Naruto: Fate System

Simultaneous attacks from multiple directions while concealing the true primary target—this was undoubtedly a live reenactment of Akatsuki's earlier offensive strategies.

At that time, Shin had leveraged Pain's ability to move swiftly. Now, it was Konoha's turn to exploit the mobility advantage of Minato.

Even Shin had no perfect countermeasure for this.

During the enemy's offensive round, their strategy was destined to be somewhat reactive. Through the chaos, he could see Konoha's forces pressing forward with increasing confidence.

"Attack!" a Konoha ninja shouted from below. "Their lines are thin!"

Shin could only make the best possible arrangements.

"Mobile Unit One, take the Pain scroll and support the eastern battlefield. Assault Unit, sweep northward along the highway from the south. Support Unit, follow the Assault Unit. Reconnaissance Unit, provide cover."

A commander below hesitated for a moment. "Splitting our forces—"

"Every piece has its purpose," Shin cut him off sharply. "Nagato, hold the mine. Konan, take me into the air!"

He quickly issued orders, leaving only Mobile Unit Two as his last reserve force, deploying all other units.

At this point, Minato himself had not yet appeared, but the reinvigorated Konoha ninja forces were already exerting tremendous pressure on the defensive lines.

The Iwa genin filling the lines were being cut down like crops in autumn. Bodies fell like leaves, their blood staining the earth beneath them.

In any war, the hastily trained genin were always the first to suffer. Their screams filled the place as experienced Konoha ninja cut through their ranks with. Some tried to form defensive formations as they'd been taught, but their training crumbled in the face of real combat.

This was also why all major ninja villages eagerly accepted war orphans.

Once taken in, minimal training would suffice—they were cheap cannon fodder. A cruel calculation that every village made, though some more openly than others.

Take Rai, who had already surrendered to Akatsuki. He had once climbed out of such mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Fortunately for Akatsuki, this sacrifice wasn't theirs to bear today.

Currently, the genin filling the frontlines were mostly teams sent as reinforcements from Iwa.

In just the first few minutes of battle, Iwa had already lost over fifty genin teams. The numbers didn't matter to him—they were just pieces on the board, moving according to his design.

The brutal reality of war once again played out vividly before everyone's eyes. A reality Shin had known would come, had planned for, had even counted on.

However, the high mobility of ninja combat soon became apparent. Within ten minutes, the vanguard reinforcements from Iwa and Akatsuki had already reached parts of the battlefield.

In the areas where the main forces first clashed, Deidara was laughing hysterically, constantly creating clay bombs and scattering them like confetti from the sky onto Konoha's lines.

"Hahaha! Experience my art!"

The leading Konoha jonin was first startled, then scoffed. His weathered face twisted in disgust as he watched the young bomber. "Bringing a kid this young to battle? Haha! Iwa is beyond saving!"

Not sending too young children into battle was one of Konoha's founding ideals and a belief many Konoha ninjas took pride in. The jonin's eyes narrowed as another explosion rocked the battlefield.

In this world of comparing failures, pride was often derived from relative differences. Shin observed the scene from above.

Even though Konoha had sent war orphans like Kabuto, barely seven or eight years old, to the battlefield as disposable resources, the sight of a five-year-old in the enemy ranks filled them with a sudden sense of moral superiority.

Just as this Konoha jonin prepared to lead a charge and take out the blonde bomber to teach Iwa a lesson, a chilling sound carried through the wind, freezing them in place.

"Draw your swords! For this battle—" The command rang out clear and strong, echoing across the field.

Over the past few days of fighting Akatsuki, the Konoha ninjas in this sector had become all too familiar with the prelude to this chant.

So familiar, in fact, that they were developing stress responses to it. Some of the newer recruits were already stepping back.

"Those maniacs are here! Fall back!" a Konoha ninja shouted. "Don't bunch up! They'll tear us apart!"

In the next moment, hundreds of voices roared in unison, completing the chant. The sound rolled across the battlefield like thunder.

"For this battle—victory is certain!!"

The synchronized war cry sent shivers through many of the newer Konoha recruits.

After over a week of encounters, the Konoha ninjas in this area had reached a grim consensus: Akatsuki were lunatics.

They charged into battle, shouting incomprehensible slogans like "Victory is certain!" and "For a beautiful tomorrow!" Their ferocity and fearlessness were terrifying.

Even worse, under Akatsuki's meticulously coordinated, machine-like warfare tactics, the sound of their chant invariably meant that their firepower was already on the way.

As expected, in the next instant, a barrage of Air Bullets rained down like machine-gun fire.

Lightning bolts struck from above, landing precisely on Konoha's squads nearby. The coordinated assault left no room for escape— where one attack missed, another would find its mark.

Long-range bombardments clearing the way for close-quarters charges—this was the standard Akatsuki offensive protocol.

Konoha had endured this multiple times over the past few days but still hadn't found a way to counter it. Their squads scattered like leaves in a storm, trying desperately to avoid the deadly combination of ninjutsu and steel.

They had even tried mimicking the tactic, but their outdated, chaotic team structures made it impossible to organize coordinated attacks on such a scale.

Today, once again, they trembled under the nightmare-like war cries of Akatsuki.

This sight not only frightened some of the less experienced Konoha recruits but deeply impressed the young Deidara.

Watching over a hundred sword-wielding maniacs form layered attack formations, charging under the cover of a precise ninjutsu barrage, his heart was struck by awe. This... this is what true art looks like!

For the first time, Deidara witnessed what war could truly be like. His young face lit up with an almost religious fervor as he watched the coordinated destruction below.

At that moment, a revelation struck him. His hands trembled with excitement as he molded more clay, but now with a different understanding.

Explosions were fleeting beauty; the disappearance of life in war was also a fleeting brilliance. Each blast below created patterns that lasted only seconds before fading away.

But the way such fleeting moments were orchestrated into a cohesive performance defined the level of artistry.

Deidara felt enlightened.

"He is also an artist!" The words burst from him with childish enthusiasm.

A child's likes and dislikes often shift rapidly. The truth of this was playing out in real-time as Deidara watched the battle unfold.

Just days ago, he found Shin completely insufferable.

But today, this battlefield spectacle made his attitude do a complete 180-degree turn.

It was as if he had fallen in love at first sight. Another explosion rocked the battlefield, and Deidara's heart soared with it.

He was filled with curiosity and admiration for Akatsuki.

It seemed the timeline had converged in this peculiar way: Deidara's heart had been effortlessly captured by Akatsuki.

Who knows if Ōnoki would spit blood upon learning this in the future?

After all, he had only intended for Deidara to gain experience by accompanying Kitsuchi. A simple battlefield observation mission, nothing more. 

Who could have expected such a thing as love at first sight?! The ways of destiny were truly unpredictable, even to someone like Shin who knew what was supposed to come.

But on the battlefield, everything changes in an instant. In this small section of the battlefield, the turning point was far from over. 

With Akatsuki's Assault Unit, Support Unit, and Reconnaissance Unit working seamlessly together, they successfully repelled Konoha's offensive and stabilized their own lines.

However, the retreating commanding jonin gritted his teeth and issued a decisive order.

"Throw all the kunai! Signal for reinforcements immediately!"

One subordinate hesitated. "Calling for Minato-sama's support so soon? Won't that make us look incompetent?"

The commanding jonin shot him a sharp glare. "If you're not incompetent, why don't you lead a team to break through those maniacs?"

The questioning ninja fell silent.

Perhaps he suddenly realized: admitting one's incompetence might not be such a hard thing after all.

Pride had no place when survival was at stake.

So, in the next moment, the signal was sent. Hundreds of three-pronged kunai arced through the air, and in the following second—

Minato finally appeared on the battlefield.

The moment he materialized, Akatsuki's forces charging head-on hadn't even had time to react. Instead, it was the Iwa troops, positioned much farther away, who were the first to panic.

"It's the Yellow Flash!" one Iwa shouted, already backing away

"Run! Don't let him target you!"

At that moment, Deidara was deeply shaken once again.

The last time he'd experienced such shock, it was admiration. This time, however, it was fear.

It was the first time he had seen his village's shinobi displaying such cowardice. Even before the battle had begun, they were already terrified, as though the title "Yellow Flash" carried some kind of dreadful magic—just uttering it spread fear like wildfire.

Seeing his comrades crumble in such a display left him feeling embarrassed. But it didn't take long for Minato to show him why everyone was so terrified.

In just a single instant, two Akatsuki Assault Units members charging forward and one Iwa shinobi who had been standing too close had their throats slit simultaneously.

Deidara only caught a fleeting glimpse of a shadow flickering before his eyes, as though reality itself had glitched for a moment.

The next second, without anyone seeing the process, the blood of the three victims sprayed into the air, and they fell silently to the ground.

At that moment, the normally arrogant and unruly Deidara tasted fear on the battlefield for the first time in his life.

So fast!

So fast that it was nearly impossible to see what was happening.

Is this what they call the fastest speed in the ninja world? No wonder they run. How do you fight what you can't even see?

Up ahead, the Konoha forces went from almost breaking to fighting back hard. Cheers erupted across their ranks.

"Minato-sama is here!"

"We're saved!" Their voices carried across the battlefield, drowning out the sounds of retreating footsteps.

Deidara didn't need to turn around to know that many Iwa ninjas were already abandoning their posts and fleeing in fear.

After all, their Tsuchikage himself had issued the order: encountering the Yellow Flash meant they were allowed to abandon the mission.

In just a single instant, a single man had completely rewritten the tide of the battlefield.

For Deidara, this moment was unforgettable. Every detail burned itself into his mind: the spray of blood, the yellow flash, the screams of the dying, the cheers of the saved.

However, it seemed that this day was far from over.

Minato's arrival had obliterated Iwa's morale, but Akatsuki's forces were undeterred.

Call it youthful recklessness or stubborn determination, but the four Akatsuki battalions on the scene didn't retreat or falter. Instead, they quickly organized a response

"The Yellow Flash has appeared! Signal the alert! Hold the line and follow the training! First, clear the area of kunai—move fast!"

On a battlefield where even a great village like Iwa had lost its fighting spirit, the newly-formed Akatsuki shocked everyone with their resolve and discipline.

The Assault Unit ceased its charge, retreating in an orderly fashion while clearing the kunai scattered nearby. "Support Unit, cover the retrieval teams!"

"Watch each other's backs!"

Some used water clones to pick up and throw away the kunai far from their formation. Others resorted to violently destroying every kunai within sight.

Seeing this, Minato's expression shifted slightly, and he sighed inwardly. So thorough... they've even trained specifically to counter my techniques.

His suspicion was correct: Shin had an unusually detailed understanding of his abilities.

And now, he was even disseminated that knowledge to every member of his forces. That level of respect... it's almost overwhelming.

Despite his sigh, his response to his subordinates remained as decisive as ever. 

"Minato-sama, what should we do?"

"Help me retrieve those kunai and throw them back. Leave the rest to me," Minato replied.

"Leave the rest to me." This was the phrase he often uttered on the battlefield—a statement of unparalleled confidence and courage. The simple words carried the weight of countless moments where the Yellow Flash had turned the tide of battle.

It had now become the most morale-boosting sentence for Konoha's ninjas.

Moments later, Minato fearlessly charged at the well-prepared Akatsuki troops once more. 

"Watch out for the kunai he throws!" an Akatsuki commander shouted from the ranks. "Formation Delta! Hold steady!" The troops moved in perfect sync, ready to counter the expected attack.

But Minato paid no heed. 

Even without the Flying Thunder God, he was a versatile and elite jonin in his own right.

As soon as he reached the frontlines, a young Akatsuki member froze in shock as Minato didn't immediately throw a kunai. Instead, he raised his hand, instantly forming a brilliant blue chakra sphere in his palm.

The chakra swirled and compressed, creating a sound like howling wind.

It was the Rasengan.

Caught completely off guard, the Akatsuki ninja couldn't even react. How do we... His thoughts were cut short by the impact.

Boom!

With a single strike, the ninja in front was sent flying, his body spinning through the air like a broken doll. The sound of breaking bones carried across the battlefield.

Immediately, several ninjutsu attacks were hurled toward Minato in retaliation.

The jutsu converged on his position, but he disappeared before they could connect, leaving them to crash harmlessly into each other.

When he reappeared, he was already beside the Akatsuki ninja he had just struck, who was still airborne. Minato made a hand sign and slammed his hand onto the ground.

Summoning Technique!

It turned out that during his Rasengan attack, he had secretly marked his target with the Flying Thunder God seal.

The summoning jutsu caused the once-perfect Akatsuki formation to scatter as a massive toad appeared, its landing impact sending tremors through the ground.

"Fall back! Support Unit, use earth! Assault Unit, spread out! Reconnaissance Unit, retreat!"

The massive toad wreaked havoc, its powerful limbs crushing everything in their path, giving Akatsuki their first taste of what it felt like to face one of the world's most formidable shinobi.

In just a single charge, he had caused multiple casualties among the Akatsuki forces.

What's worse, their once-coordinated formation was disrupted by the summoned toad, leaving them unable to clear Minato's kunai effectively.

From this point on, the casualties would only escalate rapidly.

In the rear, Iwa ninjas looked on in terror, some even seeming vindicated. They watched from a safe distance as their predictions came true, their earlier cowardice seemingly justified.

"We told you to run! Why didn't you listen? There's no way we can stop the Yellow Flash!"

"This is what happens when you face him!"

Their chatter annoyed Deidara immensely, his hands clenching into fists as he watched the battle unfold.

He was still too young and unscathed by defeat to understand. Why should they fear one Konoha jonin so much? His eyes tracked Minato's movements across the battlefield, trying to understand the source of such terror.

Yes, the enemy was strong, but did they not even have the courage to face him?

Was there truly no one left willing to fight? 

Suddenly, a voice rang out nearby.

"Support Unit, use the Dark Swamp to pin down the toad! Assault Unit, form up where you stand!"

"The signal has been sent—our leader will not abandon us! Hold the line! For the Land of Rain, for—"

Before the man could finish, he was swiftly cut down by Minato. But his sacrifice wasn't in vain.

His voice was carried forward by over a hundred others, shouting in unison to complete his interrupted words.

"For the Land of Rain, for a beautiful tomorrow!!" Their voices merged into one, drowning out even the sounds of combat.

Deidara felt as if the suffocating pressure crushing him had suddenly been lifted. He watched as the Akatsuki forces held their ground.

Not everyone was consumed by fear after all. Not everyone had lost the courage to confront the Yellow Flash.

Even at the cost of their lives, they refused to retreat a single step. Bodies fell, blood flowed, yet their formation held. Each fallen comrade seemed to strengthen their resolve rather than weaken it.

Their battle cries were like a raging fire, igniting the battlefield.

"For the Land of Rain!"

"Hold the line!"

"Together we stand!"

Deidara was deeply moved again. 

For the first time, his heart truly soared beyond the borders of the Land of Earth.

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83/150 reached for bonus chapter.

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