The 44th year of Konoha
It was supposed to be a peaceful year. However, a major incident occurred in Sunagakure.
The Third Kazekage had gone missing.
If it were an ordinary jonin disappearing for ten days or half a month, it wouldn't be a big deal. But the one who disappeared was the Third Kazekage. As the supreme leader of the village, a kage wouldn't disappear without a reason.
A kage has to handle a large amount of affairs every day and can't simply leave everything to the elders. Sunagakure, which had lost its Third Kazekage, suppressed the news and started sending people to search extensively for their leader's whereabouts.
Due to their large - scale actions, other countries took notice. After investigation, they found out.
Oh my, their leader was missing.
With the loss of the protection of the Kazekage, the strength of Sunagakure was greatly reduced. At this weak moment, the Lightning Country, which advocated military expansion, took advantage of the situation to attack the Wind Country and declared war on the Earth Country and the Fire Country!
The Third Shinobi World War had begun!
Konoha entered a state of wartime preparedness!
The Fire Country gathered a group of ninjas at the borders with the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Rice Fields, specifically to guard against Kumogakure. Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, took up arms again and stationed at the border.
At this time, no one expected that the Wind Country, which had been bullied by the Lightning Country, suddenly launched a large - scale invasion of Konoha.
The Fire Country was caught off - guard. After a decision by the Konoha high - ups, Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, was dispatched to the battlefield between the Fire Country and the Wind Country to command the battle.
The Shinku Squad was also sent into this battle.
Ninjas are soldiers. The village trains them to exert their strength and defend the country in such special times.
Asuma and Kurenai, who hadn't been promoted to chunin, were promoted. Not only them, but also a group of genin who didn't pass the Chunin Exams were also made chunin. One reason was to boost morale, and the other was to intimidate the enemy.
There was another reason... Sending genin to the battlefield was basically sending them to their deaths. Promoting them to chunin was a way to deceive themselves, but not only Konoha did this. Other ninja villages did the same.
After preparing necessary war consumables such as kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and military rations pills, Seisuke, Yuhi Shinku, and the others set foot on the battlefield against the Wind Country. It was his first time participating in a war, and he was actually a little excited. As a result, he couldn't fall asleep on the first night.
War, which had seemed a bit distant to him before, had suddenly arrived, catching him off - guard.
This war was actually an extension of the Second Shinobi World War. After a period of recuperation, the five major countries had recovered. The Fire Country had reaped huge benefits in the Second Shinobi World War, but it also attracted attention because of its prosperity.
With the loss of the White Fang of Konoha and Tsunade, the slug princess, Konoha's combat power had dropped significantly. It was in a weak state. Not only the Lightning, Earth, and Wind countries were hostile to Konoha, but Kirigakure, which usually minded its own business, was also eyeing it covetously.
All four major countries wanted to take a bite out of the Fire Country.
Thinking of this, he sighed, turned over, and continued to sleep. There were Konoha jonin on guard around, so they, the newly - promoted chunin, didn't need to keep watch.
It took three days to finally approach the battlefield.
These Konoha ninjas were going to report to Orochimaru, the commander, tomorrow.
In the night camp, it was deathly silent, eerily quiet.
A sensory ninja from the Konoha side suddenly opened his eyes and said, "There are unknown chakra signatures approaching. Everyone, be on your guard."
Hearing this, Yuhi Shinku woke up the three of them, and they immediately entered a state of combat readiness.
"Over there!"
The sensory ninja pointed upwards.
As soon as he finished speaking, a large number of kunai flew out from the dark forest, hitting several inexperienced Konoha ninjas.
They fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Their faces turned pale as they struggled on the ground.
Seisuke, with sharp eyes, said, "The kunai are poisoned. Everyone, be careful!"
"Jet Flame!!!"
He threw a punch, and a stream of flames burned towards the place where the kunai had been thrown. Several figures flew out from there.
Click! Click! Click!
The sound of wood colliding came, especially clear in the darkness. Someone said, "Konoha ninjas, you won't leave here alive today."
"It's the puppet troops of Sunagakure!"
A jonin, while repelling the attackers, discovered their true identities - puppets.
Sunagakure's puppet jutsu was unparalleled in the world, and this was one of their strengths. A puppet could be equipped with a large number of mechanisms, and many of the sharp weapons on it were coated with poison. A puppet master could control not only one puppet, but a skilled one could control several puppets. Each puppet could exert great power, and when coordinated, they were very difficult to deal with.
"Kawakami, how many puppet masters are there?"
Yuhi Shinku asked.
The sensory ninja, Kawakami, said, "There are three in total. They should be a squad."
Three puppet masters...
They had three ninja squads here, a total of twelve people.
There were three jonin, one of whom was a sensory ninja. Facing three puppet masters would be quite troublesome.
At this time, Yuhi Shinku said, "Seisuke, I'm counting on you."
"Understood!" Seisuke stepped forward.
At this moment, a jonin said, "Shinku, sending a kid who has been a chunin for less than a year is too reckless. Don't send him to his death."
"No one can kill him." Yuhi Shinku said in a deep voice.
As long as no one discovered Seisuke's secret, no one could kill him before his chakra was exhausted.
Seisuke said, "Mr. Kawakami, please give me directions."
"Got it." Kawakami nodded and said, "There's a puppet master in the tree at one o'clock, and one at three o'clock and ten o'clock respectively."
"Got it."
"Take one alive." Yuhi Shinku ordered.
"Okay."
Seisuke charged forward. In the dark forest, a flicker of fire appeared, particularly eye - catching.
"Kid, since you're here to die, then hand over your life!" A puppet master sneered. His fingers moved rapidly, and the chakra threads at his fingertips controlled a puppet to charge at Seisuke. The sword blade on the puppet's arm pierced through Seisuke's chest.
"Damn it!" The jonin who had just tried to stop Yuhi Shinku from sending Seisuke, seeing Seisuke being hit, was about to rescue him, but was stopped by Yuhi Shinku, who said, "Keep watching."
"He's almost... Huh?" He suddenly saw flames emerging from Seisuke's "wound," and then the flames ignited the wooden puppet.
"What?!"
Not only him, but the puppet master in the dark was also shocked. They saw flames burning on Seisuke's wound, repairing it.
"Divine Fire: Shiranui!"
Flames burned on Seisuke's hands. He aimed at the Sunagakure puppet master in the darkness and suddenly threw his hands. Two flames turned into short fire spears and hit the target.
While piercing through the opponent's body, the flames burned the enemy's internal organs, leaving no possibility of survival.
He easily killed one puppet master.
"Alright, next one!"
With that, he charged towards another puppet master.