Chapter 21 — Sand Ninja Outpost
"Everyone, stay sharp. There are enemy traps laid throughout the area."
Inside the dim forest, Gekkō Hoshino, who was walking at the front of the formation, suddenly raised a hand. His voice was calm but firm. The silent signal caused the entire team to halt immediately, over a hundred shinobi freezing in place among the trees without a sound.
Hoshino slightly turned his head and called toward the middle of the formation.
"Ren, come here for a moment."
"Uncle Hoshino."
Gekkō Ren responded and quickly stepped forward. The moment he approached, the lenses of his electronic eyes flickered faintly as they scanned the terrain ahead.
Within seconds, a hidden object appeared in his vision.
Between two bushes several meters ahead, a nearly invisible steel wire was stretched tight across the path, positioned only a few centimeters above the ground. The wire had been carefully dyed in mottled shades of gray, yellow, and green, blending seamlessly with the surrounding foliage and fallen leaves.
Under ordinary circumstances, it would be almost impossible to detect unless one was deliberately searching for it.
"There it is," Ren murmured.
Hoshino nodded slightly.
"There are many traps like this on the battlefield," he explained patiently. "Especially near enemy outposts or camps. Steel wires are commonly used because they're simple to deploy and highly effective. To prevent reflections that could give them away, the wires are often dyed to match the surrounding environment."
While speaking, Hoshino carefully placed his palm behind the wire, creating a contrasting background that made it easier for Ren to see.
"Understood."
Ren nodded attentively.
Although Ren had survived an encounter with a thirty-one–member Sand Ninja squad by relying heavily on traps of his own, he knew full well that his experience still couldn't compare with that of seasoned battlefield veterans like Hoshino. This was clearly an opportunity for instruction.
"Traps like these normally have detonators at both ends," Hoshino continued. "They're quick to set up, and in the chaos of battle they can take enemies by surprise. But they're often connected to secondary traps. If you cut the wire carelessly, it could trigger something larger."
As he spoke, Hoshino crouched down and carefully followed the direction of the wire into the surrounding bushes.
After a few seconds, he revealed two small concealed detonators hidden in the vegetation on either side. His movements were precise and practiced as he methodically disabled the mechanisms.
Click.
Both detonators were safely disarmed.
After completing the demonstration, Hoshino stood and addressed the entire group.
"From this point onward, we've entered the enemy's defensive perimeter."
His gaze swept across the assembled shinobi.
"The deeper we go, the more traps we'll encounter. Those with extensive experience dismantling traps—upper-ranked ninja and elite Chūnin—will move to the front. Coordinate with one another and clear a safe route."
"Understood."
The response came quietly but firmly.
Several older Chūnin and a number of Jōnin immediately moved to the front of the formation, their expressions serious as they began scanning the forest floor and surrounding terrain with practiced eyes.
"Ren, stay with me," Hoshino added.
Ren nodded. It was obvious Hoshino intended to continue teaching him whenever the opportunity arose.
Of course, their mission remained the priority. This instruction was simply something Hoshino did along the way whenever conditions allowed.
---
Three days later, as dusk slowly settled over the forest, the Konoha force finally reached the edge of their destination.
For nearly an entire day and night, the team had advanced with extreme caution, stopping repeatedly to locate and dismantle traps hidden throughout the forest. The slow pace had tested everyone's patience, but it had allowed them to move forward without alerting the enemy.
Now, standing at the edge of a steep mountain ridge, they finally saw the terrain ahead.
Before them lay a narrow valley.
The valley's width was less than a hundred meters, yet it stretched forward into the distance, its far end hidden by twisting terrain and shadow.
Towering mountains rose on both sides, their slopes climbing nearly a thousand meters high. Though not sheer cliffs, the mountainsides were steep and uneven, covered with tangled vegetation, thick trees, and climbing vines.
Even for shinobi, traversing such terrain would be extremely difficult.
Horses and supply carts would never be able to pass through the mountains.
Only the valley floor offered a viable route.
The Sand Ninja had clearly modified the terrain using Earth Release techniques. The valley floor had been flattened and widened to allow transport caravans to pass through.
Meanwhile, the surrounding mountains had been turned into a deadly defensive network filled with traps.
Leading the group, Hoshino guided the team cautiously up the side of one of the mountains. The ascent was slow and deliberate, taking nearly half a day as they avoided potential detection.
Finally, from a concealed position among the trees, they saw their objective.
About half a mile inside the valley stood a Sand Ninja outpost.
The camp was larger than Ren had expected.
More than thirty temporary wooden huts had been constructed there, alongside forty to fifty tents arranged in organized rows. Even from their distant vantage point, they could see numerous figures moving throughout the camp.
Sand Ninja patrolled between buildings, while others appeared to be transporting supplies or maintaining equipment.
The number of shinobi stationed there was clearly significant.
In fact, there were likely more Sand Ninja present here than those who had recently attacked Konoha.
Hoshino studied the outpost quietly before glancing at Ren.
"Ren," he said, "what do you think of this terrain?"
At his words, several other ninja nearby also turned their attention toward Ren.
Ren examined the valley carefully, his enhanced vision scanning the surrounding landscape.
"The valley is enclosed by high mountains," he began thoughtfully. "Both sides are steep and difficult to traverse. There doesn't appear to be any alternate route nearby."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"This means the valley floor is likely a critical transport route. It may even be the only viable supply path the Sand Ninja can use in this region."
"If they were forced to reroute supplies, they would need far more manpower and time. Without the protection of this terrain, their supply lines would also become much more vulnerable to ambush."
Ren finished his analysis calmly.
At the same time, however, a question surfaced in his mind.
If this location was truly so important, then the Sand Ninja must be heavily defending it.
So why had Orochimaru only dispatched a little over a hundred ninja?
Even if many of them were clan shinobi with respectable combat ability, their numbers were still insufficient.
Capturing such a strategic location was one thing. Holding it afterward would be far more difficult.
The casualties required would likely be enormous. In practical terms, the mission seemed almost impossible.
If that was the case…
Why had Hoshino and the others accepted it so readily?
"You've analyzed it very well," Hoshino said with a faint smile, patting Ren on the shoulder.
Then he asked casually:
"So tell me… do you think you could capture this place and hold it?"
"Me?"
Ren blinked in surprise.
But in the next instant, realization dawned on him.
Orochimaru intended to rely on his Bloodline Limit advantage.
That explained everything.
This position was too important to attack with a large force—the Sand Ninja would immediately detect such a movement.
Small infiltration squads couldn't capture or hold the location either.
As for dispatching elite Jōnin forces, doing so would weaken other battlefronts.
However…
Ren was different.
With his Technology Template, the battlefield dynamics changed entirely.
In a narrow, open environment like this valley, firearms would possess overwhelming advantages in range and suppressive power.
Orochimaru had clearly recognized this potential.
That was why he had sent them here.
"If you were responsible for the assault," Hoshino continued with interest, "how would you attack this position? And once you captured it, how would you defend it afterward?"
"Speak freely."
The surrounding ninja also watched Ren with curiosity.
After a brief moment of thought, Ren spoke.
"If we can approach to within 150 meters of their outpost, I can launch a powerful assault."
"As for defending it afterward…"
Ren smiled slightly.
"We'll deal with that when the time comes. It will require cooperation from everyone here."
His tone carried unmistakable confidence.
After all, this operation had effectively placed him in the role of primary attacker.
With the newly installed technology template in his possession, Ren was eager to test its capabilities in real combat.
However, one of the older shinobi nearby shook his head.
"There should be several sensory ninja stationed in that camp," said an upper-ranked ninja from the other clan.
"Getting a hundred people within 150 meters without being detected would be extremely difficult."
Others nodded in agreement.
This location was far too important for the Sand Ninja to neglect sensory defense.
It was almost certain they had multiple sensory units stationed here.
For a force this large, stealth infiltration would be nearly impossible.
---
Notes on the Technology Template
(The protagonist will eventually obtain many technology templates. Only particularly unique ones—such as the Red Alert Template, Transformers Template, Clone Template, or Robot Production Line Template—will receive full introductions when they appear.)
(Conventional templates like the Barrett Sniper Rifle Template or Battleship Template are considered standard technology and are not explained in detail.)
(Sensory ninja capable of detecting targets beyond a kilometer are extremely rare. The Byakugan is a famous example and is highly coveted.)
(Ordinary sensory ninja can usually detect chakra within a few hundred meters, and even then their perception is often unreliable.)