The tactical retreat of the Lands of Wind and Earth had temporarily eased the intensity of the war, granting Konohagakure a brief moment to catch its breath.
At the same time, due to the underhanded ambush by Hanzo of the Salamander, both Sunagakure and Iwagakure had suffered significant losses.
Konohagakure, Hokage Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat comfortably at the head of the conference table, leisurely puffing on his pipe. His half-closed eyes scanned the faces of the village's higher-ups.
Who was it again that stopped me from collaborating with that guy, Rinjin?
And who said that giving Rinjin 100 million ryō was like throwing dumplings to a dog?
Did that 100 million ryō pay off?
For the attackers, the Lands of Wind and Earth, it might not have been worth it. But for Konohagakure, it was worth every ryō!
First, Konoha had suffered minimal losses, with the expenses limited to logistical supplies at most.
Second, the deal had bought them a significant amount of time—delaying Konoha's direct involvement in the battlefield by a full two weeks.
Do not underestimate those two weeks. It meant that when the major battles began, Konoha's shinobi would be in nearly the same condition as they were at the start of the war.
And what about Sunagakure and Iwagakure's shinobi?
They had already endured two weeks of warfare, depleting their stamina and resources.
For those who had never experienced war, even a single week of combat readiness could be exhausting, both physically and mentally.
Mental exhaustion, in particular, was invisible yet profoundly impactful on combat performance.
And for shinobi, chakra extraction consumed mental energy.
This meant that in the upcoming battles, Konoha would hold a significant advantage.
A hundred million ryō for a strategic delay in the war—was it worth it?
Absolutely!
In war, it's the details that often determine the final outcome.
Pondering the next phase of the strategy, Hiruzen spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Reorganize our battle formations. Deploy more squads to disrupt the assembly of Sunagakure and Iwagakure forces.
Maintain a high-pressure stance, drag the enemy into a war of attrition, and turn our advantage into victory!"
His commanding tone echoed through the conference room, and the gathered officials nodded in agreement.
In the farthest corner of the room, Danzo Shimura concealed his hands within his sleeves, his narrowed eyes gleaming with a cold light.
The time has come!
Finally, the moment I've been waiting for has arrived!
Deploying more squads meant that Kagami would leave the main force, presenting him with the perfect opportunity!
With these thoughts, Danzo nodded approvingly, fully supporting Hiruzen's orders.
In the Forest on Konoha's Western Border
A four-man squad darted swiftly through the dense woods, their movements fluid and synchronized.
Leading the group was a man wearing a Konoha forehead protector and a dark green jōnin vest, with the Uzumaki clan emblem embroidered on his shoulder.
Behind him, three other shinobi in similar vests followed closely in a triangular formation.
This was the reconnaissance team led by Kagami Uchiha.
Their mission was to scout for signs of Sunagakure forces and, if possible, disrupt their supply lines.
Six other reconnaissance teams were assigned similar tasks.
As they leapt from branch to branch, Kagami's sharp eyes scanned every potential hiding spot in their surroundings.
Soon, he landed on a sturdy tree trunk and raised his right hand, signaling the team to halt.
"Stop! We're just a few kilometers from the border. Let's take a break to replenish our supplies and conserve energy!"
It was midday, the perfect time for a meal. After traveling for so long, it was unwise to face upcoming battles in a fatigued state.
At Kagami's command, the three other shinobi silently nodded, quickly descending from the trees and pulling out rations to eat.
Meanwhile, Kagami remained on guard, his Sharingan spinning slowly as he scrutinized the area.
Although the Sharingan's range of detection was far inferior to the Byakugan, it was better than nothing.
One Kilometer North
Unbeknownst to Kagami's squad, another group was stealthily approaching.
At the forefront was a man dressed as an Iwagakure shinobi, wearing a single-sleeved red tunic under a deep brown vest.
However, what was peculiar about him was his eyes—they were the Byakugan, a trait unique to Konoha's Hyūga clan.
Behind him were seven or eight similarly dressed shinobi, their expressions cold and uniform, as if they had been carved from the same mold.
"The target is one kilometer south, resting in place. Approach slowly!"
The Byakugan-wielding man issued his orders in a low voice, leading his team toward Kagami's position.
The Ambush
Back in Kagami's squad, the three chūnin had finished replenishing their energy and leapt back onto the branches, exchanging glances with one another.
Seeing this, Kagami nodded silently and retrieved a soldier pill from his pouch, popping it into his mouth.
After resting for a while, just as Kagami was about to signal the team to move out, a kunai suddenly shot out from the shadows.
"Enemy attack!"
Kagami, whose senses had been on high alert, immediately noticed the kunai. Without hesitation, he threw a shuriken, intercepting the projectile mid-air.
Clink! The kunai was deflected, veering off course.
The next moment, seven or eight shinobi dressed as Iwagakure ninja emerged from all directions, surrounding Kagami's squad.
Kagami's brow furrowed deeply as his Sharingan spun faster, scanning the attackers.
This was too sudden!
How could they encounter Iwagakure shinobi after just a brief rest? And they were still within the borders of the Land of Fire!
Even more suspicious was how these Iwagakure shinobi had pinpointed their location and managed to surround them without a sound.
As he pondered, the Iwagakure shinobi launched their attack without warning, hurling a barrage of kunai at Kagami's squad.
Without time to think, Kagami quickly formed hand seals to block the incoming projectiles.
But then, a sudden wave of weakness surged through his body.
Something was wrong—poison!
Realizing this, Kagami tried to pull his team back, but his limbs suddenly felt heavy and unresponsive.
Around him, his three chūnin teammates fared even worse. Some clung to tree trunks, swaying unsteadily, while others fell straight to the ground.
Seeing this, a cold sweat broke out on Kagami's forehead.
When had they been poisoned?
The air?
The water?
Never once did he suspect the food they had just eaten.
After all, he trusted Konoha's logistics team implicitly. They would never harm a reconnaissance squad about to embark on a mission!
But reality is often harsher than fiction.
The rations and soldier pills they had received from logistics had long been laced with a colorless, odorless poison.
As he struggled to piece things together, Kagami felt a wave of dizziness. Even his vision of the Iwagakure shinobi began to blur.
At that moment, one of the attackers hidden behind a tree began forming hand seals.
Tiger → Rat → Snake
Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction
The next second, massive boulders descended from the sky like a tower defense mechanism.
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