Under the bright moonlight, the reserve camp of the Konoha forces felt eerily desolate.
Today's battle had resulted not only in the loss of their forward positions, but also hundreds of casualties. Many had lost comrades, and a massive influx of wounded soldiers currently flooded the field hospital.
Groans, wails, weeping, and exhausted sighs filled the night air.
When Kyosuke entered the camp, these grim sounds immediately assaulted his ears.
Kyosuke, Asuma, and Shizune all looked pale and grim. Even the usually cheerful Kosuke wore a heavy trace of sorrow on his face.
The five thousand reinforcements had barely arrived before being rapidly assigned to various critical tasks.
Establishing defenses, rescuing the wounded, scouting enemy positions, and taking inventory of dwindling supplies.
Shikaku Nara, currently serving as Orochimaru's right-hand man, was responsible for the logistical nightmare of assigning these tasks.
Kyosuke led his team into the command tent and saw Shikaku, who had a dark circle drawn around a specific sector on his map.
"Uesugi Kyosuke Squad. Go collect supplies from the depot and set up traps in this designated area."
Seeing Kyosuke enter, Shikaku wasted absolutely no words. He pointed to the map, and a nearby Konoha assistant quickly handed Kyosuke a requisition slip.
"Yes, sir!"
Kyosuke glanced at the paper. The handwriting was incredibly sloppy, and the ink hadn't even dried yet—clearly written just moments before they walked in.
With the slip in hand, Kyosuke led his squad to the supply depot.
The guards stationed there were elite squads led by Jōnin, including members of the Hyūga and Uchiha clans. The security was airtight.
After thoroughly confirming Kyosuke's identity, the guards handed over the required explosive tags and ninja wire, collecting the slip in return.
Upon reaching the main gate of the camp, they underwent yet another strict inspection and received the new secret return-signal from the guards before finally heading out into the night.
"This is war," Kosuke murmured. "Miserable and tedious."
Having lived through previous Ninja World Wars, Kosuke was no longer surprised by the grim reality of it all.
Their destination was a dense forest spanning both banks of a wide, fast-flowing river.
This area was located directly behind the Konoha camp. Kyosuke correctly surmised that many other squads had received the exact same mission, working together to establish a massive, lethal trap zone along this natural boundary.
The purpose was obvious: to delay the enemy's pursuit in case the frontline collapsed and the Konoha forces were forced to retreat.
The river water glittered under the moon, and strange, fleeting shadows flickered through the forest as other squads worked in silence.
"Uncle Kosuke, you have the most experience here. You direct us, and we'll do the heavy lifting. Let's get started."
As the captain, Kyosuke gave the direct order, and Asuma and Shizune raised no objections.
Kosuke was more than happy to impart his veteran experience, so he began to elaborate.
"There are many types of traps, but those commonly used in war are broadly divided into three categories: warning traps, offensive traps, and defensive traps."
"Warning traps aim to detect the enemy in advance. They emphasize quantity and concealment over lethality, spreading across a wide area to trigger alarms."
"Offensive traps aim to create openings for an attack, generating local advantages on the battlefield. They prioritize sheer lethality and are usually paired with a counter-ambush by our forces."
"Defensive traps, like the ones we're setting now, aim to delay the enemy's pursuit and cover our allies' retreat. They focus on covering the widest possible area, without focusing too much on sheer killing power."
The cruelest thing about a trap is to injure someone without actually killing them.
A disabled shinobi not only loses their combat capability but also requires one or two healthy comrades to carry them, continuously consuming the enemy's medical supplies and slowing their march.
Although Kosuke's explanation was meant to be basic, Kyosuke instantly grasped the dark, underlying logic.
"Of course, this is just a rough classification," Kosuke continued. "War is unpredictable. In the same battle, we might be attacking here and defending there. We cannot be too rigid."
"When layered correctly, numerous traps can form a Trap Barrier. I've heard the strongest Trap Barriers can easily annihilate an entire ninja army, or even lay waste to a village."
Asuma listened to the lecture, his rebellious streak acting up again. "Uncle, forget about legendary barriers. We only have a few explosive tags, some poison, senbon, and basic wire. Let's just finish the mission so we can sleep."
Although everyone had learned basic trap-setting at the Ninja Academy, textbooks and reality always had a massive gap. Facing this sprawling, dark forest, Asuma genuinely didn't know where to begin.
Kosuke just smiled. "Don't worry, just set them up boldly. Even if the concealment isn't perfect, it doesn't matter. In fact, if a pursuing enemy discovers this trap zone, it's actually a good thing—it will intimidate them and force them to slow their advance."
Well, defensive traps aren't afraid of being exposed. They practically want to scream at the enemy that this place is a death trap.
Kosuke demonstrated his techniques while explaining.
"This is a chain trap—one visible, one hidden. If the enemy spots and avoids the visible tripwire, their evasion will force them right into the hidden tag."
"This area is relatively open, so we can rig explosive tags with senbon to form a shrapnel trap that maximizes area-of-effect damage."
"This thicket has dense trees and poor ventilation. We rig the poison gas canisters here."
"This path faces the enemy directly. They are highly likely to funnel through here, so we install timed explosive traps. We activate them only after a large enemy force has entered the kill zone, maximizing casualties."
Kyosuke stared at the older man. You, Kosuke, look so kind and approachable. But the traps you're setting are incredibly insidious!
Compared to this veteran, the traps taught back in the Academy were just harmless children's toys.
Kyosuke and the two Genin suddenly gained a brand new level of respect for the amiable Uncle Kosuke.
The four of them worked tirelessly through the night. The supplies in their packs were continuously consumed, transforming the serene forest into a gauntlet that would soon devour lives.
Watching the very last explosive tag get tied to a tree, Kyosuke felt a sharp physical pang in his heart.
That was all money!
Lots and lots of beautiful money!
It would be so nice if it were my money! Why isn't it my money?!
War is truly a greedy beast that just swallows cash!
The mission was complete just as dawn was about to break. After returning to camp, Kyosuke and his squad rested for a measly two hours before the alarm horns blared, forcing them to hastily assemble and march out.
The Kazekage must be here. Alas, we are at a severe disadvantage in terms of high-end combat power, Kyosuke thought.
He wore an expression of unflinching bravery, but internally, he was incredibly pessimistic about today's battle.
According to Chisuke's descriptions in their shared dreams, the Third Kazekage was monstrously powerful. Neither Orochimaru nor Minato Namikaze were likely his match in a straight fight.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Chisuke sat in the medical tent with thick bandages wrapped tightly around his chest, looking out the window toward the gathering armies.
This injury isn't entirely without its benefits. At least I don't have to venture into the high-level meat grinder today. I just hope Teacher Pakura doesn't fight too desperately out there. Sigh.
If the past skirmishes against Orochimaru were 'Bronze tier' difficulty, today's all-out war was rapidly approaching 'King tier'. The risk of Chisuke being defeated or straight-up killed was far too high.
In the manga, the Third Raikage was an absolute tank, but even he was worn down and killed by ten thousand Iwa ninja. What about me, a mere half-sealed Jinchūriki? I'd be turned to paste!
The sun fully rose, and the two massive armies finally met on the plains.
Over ten thousand shinobi stood in the morning light, forming two vast, intimidating forests of men.
The Third Kazekage, Elder Chiyo, Pakura, and Rasa stood proudly at the absolute forefront of the Suna forces.
"The Third Hokage really isn't here? Hmph! You Konoha Ninja are truly arrogant!"
Scanning the opposing ranks, the Kazekage stood tall. Facing the five thousand Konoha reinforcements, there wasn't a single ripple of fear in his eyes.
His powerful aura and arrogant, condescending attitude deeply angered the Konoha shinobi. But constrained by his terrifying fame and strength, no one dared to yell a retort.
"Kazekage-sama. Long time no see!"
A voice full of age and immense vigor suddenly rang out. A group of elite shinobi stepped out from the center of the Konoha army, led by none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage.
Seeing this scene, not only were the Sand forces greatly shocked, but many of the Konoha Ninja were also astonished, before erupting into invigorated cheers.
Only a select few individuals, like Orochimaru and Homura Mitokado, who had received prior secret notice, remained entirely unsurprised.