I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 94 - : Tactics – Guerrilla Warfare on the Supply Lines

"Sensei, where are you heading this afternoon?"

Asuma asked in a hushed tone.

They wouldn't get a chance to fight, but at the very least, they could satisfy their curiosity, right?

The others were just as eager.

This... was seriously intriguing!

Six pairs of eyes locked onto Kyoichi, their anticipation clear.

Kyoichi couldn't help but chuckle.

"As your commander, I shouldn't be revealing classified information. But since this intel will soon be outdated, let's make it a learning opportunity instead."

With that, he shared part of the information with them.

The six listened intently.

And then—

Their eyes widened in shock.

They had uncovered a temporary Kirigakure outpost on the sea!

That wasn't an easy feat.

"With Inoichi-senpai here, uncovering this was hardly difficult."

Kyoichi gave a brief explanation.

Kurenai immediately understood.

She had heard of Yamanaka Inoichi before—one of Konoha's top intelligence specialists, an absolute master in his field.

Shisui thought for a moment and asked, "Sensei, are you planning to attack their base?"

"Take a guess. There's a reward if you get it right." Kyoichi smiled slyly.

"Uh..."

The six of them fell silent.

Kyoichi's mischievous side was showing again.

But...

They did start seriously considering the question.

Suddenly, Guy clapped his hands excitedly. Everyone turned to look at him, even Kyoichi, slightly surprised.

Then, the next moment, Guy declared, "I got it! Sensei is definitely planning to destroy them head-on!"

"Uh..."

Expecting anything else from you was my mistake.

Kyoichi sighed internally and turned to the other five.

Shisui pondered for a while before speaking. "I've been observing our numbers. We have, at most, a dozen squads in the mountains. If we launch a direct assault, we'll likely get surrounded by the Kirigakure."

"Good, and then?"

Kyoichi nodded approvingly.

Shisui was becoming much sharper—his analytical thinking had improved significantly. Compared to his portrayal in the anime, he was already ahead by quite a bit.

Shisui frowned in deep thought, while Asuma also looked puzzled.

"If you have an idea, just say it. Be bold."

"You're planning... to find an opportunity to assassinate their leader?"

Shisui carefully chose his words.

"Sabotage" or "harassment" didn't quite fit their teacher's decisive style, so he opted for a more refined description. But deep down, he knew—Kirigakure wasn't stupid.

If their leader were left unguarded after a capture, there were only two possibilities.

Either they were truly incompetent.

Or... it was a trap, waiting for them to take the bait.

"Hahaha, you phrase it nicely, but yeah—it's basically just messing with them."

Kyoichi patted Shisui's shoulder. "Once the elite reinforcements from the Guard arrive, that's when the full assault begins. When I get back in the afternoon, I'll teach you a new genjutsu."

Shisui's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly.

The Guard...

That was great news!

"Alright, that's all I'm revealing. Keep this information to yourselves—no spreading it around. Stay put for the next few days."

Kyoichi stood up.

He wasn't saying this for some kind of reward.

In fact...

The reward for this operation wasn't anything special—just a technique called Instant Water Technique.

Not bad, but not quite what he had hoped for, considering he was up against Jonin-level opponents.

He understood why.

To outsiders, this mission seemed more like a mere harassment tactic rather than a decisive battle, so it wasn't viewed as particularly significant.

Lunchtime arrived.

It was simple and modest.

A ration pill each—just enough to keep them going.

Making a fire would have given away their location.

After eating, the four-man team set out.

Since they already knew the location, their approach was swift and precise. Before long, they reached the waters near the Kirigakure outpost and submerged themselves in preparation.

"Inoichi-senpai, I'll catch some fish. You can use your clan's technique to control them and scout ahead."

"Alright..."

The Yamanaka clan's jutsu had broad applications—not just controlling people, but also animals for reconnaissance.

Kyoichi used Instant Water to dart swiftly through the water.

Before long, he caught two large fish.

Inoichi successfully controlled them with his Mind Body Switch Technique, guiding them toward the island while the team trailed cautiously behind.

As they neared their target, they halted.

Kyoichi and Inoichi simultaneously activated their sensory abilities.

Moments later—

Both had locked onto a target.

"The north side—some of them are moving that way."

"Avoid the main path!"

Kyoichi didn't hesitate.

A group moving in a cluster like that? It had to be a ship.

Sinking it would hurt them no matter what—it didn't matter if they took out people or just supplies.

They circled around and sped toward the location.

Before long, Inoichi's fish reached the area.

"It's a large transport ship with four squads onboard," Inoichi reported.

Regular ninja relied on military ration pills, meaning food wasn't the primary concern. However, interrogation tools, medical supplies, and specialized equipment couldn't be easily stored in sealing scrolls.

That's what the outpost was for.

So...

A supply ship meant valuable cargo.

"I'll sink it. You all follow up."

Kyoichi transformed into a fish using the Transformation Jutsu, then Instant Flowed through the water toward the ship.

...

Aboard the ship...

"Takeshita-kun, check the perimeter."

"There won't be any issues. Konoha doesn't have enough forces here to make a move."

"Do it anyway. Just to be sure."

"...Understood."

Takeshita didn't argue further. He closed his eyes, extending his sensory abilities.

Seconds later, his eyes snapped open in horror.

"Someone's approaching—fast!"

"Alert!"

A loud shout rang out. The entire crew tensed, with two squads jumping overboard to intercept Kyoichi.

Others swiftly formed hand seals to shield the ship.

But—

The next moment, a horrifying sight unfolded before their eyes.

A powerful high-pressure water jet erupted from the ocean, drilling straight into the ship's hull.

Then—

It swept sideways.

BOOM!

The ship shattered instantly.

"What jutsu is that?!"

Their minds went blank.

But before they could react—

Whoosh!

"Ahhh!"

With a single slash, two Chunin were cut down.

A Kirigakure Jonin sensed danger and spun around, raising a kunai to block the attack behind him.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

A sword...

No—wait!

His instincts screamed.

Lightning surged through his kunai, shocking him instantly. Though he let go quickly, his right arm went numb.

And then—

Another blade slashed toward his waist, coated in a faint azure glow.

Wind Release Kenjutsu.

If that hit, he was dead.

But—

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His right arm was paralyzed. He couldn't form seals.

All he could do was rely on taijutsu to dodge and hope his teammates helped him.

Fortunately, they weren't idle—

Takeshita shunshined forward, weaving hand seals to spew out a water wave for interference.

But—

The next moment, Kyoichi's left-hand sword unleashed a Vacuum Blade.

With a single slash...

The water wave was cleaved apart, and blood splattered in the air.

The Kirigakure jōnin—dead!

At the same time, Hayama Shirakumo and the others arrived.

"Finish this quickly."

Kyoichi spoke as he swung his sword, his fingers making subtle movements.

Genjutsu: Bubble!

For a brief moment, Takeshita's mind wavered.

He snapped out of it almost instantly, but the moment he regained clarity, what he saw were three blades, moving at terrifying speed—

And his approaching allies...

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