"How are things now?"
Inside the Konoha stronghold, Xia Yan and Shikaku Nara strolled slowly along while the Konoha ninja around them busied themselves with preparations.
The Konoha ninja looked far more spirited now. Compared with their state when they had first set out, the difference was like night and day.
The person who had changed all of this was Xia Yan. If he had not reversed the situation through two battles-
Especially the overwhelming strength he had displayed against the Fourth Raikage, severely wounding him and wiping out over five hundred Cloud Ninja-
Forcing the Cloud Ninja to hole up completely while Konoha attacked and suppressed them, Konoha's morale probably would not have soared so high.
A powerful shinobi could not only turn the tide alone but also fill everyone with fighting spirit. Clearly, Xia Yan had already accomplished all of that.
And whenever the two passed by, every Konoha ninja instinctively put down their work.
Some bowed slightly, while others nodded to the pair, expressing their respect for Xia Yan and Shikaku.
At first, Xia Yan and Shikaku had been somewhat unaccustomed to this.
Shikaku Nara handled it better. As the director of the Administrative Affairs Department, he often encountered similar situations.
But as the Anbu Director, Xia Yan had rarely experienced anything like this. After a few days, however, he had grown used to it.
"Everything is proceeding according to plan."
Shikaku Nara had been in a good mood these past few days, and he even wore a rare smile.
Kumogakure was under heavy pressure. Although their casualties as the defenders were not particularly high, Konoha was no fool as the attacking side either.
Shikaku Nara had deliberately appeared extremely impatient on several occasions, ordering the Konoha ninja to launch frontal charges.
But he had also told