The Land of Rivers lies squeezed between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, serving as a buffer zone for the two great powers. Lacking its own hidden village, it has historically been the "cannon fodder" of the ninja world. In small nations like this, war is a natural disaster over which they have no control.
Occasionally, someone like Hanzo of the Salamander from the Land of Rain tries to challenge the status quo, but generally, the Land of Rivers is simply the recurring theater where Konoha and the Sand trade blows. After the Land of Rivers declared neutrality to avoid slaughter, Konoha stopped providing defense, and the Sand—viewing them as a traditional Konoha ally anyway—continued to treat the territory with zero mercy.
On a 200-kilometer stretch of the front line, 600 Konoha ninjas act as the tripwire to monitor the Sand's movements. Hagoromo has now arrived at this jagged edge of the conflict.
Clad in his black cloak, a plain white mask hiding his face, and a hood pulled low, Hagoromo crouches on a thick tree branch. The dense canopy provides perfect concealment. He feels a bit like a "camper" waiting for a kill in a video game, but his eyes never leave the horizon.
Hagoromo is assigned to Squad 132. Originally a four-man cell, the other three members—aside from the captain—were wiped out in the last Sand offensive. For now, it's just Hagoromo and the captain performing reconnaissance.
The captain is a Jonin of the Hyūga Clan. This is the only reason they can maintain such a wide surveillance area; with the Byakugan, they can see the enemy, predict their movement, and strike before being detected. The captain is cold and professional—the type of ninja who has seen too many comrades die to bother with small talk.
On Hagoromo's sixth day at the front, as evening approaches, a specific bird call echoes through the forest. It is answered by others in a cascading chain. This is Konoha's signal: The Sand is coming.
It isn't a skirmish. It's a large-scale offensive—roughly a thousand enemies.
Hagoromo looks toward the Hyūga captain, who signals via hand signs: "30 minutes. Prepare for engagement!"
Hagoromo sharpens his focus. While he's confident in a duel, "Team Deathmatch" is a different beast entirely. In a chaotic melee, an accident can happen in a split second.
As the sun dips, the enemy appears. Beyond the dense forest lies a flat, barren wasteland. Suddenly, a massive wave of Sand ninjas emerges, charging toward the Konoha line with shocking openness.
Hagoromo frowns behind his mask. Something is wrong. Ninjas don't usually charge like samurai in an open field; it makes them perfect targets for long-range jutsu. It's too blatant.
But there's no time for deep analysis. The enemy enters range. Squad 132 is positioned on the Sand's flank—a highly advantageous spot for a pincer strike.
Suddenly, the silent forest erupts. A barrage of area-of-effect ninjutsu pours out from the Konoha side like a curtain of fire.
"If you have a long-range jutsu, fire one! If not, just follow me!" the Hyūga captain shouts as he blurs past. He doesn't expect much from a "brat" in his first war battle; usually, kids this age get killed before they even realize the fight has started.
Hagoromo nods. As the Sand ninjas collide with the Konoha line, he reaches into his tool pouch and pulls out two scrolls. After a moment's hesitation, he puts one back and unfurls the other. In the center of the sealing formula is the character for "Sword".
"Release!"
With a single-handed seal and a puff of white smoke, an object appears in his hand.
Battlefield Intel: The Vanguard's Dilemma
The Sand's "Banzai" charge is highly irregular for stealth-based combatants. In tactical terms, this is often a sign of a "feint" or a desperate attempt to close the distance against superior mid-range attackers.
Current Situation: The silence of the scout mission is over. You are now part of a 600-man defense holding against a 1,000-man charge.