Chapter 24 : First Casualty

While Chosuke and others were waiting for the arrival of the Mist Shinobi army, the vanguard of the Mist Shinobi was also eagerly anticipating.

They couldn't wait for them to arrive immediately. This was because the ninja from the Land of Uzumaki clan had been harassing them from time to time, making their situation quite miserable.

In less than an hour, they were hoping to take a brief moment to sit down and rest.

Suddenly, dozens of ninja from the Uzumaki clan appeared, shouting "charge!" and "kill them!" as they rushed forward with a clear intent to kill.

At first, they thought that there might actually be a team from the Uzumaki clan foolishly rushing into their doom. After all, the Uzumaki clan was known for their determination and hot temper, so they believed their captain might be just as headstrong.

However, as soon as these Uzumaki clan ninja attacked, they were met with a swift and coordinated response. The Mist Shinobi rose to their feet simultaneously, tightened their fists, and readied themselves to fight, unwilling to back down.

But to their surprise, the numerous Uzumaki clan ninja turned out to be nothing more than clones. This realization dawned upon them when a Jonin took advantage of the situation, hurling a handful of kunai that exploded into a cloud of white smoke with a resounding "clang."

As the smoke cleared, they saw the real attack coming.

The Mist Shinobi acted when they spotted an opening, throwing their own kunai, each equipped with an exploding tag. The ensuing "Boom" echoed in their ears as the explosive tags detonated, instantly reinvigorating the Mist Shinobi who were initially seeking some respite.

After some time, they finally managed to eliminate these clones. Though no casualties occurred, the disruption had prevented them from resting as intended.

Their tension remained high, and they warily observed the Uzumaki clan ninja from a distance.

"Enough for now, Suihei. Take a rest," one of their comrades advised as they found a spot to sit.

Just as some of them were beginning to settle down, closing their eyes to rest, another series of thousands of clones appeared, along with explosive tags, thrown their way.

This time, the Mist Shinobi unintentionally caused a severe injury to one of their own. This particular ninja from the Mist Village had been pushed to exhaustion due to overusing Water Style jutsu prior to this encounter. He had just closed his eyes for a brief rest, only for his reflexes to slow down just enough to sustain an injury from the incoming explosive tag.

Witnessing the severity of the injury, it seemed unlikely that he would survive.

Now the Mist Shinobi were on edge, their desire for rest overshadowed by the fear of another onslaught.

After another round of intense fighting, they managed to eliminate over 20 clones successfully.

"All of you are just freaking clones!" Swearing in anger, the Mist Shinobi stared fiercely at the Uzumaki clan ninjas, bracing themselves for the third wave of clone attacks.

As expected, ten minutes later, a group of over 30 Uzumaki clan ninjas charged at them.

Familiar with this tactic, the Mist Shinobi knew what to expect.

"They're probably clones again. Let's deal with them directly!" one of them declared, ready to confront the clones head-on.

Without waiting for the Uzumaki clan Shinobi to approach, a Mist Shinobi Jonin led two subordinates in an attack.

"Be cautious of the explosive tags too!" the captain cautioned.

"They're just clones, no worries!" Jonin responded with confidence.

They swiftly destroyed the incoming clones, defusing the threat even before it reached them.

"You see? All clones, piece of cake! You guys just came here to use us as your target practice with your explosive tags! Next time, I'll take care of all of you just like this!" The Jonin confidently declared, slashing through the clones with a fierce grin.

The Mist Shinobi managed to eliminate a significant number of clones alongside the Jonin.

"Seven clones left! Two for each of you, and three for me!" the Jonin barked out orders, and they promptly followed suit.

The Jonin engaged in a series of fast-paced movements, using his legs and hands to expertly deal with each clone, efficiently neutralizing their threat.

Then, unexpectedly, a realization struck. "It's the real one!"

Before the Jonin could react, Chosuke, the leader of the Uzumaki clan ninjas, threw a punch while concealing his other hand.

Swiftly, the Jonin turned to narrowly block the punch, managing to take several steps back just in time.

"Watch out!" the captain warned his comrades, but Chosuke had already acted, uttering a single word: "burst."

A detonating tag activated on the Jonin's body, catching him off guard.

Just before the explosion, the Jonin managed to twist his body to minimize the impact, but it wasn't enough. The blast sent him flying.

His two companions rushed to his side, but they were too late. Mizuno, the Jonin, was gone, his body ripped apart by the explosion.

"Mizuno-sama!"

"Captain Mizuno!"

Their cries echoed in the air as they mourned their fallen comrade.

While Mist Shinobi grieved over their loss, Chosuke, having retreated from the battlefield, returned to his own forces.

Impressed by what they had witnessed, members of the Uzumaki clan gathered around him with admiration. "You were incredible! How did you anticipate their actions?"

"Truly amazing, Chosuke! Your use of explosive tags was also brilliant!"

"That Jonin didn't stand a chance against you, well done..."

Uzumaki Harumi, who had been watching, approached Chosuke with joy and excitement, praising him for his skill in battle.

On the Mist Shinobi side, their focus was on Mizuno, lying on the ground in critical condition. They paid no mind to Chosuke's departure.

"Mizuno, are you okay?"

Unlike Chosuke's return to his group, the Mist Shinobi anxiously surrounded Mizuno, worried for his well-being.

Kimura stepped forward, his heart sinking as he observed a large hole in Mizuno's abdomen. The gruesome sight of mixed internal organs confirmed the severity of his injuries.

As he neared death, Mizuno's gaze shifted towards his captain, and with his remaining strength, he muttered, "I was careless, too slow..."

"Stay alert, everyone!" Mizuno's final words lingered in the air.

Mist Shinobi were left in mourning as they realized that their Jonin had been sacrificed during this invasion due to the Uzumaki clan.

But amidst the grief, Kazuhiko who saw his scene from a distance quietly determined that Mizuno would not be the last to fall.

With his unwavering resolve, he silently vowed, "This won't be the end."

And thus, the events of that day left an indelible mark on Kazhiko's determination to fight on.

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