The Hidden Cloud Village, Raikage's Office.
A massive map was spread across the desk, symbolizing the outline of the Ninja World and the undercurrents surging between nations.
Fourth Raikage A sat in the main seat, his muscles bulging, radiating an intimidating pressure.
As the secretary presented the intelligence documents and reported that "Iwagakure has also launched an attack on the Land of Fire," A inquired while reviewing the intel.
"How is the progress on the information regarding 'The Collector'?"
The secretary standing to the side bowed quickly and reported fluently, "Lord Raikage, the target's true identity is still shrouded in mist, and the investigation has reached a stalemate.
He paused slightly to gather his thoughts, "According to the scattered clues we've gathered, 'The Collector' first appeared publicly in the Ninja World under this name in the Land of Rain.
Subsequently, during the devastating Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, this person's movements were suspicious. Various signs suggest he may have slipped into the chaos, attempting to fish in troubled waters and profit from it.
After that, it was on this very battlefield where the opponent seized a portion of Yugito's Two-Tails Chakra."
"Oh?" The Raikage suddenly looked up, his thick brows furrowing tightly. His sharp gaze moved from the documents, revealing clear surprise. "He even dared to meddle in Konoha's mess?"
"Yes, Lord Raikage," the secretary confirmed, a hint of confusion in his tone. "However, what's very strange is that Konoha seems exceptionally low-key and secretive about this matter.
We cannot find out exactly what he did then, nor can we know if he obtained any important items or intelligence during that chaos."
"Hmph!" A heavy snort full of contempt and disdain exploded in the room like a thunderclap.
The Fourth Raikage's face was filled with scorn, his clenched fists showing his disdain for such behavior.
"Just a clown who only knows how to perform shady tricks and take advantage of others! An opportunist! Who does he think he is!" He spat fiercely, as if mentioning the name would foul his mouth.
After venting his brief anger, the supreme commander of the Land of Lightning stopped dwelling on it and refocused his piercing gaze on the latest secret report detailing the front-line war dynamics, which was the truly vital matter affecting the entire nation.
In the office, only the rustling of turning pages and the heavy, suppressed sound of breathing remained.
Finally, he finished reading the intelligence.
"Hmph, finally losing their patience?" His voice was low like rolling thunder, his tone unsurprised. Instead, the fact that Iwagakure had waited until now to join the war gave him a deeper sense of amusement.
"It seems that old fox Ōnoki couldn't resist wanting to tear a piece off this fat meat either."
"Yes, Lord Raikage," the secretary replied clearly and quickly, pinpointing the issue the superior cared about most. "The latest intelligence confirms that Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Minato, has personally appeared on the front-line battlefield against Iwagakure."
"Oh?" A's pupils suddenly constricted, and a look of surprise flashed across his rough face. "That guy can actually fight? I thought the Nine-Tails incident would have left him dead or at least severely weakened!"
He recalled his calculations after sending out Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B. He had expected to witness or hear news of the "Yellow Flash" on the front lines, but the news never came, which led him to suspect that Minato had suffered unrecoverable injuries during the Nine-Tails' attack.
Now it seemed the opponent still possessed considerable combat power.
Although A was puzzled as to why Minato had remained hidden on the Kumogakure front before, this was undoubtedly good news for Kumogakure to exploit; the powerful enemy was tied down on another front.
His gaze fell back onto the map, his finger poking at several key nodes like a steel rod.
There had always been only two nations that posed a major military threat to Kumogakure on his strategic chessboard: one was Konoha, with whom they were in intense conflict and had deep generational entanglements, and the other was Hidden Mist Village, located on an island and skilled in Water Release ambushes.
Mentioning Hidden Mist, a hint of disdain appeared at the corners of A's mouth.
"After that trash Third Mizukage stepped down, the Fourth, Yagura Karatachi, did make a name for himself when he first took over," he recalled, his tone slightly mocking yet carrying a trace of cautious acknowledgment of a former threat. "He worked hard to govern, and Hidden Mist did indeed develop quite quickly. At that rate, we really would have had to be more on guard along the coastline—"
The secretary nodded in agreement and added, "Intelligence shows that Hidden Mist Village was indeed refreshed and had strong development momentum at that time."
"Hmph, unfortunately, it didn't last long!" A slammed the table heavily, producing a dull boom. "How long has it been? That kid Yagura changed his tune! Not only did he completely inherit the Third's brutal 'Bloody Mist' policy, he even went beyond it! The bloody mist is everywhere, causing panic within the Village—"
He described the shocking scenes in the intelligence, "Even core forces like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are either dead," "traitors, or fugitives. The vast Hidden Mist Village is now a leaky mess! Their internal affairs are a chaotic mess, and they're too busy cleaning up their own problems to have any energy or courage left to covet our Kumogakure territory!"
A reached a final conclusion: the hidden danger from the Hidden Mist line could be completely ruled out for the time being!
With one of the major concerns no longer a worry, A's thoughts instantly became active, and a bold plan suddenly took shape under the drive of his resolute character.
He suddenly looked up, his burning gaze seemingly wanting to pierce through the walls to look directly at Konoha. With a sharp glint of adventurous spirit, he directly questioned the advisor next to him.
"Hey! Tell me, if I personally pick an elite squad right now," he stood up abruptly, his massive frame casting a shadow like a giant tower, his finger tracing a swift dashed line on the map pointing straight at the heart of Konoha, "and quietly tear through their defenses to strike deep into their territory and raid Konoha itself, what would happen?"
He became more excited as he spoke, his voice like a great bell, as if the blueprint for victory was already laid out before him. "Konoha is currently fighting on two fronts. That kid Minato is tied down in the Land of Earth, and they've been fighting at the front for so long. Their home base's defenses must be empty! This is the best time for us to catch them off guard and strike at their heart!"
The secretary was clearly stunned upon hearing this, then subconsciously pushed up his glasses, scrutinizing the map sharply, obviously quickly assessing the risks and rewards of this plan.
Just as A was about to finalize the surprise attack plan, the secretary's calm voice fell like a bucket of ice water.
"Theoretically, it would have a miraculous effect, Lord Raikage. However, Konoha still has Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, presiding over it. If the surprise attack fails to achieve a quick resolution and is dragged into urban warfare—"
The secretary paused, looking up directly at A, and stated the most critical danger, "Then, once the news of the attack on Konoha's core spreads, the Fourth Hokage Minato, who possesses the Flying Thunder God Technique, would only need an instant—
could return directly to Konoha from the Iwagakure battlefield thousands of miles away! At that time, it would be you who is in danger, Lord Raikage."
"..."
A's impassioned stance instantly froze, his whole body stiffening as if struck by lightning, and that unstoppable momentum vanished in an instant.
He slumped back into his wide seat and slapped his forehead hard with his fan-like hand in frustration, "Damn it! How could I forget that old geezer is still alive and well!"
His tone was full of wariness for the renowned "Professor of Ninjutsu."
Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi was now in his twilight years and his strength was far from his peak, he had stood in that position for decades. His tenacity, shrewdness, and deep foundation still made him an indispensable pillar in A's eyes.
In A's judgment, to tie down an enemy as an old man with declining strength and hold out until Minato returned with reinforcements was by no means a difficult task for Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Thinking of this, A couldn't help but sigh heavily, his thick brows furrowed, his voice carrying a hint of regret and nostalgia. "What a pity, if my old man were still here, with the power of two perfect Jinchuriki combined with his bravery, we might have really been able to seize this fleeting opening and take a massive bite to grow fat in an instant."
He seemed to see that unrealized possibility, full of ambition.
But A was the Raikage after all. After a brief moment of frustration and nostalgia, his decisiveness reclaimed him.
He stood up once more, his mountain-like body straight, a more intense fighting spirit burning in his bell-like eyes.
"Enough! The battlefield changes in an instant. Indecisiveness only leads to chaos!" His booming voice echoed in the office, carrying an unquestionable majesty and determination.
"Relay my orders!"
The secretary immediately stood at attention.
"Assemble the elite troops! I'm heading to the front lines myself!" Ay's finger tapped heavily on the map, pointing to the area where the Hidden Cloud and Konoha were clashing most fiercely.
"Since the risk of raiding Konoha itself is too high, we'll crush them head-on and settle the score on the battlefield! Although Konoha has the Third Hokage holding the center, his old bones can't withstand long-distance marches and field assaults. While Minato is currently pinned down by Iwagakure, their front-line forces will surely be stretched thin. Concentrate our superior forces and crush Konoha's vanguard with the force of a thunderbolt! Then, the scales of victory will tilt in our favor!"
"Yes! Raikage-sama!" This time, the secretary didn't hesitate and responded crisply.
He knew that this might not be a clever stratagem, but it was the most feasible and practical way to break the deadlock under the current circumstances: using the Hidden Cloud's strongest fist to crush the opponent on the front lines!
Inside the Konoha front-line camp, the medical room, which was already tense, was now even more busy and bustling.
The smell of disinfectant was so heavy it almost stagnated in the air, and under the lights were figures hurrying back and forth and the suppressed moans of the wounded.
However, this sudden increase in chaos didn't stem from an influx of new casualties, but from changes in the camp's internal personnel structure.
Since Iwagakure brazenly launched an offensive against the Land of Fire, the camp's upper management, out of overall consideration, had to transfer some precious Medical Ninja from the Hidden Cloud battlefield to reinforce the East Front.
The number of remaining Medical Ninja plummeted, and the burden on everyone suddenly increased. The originally orderly treatment process was forced to slow down, and the entire medical system was under the pressure of delays caused by the manpower shortage.
It was worth noting that this transfer wasn't an indiscriminate removal of combat power.
Upon closer inspection, those prioritized for transfer to the Iwagakure battlefield were mainly Shinobi who performed support and auxiliary functions.
Experienced Medical Ninja, skilled members of the Sealing Squad—while the combat-type ninjas who were actually in the battle sequence and responsible for fighting on the front lines basically stayed put.
Even if there were a few transfers, they only temporarily acted as guards, protecting professional personnel such as medical and sealing staff as they safely reached the new Eastern battlefield.
The keen upper management sensed that all these deployments must contain the prudent strategic considerations of the Fourth Hokage, Minato.
Clearly, Minato perceived the potential crisis on the West Front battlefield.
On one hand, Iwagakure's surprise attack needed to be dealt with; on the other hand, that Sword of Damocles named the "Fourth Raikage" was always hanging overhead, ready to join the battlefield and stir up trouble at any time.
If a large number of main combat forces were rashly transferred away from the Hidden Cloud front line at this time, the consequences would be unimaginable once the Hidden Cloud seized the opportunity to launch a thunderous strike.
This balance, like walking on thin ice, affected everyone in the camp.
Amidst this heavy atmosphere, Takuno leaned against the door of the medical room and let out a nearly inaudible sigh, his brow furrowed with a hint of helplessness and annoyance.
Iwagakure's attack had interrupted his plans; before this, he had already carefully prepared a Wood Clone to replace him, waiting for the right moment to slip away quietly and return to the secluded laboratory in the Land of Snow to continue his experiments on Kekkei Genkai.
Now, however, this urgent troop transfer bound him once again to this increasingly busy medical post like a chain.
The current workload was trivial yet heavy and required immediate responses, so it couldn't be handled by a Wood Clone for the time being. He could only suppress the urgency in his heart and wait helplessly for the next moment of leisure.
What Takuno didn't expect was that Jiraiya and several other Konoha high-level officials, far away in the command tent, were currently mired in a complex mix of gloom and frustration.
The source of this emotion was not only the worry about Iwagakure's offensive but, more deeply, the regret over the previously missed opportunity.
At that time, because Yugito had been severely injured and the Hidden Cloud had retreated, it was the perfect time to attack.
However, the high-level officials were wary of the "third-party force" lurking in the shadows.
That mysterious existence that could defeat the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito head-on caused them many concerns, making them afraid to go all out.
Who would have thought that after the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B arrived at the front lines, the Hidden Cloud troops would launch a fierce counterattack without any further hesitation after only a slight adjustment, their bold posture as if completely ignoring the "third-party" threat that had once worried the Konoha high-level officials.
What made the Konoha high-level officials feel even more confused and uneasy was that the Village's intelligence department had failed to collect any subsequent substantive evidence supporting the existence of a "third-party force."
The Hidden Cloud's aggressive pattern of action seemed to be silently declaring something.
Either that mysterious third-party force was simply an illusory imaginary enemy, or it had already been completely repelled or had temporarily hidden its tracks during that fierce encounter with the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito.
Was it a misjudgment or an information blind spot?
All sorts of unproven conjectures, like tangling thorns, gave Jiraiya a series of headaches.
As the commander, he knew the weight of his every decision, which directly affected the life and death of thousands of Shinobi on the front lines.
Without clear and reliable intelligence support, his choices had to be based on caution, like walking on thin ice.
Looking back now, that fleeting battle opportunity was indeed regrettable; that feeling of regret was as clear and profound as fine sand slipping through one's fingers.
If Takuno knew the reason for this, he might feel a sense of helpless amusement in his heart.
All the causes and effects seemed to stem from his secret clash with the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
After the battle ended, Yugito knew the fact that "The Collector" had already achieved his goal and quietly departed.
But for Konoha, whether that "mysterious powerhouse" existed and where they went remained a cloud of unknown mist.
It was precisely the fear and uncertainty brought by this unknown that forced Konoha to hesitate when the Hidden Cloud retreated, choosing the safest but also the most conservative wait-and-see approach.
In contrast, although the intelligence Yugito brought back wasn't enough to make the Hidden Cloud completely relax, it largely dispelled the high-level officials' doubts, allowing their subsequent actions to be almost unhindered by the "third party."
One side was overly cautious due to ignorance and missed the battle opportunity; the other side was slightly bolder due to being informed and was able to regroup.
This subtle turning point in the battlefield situation actually originated dramatically from an encounter where the information between the two sides was completely asymmetrical.
However, even if Takuno knew about this, as "The Collector," his identity was sensitive and his goals were special; there was no way, and he would never, use that mysterious identity to reveal any information to the Konoha high-level officials to clear up this misunderstanding rooted in the information gap.
Just then.
The ground shook again without warning, and the air in the medical room trembled along with it.
The medicine jars and surgical instruments on the walls rattled slightly on the iron racks, but the movements of all the Shinobi in the room barely paused.
They were already accustomed to such violent impacts from the front of the battlefield; it was as natural as breathing.
"Is it the Eight-Tails running wild again?"
"Or the giants of the Akimichi clan—"
A few almost numb, low-voiced discussions came from the corner.
Without needing to see it with their own eyes, just by the strength and rhythm coming from beneath their feet, the experienced Medical Shinobi could roughly infer what the scene ahead was like—nothing more than those few impressive figures stirring up trouble in the center of the battlefield again.
What this vibration reminded them of was not shock, but the heavy workload and extremely strained nerves that were about to surge in like a tide.
The pungent smell of disinfectant mixed with fresh blood in the air seemed to become even stronger because of it.
Everyone was busy mechanically and efficiently amidst their habitual exhaustion.
However, this "routine" was soon broken.
The speed at which the wounded were being carried in suddenly spiked!
The hurried sound of stretchers bumping in the corridors, the painful groans and heavy breathing of the wounded, like a burst flood, instantly submerged the entire area.
The already overcrowded medical room was packed to the point of being impassable in the blink of an eye.
Figures lay groaning on the floor, on the beds, and even in the corners that had been temporarily cleared.