At this moment.
Natsuki and the others, hovering high in the sky, could already see a poisonous gas spreading through the middle of the Konoha battlefield.
The poison gas had expanded across an enormous area. It probably wouldn't be long before the entire border was engulfed by it.
Although the Kirigakure ninja had briefed her on the situation here, seeing it with her own eyes was still different from just hearing about it.
"The people of Konoha actually deployed this massive amount of poison gas at the border of the Land of Bears — are they trying to completely cut off the entire country?!"
Natsuki's normally calm face twisted into an ugly expression.
It wasn't just Natsuki. The other Hoshigakure ninja wore the same look.
The Land of Bears was already situated next to the sea. The only place where it connected to the mainland was through the Land of Fire's border. Konoha's actions were essentially sealing off the entire Land of Bears from the outside world.
The Land of Bears was a small nation to begin with — hardly wealthy. It relied on the rich resources of the ocean to conduct trade with the inland countries.
By doing this, Konoha was effectively severing the entire economy of the Land of Bears.
And that wasn't all.
Although the Kirigakure ninja hadn't explained in detail just how dangerous this poison gas was, the very fact that they needed Hoshigakure's help to attack the area from the air spoke volumes.
One could easily guess that this poison gas was several times more potent than the toxic fog that surrounded the canyon outside Hoshigakure.
If that were true, even if the gas eventually dissipated one day, the residual contamination would likely take years to fully clear.
"I originally thought the Kirigakure ninja were despicable enough, but I didn't expect Konoha to be just as bad."
"To deal with Kirigakure, they're actually dragging our entire Land of Bears into this!"
A Hoshigakure ninja spoke up, his face twisted with resentment and fury.
What this ninja said was exactly what the others were thinking as well.
"Konoha, Kirigakure — the war between them is not something a small shinobi village like ours can get involved in. We just need to complete what the Mist ninja asked of us and bring the Hoshikage back."
Natsuki's expression turned serious as she addressed the ninja behind her in a firm tone.
Deep down, she was just as angry at the actions of both Kirigakure and Konoha. But she knew better than anyone that anger was useless.
"Move out."
"Find the source of the poison gas release in the Konoha camp."
Natsuki's face hardened as she barked the order to the ninja behind her.
The moment she finished speaking, the Hoshigakure ninja scattered in all directions, using the border as their center point.
"Peacock Method — Pupil!"
Natsuki controlled the Chakra wings on her back, keeping her body suspended in midair. At the same time, star Chakra began gathering in her pupils.
In an instant, both of Natsuki's eyes were engulfed by star Chakra. In this state, she could use this jutsu to detect the traces left behind by Chakra.
A moment later, Natsuki's eyes lit up. She spotted a location within the poison gas where Chakra traces were clearly concentrated.
Found it.
Natsuki swiftly flew to a position above that spot. She could vaguely make out a deep pit below, filled with the corpses of countless animals.
She pulled a large number of pre-prepared explosive tags from her pocket and tossed them down toward the pit below.
Seconds later, a massive explosion erupted from within the pit.
It wasn't just Natsuki. The other Hoshigakure ninja had also located several more pits that had been set up at various positions around the area.
They used the same method — bombarding each pit with massive numbers of explosive tags.
Meanwhile, on the front lines of the Konoha camp.
The Konoha ninja stationed at the front were momentarily stunned by the sudden explosions.
"What's happening?!"
"Where are the sensor ninja? Where's the garrison squad?!"
"Why did no one sound the alarm?!"
Angry voices rang out from within the Konoha camp.
The sensor ninja and the garrison squad all wore blank, confused expressions.
Their sensory perception hadn't detected any Chakra signatures in the area.
As for the garrison squad, although they had noticed shinobi gathering at the front of the Kirigakure position, the enemy hadn't made any moves.
"They're in the sky!"
While the Konoha ninja were still reeling from the sudden explosions, a thunderous shout came from behind.
A Hyuga jonin and Aburame Shino appeared at the front of the camp simultaneously.
"Who are those ninja in the sky? What's going on?"
The Hyuga jonin looked up. Through the power of his Byakugan, he had already spotted the Hoshigakure ninja floating in the air.
"My jutsu has been destroyed."
Aburame Shino spoke in a hoarse voice.
At those words, the Hyuga jonin's face contorted in dismay.
"Everyone prepare for battle. We cannot let this position fall."
"All ninja with Wind Release jutsu, step forward. Use your jutsu to blow the residual poison gas toward the Kirigakure battlefield."
The Hyuga jonin rapidly issued his orders.
He knew that the moment the poison pits were destroyed, their plan had already failed.
The animal corpses in the surrounding area had been nearly completely harvested. Rebuilding the pits capable of cultivating nano-level poison insects would take at least four to five days.
Kirigakure would never give them that kind of time.
Up in the sky, the scattered Hoshigakure ninja regrouped around Natsuki.
"Natsuki-sama, should we continue the attack?"
One of the ninja glanced down at the battlefield below and asked quietly.
"We've already done what we needed to do. What happens next is beyond our ability to intervene."
Natsuki shook her head slowly, answering without the slightest hesitation.
This war was never something their tiny Hoshigakure could involve themselves in from the very start.
They couldn't afford to offend Kirigakure. And the same went for Konoha.
Back at the Konoha camp, the Hyuga jonin watched through his Byakugan as the airborne ninja withdrew. He let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Although there weren't many of these flying ninja, they could still cause considerable trouble.
The Hyuga jonin had been trying to figure out how to deal with them. Now that they were leaving, he could at least divert some of his forces elsewhere.
"Still, those ninja in the sky — they weren't from Kirigakure, were they?"
"Hoshigakure, perhaps?"
A thoughtful look flickered across the Hyuga jonin's eyes as he recalled the shape of the forehead protectors worn by those flying ninja, which he'd seen through his Byakugan.
"I see... one oversight in an otherwise flawless plan."
A bitter smile appeared on the Hyuga jonin's face.
When Lord Nara Shikaku had issued this mission, he had briefly mentioned the Hoshigakure of the Land of Bears.
But at the time, the Hyuga jonin hadn't paid the small village any attention.
Who could have believed it? Konoha's carefully prepared plan hadn't been undone by Kirigakure — it had been undone by a tiny shinobi village.
On the battlefield at this moment.
A large number of Konoha ninja proficient in Wind Release gathered at the very front and simultaneously unleashed their jutsu.
One after another, terrifying gale-force winds whipped up the residual poison gas in the air and sent it sweeping toward the Kirigakure position.
But the Kirigakure camp had already massed a large number of their ninja at the front lines well in advance.
Clearly, Kirigakure had come prepared. The instant the explosive tags detonated, these ninja had rushed to the front and pressed their hands to the ground in unison after forming seals.
"Earth Release — Earth Style Wall Chain!"
Massive earthen walls rose from the ground, centered on the battlefield. They connected to form a continuous barrier spanning the entire front of the Kirigakure position — a towering fortress wall.
All of the poison gas carried by the Wind Release jutsu was completely blocked by the towering Earth Release walls.
Hoshigakure Momochi stood behind the wall, hefting his great sword, Samehada, with a cruel grin on his face.
"So Konoha's bunch has finally stopped playing turtle."
"Let's have a real, proper slaughter."
Hoshigakure let out a repressed laugh.
"It's a shame the Hoshigakure ninja withdrew too early. Otherwise, they could've caused Konoha quite a bit of trouble."
Kimimaro glanced up at Natsuki and the others, who were already retreating back toward the Kirigakure position, and shook his head slightly.
"A bunch of cowards," Hoshigakure said with a dismissive curl of his lip, his voice dripping with disdain.
Kimimaro said nothing, his gaze fixed on the earthen wall shielding their position. In his mind, he was silently calculating the time.
According to Aburame Shino, the nano-level poison insects needed cells in order to function. Without a cellular host, the poison insects in the gas would die off quickly.
So all they needed to do was use the wall to block the gas carried by the Wind Release jutsu for a short while. Once the gas lost its cellular medium, it would dissipate on its own before long.
"It should have mostly dissipated by now. Prepare the second wave."
Kimimaro suddenly looked up and spoke in a cold, indifferent voice.
The Kirigakure ninja skilled in Earth Release, stationed beneath the wall, raised their hands and pressed them against the earthen barrier simultaneously.
As they did, bulges began forming on the outer surface of the wall.
From each bulge, an earthen spear rapidly launched forth.
In an instant, these spears formed a dense, continuous wave that rained down upon the Konoha position.
The terrifying barrage instantly blanketed the front of the Konoha camp, accompanied by a series of rapid, thunderous explosions.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was bristling with densely packed earthen spears.
Several Konoha ninja were caught off guard and impaled on the spot, blood spraying everywhere.
As this wave of attacks concluded, the Kirigakure ninja dissolved the connected wall and charged out from behind it, rushing toward the Konoha position.
Countless explosive tags and weapons clashed midair, producing a rapid succession of explosions and the sounds of metal meeting metal.
The moment the two sides collided, battle erupted without any hint of holding back.
A section of the flat ground suddenly caved in. The Kirigakure ninja standing on it lost their footing for a brief moment.
That brief instant was all it took — several Konoha ninja seized the opening and struck, killing the Kirigakure ninja on the spot.
After slaughtering those Kirigakure ninja, the Konoha attackers swiftly vacated the area and charged toward another part of the battlefield.
On another section of the field, several Kirigakure ninja coordinated their efforts — first using Water Release to drench the enemy, then following up with Lightning Release.
Through this combination, they managed to kill several Konoha ninja in rapid succession.
The entire battlefield was consumed by this kind of intense, life-or-death combat.
Konoha and Kirigakure had been at odds since the Warring States Period. The grudge between the two great shinobi villages had persisted to this very day.
While the Kirigakure and Konoha ninja were locked in fierce combat, two figures radiating killing intent charged forward from the direction of the Konoha camp.
"Finally found you."
Hoshigakure let out a thunderous roar, smashing aside a Konoha ninja who stood in his path with a single blow. He appeared before the two figures.
Beside Hoshigakure was Kimimaro.
The Kirigakure duo — Hoshigakure and Kimimaro — calmly regarded their Konoha counterparts: the Hyuga jonin and Aburame Shino.
The four of them met at the center of the battlefield.
The shinobi from both villages who were fighting nearby instinctively moved away from this area, clearing as much space as they could for the four combatants.
"Which one are you going after?"
Kimimaro glanced at their opponents and asked in a flat tone.
"I'll take both of them on at once."
Hoshigakure showed no intention of being polite. He let out a loud laugh and charged toward the Hyuga jonin and Aburame Shino by himself.
Seeing this, Kimimaro's mouth twitched slightly. A hint of helplessness crossed his face.
Since Hoshigakure wanted to handle both of them alone, Kimimaro wasn't about to fight him for it.
He stood his ground calmly, keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding combatants to ensure no other Konoha ninja would interfere.
Konoha's ninja had been on the defensive this entire time, and that had been frustrating Hoshigakure to no end.
If he didn't get a proper fight now, Hoshigakure would probably come looking for Kimimaro after the battle was over.
And Kimimaro had absolutely no interest in crossing blades with Hoshigakure.
"Charging in all alone — you Kirigakure types really are all the same. Every single one of you is a lunatic."
The Hyuga jonin blinked in surprise at the sight of Hoshigakure rushing in by himself, while Kimimaro simply stood in place with no intention of helping.
"I can handle both of you on my own."
Hoshigakure bellowed. He leapt into the air, his hands already finishing their hand seals.
Water Release — Great Shark Bullet Jutsu!
A surge of water materialized from thin air, rapidly converging in midair into the shape of a massive shark. It opened its bloodthirsty jaws and lunged at the Hyuga jonin.
But that wasn't all. Using the moment the jutsu took form, Hoshigakure kicked off the surface of the water shark, launching himself even higher.
He gripped Samehada and descended upon Aburame Shino like a mountain crashing down, bringing the blade crashing down from above.
The Hyuga jonin dropped into a slight crouch and raised both hands toward the incoming giant shark, then thrust them forward.
Gentle Fist — Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!
A shockwave of Chakra erupted from his palms and slammed into the shark instantly.
In an instant, the massive water shark was blown to pieces, scattering into countless streams of water in midair.
[
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