Inside the room.
"Shirou, Lady Tsunade's intelligence reports indicate that the Sand and Rain ninja have secretly ford an alliance. The current situation isn't looking good. In fact, according to the intel, there are even more ninja squads infiltrating our war zones…"
Though Shirou's expression grew somber upon hearing this information, he was not overly shocked. Instead, he replied in a steady tone:
"Have our forces increase patrols around the outskirts of the town. Patrols inside the town are also necessary. If we're short on manpower, I'll request reinforcents from above. The town needs to be secured."
"Yes."
Looking at the worried expressions of Mikoto and Kushina, Shirou's face showed determination as he said, "Don't worry. The war will end eventually. When it's over, we'll go ho together."
This one sentence seed to ease the tension caused by the war. Uzumaki Kushina couldn't help but pout.
"Sister Mikoto probably fell for you because of lines like that, huh?"
Her comnt made Uchiha Mikoto smile, while Shirou was left speechless.
However, the mischievous Mikoto leaned close to Kushina and whispered teasingly into her ear, "Actually, I was the one who tricked Shirou. Kushina, would you like to join in too?"
This left Uzumaki Kushina blushing bright red. Looking at the overly affectionate couple, she gritted her teeth in frustration. "So annoying!"
anwhile, Shirou just shook his head with a smile and turned to pick up the scroll, ready to leave. The information was genuine, but part of it was also a deliberate move coordinated between him and Tsunade.
...
Konoha Forward Command Post.
Tsunade stared intently at the map, her brows furrowed deeply.
"Shirou ntioned earlier that sothing felt off, that there might be a conspiracy brewing."
As she thought about it, Tsunade couldn't help but let out a cold snort, suppressing a surge of irritation. She suspected that Shirou was hiding sothing from her yet again.
"Stupid brat! Can't stop being stubborn, huh? Acts all obedient in front of , confessing his mistakes the mont I call him out, like a little puppy playing innocent."
But behind her back?
"Sure, I'll admit I was wrong, but I'll still do things my way."
What annoyed her the most was how Shirou often concealed things from her and bore the burden alone. Just thinking about it made Tsunade snicker coldly.
"This ti, I've stationed both Uchiha Mikoto and Kushina by your side. Now you finally know how to ask for reinforcents, huh?"
In Tsunade's mind, if it weren't for Mikoto and Kushina being around, Shirou probably wouldn't have shared anything with her, even if he discovered sothing major.
A conspiracy!
The first thing Tsunade thought of was sothing within the village. After all, even Nawaki would have t his end during warti. What value was a single Uchiha compared to that?
"Tsunade, the Sand ninjas are currently being held off by White Fang and his troops, but the Rain ninjas are slippery and refuse to show themselves. The old man wants us to find a way to end this war quickly, but how are we supposed to fight like this?!"
Jiraiya's loud, casual voice broke the silence, causing Tsunade to snort in irritation. She subtly masked her earlier decision to deploy small units.
"The old geezers in the village don't understand anything. They just bark orders without seeing how young ninjas on the frontlines are suffering!"
Tsunade didn't hold back in her criticism, not even referring to the Hokage respectfully. Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly, clearly at a loss.
"Heh heh…"
At that mont, Orochimaru's signature raspy chuckle echoed as he removed his hat, letting the rain drip down. With a sinister smile, he said:
"If you want to force the Agakure's main forces to co out, it's simple. Gather our ninja troops and directly attack the Agakure. As long as we don't count the casualties, their leader will be forced to take action sooner or later."
"Orochimaru! That's far too reckless!"
Jiraiya imdiately glared at him, opposing such a high-risk plan that would sacrifice their ninja. Tsunade, anwhile, pressed a hand to her temple, exasperated, before snapping:
"Enough! Stop arguing. If it cos down to a war of attrition, what are the Sand and Rain ninjas? Even if the Stone Ninja joins them, Konoha won't falter. The real concern is that the longer the battle in the Land of Rain drags on, the more it risks drawing in the Cloud and Mist ninja."
As she said this, Tsunade looked up with a serious expression, fixing Jiraiya and Orochimaru with her gaze as she continued in a grave tone:
"If the four great ninja villages all get involved, it will mirror the events of the First Shinobi World War. Without a doubt, they'll unite to launch a combined assault on the Land of Fire!"
Jiraiya and Orochimaru didn't feel as deeply about the First Shinobi World War, but Tsunade's eyes carried a shadow of sorrow. Her mories lingered on the past, particularly the mont when the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, fell in battle, escalating the war to its peak.
Back then, the Senju Clan, driven by fury and a desire to protect Konoha, threw themselves onto the battlefield to avenge Tobirama. However, the aftermath left the once-mighty Senju Clan in ruins.
The First Shinobi World War had left its mark on the major villages, but it had utterly decimated the Senju, reducing them to a shadow of their forr glory.
"Hanzo of the Salamander is extrely cunning. This is information gathered by both the Senju and Uchiha. Review it and prepare for combat. At the sa ti, I propose forming a specialized squad of elite jonin and special jonin."
Tsunade's decisive tone silenced further debate. She continued:
"We'll begin by clearing out all minor spies and threats within our territory. If no opening arises after that, then we'll proceed with Orochimaru's plan."
Jiraiya opened his mouth to argue, but Tsunade's sharp glare shut him up. Her next words left no room for discussion:
"Jiraiya! This is war. War cos with casualties. If Konoha gets bogged down in this conflict, we'll face not just the Sand and Rain ninja, but all the great nations!"
Her words left Jiraiya silent, while Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smirk.
"Heh heh, Tsunade, it seems that Uchiha Shirou taught you quite the lesson last ti. You've matured a lot."
"Shut up!"
Even though Tsunade knew Orochimaru's comnt was a form of concern, reminding her that war inherently involves risks and sacrifices, it still rubbed her the wrong way. Her pride wouldn't let her admit it openly.
The mory of the incident in the Land of Grass lingered in her mind. Uchiha Shirou had taught her an important lesson about being a warti commander—learning to make tough decisions and bear the weight of sacrifice.
Taking a deep breath, Tsunade tossed a scroll to Jiraiya and Orochimaru. It contained intelligence on Hanzo of the Salamander, which had been provided by none other than Uchiha Shirou she had been frustrated.
"This intel is too sparse…"
Jiraiya muttered under his breath as he examined the scroll. Despite his complaints, his expression turned solemn. Orochimaru, anwhile, chuckled darkly.
"Skilled in Water Body Flicker and Explosive Fla Array. Defeated the Iron Country's general, Mifune. His chain-sickle strikes are unparalleled. His summon, a salamander, can burrow and release poison gas… And his body contains an implanted venom sac…"
Even this summary painted a clear picture of Hanzo's strength. Orochimaru's snake-like eyes glead with caution as he whispered:
"This is far more detailed than what we previously knew. Especially the Water Body Flicker and Explosive Fla Array. If we face him in the future, we'll need to be fully prepared."
Hanzo's reputation as a legendary ninja was well-deserved. He was a master of poison, summoning techniques, and swordsmanship, and his victory over Mifune cented his status as a six-dinsional combatant with no apparent weaknesses.
After reading the report, Orochimaru's expression grew more serious. His raspy voice carried a rare note of respect:
"The more we know about his techniques, the better our chances of victory."
Ninja warfare was a ga of intelligence. In the original tiline, Hanzo's Explosive Fla Array caught the Sannin off guard, even burning Jiraiya in battle. Combined with his Water Body Flicker, Hanzo was a formidable foe who was nearly impossible to pin down.
Tsunade's mind worked tirelessly as she reviewed the intel. Since the war began, Hanzo had kept a low profile, only engaging briefly with Konoha's White Fang. The only other person known to have fought him was Sand Village's Elder Chiyo. Could Shirou have obtained this information from the Sand Ninja? Or was there sothing else he hadn't disclosed?
These thoughts made Tsunade frown deeply. anwhile, Orochimaru rolled up the scroll and swallowed it whole, much to Jiraiya's disgust.
"Hey, Orochimaru, could you not do that?"
Orochimaru shot Jiraiya a condescending look before turning to Tsunade. His voice was calm but firm:
"I agree with your decision, Tsunade. First, assemble an elite squad of jonin to eliminate all internal threats within our territory."
Tsunade nodded gravely. "I propose putting Uchiha Fugaku in charge. Let the Uchiha, Senju, Hyuga, and Abura clans collaborate for this operation."
Her decision was clear—she was allowing the larger clans to shine. Jiraiya didn't object, recognizing the inherent advantage of Kekkei Genkai and secret technique users in battle.
"At the sa ti, Jiraiya, you'll be responsible for gathering intel on the frontlines. If we can't break through the Rain Ninja, focus on the Sand Ninja. Especially Hanzo's poisons. Even a small sample could drastically improve our odds."
Jiraiya nodded solemnly, storing the scroll as he replied:
"Understood. In the last decade, the only person who's fought Hanzo is Sand Village's Elder Chiyo. The Land of Rain's terrain suits the toads well, so I'll do my best to gather intel."
Jiraiya's mastery of toad-based techniques gave him a unique edge in the Land of Rain's environnt, making him the ideal candidate for this task.
...
Konoha.
"Third Hokage, this is intelligence from the Agakure. It seems Hanzō of the Salamander is interested in negotiating a ceasefire with Konoha."
Inside the Hokage's office, Koharu Utatane's expression eased slightly as she read the report. Beside her, Homura Mitokado, who had been tense for many days, also let out a rare sigh of relief and nodded in agreent.
"Konoha has no desire to be dragged deeper into the quagmire of war, and it seems the leader of the Agakure shares the sa sentint."
However, in contrast to Koharu and Homura's optimistic outlook, Danzo Shimura coldly interjected, his tone grim:
"No! Hanzō of the Salamander is a deeply suspicious man, accustod to operating in the shadows. Even in his village, he remains highly cautious, guarded 24/7 by rotating escorts. We cannot afford to underestimate him in the slightest!"
"A man like him would never agree to a ceasefire so easily. Even if Konoha agrees due to other considerations, what about the other ninja villages?"
Danzo's face twisted into cold anger as he spoke, clearly understanding the nature of such a deceitful and cunning individual better than anyone else.
"Moreover, as for the terms outlined in this intelligence, Hanzō of the Salamander is playing his hand well. If Konoha agrees to a ceasefire, what happens when the flas of war reach the Land of Fire?"
"And let's not forget the Sunagakure. He first allied with the Sand, and now he's turning on them to seek an alliance with us. Can he be trusted?"
Danzo's highly cautious and suspicious attitude caused the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to adopt a more serious expression, nodding in agreent.
"Danzo's concerns are not unwarranted. Let us not forget that the Second Shinobi War was ignited by the Land of Rain. Furthermore, Hanzō of the Salamander is far too ambitious—he even dreams of elevating the Agakure to beco the sixth great ninja village."
"Such a man's ambition is far from simple."
At that mont, the icy tension in Danzo's deanor slightly softened. When Hiruzen acknowledged his concerns, a warm feeling stirred within him. Among the Second Hokage's students, the bond between these two was undoubtedly the strongest—they understood each other deeply.
"It's clear that the Agakure intends to use Konoha against the Sunakagure. At the sa ti, they also want to intimidate us, forcing us to withdraw from the Land of Rain. Only by doing so can they swiftly end the war in a way that serves their interests."
Hanzō of the Salamander, in seeking to end the war, naturally wants to expel the great nations' ninjas from his land. Deceit and betrayal are to be expected.
Koharu and Homura exchanged glances after witnessing the seamless coordination between Hiruzen and Danzo, their expressions softening into nostalgic smiles.
Wasn't this how they had once joined forces to defeat one foe after another in the past?
"Hanzō's information on the Sunagakure might be accurate, but it's undoubtedly incomplete. anwhile, White Fang has sent us another report. I think we could agree to the Agakure's terms on the surface, while secretly implenting White Fang's plan."
Hiruzen, now exuding confidence, slowly retrieved a report sent by White Fang and handed it to the three gathered before him.
"Danzo, we may need your Root to assist with this operation. This mission could be pivotal in bringing the war in the Land of Rain to an early end."
After reading White Fang's report, the three advisors were visibly shaken. Hiruzen, however, maintained a serious expression as he turned to face Danzo.
Danzo snorted coldly, "White Fang is truly a bold ninja to have co up with such a plan."
Though he spoke in this manner, it was clear that Danzo approved of the risky operation.
Seeing Danzo's cooperation, Hiruzen's expression grew even more solemn as he spoke in a low tone:
"This operation is undoubtedly a gamble. If the plan fails, Konoha can bear the repercussions. What we cannot afford is for the village to remain mired in the war. If the other three great nations intervene, this conflict will beco even harder to endure."
"Root will collaborate with White Fang. At the sa ti, we will activate all spies and informants embedded within the Sunagakure. The ANBU will work with Root to ensure the success of this mission. If White Fang's plan succeeds, the war in the Land of Rain will end swiftly."
The four elders of Konoha displayed resolute expressions inside the Hokage's office.
White Fang planned to lead an elite force in a daring raid on the Land of Wind. This move was incredibly risky but also promised significant results.
As for what would happen if White Fang beca trapped deep within the Land of Wind?
Neither Hiruzen, Danzo, Homura, nor Koharu gave it much thought. For a ninja, completing the mission is the ultimate goal. Everything they did was for the sake of the village.
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