"Uchiha Ryujin… so you actually showed up."
Jiraiya raised a brow the moment Ryujin stepped into the command tent.
Ryujin glanced at him calmly.
"What? Not happy to see Uchiha reinforcements?"
To be fair, Jiraiya didn't dislike the Uchiha as a clan.
But Ryujin?
That was a different matter.
In Jiraiya's eyes, Ryujin was a rival—
A love rival.
Unilaterally.
Because while Jiraiya had long harbored feelings for Tsunade, her relationship with Ryujin…
Was far too close.
And that alone—
Was enough to irritate him.
At this age, Jiraiya had yet to mature into the composed figure he would later become. He was more impulsive, more expressive.
…Though, to be fair, even in the future, that wouldn't change much.
"Welcome? Of course you're welcome."
Orochimaru smoothly stepped in, taking control of the conversation.
"Ryujin-kun arrived at the perfect time. We're in dire need of support."
His tone was calm.
Measured.
Unlike Jiraiya, he saw things clearly.
The situation on the battlefield was deteriorating.
Without Uchiha reinforcements—
The coming battles would become extremely difficult.
After all, the Uchiha's combat power was undeniable.
No matter how they were treated within Konoha, on the battlefield—
They were monsters.
Once the Sharingan was activated, a single Uchiha could engage multiple opponents of the same level.
This wasn't theory.
This was reality.
Life and death.
Handling two or three enemies alone—
That level of strength was terrifying.
"Where's Tsunade? Did she come as well?" Orochimaru asked.
"She's already at the medical unit, treating the wounded," Ryujin replied with a slight nod.
The four of them—
Ryujin, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru—
Belonged to the same era.
They knew each other well.
Though at this point in time, the title of the "Three Legendary Ninja" had yet to be born.
But Ryujin remembered.
In the original timeline, their fame came after facing a man known as a demigod—
Hanzo of the Salamander.
A Kage-level monster.
Which meant—
This battle…
…was that battle.
The one that would make history.
The one that would also leave Konoha severely wounded.
Yes.
The Three Ninja would rise.
But at a cost.
A heavy one.
So heavy—
That even years later, they avoided speaking of it.
Ryujin understood all of this.
But—
He said nothing.
Because it didn't concern him.
Not yet.
That was simply who he was.
If it didn't involve his interests—
He wouldn't interfere.
Soon, the discussion shifted fully to strategy.
The situation had reached a breaking point.
After prolonged probing, skirmishes, and tactical feints, the four nations had fully exposed each other's capabilities.
Troop numbers.
Battle styles.
Strategic patterns.
There was nothing left to test.
No more subtlety.
This war—
Had entered its true phase.
A direct clash.
A brutal contest of raw strength.
At this stage, even the smallest mistake could lead to total collapse.
After careful deliberation, Orochimaru and Jiraiya reached a consensus.
Strike first.
Most of the Jōnin present agreed.
Defending passively would only lead to being overwhelmed.
Better to attack.
Better to seize the initiative.
"The Land of Rain holds the advantage as the battlefield host."
Orochimaru pointed at the map spread across the table, his voice steady and analytical.
"These past few days, we've suffered greatly—especially in terms of supply lines."
"They have an overwhelming logistical advantage."
"If this continues, our disadvantage will only grow."
He paused briefly.
"This war will not end quickly."
"We must prepare for a prolonged conflict."
His golden eyes swept across the room.
"No objections?"
No one spoke.
Because everyone understood.
Even the strongest shinobi needed food, rest, and medicine.
In prolonged warfare—
Logistics were everything.
And right now—
Konoha was losing that battle.
Ryujin remained silent, observing.
Seeing no response from him, Orochimaru continued.
"Therefore, our objective…"
"…is to penetrate enemy lines and destroy their supply units and base."
He tapped the map lightly.
"Based on our previous discussions, I've summarized the plan into five key points."
"Feel free to add anything."
He raised one finger.
"First—speed."
"We deploy a strike force focused on rapid assault. Our goal is the destruction of resources, not unnecessary engagement."
"Maximize damage to supplies."
A second finger rose.
"Second—Hanzo of the Salamander."
"If encountered…"
"Abort the mission immediately."
"No pointless sacrifices."
Even the mention of that name caused subtle tension in the room.
A Kage-level existence—
Not something ordinary shinobi could face.
"Third—Jiraiya and I will form the vanguard unit."
"We lead the assault."
"The remaining forces will be divided into four squads."
"Two for support…"
"One for—"
The strategy continued in precise detail.
Efficient.
Deadly.
Ryujin listened quietly.
And inwardly—
Nodded.
Orochimaru's judgment was flawless.
Calm.
Sharp.
Focused on the core issue.
If not for his personality—
He would have been the perfect Hokage.
Talent.
Capability.
Vision.
He lacked nothing.
Except—
Restraint.
Still, even with such leadership, Konoha's forces were stretched thin.
The White Fang was tied down on another front.
Tsunade was occupied with medical support—equally critical.
Hiruzen and Danzo remained in the village, unable to leave.
Konoha's strongest forces—
Were scattered.
Too scattered.
That was why, despite having elite shinobi, they were still being suppressed in the Land of Rain.
Though overall, Konoha's forces were still stronger than their enemies.
For now—
They held the line.
But everything—
Depended on this strike.
If this surprise attack failed—
The tide of war…
Would turn completely.
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