Undeniably, Sakumo Hatake's words greatly reassured his subordinates.
Like Li Anshi, Sakumo Hatake's subordinates were also from the first class of the Ninja Academy.
However, unlike Li Anshi, who hadn't passed the graduation exam, these two were ninjas who had successfully graduated and had two years of experience as Genin.
They had some understanding of Sakumo Hatake, the top student and the first among the first class of Ninja Academy students to be promoted to Chunin.
They knew that Sakumo Hatake was not the type of person who only talked big.
Since Sakumo Hatake said he would protect them, as long as they could hold out until Sakumo Hatake came to their aid when they encountered enemies, their safety would be greatly improved.
Therefore, after hearing Sakumo Hatake's words, the two Genin breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps their sighs were too loud, the two Genin couldn't help but glance at each other and smile.
However, they soon discovered that Li Anshi, who had been conscripted, seemed to be much calmer than they were.
Immediately, one of the Genin couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Li, I see you don't seem very worried. Aren't you afraid of death?"
Sakumo Hatake also looked at Li Anshi.
From his time in the Ninja Academy, Sakumo Hatake could sense that Li Anshi seemed to be different from the other students.
Generally speaking, the class clown in a class was either particularly mischievous or the most bullied.
But strangely, Li Anshi was neither.
This was because the class clowns in other classes were simply weak.
But Li Anshi's class clown status was because he couldn't learn the Three Basic Techniques!
For ninjas, the Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Substitution Technique could all be learned with some time and effort once chakra was refined. They were standard ninjutsu for Genin.
Even the Ninja Academy's graduation exam tested a randomly selected ninjutsu from these three as the exam question.
And as a ninja, the ninjutsu score was the highest.
Therefore, even if Li Anshi got full marks in taijutsu and shurikenjutsu, he couldn't compare to those students who successfully used the Three Basic Techniques in the exam.
Sakumo Hatake could be sure that although Li Anshi had not passed the graduation exam to become a ninja, Li Anshi's strength had definitely not stagnated in the past two years.
War... even with Sakumo Hatake's current strength, he could still feel immense pressure.
But on Li Anshi's body, Sakumo Hatake didn't see any sign of nervousness.
It seemed that, for Li Anshi, the war that Konoha was facing this time was not enough to move him.
"Afraid? Of course, I'm afraid."
Li Anshi shrugged. "I just know that being afraid of death won't change my current situation."
"In that case, why should I worry myself? If I really encounter enemies, I'll just draw my blade. Life and death are up to fate."
Li Anshi's words left his two companions speechless.
After a long while, the ninja who had asked Li Anshi the question said, "Tsk, Li, you're really..."
"Carefree."
Sakumo Hatake took a deep look at Li Anshi and didn't say anything more.
Unlike the other two Genin, he could see that Li Anshi wasn't being "carefree," but "confident"!
This was confidence in his own strength.
However, this situation was also what Sakumo Hatake was happy to see.
The stronger his companions were, the higher the chance of survival.
If everyone could still be alive after the war ended, that would be the best.
...
"Everyone, hold on a little longer. At most, we'll reach the front lines tomorrow."
From Konoha to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, it would take about three days for an average ninja to arrive.
For a Jonin, it might not even take a day.
Because Li Anshi and the others were escorting supplies, their speed was slower, taking about seven days to reach the border.
"However, because we are close to the battlefield, we may be attacked by enemies at any time. Everyone must be vigilant."
"Yes, Captain Hatake!"
Li Anshi and the other two replied.
Compared to Sakumo Hatake, who had already become a Chunin, both the other two Genin and Li Anshi were undoubtedly extremely unfamiliar with the battlefield.
Li Anshi's knowledge of the ninja world's wars mostly came from the anime.
But in fact, the real ninja world wars were dozens of times more cruel than those in the anime.
Li Anshi also took the upcoming potential attacks very seriously.
Immediately, Li Anshi also mobilized the chakra in his body to enhance his five senses.
Although Li Anshi didn't have the talent for learning ninjutsu and hadn't been able to learn the Three Basic Techniques in six years at the Ninja Academy.
But, in terms of utilizing chakra, Li Anshi was a cut above other ninjas.
Although using chakra would produce chakra fluctuations, making it easy for sensory ninjas to detect.
However, rather than being discovered by a sensory ninja, Li Anshi preferred to discover the approaching enemies himself.
Enhancing his five senses would at least allow Li Anshi to discover enemies in the shortest possible time.
Without enhancing them, he might only discover the enemy when they launched their attack.
Li Anshi knew which was more important.
"Swish..."
"Swish..."
"Hmm?"
Just as he enhanced his five senses, Li Anshi's expression suddenly changed.
He heard a rapid wind sound.
It sounded like something moving at high speed and friction with the air.
These were ninjas!
"Be careful, ninjas are approaching!"
Immediately, Li Anshi quickly warned.
"What?"
Li Anshi's warning stunned Sakumo Hatake and the other two Genin.
However, after hearing Li Anshi's warning, Sakumo Hatake immediately drew the short sword from his back and rushed into the forest ahead.
The other two Genin, however, were a little flustered and clumsy.
"Yoshikawa, Kitamura, you two go to both sides of the convoy and pay attention to the surroundings at all times."
Seeing the two of them like this, Li Anshi spoke in a deep voice.
"Yes!"
Yoshikawa and Kitamura responded reflexively, then realized that, logically, they were the ninjas with two years of Genin experience, and they should be the ones giving orders to Li Anshi.
Now, the situation was reversed. When they might be encountering enemies, they were the ones who panicked, needing Li Anshi to give orders.
After exchanging a glance, Yoshikawa and Kitamura didn't delay any longer. From the front of the convoy, they ran to the center of the convoy, one on each side, holding kunai in their hands, vigilantly paying attention to the surroundings.
"Shushushu..."
More than a dozen senbon (metal needles with a point at both ends) flew out from the forest, attacking Li Anshi.
"Swish!"
Behind these senbon, a ninja wearing brown clothes emerged from the forest, moving in an "S" shaped path, rapidly approaching Li Anshi.
"Clang clang clang clang—"
Li Anshi waved his right hand, and the flying knife in his palm knocked all the senbon down.