However, just as the three of them had traveled less than a few hundred meters from the camp, Kyuushin suddenly waved his hand and shouted, "No, hide first!" He then took the lead in finding a large tree to hide behind. Nawaki and Minato, without hesitation, each found their own cover.
"Kyuushin, what's wrong?" Nawaki asked.
Kyuushin's expression was solemn. After carefully listening to the movements ahead, he said, "Something's not right. It's too quiet. In this season, there should be many insects chirping in the forest."
Minato reacted. "You mean there are enemies ambushing us?"
Kyuushin nodded. "The patrol and alert squad hasn't sent out a signal for some time. Most likely, they've been completely wiped out. Moreover, in this dense forest, Rain ninja have a huge advantage. If we rashly step into it, whether the three of us can retreat safely is hard to say." After speaking, Kyuushin closed his eyes, his Kagura Mind's Eye opening, and an invisible mental fluctuation instantly covered the entire forest.
"Ten... twenty... thirty... thirty-seven!"
*Sure enough!* He opened his eyes, thankful he had vaguely sensed that something was wrong. Otherwise, while he could have certainly fought his way out, Nawaki and Minato might have fallen here today.
"There are a total of thirty-seven people," he said to the two. Nawaki and Minato immediately felt a chill in their hearts.
Kyuushin took out a kunai, tied an exploding tag to it, and with a flick of his right hand, shot it in one direction. Immediately after, an explosion sounded, and a muffled groan could be faintly heard from within. He opened his Kagura Mind's Eye again. The chakra fluctuation of one of the enemies had disappeared, but everyone else had instantly changed their positions.
"How is it?" Nawaki asked.
"I've already taken out one," Kyuushin first nodded, then shook his head. "But their positions keep changing, so I can't inform you in detail. If it's just me, the speed is too slow, and they will quickly realize that we have a sensory ninja on our side. Then they will immediately charge at us, and the three of us can't hold back so many enemies."
"It's not just the three of you, we're here too." A voice suddenly rang in Kyuushin's mind, making him shiver in the tense atmosphere. But he quickly calmed down and tentatively asked in his mind, "Inoichi Yamanaka?"
"Yes, this is my Mind Body Transmission Jutsu," the voice in his mind explained. "Shikaku analyzed that the enemies in the forest must want to lure us in and then wipe us out. After dealing with us, they can directly enter the camp and destroy the supplies. Without logistical support, we will inevitably be at a great disadvantage in this war."
Kyuushin was able to analyze from the environment that there were enemies hidden in the dense forest. Nara Shikaku, though younger, could also analyze this, and not only that, he could further analyze the enemy's objective. Seeing this, Kyuushin didn't waste words and directly replied, "I sensed that there are a total of thirty-seven enemies. I already took out one with an exploding tag. What we need to do now is to take out as many as possible before they charge. Otherwise, if they all rush at once, we are not regular combat personnel, and it's very likely we won't be able to hold them off."
The voice in his mind paused for a moment, presumably discussing countermeasures. After a while, it suddenly said, "Wait a moment, we are coming."
Not long after, Kyuushin suddenly heard rustling sounds from the bushes behind them. He looked closely and saw not only Inoichi Yamanaka and Nara Shikaku, but also Akimichi Choza, Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hizashi, and others, about ten people in total, all from the younger generation of the great clans. They had also heard Kyuushin's shouts in the camp earlier, discussed it briefly, and then all followed along.
Nara Shikaku and Inoichi Yamanaka moved to Kyuushin's side. Shikaku spoke first. "The enemy, seeing that we are slow to enter the forest, will surely choose to immediately attack the camp. Otherwise, the opportunity created by the diversion to the west would be wasted, so we don't have much time."
Kyuushin, hearing this, also said, "I can sense the enemies' current precise locations. Later, Inoichi will use his Mind Body Transmission Jutsu to inform everyone. We'll launch a counter-ambush against them first, what do you think?"
But Shikaku looked at Inoichi hesitantly and asked, "Can you do it?" He had grown up with Inoichi and knew he had only recently mastered the technique. Therefore, he wasn't sure if Inoichi could transmit the information to everyone present.
To his surprise, Inoichi laughed, patted his chest, and said to Kyuushin, "Of course I can, don't worry."
Seeing Inoichi's confidence, Shikaku said no more, and Kyuushin was even more direct. He immediately closed his eyes, opened his Kagura Mind's Eye again, and locked onto the enemies' traces in the dense forest. Inoichi immediately placed his right hand on Kyuushin's forehead, and with his left hand, he raised his index and middle fingers to his chest, operating the jutsu at full power. Instantly, everyone present heard Inoichi's voice in their minds:
"Everyone, I will tell you the exact hiding places of the enemies. You need to eliminate them as much as possible."
Everyone's faces immediately became stern. Each took out a kunai and tied on an exploding tag. At this moment, ninjutsu was not very effective; exploding tags were the simplest and most direct method.
As Kyuushin locked onto the enemies one by one, Inoichi learned their exact hiding positions and began to transmit this information into the minds of everyone present. He divided them into about ten groups, with each teammate only needing to be responsible for two or three enemies.
Shikaku watched as his friend's nose began to bleed profusely from the very beginning, and he could imagine the immense pressure he was under. But Shikaku also knew his friend's character well. Once he made a promise, he would always fulfill it, so he didn't interrupt his jutsu.
As the enemy's movements were broadcast, everyone no longer hesitated, fiercely shooting the kunai in their hands into the dense forest. As a series of explosions rang out, the enemies' screams also rose and fell.
Kyuushin opened his eyes and saw Inoichi softly kneeling on the ground, knowing that he had suffered a backlash from the jutsu. He immediately called Minato over. "You are faster. Take Inoichi back to the camp first." Minato nodded, picked up Inoichi, and quickly ran towards the camp.
Kyuushin then turned to everyone and said, "Although the enemies have been hit by our first wave, many still retain combat capability. Next, it's time for our true test."
No sooner had he finished speaking than enemies rushed out of the dense forest, speeding towards them.