The western front of the Land of Fire was the main battlefield where the armies of Konoha and Sunagakure had been locked in confrontation for quite some time.
Inside Konoha's command tent, several of the village's top decision-makers were gathered, discussing their next strategic move.
At the head of the meeting sat two of Konoha's legendary Three Sannin—Orochimaru and Tsunade.
The two served as the commander and deputy commander of the Konoha forces stationed here.
Through their excellent coordination, the nearly ten thousand Sunagakure ninja on this front had gained little advantage. Not long ago, Orochimaru had even personally torn open the Sand's defensive line, forcing their army to retreat completely out of the Land of Fire.
It could be said that, in terms of direct confrontation, the Sand had already been suppressed by the joint efforts of Orochimaru and Tsunade.
But now, the situation had taken a new turn.
Tsunade shook her head and said gravely, "Orochimaru, your plan is too aggressive. We've already gained the advantage. Wouldn't a more cautious approach be wiser?"
"Precisely because we have the advantage," Orochimaru replied calmly, "we must press the attack."
"But doing so would put our own forces in danger," Tsunade said firmly. "I won't agree to this plan."
"If we aren't willing to take some risks, how can we achieve greater results?"
Tsunade's expression hardened.
"What Konoha needs right now is to preserve its strength as much as possible—not to destroy the enemy at all costs. We're surrounded by hostile forces. Too many enemies are watching us like predators."
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"No. Only by hurting them—by making them fear us—will they restrain themselves. Blind caution will only make us more passive."
For a long time, the two had worked together seamlessly. But now their views clashed sharply, their words carrying a faint edge of confrontation.
"In any case," Tsunade said, "I will not approve this operation."
Although Orochimaru was the official commander of the Konoha army, Tsunade's influence as deputy commander was, in some ways, even greater than his.
Because Tsunade was not only one of the Sannin.
She was also the princess of the Senju Clan.
The Senju were one of the two great founding clans of Konoha, and their influence—both within the village and across the shinobi world—was extraordinary.
"If we fail to seize this opportunity," Orochimaru said slowly, "who knows when we'll break this stalemate again."
His voice grew colder.
"Or do you think my successful strike last time was merely luck?"
Orochimaru's style had always resembled that of a true venomous serpent—cold, patient, and capable of launching a lethal strike in an instant to secure victory.
That trait had been displayed perfectly in this war. The decisive reason Konoha now held the upper hand over Sunagakure was because Orochimaru had seized a fleeting opportunity and launched a devastating surprise attack.
"I'm not denying your strength," Tsunade replied. "But war is a different matter entirely. This isn't just about our lives."
She leaned forward, her gaze sharp.
"How can you be certain the Sand is truly retreating, instead of setting a trap for us to walk into? If we blindly attempt an outflanking maneuver and fall into an ambush, the ones who will pay the price are the shinobi on the front lines..."
"I'll personally lead the flanking force," Orochimaru interrupted abruptly.
His blunt dismissal caused the atmosphere in the tent to plummet.
Tsunade was momentarily left speechless.
After a brief silence, a middle-aged Konoha shinobi spoke up.
"If Lord Orochimaru insists so strongly," he said, "then I assume you must have absolute confidence in this plan. May I ask what that confidence is based on?"
He was a veteran elite jonin—an experienced battlefield commander with both strength and wisdom.
"At this point, it would be better if I explained the background of this plan in detail," another voice said.
The speaker was a young man who looked barely in his early twenties.
His name was Nara Shikaku.
Standing beside him were two others: Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi.
The three were roughly the same age. Not long ago, they had inherited the legacy of the 14th generation Ino–Shika–Cho and had become the 15th generation of the famous trio.
The Ino–Shika–Cho formation was widely regarded as one of Konoha's strongest tactical combinations. It was said that when the village was first founded, many shinobi had served within squads built around the Ino–Shika–Cho structure. Because of that, their contribution in wartime was no less important than that of great clans like the Uchiha or the Hyuga.
Nara Shikaku stepped forward slightly as he spoke.
"We already know that Sunagakure went to great lengths along the southwestern border—going so far as to dig that mountain tunnel in secret and hide a large number of troops there. Does anyone here really believe all that effort was merely for a small place like Rakuyō City?"
No one responded.
Because everyone present understood the point.
That tunnel through the mountains on the southwestern border clearly hadn't been dug overnight. It must have been prepared long before the war even began. A project that consumed that much manpower and resources couldn't possibly have been for the sake of a minor border town.
When Konoha first discovered the Sand's hidden passage, many had speculated that once Sunagakure broke through the southwestern border, they would march north and join forces with the Sand army on the western battlefield—forming a pincer attack against the Konoha forces led by Orochimaru and Tsunade, wiping out a large portion of Konoha's combat strength.
But Shikaku clearly had a different theory.
"If I were the enemy commander," he continued calmly, "then after going to such lengths, there would only be one real objective."
"The gateway to Konoha itself—Kikyo Castle."
A ripple of quiet tension spread through the tent.
"Kikyo Castle also happens to host Konoha's largest concentration of troops," Shikaku went on. "One of the Sannin—Jiraiya-sama—is stationed there as well. Even if Sunagakure gathered more than ten thousand ninja, they still wouldn't be able to pose a real threat to the fortress in the short term."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"However, our ANBU have recently confirmed that the Sand forces stationed across from us have already withdrawn more than half their troops."
"Whether those missing forces are heading toward Kikyo Castle or somewhere else doesn't change one fact."
"The balance of power on this battlefield has shifted dramatically."
"This is our best opportunity to completely annihilate the enemy force here… and possibly our only opportunity."
"As for the ambush Tsunade-sama mentioned," Shikaku added thoughtfully, "yes, that possibility does exist."
"But since Orochimaru-sama is willing to personally lead the vanguard…"
"Then the rest of us have even less reason to hesitate."
He straightened slightly as he delivered his conclusion.
"Like I said earlier—this may be our only chance to settle the western front once and for all."
"So I support Orochimaru-sama's plan."
Akimichi Choza frowned in disbelief.
"Are the Sand ninjas really that arrogant?" he said. "They actually dare to set their sights on Kikyo Castle?"
After all, Kikyo Castle was the final defensive barrier protecting Konoha Village itself.
From the very founding of the village, Konoha had poured immense manpower and resources into that military stronghold, constantly improving and reinforcing its defenses until the fortress had become nearly impregnable.
Decades had passed since then.
Now its defensive strength had reached an unprecedented level.
Even during the first two great shinobi wars, every enemy that had come against Kikyo Castle had failed to make the slightest impact.
So in the hearts of Konoha's shinobi, Kikyo Castle was essentially unbreakable.
To attempt an assault on it…
was nothing short of smashing an egg against a rock.
"If your deduction is correct…" Tsunade suddenly murmured.
"…then Jiraiya is in danger."
...
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