Eastern border of the Land of Fire, deep in the dense forest.
A squad of Kirigakure ninjas lurked in the shadows. Their breathing was suppressed to be extremely low, and even Chakra fluctuations were deliberately restrained.
Inside the tent of the Yondaime Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, Uchiha Obito, under his mask, had a grave expression.
He had stayed here for two full days.
Two days ago, Kirigakure's army advanced into the territory of the Land of Fire.
According to the plan, they should have attacked from the east while Kumogakure attacked from the west, converging in Konoha's hinterland to thoroughly tear apart this number one village in the ninja world.
However...
It was too smooth.
Strangely smooth.
From stepping into the Land of Fire, they hadn't encountered any resistance.
Let alone resistance, they hadn't even encountered a single KonohaGenin, and there were no traps either!
Konoha's defense line seemed as if there was no defense line at all.
"Something's fishy."
Uchiha Obito muttered to himself, his Sharingan scanning the surroundings vigilantly through the mask's eyehole.
He knew Konoha too well.
Knew that village which once carried all his dreams and despair.
Konoha's defense system was jointly established by the Shodaime Hokage Senju Hashirama and Nidaime Hokage Senju Tobirama, and perfected over decades by the Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Even with the internal turmoil among the higher-ups and Uchiha Kaze just taking office, it couldn't be weak to this extent.
The only explanation was...
A trap.
A huge trap waiting for them to jump in.
"Lord Mizukage, the 13th reconnaissance squad... didn't return."
A KirigakureAnbu appeared with a Body Flicker, kneeling on one knee.
"I know."
Karatachi Yagura's stiff voice sounded.
"Then... do we still need to continue dispatching?"
The Anbu was used to Karatachi Yagura's indifference and asked in a low voice.
"No."
"Let everyone stand by on the spot. Without my order, no one is allowed to advance half a step."
Karatachi Yagura, under Obito's control, spoke deeply.
"Yes."
After responding, the Anbu disappeared.
Uchiha Obito stood on the spot, his face under the mask terrifyingly gloomy.
He thought of a person.
Uchiha Kaze.
That man who suddenly rose during Konoha's internal turmoil, purged the higher-ups with thunderous methods, and forcibly sat on the position of Hokage.
According to intelligence provided by White Zetsu, this person... was very dangerous.
Not only because of those Mangekyō Sharingan, but also because of his style of action.
Crazy, yet meticulous.
Such a person absolutely wouldn't leave such a huge defensive loophole.
Unless...
He did it on purpose.
"Want to lure me onto the hook..."
"Too bad, I'm not a reckless man like the Yondaime Raikage."
Uchiha Obito sneered.
Last time he saw Uchiha Kaze, he left decisively.
Now it seemed, that was really a correct decision.
Uchiha Obito turned around, looking at the Kirigakure army lurking in the dense forest behind him.
Five thousand elites.
This was the maximum military force Kirigakure could bring out, almost turning out in full force.
Even Karatachi Yagura, this puppet Mizukage, was brought out by him.
But...
The imagined bitter battle didn't happen; instead, it was so calm that he was afraid.
"It seems, have to change a method."
"Karatachi Yagura, your usefulness ends here."
"Konoha, the harm you brought to Rin back then, I will make you feel it well!"
Uchiha Obito finished speaking, and his Mangekyō began to rotate.
Karatachi Yagura, who was originally standing woodenly not far away, stood up directly and left here.
Taking several KirigakureAnbu with him, he disappeared into the dark night...
Just as Karatachi Yagura left with his people, a figure slowly emerged from underground.
"You're back?"
"How is it, over at Kumogakure, is it also as strange as here?"
Obito looked at the appearing Black Zetsu and asked urgently.
The current Konoha felt really too weird to him.
And, it carried a thick sense of unease.
"Over there... it's about the same."
"Kumogakure, under the leadership of the Yondaime Raikage, entered the Land of Fire."
"Soon, they encountered Konoha's ambush..."
"In the end, Kumogakure was defeated."
Black Zetsu didn't hide anything and simply stated the situation over there.
Moreover, Black Zetsu wasn't wrong... the situation over there was too strange.
It was as if Konoha hadn't experienced internal turmoil... no, even more cohesive and stronger than before.
Especially Uchiha Kaze...
Black Zetsu felt several times that he seemed to be watched.
Fortunately, Uchiha Kaze didn't act against him until leaving the battlefield.
"Just like that... defeated?"
Obito's voice became somewhat heavy.
In just a few days, Kumogakure's Raikage and two major Jinchūriki, leading thousands of ninjas, were defeated just like that?
"Uchiha Kaze... what exactly did he do?"
Uchiha Obito gritted his teeth and asked.
"Don't know."
"Our clones dared not get too close; that man's perception ability is very strong."
Black Zetsu shook his head.
The current Black Zetsu also had a bit of a headache.
Initially, he planned to use Kumogakure and Kirigakure's attacks on Konoha to directly push for the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War.
As long as the war started, then the various villages' control over Jinchūriki wouldn't be so strict.
At that time, he could use the Akatsuki organization to hunt down all nine Tailed Beasts in a short time.
But now... things seemed to have gone beyond his control.
Kumogakure was thoroughly defeated, and there probably wouldn't be much change on Kirigakure's side either.
Even, possibly worse than Kumogakure.
As for Iwagakure...
Ōnoki retreated immediately after getting news of the Yondaime Raikage's defeat.
Obviously, under current circumstances, wanting to leverage a Great Ninja War was probably impossible now.
Even, the subsequent planning would become more difficult.
"If that's the case, then..."
Obito frowned deeply.
Originally, he planned to let Karatachi Yagura create chaos in Konoha, and then he would lead the remaining Kirigakure ninjas to invade Konoha.
At that time, he could take advantage of the chaos to take away the Kyūbi Jinchūriki.
But now...
"I have a proposal."
"Hunting Konoha's Kyūbi, relying only on our current strength, is probably very hard to achieve."
"But... we can switch direction first..."
"Two-Tails and Eight-Tails!"
Black Zetsu spoke deeply.
The current Kumogakure had just been defeated; morale was very weak, and at the same time, both Jinchūriki were injured.
"You mean..."
"I understand, let's go!"
Uchiha Obito finished speaking, raising his hand to wipe across his mask.
Then, he transformed into the appearance of an Anbu ninja.
Transmitting Karatachi Yagura's order, he led the Kirigakure ninjas towards the direction of Kumogakure.
Meanwhile, inside Konoha.
After sending Naruto and Gaara to the Medical Department, Kaze returned to the Hokage Office.
"Lord Hokage, the opponents left."
"Looking at the direction, they are likely going to the Land of Lightning."
Yamanaka Inoichi, seeing Uchiha Kaze arrive, also delivered the intelligence immediately.
That's right, Konoha had been monitoring Kirigakure's movements all along.
Just seeing them stop inexplicably, they didn't bother with them.
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on: patreon.com/Anna_N1
~Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]