Chapter 54: Assassination Squad

The relationships between the various daimyō and the leaders of the hidden villages were always complex.

Before the Warring States Period ended, ninja were merely mercenaries struggling to make a living.

They were hired by nations and wealthy merchants to wage wars, conquer fortresses, and seize territory. Among them, the Senju and Uchiha clans were the most outstanding.

Later, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and Uchiha Madara founded the Hidden Leaf Village. Once they gained recognition from the daimyō of the Land of Fire, they officially became the nation's military force. Other countries quickly followed suit and formed their own hidden villages.

Compared to maintaining their own armies of samurai—who, without war, were essentially just idle freeloaders—supporting a shinobi village was far more cost-effective. Hidden villages could take on paid missions, earn their own income, and defend the land.

It didn't take a genius to do the math.

The daimyō of the Land of Fire had always been smart. He knew how to choose wisely.

He let Konoha do as they pleased. After all, he knew he didn't have the power to command the First, Second, or even Third Hokage—war-hardened men forged in blood.

As long as they didn't endanger the nation or his own safety, he allowed them to act freely. That was how things worked in the Land of Fire.

But the daimyō of the Land of Wind was a different story.

Most of the Land of Wind was desert—one word: poor.

Sunagakure was equally strapped for funds. The income from missions alone wasn't enough to sustain the village's expenses, so they still relied on funding from the Land of Wind. That gave the daimyō a convenient point of leverage.

He could simply cut the budget. That alone was enough to keep Sunagakure under his thumb.

In truth, Sunagakure's position was awkward. The Land of Wind wasn't particularly powerful to begin with, and if not for its harsh desert terrain, it would've been invaded long ago. But no one wanted to occupy a stretch of lifeless sand that couldn't even be farmed. With so few exploitable resources, any occupying force would eventually give up and leave.

That's why the daimyō frequently slashed their funding—he saw them as dispensable money-wasters. That money could be better spent hiring a private security force to protect himself. As long as he was safe, he didn't care about the rest.

Fortunately, while he found Sunagakure annoying, he wasn't a complete idiot. He didn't dissolve the village outright, recognizing its limited use during wartime.

When Kumogakure attacked the Land of Wind, Sunagakure defended its borders—while simultaneously launching an offensive against the wealthier Land of Fire.

That move… was a total bust.

At first, the daimyō of the Land of Wind was thrilled when Sunagakure managed to occupy a large portion of Fire Country. Compared to their homeland, Fire Country was rich—swapping desert for fertile forest was an absolute win.

But when Sunagakure lost the territory they'd just taken, the daimyō was furious.

He immediately ordered a budget cut.

If you lose, you have to pay reparations.

Where would the money come from?

Naturally, from Sunagakure's operating budget.

After retreating from Fire Country, the mood among the Sand shinobi shifted. On the battlefield, they had always fought ferociously. Even Orochimaru had to be cautious around them at times.

"Our front lines are now stretched thin. On most battlefields, our forces are scattered and can't be consolidated," Orochimaru said, pointing at the war map laid out on the table.

The territory of the Land of Rivers was displayed for everyone to see. Numerous skirmishes between Konoha and Sand shinobi had broken out across the map, forming a long front that cut through nearly the entire country.

"Orochimaru-sama, but concentrating our forces right now might not be the best strategy," advised Nara Shikaku from the Nara Clan.

"If we suddenly start massing troops, the Sand might detect our movements. If they circle around us, we could be caught in a pincer—attacked from the front and the rear. That would be devastating."

The Nara were known for their intelligence and often acted as Konoha's strategists. Orochimaru respected their insight.

He glanced at the map and nodded.

"As Shikaku said, massing our troops isn't ideal either. But if we keep stretching our lines, our supply routes will be extended as well. We can't afford to keep grinding away like this."

Konoha's logistics could probably outlast two and a half Sunagakures. But the Land of Fire wasn't just fighting on one front. Kirigakure had also begun stirring—small skirmishes were already breaking out, and war seemed imminent.

There were also ongoing clashes with Kumogakure at the Land of Fire's borders. And they couldn't afford to ignore the potential threats from the Lands of Rain and Earth either.

Right now, the Land of Fire was surrounded by enemies. This front, however, was the most critical—and absolutely could not fall.

Stretching the front line was clearly not a long-term solution.

After some thought, Orochimaru said,

"Shinnosuke, take Kiyosuke and form a special operations team. You'll begin assassination missions. Leave immediately."

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. "Orochimaru-sama, Shinnosuke's skill is beyond question, but Kiyosuke…"

"Shikaku, Kiyosuke is my student. I have full confidence in him."

Kiyosuke was capable of terrifying levels of destruction. And as long as he didn't face Water Release users or those with massive chakra reserves, he was virtually unkillable. Pairing him with the powerful Shinnosuke would make for an effective assassination squad.

"I understand."

"Of course, they're not the only ones. There will be others. Your task is simple: assassinate, disrupt, and throw the Sand's rhythm into chaos." Orochimaru was deploying a special strike team to break the deadlock.

"Yes, sir."

Shinnosuke nodded and went to find Kiyosuke.

"Pick up the antidotes from the medical corps. I spent time formulating them myself. Also, give this list to Kiyosuke—once the antidotes run out, he can make more using this formula," Orochimaru said, handing Shinnosuke a slip of paper.

"Also, collect sufficient supplies from the logistics unit. If you can sever their front line, all the better."

"Understood." Shinnosuke pocketed the list and left the tent.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, began handpicking suitable candidates for the assassination squad. With this strike force, he planned to punch a hole in Sunagakure's lines and turn the tide of the war.

It wasn't a decision made lightly. Assassination squads were a desperate move, best used only when all other options had been exhausted.

Most of the people sent wouldn't make it back.

If even one in ten returned, they'd consider it a blessing.

But to Orochimaru, sacrificing those lives for victory was a price worth paying.

It was a necessary sacrifice.

Even if the team included the son of the Third Hokage, or his own student, they were all expendable. If they died, it meant their strength hadn't been enough to survive the brutal battlefield. In that case, their lives had no meaning.

And meaningless lives could—and should—be traded for victory.

For Konoha's triumph, no price was too great to pay.

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