"How is the situation now?"
Inside Konoha's outpost, Hikaru and Shikaku walked slowly through the compound while the Konoha shinobi around them busied themselves with preparations.
The Konoha shinobi looked far better now, both in spirit and morale. Compared to when they had first set out, the difference was like heaven and earth.
And the one who had changed all of that was Hikaru.
If Hikaru had not reversed the situation through two battles, especially the battle against the Fourth Raikage, where he had shown overwhelming combat power, heavily injured him, and wiped out more than five hundred Kumo shinobi, Konoha's morale would never have risen this high.
A truly powerful shinobi could do more than overturn a battlefield alone. He could make everyone else burn with fighting spirit.
Hikaru had clearly done exactly that.
As they passed, the Konoha shinobi instinctively stopped what they were doing. Some bowed slightly. Others nodded toward the two of them, expressing respect for Hikaru and Shikaku.
At first, both Hikaru and Shikaku had been unused to this.
Shikaku was better off. As Minister of Administration, he often faced similar situations.
But Hikaru was the Minister of Anbu. He rarely encountered this kind of open admiration. After a few days, however, he had gradually grown used to it.
"Everything is proceeding according to plan."
Shikaku had been in a good mood these past few days, and a rare smile appeared on his face.
"Kumo is being suppressed badly. As the defending side, their casualties are not too heavy, but we are not foolish either. Even during the few forceful assaults I deliberately ordered to make us look impatient, I told the team captains to retreat if the situation turned bad and avoid unnecessary losses.
"Of course, even with that instruction, the results weren't perfect. We still lost quite a few people in those assaults. But overall, as long as we keep the advantage and bombard Kumo's positions with ninjutsu and explosive tags, Konoha comes out ahead.
"The Third Hokage looked furious, but he still approved a large number of explosive tags. That greatly strengthened our ability to attack fortified positions."
As Minister of Administration, Shikaku knew very well that those explosive tags had actually been prepared during the Third Shinobi World War.
After the war ended, they had been put into storage. In a sense, this was just clearing old inventory.
But no matter what, it still strengthened the shinobi on the front line.
"Kumo is now being pressured by us. I've been deliberately shifting our attack direction, constantly searching for a breakthrough.
"To make them believe we're desperate to take them down, I even ordered several direct assaults. The cost was the loss of some excellent shinobi, but I believe they've taken the bait."
Shikaku quickly summarized the situation. It was clear that his mood was quite good.
Hikaru smiled and nodded.
Shikaku had done so much precisely to create the conditions Hikaru needed.
Konoha was pressing Kumo. Hikaru was not personally attacking. Everything was meant to confuse Kumo, and their true target was that plain.
"But Shikaku, do you think they'll really take the bait?"
Hikaru asked while walking.
He was not too worried. After all, he trusted his own strength. But if things could be settled once and for all, he had no desire to make matters overly complicated.
This time, what he wanted was a great victory.
A victory that would shake the entire shinobi world.
Although he had left Konoha, Saya and Ayame had remained behind, and both were still managing the newspaper's operations.
With Hikaru's two "great victories" on the front line, Konoha's morale was continuously rising.
By contrast, Hiruzen Sarutobi's earlier cowardice before battle was being displayed even more clearly.
Especially since he had intended to sell out Konoha's interests and sacrifice a clan that had contributed greatly to the village in exchange for so-called peace.
At this point, Hiruzen's prestige in Konoha had fallen again and again.
If not for the fact that he was the Third Hokage and currently acting as Hokage, people would not dare restrain themselves so much.
Otherwise, Konoha might already have launched a full-scale public condemnation of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Even though no large and open movement against him had erupted, private rumors were already spreading everywhere.
According to the confidential Anbu reports Hikaru had received, Hiruzen's current situation was truly not pleasant.
The worst part was that he could not do anything about it.
"I can't say for certain, but I think it should work."
Shikaku did not know what Hikaru was thinking, so he continued calmly.
"After all, Commander Hikaru made an excellent move. Iwagakure has already moved. Even if they are only stationing troops at the border, that still puts enormous pressure on Kumo.
"A fist is most frightening not after it has been thrown, but when it is clenched and ready to strike.
"Right now, Iwa is that clenched fist, aimed directly at Kumo's vital point. Otherwise, Kumo would not have rushed to transfer troops back.
"Now it is their turn to be anxious.
"Once we 'belatedly' realize that our position is 'problematic' and slow down our attacks, Kumo may become even more impatient. At that point, they will actively lure us, or even force us, toward that plain."
Looking at Shikaku's confident expression, Hikaru had to admit that Nara Shikaku was terrifyingly capable.
Hikaru felt he might be able to come up with a similar plan, but combining so many unexpected developments into one strategy was another matter entirely.
After all, Shikaku had not known Hikaru's full strength, nor had he known exactly what Hikaru would do.
Yet he had taken every sudden change and turned it into a condition favorable to their side, all to fulfill Hikaru's strategic arrangement.
If Hikaru had to arrange all of this himself, he felt it would take him much longer.
But Shikaku was constantly adapting according to the situation and integrating each change into the plan.
With that ability and intelligence, Hikaru could only say that the original timeline's evaluation of him had not been wrong.
After all, the brilliant Nara Shikamaru of the original timeline had been personally trained by this man.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Minister Shikaku."
Hikaru suddenly stopped and patted Shikaku on the shoulder.
"Minister Shikaku truly is one of Konoha's pillars. I think it would only be natural for you to take charge of more responsibilities in the future."
"Then I'll thank Commander Hikaru in advance for those kind words."
Shikaku froze for a moment, then smiled.
"However, that would be quite a challenge for me. Perhaps I can recommend a few people to Commander Hikaru."
"That would be even better. But right now, I already have a suitable candidate in mind."
Hikaru immediately understood Shikaku's meaning and played along.
"Nara Shikashiro made a great contribution this time. No matter how I look at it, he's suited for more challenging work. What do you think, Minister Shikaku?"
"Nara Shikashiro?"
Shikaku nodded lightly.
His relationship with Shikashiro was decent to begin with, and Shikashiro's performance this time had indeed been excellent.
Moreover, Shikashiro was currently an Anbu member, which meant his relationship with Hikaru was closer. He was indeed a very good choice.
But Shikaku's expression soon became serious again.
Now was not the right time to discuss this. They were still at war.
"Commander Hikaru, there is actually something I've been wanting to ask," Shikaku said quietly.
"What is it? Speak freely, Minister Shikaku."
Hikaru looked at Shikaku and nodded.
"Commander Hikaru, even though Kumo has transferred some of its troops away, their numbers still surpass ours. They also have the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki."
Shikaku's expression became even more solemn. He finally asked the question he had wanted to ask for a long time.
"I truly want to know how Commander Hikaru plans to deal with them. After all, we will be facing them together."
"That question? It's actually very simple."
Hikaru was not surprised by Shikaku's question.
After all, he had never explained these things before.
Shikaku had been following his instructions and step by step realizing his strategic plan. It was normal for him to feel uncertain.
Hikaru still did not intend to reveal everything, but giving a small hint was fine.
"I can't say too much about the details. But I can tell you this, Minister Shikaku.
"When Kumo and our side gather together, you must not let Konoha's main force press forward.
"Remember that."
Inside Kumo's camp, the Fourth Raikage sat with his arm wrapped in bandages, looking seriously at Dodai.
"What is the situation on Konoha's side now, Teacher Dodai?"
The Fourth Raikage had not asked many details recently, but he knew Kumo's current situation was not good.
Even though Kumo occupied favorable defensive terrain, he was aware of Konoha's constant bombardment.
Konoha had always been a village relatively skilled in Fire Release. Even if not every shinobi had a natural fire affinity, after so many battles, most of them had obtained some ninjutsu and trained in it.
Even if an individual Fire Release jutsu was poor, hundreds or thousands of people using Fire Release together was a different matter.
On top of that, Konoha had displayed its reserves this time. Their shinobi were equipped with a large number of explosive tags.
That had made life miserable for the Kumo shinobi defending the front line.
Still, they had held.
At the very least, they had bought enough time for the Fourth Raikage to recover.
The Fourth Raikage was mostly healed now.
Although his arm was still in a cast, as a shinobi, he could sense his own condition.
He believed he could handle many situations. Even if he had to face Hikaru again, he could still fight.
Besides, this time he had already made a decision.
He would absolutely not face Hikaru alone again. He would fight together with his younger brother, Killer B.
He was growing truly anxious.
Iwa's movements were like a sharp blade hanging behind him.
They had not attacked yet, but they had already brought enormous pressure to Kumo. If Kumo could not resolve Konoha quickly, many things would become difficult to predict.
"Konoha is now moving closer and closer to the location we anticipated."
Dodai did not hide anything.
This whole period, he had been under the greatest pressure. Not only did he have to command the battlefield, he also had to think about their next move.
On top of that, he had to restrain the easily impulsive Killer B, handle the Iwa situation as much as possible, and report to the Fourth Raikage.
It could be said that he was currently the busiest person in Kumo, and also the one under the greatest pressure.
But he was still gritting his teeth and holding on.
"We have already sent people to contact Iwa. We don't know whether Konoha promised them any benefits, but trying to stabilize them is the best option.
"Even if we cannot stabilize them, the people we send can at least learn the truth more accurately, so we can prepare for the worst."
"You sent people to contact Iwa?"
The Fourth Raikage frowned when he heard this, but in the end, he sighed and nodded, accepting Dodai's decision.
The Fourth Raikage hated Iwa from the bottom of his heart. After all, his father had died at their hands.
But after serving as Raikage for several years, he also knew that under the current circumstances, Dodai's choice was the optimal solution.
Although he could not fully let go of his resentment, this matter concerned the safety of the entire village. He had no choice but to compromise.
"Fine. Thank you, Teacher Dodai. Then what should we do now?"
"We can only wait."
Dodai sighed, then explained with a grave expression.
"Although we have the advantage in numbers, we must annihilate Konoha's forces in one stroke.
"If Konoha and Ōnoki have not reached some kind of deal, then Ōnoki, that old fox, will never attack once we quickly defeat Konoha.
"And if the worst-case scenario is true, and Ōnoki has made a deal with Konoha, then after quickly defeating Konoha, we can enter the Land of Fire, establish a defensive foothold, and turn back to deal with Iwa's offensive.
"Once Konoha is badly damaged, we can negotiate terms with Hiruzen Sarutobi. I believe he absolutely does not want us to push the flames of war deeper into Konoha."
Dodai saw the situation very clearly, and he explained it in great detail. His goal was to steady the Fourth Raikage.
Clearly, he knew the Fourth Raikage still held deep resentment toward Iwa.
But the current situation truly left no room for personal emotion.
"So now everything depends on Konoha's response, correct?" the Fourth Raikage sighed. "Whether they cooperate with us, whether their commander makes a mistake?"
"Although I do not like saying it, that is indeed the situation."
Dodai nodded helplessly, but his expression soon turned serious.
"However, I will make sure the task is completed. At this point, Konoha is already being dragged along by the situation.
"Even if they realize what is happening and try to retreat, I will absolutely not let them escape!"
Dodai's attitude was serious, and his tone was firm.
He had already formed a complete plan.
Seeing this, the Fourth Raikage nodded.
"Then when do you plan to force them…"
Before he could finish speaking, an Anbu rushed in.
"Lord Raikage! Lord Dodai! There is movement from Konoha. They seem to have stopped!"
The Anbu dropped to one knee and quickly delivered the report.
Both the Fourth Raikage and Dodai's expressions changed slightly.
Dodai, in particular, immediately smiled.
"Lord Raikage, now is the time!"
In the Land of Hot Water, along a defensive line over fifty kilometers long where Konoha and Kumo faced each other, Konoha shinobi rested inside trenches with relatively relaxed expressions.
Even while resting, however, they remained vigilant.
This was wartime. They could not afford to relax.
Especially now that they had received a mission.
The mission ordered them to prepare to retreat to the previous defensive line.
What was strange was that although the order had been issued, they had not been told to execute it immediately.
The captains of their respective units still ordered them to remain alert and hold their positions. Only a small portion of those furthest back had begun moving.
"Captain, are we not attacking them again today?"
Inside one trench, a young Konoha shinobi lay there and asked curiously. He belonged to the group ordered by their captain to remain in place.
He did not understand why the order from headquarters conflicted with the order from his captain, but he knew he only needed to obey.
In wartime, conflicting orders were one of the greatest taboos. Therefore, there were strict rules on whose orders should be followed, depending on the actual situation.
This time was different.
Minister Shikaku had personally come to the front and made it clear that on the front line, they were to obey their captains.
With that instruction, they could only follow orders obediently, even if they had doubts.
"Attack, my ass. We're about to withdraw."
The squad captain laughed and scolded him. While observing the front, he said, "And war isn't some fun game. We may have the advantage now, but don't forget that this opportunity was created for us by Lord Hikaru.
"Besides, look at the areas ahead. Isn't this already good enough?"
The young shinobi pursed his lips at the captain's words, but he obediently quieted down.
Outside the fifty-kilometer defensive line where they had clashed with Kumo, the land had become scorched earth.
Even after ten years, those places might not fully recover. And within that ruined area, no one knew how many Konoha and Kumo shinobi had been buried.
Konoha did have the advantage, but having the advantage did not mean there were no casualties. It only meant Konoha's casualties were currently much lower than Kumo's.
Thinking of that, the young shinobi fell silent.
The cruelty of war was always beyond imagination.
Those who personally experienced it understood this more deeply than anyone.
But the hearts of those who participated in war were also strong.
Even if this war would leave memories that could never be erased, at least at this moment, they could still keep their composure.
Besides, through the newspaper's propaganda, they understood why they were fighting this war.
The reason for war was extremely important.
In the shinobi world, the most commonly used reason was hatred.
Ninja villages had not existed for very long. At their core, they were still formed around clans.
Before villages were established, every clan had enemies of its own.
After villages appeared, some clans joined together, while others entered different villages.
Those who ended up in the same village could have their conflicts mediated by the Kage. But if they belonged to different villages, their hatred naturally remained.
When Kage considered the interests of their villages, they would also mobilize this hatred to justify attacks.
Once two villages fought for a long time and many people died, that hatred would rise from clan hatred to village hatred.
Konoha had not actively invaded others, and during the Third Shinobi World War, another concept had faintly emerged.
For example, the idea of "defending the homeland."
But perhaps because "hatred" was simply too effective at stirring emotions, or perhaps because the First Hokage had founded Konoha with the intention of eliminating hatred, Konoha had still used hatred as its main tool for war mobilization until now.
But when Hikaru used the newspaper for mobilization and propaganda, he had never emphasized hatred.
He emphasized protecting the homeland.
And when this concept, previously only hinted at, was openly and clearly used by Hikaru, the effect was astonishingly good.
Perhaps it was precisely because Konoha shinobi had this concept and this conviction that they could be mobilized and sent out so quickly.
Even though morale had been low at first, they still had the look of soldiers who would fight with their backs to the wall.
Now, they even had the desire to take the initiative.
"Hm?"
Just as the young shinobi fell silent, the squad captain beside him suddenly changed expression.
He could clearly sense many chakra signatures rapidly rushing toward them.
That discovery immediately made him realize something was wrong. He quickly picked up his telescope and began observing.
After one glance, he gritted his teeth.
"What is it, Captain?"
The young shinobi noticed something was wrong and immediately asked.
"Get up. We're in trouble."
The squad captain's voice was unusually heavy. He lowered the telescope and took out a signal flare.
He took a deep breath and fired it.
In an instant, a streak of red light shot into the sky.
Only then did he speak.
"Move toward the front and maintain combat readiness, because…"
"Kumo is coming!"
"Kumo has attacked?"
Inside Konoha's outpost, Hikaru looked at the solemn Shikaku and asked curiously.
"Yes. Kumo has launched an active offensive."
Shikaku took a deep breath, then nodded very seriously.
"They are moving quickly. Some of our units have been intercepted."
Shikaku did not say much, but Hikaru could already tell that the units attacked by Kumo were unlikely to be in good condition.
After all, Kumo had held back their resentment for so long.
They had been pinned to the defensive line, forced to stay there, and constantly endured Konoha's firepower.
Anyone in their place would be filled with anger.
Once they had a chance to attack, they would definitely show no mercy.
Thinking of this, Hikaru frowned.
Although he would not hesitate to admit that he was dark and cold inside, he was still human.
Even if his ancestors had long had sayings about one general's fame being built upon ten thousand bones, his heart still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
"How are the casualties?" Hikaru asked after thinking for a moment.
"Four or five hundred people have been trapped for various reasons," Shikaku said, shaking his head. "As for those captured, there may be even more. For now, we have only counted the corpses we have found."
"I understand."
Hikaru nodded, his expression becoming serious.
"Then has Kumo reached the designated location?"
"Estimated arrival will take another two days. They are using a three-pronged encirclement method to cut us off and force us toward that area. But their troop numbers are not that high."
Shikaku thought for a moment before speaking slowly.
"So our main force is still relatively safe. However, withdrawal takes time, and both our side and Kumo's side need time to gather.
"Two days should be necessary. If nothing unexpected happens, Kumo will probably launch an attack on us two days from now."
Hearing Shikaku's words, Hikaru silently nodded.
Movement of a large force did indeed take time.
But overall, Hikaru's strategic arrangement had now been completed.
For the first time, Hikaru truly felt that even completing a strategic deployment required paying a considerable price.
Back when he was in Anbu, casualties among large forces had basically only existed on paper to him.
Now, standing on the battlefield in person and serving as commander of a large army, even he could feel the pressure.
But since Kumo had taken the bait, all Hikaru needed to do next was what he had to do.
At this thought, a dangerous light appeared in Hikaru's eyes.
This time, Kumo would pay the price.
Time passed quickly.
When Kumo discovered that Konoha had begun shifting its battle line, they charged out of their trenches without hesitation.
They poured more than half a month of pent-up resentment onto Konoha, and they completed their mission well.
They intercepted Konoha's retreating units and forced Konoha's main force closer and closer to the plain.
However, because their own troops were also limited, they did not continue attacking endlessly. Instead, they began to rest and gather.
They were all waiting for the final order.
On this plain, Konoha would have no way to stop their charge.
They firmly believed that they would deliver a devastating blow to Konoha.
"Lord Raikage, the situation is already excellent."
Inside Kumo's command post, Dodai, who had been under constant pressure for half a month, finally seemed to relax a little. A rare smile appeared on his face.
"Konoha was careless. Or perhaps they were truly impatient. They have now been completely forced onto the plain by us.
"I believe that once we finish resting and gathering, we can launch the final offensive against Konoha."
"Good. Well done, Teacher Dodai!"
The Fourth Raikage smiled as well, but his smile did not last long before he restrained it.
"What is Konoha doing now? Have they organized another retreat?
"And what is that damned Ōnoki's reaction? Has Iwa made any new moves?"
Although Konoha had been forced onto the plain, they still had to be careful that Konoha did not scatter and escape.
However, the Fourth Raikage was not overly worried about that point.
After all, if Konoha retreated any further, they would have to withdraw into the Land of Fire.
In wars between great shinobi villages, allowing the flames of war to spread into one's own country was an absolute bottom line.
The Fourth Raikage believed Konoha would not dare retreat easily.
Once they did, Kumo could march straight in and quickly disperse into the Land of Fire.
Konoha could only gather here.
They could only fight Kumo here in a decisive battle.
The real headache was Iwa's attitude.
Who would have thought that Iwagakure, which had no direct war pressure, would become a key factor influencing the situation?
"Konoha will not retreat anymore. They do not dare leave. As for Iwa, there is no news for now. Our people have not even managed to meet Ōnoki."
Dodai also felt helpless.
After completing the strategic task, he had focused most of his energy on Iwa, but so far, Iwa had given no response.
This made him helpless, but he could only let it go.
In the end, to completely settle everything, they still had to rely on the performance of the main battlefield.
"In that case, have them continue watching."
The Fourth Raikage stood. His gaze was extremely cold.
"Pass down the order. Tomorrow morning, we attack!"
"Yes, Lord Raikage!"
Dodai responded loudly, his eyes also burning with heat.
This time, it would surely be Konoha's doomsday.
"Father… Lord Tsuchikage, is there really anything left to watch?"
Inside a hidden cave near the battlefield where Konoha and Kumo faced each other, Kitsuchi spoke somewhat helplessly.
"Kumo's envoy has been in the village for a long time, and now Konoha has already been trapped on this plain.
"Once Kumo launches its attack, with their traits and abilities, this will probably be Konoha's doomsday."
"Shut up."
Ōnoki glanced at his son and shook his head helplessly.
Why was his son thinking like those simple-minded Kumo shinobi?
Could he not see that Konoha was acting?
Ōnoki had observed for so long. As a bystander, he had clearly noticed many unreasonable actions from Konoha's side.
And it was precisely those unreasonable actions that had led Konoha into its current position.
Before this, Konoha's situation had been fairly good.
Ōnoki guessed that this was likely deliberate on Konoha's part.
As for why Konoha would do such a thing, he did not know.
But he knew Konoha must have its own purpose.
Taking a deep breath, Ōnoki stared at the battlefield.
He could already feel the footsteps of the final battle approaching.
And he agreed with one word his son had used.
Doomsday.
"Only… whose doomsday it will be is still hard to say."
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