Nearly a week had passed since Senju Mori led his army to the front line. Konoha and Kumogakure's encampments stood facing one another across the distance—calm on the surface, yet the covert killing had already begun.
Inside the temporary command tent, the lamplight flickered, casting a half-smile on Senju Mori's face.
He was carefully examining the intelligence scroll in his hand.
As various shinobi squads dispersed throughout the Lands of Hot Water and Frost, Senju Mori received new intel every day—piling in like snowflakes—but this particular scroll was distinctly unusual.
It was a map of Kumogakure's supply routes.
Drawn by Jōnin Shimura Danzo and his "Special Tactical Unit," it had been submitted to the command this morning, and ultimately placed before Senju Mori.
He had to admit—Danzo, in his younger years, really was quite capable.
His squad of seven jōnin was elite in every sense. Under Danzo's leadership, not only had they escaped the Land of Frost intact, they had even brought back this highly valuable intelligence.
"Hokage-sama."
Beside him, Nara Shikagami spoke in a low tone.
"Danzo's intel has no clear source. The risk is considerable. Please handle it with caution…"
Nara Shikagami was a jōnin of the Nara clan, and the younger brother of Nara Shikajo. Over the past days, he had been assisting Senju Mori with reading and processing incoming intelligence.
"You're right, Shikagami."
Senju Mori closed the scroll, a meaningful smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Anything Danzo submits should be doubted. Not only would you hesitate to use it—I don't dare use it either. I certainly wouldn't base major troop movements on it."
Senju Mori had always been wary of Danzo. Of course he wouldn't trust such intel casually, nor would he be foolish enough to risk himself because of it.
He stood up and walked to a large map hung nearby. His finger tapped the central region of the Land of Lightning, and his smile grew even brighter.
"But returning this scroll to Danzo would be perfect."
"As the one who drew this route map, Danzo himself must know whether this intel is genuine… or a carefully crafted trap."
"Messenger!" With a soft command, a shinobi immediately entered the tent and kneeled.
"Order the Special Tactical Unit to carry this intel and infiltrate the Lands of Frost and Lightning."
"Tell them that, to accomplish the mission, I authorize Danzo to use any means necessary. He is permitted to devise and execute all sabotage operations against Kumogakure."
"No need to report back. No reinforcements. All decisions are to be made independently by their captain—Shimura Danzo."
Open the gates! Unleash Danzō!
During wartime, sneaking into enemy territory to conduct sabotage is already extremely dangerous.
But even if Danzo and his entire squad died in the Land of Lightning, Senju Mori would not feel much grief. At most, their names would be carved onto Konoha's memorial stone as per tradition.
However—
if Danzo didn't die, and actually managed to infiltrate the enemy rear…
Senju Mori was very interested to see what kind of destruction a completely unleashed, morally unrestrained Danzo—leading a full squad of elite jōnin—would be capable of causing.
"Yes!"
The messenger shinobi stood, took the scroll from Senju Mori's hands, and vanished on the spot.
After dealing with the matter of Danzo, Senju Mori returned to his seat. His expression calmed as he instructed Nara Shikagami and the others:
" We can't afford to slack off either. Continue organizing all intel. We must keep a constant watch on Kumogakure's movements."
"They've sent out elite squads again and again, yet they still haven't gained the upper hand, nor have they managed to infiltrate the Land of Hot Water. I expect that A—the Third Raikage—won't be able to endure this much longer."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Nara Shikagami bowed respectfully, opened a new intelligence scroll, and began reading through it carefully.
...
Meanwhile, in the southwest of the Land of Frost, at Kumogakure's main camp—
At the very center of the camp stood its largest tent, the command hub of the entire force. Inside sat the Third Raikage.
"BANG—!"
With a thunderous roar, the solid wooden table before A shattered into dust, scrolls scattering everywhere.
"Those Konoha rats! All they know are these despicable tricks!"
The future Fourth Raikage's notorious temper—and his habit of smashing up his office—were clearly inherited from this hot-blooded father of his.
A's rage wasn't without reason. Senju Mori's passive-defensive strategy had thoroughly infuriated him.
He had just received word that yet another Kumogakure jōnin squad had gone missing in the Land of Hot Water.
Without a proper sensory corps, facing traps, barriers, ambushes, and all kinds of underhanded tricks, the elite ninjas entering Hot Water were suffering heavy losses.
Violent chakra surged inside the tent. After a long moment, A forced down his anger and sat back heavily into the main seat, breathing harshly.
This feeling of having strength but nowhere to use it was unbearable. He knew he could no longer continue this kind of deadlock with Konoha.
"Koji! Sawa!"
At his shout, two Kumogakure jōnin instantly appeared.
"Raikage-sama."
They knelt on one knee in unison.
The one called "Sawa" appeared mature—about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, roughly A's age—stern-faced, with a white ninja sword strapped to his back.
Koji looked younger, likely not yet twenty, wearing rimless glasses and sporting a distinctive spiky brown hairstyle.
"No need to send more squads!"
A clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking like thunder.
"Based on the intel we have, we can roughly pinpoint the location of Konoha's main force."
"Pass my order—assemble all troops. And notify every squad still within contact. At dawn tomorrow, we march straight to Konoha's camp for a decisive battle!"
Upon hearing this, Koji instinctively pushed up his glasses and spoke urgently:
"Raikage-sama, there's no need to wait until tomorrow. We can gather our forces within the hour! If we're attacking, why not strike under cover of night and catch them off guard—"
"Idiot!"
A roared:
"Haven't you suffered enough already? As long as the Hyūga and their damned Byakugan exist, a surprise attack on Konoha is impossible!"
"No more tricks or schemes! The essence of war is superior strength!"
"As long as we crush the Hokage's army head-on tomorrow, both Konoha's bloodline powers and the Fire Country's wealth will belong to us!"
"Reparations? Apologies?"
A snorted harshly, battle-lust blazing like wildfire in his eyes.
"Hmph! That Senju brat sure talks big… Let's see just how much strength he actually has."