Star Clan

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

Over those five days, the Sand ninja learned what true despair was.

Because the Sunagakure forces that had launched the night raids were completely wiped out, the rear command had failed to receive timely intelligence from the front lines. Sunagakure continued dispatching guerrilla squads without end.

As a result, whenever these small Sunagakure units were about to raid Konoha's other camps, Konoha's carefully prepared ambushes were waiting for them.

By the time Sunagakure's rear headquarters realized something was wrong, the guerrilla forces they had sent out in batches had already been almost entirely killed or wounded.

Over those five days—

Tobirama Senju himself had arrived at Konoha's main encampment within the Land of Wind.

By then, Konoha had deployed eight thousand ninja. The entire camp stretched endlessly, its tents vanishing beyond sight.

According to Konoha's medical ninja, Konoha had suffered 120 casualties in those five days. Most were injured, many struck by ninjutsu in the melee or wounded by Explosive Tags. The dead numbered only in the dozens, mostly weaker Chunin and Genin. Not a single Jonin had died.

Compared with Konoha,

Sunagakure's losses were catastrophic.

In those five days alone,

Because Tobirama Senju had anticipated that Sunagakure might adopt guerrilla tactics, Konoha had prepared traps in advance. During the first two days, more than fifteen hundred Sand ninja sent on night raids had been almost entirely lost.

Fortunately, during the operation on the third day, one Sunagakure squad had luckily escaped and managed to relay news of Konoha's ambushes back to the village.

The moment they received the news, all of Sunagakure's upper ranks were enraged. Over fifteen hundred Sand ninja had died in Konoha's ambushes without even getting the chance to fight the enemy head-on.

They suspected a traitor within Sunagakure had leaked their battle plans to Konoha, so they launched a village-wide manhunt. Yet no matter how thoroughly they searched, they found no Konoha spies.

Over the following days, Sunagakure stopped attacking Konoha's main camp and instead began skirmishing with Konoha in the desert. Even so, they lost nearly another two hundred men.

In other words, only five short days after Sunagakure and Konoha began fighting, the tide of war already seemed to have tipped toward Konoha?

At that moment,

Tobirama Senju sat steadily within Konoha's command tent, surrounded by commanders of every rank involved in this military operation.

Tobirama considered whether he should personally head to Sunagakure's front lines and crush some weaklings, forcing Chiyo to take action or compelling Sunagakure's higher-ups to besiege him.

That way, he could smash Sunagakure's leadership in one stroke and defeat the village.

As Tobirama Senju sat with his eyes closed in thought, Torifu Akimichi, the overall commander of this war, received a message from the ninja below and hurriedly interrupted him.

"Sensei, Assistant Shikaku has sent an urgent report from the village. All the ninja and civilians of Hoshigakure have relocated to Konoha. The Star ninja can join this operation at any time!"

"Good!" Hearing the news, Tobirama Senju slapped his thigh, his mind still racing.

"Have Shikaku Nara immediately send all of Hoshigakure's Jonin to the battlefield. Then our plan can be put into action!"

"Yes." Torifu Akimichi nodded and swiftly rushed out of the tent.

A smile appeared at the corner of Tobirama Senju's mouth. Once the Star ninja arrived at the battlefield, he could begin the operation to bomb Sunagakure.

After he brought the leader of the Star ninja to Konoha, the leader had presented the Mysterious Peacock Method to him as repayment for Konoha.

With Tobirama Senju's talent, he had long since completely mastered the secret technique. Moreover, he could use natural energy in place of chakra to activate the Mysterious Peacock Method. He could already form a pair of wings from natural energy behind his back, allowing him to fly far longer and faster than the Star ninja ever could.

"Lord Hokage! We are ready to lay down our lives for Konoha at any time!"

Outside the command tent, forty-three Star ninja wearing Konoha forehead protectors knelt on one knee in perfect unison, respectfully facing Tobirama Senju.

"Hehe, since you have joined Konoha, you are now part of Konoha. As Hokage, I will never allow Konoha ninja to be placed in danger, and the tasks I assign you will not be unbearably difficult."

"Have your families and clansmen all been properly settled?"

With a warm smile, Tobirama Senju kindly questioned the Star ninja.

Hearing Tobirama Senju's question, the leading Star ninja raised his head and said,

"Lord Hokage, Lord Shikaku has already assigned us a place to live and registered the information of every Star ninja. From this day onward, Hoshigakure will no longer exist. We Star ninja are willing to become Konoha's Star Clan!"

The Star Clan?

Tobirama Senju nodded. After hearing the Star ninja leader's words, he immediately said,

"Good. Rise. Konoha does not have so many rules. In this war against Sunagakure, we need the Star Clan's aid to end it as quickly as possible with the fewest losses."

"Every member of the Star Clan is a hero of Konoha!"

Tobirama Senju let out a sigh.

At his words, the Star Clan ninja were filled with delight.

They had not expected Tobirama Senju to value them so highly just after they joined Konoha, even allowing them to take part in the war against Sunagakure.

The Star ninja had only belonged to a small ninja village. Which of the Five Great Nations did not stand high above them? Yet now, they could actually fight one of them?

If they perfectly completed the task Tobirama Senju assigned them and ended the war with Sunagakure,

then their entire Star Clan would become contributors to Konoha and could swiftly be accepted by everyone in the village.

Rather than as they were now: although they had joined Konoha, the local ninja and civilians clearly did not think much of them, judging from their expressions alone.

All the Star Clan ninja present raised their heads together and resolutely declared to Tobirama Senju,

"Please give us your orders, Lord Hokage! We will brave fire and water without hesitation!"

"Good!" Tobirama Senju nodded in satisfaction at their answer.

The Konoha ninja who had come with Tobirama Senju to receive the Star ninja could not help but glance at one another.

"Lord Hokage won over these Star ninja with just a few words. He truly is impressive," they murmured.