Night fell, and Konoha’s camp gradually quieted down.
The medical ninjas took turns resting, leaving only a small number of personnel on watch.
Chiya stood in the camp with his brows slightly furrowed.
It’s almost too quiet tonight.
Tsunade soon walked over and handed him a cup of hot tea.
“Do you sense anything unusual nearby?”
Chiya accepted the cup and shook his head.
“Nothing for now.”
“But after taking so many losses, I doubt the Sand shinobi will give up so easily.”
A serious look appeared in Tsunade’s eyes.
“I’ve already ordered the medical unit to strengthen its defenses, but…”
Before she could finish, Chiya suddenly raised a hand.
His eyes narrowed.
“Enemy attack!”
A sharp alarm tore through the night sky.
As expected, the Sand shinobi weren’t willing to remain quiet.
They had chosen to launch an attack in the middle of the night.
Explosions erupted one after another in the distance.
A violent wind suddenly swept across the battlefield.
Sand shinobi specializing in Wind Release appeared and formed hand seals together.
“Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!”
“Wind Release: Sandstorm!”
“…”
Violent currents carrying sand and gravel swept forward.
Several tents around the outer perimeter were instantly overturned.
The wind howled.
Sand flew through the air like blades.
Konoha’s sentries were blown away, while the defensive structures around the camp began to shake under the assault of the Wind Release techniques.
“Boom!”
The next moment, blazing flames roared out of the darkness.
Fire Release and Wind Release intertwined.
The wind intensified the flames, while the flames gained even greater destructive power from the wind.
A towering sea of fire instantly swallowed one section of the camp.
“The Sand’s Wind Release and Fire Release units are attacking at the same time?”
Commander-in-chief Hatake Sakumo’s eyes sharpened.
His silver-white hair shimmered in the firelight.
He immediately drew the short sword from his back—
White Fang.
Lightning suddenly crackled along its blade.
“All combat units!”
“Engage the enemy!”
Konoha’s shinobi rapidly assembled.
Under Tsunade’s command, the medical unit quickly withdrew while several personnel remained behind to treat the wounded.
Chiya stood at a high point.
His Sharingan glowed crimson in the darkness as he rapidly surveyed the battlefield.
“The Sand’s main force is advancing from the east.”
“They’re combining Wind Release and Fire Release to suppress us.”
“Looks like they want to break through our defenses in one decisive assault.”
After finishing her immediate duties, Tsunade used the Body Flicker Technique and appeared beside him.
The flames reflected in her light-brown eyes.
Her fists clenched until her knuckles cracked.
“These idiots really are asking to die.”
“Tsunade, protect the medical unit.”
“I’ll go support Sakumo.”
Before Tsunade could respond, Chiya disappeared.
At the center of the battlefield, Sakumo moved like a streak of silver lightning.
White Fang, wrapped in crackling lightning, tore through the darkness.
Everywhere he passed, Sand shinobi fell.
“The White Fang of Konoha…”
“His reputation really isn’t exaggerated!”
A Sand Jōnin gritted his teeth and began forming hand seals.
But Sakumo’s figure had already appeared before him like a ghost.
A flash of lightning.
Blood sprayed through the air.
“Don’t just stand there!”
“Keep up the suppression!”
The Sand commander roared.
More Wind Release shinobi formed hand seals.
The violent wind swept across the battlefield once again.
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”
Chiya suddenly appeared on the flank of the battlefield.
A blazing fireball crashed into the Sand formation and exploded, instantly engulfing the area in flames.
“It’s that Uchiha!”
“Don’t let him get close!”
But Chiya gave them no time to react.
He activated the Body Flicker Technique and plunged directly into the enemy formation.
His kunai struck like a venomous snake.
Every attack found its target with deadly precision.
“Damn it!”
The Sand commander gritted his teeth and suddenly waved his hand.
“Puppet unit!”
“Advance!”
“Prioritize the medical ninjas!”
“Clack, clack, clack!”
Dozens of puppets rushed out from behind the Sand formation.
Their joints produced harsh metallic sounds.
Poison-coated blades gleamed with an eerie blue light beneath the flames.
“Puppets?”
Chiya’s eyes turned cold.
He was just about to act— when a golden figure crashed into the battlefield like a cannonball.
BOOM!
Tsunade smashed one puppet apart with a single punch.
The terrifying force sent another puppet flying dozens of meters before it crashed into the Sand formation.
“Don’t even think about touching the medical ninjas!”
She shouted coldly.
The ground beneath her feet cracked.
Then she charged into the enemy ranks like a wild beast.
“Lady Tsunade?!”
The Konoha shinobi’s morale surged.
They followed her into the attack.
The Sand formation began to collapse.
The puppet unit was crushed under the combined assault of Tsunade and Chiya.
At the same time, Sakumo’s elite squad broke through the Wind Release formation.
“Retreat!”
“Everyone, retreat!”
The Sand commander ordered the withdrawal with a grim expression.
“Trying to leave?”
Chiya’s Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly rotated.
He formed hand seals.
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”
The fireball he released was far larger than an ordinary Great Fireball.
Chiya’s precise chakra control dramatically increased its power.
The roaring sphere of flame surged toward the retreating Sand shinobi.
Several shinobi were swallowed instantly.
Their screams echoed through the night.
Sakumo appeared beside Chiya.
Blood dripped from White Fang.
His expression was cold and focused.
“The Sand’s surprise attack has failed.”
“Based on their usual tactics, they probably won’t launch another assault anytime soon.”
Chiya nodded.
His gaze swept across the battlefield.
The Konoha shinobi had already begun cleaning up the battlefield.
The medical unit was rapidly treating the wounded.
Sakumo led several shinobi away to inspect the other areas of the camp.
Chiya suddenly froze.
They won’t come again?
Their attack tonight had felt somewhat incomplete.
Almost like the opening move of something larger.
Could they have another plan?
Hopefully I’m just overthinking it.
“I think they were trying to destroy our medical system and weaken our ability to sustain a long war.”
Tsunade walked over and voiced her thoughts.
“Looks like the medical unit will be one of their primary targets from now on.”
“Mm.”
“I’ll take the night watch.”
“You should rest.”
“I’ll stand watch with you.”
Chiya looked at Tsunade.
She had clearly already made up her mind.
He didn’t argue.
Standing night watch together doesn’t sound too bad.
An hour passed quietly.
The night wind swept across the battlefield.
Gradually, everything fell silent.
“There are people coming.”
Chiya suddenly stopped walking.
He pulled Tsunade toward the side.
Tsunade’s eyes sharpened.
A moment later—
Two dark figures emerged from the distant forest.
They had silently slipped past the outer guards and were approaching the medical camp.
Their movements were as light as cats.
They were none other than the elite Sand puppet masters—
Chiyo Yo and Chiyo Yanagi.
“This is the place.”
One of them whispered.
“Let’s finish this quickly.”
Yanagi nodded.
She took out a small, intricate puppet from inside her clothes and gently tossed it forward.
The puppet landed on the ground.
It quickly unfolded.
Controlled by chakra threads, it began crawling toward the camp.
But just as the puppet was about to infiltrate the camp—
A flash of cold steel passed through the darkness.
The puppet was cleanly sliced in half.
“Ambushing people isn’t a good habit.”
Chiya’s cold voice rang out.
The two were stunned.
They hadn’t expected their movements to have been discovered so quickly.
“Retreat!”
Chiyo Yo immediately grabbed Yanagi and attempted to withdraw.
“Trying to leave?”
Tsunade appeared behind them.
She punched the ground.
The terrifying force shook both of them off balance.
Chiya seized the opportunity.
His kunai shot toward Chiyo Yo’s throat like lightning.
Chiyo Yo hastily used a puppet to block the attack.
But Chiya kicked him directly in the chest.
He was sent flying backward.
Seeing this, Chiyo Yo immediately released a scroll from his waist.
A humanoid puppet appeared in front of him.
Its arms unfolded, revealing long blades that slashed toward Tsunade.
Tsunade sidestepped the attack.
She grabbed the puppet by the shoulder.
Then she squeezed.
Crack!
The puppet’s shoulder was ripped clean off.
Chakra surged through her legs.
With the force of her monstrous strength, she kicked the puppet apart.
“You two should just surrender.”
Chiya held a kunai against each of their throats.
His voice was calm.
The two Sand shinobi turned pale.
They knew there was no longer any way to escape.
The medical ninjas heard the fighting and gathered around.
When they learned that Chiya and Tsunade had captured elite Sand puppet masters, their eyes filled with awe.
The commotion soon attracted Sakumo.
The Konoha shinobi Konoha had also returned to the camp and arrived with a squad.
Sakumo took one look at the two prisoners and quickly understood what had happened.
A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.
Even someone as battle-hardened as him hadn’t expected the enemy to attempt such an infiltration.
“These two are quite skilled.”
“Their identities probably aren’t ordinary either.”
“They’re important figures within Sunagakure.”
“Keeping them alive may prove useful.”
Sakumo nodded solemnly.
“I know these two.”
“They’re elite aces among the Sand’s puppet forces.”
“Their mother, Chiyo, holds a very high position in Sunagakure.”
“They could serve as bargaining chips.”
“Take them away.”
Konoha shinobi stepped forward and escorted the two prisoners away.
Just before they left, Sakumo called out to Chiya and Tsunade.
“Tomorrow at noon, we’ll hold a temporary strategy meeting.”
“Tsunade.”
“Chiya.”
“Make sure you’re there.”