Chapter 30 Thirty Caves of the Cunning Rabbit

Forest of the Land of Fire — Beside a Small River

The Konoha Ninja Army had stopped to rest by a small river deep within the forest.

Several campfires flickered in the night, casting a warm glow on the tired faces of the surrounding shinobi.

Since departing, the army—hundreds strong—had marched relentlessly, day and night. In just over a day, they had crossed much of the Fire Country and reached the border.

Even with chakra and soldier pills to support them, such a grueling pace was starting to take its toll.

Everyone used this moment to catch their breath. They knew that ahead lay the territory Kumogakure had infiltrated. Any proper rest would have to wait until they could secure a stronghold.

Beyond the reach of the firelight, their commander silently reviewed the latest reports. In the shadows, two golden lights gleamed in the dark.

"All 26 fortresses have been destroyed," Orochimaru said with a dangerous glint in his eye. He let out a faint chuckle. "Kumogakure's spies did their job well."

For individual teams, losing these outposts wasn't too critical. But for a full ninja army, it was a serious disadvantage.

Right now, even with hundreds of shinobi resting, no tents had been pitched. Small groups leaned against trees or rested on the ground, ever alert and mobile.

Why?

It wasn't fear of being ambushed in their sleep.

In large-scale ninja warfare, distance hardly mattered. Ninjutsu could strike from far away. If one side let its guard down, even for a moment, the other would seize the opportunity to inflict massive damage.

Tents? They wouldn't stop a single fireball from above. In fact, they'd only slow down the already brief reaction time of a sleeping shinobi.

Any structure that couldn't withstand ninjutsu was more a liability than a shelter.

The Fourth Raikage had made a smart move.

From a scroll, Orochimaru unsealed a confidential map. It detailed every secret stronghold along Konoha's border. The ones not yet destroyed were clearly marked.

He skimmed the map. The nearest intact strongholds were now deep in Kumogakure-controlled territory. The rest were too far away to reach in time.

Uchiha Fugaku, standing nearby, noticed this as well. "Lord Orochimaru," he offered, "why don't we build a new fortress here?"

After all, they had sealing and barrier specialists in the army who could construct a proper base.

But Orochimaru dismissed the idea immediately.

"Trying to build a fortress right under the enemy's nose is far more dangerous than reclaiming one they've already taken," he said calmly, giving Fugaku a knowing look.

"Under their nose?" Fugaku asked, a bit confused. "Even with the Byakugan on our side, how would they ever find us?"

The Great Ninja War isn't merely a contest of raw strength. It's also a clash of information and tactics. That's why the Hyuga Clan—whose Byakugan can pierce the fog of war—is an indispensable part of Konoha's forces.

This time, it was the branch families of the Hyuga Clan who had been dispatched, led by none other than Hyuga Hizashi.

"Why can't they find it?" Orochimaru replied, voice calm but cold. "Patriarch Fugaku, you may have never led a ninja army before, but you are still a shinobi. You should understand the danger of exposing any information in the field."

Fugaku paused, then nodded slightly, his expression growing serious.

Ninjas are rarely defeated by overwhelming power—they're defeated by broken tactics. While that may not always be true, it highlights one thing: most abilities, no matter how powerful, have counters.

Unlike the Wood Release of the First Hokage, the wide-area perception of the Hyuga Clan isn't invincible. Konoha and Kumogakure have been locked in both open warfare and covert skirmishes for decades. Kumogakure wouldn't have survived this long if it hadn't figured out how to deal with the Byakugan.

Bugs, tiny summoning beasts, advanced cloaking techniques—Kumogakure has developed its own counters.

"Once we enter the war zone, Kumogakure will likely determine our location within three hours," Orochimaru said. "And they're not the only ones thinking about building strongholds."

He looked into the dark forest beyond. "If we stop here, Kumogakure will be free to construct permanent fortifications right on our border. That cannot happen."

War is not just fought with blades and jutsu. It's fought with decisions made before and after the battle.

If Kumogakure manages to build a network of fortresses across Konoha territory, even if Konoha pushes them back, reclaiming that land will be a long, painful process.

In conflicts between nations, words said at peace talks mean little. It's the ground you hold that counts.

Realizing this, Fugaku let out a quiet sigh. A battle with Kumogakure was inevitable—but he had hoped it would come when his clan was fully rested and ready. That way, maybe… just maybe… there would be fewer dead.

Noticing Fugaku's conflicted thoughts, Orochimaru added, "Don't worry too much, Fugaku. There's no way Kumogakure did all this without cost."

Indeed, in less than two days, every visible Konoha fortress along the border had been wiped out. Orochimaru refused to believe Kumogakure hadn't paid a price for that.

He then summoned Hyuga Hizashi and gave him new orders.

"At dawn, we move again. Scout this area first," Orochimaru instructed, pointing to a specific path on the map.

"Yes, sir," Hizashi responded, vanishing into the trees.

---

Meanwhile, at the Kumogakure Army Camp…

A high-level strategy meeting had just concluded.

Unlike Konoha's war councils, meetings in Kumogakure more closely resembled the Raikage giving a speech. Decisions flowed from the top down.

Only one man had the power to influence the Fourth Raikage—Tōdai, the loyal retainer of the previous Raikage. However, Tōdai was currently stationed elsewhere, holding the line against Iwagakure to prevent them from exploiting Kumogakure's focus on Konoha.

So in reality, the "meeting" was just Raikage laying out orders.

Even Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, though filled with doubts, didn't dare question him publicly. Instead, she approached the Raikage in private afterward.

After repeated deployments of her tailed beast power, she looked pale and worn. "Lord Raikage… why are we letting Konoha's ninja army advance so easily?" she asked quietly. "Is it because of me?"

She blamed herself. She knew Kumogakure lacked the numbers to surround and trap Konoha's forces. So it didn't feel like a strategic lure—it felt like a concession.

"It's not your fault," Raikage said firmly.

"No scattered squad can stop Konoha's main force. A real blow can only be dealt by a focused strike—like a clenched fist."

He paused, then reminded her, "Don't forget what our goal is."

Yugito blinked. Then her eyes widened slightly in understanding.

Raikage turned to face the direction of the Land of Hot Water. "Our objective is to stall the war. Let Konoha—already spread thin—burn through its strength. They're not the only ones watching us. And Iwagakure is not the only one watching them."

"In this kind of war," he continued, "our rear defense lines—our strongholds—are the true foundation."

"Of course, if we do get the chance to defeat Konoha's main force outright, we'll take it."

The Fourth Raikage unrolled a map and jabbed his finger at a thick forested area.

"Why do you think Konoha dares to charge in so boldly?" he asked. "The answer's clear—they've got hidden fortresses nearby."

"If we can't find them, we'll let them lead us there. And before they can activate the fortress defenses, we'll crush them."

He narrowed his eyes.

"At the very least, those hidden bases must be destroyed. And for that, you need to be at full strength again—understood?"

Yugito's doubts melted away. Fire lit in her eyes. "Understood, Lord Raikage."

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