Shuriken clashed with Uzumaki Kai's shuriken, sending sparks flying. Horiguchi Take frowned and said, "You are?"
The Whirlpool ninja before him was definitely not ordinary. Despite the Uzumaki clan being betrayed so badly by Konoha, they still had such strong fighters. Truly a clan with a thousand-year legacy.
"Guard ninja of the daimyo—Uzumaki Kai." Uzumaki Kai leaped back, disengaging from the fight, then threw the shuriken in his hand and swiftly performed a Wind Release technique. "Wind Release: Wind Cutter."
However, Horiguchi Take dodged it. Glancing worriedly at his teammates not far away, he formed hand signs for a Water Release technique. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet."
This couldn't go on. His squad would be wiped out at this rate.
He kept pulling out shuriken and throwing them, clashing repeatedly with Uzumaki Kai.
Suddenly, he sensed chakra behind him.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter." Another jonin leaped out.
Horiguchi Take's left arm was slashed. He glared at Uzumaki Kai and spat, "Dishonorable." A fair fight, yet someone ambushed him? Where was the Uzumaki clan's pride?
"You're the dishonorable ones, Mist ninja," Uzumaki Kai retorted coldly, tossing another shuriken. "Invaders."
Seeing that the Uzumaki clansmen weren't consumed by rage or charging recklessly while shouting about honor, it seemed someone had given them psychological counseling. They weren't mindlessly rushing into battle. But who was it?
Who was the one pulling the strings behind the Uzumaki clan?
"Abisu!" But then he saw Abisu get hit. Horiguchi Take shouted in alarm, wanting to assist, but it was too late. Abisu was stabbed in the back by a Whirlpool ninja's shuriken.
Abisu froze, blood gushing from his mouth, then collapsed.
"Abisu!!!" Seeing his comrade fall, Tayu cried out in grief. How many was this? How many had died? So...
"Guh—"
Tayu looked down to see a shuriken embedded in his chest.
"I... really hate this..." He lifted his head to gaze at the young Whirlpool ninja before him, but before he could finish, he collapsed.
"Tayu!!" Horiguchi Take watched another teammate fall, nearly breaking down. He unleashed techniques and shuriken wildly, knowing he wouldn't survive this. Even if he did, the village would make him the scapegoat.
But Tayu and the others were still young. They shouldn't have died like this. They hadn't even had the chance to shine in the ninja world, yet their lives...
Ended so abruptly.
As more Whirlpool ninja surrounded him, Horiguchi Take suddenly calmed down.
He could only hope...
That the village would spare his wife and child.
...
"The Mizukage seems to have realized something's wrong. Reinforcements have been dispatched," Uzumaki Jun said, lowering his binoculars. "Signal the retreat."
The clan head nodded and raised his hand to the sky. "Wind Release: Retreat Signal Technique."
After the signal was sent, Uzumaki Jun said, "Let's leave too. They've probably spotted our position by now."
Such a conspicuous Wind Release technique would be impossible for the Mist ninja to miss. It seemed he needed to find another hiding spot.
...
"Damn it, damn it!" Hozuki Gengetsu was furious. The scout team he sent out had lost half its members. If not for the Mist ninja realizing the danger early and sending reinforcements, even that half would have been wiped out. "Where's Horiguchi Take?"
"Killed in action," a Mist ninja reported quietly.
"..." Hozuki Gengetsu was silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Compile the list of casualties. The village won't forget their sacrifice."
Though he had planned to make Horiguchi Take the scapegoat, his death still stung. He had been a trusted subordinate, an elite jonin. Training a jonin was costly, let alone an elite one.
But now he was gone.
He couldn't pin the blame on a fallen hero. As Mizukage, he couldn't do that to his own men. Horiguchi Take's family would suffer if he did. No matter what, Horiguchi Take had been his loyal subordinate.
Since he had died for the village, the village couldn't treat him poorly. Otherwise, morale would plummet.
"Who is it? Who's advising the Uzumaki clan?" Hozuki Gengetsu clenched his fists. "Just wait until I find out who it is. Then..."
"All units, rest. We resume tomorrow."
Today had been disastrous. They needed to rethink their strategy. Without reinforcements or supplies, the Mist forces would eventually be wiped out.
...
"Achoo, achoo." Uzumaki Jun rubbed his nose. Who was thinking about him?
"Haha, the Mizukage must be fuming now," the elder laughed. "Who knew war could be fought like this?"
No headquarters, no large formations, no need to defend the rear—just relentless harassment. Though the damage wasn't overwhelming, the psychological toll was satisfying.
"Next, don't let the Mist village rest," Uzumaki Jun said after some thought. "Focus on explosive tags for now. Hold off on the oil jars."
The current situation was ideal. Hozuki Gengetsu hadn't committed too many troops, which suited the Whirlpool Country's strategy, they were outnumbered.
If the Mist village was pushed too hard and abandoned their camp to scatter, the Whirlpool Country wouldn't have enough ninja to stop them. If they discovered the tunnels and headquarters, it would be over.
"Keep them exhausted. If they send a small pursuit team, eliminate them. If it's a large force..." Uzumaki Jun scanned the group. "Run. As long as you live, there's hope."
"Yes, sir!" No one doubted the young lord anymore. They all believed now, the Land of Whirlpools...
Would surely win.
"How many Uzumaki died in the interception battle?" Uzumaki Jun asked. War meant casualties. He didn't believe his protagonist aura would protect everyone.
"Two jonin, five chunin, one genin. Compared to the Mist's losses, it's not bad," the clan head said.
Not bad? It was a miracle. Truly befitting the Uzumaki clan's genius calm, clever, and sharp. Perhaps the Uzumaki clan's future lay with Uzumaki Jun.
Uzumaki Jun fell silent, then said, "Record their names. After the war, erect a monument so the nation remembers them forever. If they had families, the state will provide for them."
They couldn't let their warriors bleed and suffer in vain.
The clan head nodded. "Understood."
The elder noticed Uzumaki Jun's somber mood and patted his shoulder gently. "This is good. Don't grieve. War always claims lives. Ninja don't fear death."
Besides, this outcome was already the best they could hope for. Until recently, they hadn't even dared dream of victory. But now they believed, under the leadership of the Uzumaki clan's genius, they would surely win.
...
"Lord Shukuma..."