawing their attention."

Namikaze Minato spoke.

"Destroy a bridge? What bridge?"

Obito asked in confusion.

He was bad at geography. He did not even know where Kannabi Bridge was.

"The Land of Grass borders the Land of Fire. The Land of Earth is currently invading the Land of Grass, and over a thousand shinobi have gathered at the front lines there. Once they breach the front line, they can advance directly through the Land of Grass into the Land of Fire."

Kiyohara explained.

In truth, this mission was simple: push the lane, circle around, and ambush the enemy crystal.

As for whether they could survive, Konoha's higher-ups did not care.

He had to buy his own famous sword. Otherwise, if he died, he would truly be dead.

Not everyone was Meng Zhi Lei Shang.

"Am I right, Lord Minato?"

"That's right. Kiyohara explained it very well."

Namikaze Minato gave Kiyohara an approving look.

Kiyohara had the qualities of a chunin. He had not become one simply through brute strength.

It was only because this was wartime that the standards had been relaxed.

During peacetime, advancing to chunin required the leadership ability to command a basic squad, not merely individual combat strength.

At the same time, chunin also needed the ability to analyze battlefield conditions.

Those chunin who excelled in that area but were weaker in actual combat usually became teachers or proctors at the Ninja Academy.

"But what does that have to do with our mission? Aren't we supposed to blow up some bridge?"

Obito scratched his head.

Could destroying one bridge really stop more than a thousand shinobi from launching an assault?

How wide would that bridge have to be?

"Obito, think carefully. If they can attack like this, it means the Iwagakure shinobi already have firm control over parts of the Land of Grass, and their rear support is moving very smoothly."

From Namikaze Minato and Kiyohara's conversation, Nohara Rin had deduced something.

"So this mission is meant to strike the enemy at the very front lines. The best way is to cut off their supplies, and Kannabi Bridge is one of the most crucial points."

Kurenai Yuhi spoke.

Genma Shiranui silently nodded as well.

Kakashi looked utterly speechless.

Everyone here understood.

Only Obito still looked somewhat lost.

Kiyohara shook his head. After all, according to the databook, Obito's "wisdom" stat was only two, and that stat represented a shinobi's knowledge and intelligence.

Even Rock Lee, Kiba Inuzuka, and Akimichi Choji had a "wisdom" stat of four—twice Obito's.

So there was a reason Obito was so bad at theory.

He had been born that way.

"So that's how it is."

Seeing that everyone else seemed to understand, Obito said that he understood too.

Seeing this, Namikaze Minato explained the mission to Obito once more.

This matter was of utmost importance and could very well determine the course of the war between Konoha and Iwagakure, so it was highly confidential.

However, with the great nations locked in a chaotic war, Konoha had to cover multiple fronts and no longer had enough shinobi to spare.

That was why it had fallen to Kakashi and the others.

Just as Namikaze Minato was about to say something else, he suddenly detected an unusual sound near his ear.

An enemy!

Namikaze Minato instinctively reached for the Kunai behind him, ready to kill the enemy.

The next moment, he restrained that impulse.

There was one more thing he had not told Kiyohara, Kakashi, and the others. He would not be taking part in this mission; instead, he would head to support the front lines first.

Now, Namikaze Minato wanted to see how these few would respond to a crisis.

So he pretended not to notice.

"Someone's coming."

Renegade Kiyohara spoke.

Having hunted enemies across the Ninja World and been hunted by enemies for years, he was extremely sensitive to gazes.

"An enemy?"

Kiyohara's expression immediately turned wary.

"Go plant a ward for me first."

Kiyohara said to Renegade Kiyohara.

"You mean I should float over and scout for you?"

Renegade Kiyohara froze.

This guy really treated him like a tool.

"Please, future me!"

Kiyohara pleaded.

"Fine. But I don't know what the maximum distance is."

Renegade Kiyohara shook his head.

Then his spirit body began to float toward the enemy.

Once he moved more than three meters away, he could clearly feel himself dissipating faster.

"Looks like I can't get too far away from you."

As Renegade Kiyohara spoke, he increased his speed.

Before long, he reached the middle of the enemy formation.

A four-man squad of Iwagakure shinobi was lying in ambush there.

Their leader was a weathered middle-aged shinobi about as haggard as Renegade Kiyohara. The other three Iwa shinobi looked younger.

"Four people. One chunin leading three genin. They're equipped with a Fuma Shuriken and three Ninja Swords..."

Renegade Kiyohara began reporting the information and positions to Kiyohara.

"Very good."

Kiyohara nodded.

This was one of the proper ways to use him.

Since he could float away from Kiyohara's body, he definitely possessed a certain degree of mobility.

If Kiyohara kept broadening his thinking, then when he passed the Hokage Office Building, he might even be able to have Renegade Kiyohara secretly float inside and peek at the Scroll of Seals.

However, Renegade Kiyohara had no ability to interact with reality unless he possessed Kiyohara.

Or unless the Scroll of Seals inside was already open, allowing Renegade Kiyohara to learn from it.

"Hmm?"

Kakashi sensed that something was wrong.

He felt a prying gaze.

There was an enemy here!

Have you noticed them, Kakashi?

Namikaze Minato nodded inwardly.

As expected of White Fang's son. He truly was a genius.

Back then, Konoha White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, had enjoyed even greater prestige than the Sannin!

Namikaze Minato often wondered: if Hatake Sakumo had also competed to become the next Hokage, would he have stood a chance?

Although Namikaze Minato had made a name for himself in this Shinobi World War, he still lacked some of the older generation's accumulated reputation and foundation.

Unfortunately, that answer would never be revealed.

Because Hatake Sakumo had chosen to take his own life at home.

What a pity. He had escaped death countless times and killed countless enemies.

Yet in the end, he had not died on the battlefield or during a mission, but in his own home, in the village he loved most.

"Ka—"

"Lord Minato, four enemies are hiding to the south. They should be Iwa shinobi."

Kiyohara spoke, interrupting Namikaze Minato just as he uttered his first syllable.

"You detected all of the enemies?"

Namikaze Minato showed a surprised expression.

There was another expert here?

Not only had he discovered the enemies' presence, but he even knew their exact number.

"There are enemies?"

The moment Obito heard that, he hurriedly pulled down his yellow goggles. He could not let anything hurt his eyes.

"There are enemies here too?"

Kurenai Yuhi, standing beside Kiyohara, drew a Kunai, her small face filled with vigilance.