"Oh, this is just terrible…" a young man with dead-fish eyes muttered helplessly as he stared at the vast army of White Zetsu stretching to the horizon.
"Kakashi-senpai, what should we do?" the handsome young man beside him asked quietly.
Kakashi glanced at him, tightening his grip on the White Fang short blade before replying in a calm voice, "There are quite a lot of them on the other side. We probably have the largest force here… Naruto really thinks highly of me."
"For you, senpai, it shouldn't be a problem," said Hagane Seiji, though there was a trace of uncertainty in his tone.
He was well aware of Kakashi's reputation. At some point, a saying had begun circulating among the shinobi:
"Kakashi-senpai is a fifty-fifty man against anyone. No matter who he faces, the outcome is always uncertain. He's as mysterious as the face beneath his mask…"
Those who truly knew Kakashi understood that his real strength did not lie purely in combat, but in strategy.
And in the current state of the shinobi world, the importance of a tactician could not be overstated.
In fact, the profession of tactician had already developed a complete evaluation system.
A skilled tactician could turn the tide of battle, allowing the weak to overcome the strong.
The profession itself had been born from war.
For a commander, overwhelming personal strength was not the most important factor. What truly mattered was the ability to control the battlefield.
For example, if one side had fifty thousand troops and the other thirty thousand, the larger force would statistically hold the advantage, but victory was never guaranteed.
That was where a tactician made the difference.
In earlier times, such figures would have been called military advisors or strategists. In some cases, they even served as the supreme commanders of entire armies.
Now, however, the shinobi world had evolved.
To better cultivate individual potential, many professions had become highly specialized.
All-rounders were becoming increasingly rare, while specialists were rising rapidly. By focusing on a single path instead of dividing their efforts, individuals could push their abilities to greater heights.
Tacticians were among the most sought-after roles.
They did not require overwhelming combat strength, yet they could shine brilliantly on the battlefield.
For many shinobi with limited talent, this path offered a real opportunity.
Under Naruto's reforms, the shinobi world had changed significantly.
Those unsuited for combat could work in logistics. Those with poor chakra control could train in taijutsu or pursue scientific research.
Even those who struggled with all of these still had options, such as piloting or other technical roles that did not require high-level cultivation.
And among all these paths, becoming a tactician remained one of the most accessible while still holding considerable prestige.
A Junior Tactician could command forces ranging from one hundred to five hundred.
An Intermediate Tactician could lead one thousand to five thousand.
An Advanced Tactician could oversee armies of ten thousand to one hundred thousand.
And a Master Tactician could command massive wars involving over two hundred thousand troops.
At present, Master Tactician was the highest rank in the shinobi world.
Kakashi stood at that very peak.
The existence of tacticians was meant to amplify the effectiveness of entire armies.
Kakashi himself had undergone training with the Time Treasure Pearl. Already a genius, he had long since stepped into the Six Paths level.
Although his growth had been delayed for many years, that time had allowed him to build an exceptionally deep foundation and accumulate vast combat experience, which now served as the cornerstone of his strength.
Unlike others, who were divided into separate battlefields based on Six Paths-level combat, Kakashi did not rely on fighting alone.
Instead, he gathered as many fellow shinobi as possible, using coordination and strategy to maximize their collective strength.
"Prepare for battle."
Kakashi's voice cut through the air, interrupting Hagane Seiji before he could speak further. His gaze sharpened as he sensed a massive surge of chakra approaching.
The individual strength of White Zetsu might not be impressive, but their sensory abilities were far from weak.
And more importantly, Kakashi could clearly detect several Six Paths-level presences among them.
"Yes, sir!"
Hagane Seiji straightened immediately. He had sensed it as well.
When they were first deployed to this planet, they had only encountered scattered White Zetsu.
Now, however, the enemy had gathered.
Naruto had already distributed forces across the battlefield as efficiently as possible based on the shinobi world's overall strength.
But the number of Ōtsutsuki was simply too great.
Even with perfect allocation, the pressure remained overwhelming.
Moreover, on Kakashi's side, there were only two Six Paths-level fighters, Kakashi himself and Hagane Seiji.
On the opposing side, however, there were eight.
And behind them stood a White Zetsu army numbering a staggering five million.
They really did think highly of him.
In large-scale warfare like this, only a handful of people in the shinobi world could rival Kakashi, figures such as Orochimaru, Uchiha Shisui, Senju Tobirama, Nara Shikaku, and Nara Shikamaru.
A short while later…
Countless figures began to emerge within Kakashi's line of sight.
The White Zetsu army had not fully assembled yet. At present, only around two million had gathered.
But even that number was already overwhelming.
In the eyes of the Ōtsutsuki, this alone was more than enough.
They believed they could wipe out the shinobi forces without even lifting a finger.
As far as the eye could see, the land was completely covered in white. The sheer density of White Zetsu was suffocating.
And yet, Kakashi smiled faintly.
Six leaders.
Two more had yet to arrive.
His gaze swept across the enemy formation, noting its looseness and lack of discipline.
Even Hagane Seiji could see it clearly.
The two exchanged a glance and smiled, a trace of relief surfacing between them. Still, neither of them allowed that relief to dull their focus.
If anything, they became even more serious.
They would aim for nothing less than perfection.
"Kakashi-senpai, what do you think our chances are?" Hagane Seiji asked, turning his head.
Kakashi lifted his forehead protector slightly and replied in an even tone, "Fifty-fifty. I can fight them all day."
Hagane Seiji's eyes lit up.
"I understand!"
Kakashi paused, confused.
What exactly did you understand?
In Seiji's mind, however, everything was already clear.
"Kakashi-senpai is just being modest. Back when he competed with Might Guy-senpai, he always said it was fifty-fifty too… but didn't Kakashi-senpai win most of the time?"
With that thought, his confidence surged.
This battle… was as good as won.
…
At the same time, several Ōtsutsuki observing Kakashi and his forces looked on with open disdain.
"Their formation is neat, I'll give them that. But in the face of absolute power, such things are meaningless."
"It seems we won't even need to act. How dull."
"I wonder how long these lower beings can last?"
"Hahaha… I doubt they'll hold on for even an hour."
Their arrogance was unmistakable.
This was their first time setting foot in the shinobi world, and from their perspective, the situation was laughably one-sided.
There were only two individuals on Kakashi's side who had reached their level.
And even for Six Paths-level shinobi, chakra was not infinite.
Once dragged into a prolonged battle, even they would be worn down and ultimately overwhelmed.
Moreover, these were no ordinary White Zetsu.
They were elite units.
(End of Chapter)
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