15. Nawaki, You Are Very Brave

You can read 2-3 chapters in advance in P@treon even as a free member. I will start the normal plan by Sunday.

It is truly a troublesome matter for Nawaki to head to the battlefield at such a young age. Setting aside his identity, Konoha is not facing a situation as dire as in the Third Great Ninja War.

During the First Great Ninja War, Konoha's foundation remained relatively intact. The most significant loss was the death of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, alongside some typical wartime casualties.

In the Second Great Ninja War, Konoha saw the rise of the Sannin and the emergence of many other talents, which helped maintain Konoha's strategic advantage. This wasn't just a superficial advantage—despite fighting on nearly three fronts, Konoha's strength remained stable, reflecting the village's solid foundation.

At this time, there were numerous powerful figures in Konoha like the Sannin and White Fang, who could greatly influence the war's outcome. In addition, the presence of many Elite Jōnin and Jōnin ensured that the battlefield remained organized.

Given this situation, Konoha has little reason to send young shinobi to the front lines, especially since the conflict is not as grueling as the Third Great Ninja War.

Nawaki's unique status further complicates matters, making it even harder to find a suitable arrangement for him.

In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen reluctantly assigned Nawaki to join Orochimaru on the battlefield, where he could be under direct supervision.

Incidentally, Ishigami Hara was also among the reinforcements sent to the front lines. Unlike Nawaki, there were fewer concerns about assigning Ishigami Hara to the battlefield.

In fact, Ishigami Hara volunteered, which made Sarutobi Hiruzen more willing to place him under Orochimaru's command. There was also the notion of using Ishigami Hara as a bodyguard for Nawaki.

Although Ishigami Hara's current position is somewhat special, it doesn't compare to Nawaki's. After all, Ishigami Hara's current influence largely stems from Uzumaki Mito's will, so he naturally cannot match Nawaki's status.

"Kid, don't get so scared that you wet your pants on the battlefield."

Uchiha Izuna never missed a chance to mock and belittle Ishigami Hara. In his eyes, a novice like him would be overwhelmed by the battlefield, leaving room for Izuna to make his move.

Uchiha Izuna's feelings toward Ishigami Hara were complicated. He was envious of his talent and perplexed by his current situation, but there was also a desire to recruit him to the Uchiha clan.

Konoha's existence was an eyesore to him.

Every time he looked at Konoha, it reminded Izuna of the Uchiha clan's failure, and how his brother, Uchiha Madara, had agreed to cooperate with the Senju clan to create Konoha after Izuna's death, which felt like a betrayal.

But the harsh reality was that he was a dead man, living within the body of a child, Ishigami Hara, unable to change anything. This left Uchiha Izuna filled with frustration and resentment.

Thus, every interaction with Ishigami Hara was, in truth, a test devised by Uchiha Izuna.

Ishigami Hara, however, was fully aware of this but paid it no mind. He had complete confidence in his ability to control Uchiha Izuna.

For one, the multiple seals he had placed on himself had fully suppressed Izuna's soul.

Furthermore, Uchiha Izuna had been drawn into this situation by Ishigami Hara's "lucid dream" technique. Although the full capabilities of this technique were still unclear, it seemed to have a natural restraining effect on Uchiha Izuna.

Otherwise, the two wouldn't have been able to coexist so "peacefully" during this time.

After all, Uchiha Izuna had attempted to control Ishigami Hara more than once, but every time he tried, Ishigami Hara could suppress his chakra and render him powerless with just a thought.

After all this time, Ishigami Hara had mastered the ability to suppress Uchiha Izuna. He no longer experienced any accidental chakra leakage, which had occurred when Izuna first possessed him. Now, no one would suspect that the spirit of a deceased Uchiha resided within his body.

"Thank you for your concern, but these matters are none of your business," Ishigami Hara replied calmly.

"Hmph, insolent brat. Don't come crying when the time comes—I won't help you anymore," Uchiha Izuna retorted, clearly irritated. Yet, all he could do now was resort to verbal jabs.

Ishigami Hara, however, was entirely unfazed by Izuna's remarks.

The group on this journey consisted of seven people: Ishigami Hara, Orochimaru, Nawaki, and a Jōnin squad led by a Hyūga Jōnin, with the addition of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio. The team composition was nothing short of elite.

Ishigami Hara couldn't be sure if this situation mirrored the original storyline, but he remained vigilant along the way.

After all, this was a time of war, and danger could surface at any moment once they left the safety of the village.

Especially with someone as prominent as Nawaki in the group, Ishigami Hara was certain that spies from other villages had infiltrated Konoha. It would be hard to keep Nawaki's deployment to the front lines a secret. 

Therefore, an ambush was a very real possibility.

Ishigami Hara wasn't the only one who understood this. Orochimaru had anticipated it long ago, which is why he had assembled such a skilled Jōnin team for the mission.

Meanwhile, Nawaki was brimming with excitement, eager to prove his skills once they reached the front lines. However, in his excitement, he was prone to impulsive actions.

It was just as Orochimaru had evaluated: 'Nawaki, you are very brave.'

"Don't act on impulse!" Ishigami Hara warned Nawaki again, his expression calm. "Stick to the plan and keep moving. Don't do anything reckless."

Only Ishigami Hara could speak to Nawaki so directly.

"You're so annoying," Nawaki grumbled, clearly frustrated by being stopped multiple times along the way.

"This is the Land of Fire; you're being overly cautious," Nawaki remarked dismissively.

Ishigami Hara didn't argue further but glanced at Orochimaru, whose expression remained neutral.

"Do you see that?" Ishigami Hara pointed toward a large rock up ahead.

"What? What's the problem?" Nawaki asked, puzzled.

"What a perfect spot for an ambush. Haven't you figured it out yet? That rock was right on our path earlier. It wouldn't take much—just set a trap beneath it and plant a few explosive tags. The moment someone passed by, they would detonate instantly," Ishigami Hara explained.

As soon as he finished speaking, Orochimaru and the others visibly tensed.

Despite their cautiousness, they hadn't expected any danger so soon after leaving the village.

"Byakugan!" Hyūga Toru, the Jōnin from the Hyūga clan, activated his Byakugan and focused on the large rock. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

"Lord Orochimaru, there is indeed a trap there, and…" Hyūga Toru hesitated, clearly having discovered something unsettling.