Warlock Invasion of Naruto.

"Stay put! Eat, sleep, and we'll set off promptly at 4:00 AM!"

As darkness fell, Oshima Shuichi signaled for everyone to stop.

This operation was commanded by Hideichi Oshima.

Although Chiho and Eito are both top ninjas in their respective clans and their strength has now surpassed that of Oshima Shuichi, they will still follow Oshima Shuichi's orders because of their past relationship.

As for Bai Yu, the avatar he currently controls, Uchiha Issei, is merely Chiho's junior, a newly promoted special Jonin, and has very little say in the matter; he should simply obey orders.

Since they hadn't crossed the border yet, the group gathered around the campfire for a barbecue that evening.

The wild rabbit, sprinkled with seasonings, sizzles and releases its aroma.

Thinking back, it's been ten years since the last time Class 12 gathered together around a campfire for a barbecue.

However, this time Bai Yu was carrying out the mission as Uchiha Issei.

The other 12 Chunin leaned solemnly against the tree trunk, not in the mood for grilling meat, and were eating their own dry rations.

Only Shiraha, Chiho, Eito, and Oshima Shuichi were gathered around the campfire.

Their mission this time was to assist Minato Namikaze in destroying the Kannabi Bridge.

After Konoha's consecutive victories over Sunagakure and Kumogakure, the Hyuga clan has deployed a large number of troops to the Kirigakure battlefield in the past six months due to the death of their former clan leader, Hyuga Tengen, on the battlefield. In addition, the village's leadership has faced considerable public pressure, so they have also increased their troop strength.

The Hidden Mist Village ninjas on the eastern front are now in a state of decline, and defeat is only a matter of time.

On the northwestern front, Konoha has driven Iwagakure out of the border, and the battleground between the two sides is now located on the northern border of the Land of Grass.

Since the Third Hokage returned to Konoha and did not go to the front lines again, Jiraiya, who was originally on the battlefield in Kumogakure, went to the northwest front to take charge of the overall situation, and Minato Namikaze stepped down.

However, Minato Namikaze did not relax because of this; instead, he began to carry out various high-difficulty decapitation missions.

This time, Shiraha and his four Jonin squads came to assist Minato Namikaze in destroying the Kannabi Bridge, a vital supply line for Iwagakure.

The thousands of ninjas on the front lines require a huge amount of resources every day. Medicines and ninja tools can be transported via medical scrolls, but rice, vegetables, and meat must be transported by land using animal power.

If we destroy some of the Iwagakure village's supplies while blowing up the Kannabi Bridge, and then ambush the Iwagakure ninja, we can cut off the Iwagakure front line's food supply. Soldier rations are emergency food and cannot be eaten as regular food.

In Bai Yu's view, blowing up the bridge had strategic significance, but its impact on morale was even greater.

The Third Shinobi World War has continued for many years, and all nations are exhausted and worn out.

In fact, both Iwagakure and Konoha know that this war should end now.

Continuing the fight would only be a pointless waste of manpower.

The Kannabi Bridge is even more symbolic. If Konoha destroys the Kannabi Bridge, it means that Iwagakure failed to defend it despite knowing that Konoha would attack.

If Konoha's attack fails and they pay a heavy price without destroying the Kannabi Bridge, then Iwagakure will have the upper hand.

Later, when a ceasefire is reached, they will have more bargaining chips.

As for the ninjas who sacrificed their lives in this war, they were all heroes, probably.

This is also why all the Chunin accompanying them had solemn expressions.

Anyone with a brain knows that this mission is to serve as cannon fodder.

Knowing that Konoha was going to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, Iwagakure would definitely send a large force to guard it, or send top-tier Jonin to ambush it.

In order for Minato's team to successfully complete their mission, even if they knew there was a trap, they had to actively enter it to attract the enemy's attention. Only in this way could they ensure that Minato's team could successfully complete their mission.

Minato Namikaze is naturally unharmed, and the Jonin who accompanied him should also survive. As for the Chunin, their fate will be left to luck.

Shiraha, Chiho, Eito, and Oshima Shuichi, these Jonin, naturally understood the Chunin's feelings, but there was nothing they could do to comfort them. After all, a mission is a mission; their task was to destroy the Kannabi Bridge and end the war completely. As for how many people would die, the higher-ups might feel a little more sorrow when they held a memorial service.

......

The Land of Grass.

In the mountains and forests.

"Kakashi, are you really not coming with me to rescue Rin?"

Obito's face showed anger. Rin had been captured by the enemy. Even though she was a medical ninja and her life was not in immediate danger, who knew if the enemy would kill her to vent their anger once the Kannabi Bridge fell.

"Our mission is to destroy the Kannabi Bridge. Everything else is secondary. Going to rescue Rin now would likely lead to an ambush. Our deaths are secondary; the mission cannot fail!"

Kakashi held a map, marking it, and prepared to take another shortcut.

"You bastard! Do you even know what you're saying?" Obito grabbed Kakashi by the collar, glaring at him. "If we don't save Rin, she'll die right away! Have you forgotten who treated us when we were injured? How can you say something like that? What do you take Rin for? She's our comrade!"

"If the mission fails, even more comrades will die," Kakashi said coldly.

"If you're not going, I'll go myself! I never expected you to be this kind of person! We all misjudged you!"

Seeing Kakashi's resolute attitude, Obito released his collar, turned around resolutely, and left in the opposite direction.

"Going alone would only be suicide," Kakashi said calmly.

"Even if it means certain death, I will not abandon my comrades. If it were Sakumo-senpai here today, he would definitely choose his comrades without hesitation and come with me to save Rin." Obito suddenly turned around, his expression one of resignation to death: "A ninja who doesn't follow the rules is trash! But someone who doesn't even cherish their comrades is even worse than trash!"

With that, Obito vanished from Kakashi's sight in a few flashes.

"Not even as good as trash?"

Kakashi muttered to himself, savoring Obito's words. Sakumo's image and voice floated into his mind, and he recalled the words Sakumo had spoken before his suicide.

Sakumo: So you think my choice was wrong?

Kakashi: Father's choice was right!

Sakumo: Kakashi, I'm telling you my choice. Even if I had known the outcome beforehand and had another chance to choose, I would still choose to end the mission. This is the true Will of Fire!

At that moment, Kakashi sneered inwardly.

"Bullshit Will of Fire, that's the Hokage's Will! But... if I go to blow up the bridge by myself now, even if I've basically mastered the Hatake-ryu swordsmanship and have seven or eight tenths of my father's skill, plus the breathing technique that Senior Shiraha taught me, I can only deal with three or four Jonin at most at the same time."

If we were to blow up the bridge, we would have to face countless Jonin, making the mission's success rate very low.

The mission failed, and they abandoned their companions; they failed on both fronts!

If I go with Obito to rescue Rin, he, being the worst student, can attract the enemy's attention, and I should be able to sneak up and kill one of them by swordsmanship while I'm hiding in the shadows.

Rescue Rin, then blow up the bridge. With Rin and Obito's help, the mission's success rate will increase.

Yes, it's all for the mission!

Kakashi reached behind his back and gripped the White Fang short sword tightly.

"Father, please bless me!"

If he wants to become Hokage, then even if he fails the mission, he cannot leave behind the stain of abandoning his comrades.

Moreover, saving our comrades first is also for the sake of mission success.

With that in mind, Kakashi quickly found his bearings and hid behind Obito.

The plan was to wait until Obito stepped into the enemy's trap before suddenly attacking and killing him.

......

The autumn wind is bleak.

The battlefield was filled with the smoke of gunpowder and the heavy stench of blood.

Outside the position, shouts of battle could be heard from time to time.

It's unclear how long it lasted, but the shouts of battle gradually ceased.

Bai Yu and the ninjas who were holding their ground hid in the trenches and rested on the ground.

Their four Jonin squads were ambushed on the way, and at the cost of two minor injuries, they killed three enemy Jonin.

The main reason is that Chiho and Eito's strength is now comparable to that of top-tier elite Jonin.

In particular, Chiho has already unlocked the three-tomoe form.

This is the first time that Shiraha has participated in a war from the perspective of an ordinary Jonin.

Uchiha Issei's avatar is quite strong. After several months of training, he has become more proficient in combining the Sharingan and Fire Release techniques, and should be able to rival an ordinary elite Jonin. However, in a large-scale battle involving thousands of ninjas, this level of strength is only enough to barely protect himself.

In particular, when the Third Hokage returned, he withdrew the Sarutobi clan back to the village, putting the forces on the northwest front at a disadvantage against the Iwagakure side.

Iwagakure launched an attack, and the battle lasted from morning until evening.

The enemy paid a heavy price under the fierce resistance of the Konoha garrison.

However, Jiraiya took the main force to guard another more important stronghold, so their own forces were less than half of Iwagakure's.

After all, Jiraiya's side was facing nearly three times the number of enemies, so it was already a lot for them to be able to spare 400 people.

However, at this point, their own forces numbered less than 100, while the Iwagakure forces still had at least 200 or more.

From morning until now, they have repeatedly repelled the attacks of the Hidden Stone Village, repeatedly returned to the trenches, and witnessed the people around them fall one after another.

Originally, the mission was to have an avatar infiltrate Konoha and cause trouble, but unexpectedly, they encountered this kind of mission.

Fortunately, this should be the last battle.

......

Half an hour later, the Iwagakure ninjas, who had been driven back by the Konoha forces, launched another attack.

The men held their ground to the death.

After repelling Iwagakure once again, only 10 men remained in the trench.

Besides the four Jonin—Shiroha, Chiho, Eito, and Oshima Shuichi—the remaining six were all ninjas who originally guarded the position.

All 12 Chunin who came with them were killed.

Although the enemy also suffered heavy losses, at least a third of their more than 200 ninjas remained, including at least a dozen Jonin.

If Bai Yu's true form were here, he might have charged into the fray from the start. However, the strength of his avatar is not even up to the level of an ordinary Kage. He doesn't have much chakra left, and with such a large disparity in numbers, he basically has no chance of winning.

"Shuichi-kun, you four should retreat first!"

The commander in charge of guarding the position, Mimura Yomi, turned to Oshima Hideaki, who was standing to the side.

Their intention was to have the four people who came to help leave.

The loss of the position was inevitable; enough time had already been wasted.

Apart from the four who came to support, Shiraha, Chiho, Eito, and Oshima Shuichi, the other six stayed with the position to the death, which can be considered as their loyalty to Konoha.

"Ye Juan, let's retreat together!" Oshima Shuichi hesitated, because he knew that staying meant death, but how could he abandon his comrades and retreat?