Chapter 176: Onoki becomes prey
The newly promoted Chunin Ninja team stood ready to embark on their mission, their faces filled with a mix of determination and uncertainty.
As the first rays of dawn painted the sky, they gathered at the village's entrance, well aware that the impending war held challenges unlike any they had faced before.
The ever-shifting nature of the conflict puzzled me, as the war had taken on various forms that defied my past experiences. It was a stark departure from what I remembered, and adapting to these new dynamics proved to be an intricate task.
The butterfly effect seemed to dance unpredictably, making me question the reliability of my own memories on this evolving battlefield.
Among the myriad objectives, finding Kikyo Pass had been a priority, but it remained elusive despite my persistent efforts. Now, as fate would have it, the team found themselves tasked with locating Kannabi Bridge.
Yet, the challenge was daunting. Kannabi Bridge proved to be a mystery, far more elusive than Kikyo Pass. The vastness of the Land of Grass concealed its whereabouts, and the enormity of the area made the search seem insurmountable.
The defense line was anchored at the Konoha border, but the Iwa forces had shifted their base to the country of grass, creating an expansive battlefield.
As I contemplated the difficulties ahead, the realization dawned that the bridge could be hidden anywhere within this sprawling land. The sheer size of the area, coupled with the constant threat of enemies lurking in every corner, made the task of searching an overwhelming endeavor. The notion of combing through the vastness of the Land of Grass one enemy at a time seemed impractical, if not impossible.
The pressing question lingered: How did Konoha plan to emerge victorious in such a challenging battle?
"That, Lord Fugaku!"
Fugaku, the esteemed leader of the Uchiha clan, was on his way home when he heard someone call out his name. Turning around, he saw the boy who had recently graduated, narrowly escaping failure in the Chunin exams. Intrigued, he paused to acknowledge the young ninja.
Despite being just an eleven-year-old boy, Mighty Guy couldn't help but wonder why the clan leader was unusually kind to him and his father. The vastness of his kindness fueled his curiosity, making him ponder the connection between his living situation and Fugaku's generosity.
This left him questioning why the rest of the neighborhood's houses were not fixed.
Fugaku sighed, shaking his head as Mighty Guy expressed his thoughts: "Your father may have made choices that hurt your feelings, but he raised you the best he could.
You should try to understand him. When was the last time you talked to your father?"
Mighty Guy's countenance fell upon hearing these words. The revelation that his father was an eternal genin had significantly diminished his respect for him. He realized that meaningful conversations with his father had become scarce since then.
Reading the unease in Mighty Guy's expression, Fugaku patted his shoulder and advised, "You should talk to your father nicely. He is a great man!"
Not adept at handling such situations, Fugaku acknowledged the strain in the relationship between father and son.
Mighty Guy's father had bowed down to menial tasks to earn extra income, causing the son to feel a sense of shame. This familial dynamic seemed to be a prevalent issue in their world.
As Fugaku departed, Mighty Guy watched him go, contemplating the leader's words.
"An amazing man?" he muttered to himself, surprised that the hero of the Suna War, the leader of the Uchiha clan, had praised his father.
The notion that there might be something truly special about his father lingered in Mighty Guy's thoughts, prompting him to reconsider his perspective on the man who had raised him.
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The war persisted, and Fugaku, alongside Chōza, found themselves once again at the border, leading multiple teams into the fray.
Despite the enemy's formidable air defense, Fugaku, driven by a steadfast determination, decided to attempt an assault. Panic was a luxury he couldn't afford in the face of Konoha's dwindling manpower, restricted to a defensive stance due to their inability to launch attacks.
Fugaku, being the sole ninja capable of flight, took it upon himself to challenge the imposing odds.
However, a significant issue soon became apparent—he felt distinctly targeted. It was akin to the frustration of a well-fed customer care system lacking proper support.
The enemy seemed to evade confrontation upon sighting him, reminiscent of how they behaved in the presence of Minato in the anime. Fugaku found himself perpetually denied the opportunity to engage in combat.
Compounding the challenge, the Iwa defense line appeared weak, with none of their forces reaching or nearing the kage level. The overall passivity of the Iwa ninja frustrated Fugaku. The extensive battle line, lacking the geographical advantage held by iwa, posed a significant obstacle.
Despite his aerial capabilities, Fugaku hesitated to venture too far from the defense line's center, wary of a potential aerial assault by the Tsuchikage.
The tactics employed by the iwa further exacerbated Konoha's plight. They continuously harassed the Konoha forces, adopting a highly mobile combat style.
However, the Iwa forces, aware of the presence of the Uchiha clan leader and his clan, refrained from striking the same location twice. Instead, they dispatched small teams to various points, focusing on eliminating Konoha sentries.
Their hit-and-run strategy proved effective, denying the Konoha ninja any chance to retaliate. While some attempts were thwarted by Shikaku's traps, the persistent small-scale harassment succeeded in infuriating and annoying the Konoha defenders.
"You're complaining as soon as I arrive. Do you think it's good for the army's morale to do that?"
Akihiko stared at the man who descended from the sky with wings, rendering him momentarily speechless. "Don't talk nonsense; this battle is so frustrating. Isn't it all because of you?"
Fugaku, perplexed by the accusation, questioned, "What did I do? How did I make it worse?"
Akihiko bit his lip in frustration. "Your information must have been leaked when you fought the Suna. How else could the Iwa Shinobi be so prepared?" Akihiko seethed with anger at the thought.
Encountering an unprecedented challenge, he had observed that every enemy team wielded at least two steel pipes. These extendable pipes served as lightning rods, effectively countering the Uchiha clan's lightning justus.
The enemy's air defense and strategy appeared to revolve around targeting Fugaku, a tactic that seemed to have been adopted by other nations as well.
Fugaku countered, "You say that, but wouldn't it be different if we beat the Iwa first and then faced the Suna? Besides, it's not easy to win here! If we don't conclude the war swiftly, the information will leak, and we won't be able to control both sides."
He pointed out the formidable opponents they faced: Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, Onoki, and elite Jonin ninjas outnumbered the Suna forces. It was a challenging endeavor.
"You're overthinking. I went to see it when I came here; their air defense capabilities are really good.
If a team of ninjas goes alone, the effect is the same! Moreover, with this ability, you'd better not learn it well; your physique can't resist it!"
Of course, Akihiko had contemplated the idea. The technique to fly took an extended period for normal ninjas to master, and if there were more ninjas from the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan, Fugaku could have taught them.
The advantage of teaching such a technique was the reduced risk of assassination, among other concerns. However, the unfortunate reality was that only Tsunade remained in the Senju Clan, and Konoha was the last of the Uzumaki Clan.
"Is there no other way?" Akihiko questioned, seeking alternatives.
Fugaku shrugged. "I'll try tomorrow morning and see if I can bait Onoki and kill him!"
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