At the warning from the Hyuga Branch Family ninja, all the Konoha Ninja nearby were startled. They immediately formed up, gathering into their respective squad formations.
Nara Suzaku, the acting commander, hurried to the center of the camp and organized the Konoha forces to prepare for a counterattack.
Just then, dozens of shadows flashed into view. A large force of Kirigakure ninja had appeared before the Konoha forces.
The red-haired Terumi Mei led them, her hair impossible to miss. Ao and Uesugi Shinji stood at her sides. The three of them were the central figures in this Kirigakure force.
"The Byakugan truly is a strategic asset. Even the most covert operation is hard to hide from the Hyuga," Ao said slowly.
The veins around his right eye were bulging. Though a black eyepatch covered it, it was easy to tell that he had activated the Byakugan.
The two Hyuga Branch Family members among the Konoha forces glared at Ao, their faces furious and murderous. They knew that his Byakugan had been stolen from one of their clan members. Ao was already on Konoha's wanted list. Killing him and reclaiming or destroying his Byakugan was a duty no Hyuga could shirk.
Terumi Mei swept her sharp gaze over the Konoha forces. Namikaze Minato, the person she was most concerned about, was nowhere to be seen. This confirmed the possibility Uesugi Shinji had mentioned: Minato had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reinforce Kannabi Bridge.
She was secretly glad she had taken Uesugi Shinji's advice. If her side had merely stood off against the enemy, they would have missed this chance to wipe out the Konoha force.
Konoha formed up remarkably quickly. In barely a dozen seconds, they were ready for battle, a testament to the outstanding quality of Konoha's ninja.
Nara Suzaku, the acting commander, led his two teammates, Akimichi Tōshi and Yamanaka Santen, to the front of their formation. He watched Terumi Mei and Uesugi Shinji with a grave expression. Though his heart was uneasy, he struggled to maintain a calm exterior.
Terumi Mei looked imposing, standing as if she were the center of the entire battlefield and drawing every eye. Uesugi Shinji was much more restrained, his aura concealed rather than released, yet he felt even more dangerous to Nara Suzaku and the other Konoha Ninja.
Much of a person's presence came from their reputation. Terumi Mei and Uesugi Shinji put immense pressure on the Konoha Ninja around them because they had displayed enough strength in this war for their names to spread throughout the Shinobi World.
I never realized how terrifying these two Kirigakure ninja were when they were with Minato. This is going to be a hard battle!
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Nara Suzaku's forehead. He knew he was no match for Terumi Mei and Uesugi Shinji individually. Fortunately, he could combine with his two teammates to form the Ino-Shika-Cho battle formation, so their side still had a chance to fight.
"Terumi Mei, Kirigakure has violated the peace treaty made after the Second Shinobi World War and invaded our country without permission. What are you after? Does the Land of Water intend to cross the ocean and seize our territory?" Nara Suzaku demanded coldly.
Terumi Mei sneered. "How could you possibly know the strategy of the Land of Water?"
Though Terumi Mei did not agree with the Mizukage's plan to attack the Land of Fire, she had to uphold the Mizukage's strategy in front of enemy ninja and show that the entire Kirigakure stood united against their foe.
Nara Suzaku was about to say more, but Uesugi Shinji, standing beside Terumi Mei, spoke calmly. "Don't forget, the Yellow Flash could appear at any moment."
Uesugi Shinji meant that Konoha might be trying to stall. They had no idea how long the Yellow Flash had been gone, and he could return here at any moment with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
They needed to end this quickly. Every moment of delay brought another chance for things to change!
Terumi Mei's gaze turned cold. She gave the order without hesitation. "Kill!"
At her command, the Kirigakure ninja charged the Konoha forces, who met their attack without backing down.
The battlefield was very different from the first clash between the two sides in the valley at Forest Fortress. Back then, Kirigakure had enjoyed a tremendous advantage in terrain. They had not only set an ambush and surrounded their foes, but could also use the narrow valley to create a landscape filled with water, almost like a lake.
Now, the battle was taking place in a spacious forest. Even if every Kirigakure ninja used the Great Waterfall Technique, they could not change the terrain. The water would soon drain away.
Though Konoha lacked its strongest fighter, Namikaze Minato, it still barely had the strength to fight Kirigakure!
In skirmishes, ninja usually fought independently in squads. Before long, the ninja on both sides had found their opponents, dividing the forest into dozens of small battlefields.
Konoha had received reinforcements from many new recruits, giving them a slight numerical advantage over Kirigakure. Seeing that his side was not losing ground, Nara Suzaku felt more at ease.
He kept his eyes fixed on Terumi Mei and Uesugi Shinji, who had yet to join the fight. He resolved to hold the two of them off and buy time for his comrades.
Unlike Nara Suzaku, who looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy, Uesugi Shinji remained calm and paid no attention to him.
"I'm going to carry out that mission."
Uesugi Shinji spoke as he watched a young kunoichi in the distance. She was Nohara Rin of Team Kakashi.
Terumi Mei nodded. "With the Yellow Flash gone, this is indeed the best time to carry out that mission. Leave things here to me."
As soon as Terumi Mei finished speaking, Uesugi Shinji vanished from where he stood and raced toward Nohara Rin.
Nara Suzaku's heart lurched. He immediately shouted, "Stop him!"
He knew that if a fighter as skilled as Uesugi Shinji were left unchecked, he would put tremendous pressure on the other Konoha Ninja. Uesugi Shinji could very well pick them off one by one.
As acting commander, he—or rather, his squad—had to shoulder that burden!
Akimichi Tōshi, the heavyset man standing behind Nara Suzaku, brought his hands together and roared, "Multi-Size Technique!"
His body instantly grew several times larger. Even more astonishingly, his clothes, armor, and weapon grew to the same proportion.
This was the effect of the Akimichi Clan's secret art, the Multi-Size Technique!
Akimichi Tōshi's body was now several times larger, and his weight and strength had multiplied as well. He was like a massive fortress that could move.
"Die!"
Akimichi Tōshi roared and swung his enormous shovel-like weapon down at Uesugi Shinji.
If that shovel hit, not just a human—even an elephant—would be pulverized on the spot, leaving no remains.
Before you continue