Chp-106: The Harm Caused by a Sly Old Fox in the Ninja World

In the Konoha camp's largest main tent, Hyuga Satoru observed the senior officials around him, noting that they, too, were scrutinizing him. Unlike last time, when he entered the command tent due to Orochimaru's influence, his achievements on the Sand Shinobi battlefield had now secured his position. Sharing a room with the top brass no longer seemed inappropriate.

Their gazes varied: some were astonished, some shocked, others complicated or odd. Satoru was just too young. At his age, the legendary genius of the last generation, Sakumo Hatake, had only defeated a few Jonin. Yet, Satoru had already bested the Fourth Kazekage. It seemed like a fantastical tale, but the numerous rumours forced them to accept this reality.

"During our previous battles with the Stone Shinobi, we were at a disadvantage because our village's forces were too scattered, unable to focus on the Stone Shinobi effectively," Jiraiya analyzed the situation gravely. Unlike the Sand Shinobi battlefield, the Stone Shinobi battlefield was under Jiraiya's command. Despite the chaotic nature of the Third Great Ninja War, the forces of each village were primarily concentrated against Konoha. Consequently, even though Konoha was the strongest ninja village, it found itself stretched thin on every battlefield.

"Satoru! Should we use that move? If we team up, we can..." Minato Namikaze's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked at Satoru. He was eager to join forces again, hoping to persuade Satoru to accept one of his newly thought-up names, which he was confident was even better than Satoru's Armstrong...

Noticing the peculiar gazes around him, Satoru felt embarrassed, almost wishing he could disappear. He's such a good-looking guy; if only he didn't talk.

"Uh... Minato, that might not work this time," Jiraiya interjected. He knew his disciple well; although reliable most of the time, Minato showed intense interest in things he liked.

"Even though the long-range archery technique is terrifying, it might be difficult to succeed this time. The Sand Hidden Village seems to have sold all of Satoru's information on the black market, so the Stone Hidden Village will undoubtedly be prepared. Repeating the same tactic might lead us into their trap."

Jiraiya glanced at Satoru, feeling helpless. The high-ranking death incident in the Sand Hidden Village had been so severe that the Stone Hidden Village had taken extensive precautions. Their upper ranks were now mingling with ordinary Stone Shinobi, making them hard to identify. Meetings were conducted via remote sensing ninjas to avoid being targeted by Satoru's Byakugan and his deadly shots.

Upon learning of Satoru's transfer to the Stone Shinobi battlefield, Onoki had overnight persuaded the high ranks to deploy almost all of their scouts and sensing ninjas to this battlefield. Scouts and sensory barriers were set up like landmines, reflecting the extreme caution taken against Satoru.

In this context, continuing the Satoru-Minato combination strategy seemed unwise. Jiraiya understood this deeply and was alarmed by Satoru's deterrence. As soon as Satoru arrived and the Stone Shinobi got the news, the tone of the war changed. It was said that the Stone Shinobi camp became eerily silent at night, with no one daring to venture out even to relieve themselves.

Jiraiya issued several orders regarding troop deployment. It had been a long time since the last major battle, and he sensed that a major conflict was imminent.

...

As expected, after a brief period of calm, about four days after Satoru's arrival, Konoha scouts detected signs of a large-scale Stone Shinobi attack. Jiraiya ordered preparations for the battle. The war was about to erupt!

The complex terrain of the Land of Grass, mostly grasslands and forests, provided the battlefield. The main battle between Konoha and the Stone Shinobi was to take place on a vast plain. From a distance, Satoru could see the two massive forces rapidly approaching each other on the green field. As they got closer, Satoru almost burst out laughing at the sight of the Stone Shinobi's attire. He finally understood Jiraiya's strange look earlier.

The roaring Stone Shinobi were clad in animal hides, tightly wrapping their bodies. Their forehead protectors were replaced with cloth strips bearing the Stone Hidden Village insignia, some even using white cloth. The sight of them, with their crude clothing fluttering in the wind, was almost comical.

Konoha's ninjas seemed prepared for this sight and showed little reaction. As the armies clashed, kunai, shuriken, and various jutsu filled the air. Satoru noticed many of the thrown kunai were made of stone, some even wooden or bone. The scene felt surreal like something out of the Stone Age, with burly men in animal hides hurling rocks and wood.

In the Stone Shinobi ranks, commander Kitsuchi bit his lip. He knew their makeshift equipment was crude, but they had no choice. Satoru's Magnet Release posed a huge threat. The failure of the Sand Hidden Village was largely due to Satoru. Metals, any metal, would become his weapon. They had to abandon all metal-containing items. Standard ninja gear, often reinforced with metal for protection, was replaced with thick animal hides.

Kunai and shuriken, vital for ninjas, had to be replaced with non-metal alternatives. The Stone Shinobi had painstakingly crafted these replacements despite their poor quality. Kitsuchi was furious. The measures taken to counter Satoru had cost them dearly. They had to eliminate this threat in this war, as ordered by Tsuchikage Onoki, or the Stone Hidden Village's industrial progress would be set back decades.