Naruto: My setting is above yours.

In peacetime, it is impossible for Konoha to maintain a regular border defense force along the border of the Land of Fire.

For example, the border defense forces in the northwest of the Land of Fire were deployed after signs of war were shown in Iwagakure.

As Iwagakure's actions become increasingly significant, Konoha is investing more and more resources there.

Although no war broke out between the two sides, the clash between their intelligence personnel had already begun long ago.

Now that the Hidden Cloud Village is showing signs of war, the Hidden Leaf Village is responding immediately by drawing resources to form a border defense force in the north. This response is actually quite swift.

However, it is not so simple for a ninja village that has not yet entered a state of war to mobilize its forces.

Many ninja squads are on missions outside the village, so there aren't large numbers of ninjas waiting in the village.

Maruhoshi Kosuke and his team happened to be resting after finishing their mission, so they were sent over directly.

Next, small teams will be drawn in to build a complete defense.

However, this was clearly far less efficient than the mobilization of the Hidden Cloud Village, which was already engaged in war.

"My intelligence isn't enough to convince the village to urgently send troops over. It seems I'll have to deal with it myself."

After finishing the last bit of soup, Genma stood up and said, "Senior Mayama, I'll go and hand over the reins to my teacher first."

After saying that, he vanished in an instant.

Even when Mute tried to catch up, it was too late.

Genma quickly found his teacher, Hatake Sakumo, and got straight to the point: "Teacher, I'm feeling a bit uneasy, so I'd like to expand the surveillance area!"

Hatake Sakumo understood his disciple's meaning and nodded, saying, "Do as you see fit, but within your capabilities."

"Your teacher trusts your intuition, so keep up your fighting spirit!"

Xuanma nodded: "Understood!"

After watching Hatake Sakumo leave, Genma formed hand seals and created three shadow clones. These clones transformed into different birds and crossed the border of the Land of Fire, entering the Land of Hot Springs, the Land of Rice Fields, and the border area between the two countries to conduct surveillance.

After finishing these tasks, Genma looked at the [Settings] again.

With the settings in hand, you won't feel comfortable without spending them.

Especially when they feel that war is imminent, their sense of security suddenly weakens.

"I haven't figured out how to modify the spiritual and spiritual aspects yet. Perhaps we should look at other areas first?"

Genma's gaze fell upon each of the ninjutsu techniques.

"The distance of the Substitution Jutsu increases by 1 meter for every 1 point of the setting value, which is too low in cost-effectiveness. It would be better to make up for other shortcomings, such as visual obstruction."

In the end, Genma returned to the Substitute Technique.

The replacement modification is completely insufficient to meet the set value; only minor adjustments can be made first.

The current displacement distance is 20 meters. If the visual range is changed to the perception range, the practicality will increase again, and it will be even more difficult to crack.

Substitution Jutsu 2.0: Based on Substitution Jutsu version 1.0, it allows you to swap positions with any substance within your perception range.

8 points!

A visual limit of 8 points, Xuanma calmly modified.

Thus, the set value has 14 points remaining.

After thinking it over, Xuanma decided to practice the Transformation Technique.

Transformation 2.0: Based on Transformation 1.0, it allows for partial changes while still retaining the basic abilities of the transformed creature.

Consumes 5 points of the set value.

Xuanma has been confirmed to be modified.

In reality, the transformation technique itself can actually transform a part of the body.

For the most basic transformation technique, this is considered a failed transformation.

After the first modification, Genma tried an incomplete transformation.

For example, it may only have wings, or only have eagle eyes.

Unfortunately, it can transform, but it doesn't possess the ability.

That is, it can only produce wings but cannot fly, and it can only produce eagle eyes but does not possess the powerful visual ability of an eagle.

The 5-point setting is far less effective than the modifications to the Substitution Jutsu.

Once the modifications were complete, Xuanma immediately used a transformation technique to turn his eyes into eagle eyes.

The super-strong visual enhancement is equivalent to having the dynamic vision of the Sharingan.

After thinking for a moment, Xuanma transformed again.

This time, it not only has eagle eyes, but also a pair of falcon wings.

But Xuanma still has hands and feet.

boom!

With a flap of its wings, the air currents surged, and the black horse immediately took to the air.

"Very good, now we can perform ninjutsu while flying in the air by forming hand seals."

Xuanma landed with a smile.

There are 9 setting points left. After thinking about it, Xuanma closed the [Settings] and decided to keep these setting points for the time being.

The rest of the time was spent on tedious patrols and waiting.

The following day, another ninja squad arrived.

But this is a pure Chunin squad.

On May 20, 46 of Konoha, three days after Kosuke and his group arrived, the third support team arrived, consisting of four Chunin.

At this point, there were a total of four ninja squads with 16 people on the northern and northeastern border.

Among them, only Sakumo Hatake and Masashi Sarutobi possess the rank of Jonin.

Genma and Maruboshi Kosuke are also added to the list of those with Jonin-level strength.

Although the monitoring range of the four squads has been expanded, Genma will still create shadow clones and use transformation techniques to extend the monitoring range to neighboring countries.

It was a little after 4 p.m. that day.

Just as Xuanma finished inspecting the traps and was about to set up a temporary base, his expression changed slightly.

The memories of the shadow clone have returned.

On the other side of Kore-no-Kuni!

"Did the Cloud Ninja actually go all the way to the Land of Rice Fields before invading southwards?"

"No, they might have split up their forces!"

Xuanma's expression hardened, and he immediately formed a hand seal.

Spiritual communication!

Black runes spread out, the spell was formed, and with a bang, smoke exploded, revealing Sakumo Hatake, Shizune, and Aoba Yamashiro.

"Xuanma, have the Cloud Ninja arrived?"

"I asked Hatake Sakumo."

Genma nodded and quickly shared the information: "Yes, we have discovered Cloud Ninja in the Land of Fields."

"The first squad should be the perception squad responsible for reconnaissance, and behind them is a force of about 50 people."

"At their speed, they could break into the Land of Fire in as little as half an hour and engage in battle with Senior Kosuke and the others."

Shizune exclaimed, "So fast? Aren't we going to be too late?"

Yamashiro Aoba's expression was solemn: "I didn't expect the attack to start from that direction."

Xuanma shook his head: "I'm afraid it's more than that."

Sakumo Hatake asked, "Do you think there will be Cloud Ninja in our direction as well?"

Just as Xuanma was about to nod, the memories of his clone resurfaced in his mind, and he immediately shouted, "They're here!"

"They're moving very fast, about 80 people. Without a perception team ahead, they'll reach the trap area in 20 minutes at most!"

Sakumo Hatake decisively said, "Shizune, go and notify Ryohei's squad immediately."

Silent responded and immediately turned to leave.

Sakumo Hatake then said to Genma, "Genma, send a clone to support Kosuke and the others, at least bring them back here."

Xuanma raised his hand and formed a hand seal: "Master, that's exactly what I was planning to do."

He had just begun absorbing natural energy, and now that he had entered Immortal Mode, he immediately created a shadow clone.

The shadow clone leaped into the air, transforming into a falcon, and shot away like an arrow.

Upon seeing this, Hatake Sakumo ordered, "Let's go to Trap Zone 1 and engage them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three of them vanished from the spot.

After a while.

Xuanma and the other two stopped.

Sakumo Hatake stood on the ground, and a dozen meters to his left, Aoba Yamashiro was hidden among the trees.

Xuanma was on a tree branch about ten meters to the right.

Ahead lies Trap Zone 1, which contains explosive tag traps and ninja tool traps.

At this moment, the forest was quiet, and even the insects, ants, birds, and beasts seemed to sense the chilling atmosphere and hid away.

The waiting time was agonizing, even making one lose track of how fast time was passing.

After an unknown amount of time, Genma and Yamashiro Aoba shouted in unison, "They're here!"

Sakumo Hatake's gaze sharpened, and he reached for his sword.

On the tree branch, Genma suddenly sensed something and immediately shouted, "Be careful, it's a large-scale lightning release!"

As soon as he finished speaking, bolts of lightning descended from the sky and crashed into the dense forest.