"Hmph. With that mess of less than a thousand small fry we have on the border? Are you worried that Orochimaru and the Sannin aren't famous enough already?"
The suggestion was immediately met with cold, ruthless mockery.
"We haven't initiated a full mobilization yet," Onoki added before the burly man could roar back a retort. His voice was calm, explaining the situation while effectively silencing his subordinate before the man could utter any more brainless nonsense that would embarrass them both. After all, the man was one of his die-hard confidants; if he looked like a fool, Onoki's own reputation would suffer.
"We can't start a full-scale war, but we can't just sit here and watch either. Are we really going to just let Ame and Konoha sign that treaty without a fight?"
Perhaps he was too frustrated to notice Onoki's silencing gesture, or perhaps he simply chose to ignore it. The burly man continued to grumble in a low, muffled voice, his face a mask of gloom.
"..."
Onoki's face darkened, while several others in the room struggled to suppress their smirks.
"Just sitting here definitely won't stop the Land of Rain and Konoha from making amends," a voice rang out from the back of the room.
While the others were either annoyed or stifling laughter, a lean young man sitting at the far end spoke up. He wore a flashy red-and-white robe, his hair tied back in a long ponytail. His features were delicate—almost feminine—giving him an androgynous appearance. His eyes sparkled with sudden inspiration.
"But if we create a few 'complications' for them, we might actually be able to make them tear each other apart."
"Fumikawa, what are you thinking?"
Finally hearing something of substance, Onoki's spirit rallied. He stood up, floating into the air to look the young man in the eye.
"I received word from our spies in Amegakure," Fumikawa said softly, his voice calm as he relayed the intel. "The fall of the Suna camp wasn't as straightforward as Konoha made it out to be. There's more to the story."
As a member of the Anbu primarily responsible for intelligence, Fumikawa chose his words carefully.
"Indeed. Konoha shouldn't have had the strength to crush the Suna main camp in a frontal assault," Onoki agreed immediately. "Even with a surprise attack, if the Suna Jonin had all been present, Konoha would have achieved a pyrrhic victory at best."
"While it's not yet confirmed if Senju Nawaki is still in the Land of Rain, he is likely our only leverage," Fumikawa said, standing up and bowing. "If we succeed in taking him out, even if Konoha and Ame eventually trace it back to us, they'll have spent a significant amount of time investigating. That should buy us enough time to mobilize our forces and prepare our supplies."
"Excellent!"
Onoki's mood brightened instantly. When it came to a contest of raw military might, he never feared anyone. What he and Iwa lacked right now was simply time.
"Fumikawa, I'm putting this mission in your hands. You have your pick of any Anbu elites you require. Furthermore, order all sleeper agents in the Land of Rain to drop everything and search for the target, Senju Nawaki. Even if we lose every single spy in that country, it will be worth it."
"Understood!"
Fumikawa's usually stoic face flushed with a look of intense joy. He knew that if he could execute this mission perfectly, the position of Anbu Commander would be his for the taking.
"Ichime, head to the Earth Capital immediately. Present the mobilization request to the Daimyo and ask for full logistical support." Onoki turned his gaze toward the afro-wearing shinobi.
"Yes, my Lord!"
Ichime, who had seemed dissatisfied with Onoki earlier, didn't hesitate for a second. This was why Onoki continued to tolerate their occasional rowdiness; no matter how much they grumbled, when it came to matters concerning the village's survival, they executed the Tsuchikage's orders without fail.
"Kitsuchi, initiate war mobilization within the village! Cancel all leaves and have every shinobi ready to deploy at a moment's notice!"
Finally, Onoki turned to his son, Kitsuchi, who shared his prominent nose. It was clear from the order that Onoki was grooming him; war mobilization was a vital task that allowed a shinobi to master the village's hierarchy and build connections—a job that wouldn't normally fall to a newly promoted Jonin.
"Yes, Father."
The young Kitsuchi didn't yet grasp the weight of Onoki's intentions. He had only one thought: Finally, a chance to prove my worth!
The Konoha delegation was moving at a breakneck pace. Under Nara Shikashin's constant urging, they reached the border of the Land of Rain just one day after departing.
One couldn't blame Shikashin for the rush. He understood the strategic importance of Amegakure, and he knew they were likely only negotiating because Hanzo had been spooked by Orochimaru. Time was of the essence; they had to sign the treaty and create a fait accompli before Iwa could react or Hanzo could have second thoughts.
It was better to serve a rushed meal than to let the ingredients spoil and go to the chickens.
Fortunately, since this was a treaty with a smaller nation like the Land of Rain, Konoha had the authority to handle it directly. If they had to wait for the Fire Daimyo to send his own delegation, the opportunity would have long since passed.
Despite his urgency, Shikashin called for a halt as dusk approached. Knowing they were about to step into the "muddy swamp" that was the Land of Rain, he ordered the team to rest for the night and move out at dawn.
"Minato, can't we just wait until we reach the main camp and link up with Shikaku before we go for the wounded?"
Taking advantage of the break, Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi looked at Minato with a hint of regret. The two had joined the mission to carry out the secret task assigned by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself.
In their minds, the ideal plan was to stay with the delegation until they reached the main camp, pick up the final member of their "Ino-Shika-Cho" trio, Nara Shikaku, and then head out to retrieve the wounded.
However, Minato had decided to split off the moment they entered the Land of Rain. He planned to head north according to the map, straight to Jiraiya's location, to bring the wounded home.
"Please... forgive my selfishness as a brother," Minato said. His voice held a note of apology, but his eyes were like flint.
Until he saw Hatani with his own eyes, no amount of assurance from the Hokage could truly settle his heart.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait until we're back in the village to grill Shikaku for the story of Lord Orochimaru's raid on the Suna camp," Choza and Inoichi sighed, relenting. They knew the depth of the bond between the two brothers.
"Heh, look on the bright side," the ever-optimistic Choza added. "This way, when we finally see Shikaku, we can be the ones to tell him the story of Nawaki and Hatani's great escape!"
With Choza's effort, the tension vanished, and the three of them returned to their usual harmonious banter.
They were so focused on each other that they didn't notice a figure perched high in a nearby tree. Even with the sun setting, the man still wore his dark sunglasses, his gaze flickering toward them every few seconds.
_______
+75 chapters on: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls