Don't Hold Us Back, or Go Die

Yamada's expression darkened, but he still forced himself to explain.

"Jiro, the casualties on the front lines are too severe. The village truly can't spare any more people."

"This is also an order from above. Every squad must have its full complement."

The scar-faced man called Jiro sneered and slammed the roster onto the supply wagon.

He strode up to Qian Ye and looked down at the frail boy.

There was no sympathy in his eyes, only undisguised disdain.

"Kid, I don't care how you got shoved in here."

"My name is Jiro. I'm the deputy captain of this supply transport squad."

Jiro's voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear clearly.

"Let me make this ugly part clear first."

"If we run into a Sunagakure attack along the way, I won't spare anyone to save you."

"My mission is to safely deliver this batch of Explosive Tags to Kikyo Pass."

"Bringing along a rookie like you who's never even seen blood will only slow down the entire team."

Jiro's words were brutally harsh, with no regard whatsoever for Qian Ye's pride.

Several Genin nearby cast sympathetic looks at Qian Ye.

Yamada opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end chose to remain silent.

Jiro was telling the truth.

On this perilous supply route, bringing along a civilian Genin with no combat ability really was a burden.

Jiro was not deliberately targeting Qian Ye.

He simply wanted to protect the supplies and ensure that he, along with the other combat-capable members, survived.

When danger struck, abandoning worthless cannon fodder was the most rational choice on the battlefield.

Facing Jiro's intensely oppressive gaze, Qian Ye showed no anger on his face.

He did not even feel the urge to argue.

Because he knew very well that Jiro's logic made perfect sense.

Everyone was trying to survive. No one had any obligation to protect a stranger they did not know.

"I understand," Qian Ye answered calmly.

"If danger comes, Deputy Captain, you don't need to worry about me. I'll find my own way to stay alive."

Jiro clearly had not expected Qian Ye to answer so readily.

He froze for a moment, and all the nasty things he had prepared caught in his throat.

He gave Qian Ye a long, deep look and snorted coldly.

"At least you've got some self-awareness, kid."

"Don't blame me for speaking harshly. On the battlefield, no one will spare you just because you're pitiful."

"Stay close to the team. If you fall behind, no one will wait for you."

Jiro turned around and loudly called for the others to get ready to depart.

The wagon wheels crushed the dry leaves, producing a series of creaks.

The convoy carrying the Explosive Tags slowly rolled out through the gates of Konohagakure.

Qian Ye carried a heavy pack on his back and walked beside the supply wagon.

He turned back for one last look at Konohagakure's tall walls.

Once he left, whether he lived or died was impossible to predict.

Yet when he touched the manual in his clothes, carrying the scent of the sea, his heart felt much steadier.

No matter what others thought of him.

His only wish now was to survive this war, a war like a meat grinder.

After leaving Konohagakure, the team headed west along a broad dirt road.

The Land of Fire truly had excellent geography, with a pleasant climate, towering trees everywhere, and thick vegetation.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves and fell across the earth, while even the air carried the fresh scent unique to plants.

The land was extraordinarily abundant. A casual walk through the woods was enough to find wild fruit to fill one's stomach and roots to stave off hunger.

Such naturally blessed living conditions had naturally become a thorn in the eyes of the other great nations.

Especially the neighboring Land of Wind, where endless yellow sand filled the skies all year round.

The people of the Land of Wind had to ration even clean drinking water, enduring the blazing sun and sand-filled winds every day.

Watching the Land of Fire occupy vast forests and fertile land, who could possibly feel balanced about it?

Why should you people of the Land of Fire get to occupy the most fertile land?

Why should we people of the Land of Wind have to eat sand in the desert?

Uneven resource distribution, envy, and the pressure to survive naturally gave rise to war.

This time, Sunagakure had attacked the Hidden Leaf's defensive line at any cost in order to seize the Land of Fire's territory and resources.

With his heavy pack on his back, Qian Ye obediently followed behind the last supply wagon.

He looked up at the ninja beasts pulling the carts ahead, then glanced at his dust-covered shoes.

I'm just a fragile office worker...

In his previous life, he had worked overtime late into the night at the company every day. In this life, he had barely transmigrated before even getting a hot meal, and now he was being sent to the front lines to die.

This job was more bitter than coffee.

But he did not dare complain at all and could only keep his head down as he hurried onward.

That scar-faced deputy captain, Jiro, kept patrolling back and forth through the convoy, his gaze vicious.

If Jiro caught him slacking off, he would definitely get an earful.

As he walked, Qian Ye repeatedly reviewed the training methods in the manual.

He did not dare make too much of a commotion while traveling, so he could only quietly gather chakra at the soles of his feet at the instant he took each step.

Every time his foot landed, he controlled the chakra to give the muscles in his legs an incredibly subtle stimulation.

This method was extremely taxing on his mind. Before he had gone far, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead.

But he had to seize every moment to adapt to this way of exerting force.

Once they reached the Kikyo Pass front lines, they could encounter a Sunagakure attack at any moment.

Every bit more proficiency meant another bit of hope of surviving.

"Move faster, all of you! Didn't you eat?!" Jiro's rough voice rang out from the front of the convoy.

"There's an uphill stretch ahead! Push the carts up! Stop dragging your feet!"

Qian Ye hurriedly gathered his thoughts, braced both hands against the wooden panel at the back of the supply wagon, and pushed with the Genin ahead of him.

The heavy wooden wheels carved two deep ruts into the dirt road.

After finally pushing the wagons to the top of the slope, everyone was exhausted and gasping for breath.

Chunin captain Yamada looked at the sky and raised a hand to signal the convoy to halt.

"Rest where you are for fifteen minutes. Replenish water and food. Don't light fires. Eat dry rations," Yamada ordered.

Everyone sighed in relief and quickly found places to sit and rest.

Qian Ye leaned against one of the supply wagon's wooden wheels and took out a hard Military Ration Pill from his Ninja Tool Pouch.

He shoved the Military Ration Pill into his mouth and chewed it with difficulty.

The taste of the thing was truly awful. It was nothing but dry, powdery crumbs in his mouth, and it scraped harshly at his throat as he swallowed.

Still, he forced himself to finish every last bit, then gulped down two large mouthfuls of water.

After recovering some strength, Qian Ye leaned against the wooden wheel and closed his eyes to rest.

By the roots of a tree not far away, Yamada and Jiro were sitting together on break.

They held water flasks in their hands and spoke in low voices.

Qian Ye had not meant to eavesdrop, but they were not far away, and the wind carried their conversation into his ears.

"More and more rumors are spreading in the village, and the higher-ups have shown no intention of clarifying them," Yamada sighed.

"Lord Hatake is in a truly difficult position this time. Even the subordinates he trained are criticizing him behind his back."