As night fell and the reinforcement troops arrived, campfires gradually lit up the encampment.
The wounded were systematically transferred to newly erected medical tents, and a hint of relief flickered across the faces of the weary guards.
Inside the command tent, all the Jonin had gathered.
Behind the long table at the front of the crowd sat Mitokado Homura, clad in the same black ninja robes as the Third Hokage, at the very center. To his left were Hatake Sakumo and Jiraiya, while to his right sat Orochimaru and Tsunade.
"Everyone is here, I presume?" Mitokado Homura announced in a solemn voice, clasping his hands. "I will now relay the following orders. First, by the Hokage's command, I, Mitokado Homura, am appointed as the overall commander of the Land of Rain battlefield, effective immediately."
The group showed no surprise at this announcement.
A position of overall command naturally required someone with sufficient prestige and experience. As one of the two senior advisors, Mitokado Homura was more than capable of shouldering such a responsibility. Of course, should any errors arise on the front lines, he would be the one to take the blame.
"Furthermore, Jonin Hatake Sakumo will be responsible for commanding the northern front. Jonin Jiraiya will lead the southern front. Jonin Orochimaru will serve as the operations strategist, and Tsunade will oversee logistics and medical affairs—"
Order after order was issued in an orderly fashion.
Only after the meeting adjourned and the tent was emptied of all but the frontline commanders like Tsunade did Mitokado Homura turn to the messenger ninja. "Summon Genin Namikaze Minato."
"Understood."
The messenger ninja hurried away.
Soon, Minato was brought into the tent.
"Advisor."
Minato nodded politely upon seeing Mitokado Homura.
"Ah! It's been too long, Minato-kun."
Mitokado Homura immediately put on a benevolent smile, a sight that made Tsunade's eyebrows twitch wildly.
Compared to the assertive Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, as a fellow senior advisor, was far more rational—so rational, in fact, that it bordered on ruthless.
While Danzo's pronouncements about serving the village might elicit little more than a chuckle, no one would ever question Mitokado Homura's words.
That was why, even in the face of Tsunade, the First Hokage's granddaughter, he had never shown her any warmth.
Instead, due to Tsunade's spoiled and willful nature, he had often sided with Utatane Koharu in scolding her.
In all these years, had she ever seen this old man smile so fawningly?
"Sakumo reported to me. You single-handedly annihilated almost an entire Sunagakure front-line unit?"
Mitokado Homura beckoned Minato closer, scrutinizing him carefully to ensure he wasn't injured. Satisfied, he nodded.
"Truly exceptional talent!"
"You flatter me, Advisor," Minato replied calmly, unfazed by the praise. "Do you have a mission for me?"
"Well—it's a bit of a bother to trouble you, but this mission truly requires your assistance." Homura nodded. "The Third Hokage has always advocated for peace. Though Sunagakure constantly tries to provoke war, we have no major grievances with Hanzō. The conflict in the Land of Rain was a regrettable necessity."
"Therefore, the Third Hokage intends to negotiate with Hanzō, hoping to unite with Amegakure against Sunagakure's invasion. This requires sending someone to Amegakure to discuss the matter."
"Do you need me to accompany the envoy?" Minato asked.
"Yes," Homura nodded. "We're currently unsure of Hanzō's attitude. However, Sunagakure's recent invasion has shown that Amegakure lacks the strength to defend against external threats."
"Therefore, the Third Hokage has decided to send Orochimaru to Amegakure to negotiate before the full-scale war begins."
"I understand."
Minato nodded without objection.
Yet, he couldn't help but wonder why a high-ranking Advisor was explaining such a simple matter in such detail to a mere Genin like himself.
This is all to give you experience!
With such exceptional mobility and the ambition to become Hokage, how could you possibly not understand the dynamics of warfare?
Watching Minato's composed and respectful demeanor, Mitokado Homura thought to himself:
One man against a hundred—
And not just cannon fodder, but a vanguard unit composed of a quarter Jonin, tasked with a lightning strike mission!
If only Minato weren't so young, I'd tie him to the Hokage's chair right now!
"Then I'll trouble you. The negotiation team will be led by Orochimaru, with you, Nawaki, and Uchiha Mikoto accompanying him. You'll depart tomorrow morning."
Mitokado Homura's smile faded as he spoke seriously: "Hanzō is cautious and suspicious, and Amegakure has been under constant martial law for years. Your primary mission is to ensure your own safety—especially yours."
Minato nodded. "Understood!"
"Hmm..."
Mitokado Homura paused, looking slightly embarrassed. "There's another task as well, regarding the construction of the camp. You've seen the environment of the Land of Rain..."
Minato:
Not again! Are they going to milk this poor sheep dry?
Mitokado Homura continued earnestly, "The Land of Rain is constantly wet and muddy. Structures built with standard Earth Release are easily eroded, and the damp conditions are detrimental to the recovery of the wounded and the storage of supplies..."
Minato pondered briefly. "I can construct Wood Release defensive walls and watchtowers around the camp, and plan out several zones within. However, large-scale construction will take time."
"No problem. We're truly indebted to you."
Seeing that Minato hadn't refused, Mitokado Homura's admiration deepened.
He paused again. "By the way, I heard you can also accelerate the growth of crops."
Before he could finish, there was a loud bang!
Tsunade slammed her hand on the table, glaring at Mitokado Homura. "You old bastard, are you never going to stop?!?"
Jiraiya instinctively tried to mediate. "Whoa, whoa, calm down, Tsunade—"
"Get lost!"
"Right—"
Jiraiya sat back down in his chair with an air of nonchalance, as if nothing had happened. Hatake Sakumo, watching from the side, felt his eyelid twitch.
"Earth Release to waterproof the barracks like a layer of paint? Don't tell me you're short on manpower!"
Tsunade's face was crimson with rage. "With this camp's terrible food, Minato can barely eat enough. And you want him to grow crops for you?!"
"Calm down, Tsunade."
Mitokado Homura rubbed his forehead in resignation, though his expression showed little surprise, as if he'd anticipated her reaction.
"I didn't say he had to complete it immediately. This is a long-term mission, and it's also a way to protect Minato."
"Minato's Wood Release has already been exposed. Within three days at the latest, his name will be on black market bounties. In that situation, do you really expect me to let him continue running wild on the battlefield?"
"I don't need to tell you how important Wood Release is, do I? Minato has the Flying Thunder God Technique. Who in this camp can keep him contained?"
Hearing this, Tsunade slumped back into her seat.
As if nothing had happened, she turned to Orochimaru and praised, "I've always said Advisor Homura is meticulous and strategic—a pillar of the village. See? I was right, wasn't I?"
Mitokado Homura: "————"
You bastard!
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