Chapter 169, The Advantage is Ours!
While the front lines were engaged in a battle of wits and bravery, Senju Tobirama, stationed in Konohagakure, did not stop either.
The outbreak of the Land of Moon incident was so sudden that everyone was basically unprepared.
So now, it's a competition of reaction speed between the shadows of the villages.
War is not just about how many masters are in my village compared to yours.
By comparison, the superior and inferior are immediately evident.
Senju Tobirama, who had followed Senju Hashirama in battles across the lands since the Warring States period, clearly understood a key factor that could influence the victory of a war. If used well, it could even achieve victory against the odds.
This key factor, Senju Tobirama called it "momentum."
And applied to the current situation of Konohagakure, it means pulling the small and large villages of the ninja world to Konohagakure's side before the four great hidden villages.
A small hidden village might seem insignificant in a war.
But, when all the minor hidden villages in the shinobi world come together, they form a force not to be underestimated.
Especially since there are masters among these smaller villages.
For instance, the Rain Village, nestled between Konohagakure and the Land of Earth, boasts a figure known as the demi-god of the shinobi world, Hanzo of the Salamander.
Thus, what Senju Tobirama is doing now is courting these minor villages, gathering their ninjas around him.
Even if it's just to maintain neutrality?
It could greatly alleviate the pressure on Konohagakure to a significant extent.
...
"Who knows how to do this?"
On the coast of the Land of Waves, Raijin held a piece of paper and looked towards Orochimaru and Tsunade.
This was intelligence passed back to the village by Hozuki Takuya.
The tool used was the Blue Hawk, five in total, all captured by Orochimaru, now sleeping peacefully under Raijin's Genjutsu.
"Hmm... let me see."
Orochimaru took the intelligence handed over by Raijin, his brow furrowing tightly.
In the transmission of intelligence between ninjas, all scenarios are considered.
Aside from the possibility of the Blue Hawk encountering an accident during flight, leading to the failure of intelligence transmission.
To prevent intelligence leaks, the text used to write the intelligence is a unique cipher for each village.
At the same time, to prevent the intelligence from being tampered with, various one-time seal techniques are used.
The seal technique has already been broken by Raijin, after all, Kirigakure's level in sealing techniques is really too poor.
Not to mention the Flying Thunder God technique, which involves spacetime properties, it's a far cry from the Yin Seal.
Of course, such one-time seal techniques don't require much technical content.
Just open the envelope that seals the intelligence, and then the seal disappears.
So, Raijin learned this sealing technique, and later he can carve a new one on the envelope.
So now, the hardest part is this cipher unique to Kirigakure.
"All five pieces of intelligence are exactly the same; let's copy them down first, then I'll try to decode them."
Orochimaru handed the intelligence to Raijin.
"Okay."
Raijin nodded, his Three Tomoe Sharingan emerging, replicating the intelligence without missing a detail.
Afterward, having prepared the intelligence, Orochimaru released the five Blue Hawks from where they were captured.
"I thought this was a really good plan, but I didn't expect it to be so troublesome to succeed."
Orochimaru looked at the five identical pieces of intelligence in his hands and said somewhat helplessly.
"What else?"
Raijin approached Orochimaru, looking at the intelligence in his hands.
"Let's try as much as possible. If we really can't decode it, there are other ways."
Raijin sat next to Orochimaru and said.
If we can decode the intelligence, even tamper with it, making the intelligence Hozuki Takuya receives what we want him to receive, then we can easily make Kirigakure pay a heavy price.
"It's not that difficult; by tomorrow morning at the latest, I should be able to decode it."
Orochimaru is no fool, naturally understanding what this means.
"You're worthy of your reputation, Orochimaru."
Raijin said with a light raise of his eyebrows and a smile towards Orochimaru.
"Hmph, do you I've been studying useless thing for the past three years, do you?"
Orochimaru glanced at Raijin with disdain upon hearing this.
"So, the great Ninjutsu genius, Orochimaru."
Tsunade's voice drifted over, and Orochimaru and Raijin's gaze immediately fell on Tsunade.
At that moment, Tsunade was not looking up but fiddling with a kunai in her hand.
Under the cold moonlight, the kunai glinted with a faint chill.
"If you haven't cracked it by early tomorrow, I'll cut off your tongue as the price for your tall tales."
Facing Tsunade, Orochimaru pursed his lips and silently walked to the side with the scroll in hand.
"But Orochimaru, don't worry, however I cut it off, I'll attach it back just the same," Tsunade added, watching Orochimaru's retreating figure.
"Tsunade, how could you?"
Raijin frowned slightly, coming to Tsunade's side.
Tsunade turned to Raijin, a bit bewildered.
"Why use a kunai? You have the Kusanagi Sword."
Orochimaru stumbled, nearly falling on the shore.
Meanwhile, Hozuki Takuya aimlessly wandered the Land of Waves with his clan members, hunting a defector that didn't exist.
After all, the words had been spoken, and since they hadn't come face-to-face with Raijin and his group, they had to put on the expected show.
But it was also this excuse that allowed Hozuki Takuya to witness the retreating trading companies.
He couldn't help but feel delighted seeing the common folk slowly moving towards the Land of Fire border under the escort of a small squad.
With this, once they regrouped with the Kirigakure forces, they would have ample time to completely take down these trading companies.
Eliminating Konohagakure's powerful ninja and seizing their resources eased some of the anxiety in his heart.
All that was needed was to wait for Kirigakure's reinforcements, and the current predicament would be reversed.
Hozuki Takuya believed this firmly.
...
At this time, the intelligence had already reached Kirigakure Village.
"Konohagakure moves fast indeed, worthy of the God of Shinobi's younger brother," the Third Mizukage said leisurely, looking at the information sent by Hozuki Takuya.
"Have the Anbu Captain lead the first, second, and third squads to support the Land of Waves," the Third Mizukage ordered the Anbu standing before him.
With their numbers several times that of the enemy, the advantage was theirs.
Thus, the Third Mizukage was not in a hurry, exuding a calm confidence.
"Yes," the Anbu nodded and vanished from the Mizukage's office.
And not long after, several blue hawks left Kirigakure, flying towards the Land of Waves.
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