Battle of the Supply Station

After the crisis at the medical station was resolved, Riyue returned to the logistics department to continue managing the warehouse. Another half-month passed in this manner. One day, when Riyue arrived at the logistics department as usual, he saw his teacher, Dan Kato.

"Teacher Dan Kato!" Riyue greeted him.

"Ah, Riyue, you're here." Dan Kato waved with a smile.

"Teacher, is there something you need from me?" Riyue asked.

"Yesterday, Shikaku and the others and I ambushed a small enemy supply point, and we had quite a haul. We just got back to report, and now I'm about to head out on an important mission with Lady Tsunade, so I came here to pick up some special equipment."

"Oh, a mission with Lady Tsunade? Did you confess your feelings, Teacher?" Riyue chuckled, wearing an expression that said, 'I know what's going on.'

Dan Kato's face flushed instantly, and he laughed awkwardly. "Cough, cough. Lady Tsunade and I are just friends for now. Uh... do you have a Water Source Detector here?"

"I do. Let me go get it." Riyue entered the warehouse and returned a moment later with a device resembling a compass, though it featured two parallel, vertical "┌" shaped indicators protruding from the top.

"Here you go, Teacher Dan. Just sign here." Riyue pointed to the registration form.

Dan Kato signed his name and handed it back to Riyue. "I'm off. I'm heading to the battlefield this time. See you next time, Riyue!"

"Goodbye, Teacher." Riyue waved his hand.

"Dan Kato is going on a mission with Tsunade? To the front lines?" Riyue pondered, his brow slowly furrowing...

Tsunade sat in the command tent, carefully studying a map, with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and several other jonin standing nearby.

"So, you're saying that by following the underground river, we can find a forest oasis, and that is the Hidden Sand's main supply point?"

"Yes! Based on the memories I read from the captive's mind, that is correct." Inoichi Yamanaka nodded.

"Our raid on the small supply point was a huge success; we actually uncovered such vital intelligence," Shikaku added.

"The Intelligence Division analyzed the information and confirmed the memories are authentic and not tampered with," an Intelligence Division jonin also stated.

Dan Kato had led a team to raid a small Hidden Sand supply point. While Inoichi Yamanaka was searching the memories of a Hidden Sand captive, he discovered the exact location of their main supply depot.

Large swathes of the Land of Wind were endless deserts, making logistics and transportation quite difficult. The Hidden Sand surely needed a massive supply point to store materials and alleviate the pressure on their logistics; otherwise, most of their water and food would be depleted during long-distance transport.

If the main supply point were destroyed, the Hidden Sand would lose this war!

Consequently, they quickly reported the matter to Tsunade, who immediately decided to lead a squad herself to launch a surprise attack on the main supply point. She had just been confirming the location of the depot on the map with Inoichi.

"Good! How are the preparations for the Special Operations Team?" Tsunade nodded.

"Teacher Dan has already gone to prepare," Choza replied.

"Excellent! Once the operations team is ready, we depart immediately to strike the Hidden Sand's main supply point!" Tsunade nodded. "You have all worked hard; leave the rest to me."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!" The three bowed and withdrew.

Shortly after, Dan Kato walked into the tent with nine others—all elite jonin of Konoha. They were far stronger than the average jonin.

"Lady Tsunade, we are ready! Let us handle this mission; you should stay back to command the camp," Dan Kato urged.

Tsunade shook her head. "This mission is too important; there is no room for failure."

Tsunade stood up and waved her arm. "Then, everyone, follow me! Objective: Destroy the Hidden Sand's main supply depot!" The group quickly followed Tsunade out of the camp.

The 11-man squad entered the desert, swiftly and silently crossing the front lines to reach the territory controlled by the Hidden Sand. Using the detector, they soon located the underground river deep within the sand-swept desert and followed it toward the forest oasis. No one discovered the elite squad along the way. The weather today was unusually muggy, and large cumulonimbus clouds drifted in the distant sky, looking dark and gloomy.

"Hmm, it seems this is the place. The number of sand ninja in this area has suddenly increased," the jonin using the Byakugan said after observing for a long time.

"There are six Hidden Sand scouts 300 meters ahead. Based on their chakra levels, two of them are jonin. There are eight more ninjas patrolling in the open 800 meters away, and I can't see any further than that," the Byakugan elite jonin confirmed after a careful reconnaissance.

"I'll go take out the scouts quietly. Protect my body for me. Spirit Transformation Technique!" Dan Kato said, his hands moving through seals rapidly. A translucent version of himself detached from his body, his entire form shimmering with faint white light, encased in a halo.

Dan Kato's spirit body flew out at high speed, carving an arc of light as it moved silently through the woods. Using the trees for cover, Dan Kato quickly circled behind the scouts.

With lightning speed, he passed through the body of the jonin hiding in the bushes at the rear. The jonin's soul was assassinated, and his head slumped as he collapsed into the brush.

"One down!" Dan Kato's spirit body flickered again.

A chunin hiding in a tree nearby felt Dan Kato's hand swipe across his throat.

"Two!"

As the chunin fell, his body brushed against the treetops, making a noise. The Hidden Sand jonin nearby turned his head, his eyes widening and his mouth opening to shout. The glowing Dan Kato flashed forward, appearing right in front of him, and without hesitation, he dove into the jonin's body. Possession successful!

"Three!"

Another Hidden Sand ninja nearby heard the commotion and asked in a low voice, "Hey, what's wrong? Is there a situation?"

The possessed ninja paused for a moment, then signaled to his companion that there seemed to be movement ahead. The Hidden Sand ninja looked in the direction he pointed.

"I don't see any movement? What are you—" Before the companion could finish, a hand covered his mouth, and a kunai was plunged directly into his own chest.

"Four!"

Dan Kato then controlled the jonin to run toward the two men at the front.

"Boss? What happened? Why did you come out against orders?" the two Hidden Sand ninjas asked as they watched the jonin rush over.

"I discovered something unusual ahead. Quick! Follow me and give chase!" The jonin looked at the two, speaking with a stern expression.

The two chunin had no doubts; they followed the jonin and leaped into a patch of forest. Everything went quiet... A moment later, the Hidden Sand jonin walked out alone.

"Five and six."

Dan Kato's spirit left the possessed Jonin; the soul of that man had been killed by Dan Kato in the process.

"All done!" Dan Kato's spirit flashed and returned to his own body.

"The hidden sentries have been taken care of!" Dan Kato opened his eyes and told the others.

"Prepare to close in! Take out the patrolling ninjas!" Tsunade signaled to her teammates. The eleven elite Jonin moved quickly, stealthily creeping up beside the Hidden Sand patrol. Those eight men had no idea.

Tsunade waved her hand. "Swish! Swish!" The eight patrolling ninjas were killed simultaneously. Tsunade did not use her Strength Enhancement Technique, opting instead for kunai coated in lethal poison; these Hidden Sand ninjas died without ever knowing what had happened.

Having eliminated the outer perimeter, the Konoha group arrived silently beside the supply station, and Tsunade's squad quickly formulated an attack plan.

"The main supply station is heavily guarded: 18 Jonin, 68 Chunin, and a large number of Genin." The Byakugan elite Jonin confirmed the numbers once more.

"Tsunade, you lead the surprise attack to draw the enemy's attention. I will use the Spirit Transformation Technique to possess an enemy and take the opportunity to destroy the supply station. How about that?" Dan Kato proposed.

"Very well. Everyone, launch the attack and draw their attention!" Tsunade nodded.

"[Summoning Technique]!" The Konoha Jonin, wearing a headband and carrying a long sword, slapped his hand on the ground, summoning a ninja dog wearing a Konoha forehead protector.

"I will have the ninja dog tunnel underground to deliver the Explosive Tags inside. Dan, once you possess someone, retrieve the tags and blow up all the supplies." The long-sword-wielding Jonin secured a large pack of pre-prepared Explosive Tags onto the dog's back, and the animal immediately burrowed into the ground.

Tsunade patted the Byakugan Jonin on the shoulder. "You are responsible for guarding our retreat route. Stay alert, and protect Dan's body. If anything changes, signal everyone immediately and we will retreat at once! Is that clear?"

"Understood!" the group replied in low voices.

"Then, move out!"

Tsunade directed the group to split up. Dan Kato's spirit slipped away quietly. Here, there were four semi-spherical warehouses built from sand, wide and sturdy. Three teams of ninjas guarded the entrances, and there were guards both around and inside the warehouses.

A Sand ninja was standing guard on one side of a warehouse. Dan Kato acted decisively and rushed over. Before the man could react to turning his head, Dan Kato had already successfully possessed him.

"Attack!" Tsunade ordered. The Konoha elite Jonin charged immediately. Tsunade led six people to attack the main gate, while two others launched an assault from the flank, with the Byakugan Jonin remaining on guard.

"[Heavenly Foot of Pain]!" Tsunade leaped high into the air and brought her foot down, stomping into the middle of the enemy squad guarding the exterior. "Boom!" The ground shattered, creating a massive crater. Stones flew and dust billowed, altering the terrain of the entire clearing.

Several Hidden Sand Chunin were unable to dodge in time; struck by the brutal force, they flew backward, vomiting blood. The ground shook, and the surrounding Sand ninjas struggled to keep their footing. Tsunade seized the chance to leap up, throwing a punch directly at a Hidden Sand Jonin.

The Jonin hurriedly crossed his arms in front of him to defend. "Ha!" Tsunade's ferocious punch landed, sending a shockwave rippling outward. "Crack!" The Hidden Sand Jonin's arms shattered instantly, and his face caved in. He flew off like a cannonball, taking a free flight before dying before he even hit the ground.

"Enemy attack!" The remaining Hidden Sand ninjas reacted and rushed toward Tsunade and her team.

"Protect the warehouse!" More guards rushed over to block the Konoha ninjas.

"Advance!" The six people behind Tsunade launched their attacks as well.

"[Lightning Style: Earth Flash]!" "[Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning]!" "[Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bomb]!" "[Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet]!" "[Wind Style: Wind Cutter]!"...

"Boom! Boom! Bang!" The Konoha Jonin unleashed various ninjutsu simultaneously, blooming like flowers amidst the Sand ninjas. The group then charged into the fray, while the flank assault began as well.

"[Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon]!" The long-sword-wielding Konoha Jonin drew his blade in a flash, executing the Konoha-style sword technique. Three clones attacked two enemies simultaneously; the enemies responded in a panic, while the Jonin's true body had already appeared beside them.

A cold light flashed! "Swish!" With a lightning-fast sweep, both men were cut down in an instant.

Controlling the possessed enemy, Dan Kato quickly retrieved the pack of Explosive Tags delivered by the ninja dog from an inconspicuous corner. Taking advantage of the chaos at the supply point, he slipped into the warehouse gate. Inside were rows upon rows of shelves stacked with boxes—a massive operation.

"A-Ming! Konoha ninjas are attacking us, go provide support!" a Sand ninja shouted at the ninja Dan Kato was possessing.

Oh no! I actually ran into a Hidden Sand ninja, Dan Kato thought, his heart tightening.

"A-Ming! What are you still doing?" The Sand ninja ran over and spoke to the ninja Dan Kato was possessing.

"Someone just came in! I need to check it out!" 'A-Ming' shouted, suddenly running toward the back of the warehouse.

"Enemies? Let's go take a look!" The Sand ninja hurriedly chased after 'A-Ming' into the warehouse.

The two ran to the end of the warehouse. "There are no enemies here? A-Ming, you..." The Hidden Sand ninja looked confused, but a kunai had already sliced across his throat. Blood gushed out instantly, and he clutched his neck as he collapsed to the ground.

"The enemy who came in—that would be me!" 'A-Ming' glanced at the fallen Sand ninja, quickly took out the Explosive Tags, and began weaving through the shelves, sticking them everywhere.

"Lady Tsunade, there are too many enemies, we can't hold out much longer!" a Jonin beside Tsunade said. The Hidden Sand ninjas had blocked the Konoha assault and were now launching a desperate, frenzied counterattack, using poison-coated weapons and various ninjutsu while attempting to surround and isolate the Konoha ninjas. One elite Konoha Jonin had pushed too deep and was surrounded by over a dozen enemies, dying in the process, and the others were all more or less injured.

"Hold on a little longer! We can retreat soon!" Tsunade shouted. She had also sustained minor injuries. She turned and punched an oncoming enemy, sending him flying, but more Hidden Sand ninjas rushed up.

The ninja controlled by Dan Kato moved at high speed between the shelves; the Explosive Tags were already placed.

"Done! My chakra is almost gone too!" Dan Kato immediately detached from A-Ming's body. A-Ming collapsed to the ground, already lifeless.

"Detonate!" Dan Kato formed a seal and triggered the thousands of Explosive Tags. His spirit flashed and quickly returned to his own body.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Rumble..." The Explosive Tags detonated in a chain reaction, shattering crates into pieces. The warehouse roof was blown off by the shockwave, leaving the place in ruins. The Hidden Sand ninjas fled in panic amidst the explosions.

"Success, retreat!" Tsunade shouted, leading the remaining seven people toward Dan Kato's position. The Byakugan Jonin had also witnessed the warehouse explosion and, feeling exhilarated, patted Dan Kato on the shoulder.

"Phew, we did it!" Dan Kato smiled, his body feeling drained. Although the chakra cost to detonate a single tag was small, detonating over a thousand was still more than he could handle. Dan Kato's chakra was essentially bottomed out; he could no longer use the Spirit Transformation Technique.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Dan Kato's feet jolted. Golden sand, shimmering with specks of gold and heavy metals—Gold Dust—surged rapidly from underground. The golden sand lunged upward, wrapping around the two of them.

"Watch out!" The Byakugan Jonin shoved Dan Kato away, but the Gold Dust seized the opportunity to bind the Byakugan Jonin's limbs.

"Damn it! What is going on?" The Byakugan Jonin was unable to move.

"[Magnet Style: Sand Gold Binding Coffin]!" A man stood on a distant tree branch with his arms crossed, watching Dan Kato and the others with an expressionless face. The Gold Dust rapidly enveloped the elite Byakugan Jonin.

He extended his hand toward the Gold Dust from a distance and squeezed hard:

"[Magnet Style: Sand Gold Funeral]!" The Gold Dust compressed violently, exerting immense pressure on the Byakugan Jonin's body, intending to crush him directly.

"Ah! Help me!" The Byakugan Jonin released high-density chakra from all his pressure points, struggling with all his might to resist the crushing force of the Gold Dust. Dan Kato also seized the moment to use a kunai to slice at the Gold Dust, seemingly on the verge of rescuing the Byakugan Jonin.

"Hmph! Both of you, go to hell!" The man raised his hand, and another mass of gold sand floated up, rapidly condensing into a giant, spiral-shaped gold sand spear above the head of the Byakugan jonin.

"Run! Forget about me!" The Byakugan jonin used his remaining strength to shove Dan Kato away.

"Magnet Style: Spiral Gold Spear Strike!" With a casual flick of the man's hand downward, the gold sand spear began to rotate rapidly, plunging from the sky into the gold sand binding the Byakugan jonin, piercing through both the man and the sand. Blood sprayed, staining the gold sand crimson.

"Damn it!" Tsunade and the others rushed over from nearby, but they were a step too late.

"Tsunade! This shall be your burial ground!" Chiyo, Ebizo, and another ninja carrying a large fan landed on the treetops. Including the ninja controlling the gold sand, four Hidden Sand shinobi looked down upon Tsunade and her eight companions, while more Hidden Sand ninjas were rushing in from the distance.

"I am the king here! Magnet Style: Gold Sand Wave!"

The ninja manipulating the gold sand pressed his palms together, his chakra depleting rapidly. Gold sand surged out from the surrounding ground. That was not all; the walls of the warehouse built from sand, as well as the cargo crates inside, were actually all made of gold sand!

Massive amounts of gold sand erupted in waves, converging together. The vast, flowing gold sand churned like a tidal wave, forming a massive sandstorm that lunged madly toward the Konoha ninjas. Then, a giant quicksand vortex appeared on the ground.

Nearby trees were uprooted by the gold sand and dragged into the vortex. Everything that stood in the way of the gold sand tide was swept away and submerged. In an instant, a vast forest was transformed into a sea of gold sand, altering the landscape for miles around. The Konoha ninjas had nowhere to run; the ground beneath their feet trembled, and the gold sand waves were about to engulf Tsunade and her team.

"Oh no!" Tsunade and the others leaped up to dodge, but they were knocked down by the layers of towering gold sand waves, and upon landing, they were completely surrounded by the sea of gold sand. In an instant, they were submerged, buried beneath tons of gold sand. Chiyo and the others stood on floating clusters of gold sand, watching the scene with cold sneers.

The ninja controlling the gold sand leaned down and slammed his palms onto the sand:

"All of you, die! Magnet Style: Gold Sand Grand Funeral!"