chsdbacks Chapter 40 Battlefield of the Land of Rain
Chapter 40 Battlefield of the Land of Rain
The moment you step into the border of the Land of Rain, the world seems to be shrouded in a gray veil, and the light becomes dim and unclear.
The continuous, cold rain drizzled on and on, soaking every inch of the ground beneath our feet and making our hearts feel inexplicably heavy and depressed.
The ground beneath my feet was no longer solid soil, but a muddy mess of rotting weeds and unknown substances. Every step was accompanied by a sticky sound, as if this land itself did not welcome any visitors.
The air was thick with moisture that seemed almost dripping wet, the stench of soil that had been repeatedly soaked, and a faint, yet seemingly ingrained, smell of blood and gunpowder.
The smell wasn't strong, but it stubbornly seeped into the nasal cavity, reminding everyone who stepped into this place that peace and tranquility were absolute luxuries.
Compared to the relatively clear situation on the battlefield in the Land of Grass—mainly the confrontation between Konoha and Iwagakure—the situation in the Land of Rain is undoubtedly several times more complex and chaotic.
The forces of the three major ninja villages—Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure—are intertwined here, engaged in a brutal and chaotic struggle.
As for Amegakure, the host village, under the rule of its leader, the "demigod" Hanzo the Salamander, its attitude is ambiguous, just like the unpredictable weather.
They sometimes remain neutral and observe from the sidelines, and at other times they strike suddenly like venomous snakes lurking in the mud, attacking any side in an attempt to survive or even seize benefits in the gap between the three major powers.
There are no fixed defensive lines here; battles could break out suddenly in any ruins, any muddy path, or the crumbling walls of any abandoned town. It is truly fraught with danger.
Under the keen insight of Minato Namikaze and the rich and experienced guidance of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, this small escort team, despite several close calls, successfully traversed the most dangerous border crossing area and arrived at Konoha's main base in the Land of Rain.
The base was located in a relatively defensible hilly area, utilizing natural caves and artificially reinforced earthen fortifications.
Even with the rain barrier in place, which barely blocked the direct rain, the camp was still extremely damp and cold, with the ground muddy and slippery.
The ninjas coming and going all hurried along, their faces a mixture of undisguised exhaustion and deep-seated vigilance. Their eyes were bloodshot from long battles, yet also revealed a resilience honed through hardship.
The oppressive atmosphere in the entire camp was much stronger than that in the Land of Grass, as if even the air itself was thick with heavy pressure.
Their arrival, especially the appearance of Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, seemed to inject a powerful dose of vitality into this gloomy and despairing camp.
Many of the wounded receiving basic first aid, as well as the medical staff with dark circles under their eyes, lit up with hope when they saw that tall figure. Whispers and sighs of relief filled the crowd.
Orochimaru, who was in charge of the Rain Country war zone, quickly appeared to greet them. He still had that pale and gloomy appearance, his narrow golden snake eyes sweeping over everyone, lingering on Tsunade for a moment, and a mysterious smile appeared on his lips. In his uniquely hoarse voice, he said, "Heh, you've finally arrived, Tsunade. A few days later, I'm afraid my front-line command post would really have become a morgue."
His tone carried his usual playful tone, but deep within his snake-like eyes lay a genuine solemnity.
Upon hearing this, Tsunade frowned immediately. Ignoring the barbs in her old classmate's words, she cut straight to the point, her tone crisp and decisive: "Stop with the nonsense, just how bad is the situation?"
Orochimaru's smile faded slightly, and he lowered his voice: "Chiyo, the old woman from Sunagakure, has been acting like a madwoman lately, using all sorts of bizarre and deadly poisons one after another. Our antidote development speed can't keep up with the speed at which she concocts new poisons. The casualties are huge. Many excellent ninjas didn't die on the battlefield, but fell victim to those invisible toxins, their deaths gruesome. With your arrival, the medical system here finally has a backbone, and should be able to stabilize the situation."
Tsunade's expression grew even more grave. She immediately turned to Shizune, who was following closely behind, and ordered, "Shizune! Take our people to the medical unit immediately and take full control of the critically injured, especially those poisoned! Prioritize obtaining and analyzing all the latest toxin samples!"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"
Without hesitation, Shizune immediately led the medical personnel she had brought from the Land of Fire toward the area in the center of the camp from which suppressed groans could be heard from time to time.
Tsunade then looked at Orochimaru, her tone leaving no room for argument: "Take me to see the most difficult and dangerous cases. Also, compile all the information on the toxins Chiyo has recently used and give it to me."
"Come with me."
Orochimaru didn't say much, just nodded and turned to lead the way.
The two members of the legendary Sannin, renowned throughout the ninja world, quickly left the noisy entrance area and engaged in a silent yet equally brutal battle of poison and medicine with Chiyo, the advisor from Sunagakure.
On the other hand, Minato Namikaze needed to first complete the reporting process to Orochimaru's deputy and learn in detail about the latest battlefield deployment and enemy and friendly dynamics.
He allowed Genma to move around freely for a while and familiarize himself with the environment.
Genma walked alone through the muddy camp, carefully avoiding the deeper puddles, experiencing a tense, almost suffocating rhythm that was completely different from the camp in the Land of Grass.
The dull thud of raindrops hitting the barrier, mixed with the faint sounds of distant drills and the suppressed groans of the wounded, formed a background melody belonging to the battlefield.
Just then, several familiar voices, filled with surprise, called out to him from behind.
"Genma!"
Genma turned around at the sound and saw Sarutobi Asuma, Kurenai Yuhi, and Namiashi Raido, among other classmates, walking from a side road leading to the mission handover point.
They looked travel-worn, their armor and clothes covered in mud and grime, and their faces showed obvious signs of fatigue, clearly having just returned from a mission.
"Asuma, Red, Same."
Genma smiled and went to greet him.
Asuma strode forward, his gaze immediately drawn to Genma's conspicuous green Chunin vest. He pointed at the vest in surprise, his voice rising slightly: "Wow! You... Chunin?! When did that happen? That's fast!"
Kurenai's beautiful red eyes widened in surprise and heartfelt admiration: "Congratulations, Genma! You're amazing!"
Genma smiled and replied with a relatively simple explanation he had prepared beforehand: "I was lucky enough to make some contributions while on a mission in the Land of Grass, and the Hokage promoted me out of turn."
Asuma patted Genma on the shoulder forcefully, his tone tinged with envy, but mostly with sincere congratulations: "Good lad! You're truly amazing! You've gotten ahead of us this time! You have to treat us!"
Hong smiled and said, "It seems we need to work harder, or you'll leave us far behind."
As the group chatted casually, sharing their experiences since parting ways, another group of people approached from the other side.
Leading the group was none other than Kakashi Hatake, with his striking silver hair and mask. He still looked lazy and unenthusiastic, but upon closer inspection, the desolation in his exposed eyes was even more pronounced than when he was in school.
Following behind him was the energetic Obito Uchiha, who was constantly talking to Kakashi and Rin Nohara, and Rin Nohara, who was always smiling gently and listening patiently.
"Minato-sensei!"
Obito, with his sharp eyes, first spotted Minato talking to a Konoha Jonin not far away. He immediately waved and shouted excitedly, breaking the silence in one corner of the camp. Kakashi and Rin also looked over at the sound.
Upon hearing the shout, Minato turned around and saw his three disciples. A gentle smile appeared on his handsome face. He nodded to them and gestured for them to wait a moment, saying he would be right there.
It has to be said that he was somewhat incompetent as the teacher in charge of the team, constantly putting out fires and not spending much time with his students.
Only then did Obito notice Genma standing next to Minato, and the extremely conspicuous Chunin vest he was wearing. His eyes widened instantly, and he completely forgot what he was about to say, shouting in a cacophony, "Eh?! Genma! You...you've been promoted to Chunin?! Really?!"
Now, even Kakashi's gaze finally fell on Genma. A very subtle ripple flashed in his signature dead fish eyes, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, but it quickly returned to its still state. He simply said in his characteristically flat tone, "Oh? Not bad."
It might sound a bit perfunctory, but those who know him well know that this is already a considerable level of recognition he can offer.
Lin, as always, was polite and gentle, and congratulated him with a smile: "Congratulations, Genma-kun."
Obito had already circled Genma twice, as if observing something new and interesting, and said in an exaggerated tone, "Wow! Besides that arrogant Kakashi, you're the second Chunin of our generation! How did you do that? Did you win some great victory in the Land of Grass? Tell us!"
"We were just lucky, and our teammates cooperated very well, which enabled us to complete the key mission."
Genma remained modest and did not describe in detail the fierce battle with Iwagakure in the Land of Grass.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone dispersed and returned to their posts or barracks to rest.
The rain was still falling, the campsite was still muddy, and the battle was far from over, but the reunion and congratulations of the classmates dispelled some of the oppressive atmosphere.