The next morning, the three of them weren't particularly well-rested. The reason was that Nawaki had been too excited the previous night and couldn't sleep, insisting on dragging Kyuushin and Minato into training. Only after Tsunade, who returned late, scolded him did he finally settle down and obediently go to sleep.
The three of them had been on multiple missions, so they were naturally adept at knowing what supplies to bring. The only difference was that Kyuushin was wearing a Chunin vest today. This was a war; normally, they could choose their clothes freely, but on the battlefield, Chunin and above had to wear the standard uniform.
After putting it on, Kyuushin found that this vest, designed after countless ninja's experiences, was indeed much more convenient for combat than his own clothes. It had various pockets and even dedicated scroll slots, all perfectly suited to a ninja's combat style. With all supplies ready, Kyuushin led Nawaki and Minato to the designated assembly point at the village entrance.
When they arrived, many ninja had already gathered, clearly all participants in this conflict. Kyuushin observed them and could clearly see that these people had also formed several small groups. Fully equipped, with bulging tool bags and a distinctly different aura, these were clearly the combat troops. There were also some ninja with huge backpacks, dressed impeccably clean. These were likely the medical team. The others, gathered in groups of three to five, were noticeably younger and probably belonged to the logistics team, just like them.
"Yo, Kyuushin, you're already a Chunin." Kyuushin was looking around when he suddenly heard someone call his name. He turned his head and saw three ninja roughly his age. The one who spoke first had a pineapple-shaped hairstyle and a somewhat lazy expression. Kyuushin had some impression of him; he was Nara Shikaku, a renowned strategist of Konoha in the future. Following him was Inoichi Yamanaka, with blond hair tied in a ponytail, and the other plump ninja, still munching on snacks, was Akimichi Choza. These three were the heirs of Konoha's famous Ino-Shika-Cho clans.
"Oh, it's Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza. Why are you all going to the battlefield too?" Kyuushin asked, a little curious.
"No choice. The Old Man told me to come," Shikaku yawned, then continued, "Originally, I didn't know why, but seeing you guys, I probably guessed." He then pointed. "It's not just us. Look over there, and over there."
Kyuushin followed Shikaku's gaze and saw a Hyuga ninja with long, flowing hair and another ninja with a mature look and distinct markings. Hyuga Hizashi and Uchiha Fugaku. Seeing that Kyuushin clearly recognized them, Shikaku said, "It's not just them. Basically, all the famous clans in the village have sent some young successors."
Kyuushin nodded, turned back, and said to Shikaku with some apology, "I'm sorry, this time we've implicated everyone." It was clear that these young successors from prominent clans were deliberately placed here by the Third Hokage to further ensure their safety. By assigning them to the same team, they could indirectly look after all three of them. This was also why Shikaku had said what he did when he saw them.
Shikaku nodded, seeing that Kyuushin understood. Regarding Kyuushin's apology, he replied, "That's alright; we were going to the battlefield sooner or later anyway."
Human relationships, give and take, are what endure. These ninja clans naturally understood this principle. However, Nawaki was naturally bewildered by all this. He couldn't help but ask Kyuushin curiously, "Who are these people?" Kyuushin was a little surprised, but after thinking about it, he realized Nawaki had no way of knowing them. So, he introduced both sides to each other.
Before long, Tsunade also arrived with several Jonin. After counting the numbers and confirming their accuracy, she handed the mission scroll to the guard at the village entrance, and the entire large unit slowly began to move out. The march was slow, as it required maintaining formation and moving only on the ground. Sensor ninja scouted ahead, with combat personnel protecting them. Logistics and medical personnel like Kyuushin's team were in the middle.
Fortunately, although the front lines were tense, no fighting had broken out yet. Thus, there were no attacking ninja along the way. After about five or six days, the main force finally arrived at the frontline camp. The camp adjacent to the Land of Rain was clearly built recently. Upon entering, their large unit was dispersed. The combat ninja were still at the front, while this camp mainly served to store supplies and care for the wounded. If nothing unexpected happened, this would be where Kyuushin and his companions would stay.
For this war, Konoha mobilized over a thousand ninja. This number included logistics and medical personnel. The actual combat personnel were roughly seven or eight hundred. This was the Third Hokage's attempt to overestimate the Land of Rain's strength. For a typical small nation's village, one or two hundred ninja would be enough to annihilate it. If it were a war with a major nation, a force of two thousand or more would be required. So, when the Third Hokage mentioned the Land of Rain with that tone, it was because he clearly understood that no matter how strong a small nation was, it ultimately couldn't compare to a major one.
These were all things the Hokage and his peers considered, and for now, they were irrelevant to Kyuushin. After completing the supply work, the logistics personnel had nothing else to do. After all, fighting hadn't officially broken out yet, but according to Tsunade's earlier statement, it would begin soon. The atmosphere throughout the camp was quite tense.
However, while Kyuushin was still conversing in low tones with Shikaku and the others, a ninja suddenly appeared, relaying an order: "Uzumaki Kyuushin, please report to the medical camp immediately and await orders!"
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