Chapter 32: The Great Change in the Kannabi Bridge Mission

"We can't stay here any longer. The Iwa ninjas might soon catch on," Kenta said, hiding the bodies of three Iwa ninjas in the bushes. He then turned to Kai and Minato.

Just moments ago, Kenta had sensed another squad approaching their location, targeting their hideout in the cave. Acting swiftly, he decided to strike preemptively. The presence of Minato, a formidable ninja, gave him the confidence to act aggressively.

Kenta's swordsmanship was exceptional. With a single surprise attack, he easily took down the squad leader. As the remaining three Iwa ninjas attempted to flee and relay information, Kenta swiftly dispatched two of them. Minato pursued and eliminated the last one effortlessly.

This encounter was relatively easy, thanks to Minato's presence. Such a situation was not a challenge for them.

"Indeed, it's time to move. We've rested for almost seven hours now," Minato said, looking at the sky. "I must say, you all have exceeded everyone's expectations, especially you two. Your actions have greatly clarified the situation on the battlefield. However, our mission isn't over yet, so we must continue."

Both Kai and Kenta nodded. Although they wanted to protest, they knew better. They had to maintain good relations with Minato, the leader of Konoha's elite ninja team and Jiraiya's disciple.

Last night, they learned about the current situation on the front lines and their precarious position. The front lines had become clearer with reinforcements arriving, especially with Jiraiya's presence, giving the allied ninjas a sense of security. Despite Orochimaru returning to Konoha to recuperate, Jiraiya's presence was enough, especially with Minato performing exceptionally on the battlefield.

Minato's impact on the front lines was significant. In one battle, he had quickly eliminated over fifty Iwa ninjas, dealing a severe blow to Iwa's forces. With only a few thousand ninjas in total, losing fifty in an instant to one person was a considerable loss, making Iwa wary of further engagements.

Minato had arrived late to aid Kai because he had been involved in a previous skirmish with Iwa forces, and it took him several minutes to disengage and arrive.

This battle had significantly deterred Iwa ninjas from engaging on the front lines, and with Jiraiya's presence, Iwa was reluctant to take any bold actions. Additionally, Kai's rescue of numerous Konoha prisoners further disrupted Iwa's rear lines, causing chaos and impacting their front-line operations.

Facing formidable enemies on the front and a chaotic rear, Iwa ninjas were constantly on edge, fearing ambushes during supply runs or reinforcements. This dual pressure caused Iwa to retreat gradually, bringing Konoha closer to a decisive victory.

However, Konoha's goal was not to annihilate Iwa ninjas but to ensure strategic advantage by destroying the Kannabi Bridge, thus ending Iwa's operations in the Land of Grass and using captured Iwa ninjas as political leverage.

Kai and his team were under immense pressure. The retreating Iwa forces and those regrouping around the Kannabi Bridge increased the danger of their mission. They were racing against time, and failure would not only jeopardize their return but also bring severe consequences upon their return to Konoha.

Minato instructed, "Continue to keep watch. I'll take Kakashi and Hyuga Ryo back. After that, I'll join you for the remainder of the mission."

"Will you be joining us after that?" Kai and Kenta felt a surge of relief at the news. It was the best news they could have hoped for, although they kept their excitement in check to avoid appearing overly emotional.

Having Minato's protection was their goal in joining his team. After some thought, Kai asked tentatively, "Shouldn't we send Chunin Nohara back too? The upcoming battles might be..."

Although Rin Nohara was experienced, she had always been under the protection of Kakashi, Obito, and Minato. She was an excellent medical ninja, but not every medical ninja could become Tsunade, even though Tsunade was their role model.

Minato frowned slightly at Kai's suggestion but then nodded. The upcoming battles were uncertain and could be too dangerous for Rin, who might become a liability. Moreover, she was unfamiliar with Kai's team, potentially causing unnecessary complications.

Inadvertently, Kai had significantly altered the Kannabi Bridge mission's trajectory, even changing the roster from the original storyline.

"Who knows, in the future, who will be known as the 'Hero of the Sharingan' in the Third Hokage's stories? Perhaps there will be three heroes with the Sharingan?"

(Chapter End)