Scanning the room, Tsunade let out a cold smirk, her voice dropping into a low, somber tone.
"Those rats who have been scurrying around in the mist, launching sneak attacks, are finally becoming active. It seems they are finally ready to face us in open combat."
"Then we'll give them everything we've got!"
"Those bastards are finally willing to show their faces."
"We need to teach them a lesson! Let them know that Konoha isn't a village you want to mess with!!"
As soon as Tsunade finished speaking, the ninjas within the headquarters erupted in a cacophony of angry shouts.
Some of their words were quite crude, but in that moment, no one cared not even Tsunade, who usually despised such vulgarity. She knew all too well how much the Hidden Mist ninjas had disgusted everyone lately; her subordinates were reaching their breaking point and needed to vent.
Now that the enemy was finally willing to engage head-on, the outburst of profanity was understandable.
"Quiet down."
Tsunade raised her hand, signaling for silence. Only then did the crowd realize they had let their emotions get the better of them. Even Fugaku and Hiashi had joined in the cursing, a testament to how stifled they had felt during this period.
Fugaku was one thing, but Hiashi was the very picture of a serious representative. For him to lose his composure meant he had been under immense pressure. Being unable to engage the enemy directly while enduring daily raids was enough to make anyone irritable.
Now that they finally had a chance at release, who wouldn't be excited?
The headquarters fell silent. Tsunade nodded with satisfaction; her authority in the command center was still formidable.
"Even if the enemy chooses a direct confrontation, we cannot lower our guard! The Hidden Mist Village has traveled thousands of miles to attack us, making it difficult for them to receive reinforcements but we are in a similar position."
"The wars with the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth have drained too much of the village's energy. It is difficult for the village to spare any more fresh combat forces to support us. We have no reinforcements. We must rely on everyone sitting in this room to win this war!!!"
"Do you all have confidence?!"
Tsunade's words were heavy. The excitement and anger on the faces of those in the headquarters vanished, replaced by a grim seriousness.
Everyone knew the situation, but no one usually brought it to the table. A single slip could crush the army's morale. However, if used correctly, the truth could be a powerful motivator—it all depended on the skill of the one in power.
A man who burns his boats and leaves himself no retreat is a terrifying opponent, much like a madman. That was exactly the effect Tsunade wanted.
She was telling the blunt truth. Konoha couldn't spare any more elite forces unless they started sending waves of Genin to the front lines.
But that was a desperate measure. Genin-level ninjas on a battlefield of this scale were essentially sent to their deaths. They were Konoha's future, its reserve force, and would never be deployed unless there was absolutely no other choice. Even the Genin transporting supplies were mostly older men.
Since no backup was coming, they had to defeat the enemy with the strength they already held.
The total number of ninjas currently in the camp was just over four thousand. They were outnumbered by the Mist, even after Rong Lin had killed so many of them; otherwise, the gap would have been even more daunting. Furthermore, many clans in the Mist Village possessed bizarre secret techniques that could cause devastating losses for Konoha's forces during combat.
"YES!!!"
After a few seconds of silence, a synchronized roar erupted from the headquarters. Everyone shouted as if they had spent hours rehearsing.
They all knew Konoha couldn't afford to lose. There could be only one outcome: Victory!! Defeat the Mist Village!! Win the war.
"Very good."
A satisfied smile graced Tsunade's face. She knew she had accomplished her goal.
"Now, let's listen to Shikaku Nara's arrangements."
Cough, cough!!!
Most strategic decisions were voiced by Shikaku, and everyone respected his input. After all, the intelligence of the Nara clan was legendary. Clearing his throat, Shikaku stood and faced the crowd.
"Since we have no reinforcements, it means we must defeat the Mist Village with the power we have on hand. This task is simple in concept, but no matter how difficult the execution, we must carry it out and drive the Mist ninjas back to their homes."
"I have a few specific arrangements. Hyuga, you will continue to handle reconnaissance."
Scouting was always the top priority. There was no room for error. Sensor ninjas were rare, and their abilities varied wildly; the only ones they could truly trust were the Hyuga clan's Byakugan. Fortunately, the Byakugan could see right through the mist and spot the enemies hiding within it.
"Understood."
Having regained his composure, Hiashi nodded briefly, his face returning to its usual stoic mask.
"Uchiha."
The Hyuga were easy to manage. The Uchiha were the real headache. "Moving forward, your clan will be the primary combatants. I hope the Uchiha Clan Head will put in the extra effort."
The combat prowess of the Uchiha was undeniable. Moreover, they accounted for the largest percentage of ninjas deployed in this campaign. Thus, they had to be the main force.
"The Uchiha clan will follow your lead," Fugaku replied coolly.
"Excellent."
Shikaku looked at the others and continued, "Members of other clans will be integrated with the Uchiha. I do not want to see any friction or incidents that shouldn't happen and that includes the Hyuga!!"
The Hyuga were in charge of reconnaissance, but that didn't require their entire force. The remaining members would naturally be incorporated into the combat units, meaning they would inevitably mix with the Uchiha. Shikaku didn't want the war to start only for internal strife to resurface.
Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. This was no time for petty squabbles. Hiashi spoke up.
"I give my word on the reputation of the Hyuga clan!!"
With Hiashi's guarantee, many in the room breathed a sigh of relief. They could bicker all they wanted after the war was over, but for now, it was better to simply follow orders.
"Uchiha Rong Lin!!"
The two most difficult clans had been handled, but there was still one major issue. Shikaku looked at Rong Lin, silently praying that the boy wouldn't start talking in circles again. He was genuinely a little afraid of him.
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