Land of Rain.
Inside the Ninja Village Alliance General Headquarters.
As the war continued, more and more intelligence was transmitted from various countries in the Ninja World. Ninjas of the Intelligence Division shuttled back and forth in the camp, interweaving into streams of people.
The Five Kage still gathered in the conference room, coordinating the overall situation while waiting for Nagato to reveal his tracks.
Just then, Shikaku Nara, the Alliance Chief Intelligence Officer, holding a large pile of documents, hurried into the conference room again.
Before Shikaku Nara could speak, Tsunade said: "Looks like bad news has arrived?"
Shikaku Nara nodded, while placing the documents in his hand on the conference table, he reported: "First, news came from the temporary camp in the Land of Iron. The vanguard force, suppression force, and the support force personally led by General Mifune heading to Target Seven have all lost contact!"
Acting Mizukage Mei Terumi exclaimed: "What?"
Fifth Kazekage Pakura asked: "What exactly happened in the Land of Iron?"
Shikaku Nara shook his head: "The temporary camp in the Land of Iron is also unclear. They dispatched three waves of reconnaissance squads successively, but there is no definite news yet."
The Third Tsuchikage frowned: "Is it an intelligence error, or..."
If it was just an intelligence error, meaning there were other official members of the Akatsuki organization besides Mōryō and Shinnō at Target Seven in the Land of Iron, leading to problems with the three ninja armies—vanguard, suppression, and support—successively, then it could be barely accepted.
After all, this was war, and casualties were unavoidable.
But if it was because the simulation of 'Takamagahara' was invalid, leading to problems with the three troops, then it would be big trouble. Because this would require them to completely overturn the previously formulated tactics and reorganize the suppression forces deployed throughout the Ninja World.
Shikaku Nara continued to place documents on the conference table: "Just received news from the front line. A large number of strange white enemies appeared successively along the line of the Land of Grass and Land of Waterfalls. Compared with Itachi Uchiha's intelligence, these strange white enemies seem to be a kind of clone of the official Akatsuki member White Zetsu."
Tsunade frowned: "Clones? How many?"
Shikaku Nara replied: "Many, preliminary statistics count at least ten thousand!"
"So many?" The Fourth Raikage was stunned for a moment, then asked: "How is their strength?"
Shikaku Nara answered: "According to the report of frontline ninjas, the combat power of these White Zetsu clones is roughly equivalent to Chunin."
"Ten thousand Chunin..."
The Five Kage were secretly alarmed.
White Zetsu clones only had Chunin strength, which was actually nothing to worry about for these Kage-level powerhouses. It was just that this number was simply too astonishing.
One must know that in their initial planning, although the current great war between the Ninja Villages and the Akatsuki organization was called the 'Fourth Great Ninja War', because the Ninja Village side occupied an absolute advantage in numbers, it was mainly carried out as an annihilation war of many against few.
Now that the Akatsuki organization suddenly brought out this trump card, it caught the Five Kage somewhat off guard.
Shikaku Nara continued: "Quantity is secondary. Mainly, these White Zetsu clones can absorb chakra and can also use a special transformation technique to disguise as our ninjas. Ordinary identification methods are completely ineffective on them. So a large number of White Zetsu clones have already infiltrated the rear of our battle line, launching surprise attacks on some camps lacking defense."
Tsunade hurriedly took the document handed by Shikaku Nara: "Are the casualties heavy?"
Shikaku Nara replied helplessly: "Very heavy, and many war supplies we prepared were destroyed by them!"
Bam...
The quick-tempered Fourth Raikage slammed a fist on the conference table: "Damn it!"
Fifth Kazekage Pakura said: "We absolutely cannot let them continue to destroy like this!"
Mei Terumi echoed: "Mhm, if combat supplies are all destroyed by them, then this war cannot continue!"
"It seems the Akatsuki organization has reacted and started to counterattack!" Pausing, Tsunade said: "I propose to immediately form several screening units to wipe out all infiltrated White Zetsu clones!"
"Agree!"
"Agree!"
The other four Kage nodded one after another, agreeing with Tsunade's proposal.
Seeing this, Shikaku Nara said: "According to the Intelligence Division's analysis, currently only dojutsu Kekkei Genkai ninjas or sensory-type ninjas with extremely strong perception abilities can screen out the White Zetsu clones mixed in our ranks. So I need authorization from the Five Kage to draw elites to form screening units!"
Tsunade nodded: "From now on, you can draw any ninja you think is suitable!"
At this time, an Intelligence Division ninja hurried into the conference room and reported to the Five Kage: "Urgent intelligence! The suppression force encircling Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara in the Land of Earth was defeated. The whereabouts of the two Akatsuki members are unknown."
Immediately after, another Intelligence Division ninja came to the conference room: "Urgent intelligence! Akatsuki's Hiruko and Ranmaru attacked our temporary camp in the Land of Rice Fields. Currently, the temporary camp has lost contact."
Before the Five Kage in the conference room could discuss countermeasures, several more Intelligence Division ninjas rushed into the conference room one after another.
The content reported by these Intelligence Division ninjas was also similar. Either a stronghold here was attacked, or a suppression force there was defeated.
The situation seemed to deteriorate suddenly.
Whether it was Tsunade, Mei Terumi, or Pakura, after hearing this series of bad news, they all frowned, their faces gloomy.
On the contrary, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, who had experienced several Great Ninja Wars, took it lightly, waving his hand to signal the Intelligence Division ninjas to withdraw.
After Shikaku Nara led all the Intelligence Division ninjas to withdraw, Onoki said slowly: "We are mobilizing the Akatsuki organization, wanting to defeat them individually before they react. And they are also mobilizing us, making us reveal flaws! So now is the time to compete in endurance!"
Hearing this, several Kage suppressed their anxious emotions one after another.
Onoki was indeed an old man who had experienced several Great Ninja Wars. Whether it was this seasoned mentality or cold will, they played a role in calming people's hearts at this turbulent moment.
And he was right.
Currently, the Ninja Village Alliance forces, such as the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Naruto, and a large number of powerful elite Jonin, were gathered around the Five Kage, waiting to deal a fatal blow to the Akatsuki organization.
Under these circumstances, losses in the corners could be completely ignored.
It could even be said that when formulating strategies, those ninja armies sent to raid various Akatsuki strongholds and encircle official Akatsuki members were chips that could be sacrificed to win this ninja war!
Just as the Five Kage were preparing to analyze where exactly Nagato was hiding, Shikaku Nara suddenly returned, reporting with a solemn expression: "Just received news, a large number of ninjas of unknown origin crossed the Land of Hot Water from the sea using flying devices, seemingly heading towards the Hidden Leaf Village!"