Chapter 57: The Lone Lion

Seventy kilometers northeast of the border between the Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water.

A convoy moved steadily along, not too fast, but orderly and tightly packed.

This was a transport unit, belonging to Kumogakure, carrying essential supplies for the frontline: shinobi tools, food, water, and medical equipment.

The main personnel for transportation were mainly genin and regular people, but Kumogakure had also assigned two Jonin for protection, accompanied by five chunin squads. Normally, this level of defense would be sufficient even in the Land of Frost, but the atmosphere within the convoy was tense, and few spoke along the way.

"Cowards, the lot of them. It's understandable for regular people, but shinobi cowering with kunai in hand? What kind of shinobi are they?" One of the Jonin from Kumogakure suddenly spoke up, he was from the Land of Lightning, with a fiery and straightforward personality.

"We haven't even reached the frontline yet, and they're already this scared. If we were to face those Konoha bastards…"

"Enough, Jujiro." His Jonin companion nudged him lightly.

"Chakra gives us strength, but it shouldn't strip us of our sense of respect."

"Spare me the empty talk." Jujiro Ueda shrugged impatiently.

"This is a battlefield, not a place for sentimental musings. Without the courage to wield our blades, how can we expect to win this war for the Land of Lightning?"

"With Raikage-sama leading us, victory is assured. Konoha is strong, but those days are behind us." His companion's eyes gleamed with a fervent light.

"A-sama is invincible."

"Of course!" Jujiro agreed with awe.

"Lions? Don't be ridiculous. Only cowards who harass our supply lines from the rear."

His companion chuckled.

"If that lion dares to show up, we'll capture him and bring him back to the village. Raikage-sama loves rare and fierce beasts."

"Haha…"

The two laughed together without any restraint, and the others in the convoy, hearing their leaders' laughter, straightened up, their nerves slowly relaxing from the grip of fear and worry.

Jujiro and his companion had grown up together, sharing a deep understanding. What started as a mere conversation to relieve their frustrations evolved into loud, morale-boosting talk.

Transporting supplies was also part of warfare, and if the convoy experienced a morale issue, delays could prove problematic.

The reason for the low morale in the Land of Lightning's convoy was a cold, hard fact: over the past few days, five transport routes through the Land of Frost had been cut off. The attackers were Konoha shinobi, striking ruthlessly and burning the supplies on-site after eliminating the escorting shinobi. Their speed and search capabilities were exaggeratedly efficient, disappearing immediately after success, leaving Kumogakure without a trace.

According to survivors, the attackers possessed the Byakugan… and a powerful jutsu likened to a lion's roar.

In response, the leaders of Kumogakure quickly upgraded the convoy's protection to include two Jonins. Rumor had it that top experts from Kumogakure had been dispatched, sworn to find the enemy causing chaos in the Land of Frost.

The first direct confrontation between Kumogakure and Konoha was set to explode along the border of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost, making the supplies irreplaceable.

While the Land of Lightning also dispatched experts to cut off Konoha's supply lines, they faced the famous Minato Namikaze. Whenever something happened, Konoha's support arrived swiftly, rendering Kumogakure's surprise attacks almost entirely ineffective.

In this back-and-forth, Kumogakure had suffered a minor setback.

This convoy's supplies could not be compromised. Jujiro and his companion understood this, maintaining vigilance and boosting morale while pressing on quickly to reach the Land of Frost's border.

Just as the two Kumogakure Jonin's efforts seemed effective, a flock of birds suddenly took flight from the dense forest ahead.

A massive roar, akin to a beast's howl, erupted explosively.

"It's the lion! The lion!"

"Damn it, we underestimated konohagakure shinobi…"

"Protect the supplies! His target is our food and shinobi tools! Prepare for impact! Defense team, ready!"

Voices rose in succession, a mix of fear and anger, but overall, Kumogakure's formation held steady, their morale intact. The Land of Lightning was truly a military power, its shinobi exhibiting high tactical skills.

"Jujiro!"

"Mm!"

The two Kumogakure Jonin moved forward with perfect coordination, lightning chakra flashing around their bodies, activating their muscles.

The Land of Lightning wasn't known for defensive jutsu. Against powerful foes, they often opted for direct confrontation.

Roar—

The lion's roar sliced through the forest, and almost simultaneously, Yuto appeared in the Kumogakure shinobi's sight, his right hand wrapped in a dark bandage.

"This kid… Too fast!"

The two Kumogakure Jonin were startled, the lightning around them surged, but before they could act, the ground beneath them cracked with countless snake-like fissures.

Lightning chakra adhered to their muscles and metal weapons, and they slashed at Yuto charging towards them.

"Lion's Fang Bite!" Yuto murmured internally, his speed increasing again, slipping past Jujiro's blade before it fell. He grabbed the long sword of Jujiro's companion with his bandaged hand, fingers clenching tightly.

The cloth around his hand instantly hardened, protecting Yuto's hand, as the gale and high temperature of his chakra-imbued arm armor erupted, mixed with the Hyuga clan's famed Gentle Fist technique, detonating violently.

The long sword, forged through countless hammer blows by master craftsmen, shattered instantly. The Kumogakure Jonin flew back, crashing through numerous trees. Without the Land of Lightning's tradition of rigorous taijutsu training, his body would have been torn apart by this "bite."

Lion's Fang Bite was a powerful jutsu, ideal for frontal assaults against Kumogakure's muscle-bound shinobi.

Defeating his enemy, Yuto chuckled lightly.

"Send another convoy, will you?"

He dashed to the largest cart, pulling out an explosive tag, and, with a quick motion, ripped open the cart's curtain, ready to attach the tag.

But as he tore the curtain, a blade thrust out from inside.

"So fast…" Yuto Hyuga thought, echoing the earlier sentiment of the Kumogakure Jonin. He leaned back, blocking with his right arm, the steel protecting him from the blade.

"Hmm…" He retreated, his arm throbbing with pain, nearly numb.

A burly young man wearing sunglasses emerged from the cart.

"A lone lion, a pretty pair of eyes, oh-ho, what a surprise."

(End of Chapter)