https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-64-Annihilation-of-the-Pursuit-Squad-/12832064/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-66-Suppression-and-the-Sand-Hidden-Village-s-Outburst-/12832066/
Chapter 65: The Fire-Wind Border!
Chapter 65: The Fire-Wind Border!
Inside the carriage.
"This is Maruichi, Shusuke, and Yuki!"
"Our team has been together for over two years!"
...
Yamaguchi Go introduced the three students to Douhei.
In terms of age, all three were a year or two older than Douhei.
But in terms of status, Douhei could sit on equal footing with their teacher.
This was something that both Yamaguchi Go and the others had long grown accustomed to.
In the ninja world, only strength and status mattered, not age.
And it was considered perfectly normal for geniuses to receive special treatment.
Just like Kakashi!
At seven, he was already a chunin. Who would ever see him as a child?
A chunin like Douhei, still in his teens, was definitely considered one of the village's elite, with a future status far surpassing that of this civilian team.
"Go-senpai, what is this convoy transporting, and where is it headed?"
Douhei inquired about the mission details.
The task scroll given to him was vague, and it was clear that the purpose was to single him out for a special assignment, so the details were intentionally kept unclear.
"It's supplies for the Fire-Wind border camp!"
Yamaguchi Go, knowing that this information didn't need to be kept secret, didn't hold back at all.
"I see!"
Douhei finally understood why this was a mandatory mission.
It was likely due to the perceived threat from the Sand Hidden Village, prompting the urgent delivery of supplies.
In the past, a single team would have been more than enough.
After all, bandits who tried to rob the convoy would never stand a chance against ninjas.
But things were different now.
They needed to prevent Sand ninjas from disrupting the supply lines.
Along the way, Douhei gathered a lot of information from the middle-aged Yamaguchi Go.
Since Go spent most of his time on missions, he knew a great deal, which deepened Douhei's understanding of the ninja world.
To put it simply, the ninja world was far more brutal than he had imagined.
Every day, countless people starved to death or were killed.
In areas with ninja villages, there was at least some semblance of order. But in small countries without ninja villages, chaos and famine were constant, making life a living hell.
Of course, after hearing this, Douhei thought to himself:
The noble families in the ninja world are truly inhumane.
With underdeveloped productivity and the nobles reaping the majority of the benefits, it was no wonder the common people were being pushed to their limits.
Thankfully, Douhei wasn't the type to play the savior. Otherwise, he might have gone to challenge these nobles to make them understand the pain of their actions.
Nagato's future plan to challenge Konoha was a case of targeting the wrong people.
The root of the chaos in the ninja world was partly the noble families, but mostly the Otsutsuki clan. The ninja villages themselves weren't the main issue.
During the escort mission, they encountered a few "dangers."
Some bandits armed with pitchforks tried to rob the convoy, which left Douhei speechless.
Dealing with these people didn't require his intervention. As soon as they realized there were ninjas in the convoy, they would flee immediately.
Yes, that was the benefit of having ninjas as escorts.
Without ninjas, these bandits would have looted the goods long ago.
When the merchants tried to be friendly, Yamaguchi Go and the three genin remained cold and distant, preferring to eat rice balls rather than accept food from the merchants, and they slept separately.
It was as if they were purely in an "employment" relationship, focusing only on the mission and nothing else.
Douhei knew the reason for this.
During the escort mission, they had to maintain a vigilant and distant relationship with the convoy to avoid any unexpected incidents.
It took nearly half a month for their team to reach the border camp between Fire and Wind countries.
This camp was designed to guard against the Sand ninjas from the Land of Wind.
The permanent garrison numbered one battalion.
300 ninjas!
Note that this figure only included ninjas, not civilians.
If this were a normal military camp, having tens of thousands of troops stationed here wouldn't be excessive.
However, because the shinobi world has the extraordinary group known as "ninja," ordinary guards are virtually meaningless. Therefore, only the number of ninja is counted.
The camp is built from massive stones, situated halfway up a mountain, bristling with towers and firing ports, making it incredibly fortified.
Even if surrounded, the advantageous terrain allows for a strong defense.
Patrol teams are regularly dispatched to monitor the surrounding area, covering hundreds of kilometers to prevent an attack by the Sand shinobi.
For ordinary soldiers, a patrol range of a few dozen kilometers is the limit.
But for ninja, a few hundred kilometers is just a two-hour sprint at full speed. Thus, this camp effectively monitors the border region between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind.
What was once a peaceful border camp has recently become bustling with activity.
Caravans and small squads of ninja have packed this camp, which is more like a fortress than a camp.
The air is thick with the scent of blood.
While conflicts with the Sand shinobi have never ceased, they haven't been this frequent in the past.
These signs have prompted Konoha to urgently replenish both personnel and supplies.
After completing his mission, Tang Ping prepared to report in.
As he left the task submission area, a small, pudgy figure came hurrying over.
"Tang Ping!"
It was Honda Taka, and his team had also arrived.
However, it seemed they had been here for some time, not just arriving.
This was not impossible.
Tang Ping had been escorting a caravan, which naturally moved slowly. But if they had traveled as a ninja squad, they could have reached the border camp from Konoha in just a few days.
"How long have you been here?"
Seeing his best friend, a sense of unease flashed through Tang Ping's mind.
Teams like his, who had graduated less than a year ago, wouldn't normally be stationed at the border.
"We've been here for over half a month, patrolling the area..."
Honda Taka whispered.
In fact, their squad had left Konoha with Tang Ping but had reported directly to the border camp, which is why they had arrived much earlier.
Through Honda Taka, Tang Ping also learned about the situation at this border camp.
It was extremely dangerous!
Just in the past few weeks, there had been numerous injured ninja, including their squad's chunin instructor, who was currently resting and recovering in the camp.
As for healing potions?
Sorry, that strategic resource isn't available for ordinary chunin.
Honda Taka had a few bottles that Tang Ping had given him before, but they were long gone.
And medical ninja?
There were some, but not many. They could only treat a limited number of injuries, and with so many injured, they had to wait in line.
"So, your squad's patrol missions during this time..."
Tang Ping frowned, asking.
Without their instructor, encountering a Sand shinobi squad during patrols was a matter of fate.
"Yeah, I'll talk to you later, I have to go!"
Honda Taka noticed his teammates gesturing to him and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Tang Ping held him back, pulling out a few bottles of healing potions (not the original essence) and antidotes, secretly handing them over. "Be careful!"
The potions were in ordinary bottles with the names etched on them, so there was no risk of using the wrong one.
His best friend had helped him a lot.
For instance, the materials for the clarity potion were all collected by him. How could Tang Ping not lend a hand when he had the chance?
Of course, Tang Ping could only help to this extent, as he still had his own mission to complete.
After finishing the escort mission, Tang Ping couldn't return to the village immediately. Instead, he had to serve at the border camp.
But when he met the camp's supervisor, his face darkened instantly.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
