Every squad of ninja and every individual ninja had the adaptability of a combat unit. They were certainly not that fragile. However, on a night when the situation was unclear, what Konoha feared more than everyone fighting on their own was the ninja beginning to act without order, further worsening the chaos and causing the entire camp to collapse.
With the command system gone, such a thing could happen. Yet at this critical moment, Susanoo appeared at once.
The "giant" shook both friend and foe. To the Uchiha and the other Konoha Ninja alike, Susanoo was an exceptionally rare technique. For a moment, some might not be able to tell whether it came from an ally or an enemy. But once it gave Konoha's signal, its allegiance was clear.
The order Kagami Uchiha sent was simple: "Hold your positions and repel the enemy." Yet that straightforward command pulled Konoha's ninja back from the brink of chaos.
It wasn't that his order was particularly clever. Rather, he had proved that Konoha's command structure was still functioning. Knowing he couldn't issue more detailed orders, Kagami had chosen to delegate authority to the more basic combat units.
Perhaps Kagami judged that they should form small groups and fight together. Or perhaps this was the only order he could give at that moment. In any case, Hanyu and Hatake would no longer rush recklessly toward the command post.
"Everyone fighting on their own... Maybe that's the right call, but..." Hanyu climbed to the top of a pillar and looked toward the battle near the command post.
But in the darkness, he couldn't make out what was happening over there.
Still, Hanyu knew that although an incomplete Susanoo was a terrifying sight, it wasn't invincible. The technique consumed enormous amounts of chakra, severely drained the Sharingan's ocular power, eroded the user's body, and placed an unbearable strain on their mind.
Kagami clearly didn't have an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan... Did the command post really not need support?
But this wasn't a decision Hanyu needed to make. Even if the command post really did need help, the ninja where he was stationed couldn't just abandon their posts. The fiercest fighting tonight would naturally be at Konoha's command post, but the second-fiercest would be at Konoha Hospital, where Hanyu was.
It was easy to imagine that the fighting here would soon become difficult as well.
Destroying the enemy's manpower was one of the most basic and important objectives of war. The existence of medical units kept ninja from becoming disposable assets. So if Konoha's frontline medical system were destroyed, its ability to continue fighting would be severely diminished. By then, as long as the Sand Village wasn't foolish, it would take the opportunity to launch a large-scale offensive and try to bring about the collapse of Konoha's entire front.
Knowing their strategic importance, the frontline hospital had already begun to mobilize as soon as they realized fighting had broken out that night. Under the medical ninja's direction, all the wounded were being moved to a central location inside the hospital.
The wounded and medical ninja alike were the top priority for protection. Other medical supplies and equipment came second.
"Hanyu!"
Hanyu heard someone call his name. He turned and saw Koga, with more than a dozen ninja following behind him.
Hanyu hurriedly leaped down and went over to them. Koga continued, "The wounded and medical ninja who can't fight will gather in the middle of the hospital. We'll put up a protective barrier there, while the ninja who can fight will defend the hospital's perimeter..."
"I understand. I'll stay outside. So... how many of us are there in total?" Hanyu didn't let him finish. He promptly chose to stay beyond the barrier.
The protective barrier was clearly something Konoha had prepared in advance for emergencies like this. Technically, Hanyu was still a patient at the hospital. He could have shamelessly asked to shelter inside the barrier, but in truth, he was perfectly healthy.
So he would fight.
There was nothing wrong with retreating, but retreating now would be cowardly... Hanyu could allow himself to be timid, afraid, or desperate to survive, but he wouldn't allow himself to be a coward.
Besides, seeing the ninja behind Koga—almost all of them wounded, yet still choosing to fight outside the barrier—made Hanyu even less willing to ask for special treatment.
"Good. There are roughly a hundred people at the hospital who can fight. Under normal circumstances, that should be enough to defend this area... I'll stay here too and direct the overall defense." Koga nodded.
Hanyu wanted to persuade him to take shelter inside the barrier. As far as Hanyu knew, Koga was a straightforward medical ninja who lacked the combat skills needed to fight on the edge of life and death... After all, not every medical ninja was highly skilled in medicine, formidable in battle, good-looking, and big-chested.
Being good at medicine was enough for them to fulfill their duties.
But Hanyu didn't voice his concern. He couldn't interfere with someone's resolve and determination once they had made up their mind.
Next, Koga assigned the combat-capable ninja to their positions. Almost as soon as he finished, a dark red barrier spread across the center of the hospital, protecting a large number of people inside.
But just like Kagami's Susanoo, the enormous barrier was like a beacon in the night, guiding the invading enemies toward these two places... assuming the Sand Village hadn't already identified the command post and hospital before the invasion.
Hanyu and Hatake Sakumo stood together, guarding one direction in the darkness.
"They're here. One in front, one behind. Two for now!" Hanyu soon whispered to Hatake. As soon as the enemy entered range, his sensory technique had alerted him.
As he spoke, blue Electric Arc began to glow faintly around his body.
"Wait, you're giving away our posi—"
Hatake didn't even have time to finish. Hanyu abruptly vanished from where he stood, and a streak of lightning flashed through the night. His uncanny speed carried him behind the enemy in the rear in an instant.
Perhaps Hanyu should have said something intimidating to the enemy, like "Anyone who dares oppose me will die." But all that came to mind was the exchange, "What're you looking at?" "You wanna go?"
It had plenty of nerve and swagger, but it needed some setup and buildup, and it wasn't intimidating enough... Fortunately, he soon thought of another line.
The enemy heard him whisper from behind:
"Is this melon ripe?"
The enemy didn't understand what Hanyu meant, but the cold, murderous tone sent a chill straight through him.
Before he could turn around and see who was standing behind him, he felt a warm sensation around his waist and abdomen. Then he caught a faint whiff of blood in the air.
Only then did he see a young ninja standing behind him, faint lightning crackling around his body. The ninja gripped a short sword firmly in his hand. Its blade had already pierced the enemy's left kidney and continued through his abdomen.
Oh. Now he understood. "Is this melon ripe?" meant...
If he meant to kill, kill. Kill in one strike.
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