46. The Upcoming Local War
In the Hokage's Office
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Orochimaru both wore solemn expressions.
The current situation in Konoha was dire.
If war broke out, there was a strong likelihood that the four major shinobi villages—Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure—would unite to attack Konoha, forcing the village to defend on multiple fronts.
Sarutobi Hiruzen began discussing countermeasures with Orochimaru.
Sora, Orochimaru's disciple, stood silently in the corner. As a Genin, he lacked the authority to speak during such high-level discussions. Being allowed to listen in on this critical meeting was a privilege in itself.
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with a cold tone:
"According to our intelligence, Kirigakure's Third Mizukage has implemented a new policy known as the 'Blood Mist.' It encourages brutal battles between their own shinobi, seemingly as preparation for the upcoming war.
No wonder Kirigakure has been avoiding communication with us—they've already aligned themselves with Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
Enemy shinobi have infiltrated Konoha. There are likely more spies lurking in the shadows, gathering intelligence for the enemy. The outbreak of war appears imminent.
Orochimaru, given these circumstances, do you believe Konoha has the strength to withstand an attack?"
Orochimaru shook his head, his response direct and merciless:
"If war breaks out now, Konoha will undoubtedly fall.
If it were only Kumogakure and Iwagakure, Konoha could barely hold its ground. But if Kirigakure joins the fray, we'll have to divide our forces even further.
And that's not even factoring in Sunagakure, which is clearly watching for an opportunity to strike.
Our forces are limited. With multiple battlefronts, dividing our troops too thinly would leave us incapable of launching any effective counterattacks. We'd be worn down to the point of collapse."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell into deep thought. Orochimaru's analysis mirrored his own concerns.
No matter how strong Konoha was, it could not withstand simultaneous assaults from four major villages. The situation seemed hopeless.
Finally, Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "Orochimaru, how can Konoha find a way out of this?"
Orochimaru, who had been silently contemplating, responded:
"The only viable option is to delay the inevitable. The longer we can postpone the start of the war, the better it will be for Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.
"But the initiative doesn't lie with us. They can launch their attack whenever they choose."
Orochimaru picked up a pen and drew a circle on the map over the borders of the Land of Grass, the Land of Rain, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Waves.
After putting the pen down, he began to analyze:
"The four major ninja villages are still in the testing phase. To buy time, we must act decisively.
First, we must eliminate all spies within Konoha. These infiltrators are our greatest vulnerability, as they feed our enemies vital intelligence. If we remove them, the other villages will be forced to act blindly, unable to gauge our situation fully. That will slow them down and buy us time to prepare."
In the Hokage's Office
Orochimaru continued, his voice steady and calculated:
"At the same time, Konoha should divide its forces and station them in the four countries I've circled—Grass, Rain, River, and Wave. These positions will serve as our defensive line against the four major ninja villages. We must keep the battle contained to these countries and prevent them from entering the Land of Fire.
Although the four major ninja villages have formed an alliance, they are not a unified force. If Konoha stands firm and shows no hesitation, making it clear that we are prepared to fight them to the end, they will hesitate.
They understand that if Konoha is pushed into a corner, we have the strength to strike deep into their villages. None of them can afford to bear the consequences of such a desperate attack.
Additionally, if Konoha were to fall, the other villages would immediately turn on each other, targeting the one village that expended the most effort in defeating us. That threat alone can prevent them from fully committing to an all-out assault.
As long as we avoid a full-scale war and maintain the conflict at a localized level, Konoha's superior resources and endurance will allow us to outlast them. Over time, their unity will crack, and their alliance will collapse from within."
Orochimaru paused, then added:
"I once asked Sora how he thought the four major ninja villages might attack Konoha together. He suggested using incentives to turn them against each other.
This strategy is particularly effective now. If we can delay the start of a full-scale war and sow discord among them, we can exploit their divisions. Offering targeted benefits could instigate rebellion among their ranks.
If the plan succeeds, Konoha may not only survive but also regain any losses we've suffered."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk, deep in thought. Orochimaru's proposal was bold but logical.
Sora, standing quietly to the side, glanced at Orochimaru in surprise. He hadn't expected his sensei to mention him. However, from Chiba's perspective, Orochimaru's plan did seem feasible.
The four major ninja villages had joined forces because of shared interests. If the alliance brought no tangible gains, they would inevitably begin to reconsider whether the war against Konoha was worth the effort.
Moreover, if Konoha were to offer enticing rewards to specific villages, it could drive a wedge between them, potentially causing infighting.
Sora also understood one thing very clearly: if Orochimaru's plan went forward, he himself would almost certainly end up on the battlefield.
Orochimaru's strategy involved stationing Konoha's forces in the Land of Grass, the Land of Water, the Land of River, and the Land of Waves to confront the four major ninja villages. This would require dividing Konoha's forces as evenly as possible, meaning nearly every available ninja would be deployed.
After contemplating for a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke:
"Orochimaru, your plan is bold, but it seems like our best option. Konoha is backed into a corner, and we don't have many choices left.
Tomorrow, I will order the Anbu and Danzo's Root to work together to eliminate the enemy spies hiding in Konoha. That must be our first step.
At the same time, we'll begin preparing our forces.
Orochimaru, you will oversee the battlefield. For now, Sunagakure is not an immediate threat. The ninja forces stationed in the Land of River should be sufficient to hold them off.
For Kirigakure, I will send a small team of scouts to the Land of Waves. Their mission will be to assess how many Kirigakure ninjas are stationed there. Once we have that information, we can allocate additional forces accordingly.
As for Iwagakure, Onoki is a cunning man. He won't commit his forces to direct confrontations until the war officially begins. Sakumo's leadership on that front will be enough for now.
The biggest threat remains Kumogakure. Their forces in the Land of Rain are relentless, and Jiraiya's troops have already faced countless battles against them. The conflict there is the fiercest, and Kumogakure continues to send reinforcements to that battlefield.
Orochimaru, since your strategy emphasizes showing no weakness, I'm sending you to the Land of Rain to support Jiraiya. Do you accept?"
Orochimaru nodded without hesitation.
"I understand, Lord Hokage. I will leave for the Land of Rain tomorrow to join Jiraiya. Additionally, I would like to bring Sora with me. I believe he could be of great use on the battlefield."
Sarutobi Hiruzen allowed a rare smile to cross his otherwise stern face.
"Very well. I had intended for Sora to join you anyway.
I've heard reports that Jiraiya's disciple, Minato, has been making a name for himself on the battlefield in the Land of Rain.
If Sora trains under your guidance and gains experience in battle, I'm confident he will soon distinguish himself as a remarkable ninja."
Hearing this, Sora's heart raced with a mix of excitement and determination. His blood boiled at the thought of facing Kumogakure ninjas so soon.
'Cloud Shinobi…' he thought, his eyes flashing with resolve. 'I'll use this opportunity to settle the score for what they did to Uzumaki Kushina!'
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