Three hours passed quickly, and when Inoyue entered, quite a few people were already standing there.
Many of these people were known to Inoyue.
Kakashi Hatake, Uchiha Suien, Obito, Rin Nohara, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Might Guy—everyone whose name he could recall, and those who looked familiar but whose names he couldn't remember, were all there.
They were all young, all Genin or Chunin. Looking at these familiar faces, it could be said that the foundation of Konoha's next generation was all here.
The significance of this mission might not be simple; he wondered what kind of mission it was that gathered the cornerstones of the next generation all in one place.
"Could it be to train for the Fourth Hokage?" This thought suddenly popped into Inoyue's mind.
As soon as this idea emerged, he felt it was highly probable. Looking at this lineup, besides training, Inoyue really couldn't think of any other mission that would require all of them to complete together.
...
...
Inoyue was a punctual person, arriving right on time. So, not long after he entered, an Anbu member beside Jiraiya nodded to him, indicating that all personnel had arrived.
Jiraiya stood up, and all the young boys and girls in the field looked towards him.
One of the Legendary Sannin - Jiraiya, was now the idol of this generation, and also their goal in their hearts.
Jiraiya's baritone voice was very magnetic and appealing. After an opening of encouragement and affirmation for everyone, he finally revealed tonight's mission: a direct assault on the Hidden Sand Village's main camp. These young pillars, led by Minato and Shinku Yuhi, would directly flank the right wing.
The mobilization meeting quickly concluded, and everyone received an antidote personally made by Tsunade. This antidote was specifically for Chiyo's poison techniques; Chiyo had already appeared on the Sand Ninja front, and her puppet and poison techniques were the most effective weapon causing Konoha's greatest casualties.
Although Tsunade had developed hemophobia, it did not prevent her from preparing antidotes in the rear. So, as soon as Chiyo appeared, Jiraiya simultaneously provided a limited supply of antidotes to some Chunin and Jonin.
The limited antidote, one for each person present, clearly showed how much Jiraiya valued these cornerstones of the next generation.
Tonight's operation was crucial. If successful, the war with the Sand Ninja would immediately come to an end. As for clearing out the remaining forces and waiting for surrender negotiations, those would be natural consequences.
"Speaking of which, even if this is for training, isn't a full-scale assault on the Sand Ninja a bit too hasty?"
Inoyue felt a bit puzzled. Konoha and the Sand Ninja had just fought a major battle outside Kikyo Castle.
Although the Sand Ninja suffered heavy losses, their main elite forces were not significantly damaged and were not without the ability to fight. If Konoha slowly stalemated the situation, gradually wearing down the Sand Ninja's strength, they would not only surely win the war but also reduce their own casualties.
Inoyue could see this point, so Jiraiya and the higher-ups should understand it even more clearly.
"But why launch a full-scale offensive so hastily now?"
"Could it be that something unexpected happened in other Ninja Villages, forcing Jiraiya to make a risky, decisive strike?"
Inoyue's heart jolted. Knowing that the Third Ninja World War was a prerequisite for Konoha's successive wars with various Ninja Villages, he immediately thought of this possibility.
"Who is it this time?"
"The Iwagakure of the Land of Earth? Or the Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning?"
"Most likely the Iwagakure. Orochimaru is leading the Garrison on the Kirigakure and Kumogakure sides, so even if they were to attack, it wouldn't be this fast."
"Hey, what are you thinking about? You're spacing out on the battlefield." Uchiha Suien walked up to Inoyue, nudged him with his elbow, and pulled Inoyue, who was deep in thought, back to reality.
Now, a large contingent of people, led by Minato and Shinku Yuhi, were rushing to the battlefield, yet Inoyue still had the mind to think about other things.
Spacing out while heading to the battlefield was completely suicidal behavior. Uchiha Suien couldn't stand it, so he came over and interrupted Inoyue's thoughts.
Inoyue came back to his senses, thanked Uchiha Suien, and while rushing forward, he constantly admonished himself: "No matter the reason, this is not something I can control right now. It's best to focus on the present; everything is only possible if I survive."
...
"Are you nervous?" Yuhi Kurenai, next to Inoyue, suddenly asked with concern.
"Ah! A little." Inoyue smiled. Shinku Yuhi had introduced the two of them before they set off, so Kurenai Yuhi, as a senior, stayed closer to Inoyue out of a desire to look after her junior.
Seeing Kurenai Yuhi comforting Inoyue, Asuma Sarutobi, who was beside her, immediately interjected with a shout: "Don't worry! We men will protect you!"
Asuma was now closely following Kurenai Yuhi. Inoyue looked at Asuma, then at Kurenai Yuhi, and suddenly said, "Senior, you two aren't..."
"What? No way, what are you thinking?" Kurenai Yuhi instantly blushed and made an explanation.
"Haha! Yes, you're only eight, how can you be thinking such nonsense." Asuma Sarutobi also hurriedly rubbed the back of his head.
Their words and reactions completely gave them away.
"I haven't even had time to say anything, do you two need to react so strongly?" Inoyue couldn't help but complain inwardly.
So, the passion between these two had already begun now. Seriously, aren't you two having an early romance? You're only twelve, and you're starting now? And right under your father-in-law's nose!
"Asuma Sarutobi, you're something else!" Inoyue was deeply impressed, giving Asuma Sarutobi a meaningful look.
...
A torrential downpour struck, and lightning suddenly appeared in the dark night sky, followed by a piercing boom from above.
The heavy rain poured down, obstructing visibility. With that booming sound, Minato waved his right hand, and he and Shinku Yuhi took the lead, charging into the Sand Ninja's main camp.
With two Kage-level figures leading the way, the group Inoyue was with swept through like a broken bamboo.
The rain was heavy, which was a significant restriction for Fire Release Ninja, but it was an even greater restriction for Sand Ninja. This was because there weren't many Sand Ninja who could use Water Release, especially Karura and Rasa; this kind of torrential rain restricted them even more.
"I wonder where those two are?" Inoyue followed the team into the Sand Ninja's main camp, and he couldn't help but think of those two.
Others' vision was obstructed, but Inoyue was different. In such weather, the Mind's Eye showed its many advantages.
The Mind's Eye's vision was not obstructed at all. It was just that in the lightning of this dark night, when that occasional flash of white light appeared, the golden glow in Inoyue's eyes made those who saw it feel an involuntary fear.
Sure enough, a Sand Ninja charged at Inoyue with a Kunai. However, as lightning flashed across the sky, he was so frightened by Inoyue's eerie eyes that he hastily retreated, stumbled, fell to the ground, his face filled with horror.
This was still a child, a Genin among the Sand Ninja, less than ten years old, with short, choppy hair and a Hidden Sand Village forehead protector.
Inoyue thrust his Kunai forward, and the Genin immediately blocked wildly with his hand, yelling in fear at the same time.
This yell made the Kunai in Inoyue's hand feel as if it had become much heavier. The Kunai reached the Genin's front, but he couldn't pierce it through.
He was still a child. Even if he was a Sand Ninja, he was just a child. As a soul from the modern world, Inoyue, no matter what, could not bring himself to harm a child under ten years old.
The Kunai in his right hand trembled. No matter how hard he tried, the Kunai would not move forward even a fraction.
Inoyue was angry, angry at himself, cursing himself for being useless. After the Mind's Eye incident, he had thought he had integrated into this cruel Ninja World, grown accustomed to killing, and would no longer have a shred of hesitation.
But, who knew, facing this reality, he realized that his so-called integration was still far from complete. He was still his original self, unchanged, and would not change.
It turned out that becoming a true Ninja and integrating into this bloody world was not that simple at all.