Twenty minutes.
Sakumo Hatake clicked his tongue inwardly as he processed the timeline.
Rushing from Konoha to the front line while taking the time to escort a retreating group was no small feat. It was no wonder the Third Hokage trusted sending such a genius to the battlefield. With the mobility provided by the Flying Thunder God Technique, as long as the boy was not delayed by a complex seal or a massive ambush, there was basically no life-threatening danger to him. Having such a highly mobile support unit was undoubtedly good news for a front line where the tactical situation changed in an instant.
But this also meant that the village had only just received the formal request for aid. The actual reinforcements would take several hours at the earliest to reach this position. Given the current disparity in numbers between the enemy forces and the Konoha defenders, the outcome would likely be the same whether they continued with small-scale skirmishes or engaged in a desperate frontal assault.
It will likely be difficult to hold out until reinforcements arrive under these circumstances. We can only request aid from the other nearby camps first, but if nothing unexpected happens, the Hidden Sand Village probably won't attack from only this direction. The pressure faced by the Land of Rivers should be no less than ours.
Sakumo Hatake's brow was tightly furrowed as he stared at the tactical maps spread out before them.
Do we not have any spies currently active in the Hidden Sand? Why has no news been transmitted back to the village despite such a massive military operation?
Minato Namikaze looked puzzled as he asked the question. He maintained a look of innocent concern, though internally he was merely calculating the efficiency of the Konoha intelligence network.
Sakumo Hatake shook his head slowly. We did receive news of the Hidden Sand army assembling at the border, but our reports indicated their logistical supplies were still on the way. With the obstruction from the Hidden Rain Village and Hanzo's interference, no one expected them to forcibly launch an attack at this specific time.
Minato Namikaze thought for a moment before offering a solution. Although I can't move an entire platoon, I can transport a few high-level combatants using my marks. Do you need me to make a trip to the secondary camp?
No.
Sakumo Hatake pondered for a moment and then slowly shook his head. There are too many enemies. This is different from the previous small-scale skirmishes we have faced; this is an entire ninja army. In this situation, one or two high-level combatants won't make a significant difference to the overall numbers. Since the Hidden Rain Village is interfering here, the Hidden Sand has still managed to break through to this point. The Land of Rivers has probably already seen combat. That region has a longer front line and is sparsely populated, so it has more garrisons, but they probably won't have the spare capacity to support us.
As he spoke, he paused slightly. His gaze gradually firmed up as he reached a dangerous conclusion.
Hmm. I plan to carry out a decapitation strike!
After speaking, he looked at Minato Namikaze. His eyes carried a hint of probing and heavy expectation. However, this mission requires your help. With the Flying Thunder God Technique, even if the decapitation fails, we can still create enough chaos to stall their advance.
I can help, but who is the specific target? Are we going after the Third Kazekage? Minato Namikaze asked.
No, the Third Kazekage is not currently on the front line. The overall commander of the Hidden Rain Village battlefield right now is the Hidden Sand Village high-level advisor Ebizo. When the reconnaissance squad received news of the invasion, he was busy restraining Hanzo. The one leading the army attacking our specific position is very likely the leader of the group that just surrounded us. That person is called Haku, and he is the Hidden Sand's top puppet master.
The leader?
Recalling the Hidden Sand ninja he had casually eliminated earlier with a single strike, Minato Namikaze suddenly fell into thought. Do you have a portrait of this man?
Upon hearing this, Sakumo Hatake brought Minato Namikaze into the tent temporarily serving as the command post. He ordered a subordinate to find Haku's portrait immediately. The appearance of high-ranking politicians and famous shinobi from various countries was not a secret. During wartime, almost anyone of note would be posted on the black market with a high price on their head.
Looking at the portrait before him, Minato Namikaze's expression became complicated. This person attacked me when I was retrieving my kunai, and I killed him.
Sakumo Hatake was stunned for two seconds. Are you sure you aren't mistaken about his identity?
My memory is still excellent, and I only killed that one person during the encounter.
Minato Namikaze nodded. With the massive Yin Release power brought by the Mangekyo, his memory was so strong that it could be called eidetic. He could recall every drop of blood that had splattered on the grass.
How did you kill him?
Seeing Minato Namikaze nod with such certainty, Sakumo Hatake was instantly astonished. Haku was a veteran whose name carried weight across the nations.
I just flickered over and killed him.
Minato Namikaze was also somewhat speechless. He found it hard to describe the details of his combat style to someone else. He would simply flash over, deliver a slash, or throw a swirling ball of energy. What was there to talk about? It was precisely because of this unreasonable fighting style that he couldn't accurately judge the enemy's strength. Because whether it was a Jonin or a Genin, whether it was the final result or the process itself, it was all the same for him. He just hadn't expected that a Hidden Sand Village ninja he casually eliminated would turn out to be a high-level combatant.
Sakumo Hatake was silent for a few seconds and then suddenly laughed. He looked at Minato Namikaze, his tone full of disbelief yet tinged with a bit of exasperation. If this gets out, the Hidden Sand's reputation will be completely ruined. Their commander was killed like a common foot soldier.
It was just good luck.
Minato Namikaze smiled shyly, maintaining his usual modest demeanor for the White Fang. Perhaps he saw that I was young and let his guard down.
There is no luck on the battlefield; you don't need to be modest. If I were in Haku's position, I wouldn't have held back in the slightest against a teleporting opponent.
Sakumo Hatake shook his head. His smile faded as his gaze fell back upon the map on the table. Haku is dead, so the Hidden Sand's front line command system will experience brief chaos, but this chaos won't last long. The Hidden Sand's attack is advancing from three directions. The team led by Haku was attacking from the front, gradually surrounding the camp by constantly striking isolated small teams. It seems they were certain that we wouldn't abandon the front line positions. Although Haku is dead, the plan should have been set long ago and won't change easily unless the leaders of the other two directions are also eliminated. Yamanaka, how far away is the closest unit?
Sakumo Hatake looked toward the member of the Yamanaka Clan responsible for the camp's perception. The other party, wearing an instrument to enhance perception, stated solemnly that they were $25$ kilometers to the north.
For a ninja, this distance was practically the same as being face-to-face.
Sakumo Hatake looked at Minato Namikaze. How quickly can you get there?
Minato Namikaze placed his hand on Sakumo Hatake's arm. Right now.
Before the words even finished, the figures of the two men instantly vanished from the tent.
The next moment, they appeared on the summit of a desolate mountain. The sky was overcast and rainy, with no sunshine visible through the thick clouds.
On the way here, I specially sent clones to mark positions nearby. It's about $8$ kilometers from where the Yamanaka senior perceived them.
Minato Namikaze's tone was calm, as if he had just done something insignificant. But I am also a perception-type ninja, so senior doesn't need to worry about us being lost.
Upon hearing this, Sakumo Hatake gave Minato Namikaze a deep look. As a fellow villager, he had naturally heard of Minato Namikaze's name. He knew of the Wood Release and the Flying Thunder God Technique. Coupled with this calm and composed personality and his meticulous approach, this child's future was so bright it could blind him.
Thinking of this, he made a firm resolution in his heart. Even if he himself died, Minato Namikaze could not have a single scratch. Although the Flying Thunder God Technique possessed supreme mobility, the enemy forces included puppet masters skilled in using lethal poison. Although he intended to borrow the teleportation technique to resolve the predicament of the front line camp, it was no exaggeration to say that the lives of everyone at the front line combined were not as valuable as Minato Namikaze's life.
Let's go.
Sakumo Hatake didn't say much more, moving silently toward the front like a leopard.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion