Two nearby Kumogakure ninja were torn apart before they could even cry out, limbs and burning mud spraying through the air. This kind of loss was not worth it, especially not for Root. So many Explosive Tags just to kill two Kumogakure ninja was pure waste, and it made no sense for Konoha to ignore what came next in the war.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Feeling the heat surge from behind, Atsui twisted aside without hesitation. A stream of fire brushed past him, stinging his skin as it went. The flames instantly boiled away the pooled water in a wide area and swallowed two Kumogakure ninja who failed to dodge, the blast spreading heat, burned smells, and screams.
With a wet crunch, Atsui appeared behind that Konoha ninja and brought his flaming blade down, severing the man's head. He glanced at the headless body on the ground, then froze as something felt wrong. When he focused again, that strange sense was gone.
"What is it?" Atsui muttered, staring hard at the corpse and scanning it again and again. Something important had been missed, something critical. He had noticed it just now, he was sure of it.
"No."
Gritting his teeth, he hoisted the headless body onto his shoulder and called for two teammates to follow. Without stopping to explain, he ran toward the rear camp, certain that even if he could no longer see it, Samui would find what he had overlooked.
At this moment, inside the camp at Kumogakure, Samui frowned tightly. She looked tense, her eyes fixed ahead as unease settled in her chest. Even without stepping onto the battlefield herself, she could sense that something about Konoha was wrong.
"Still couldn't get any useful information?" she asked in a low voice. Her gaze rested on Yugito Nii, who was wiping blood from her hands. The question carried pressure, not impatience.
"No," Yugito Nii shook her head. She glanced toward the mangled corpse of a Konoha Jonin that no longer showed any sign of life. "He even spilled how many times he went to Funfun Street, so he probably knows nothing about any plan involving Jiraiya."
After a pause, Yugito Nii added in a softer tone, "Could it be that there really is no plot, and they just lost patience and decided to push forward?" Her words were meant to reassure, though they lacked confidence. The air inside the tent remained heavy.
Samui shook her head slowly. The unease in her heart did not fade, but instead grew stronger. She pressed her lips together, clearly unconvinced.
"Sister! Sister!" Atsui suddenly ran over, carrying a headless corpse on his shoulder. His shout cut through the thoughts of both Samui and Yugito Nii. The body hit the ground with a dull sound as he dropped it.
"What are you doing?" Samui asked, forcing down her irritation as she frowned at him. Her patience was already stretched thin. She did not hide her displeasure.
"Sister, look at this body!" Atsui said urgently. When she stared back in confusion, he scratched his head and muttered, "I don't know how to explain it. I just feel like something is wrong."
Samui's face darkened at once. Beside her, Yugito Nii twitched her mouth and stepped forward. She grabbed Atsui by the collar, ready to drag him away.
"Atsui, stop causing trouble here," Yugito Nii snapped. She tightened her grip, clearly annoyed by the interruption. The situation was not one for vague feelings.
"No, sister!" Atsui struggled and shouted. "Konoha is really off this time. They're throwing Explosive Tag like Kunai! They—mmph!" His words were cut short as Yugito Nii covered his mouth.
At that moment, Samui suddenly raised her head. Her eyes narrowed sharply as something clicked into place. "Wait," she said, stopping them both.
She looked at Atsui and asked slowly, "You're saying the rate at which Konoha is using Explosive Tag is wrong?" This was something only those on the front lines would notice, not someone commanding from the rear. It was an oversight she now regretted.
"Mmph, mmph!" Atsui nodded desperately, his mouth still covered. His eyes were wide, trying to push the point through any way he could. The urgency was unmistakable.
After a brief moment of thought, Samui stood up. "I need to see the battlefield myself," she said in a firm voice. The decision was already made.
"Samui!" Yugito Nii frowned deeply. "If Konoha notices you, you'll be targeted and killed first." Her concern was direct and practical.
"It's fine," Samui replied with a small smile. "You'll protect me, right?" Her tone was light, but her trust was absolute.
Yugito Nii fell silent, then sighed helplessly. "You're too reckless. I really can't do anything about you." Despite her words, she did not refuse.
Samui let out a long breath, gave a few instructions to her deputy, and stepped out of the tent. The rain was already waiting outside. Her expression hardened as she moved forward.
Soon, the three of them arrived at the front battlefield. From higher ground, they looked out toward the distant Wang. The scene below spread out in brutal detail.
Samui stared without blinking, taking in everything she could sense. Cold rain pattered against her skin as she stood still. She forced herself to observe, not to flinch.
The rain was icy, mixed with the unique stench of mud, smoke, and blood. The smell was thick and unpleasant, clinging to every breath. It made her stomach churn.
Her ears were filled with twisted layers of sound. There was the roar of Ninjutsu, screams and shouts, deafening explosions, and the sharp clash of metal. All of it blended into a constant assault on the senses.
Sweat mixed with cold rain ran down Samui's face. Yet what tightened her chest was not the weather, but a sense of wrongness she could not shake. Something here did not fit.
Where was it coming from? What exactly was wrong? The question repeated in her mind with growing urgency.
"Feels hot," Atsui muttered out of habit. The words slipped out without thought.
Hot? Samui's pupils shrank instantly. In that moment, she finally understood.
The temperature was wrong. This was not the heat a normal battle should produce. Each breath felt like swallowing hot, foul air that burned her throat.
Samui swept her sharp gaze across the battlefield. Sure enough, orange explosions flared everywhere. The blasts came one after another without pause.
The thunder of Explosive Tag was constant, far more intense than in previous offensives. Each explosion released a fierce wave of heat that rapidly warmed the surrounding air. The scale was excessive.
And it was not just the Explosive Tag. "Fire Release," Samui said hoarsely. "The number of Fire Release ninja is wrong. There are too many."
The heat generated by Fire Release combined with Explosive Tag had far exceeded normal combat levels. Flames repeatedly baked the damp air, steaming the rain into rising white vapor. The battlefield itself seemed to breathe upward.
This deliberate stacking of Fire Release and reckless use of Explosive Tag meant Konoha was not aiming only for kills. They were doing something else entirely. It was like they were cooking the battlefield.
With that thought, Samui suddenly looked up at the sky. Thick rain clouds hung low, churning violently. They were not still, but rolling as if pushed upward from below.
Fueled by heat and moisture, the clouds were rapidly building and thickening. The pressure felt suffocating, as if the sky itself might collapse. The atmosphere was changing fast.
"Explosive Tag and Fire Release… rising air… cloud formation…" The fragments connected in her mind. At last, Samui realized Konoha's objective.