Chapter 30

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"Lord Toki!"

A clansman wearing a ninja vest appeared before Toki, saying, "Traces of the enemy's barrier traps have been found ahead."

In his previous life, Toki always found Konoha's ninja vests to be rather ugly, especially compared to the more stylish outfits of the Twelve Little Powerhouses, which seemed designed to highlight their protagonist status. But after crossing over, Toki learned the reason behind it.

The Twelve Little Powerhouses didn't wear vests because they were heirs to prestigious clans, confident in their abilities, so they dressed more casually. On a real battlefield, however, a ninja vest or even a forehead protector could mean the difference between life and death. Even those who usually avoided wearing their forehead protector on their forehead tied it there in battle to prevent fatal headshots. At critical moments, it could also be used like a shield, just as Tanjiro used his headband in Demon Slayer.

Though Toki still found the vests ugly, he ensured that his clansmen wore them properly. He also considered enhancing the clan's prestige by seeing if the Ninja Research Center had new styles of armor or other gear.

At that moment, they hadn't yet left the borders of Konoha, but the discovery of enemy traps ahead meant the frontline had collapsed, and Kumogakure's forces had already invaded Fire Country territory. Normally, wars between the great nations were fought in buffer zones like the Land of Hot Water or the Land of Frost. The fact that kumo ninjas were within Fire Country's borders suggested that Hiruzen Sarutobi had likely pulled back most of the stationed forces, deliberately allowing Kumogakure's advance—just as he had during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge.

Konoha's borders were typically forested, providing a natural advantage for setting traps. Without the protection of these barriers, however, the Uchiha clan had lost their geographical advantage.

One of Toki's subordinates stepped forward, a concerned expression on his face. "Patriarch, we should retreat to the stronghold. If we engage now, we risk heavy losses. Many of our clansmen have never experienced actual combat, and just dealing with these traps could wipe out a significant portion of our forces."

Ninja warfare wasn't like pirate skirmishes. Shinobi would employ traps, poison, and assassinations over direct combat whenever possible. Breaking through a heavily trapped area with an enemy lying in ambush was a reckless plan. But Toki waved his hand confidently.

"Summon the Hunter Group!"

"The Hunter Group?" the subordinate echoed, confused.

It wasn't long before two teams, 14 people in total, led by Special Jōnin, appeared before Toki. The leaders of the group dropped to one knee with feverish reverence.

"Lord Toki," they said in unison, and the others quickly followed suit.

Toki nodded in satisfaction. "Hunt One, Hunt Two, the Eagle Squad has detected traps ahead. Do you have the confidence to clear them?"

The two leaders exchanged excited glances. "We guarantee success!" they exclaimed, leading their teams forward without hesitation.

Uchiha Shisui's face tightened with concern. "Lord Toki, are you serious? This isn't something you can just send rookies to handle. Clearing traps and barriers is the work of veterans who've survived countless battles. Sending inexperienced subordinates is as good as sending them to their deaths! That's how Senju Nawaki got killed!"

Even if the Hunter Group members were Chūnin in rank, they were still rookies on the battlefield. Unless they were geniuses like himself or Itachi, walking into an enemy trap would almost certainly lead to disaster.

Before Toki could respond, a sharp explosion echoed through the forest. Shisui's expression changed instantly. "No! I'm going to check it out!" he called, rushing toward the sound.

Toki watched him leave, nodding internally. At least Shisui still saw himself as a member of the Uchiha clan and worried about his comrades. But Toki wasn't concerned at all.

The Hunter Group was a specialized unit that had undergone months of intense training. Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi had restructured Konoha's teams to prioritize mission success—creating squads focused on physical enhancement, search capabilities, and jinchūriki control—Toki didn't let his ninjas train aimlessly. He organized specialized training for different units.

The Hunter Group had been specially trained for months to handle traps, barriers, and obstacles. Thanks to the system's help, each member of the group had essentially received the equivalent of 20 months of intense training, making them experts in dismantling traps.

By the time Shisui reached the battlefield, the forest was already a wreck. The Hunter Group hadn't paused for a second, expertly using kunai and shuriken to disable traps as they advanced. They moved with the precision and grace of Hassan from the Type-Moon world, elegantly cutting through the enemy's defenses.

While they were only average in direct combat, the Hunter Group had become unparalleled in setting and disabling traps.

Shisui's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the team.

"How… how is this possible?" he muttered.

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