I hadn't slept in two days. None of us had. I'd thought Konoha would be able to muster sufficient nin to reinforce us in a matter of hours. We were now on hour 58 and friendlies had only just arrived within Yugao's sensing range. A good thing too. If we'd been forced to stay here any longer, we'd inevitably have lost someone.
After our first encounter where we let one nin go, we had eliminated every member of every team Iwa sent towards us with ruthless efficiency with Misaki watching each group's approach to ensure none escaped. They knew where Kakashi supposedly was, but they didn't know the rest of us were in the area, so each group they sent was only a little more dangerous as they prioritized sending more nin to other areas.
Even so, we'd dispatched four groups of Iwa nin by now, each larger than the last. The next group they sent would likely be far larger as they now realized something was very wrong with this area. I was surprised they hadn't sent the heavy hitters already. We'd lucked out in that regard.
'The fallen seeds.' an unknown voice sent with Telepathy. Kakashi answered.
'Spring forth new trees from the soil.'
An ANBU team flickered in around us. Six people; just as Misaki had told us.
I smiled at the familiar faces…'er, familiar masks.
"Good to see you, Wolf." I greeted.
"It is good to see you as well, Shinto. I am pleased to see you are all well." Wolf said, walking between my teammates as she idly checked us over for injuries.
"Falcon," Kakshi greeted.
Falcon nodded to my captain. "Kakashi," He looked around at the destroyed forest. "You seem to have been busy."
"We found termites in the trees. As you know, the only way to deal with termites is to exterminate them." Kakashi said with far too much cheer.
Falcon chuckled. "You're not wrong." He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "We've got a post set up. We'll take you there."
Kakashi nodded. "Team Ro, on me."
We followed Team Kunai back away from the border. After close to an hour, we came to a stop, following Falcon into a heavily fortified garrison. There were Konoha nin swarming the area, ANBU and regular forces alike. It seemed as if this was the main forward operating base we were operating out of.
"I was instructed to take you to Fugaku-sama before bringing you to your quarters." Falcon said, waving the rest of his team away as he continued leading us deeper into the encampment.
"My father is here?" Itachi asked, shock evident on his face.
Falcon nodded. "The Hokage has put him in charge of this garrison. He has already sent nin into Grass to counterattack Iwa. That is why were were able to recall you." Falcon led us into a small structure in the center of the garrison.
Fugauk stood with his back to us, leaning over a map, placing different colored stones on the map and indicating different areas to the ANBU and jonin assembled around him.
"We must secure our border before proceeding deeper into Grass. We will not be able to defend our allies if we are cut off from Konoha. Maintaining our supply lines must take priority." Fugaku ordered.
"Hai, Fugaku-sama." an ANBU in a fox mask said.
Fugaku turned as we approached and waved the gathered shinobi away. "You all have your orders." The ANBU and jonin bowed, then hurried from the room. We were at war. It seemed they weren't wasting any time.
"Fugaku-sama," Kakashi said, bowing respectfully.
Fugaku frowned minutely at the man, but nodded. "Team Ro, I was told you were sent ahead to buy us time. You have done well. We have a brief reprieve before Iwa's forces will recover from our counterattack. Use that time to rest. I will be relying heavily upon you."
"We will not fail, father." Itachi said seriously, bowing deeply.
Fugaku's expression softened as he looked at his son. Turning to the rest of us with narrowed eyes, he said, "You are all dismissed. Rest. I wish to have a moment with my son."
"Hai, Fugaku-sama." Kakashi said, leading the rest of us out of the room. Only Itachi stayed behind.
Falcon was leaning against the wall waiting for us when we exited the building. "Come with me. We've prepared some bunks for you this way." Falcon said.
He brought us through the garrison, pushing through Konoha nin bustling about to bring us to a barracks filled with lines of bunks. He brought us to a small room attached to the larger one with fewer cots, but far less space.
"This is for you." Falcon said, standing aside to let us enter. "Get some rest. We're going to need you soon." Without another word, he left.
Kakashi turned to face us all. "Sleep while you can. It may be some time before we are afforded another chance to rest."
None of us needed to be told twice. Everyone claimed a cot and collapsed into it. Misaki laid down next to me and we were both unconscious within a minute.
I was too tired to dream. The next thing I was aware of was the shrill ringing of a bell and shouting. I was on my feet in a moment, adorned in my shadow armor. Misaki was upright at my side, electricity crackling around her body. Itachi had joined us sometime after we were asleep, and now all of Team Ro was on their feet, brandishing weapons towards the door.
The door was torn open, revealing Wolf's masked face.
"We need you. Iwa mustered a force at a captured outpost in Grass. They are attempting to push through the border."
We stowed our weapons, but none of the tension left our bodies.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed, determined. "Team Ro, on me." We dashed out of the room after him, quickly leaving the building then the garrison, shrinking rapidly into the distance due to the speed we moved at.
Team Kunai flickered to our side around Wolf. A second ANBU team I didn't recognize appeared at our right, flanking us as we dashed away from the garrison.
X
If you asked a random nin or civilian in Konoha who the most intelligent man in the village was, they would immediately tell you the Third Hokage was the brightest of them all. Certainly, the man was not called The Professor lightly. Even so, it would be trying to find someone who did not consider Shikaku Nara to be one of the village's best strategists and one of its greatest intellects.
Shikaku had never enjoyed the burden that came with his status as a 'genius'. He could put things together that other people couldn't, and they called him great for it. Time after time, Shikaku's hunches and conclusions were proven correct. Sometimes, he hated being right.
Staring off into the distance, watching an armored titan made of vibrant emerald energy do battle with an enormous horse with six tails, Shikaku couldn't help but resent the fact that he'd been right this time. Things would have been so much simpler if Iwa hadn't attacked. He could be at home drinking tea right now.
Instead, he was here, just across The Land of Fire's border with the Land of Hot Water. Just four hours after they'd arrived, they'd met an invasion force spearheaded by one of Iwa's jinchuriki. Had the Hokage not sent Shisui along with them, things would look far more grimm. Even with one of the Two Strongest Uchiha, the Konoha nin were greatly outnumbered, a weakness Iwa's nin were doing everything they could to exploit. It was only Shikaku and Chozo's unparalleled teamwork that kept the playing field even.
A chunin with an Iwa headband screamed in challenge, leaping towards him out of the brush, rearing a sword back to strike.
Not turning his attention away from his current work, Shikaku summoned his shadow up around himself, solidifying it into armor. The chunin's blade was halted moment's before cutting into him. His shadow immobilized the enemy nin as he tried to retreat. A sharpened tendril of darkness shot out of Shikaku's side to impale the chunin. Shikaku let his shadow armor slink back down his form as the chunin fell to the ground, dead.
Not for the first time, Shikaku found himself envious of Shinto's unprecedented control. He could summon a shadow armor, but using it in tandem with other attacks threatened to break his concentration, and he could not afford to lose concentration right now.
From his side, Inocichi clicked his tongue, irritated. 'I can't get through the bijuu to reach the jinchuriki. Shisui is on his own.'
'Then help me and Chozo cover him.' Shikaku sent back immediately, his focus still fixed on the massive form of Chozo rolling around the battlefield in front of him, sundering trees and cratering the ground as he moved. A thin line of shadow connected the spinning ball that was Chozo to Shikaku as Shikaku used his shadows to guide Chozo's destruction. Their Clan's techniques synergized amazingly well.
Chozo was just one of the many nin locked in deadly combat surrounding the fight of the two titans, each side trying to overpower the other so they could support their fighter. It was clear that this battle would be decided by Shisui and Han. Whichever side lost their fighter first would lose the battle.
Shikaku would not allow Shisui to fall.