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The meeting concluded, and everyone departed.
Shikaku asked with some confusion: "Why did you suddenly have the Third Hokage and me mobilize the civilian ninja together? Are you planning something?"
He could have handled this task alone. Yet Kazuki deliberately brought the Third Hokage into it.
Given Kazuki's usual character, something felt off.
"How could that be? You're overthinking it. If you hadn't messed up before, I wouldn't have done this."
Laughing, Kazuki patted Shikaku on the shoulder, then rose and left the conference room. After stepping out, he exhaled and muttered under his breath:
"That was close. This guy is too sharp."
Shikaku's guess wasn't wrong. Kazuki was indeed planning something.
He just couldn't let anyone know—Shikaku included.
Everyone had to be kept in the dark.
Otherwise, Shikaku wouldn't agree.
So: no firing the gun, quietly enter the village.
Watching Kazuki's departing figure, Shikaku tilted his head doubtfully:
Am I overthinking?
Back in the Hokage's office, Kazuki finished handling the remaining official duties. He then took out a scroll and summoned an Anbu operative.
"Deliver this scroll to the Hyūga clan. Hand it personally to the Hyūga clan leader."
The first clan to move would be the Hyūga. Then the Sarutobi clan. Then the Uchiha clan.
"Yes, sir."
The Anbu operative took the scroll and headed straight for the Hyūga clan compound.
Upon receiving the scroll, Hiashi immediately gathered his clan members.
"Lord Advisor has designated the Hyūga clan as the first group to leave the village. His intention is likely to leverage our Hyūga clan's reconnaissance abilities. Since Lord Advisor places such importance on us, we must not disappoint him. Prepare yourselves."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
Although some in the Main House weren't keen on leaving the village, and felt it dangerous for Main House members to go to the battlefield, with the order given and Hiashi himself leading the team, those with objections could only swallow them and obediently comply.
The Hyūga Grand Elder walked alongside Hiashi.
The Grand Elder sighed. "Lord Advisor certainly goes to great lengths. Without your leadership, Clan Leader, the Main House members would likely be unwilling to leave the village."
Hiashi seemed not to hear.
Some things the Grand Elder could say, but as Clan Leader, he could not.
In truth, even if Hyūga Main House members went to the front lines, they wouldn't be heading directly into battle. Kazuki mobilized them for their reconnaissance abilities; including the Main House was to maintain balance with the Branch House.
Not because he actually expected the Main House to fight alongside them.
The conflict between Branch and Main had reached a critical point. Kazuki didn't want to be the one to upset that balance, so he simply mobilized the Main House as well.
With Hiashi himself leading, could anyone say no?
Certainly not. They had to obey.
Once at the border camp, even if the Main House stayed within the camp, handling reconnaissance duties, this attitude would be enough to suppress any dissatisfaction within the Branch House.
As for when the powder keg might explode, that wasn't something Kazuki could consider now.
To put it bluntly, it wasn't worth considering. Even if the Hyūga clan's issues erupted, the explosion wouldn't be large, nor would it cause significant damage.
The same logic applied to the Uchiha clan.
Besides those left to guard the village, even the clan leader and elders had to go to the front lines.
Even if they didn't venture onto the battlefield, just being present at the front lines could help balance the emotions of some extreme elements.
Only the Hyūga and Uchiha clans received this treatment.
As for other clans—whatever internal conflicts or issues they had, Kazuki couldn't care less.
That night, Hyūga clan members departed the village via a pre-arranged route, heading straight for the border camp.
The Sarutobi clan followed closely behind.
The Sarutobi clan was quite large; they were a major clan after all.
No matter how shamelessly they claimed the "civilian ninja clan" label, one had to admit the Sarutobi clan's strength was considerable.
Even after being set back by the Third Hokage's missteps a few years prior.
And so, the elite forces for the surprise attack left the village in waves, secretly heading for the border camp.
The last to leave were the civilian ninja selected by the Third Hokage and Shikaku.
The civilian ninja departed in two groups: one overt, one covert. The covert group, like the clan elites, left secretly. The overt group also had the task of transporting supplies.
With the shinobi world growing increasingly chaotic, Konoha sending a modest number of ninja out of the village to escort supplies wouldn't raise too much suspicion.
At the border camp.
Hiashi and Fugaku had taken charge, responsible for handling all camp affairs. Orochimaru was solely tasked with leading the force into the Land of Earth.
*****
Camp command post.
"Iwagakure has deployed a contingent of ninja to garrison their border camp, bringing their border camp's ninja strength to over two thousand. Clearly, Iwagakure is also guarding against us. With Kumogakure and Takigakure allied against them, Iwagakure is indeed worried about being attacked by our village. Our army is rather large. Avoiding detection by the border camp will be difficult."
Everything was ready. The war only awaited Kazuki's order.
But a new problem presented itself.
How were they going to invade the Land of Earth?
Konoha was guarding against Iwagakure, but Iwagakure was equally guarding against Konoha. Getting around them would be very difficult.
After all, they were deploying three thousand elite ninja. This wasn't a few dozen or even a few hundred people.
Even if they tried to infiltrate in small, dispersed groups, the risk was considerable.
What now? Do we just leave everything to Orochimaru's command?
I'm not comfortable trusting this guy.
Hiashi shot Fugaku a look. Fugaku was also troubled. Sitting nearby, Orochimaru watched the two with an amused, knowing smile.
He sensed their distrust. All this "operational planning" talk was nonsense.
They clearly didn't trust him, which was why they were "discussing" it like this.
Since you don't trust me, you can discuss it among yourselves. I will just be a spectator.
I'm also uneasy, but these are Kazuki's orders.
"Ahem, Orochimaru. Do you have any suitable plans?"
Reluctantly, they decided to solicit Orochimaru's input. Maybe he already had a plan prepared.
"No."
Orochimaru's face was full of smiles.
"There are too many of us. We can't get around them. The only option is a frontal assault. To invade the Land of Earth, we must first neutralize the border camp's ninja."
Hiashi: "...."
Fugaku: "...."
You got to be kidding me!
Something's off. Kazuki considered every detail; it's not like him to miss this one point.
Are we really supposed to leave this entirely to Orochimaru?