Frontline of the Land of Frost.
A tense atmosphere shrouded the entire Konoha camp.
The Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki had arrived at the front line with three thousand elite troops and had joined forces with Yugito's unit.
All the Konoha ninja hoped that reinforcements from the Land of Fire would arrive as soon as possible.
Although they had won the first battle, the situation on the battlefield had already reversed after the Raikage personally led his forces here.
At present, whether in high-end combat power or overall strength, Kumogakure surpassed Konoha.
The Raikage personally led three thousand elites, while Yugito still had over a thousand remaining troops.
Combined, Kumogakure's current forces exceeded four thousand.
On the other hand, although Uchiha Yusuke had won a victory, Konoha had still suffered several hundred casualties.
At full strength, Konoha now had fewer than two thousand five hundred ninja, with combat power only about half of Kumogakure's.
Central command tent.
Konoha Allied Forces Headquarters.
Uchiha Yusuke summoned elite ninja from all factions for a meeting.
"Lord Yusuke, has the Third Hokage replied yet?"
"When will the village's reinforcements arrive?"
With no reinforcements in sight, anxiety had begun to surface among many.
With the Fourth Raikage's forces watching like tigers eyeing their prey, any further delay could plunge them into extreme danger.
Uchiha Yusuke, however, remained calm.
He had already prepared himself for the worst. Even if the Third Hokage refused to send reinforcements, he would still find a way to win this war.
Risk and opportunity always went hand in hand.
If he could turn defeat into victory, the rewards would naturally double.
To defeat Kumogakure while outmatched—
Uchiha Yusuke might become Konoha's next "Yellow Flash."
Back then, Namikaze Minato had gained enormous prestige by single-handedly crushing Iwagakure.
His young ascension to Hokage had everything to do with his brilliant battle achievements.
The future "prince," Uzumaki Naruto, was the same.
In the Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto's contributions were decisive.
In the middle of the meeting, a member of the communications unit suddenly rushed in.
"Lord Yusuke, this is the village's latest reply. Please read it."
Yusuke took the letter, glanced over it briefly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a faint, playful smile.
"Lord Yusuke, what did the Hokage say?"
"Are reinforcements coming soon?"
Hearing that the letter was from Konoha, many ninja immediately showed hopeful expressions.
Yusuke didn't answer. Instead, he casually tossed the letter to Nara Shikaku beside him.
"Military advisor, please read the Hokage's reply to everyone."
Shikaku took the letter, glanced at it, and his expression changed drastically.
He wanted to throw away this hot potato immediately, but with Yusuke's order, he had no choice but to comply.
Clearing his throat, Shikaku read with difficulty:
"The Fourth Raikage's personal advance and the frontline crisis are known to me. However, Sunagakure and Iwagakure have also shown signs of mass troop movements toward Konoha's borders. After careful deliberation by the high council, troops must first be deployed to deter neighboring nations. You are instructed to hold the line against Kumogakure for several days and await reinforcement…"
It was only a short passage, yet Shikaku broke out in a cold sweat while reading it.
Announcing such an order during a war council was pure torture.
Konoha's leadership was going too far.
The frontline was soaked in blood, yet the rear was cutting off its own support.
Was this something a human being would do?
If this continued, even the highly respected Third Hokage would inevitably lose the people's trust.
After Shikaku finished reading, many faces in the tent immediately darkened.
They had been waiting desperately for reinforcements.
And now Konoha was telling them there would be none?
Who could possibly accept that?
Chōza Akimichi was the first to stand up.
"Under these circumstances, the Third Hokage still refuses to send reinforcements—what is he thinking?"
Even the usually stern Inoichi Yamanaka showed visible anger.
"The Third Hokage's decision is indeed inappropriate."
Although Hiashi Hyuga and Uchiha Shisui did not speak, the displeasure on their faces was unmistakable.
As a descendant of Uchiha Kagami, Shisui had always trusted the Third Hokage.
He had not expected him to act this way.
With Konoha refusing to send aid, the allied forces were in dire straits.
At this moment, Nara Shikaku finally found his chance to speak.
"Yusuke, since the village won't support us, we should consider fighting while retreating."
"When the Hokage's reinforcements arrive, we can counterattack…"
Before Shikaku finished, Hiashi Hyuga immediately stood up.
"I agree with Shikaku. The situation at the front is still unclear—how could Iwagakure, Kirigakure, or Sunagakure possibly attack Konoha now?"
"The Third Hokage has gone too far this time!"
After Hiashi spoke, several other core figures expressed similar views.
Everyone was deeply disappointed by Konoha's refusal to send reinforcements.
Shikaku's proposal was subtle, but Yusuke understood it immediately.
If the allied forces fought while retreating, they would eventually fall back into the Land of Fire.
Once the flames of war spread to the homeland, the daimyō would inevitably pressure the Hokage.
At that point, the Third Hokage would be forced to send troops.
It was a highly feasible strategy.
However—
Uchiha Yusuke had no intention of retreating.
He took a deep breath and looked down at everyone as he spoke:
"The village leadership's decision has its own reasoning."
"Since the Hokage has ordered us to hold, we will not retreat."
Shikaku looked at him in surprise.
Since when did Uchiha Yusuke become so agreeable?
Defending the high council now?
Something felt very wrong.
Shisui's eyes lit up.
A nameless hero who protects the village from the shadows—
Could it be that Yusuke was the true inheritor of the Will of Fire?
Yusuke smiled calmly and said with pride:
"Protecting Konoha is our duty. Even if we are outnumbered, we will fight to the end!"
"Two tailed beasts are nothing more than playthings in the hands of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara."
"Though I, Uchiha Yusuke, am unworthy, I will not disgrace our predecessors!"
Seeing Yusuke act so unlike his usual self, Hiashi Hyuga was about to persuade him again—
But the sharp-minded Nara Shikaku stopped him with a glance.
Shikaku had already sensed Yusuke's true intention.
He knew Yusuke was gambling on victory.
And someone as cautious as Uchiha Yusuke would never do this without absolute confidence.
Earlier, Shikaku had already decided to draw closer to Yusuke.
And now—
This moment was the perfect opportunity.
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