The Uzumaki Clan: Why Does Konoha Feel Like a Very "Plastic" Ally?
The First Raikage had been caught completely off guard by Akatsuki's assault.
The moment he learned that Kumogakure's First and Second Defensive Lines had been destroyed overnight, he immediately convened an emergency council and formally declared war on Akatsuki.
"War!"
"Make Akatsuki's shinobi pay for this blood debt!"
The leaders of Kumogakure's shinobi clans roared in fury.
The more than one thousand fallen shinobi were their own people—relatives, cousins, brothers.
There was no way this could simply be brushed aside.
Blood must be repaid with blood.
In less than two days, Kumogakure's Third Defensive Line had gathered several thousand elite shinobi.
The First Raikage personally took command and rushed to the front.
Kumogakure's forces fought as grieving soldiers, nearly deranged with rage, and within days the war had escalated into a full-blown inferno.
Rock forests.
Lakeshores.
Dense woodlands.
Within a single month, the two sides engaged in savage, unrelenting combat.
Even veteran jōnin—hardened by decades of war—could vanish silently under such intensity.
Inside a temporary command tent—
"Damn it…"
"Kumogakure really can't be underestimated."
Uchiha Makoto frowned as he reviewed the latest battle reports.
The Cloud shinobi fought like madmen—no regard for cost, no regard for losses.
This was more than simple vengeance.
Because Kumogakure's shinobi were fighting on familiar ground, they knew exactly how to exploit the terrain—where to ambush, where to slip past Akatsuki's patrols, how to surgically remove key sentries and gradually compress Akatsuki's operating space.
Every engagement followed the same pattern:
Sudden attacks.
Suicidal charges.
Heavy casualties on both sides.
Akatsuki had been secretly preparing for months—longer, even.
They were armed to the teeth.
Yet in raw shinobi strength, the two sides were not far apart. Even with Akatsuki's massive stockpile of explosive tags, Makoto estimated the casualty ratio in most battles hovered around 1 : 1.5.
Under Kumogakure's relentless pressure, that ratio had nearly evened out.
Yes—Akatsuki was still ahead.
But Kumogakure simply had more manpower.
At present, Akatsuki's deployed forces were numerically inferior, and the intensity of Kumogakure's attacks was beginning to strain even Makoto.
Akatsuki had lost nearly 400 shinobi.
Kumogakure's losses were approaching 600.
Losses on this scale would make any Kage's hands tremble.
"Makoto, at this point… you should at least eat some ice cream."
Uzumaki Shinji walked over, holding out a bowl.
The weather was growing hotter by the day.
And in the height of summer, no one could refuse ice cream.
Makoto set the reports aside and accepted it.
"Don't worry too much," Shinji continued, eating beside him.
"Kumogakure's attacks aren't as intense as they were at the start. We're adapting to their tempo. Before long, offense and defense will flip."
He wasn't wrong.
Kumogakure's early offensives had been terrifying, but the cost had been immense. Akatsuki was now thoroughly familiar with the terrain and the Cloud's preferred ambush routes.
Thanks to Akatsuki's overwhelming supply of explosive tags, nearly every viable ambush point had been saturated.
Sneak attacks were becoming increasingly difficult.
Makoto nodded.
This war had unfolded almost exactly as he had anticipated.
The initial lightning assault.
Kumogakure's delayed response.
The First Raikage personally reinforcing the Third Defensive Line.
All of it.
Makoto had already abandoned the idea of storming the Third Line directly. Instead, he shifted fully to the original plan: a war of attrition, methodically stripping away Kumogakure's surrounding outposts with explosive-tag bombardments, one by one.
As for Kumogakure's recent frenzy—
Makoto had a strong suspicion.
Their logistics were breaking down.
The First and Second Defensive Lines had contained massive stockpiles of food, weapons, and explosive tags.
All of it had vanished in a single night.
The First Raikage had mobilized in haste, skipping proper war preparations and immediately concentrating his forces at the Third Line.
That meant every logistical burden was now piled into one location.
Makoto suspected the Raikage had realized Akatsuki's intent to drag this into a prolonged war, and was therefore gambling everything on violent, desperate assaults—hoping to locate a decisive weakness and force a climactic battle.
"Kumogakure's logistics won't hold much longer," Makoto said calmly.
"Victory will probably be decided within the next month or two."
Shinji nodded. He had reached the same conclusion.
If Akatsuki and the Uzumaki clan could withstand this initial madness, the balance would tilt completely in their favor.
Akatsuki's morale remained high.
Their logistics were luxurious by shinobi standards.
Three hot meals a day—real rice, miso soup, meat, even desserts afterward.
Ice cream was distributed freely, thanks to Ice Release users.
In contrast, reports from raids on Kumogakure positions showed Cloud shinobi had already begun mixing soldier pills into their staple meals—a clear sign of strain.
The longer the war dragged on, the greater Akatsuki's advantage became.
"Shinji…" Makoto said casually, spooning ice cream.
"It looks like Konoha won't be sending troops."
"I've contacted them. Tobirama replied that Konoha is 'urgently preparing military supplies.' Whether that's true or not…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
The implication was obvious.
As expected, Konoha had no intention of intervening.
Tobirama's response reeked of perfunctory delay. Waiting for Konoha's援军 was pointless—far better to remain vigilant against the possibility that Tobirama might interfere behind the scenes.
His silence lately was… suspicious.
Makoto had limited reach into Konoha itself. All he could do there was react.
But right now—
He had someone right in front of him.
The Uzumaki clan.
Konoha needs a little "Reality check," Makoto thought calmly.
And it needs it now.
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