Ambush

After accepting the mission to support the Land of Wind, Namikaze Minato led his team out of Konoha that very same day.

The support force consisted of one hundred ninjas in total: thirty Jonin and seventy Chunin. Although the number was not large, their appearance on the battlefield would exert immense pressure on Kumogakure, forcing the enemy to remain constantly vigilant against attacks from Konoha.

Because time was of the essence and Sunagakure was in constant danger of being overrun, Namikaze Minato pushed the pace of the march, leaving the borders of the Land of Fire and reaching the vicinity of the Forest Fortress in just two days.

"Everyone, rest here and recover your energy. The Forest Fortress lies ahead; once we cross it, we will be within the borders of the Land of Wind, where combat could break out at any moment," Namikaze Minato commanded in a loud voice.

Due to the high-speed march, the Konoha ninjas were already extremely exhausted. Namikaze Minato had long planned to let everyone stop and rest for a few hours before entering the Land of Wind.

Upon receiving the order, the team stopped immediately. All the ninjas dispersed in an orderly fashion, organized into squads of three to four to rest, while the squads assigned to patrol began scouting the surroundings to prevent the unit from being ambushed.

Afterward, Namikaze Minato gathered the core Jonin of the team to discuss the next steps.

Looking at the topographical map of the Forest Fortress, Namikaze Minato's expression was extremely serious. The Forest Fortress was, in reality, a massive valley, making it an ideal location for an ambush.

Before the alliance between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, Sunagakure often utilized the terrain here to conduct ambushes against Konoha. Although it was impossible for Sunagakure ninjas to be lying in wait for them now, Namikaze Minato still dared not let his guard down.

After a discussion with the core members of the team, Namikaze Minato decided that he would personally lead half of the ninjas into the mouth of the valley first. The other half would remain on guard outside, following the lead group only after receiving his signal.

Once they passed through the Forest Fortress valley, they would circle around to the rear of the Kumogakure forces to cause a distraction, preventing the Kumogakure army from attending to both ends and disrupting their plans to conquer Sunagakure.

However, neither Namikaze Minato nor the other ninjas in the support force could have imagined that the opponents they were about to face were not Kumogakure ninjas, but rather ninjas from the isolated overseas village of Kirigakure!

Once the operation plan was confirmed, Namikaze Minato dismissed the group. Just then, a young boy with white, broom-like hair walked up to his side.

"Minato-sensei, after this mission ends, I would like to take the Jonin examination."

This boy was none other than Namikaze Minato's student, Kakashi. Although Kakashi was young, he already possessed the strength of a Jonin and was a standout among the younger generation of Konoha.

In contrast, Might Guy, who viewed him as a rival, was still an unpopular Genin, training in taijutsu alongside his father, Might Duy, who was also still a Genin.

Namikaze Minato looked at the talented student in whom he had placed such high hopes, his heart filled with emotion. Ever since the suicide of Kakashi's father, the White Fang of the Leaf, Kakashi seemed to have become a different person, turning cold toward everything around him.

Deep within his dead-fish eyes, there had always been a hidden sharpness characteristic of a youth, but now, all Namikaze Minato saw in those eyes was a deathly stillness.

Being a ninja was never a profession that brought happiness; most of what a ninja encountered in their life was darkness, filled with slaughter and conspiracy.

Precisely because of this, a ninja needed to master their own inner strength to prevent themselves from sinking completely into the darkness.

But at this moment, Kakashi's state was already quite dire. Although Namikaze Minato had tried every way to counsel him, the results were minimal.

Patting Kakashi's broom-like hair, Namikaze Minato smiled and said, "Kakashi, you are already outstanding as you are; for you, being a Jonin is just a title. After the mission, I'll take you all out to relax. I've been wanting to try the hot springs in the Land of Hot Water for a long time."

The "you all" Namikaze Minato mentioned also included Obito and Rin, who were training back in Konoha. Although Kakashi was in the same class as them, his strength far exceeded the other two, so he often went on missions alone with his teacher, Namikaze Minato.

Upon hearing this, the expression on Kakashi's face remained unchanged. He simply refused in a calm tone, "Sorry, Sensei, but I insist on completing the Jonin examination."

Namikaze Minato shook his head helplessly and said, "If that is the case, I will not stop you. But you should think carefully about what kind of ninja you want to become in the future."

Having received his teacher's consent, Kakashi nodded and turned to leave, preparing to find a corner to recover his strength alone. Just then, Namikaze Minato's voice rang out behind him again.

"Kakashi, there is one thing I have always wanted to tell you. The choice Sakumo-senpai made during his mission would also be my choice!"

Hearing his teacher's final words, a flicker of emotion finally appeared in Kakashi's eyes, though it vanished just as quickly.

After resting for two hours, the ninjas of the Konoha force had recovered to a good state of mind. Namikaze Minato did not waste any more time; he immediately followed the previously planned strategy and led half of the ninjas into the mouth of the Forest Fortress.

Beside Namikaze Minato, a member of the Hyuga clan had already activated his Byakugan, constantly scanning the surroundings to prevent an enemy ambush.

Everything around them appeared perfectly calm. As the team advanced, they discovered nothing unusual; they couldn't even hear the chirping of birds.

Often, the most abnormal calm hides a raging storm, and a bad premonition could not help but rise in Namikaze Minato's heart.

The canyon terrain of the Forest Fortress was long and narrow. As they ventured deeper, they quickly put distance between themselves and the troops waiting for the signal in the rear.

"Watch out, it's an ambush!"

At that moment, the Hyuga clansman discovered a sudden, massive surge of chakra ahead. It was clear that many ninjas were lying in wait, and judging by the volume of chakra, these hidden ninjas were at least at the Chunin level!

The Konoha group immediately stopped in their tracks, startled. Above the canyon, a row of ninjas wearing Kirigakure flak jackets and headbands suddenly appeared. Standing in the center, with her long, deep-red hair fluttering in the wind, was the highly conspicuous Terumi Mei.

It turned out that when Terumi Mei was deploying her forces, she had considered the possibility of the Byakugan being present in the Konoha support unit. All the Kirigakure ninjas were hidden deep within the canyon, so even a ninja with the Byakugan would only be able to detect them after entering the center of the gorge.

But by that time, it was already too late; the Konoha ninjas who had entered the canyon were already trapped like turtles in a jar!

"Attack!"

At Terumi Mei's command, the Kirigakure ninjas on both sides began weaving hand signs in unison, jointly unleashing a Water Release ninjutsu capable of altering the terrain.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"