"How are things progressing now?"
Inside Konoha's stronghold, Natsuhiko and Nara Shikaku walked side by side through the camp while shinobi around them busied themselves with preparations.
The atmosphere among Konoha's forces had changed completely.
Compared to when they first departed, the difference was like night and day.
And the person responsible for all of it was Natsuhiko.
If he hadn't reversed the entire situation through those two battles—especially the one against the Fourth Raikage, where he displayed utterly overwhelming combat power, severely wounded the Raikage himself, and annihilated more than five hundred Cloud shinobi—then Kumogakure would never have been forced into full defensive retreat.
Nor would Konoha's morale have risen to such astonishing heights.
A truly powerful shinobi could not only reverse the tide of battle alone, but also inspire fighting spirit in everyone around them.
And Natsuhiko had undeniably accomplished exactly that.
As the two men walked through the camp, every Konoha shinobi they passed unconsciously paused what they were doing.
Some bowed slightly.
Others nodded respectfully.
It was their way of expressing respect toward both Natsuhiko and Shikaku.
At first, neither of them had been particularly used to this kind of treatment.
Shikaku handled it better, since as the head of Administrative Department, he often encountered similar situations.
But for Natsuhiko, who had spent most of his life as the Commander of the ANBU, such open displays of admiration were rather unfamiliar.
Still, after several days, he had gradually gotten used to it.
"Everything is proceeding according to the planned strategy."
Shikaku had been in a fairly good mood lately, and a rare smile even appeared on his face.
Kumogakure was currently being suppressed quite badly.
Although their casualties as the defending side were not especially high, Konoha's forces were not foolish enough to recklessly throw away lives either.
There had been several occasions where Shikaku intentionally acted impatient, ordering Konoha's forces to launch fierce assaults in order to maintain the illusion.
But he had also secretly instructed the squad captains to retreat immediately if the situation turned unfavorable and to avoid unnecessary losses.
Of course, even with those precautions, the results had not been perfect.
During those aggressive offensives, Konoha still suffered considerable casualties.
But overall, as long as they maintained the advantage while continuously bombarding Kumogakure's defensive lines with ninjutsu and explosive tags, Konoha remained in a profitable position.
The Third Hokage had clearly been displeased about the massive expenditure, yet he still approved large quantities of explosive tags for the front lines, greatly enhancing Konoha's siege capabilities.
Naturally, as head of the Administrative Department, Shikaku understood very well that those explosive tags had originally been stockpiled during the Third Great Ninja War.
After the war ended, they had simply remained in storage.
In a sense, this was also Konoha clearing out old inventory.
But regardless of the reason, it undeniably strengthened the frontline forces.
"Right now, we're constantly pressuring Kumogakure from multiple directions," Shikaku explained calmly. "I deliberately ordered our forces to repeatedly shift the direction of attack while pretending to search for weak points in their defenses."
"In order to convince them we're desperate to crush them quickly, we even launched several direct assaults."
At that point, Shikaku sighed softly.
"The downside is that we've also lost quite a few excellent shinobi. But I believe they've taken the bait."
He quickly summarized the current situation, and it was obvious he remained in excellent spirits.
Natsuhiko smiled and nodded after hearing him.
Everything Shikaku had done was preparation for the outcome Natsuhiko wanted.
Konoha constantly suppressing Kumogakure.
Natsuhiko himself refraining from personally attacking.
Every single action was meant to mislead Kumogakure.
And their true target all along had been that open plain.
"Still," Natsuhiko asked casually as they walked, "do you think they'll really fall for it?"
Truthfully, he wasn't overly worried about the answer.
He had absolute confidence in his own strength.
But if matters could be resolved cleanly in a single move, then he naturally had no interest in complicating things unnecessarily.
More importantly, what he wanted this time was a complete victory.
A victory so overwhelming that it would shake the entire ninja world.
Although he had left Konoha personally, both Sora and Renge had remained behind in the village, continuing to manage the newspaper operation under his instructions.
Following Natsuhiko's two massive victories on the front lines, morale within Konoha continued rising higher and higher.
And with that contrast becoming increasingly obvious, Hiruzen Sarutobi's "retreat before battle" was being exposed more thoroughly than ever.
Especially because he had been willing to sacrifice Konoha's interests—abandoning clans that had made tremendous contributions to the village—in exchange for his so-called peace.
As a result, Hiruzen's prestige inside Konoha was falling lower by the day.
If not for the fact that he was still the Third Hokage and currently serving as acting Hokage, with most people not daring to cross the line openly, Konoha might already have erupted into open condemnation against him.
Even without any large-scale public movement, however, rumors and criticism had already spread everywhere in private.
According to the confidential reports Natsuhiko received from the ANBU, Hiruzen's current situation was truly miserable.
And the most painful part was that there was almost nothing he could do about it.
"I can't say with absolute certainty how effective it'll be," Shikaku replied with a smile, completely unaware of Natsuhiko's thoughts. "But I believe there shouldn't be any problems."
"After all, Commander Natsuhiko has already made an excellent move. Iwagakure has mobilized. Even if they're only stationing troops at the border, the pressure that creates for Kumogakure is enormous."
Shikaku's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A fist is most dangerous not after it's thrown, but while it's clenched and waiting to strike."
"Right now, Iwagakure is exactly that kind of fist."
"And that fist is aimed directly at Kumogakure's vital points. Otherwise, they wouldn't be rushing troops back so urgently."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"And now, they're the ones who'll become anxious."
"I imagine that once our forces 'belatedly realize' they've pushed into an unfavorable position and begin to halt their offensive, Kumogakure will only grow more impatient."
"At that point, they may very well take the initiative to lure us—or even force us—toward that location themselves."
Looking at Shikaku's confident expression, Natsuhiko truly had to admit that the man was exceptional.
Perhaps he could have devised a similar plan himself.
But to account for so many unexpected variables—especially when Shikaku didn't fully understand Natsuhiko's true strength or know exactly what actions he might take—
And then dynamically weave every sudden development into favorable conditions for his larger strategy...
Natsuhiko felt that if it were him, it would likely take far longer to properly arrange everything.
Yet Shikaku continuously adjusted his plans in real time according to changing circumstances.
That level of intelligence and adaptability truly deserved the praise he received in the original story.
After all, the brilliant Nara Shikamaru of the future had been personally raised and taught by this very man.
"Then I'll have to trouble Shikaku-sama even more."
Natsuhiko suddenly stopped walking and patted Shikaku on the shoulder.
"Shikaku-sama is truly one of Konoha's pillars. Honestly, even if your responsibilities were expanded further, it would only be natural."
Shikaku froze briefly before breaking into a smile.
"Then I'll thank the Commander for his kind words."
"But for me, that would be quite a challenge. Perhaps I could recommend a few people to assist you instead."
"That would naturally be even better." Natsuhiko immediately understood what Shikaku meant and smoothly followed along. "As it happens, I already have an excellent candidate in mind."
"Oh?"
"Nara Rokushiro performed tremendously this time. No matter how you look at it, someone like him deserves more challenging responsibilities. What do you think, Shikaku-sama?"
"Nara Rokushiro..."
Hearing that name, Shikaku nodded slightly.
He already had a fairly good relationship with Rokushiro, and this time, Rokushiro's performance had indeed been outstanding.
More importantly, Rokushiro currently belonged to the ANBU, which naturally brought him closer to Natsuhiko as well.
From every perspective, he was an excellent choice.
But very quickly, Shikaku's expression turned serious again.
Now was clearly not the right time to discuss matters like this in detail.
After all, they were still in the middle of a war.
"By the way, Commander Natsuhiko, there's actually something I've wanted to ask for quite some time now," Shikaku said quietly.
"What is it? Just ask directly," Natsuhiko replied with a nod as he looked toward him.
Shikaku's expression became noticeably more serious.
"Even though Kumogakure has withdrawn part of its forces, their overall numbers still exceed ours. And on top of that, they still have the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki overseeing the battlefield."
After hesitating briefly, he finally voiced the question that had been lingering in his heart for days.
"What I truly want to know is... how exactly does Commander Natsuhiko plan to deal with them?"
"After all, when the decisive battle comes, we'll be facing them together."
"Oh, that question."
Natsuhiko showed no surprise whatsoever.
After all, he had never actually explained these matters in detail.
Shikaku had simply been following his instructions step by step, gradually implementing the entire strategic framework. Under those circumstances, it was only natural for him to feel uncertain.
Still, Natsuhiko had no intention of fully revealing his plans yet.
But giving a small hint was fine.
"The details aren't something I can explain right now," Natsuhiko said calmly. "But I can tell you this—"
"When Kumogakure finally gathers their forces and clashes with us head-on…"
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…under no circumstances should Konoha's main force advance too deeply. Understood?"
—
"Dodai, what's the situation on Konoha's side now?"
Inside Kumogakure's camp, the Fourth Raikage sat with one arm still wrapped in bandages, his expression completely serious as he looked toward Dodai.
Although he had not personally interfered much in recent battlefield affairs, he still understood that Kumogakure's situation was far from ideal.
Yes, Kumogakure held favorable terrain and maintained strong defensive positions, but that didn't mean he was unaware of Konoha's relentless bombardment.
Konoha had always been considered a village highly proficient in Fire Release.
Even if not every shinobi naturally possessed a fire affinity, years of combat experience meant most of them had learned at least a few Fire Release techniques and trained with them seriously.
Individually, the power of those techniques might have been mediocre.
But when hundreds—sometimes thousands—of shinobi unleashed Fire Release together, the destructive effect became entirely different.
And on top of that, Konoha had also demonstrated the depth of its reserves this time.
Their shinobi had been equipped with enormous quantities of explosive tags.
As a result, the Cloud shinobi defending the front lines had suffered greatly.
Fortunately, they had still managed to hold the line, which at least gave the Fourth Raikage enough time to recover from his injuries.
At this point, his condition had mostly stabilized.
Although his arm was still in a cast, as a shinobi, he could clearly sense the state of his own body.
He believed he was already capable of handling most situations again.
Even if he faced Natsuhiko once more, he could still fight.
But this time, he had already made up his mind.
He would never again attempt to face Natsuhiko alone.
The next battle would be fought together with his younger brother, Killer B.
The Raikage was genuinely anxious now.
Iwagakure's movements were like a sharp sword hanging over Kumogakure's neck.
Although they had not yet attacked, the pressure they created was immense.
If Kumogakure failed to quickly deal with Konoha, then the future would become impossible to predict.
"Konoha is steadily moving toward the location we anticipated," Dodai answered honestly.
During this entire period, the person under the greatest pressure had actually been him.
Not only did he need to command the battlefield and formulate future strategies, but he also had to restrain the impulsive Killer B, manage the situation involving Iwagakure, and continuously report everything to the Fourth Raikage.
At this point, the busiest person in all of Kumogakure was undoubtedly Dodai.
And the one carrying the heaviest burden was also him.
Yet despite that, he continued enduring it all through sheer willpower.
"As for Iwagakure, we've already sent people to make contact with them."
Dodai's voice remained calm and steady.
"We still don't know whether Konoha promised them some kind of benefit, but maintaining communication may help stabilize the situation."
"And even if we can't stop them completely, the people we send can at least gather more accurate information from Iwagakure directly."
"That way, we can prepare for the worst-case scenario."
"Dodai has already sent people to contact Iwagakure?"
The Fourth Raikage frowned slightly upon hearing that, though after a moment, he finally sighed and nodded in approval.
Deep down, he truly despised the people of Iwagakure.
After all, his father had died because of them.
But after serving several years as Raikage, he also understood that under the current circumstances, Dodai's approach was the best possible solution.
Even if he still couldn't fully let go emotionally, he knew this matter concerned the safety of the entire village.
And because of that, compromise was unavoidable.
"Fine. Then I'll leave it to you, Dodai." The Raikage rubbed his forehead tiredly before asking, "So what do we do now?"
"We wait."
Dodai let out a quiet sigh before speaking in an exceptionally serious tone.
"Although we currently hold the numerical advantage, what we need is a decisive victory that wipes out Konoha's forces in one blow."
"If Konoha and Ōnoki haven't reached any sort of agreement, then with Ōnoki's personality, once we rapidly crush Konoha, he absolutely won't continue advancing."
"And in the worst-case scenario—if Iwagakure and Konoha have reached some kind of deal—then after crushing Konoha quickly, we can immediately establish defenses within the Land of Fire and turn around to deal with Iwagakure's offensive."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"If Konoha suffers heavy enough losses, we can negotiate directly with Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"I believe Hiruzen would never want us to continue pushing the flames of war deeper into Konoha."
Dodai understood the situation exceptionally clearly, and he explained every point in detail for one reason:
To stabilize the Fourth Raikage's emotions.
He knew very well that the Raikage still harbored intense resentment toward Iwagakure.
But under the current circumstances, acting recklessly out of emotion would only make things worse.
"So now we're forced to wait for Konoha to cooperate with us, is that it?" the Fourth Raikage asked with a weary sigh. "We have to see whether they'll follow the path we want... and whether their commanders make a mistake."
"Though I dislike admitting it," Dodai replied helplessly, "that's indeed the current situation."
But as he spoke, his expression suddenly became even more serious.
"Still, I guarantee I'll complete the mission."
"Konoha is no longer in complete control of their own situation either."
"And once things reach that stage…"
A cold glint flashed in his visible eye.
"…even if they realize the danger and try to retreat, I absolutely won't allow them to leave."
Dodai's attitude was resolute, his tone unwavering.
Clearly, he had already formed a complete plan in his mind.
The Fourth Raikage nodded slowly after seeing that confidence.
"So when exactly are you planning to force them—"
Before he could finish speaking, an ANBU suddenly rushed into the room at full speed.
"Lord Raikage! Lord Dodai!"
The ANBU immediately dropped to one knee.
"There's movement on Konoha's side! They seem to be slowing down... possibly preparing to halt their advance!"
The moment those words were spoken, both Dodai and the Raikage's expressions shifted slightly.
Especially Dodai.
A smile instantly appeared on his face.
"Lord Raikage," he said firmly, "the time has come."
—
Within the Land of Hot Water, along a defensive line stretching over fifty kilometers where Konoha and Kumogakure faced each other in stalemate, Konoha's shinobi appeared relatively relaxed as they rested inside their trenches.
But even while resting, every single one of them remained vigilant.
During wartime, letting one's guard down was absolutely forbidden.
Especially now, when they had just received a new order.
The command instructed them to prepare to withdraw back toward their previous defensive lines.
Yet strangely enough, although the order had been issued, no one had been told to execute it immediately.
The captains of each major unit still ordered their men to remain alert and hold their current positions.
Only a small number of shinobi stationed toward the rear had begun moving first.
"Captain, are we not attacking the enemy today?"
Inside one of the trenches, a young Konoha shinobi lay against the dirt wall as he asked curiously.
Their unit belonged to the group ordered by their division commander to remain in place.
He didn't understand why the orders from headquarters seemed to conflict with the orders given by the division commander.
But he understood one thing clearly:
All he needed to do was obey orders.
For frontline shinobi, nothing was more dangerous than confusion in command.
Because of that, strict rules existed regarding whose orders took priority, and those decisions always depended on the actual battlefield situation.
However, this time the situation was different. Before the main force departed, Nara Shikaku himself had come to deliver a formal briefing—on the frontlines, all personnel were to obey the division commander without exception.
With that order in place, they had no choice but to comply obediently. Even if doubts lingered in their hearts, none of them dared voice them.
"What attack? The hell are you talking about—we're retreating from here."
The squad captain let out a laugh and cursed casually upon hearing the question, all while keeping his eyes fixed on the battlefield ahead.
"Besides, war isn't some kind of game. We may have the advantage right now, but don't forget—this was a chance created by Natsuhiko-sama."
"And take a good look out there. Isn't the battlefield already horrifying enough?"
The captain's words made the young shinobi pout slightly before he quietly fell silent.
Beyond the fifty-kilometer defensive line where Konoha and Kumogakure had been clashing, the land had long since turned into scorched earth.
The devastation was so severe that even after ten or twenty years, the terrain might never fully recover.
And beneath that ruined ground, who knew how many Konoha and Cloud shinobi had already been buried there forever?
Konoha certainly held the advantage.
But holding the advantage did not mean there were no casualties.
It only meant Konoha had suffered fewer losses than Kumogakure.
Thinking about that, the young shinobi couldn't help but grow quiet.
The cruelty of war was always beyond imagination.
Especially for those who personally experienced it, the horror etched itself deeply into their souls.
And yet, those who survived war also possessed remarkable resilience.
Even if these memories would remain with them for the rest of their lives, impossible to erase, at least for now they could still maintain their composure.
Moreover, this war was different.
Thanks to the newspapers' constant propaganda and mobilization efforts, they understood exactly what they were fighting for.
A reason for war was incredibly important.
Within the shinobi world, the most commonly used justification had always been hatred.
After all, the era of shinobi villages was still relatively young.
At their core, the villages were still formed from various clans gathered together.
And before the villages had existed, nearly every clan had possessed bitter enemies of their own.
Some of those rival clans later entered the same village, while others joined different ones.
If rival clans ended up in the same village, the Kage could at least mediate the conflicts to some extent.
But when they belonged to different villages, the hatred naturally continued.
And whenever the Kage needed to rally support for the village's interests, that hatred became an extremely useful tool for launching wars.
Once battles between villages dragged on long enough and enough people died, hatred evolved from clan grudges into hatred between entire villages.
Konoha had rarely initiated wars of conquest itself.
And during the Third Great Ninja War, a different concept had vaguely begun appearing among its shinobi:
Protecting one's homeland.
But perhaps hatred simply worked too well when it came to stirring emotions.
Or perhaps the First Hokage's original vision for Konoha had always carried the ideal of ending hatred.
Either way, even now, Konoha still primarily relied on hatred as its method of wartime mobilization.
But Natsuhiko was different.
When he used the newspapers to rally and motivate the village, he never once focused on hatred.
Instead, he emphasized one thing:
Protecting their home.
That previously vague concept—something that had never been openly and clearly promoted before—was brought into the spotlight by Natsuhiko without hesitation.
And the results had been astonishingly effective.
Perhaps it was precisely because Konoha's shinobi now possessed that belief, that conviction, that they had mobilized and marched to war so quickly.
Even when morale had initially been low, they still carried the desperate determination of soldiers fighting to defend everything they loved.
And now, after these victories, that determination had gradually transformed into genuine fighting spirit.
"Hm?"
Just as the young shinobi sank into silence, the captain beside him suddenly changed expression.
Because he had clearly sensed it—
A massive number of chakra signatures were rapidly charging toward their position.
The moment the squad captain noticed it, he immediately realized something was wrong.
Without hesitation, he quickly grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked toward the distant battlefield.
But after only a single glance, his expression darkened and his jaw clenched tightly.
"What's wrong, Captain?"
The young shinobi beside him instantly sensed the change in atmosphere and hurriedly asked.
"Get up. Now."
The captain's voice was extraordinarily heavy.
"We've got trouble."
As he spoke, he lowered the binoculars and pulled out a signal flare.
Taking a deep breath, he yanked the trigger.
In an instant, a brilliant red light shot into the sky.
Only then did he continue speaking.
"Move toward the frontline and stay battle-ready at all times, because…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Kumogakure is attacking!"
—
"Kumogakure has launched an offensive?"
Inside Konoha's command headquarters, Natsuhiko looked toward the grim-faced Shikaku with slight surprise.
"Yes."
Shikaku took a deep breath before nodding seriously.
"They've already begun a full assault."
"Their movements are extremely fast, and several of our units have already been intercepted."
Shikaku did not elaborate further, but Natsuhiko understood immediately.
The situation for the forces attacked by Kumogakure was probably far from optimistic.
After all, the Cloud shinobi had been suppressing their frustration for a very long time.
They had been pinned to a defensive line for over half a month, unable to advance at all while enduring relentless bombardment from Konoha.
Anyone in that situation would naturally accumulate rage.
And once they finally gained the opportunity to counterattack, they would never show mercy.
Thinking of that, Natsuhiko frowned slightly.
He had never denied that deep down, he was a cold and ruthless person.
But no matter what, he was still human.
Even if there was an old saying about how "ten thousand bones pave the road to a general's fame," seeing the real cost of war firsthand still left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
After a moment of silence, he finally asked,
"What are the casualties?"
"Roughly four to five hundred people have been surrounded for various reasons," Shikaku replied while shaking his head. "As for those captured alive… the number may be even higher."
"We've only completed a preliminary count of the bodies we've recovered so far."
"I understand."
Natsuhiko nodded slowly, his expression turning serious.
"Then has Kumogakure already reached the designated area?"
"Not yet. Based on our estimates, they'll need another two days."
Shikaku lowered his head slightly as he organized his thoughts before continuing.
"They're using a three-pronged encirclement strategy, cutting off our retreat routes while forcing us toward the plains."
"But their manpower is limited, so they can't completely seal off every direction."
"Our main force is still relatively safe for now. However, relocating such a large army takes time."
"And just as our troops need time to regroup, Kumogakure also needs time to consolidate their own forces."
"So two days should be the minimum."
He paused briefly before adding,
"And if nothing unexpected happens, Kumogakure will likely launch their decisive offensive against us two days from now."
After hearing Shikaku's explanation, Natsuhiko quietly nodded.
The movement of a large army always required time.
But overall, his strategic deployment had essentially reached completion.
For the first time, Natsuhiko truly realized just how enormous the cost of executing a large-scale military strategy could be.
Back when he served in the ANBU, casualty numbers had always been little more than figures written on paper.
But now, standing personally on the battlefield—and even serving as one of the commanders of an entire army—
No matter how detached he tried to remain, he could still feel the immense pressure pressing down on him.
Still…
Since Kumogakure had already taken the bait, the next step was his turn.
At that thought, a dangerous glint suddenly flashed through Natsuhiko's eyes.
This time, he would absolutely make Kumogakure pay the price.
—
Time passed quickly.
The moment Kumogakure realized Konoha had begun shifting its battle lines, the Cloud shinobi surged out from their trenches without hesitation.
All the resentment they had suppressed for more than half a month erupted at once against Konoha.
And they executed their objectives remarkably well.
They successfully intercepted Konoha's retreating forces while steadily forcing the main Konoha army closer and closer toward the plains region.
But because their own forces were also limited, they couldn't continue the attack. Instead, they began reorganizing and gathering their forces for the next stage of battle.
They were all waiting for the final order.
On a battlefield like this vast plain, Konoha would have no way to withstand Kumogakure's full-speed charge.
Every Cloud shinobi firmly believed the same thing—
This battle would bring devastating destruction to Konoha.
—
"Lord Raikage, the situation is finally turning completely in our favor."
Inside Kumogakure's command headquarters, Dodai—who had remained under immense pressure for more than half a month—finally seemed to relax slightly.
For the first time in days, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Konoha made a mistake," he said calmly. "Or perhaps they simply became too impatient."
"They've now been completely forced onto the plains by us."
His eyes gleamed sharply.
"I believe that once our forces finish regrouping and resting, we'll be able to launch the final offensive against Konoha."
"Excellent. Well done, Dodai!"
The Fourth Raikage laughed as well, though the smile on his face faded quickly afterward.
"What's Konoha doing now? Are they attempting another organized retreat?"
"And what about that damned old man Ōnoki? Has Iwagakure made any new movements?"
Although Konoha had been cornered onto the plains, they still needed to be wary of Konoha scattering and fleeing in all directions.
Still, the Raikage wasn't overly concerned about that possibility.
After all, Konoha could only retreat deeper into the Land of Fire.
In wars between the great shinobi villages, there was one unspoken bottom line:
The battlefield was never allowed to fully spread into one's homeland.
The Raikage believed Konoha wouldn't dare retreat carelessly.
Because the moment they did, Kumogakure would be able to charge directly into the Land of Fire, rapidly dispersing their forces throughout Konoha's territory.
Konoha had no choice.
They could only gather here.
And they could only fight the decisive battle here.
The real headache was still Iwagakure's attitude.
Who could have imagined that Iwagakure—a village facing no direct war pressure at all—would become the key factor capable of influencing the entire war?
"Konoha won't retreat anymore," Dodai replied with certainty. "They don't dare."
"As for Iwagakure, we still haven't received any concrete response. Our people haven't even managed to meet Ōnoki himself."
Dodai also felt somewhat helpless.
After completing the strategic objective, he had shifted most of his attention toward monitoring Iwagakure.
But up until now, Iwagakure had given them absolutely nothing in return.
That left him frustrated, but there was little he could do.
At the end of the day, the only true solution was still victory on the main battlefield.
"I see. Then keep monitoring them."
The Fourth Raikage slowly stood up, his gaze cold and imposing.
"Pass down the order."
"Tomorrow morning, we attack."
"Yes, Lord Raikage!"
Dodai answered loudly, excitement burning within his eyes.
This time…
It would undoubtedly be Konoha's end.
—
"Father… Tsuchikage-sama, there's really nothing left worth watching here, is there?"
Inside a concealed cave overlooking the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure, Kitsuchi spoke helplessly.
"Kumogakure's envoys have already stayed in the village for quite a while now, and Konoha has been completely trapped on this plain."
"Once Kumogakure launches their attack, with their fighting style and abilities…"
He hesitated briefly before finishing quietly,
"…this will probably become Konoha's doomsday."
"Quiet."
Ōnoki glanced at his son before shaking his head helplessly.
Why was his son thinking exactly like those simple-minded fools from Kumogakure?
Couldn't he see that Konoha was clearly acting?
After observing the battlefield for so long, Ōnoki, as an outsider, had already noticed numerous suspicious inconsistencies in Konoha's behavior.
And it was precisely those inconsistencies that had gradually led Konoha into its current situation.
After all, prior to this, Konoha's overall position had actually been fairly favorable.
Ōnoki was convinced that Konoha had done all of this deliberately.
As for why they were doing it, he didn't know.
But he was certain that Konoha had some hidden objective behind these actions.
Taking a slow breath, Ōnoki stared into the distance.
He could already feel the approach of the final decisive battle.
And in one regard, he actually agreed with his son's choice of words.
Doomsday.
A faint, meaningful smile appeared on the Tsuchikage's face.
"The only question is…"
"…whose doomsday it will be."
...
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