While Yagura was solidifying his position as Mizukage in the hearts of the common people within Kirigakure, he also dragged Mangetsu and the others into a grueling training regimen...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent.
As the war among the Four Great Nations progressed, the conflict escalated rapidly, with the war machines of the four hidden villages roaring to life.
On September 20th, with reinforcements arriving for Kumogakure, over ten thousand Cloud shinobi, led by the Third Raikage's son, launched an overwhelming assault on Konoha's defensive line, crushing it with sheer numerical superiority.
The first main force of Cloud shinobi broke through the defensive line and pushed forward to rendezvous with the second division, combining their strength to attack Konoha's second line of defense—an expanse of dense forest along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.
Konoha's primary force on the Lightning front gathered the remnants of the first line defenders, totaling over eight thousand shinobi. They relied on the narrow terrain of the Fire-Lightning border, stationing themselves in the forest to counter Kumogakure's numerical advantage.
Additionally, Konoha urgently dispatched two thousand reinforcements to the Kumogakure front.
However, when the Konoha shinobi stationed at the Kumogakure front saw the reinforcements sent by their village, their hearts wavered.
Because what arrived was a group of freshly graduated academy students—faces filled with fear and unease.
"This is the only choice we have!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't want to send this year's newly graduated genin onto the battlefield. Most of them still needed extensive training before they could truly stand as shinobi.
But time was not on their side.
Kumogakure's offensive was too fierce. The Konoha forces at the Kumogakure front were already under immense pressure, forced to hold the line against a two-to-one disadvantage.
If the Cloud shinobi broke through this line and pushed past the narrow passage at the Fire-Lightning border, they would enter the open plains of the Land of Fire.
That was something Konoha absolutely could not allow!
Not a single frontline could be permitted to collapse!
Shikaku Nara hesitated before speaking, "Lord Third, the village still has…"
He was referring to the major clans of Konoha.
The Uchiha, Hyuga, Sarutobi—even his own Nara clan—had yet to fully mobilize their forces.
Not to mention the elite forces under Danzo Shimura's Root.
"I know, Shikaku."
Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off. "Those forces cannot be moved recklessly. They are our last resort, to be used only in the direst of emergencies."
Shikaku, though young, had been appointed as Konoha's chief strategist for this war. However, he still lacked the ruthless decisiveness of the older generation of Nara.
Hearing Hiruzen's response, Shikaku lowered his head and did not press further.
It wasn't that he didn't understand the reasoning.
The war was still unpredictable, and Konoha was currently at a disadvantage.
The major clans wanted to preserve their strength. They weren't willing to go down with Konoha should the village ultimately fall to the combined assault of three other villages.
If Konoha couldn't hold out, those clans could use their hidden reserves to switch allegiances and survive.
However, the worsening war situation was unfolding just as he had predicted.
Konoha was already at the point of sending academy students into battle. If this wasn't a dire emergency, then what was? Why was the Third Hokage still refusing to take decisive action against the major clans?
But this was not Shikaku Nara's decision to make.
As Konoha's war strategist, his duty was to make the most out of the forces at his disposal to protect the village.
Konoha needed a morale boost.
Shikaku refocused on the war map before him, his mind racing through possible strategies.
Kumogakure was strong and aggressive. The best approach was to avoid direct confrontation and wait for their momentum to wane.
Sunagakure had fortified its position at Kikyo Mountain, fighting defensively. The Fourth Kazekage had committed significant forces there, making it a less favorable target.
Konoha's opportunity lay with Iwagakure.
The war had been ongoing for a while, yet Iwagakure's frontline forces remained at around ten thousand.
For reasons unknown, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, had been holding back—just like Konoha's own major clans, waiting and watching.
And that was precisely Konoha's chance!
Shikaku made a bold gamble, secretly deploying Konoha's remaining four thousand mobile forces to the Iwagakure front.
By his calculations, the battle at the front should have already begun.
...
On the night of September 21st, Year 43 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar—just past midnight.
Konoha secretly gathered fourteen thousand shinobi at the Fire-Earth border. That night, with a two-to-one advantage, they launched a surprise assault on Iwagakure's six-thousand-strong vanguard.
After an intense battle that lasted half the night, Iwagakure's forces suffered severe losses and retreated dozens of miles.
Post-battle statistics confirmed over three thousand Iwa shinobi dead or missing, with the survivors all wounded.
The outcome was decisive—Konoha's overwhelming victory, Iwagakure's crushing defeat.
One name stood out from the battle—Namikaze Minato.
Surviving Iwa shinobi described how this yellow-haired Konoha ninja led the charge, single-handedly turning the tide of battle.
They only saw a flash of yellow light—and in the next instant, their comrades collapsed lifelessly.
Such terrifying speed was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Panic spread through their ranks, and they were swiftly overwhelmed by Konoha's main forces.
Of the three thousand Iwa shinobi who perished, at least a hundred had fallen to that yellow flash alone.
As soon as news of this battle reached Sunagakure and Kumogakure, both villages were furious.
They immediately sent diplomatic envoys to question Onoki.
"Damn it!"
"We're fighting Konoha with everything we've got, and you, Iwagakure, not only held back but also handed them a free victory?"
Konoha, having endured immense pressure for so long, was now reinvigorated by this decisive triumph.
Suna and Kumo could clearly feel it—the Konoha shinobi they were fighting suddenly had a renewed hunger for battle. The once-vulnerable prey was now baring its fangs.
Iwagakure, upon receiving both the news of their defeat and the diplomatic letters from Suna and Kumo, was equally furious.
Onoki clenched the battle report in his hand, his expression twisting into a cold smile.
"The Hokage sure has some capable people under him."
So this was what it meant to be outsmarted.
Onoki now fully understood.
Looking at the casualty report, Kitsuchi felt uneasy. He set the report down and asked,
"Lord Tsuchikage, what about our planned attack on Kirigakure?"
That's right—
Iwagakure had been holding back from fighting Konoha because Onoki had his sights set on the weakened Kirigakure, which had lost both its First Mizukage and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
But with the current turn of events, Onoki's priorities shifted.
Without hesitation, he issued the order: "Forget it! Put Kirigakure on hold! Let that brat of a Mizukage enjoy his peace for a little while longer!"
Iwagakure had its pride.
And Onoki, more than anyone, had his pride!
By the afternoon, under his command, fifteen thousand Iwa shinobi marched toward the Konoha front.
With Iwagakure now fully committing its forces, the war escalated once again.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (265 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)