Soon, the four ninja covered the three kilometers and reached the rear of the Aoba Defense Zone, stopping before a river no more than three meters wide. Without hesitation, they distributed chakra to their feet, stepped onto the water's surface, and continued their advance without slowing down.
The sound of their sandals splashing on the water echoed in the quiet of the forest, kicking up layers of spray as they quickly crossed the river. After reaching the other side, Sasuke stopped.
"Tekudō, you should lose some weight."
He turned to observe his three young subordinates. Ryo and Chōmi had crossed without issue. Only Tekudō, due to his considerable weight and the large number of swords hanging from his body, had had to struggle to maintain his balance, making his chakra control a bit unstable.
"Tekudō, in the future, you can't spend all day playing with your steel 'girlfriends.' You also mustn't neglect your chakra control; otherwise, I'll have to see about putting you on a diet."
Although Sasuke scolded him, inwardly he felt a pang of pride. Initially, of the three, only Ryo, being from a ninja clan, knew how to climb trees with chakra. Tekudō and Chōmi were complete novices; they were standard civilian ninja, cannon fodder who knew nothing. Now, after his guidance, they had undergone a radical transformation.
It wasn't for nothing that he had put them through hellish training. The battlefield changes rapidly, and skills like tree climbing or water walking aren't just chakra control exercises but fundamental survival techniques. He had been extremely strict, and the results were evident. The three's chakra control was no less than that of most chūnin.
Especially Chōmi. Perhaps because girls are naturally more careful, or perhaps because she truly had a talent for it, her control was the strongest of the three. She had even begun practicing on waterfalls. Though she hadn't succeeded yet, she had already laid the foundation to become an excellent medical-nin in the future.
Meanwhile, although Tekudō had completed the training long ago, his progress was hindered. He ate fish and meat daily and seemed to get fat just by drinking water. It was a miracle that, with his physique and all the gear he carried, he had been able to cross the river without falling in.
"Captain, you taught us that it's better to master one skill perfectly than to know a little of everything. My chakra control is sufficient, but my real job is mastering the sword."
Tekudō stopped, and his hands unconsciously caressed the various swords hanging from his body, his eyes filled with an almost sick obsession.
"Then why don't you get to setting up the traps at once? Or would you rather wait for us to get killed?" Sasuke snapped, feeling a chill at Tekudō's devotion. He gave him a friendly kick on the backside to snap him out of his reverie.
"Understood, my dear captain."
Tekudō gave him a flattering look and hurried to get to work among the trees.
While Tekudō prepared the terrain, Sasuke began to impart more of his battlefield experience, especially directed at Ryo and Chōmi, the least experienced in tactics.
"Sand ninja have innate affinities mainly for Wind and Earth. Water users are extremely rare among them. That's why," he pointed to the river behind him, "this seemingly insignificant stream is actually a formidable natural barrier to stop them."
Unlike the fertile Land of Fire, the Land of Wind is a vast desert. If the battlefield were an open area, the advantage would be theirs. But in an environment with rivers or lakes, the situation is reversed and becomes extremely disadvantageous for Suna.
"Captain, then why did we cross the river to stop them? Wouldn't it be better to wait on the other side and attack as they try to cross?" Ryo asked. In his gaze, which Sasuke often considered naive, a flash of tactical insight appeared.
Sasuke couldn't help but think that the education of the ninja clans, despite everything, was good. Ryo's question was on point and went straight to the tactical core. Chōmi, beside him, hadn't yet reached that conclusion, which showed that the foundation of a clan ninja was reflected in more than just ninjutsu. However, although Ryo possessed some wisdom, he still lacked depth.
Sasuke flicked him on the forehead with a finger.
"Idiot. Before you ask, can't you think it through a little more?"
He then pointed to Tekudō, who was busy in the bushes. "What is Tekudō doing now? What is our primary tactical objective? And the secondary?"
Ryo rubbed his forehead, confused, while his brain's CPU worked at full speed.
Chōmi, who only remembered the initial tactic, answered directly: "Our primary objective is to set traps to try and annihilate the puppet master team. The secondary is to delay the enemy until support from the mobile patrol arrives."
Sasuke nodded at Chōmi with satisfaction, then turned to look at Ryo with an "you're an idiot" expression.
"Ryo, even Chōmi knows such a simple tactic. And you, the super-genius of the Inuzuka clan, don't even get it? It seems you still have a lot to learn." Sasuke once again used his particular brand of "motivational training," bombarding Ryo with a mix of criticism and high expectations.
But in reality, there was a third layer to his plan, a hidden purpose he hadn't shared. The goal wasn't just to stop the enemy's infiltration. If the traps and ambush didn't go as planned, they would use this very river as a natural barrier to prevent the Sand ninja from pursuing them, thereby buying precious time.
Although both plans involved blocking the enemy, their ultimate objectives were completely different. The first was a last-ditch defense to protect the territory. The second was a tactical block to ensure their own survival.
Before you plan for victory, plan for defeat.
To always plan an escape route before the battle even begins—that is the essence of his secret art, the Way of the Survivor. After all, unforeseen events always happen on the battlefield, and it's better to take precautions before it's too late.