An Unbreakable Deadlock

An offensive meant large-scale combined Earth Release ninjutsu. Once it was unleashed, the sight was as terrifying as could be. As for defense...

As long as the Earth Release Corps worked together, they could turn the various positions into powerful military fortresses in no time.

Like hedgehogs covered in spikes, they left you nowhere to sink your teeth.

Mainly because... they hurt your mouth.

Defensive structures kept going up, to the point that the moment you saw them after entering the battlefield, you lost all desire to attack.

On top of Konoha and Sunagakure being somewhat inclined to slack off, and neither village having many ninja proficient in Lightning Release, the war had reached this awkward standstill.

Kumogakure could press forward relentlessly against Iwagakure because its ninja were generally proficient in Lightning Release, which could easily break through the fortifications and defensive stone walls built with Earth Release.

Kumogakure could do it, but Konoha and Sunagakure could not.

Konoha was manageable. Not having many ninja proficient in Lightning Release did not mean it had none. Sunagakure, on the other hand, was truly awkward.

Aside from its famed Puppet Corps, Sunagakure only had the Wind Release Corps that it had failed to establish despite spending money and resources. Never mind that it had not been formed—even if it had, it would have been helpless against Iwagakure's Earth Release Corps.

No matter how fiercely the wind blew, it could only stare helplessly at those sturdy fortifications.

Ninja proficient in Wind Release were frustrated, and those skilled in Fire Release and Water Release had the same headache.

After a pause, Mitokado Homura continued,

"We can assemble a squad of ninja proficient in Lightning Release, but such a squad would have a limited effect on the battlefield."

"Whew..."

Rubbing his temples, which had begun