"This time we're splitting into two squads to execute the mission."
After Minato Namikaze swept his gaze over everyone, he continued slowly:
"Kakashi, Rin, and Obito will remain in one squad. You'll be responsible for blowing up the bridge.
Kiyohara, Genma, and Kurenai will form the other squad, responsible for disrupting the Iwagakure ninja and drawing their attention."
Minato spoke.
"Blow up a bridge? What bridge?"
Obito asked in confusion.
His geography wasn't great. He didn't even know where the Kannabi Bridge was.
"The Land of Grass and the Land of Fire share a border. Currently, the Land of Earth is invading the Land of Grass, with over a thousand ninja already gathered on the frontlines.
Once they break through, they can march directly from the Land of Grass into the Land of Fire."
Kiyohara explained.
Actually, this mission was quite simple: push lanes, flank around back, and sneak attack the enemy crystal [base].
As for whether they could survive, Konoha's upper management didn't care.
You had to buy your own resurrection item; otherwise, death meant really being dead.
Not everyone was TheShy [a famous League of Legends player known for aggressive plays].
"Am I right, Minato-sama?"
"That's correct. Kiyohara explained it very well."
Minato gave Kiyohara an appreciative look.
Kiyohara had the talent of a chunin, not someone who simply relied on strength to become one.
During wartime, requirements had been relaxed.
In peacetime, advancing to chunin required leadership ability to command a "basic squad," not just individual combat prowess.
At the same time, chunin also needed the ability to analyze battlefield situations.
Usually, those who excelled in this area but were weaker in actual combat would become instructors or examiners at the Ninja Academy.
"So what does this have to do with our mission? Aren't we supposed to blow up some bridge?"
Obito scratched his head.
Could blowing up one bridge really stop over a thousand ninja from attacking?
How wide would that bridge have to be?
"Obito, think carefully. If they can attack like this, it means the Iwagakure ninja already have solid control over parts of the Land of Grass, with very smooth rear support."
From Minato and Kiyohara's conversation, Rin had picked up on something.
"So this mission is about striking the enemy at the front lines. The best way is to cut off their supply lines. The Kannabi Bridge is the most important node."
Kurenai spoke up.
Genma also nodded silently.
Kakashi even showed an exasperated expression.
Everyone here understood.
Only Obito still looked confused.
Kiyohara shook his head.
After all, in the official guidebook, Obito's "Intelligence" stat was only 2, and "Intelligence" represented a ninja's knowledge base and IQ.
Even Rock Lee, Kiba Inuzuka, and Choji Akimichi had an Intelligence stat of 4, twice Obito's.
So there was a reason Obito's theory was so poor.
It was innate.
"I see now."
Seeing everyone acting like they understood, Obito indicated he understood too.
Seeing this, Minato once again re-explained the mission to Obito.
This matter was extremely important and could likely influence the war situation between Konoha and Iwagakure, so it was highly classified.
It's just that with the major nations at war and Konoha having to manage multiple battlefronts, they no longer had enough ninja.
That's why it was Kakashi and the others' turn.
Just as Minato was about to continue speaking, he suddenly noticed some unusual sounds nearby.
An enemy!
Minato instinctively wanted to pull out a kunai and eliminate the enemy.
The next moment, he suppressed this impulse.
There was one more thing he hadn't told Kiyohara, Kakashi, and the others: he wouldn't be participating in this mission, but would prioritize supporting the front lines.
Right now, Minato wanted to see how these few would handle a crisis situation.
So he pretended not to notice.
"Someone's coming."
Rogue ninja Kiyohara spoke up.
Having spent years in the ninja world, both hunting enemies and being hunted by them, he was extremely sensitive to gazes.
"An enemy?"
Kiyohara's expression immediately showed a bit of wariness.
"Help me check it out."
Kiyohara said to rogue ninja Kiyohara.
"You mean float over there and scout for you?"
Rogue ninja Kiyohara was taken aback.
This guy really was treating him like a tool.
"Please, my future self!"
Kiyohara pleaded.
"Fine, though I don't know what the maximum distance is either."
Rogue ninja Kiyohara shook his head.
Then his spirit form began to float, drifting toward the enemy.
When he exceeded three meters, he clearly felt himself dispersing faster.
"Looks like I can't get too far from you."
As rogue ninja Kiyohara spoke, he increased his floating speed.
Soon, he reached the middle of the enemy group.
Hidden here was a four-person squad of Iwagakure ninja.
The leader was a middle-aged ninja about as weathered as rogue ninja Kiyohara himself, while the other three Iwa ninja looked somewhat younger.
"Four people, one chunin leading three genin. They're equipped with Fuma shuriken, three ninja blades..."
Rogue ninja Kiyohara began relaying information and positions to Kiyohara.
"Excellent."
Kiyohara nodded.
This was one of the correct ways to use him.
Since he could float outside his body, he definitely had some mobility.
If he expanded his thinking further, when Kiyohara passed by the Hokage building, maybe he could have rogue ninja Kiyohara secretly float in and steal a peek at the Scroll of Seals.
It's just that rogue ninja Kiyohara had no ability to interact with reality, unless he possessed Kiyohara's body.
Or, unless the Scroll of Seals was in an open state, then rogue ninja Kiyohara could learn from it.
"Hmm?"
Kakashi noticed something was off.
He sensed a prying gaze.
There was an enemy here!
"You noticed, Kakashi."
Minato nodded inwardly.
Worthy of being White Fang's son, truly a genius.
You had to know that back in the day, Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, had a reputation even greater than the Three Sannin!
Minato kept wondering, if Sakumo Hatake had also run for future Hokage, would he still have had a chance?
Although his own fame had been made during this Great Ninja War, compared to the older generation, he still lacked some accumulation and foundation.
It's just a pity that this question would never have an answer.
Because Sakumo Hatake had chosen to commit suicide at home.
How regrettable. Countless times escaping from the brink of death, killing countless enemies.
In the end, he didn't die on the battlefield or during a mission, but in his own home, in the village he most revered.
"Ka..."
"Minato-sama, there are four enemies hidden to the south. They should be Iwa ninja."
Kiyohara spoke up, interrupting Minato just as he uttered the first syllable.
"You sensed all the enemies?"
Minato showed a surprised look.
He can sense them, too?
Not only discovering the enemy's presence, but also clearly knowing their numbers.
"There are enemies?"
Upon hearing this, Obito quickly pulled down his yellow goggles. Couldn't let them hurt his eyes.
"There are enemies here, too?"
Kurenai, beside Kiyohara, pulled out a kunai, her small face showing wariness.