Chapter 4

The Konoha ninjas quickly rushed to their injured comrade.

They pulled out trauma medicine crafted by the Inuzuka Clan and promptly treated his wounds.

After taking a soldier's pill and recovering, the wounded ninja immediately reported the intel he'd just gathered to Nara Hikari.

"Captain, the Hidden Cloud Village's forces have crossed the border and are heading straight toward the Land of Fire."

"Hm? So we won't have time to wait for the Hokage after all."

"How many of them are there?"

"Tens of thousands."

"Tens of thousands?!"

Everyone—Nara Hikari included—was momentarily stunned by the number.

"What do you want to do, Captain?"

"Did we get anything else out of the prisoner?"

Hikari turned to Silbi, the team's torture specialist.

"He's under a seal. We can't probe his memory."

"Troublesome... Seems we really can't wait."

Nara Hikari scanned the group.

All eyes were on him now.

Some avoided his gaze. Others looked excited, adrenaline already building.

"Originally, Lord Hokage only assigned us to monitor the Cloud Village's movements. But that plan is no longer viable. We cannot let them push into the heart of the Land of Fire. Anyone willing to fight them with me, step forward. If you're unwilling, I won't force you. You can return to the camp and wait for reinforcements."

Despite having been entrusted with full command by Tobirama, this was Hikari's first time leading a squad of this magnitude. Nervousness crept in.

But none of them backed down.

Each one met Hikari's gaze with determined eyes.

"Count me in."

"Me too, Captain!"

"Same here."

One after another, voices rose.

"Alright. I won't preach about duty or honor. Our families are in Konoha. If the Land of Fire falls, our homes will be destroyed, our families enslaved—or worse. Are you really willing to let that happen?"

"No!" came the unified response.

Even the few who had hesitated earlier now stood ready to fight.

"Captain, you underestimate us."

"You think we're afraid of death?"

"If the Land of Fire falls, where would we even go? You think we'd abandon our village? Our families are in Konoha!"

"Good. Then let's move."

With that, Nara Hikari leapt in the direction of the Kumogakure army.

Hundreds of Konoha ninjas followed.

Midway through the forest, they caught sight of the enemy troops.

As the scouts had reported, the Cloud Village army stretched endlessly across the mountainous terrain.

Even expecting it, the sight of tens of thousands of ninjas moving as one was overwhelming.

But there was no turning back now.

"Secret Technique: Shadow Soldiers."

As soon as Hikari spoke, thousands of shadow soldiers materialized around them—each one wielding dark blades, their forms varied and ominous.

"Attack."

The shadow soldiers surged forward like a black tide toward the enemy.

"We're going too!" Hikari declared.

He drew a kunai and gripped it tightly.

"Kill!"

Nishito and Silbi flanked him, and with a roar, the three of them charged ahead.

Hikari's body vanished into his own shadow.

"Enemy attack!"

It took the Cloud ninja a few hundred casualties to even realize they were under assault.

When they did, they turned in a panic and clashed with the approaching shadow army.

The Konoha ninjas joined the fray seconds later.

The battle exploded in full force.

Although the shadow soldiers were numerous, each was roughly at chunin-level strength.

At first, the surprise attack gave them a clear advantage.

But once the Cloud ninjas regrouped and adjusted, they began to overwhelm and scatter the shadow soldiers through sheer numbers.

"Shadow clones?" one Cloud ninja muttered in confusion as the shadow soldiers began reforming and advancing again.

Though the shadow soldiers couldn't perform ranged attacks, they shared Hikari's ability:

They could teleport freely between shadows.

This unpredictable movement allowed them to regain the upper hand.

Then Hikari entered the battlefield—and the tide turned completely.

Cloud ninjas began falling one after another under his blade.

His strength was overwhelming. Those who faced him trembled with fear.

"Take him down!" roared the enemy commander, enraged by the carnage.

Thousands of Cloud shinobi moved to surround Hikari.

But no matter how tightly they closed the net, Hikari would always vanish—only to reappear where they least expected.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Cloak!"

A senior Cloud ninja suddenly appeared beside Hikari and formed hand seals.

Three bolts of lightning shot down from the sky, surrounding Hikari in a field of crackling energy.

Dozens more lightning strikes lashed out toward him.

Hikari vanished into the shadows just in time.

"Huh?"

The senior ninja stared in shock at his disappearing target.

"His jutsu is strange—be on your guard!"

"Lightning Style: Thunder Axe Barrage!"

Another elite Cloud ninja infused lightning chakra into his legs and launched a powerful kick toward Hikari.

But Hikari slipped into the shadows again. The kick missed entirely.

"Mala, drop the barrier!" one called out.

"On it!"

Two senior Cloud ninjas suddenly flanked Hikari—one in front, the other behind.

"Lightning Style: Thunderstorm!"

They spun rapidly, surrounding Hikari in a rotating field of lightning chakra.

The circle closed in, and the two separated again, reappearing above and below Hikari.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Dream!"

Two spheres of lightning formed—one above, one below.

Lightning arcs connected the spheres, forming a cocoon of pure chakra.

Hikari frowned.

They'd figured out how to sever his link to the shadows.

"Sorry," he muttered. "You know nothing about my power."

Several kunai appeared in his hand.

He flung them at the lightning barrier.

The moment they made contact—they vanished.

And reappeared—flying straight at the two jonin from the sides.

"Dodge it!" Mala screamed.

Too late.

The kunai pierced deep into one jonin's shoulder.

"ARGH!"

The lightning cocoon shattered.

Hikari disappeared.

And then reappeared beside the wounded jonin.

His kunai slashed clean through the man's throat.

"No—!" Mala cried, lightning chakra surging in his palm.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Grenade!"

He lunged forward, trying to save his comrade.

But Hikari had already pulled his kunai free and hurled the corpse toward Mala.

Then vanished again.

Mala caught his companion's body—but had no time to grieve.

Hikari materialized at his side.

"Massive Shadow Shuriken."

Dozens of spinning shuriken burst from all directions, each one infused with deadly force.

The air howled as they tore toward Mala.

"I won't accept this!!" he roared in defiance.

But it was over.

That entire sequence—every trap, every strike—had been Hikari's own invention.

He'd designed them long ago, back on the ranch during his time-travel days.

He hadn't expected they'd be this effective.

Guess I really am talented, Hikari mused to himself.

"Retreat!"

The remaining two Cloud jonin—alongside their commander, a near-elite jonin himself—finally gave the order.

They had no choice but to withdraw.

They also relayed the encounter to Kumogakure headquarters.

When the news reached the ninja world, it caused an uproar.

Konoha had birthed another monster—a prodigy of overwhelming strength.

Not just the other great villages, but even the Second Hokage Tobirama and the Konoha Council were shaken.