Three more days passed like this before Li finally spoke up. "Something is very wrong. We haven't encountered any of their defensive forces for over ten hours—not even pure Genin units."
"Yeah. Even if Kirigakure isn't as powerful as it used to be, it still shouldn't be this weak." Hinata shook her head, her face full of worry as well.
"Could it be a trap?" Li said with a frown. In truth, he did not know much about this period of history. Thinking carefully, once the main story began, Konoha did not actually have many talented people left. The parents of the Konoha 12 might have been Konoha's last elite. But then why had such a powerful Konoha become the way it was by the start of the main story?
The Nine-Tails Incident alone should not have caused such a terrifying outcome. As that thought came together, Li's heart sank. Could Konoha's main force already be trapped within a massive encirclement?
Li tapped his forehead. "No. If our relief force were truly approaching the encirclement around Lord Orochimaru, then Lord Orochimaru and the others should be able to break out easily no matter what. And Kirigakure's losses would definitely not be small. If that really is the case..." Li looked at Hinata. "Then no matter what methods Kirigakure uses in the end, they've already lost. After that, although Konoha might not be able to swallow Kirigakure's territory, the other villages will surely devour Kirigakure clean like hungry wolves."
Hinata fell silent as well. The Ninja Academy had taught children about the Shinobi World Wars before, but those lessons had only glossed over them. If they were really asked what had happened, both Li and Hinata were completely at a loss...
"Maybe Lady Tsunade's forces have already crushed their main force,"