No. 2 Turret

"The shift between offense and defense on the battlefield often happens in the blink of an eye." Soji fiddled with a nut in his hand, his thoughts already drifting far away. "Perhaps what Master Motochika is planning isn't just the capture of a specific stronghold, but a shift in the overall passive strategic situation of the Frontline Support Battalion by changing our stance."

"Wait a minute, how did we end up on the defensive?" Erina and Todo's eyes were filled with confusion. "Didn't we just deal with the Waterfall Ninja who tried to raid our camp last night?"

"No, I'm not referring to the outcome of one or two local skirmishes, but an overall assessment based on the very nature of this construction operation."

"...Sorry, could you explain that in simpler terms?"

"To put it bluntly, because the Frontline Support Battalion sent by the village includes not only combat personnel for protection but also a much larger number of construction and medical teams, this is bound to cause great difficulties for our military deployment."

Soji picked up a screw from the pile of parts beside him, then grabbed a hollow steel pipe with his other hand, using the objects at hand to illustrate his point.

"Quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes. Providing logistical support for a single ninja squad versus supporting a construction team with engineering duties—the logistical pressure is like heaven and earth! From the day the Frontline Support Battalion set out, regardless of whether the construction succeeds, these upfront costs must be paid by us in advance."

Soji paused for a moment before adding, "In other words, even if we thwart the mastermind's schemes, as long as the investment in hiring costs is less than what the village has already spent, it means the enemy still has room to raise the stakes."

"I see, you mean that even though the Waterfall Ninja assassins have been wiped out, compared to the capital spent on building the Jingu Forest Field Hospital, the enemy still has room for additional investment?" Erina tapped her palm with the hollow pipe, successfully following Soji's train of thought.

"Exactly, that is the situation from the perspective of resource consumption... Of course, the problems facing the Frontline Support Battalion aren't limited to just these."

"No way, there are other hidden dangers!?" The chubby Todo opened his mouth wide and hunched his shoulders, his features seemingly trying to scrunch into a single point.

"Yes," Soji nodded firmly. "Beyond the massive consumption of supplies, the battalion's loss of mobility—the ability to relocate quickly and maneuver flexibly—leads to a rigid strategic decision-making process for the command layer."

"For example, the choice of camp location, or the arrangement of marching routes..."

"Even though Master Motochika has done his utmost in this regard, he has still left many opportunities for the enemy to exploit, given the necessity of accommodating the team's adaptability."

Soji's words carried a hint of helplessness.

For the young man who knew part of the plan's trajectory, he was well aware that these flaws were likely traps deliberately designed from the start to make the bait more convincing.

But without permission from his superiors, Soji naturally wouldn't casually leak classified information regarding the Forward Base.

Thus, he intentionally skipped the detailed explanation of this part of the game and went straight to the conclusion.

"As protectors, we must strive to repel every enemy attack regardless of time or place; but as the attackers, the opponent only needs to succeed once, and the construction mission of the Jingu Forest Field Hospital will immediately be declared a failure—from this perspective, until the hospital is completed, we will remain in a passive state for the long term."

"Ahhh! That's a topic that makes me feel exhausted just listening to it!" Erina clutched her head with both hands, kicking away the assembled ninja tool at her feet in frustration.

Todo happened to catch the strange-looking contraption, looking at Soji with a bitter face. "Isn't there any good strategy to turn the situation around?"

"Unfortunately, reality is not a novel...

99% of battles are decided by visible gaps in strength. As long as the enemy doesn't make an active mistake, all we can do is parry their moves as they come."

The young man shook his head slowly, though he didn't completely rule out other possibilities. "Of course, since Master Motochika asked Erina to prepare these office-supply weapons, he is likely prepared for the next stage of the situation—perhaps, it really is a brilliant plan to turn the tables."

"But what exactly are we supposed to do?" Erina tilted her head. "Are we supposed to agree on a time and place with the enemy commander for a final showdown?"

"I don't think the other side would be that polite." Combat is never easy, Todo sighed...

"Exactly! Besides, you and Master Motochika teamed up to ambush them once already~" Erina chuckled at this, following up with a jab. "If I were the enemy's commander-in-chief, my plan would definitely prioritize targeting you two!"

"I'm innocent." Soji raised his hands in surrender. "Everything was Master Motochika's arrangement; it has nothing to do with me."

"It's too late to explain now~ You single-handedly wiped out a full-strength Waterfall Ninja squad! Once the news spreads, who knows what kind of cool title you might get?"

"Like 'Oni in the Rain'?"

"Or 'Master of Silent Killing'?"

"Hmm, I think a 'Quiet' nickname suits Soji better?" Todo interrupted.

Erina nodded in deep thought upon hearing this. "That's true, let me think about it some more..."

"..."

At present, the Second Shinobi World War had not yet broken out.

Great figures of later generations, including the Sannin and the White Fang of Konoha, were currently serving in the Konoha ninja forces merely as Soji's seniors, their fame yet to officially grace the stage of history.

Since obtaining his cheat, the young man had naturally fantasized about the day he would rise to prominence.

However, compared to his "peers," the mature soul of a reincarnated person could never lose himself in the illusion of flowery honors—the moment he extended that seemingly beautiful picture into reality, the wind, rain, blood, and tears borne by a "hero" would instantly become scars that shattered the aesthetic of his fantasy world, tearing his occasional youthful sentimentality to shreds...

Therefore, for Yamada-kun, who aimed to stay far away from the front lines, these empty names were like game titles that provided no stat bonuses.

Beyond the prestige gained from his battle record, they held no inherent value.

"Titles are a concern only for survivors—the battle isn't over yet. At this stage, we just need to try our best to stay alive."

Soji took the uniquely shaped ninja tool from Todo, returned it to Erina, and put an end to his teammates' fantasies. "Until we can decide our own fate, all we can do is strictly execute orders and keep ourselves in the best state for the changes that may come at any time. So, instead of wasting time thinking about these things, why not explain how to use this?"

"This?~ Since it's still in the prototype development stage, I haven't officially named it yet. Let's just get used to calling it No. 2 Turret for now!"

"Turret...?"

Hearing this, Todo looked puzzled.

And Soji narrowed his eyes slightly.