Naruto evolution system

Chapter 168: Human Wave Tactics

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Outside the Four Beast Spirit Sealing Formation

The moment Baishi launched his counterattack, a sensor ninja from Iwagakure outside the formation abruptly opened his eyes, his expression darkening.

Seeing this, an elderly man nearby immediately asked, "Shintai, what happened?"

This elder wasn't just anyone; he was Chiba Ishirin, a high-ranking elder of Iwagakure with significant authority.

The fact that Iwagakure sent him on this mission demonstrated just how seriously they regarded the operation.

As for Ōnoki...

As the Tsuchikage, he couldn't personally oversee every task, especially with Iwagakure's internal affairs demanding his attention.

To put it bluntly, Iwagakure couldn't risk Ōnoki dying in the field.

Baishi wasn't an opponent to be trifled with.

Against most adversaries, even if defeated, Ōnoki could rely on his flight to escape.

But against Baishi, one misstep might leave him no chance to retreat.

After all, intelligence strongly suggested Baishi had mastered flight as well.

Thus, Iwagakure couldn't afford to let Ōnoki take unnecessary risks.

Moreover, they'd already mobilized their best resources for this operation. Whether or not Ōnoki was present wouldn't change much.

If the plan succeeded, Ōnoki's addition would only save some lives on their side.

But if the plan failed, Ōnoki's presence wouldn't salvage the mission and might even expose him to needless danger.

Comparatively speaking, the Tsuchikage's safety far outweighed potential casualties.

Weighing the pros and cons, the decision was clear.

When Ishirin asked the question, Miyamoto Shintai responded quickly, "Elder Ishirin, Plan A has failed, and the team inside is suffering heavy losses."

Although Ishirin had prepared for this possibility, hearing Plan A's failure confirmed still brought disappointment.

Plan A involved Kari's team combining their strength to kill Baishi outright.

Despite Iwagakure's efforts to overestimate Baishi's abilities during planning, it seemed they had still underestimated him.

The team inside hadn't lasted long, and Baishi hadn't even displayed any large-scale Wood Release techniques yet.

Suppressing his disappointment, Ishirin steadied his emotions and asked again, "Shintai, confirm with Team A: is the Four Beast Spirit Sealing Formation sufficient to trap Baishi?"

This was a crucial question. If the formation could contain Baishi, the operation was worth continuing.

If not, any further actions would simply be sending his subordinates to their deaths.

Miyamoto Shintai understood the stakes and contacted Team A again.

After a brief pause, he reopened his eyes and reported, "Elder, they can't confirm with absolute certainty whether Baishi can break through the formation."

"I see…"

Ishirin fell silent, pondering the situation. After a moment, he made his decision.

Raising his head to look at the nearby Four Beast Spirit Sealing Formation, he spoke with a grave expression: "Shintai, relay the order to all units—immediately execute Plan B."

"Yes, Elder Ishirin!"

Shintai responded without hesitation, closing his eyes to transmit the command.

Plan B, simply put, was a human wave tactic. The goal was to drown Baishi with sheer numbers.

This strategy had been used against the Third Raikage—if they couldn't overpower him directly, they would mobilize an army to overwhelm him.

While Iwagakure might lack high-ranking shinobi, they had no shortage of mid- and low-level forces.

If Baishi could be contained, Iwagakure was prepared to incur heavy losses to kill him.

But that was precisely Ishirin's concern: if the formation couldn't restrain Baishi and limit his Flying Thunder God Technique, the human wave tactic would be pointless.

Not only would the tactic fail, but those sent to fight Baishi would become cannon fodder, dying without any value.

Still, the threat Baishi posed was too great for Ishirin to let this opportunity slip.

It was a gamble he had to take.

However, in the face of absolute power, all schemes were doomed to futility.

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Inside the Four Beast Spirit Sealing Formation

Baishi released the neck of one ninja, letting the lifeless body drop. Ignoring the continuous attacks landing on him, he turned his gaze to the dense crowd of Iwagakure shinobi charging toward him.

A twitch tugged at the corner of his lips.

He then extended his senses, letting his mental energy pierce through the formation's barrier and survey the outside.

In an instant, his mind was flooded with the images of countless more Iwagakure shinobi.

Seeing the scene, Baishi immediately understood their plan.

"Sending this many ninjas into another country… is that really okay?"

Then a thought struck him.

"Oh, right. This is the Land of Craftsmen. That explains it…"

The Land of Craftsmen, home to the Craftsmen Village, was primarily a nation of artisans. Its shinobi forces were relatively weak.

In peacetime, they supplied ninja tools to the Five Great Nations.

During war, fearing their allegiance might shift, the Five Nations often preemptively suppressed them.

As a result, Craftsmen Village was accustomed to being mistreated and didn't dare oppose the Five Great Nations.

Not only would Iwagakure's actions here avoid raising suspicion, but even if they stationed troops at the Craftsmen Village's gates, the villagers would likely flee rather than resist.

Still, other villages were probably already investigating Iwagakure's intentions.

Shrugging off these thoughts, Baishi refocused on the ever-approaching crowd of Iwagakure shinobi.

While he had no qualms about killing, slaughtering so many would weigh heavily on his conscience, making peaceful nights a thing of the past.

But simply leaving without retaliation didn't sit right either—it wouldn't achieve the deterrent effect he sought.

"How do I resolve this…"

An idea suddenly struck him, and his eyes lit up.

Ignoring the attacks still raining down on him, Baishi activated his Wind Wings. With a subtle flap, he shot skyward, hovering just below the barrier.

Looking down at the crowd below, he muttered, "Be thankful for my mercy."

With that, he began forming a series of hand seals, preparing his next move: Wood Release: Flower Tree World Descends.

The ground trembled as countless vines erupted, filling the entire space within the barrier in moments.

However, the Iwagakure shinobi were prepared. The instant the vines appeared, they launched countermeasures.

Lower-ranking ninjas used explosive tags, while more skilled shinobi unleashed various jutsu.

Fire, wind blades, and lightning flashed throughout the battlefield, quickly decimating large swathes of the vine forest.

Baishi knew they were deliberately trying to drain his chakra, but he didn't mind.

It wasn't as if they could outlast him. And soon, the poisonous pollen would deal with the rest.

After all, Flower Tree World Descends wasn't just about attacking with vines—the true danger lay in its toxic pollen.

(Chapter End)

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