By the fourth day of the siege, A, who had originally been filled with anxiety, was beginning to feel numb.
After the Konoha Ninja Forces set up a communication-blocking barrier and released numerous Falcons to dominate the skies, the Kumo ninja stationed in Hakone City completely lost contact with their village.
But what affected the morale of the Kumo ninja most was not the loss of communication itself—after all, communications were secret matters reserved for the command layer, not something ordinary ninja could access. Rather, it was the direct impact from witnessing their allies' defeats and facing the increasingly scarce supplies, which bred a sense of despair.
Moreover, over the past three days, there hadn't been a single message from the Kumo Village—not even a large-scale reinforcement force nor a messenger ninja sneaking into camp to offer reassurance. This was also very strange; it even led some weak-willed Kumo ninja to believe they had already been abandoned by their village.
Especially after the Konoha forces outside the city began launching random explosive tag bombardments inside the walls, the Kumo ninja, driven nearly mad by the relentless harassment night and day, became gloomy and demoralized, their morale melting away like ice under the midday sun.
But A was out of options too.
Without any reinforcement units arriving, he and his ninja forces were nothing more than fish on a chopping board, awaiting slaughter.
Although he didn't simply sit idle, organizing elite teams to ambush the Konoha forces in various ways during these past few days, each attempt was inevitably discovered in advance by those white-eyed ninja, ending without exception in heavy losses and hasty retreats.
After such fruitless efforts, A naturally had no desire to keep throwing lives away.
Therefore, he and his senior jonin shifted their focus to strengthening the city's defensive structures and started selecting and training suicide squads for street combat.
Yet to those less intelligent mid- to low-rank ninja, this change only reinforced their mistaken belief that they had already been abandoned. Consequently, some gave up entirely, just waiting for the end to come, while others grew indifferent, ignoring orders and breaking discipline.
A did not indulge these lower-ranking ninja, though his methods were relatively simple and harsh—he merely ordered the suppression of dissent and enforced strict censorship on speech. As for the underlying ideological currents stirring secretly beneath the surface, he currently lacked the capacity to deal with them.
Because before Kumo reinforcements arrived, the appearance of a certain Konoha squad caught A's attention, and its leader made him even more uneasy.
"Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade."
He wasn't unfamiliar with these three disciples of the Hokage.
Though they had never met, A had thoroughly memorized detailed records of these powerful Konoha jonin long ago, so he was absolutely sure he hadn't misread this!
"Didn't they say the Rain Country..."
The Kumo jonin observing alongside A exchanged confused glances, unable to figure out what was happening.
Before breaking into open warfare against the Konoha forces led by Soushu Hyuga and Sakumo Hatake, they had already received news about the crushing defeat suffered by Konoha's Rain Country task force. And precisely due to this information, A had recklessly dispatched the Two-Tails Jinchuriki to lead part of the army on a cleanup operation—to serve as vanguard for the upcoming war.
After all, if Konoha could no longer defeat the Land of Rain, how could it possibly withstand Kumo's heavenly forces descending from the north? The entire city would melt away like summer snow before Kumo's divine fury with the mere flick of a finger.
Or in other words, A's current predicament had been further deepened by the latest battlefield reports from the Land of Rain.
But who could one possibly blame?
Even now, A still couldn't understand. Every move he had made followed the strategy flawlessly and correctly, so how could it have led him to such a wretched position now?
"Victory is right within our grasp!"
Even Orochimaru, who seldom acknowledged others' abilities, couldn't help but exclaim.
Before even observing Kumogakure itself, Orochimaru had already dispatched summoning serpents from Ryuchi Cave to infiltrate the city, comparing their intelligence findings against the battle reports provided separately by Soushu Hyuga and Sakumo Hatake. After analyzing them, he found that instead of overstating the situation, both reports had actually downplayed it significantly.
Airtight barrier seals cutting off all communications, omnipresent Byakugan surveillance, and mobile support units primarily composed of elite jonin from powerful ninja clans—just these three measures alone left Kumo completely paralyzed inside the city.
Though seemingly simple tactical arrangements, their execution was extraordinarily thorough beyond ordinary expectations.
Orochimaru had always been renowned for his devious schemes and tactical brilliance. Whether in ninjutsu cultivation and research or in commanding ninja forces, he possessed unique insights. Among active-duty jonin in Konoha, he was undoubtedly among the top-tier.
Yet even so, he had never commanded a ninja force this effortlessly—encircling an enemy half their number, even when facing the Rain ninjas, who were reputedly weak.
After analysis, he reaffirmed the extraordinary nature of bloodline limits, especially those from the famed dojutsu clans, the Uchiha and the Hyūga.
No one could carry out covert actions undetected under the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan, just as no one could match an Uchiha ninja in single combat; simply having these two revered ninja clans present was enough to nip every Kumo plot in the bud before it could take root.
Coupled with the stationing of formidable experts like Soushu Hyuga and Sakumo Hatake, Orochimaru couldn't imagine any possible chance left for those trapped within—unless Raikage the Third himself led a full-scale army to reinforce them. Otherwise, judging from the small-scale reinforcements currently arriving piecemeal, the Kumo ninja inside the city were undoubtedly doomed.
"Since we've already cut off all communication and prevented any leaks, why not go all the way and eliminate everyone inside the city at once?"
Jiraiya shook his head, saying, "If Kumo's main forces arrive and the defenders coordinate with them from within, things will get extremely troublesome!"
"The besieging forces might not even be fully recovered from their campaign yet!" Tsunade snapped sharply.
"Haven't you even looked at the actual condition of the Ninja Force headquarters? It's irresponsible to speak recklessly like that!"
After arriving at the battlefield in the Land of Lightning, Tsunade was finally reunited with her lover Dan Kato. Since she had often heard him recount Hyuga Soushu's great exploits during their quiet evenings together, she naturally developed a subtle fondness for Hyuga Soushu, who had frequently looked after Dan. Of course, this wasn't romantic affection—it was simply the common tendency to care about what one's beloved cares for.
"What about those people at the base camp? Weren't they doing fine?"
Jiraiya asked somewhat confusedly.
"They've expended considerable strength attacking the Jinchuriki,"
Orochimaru explained, then turned toward the main command tent.
"So much time needs to be spent recuperating?"
It finally dawned on Jiraiya only now, "Looks like they didn't win easily either!"
"No matter what, they ultimately won."
Tsunade made her judgment as well, "Victory is victory; defeat is defeat. There's no ambiguous gray area here!"
"You're right,"
Jiraiya couldn't help sighing, his heart heavy with melancholy.
This was a truth no one could deny.
Even if the official dispatch notice redeploying them from the Rain border to the Land of Lightning battlefield was worded beautifully, it couldn't change the reality that the Sannin—the three disciples of the Hokage—had essentially left their previous unit empty-handed.
After reaching Hakone Prefecture city, although Hatake Sakumo still welcomed him warmly,
the cold stares from Hyuga Soushu and other ninja clan members pierced through Jiraiya's sensitive heart.
He was a man who had tasted bitter defeat!
Worse still, he was a defeated ninja supported by a mentor but lacking noble clan origins!
Among these arrogant ninja from established clans, such individuals represented exactly whom they despised most.
As for those ninja belonging to the Hokage faction, they had suffered heavy losses during the battles against tailed beasts and Kumo's cleanup squads, and having been recently absorbed into new forces, under strict discipline and Hyuga Soushu's intimidation, they dared not show too much open association with the Sannin—the title given to them by Sanshouo Hanzo in a disdainful, condescending manner—to avoid provoking Hyuga Soushu's disfavor.
However, unlike Jiraiya, Orochimaru always maintained unwavering resolve, indifferent to external matters, so he didn't care about what he considered childish exclusion; while Tsunade, immersed in sweet whispers shared with her lover after their reunion, cared even less about such trivial indifference. In fact, she almost wished to get rid of all the bureaucratic nonsense so nothing would interrupt her and Dan's intimate talks.
In contrast, the usually carefree Jiraiya seemed overly concerned about others' opinions.
Yet beneath Jiraiya's rough exterior lay an extremely delicate soul, capable of understanding the nuances involved, and precisely because of this awareness, he felt the pain even more deeply.
"White Fang...clan ninja...my mentor..."
Watching his two comrades-in-arms gradually disappear into the distance, Jiraiya sighed deeply, then shook his head in resignation before following their path.
"The Cloud ninja still haven't made any moves yet?"
Inside the temporary command center at the camp, Hatake Sakumo gazed at the map of the Land of Lightning with a furrowed brow, as if trying to spot something that wasn't there.
"Not yet."
Hyuga Soushu, seated on one side of the tent, shook his head, equally puzzled.
But what unsettled everyone most was this eerie silence.
To everyone's understanding, Kumo had always seemed like a bunch of bullies who would push every advantage they could get, treating even the smallest setback as a loss. But their current unusual silence created an extremely oppressive atmosphere.
Perhaps Kumo was planning a major surprise for Konoha!
And that was exactly what everyone in the Ninja Forces believed.
"Huff!"
At that moment, Mahiru Uchiha briskly lifted the tent flap and stepped inside. Her Jonin vest was stained with blood and slightly torn, clearly showing she had just come from intense combat.
"How did it go? Was it successful?"
Hyuga Soushu waved his hand slightly, and Mahiru Uchiha walked straight over and sat on his lap.
"All targets have been neutralized."
Mahiru Uchiha removed her hair tie and shook her head. Her fragrant locks, carrying a faint scent of blood, brushed against Hyuga Soushu's face, stirring his already restless emotions even further.
However, considering they were in public, sitting on his lap was already pushing the boundaries of propriety. So Soushu shifted slightly to accommodate her weight, making it easier for her to settle comfortably.
"If that's settled, then those scattered Kumo squads outside won't be much of a threat anymore."
Sakumo Hatake didn't look up, poring over the map of the Land of Lightning.
Over the past three days, the restless Mahiru Uchiha had personally led operations alongside Hyuga scouts, launching surprise attacks on scattered Kumo units attempting to breach the city defenses and successfully wiping out all these scattered threats. Even so, the Konoha Ninja Forces still couldn't get any useful information from the captured Kumo ninja through interrogation.
After all, those Kumo ninjas who hadn't regrouped were operating beyond Konoha's communication-blocking Barrier. There was no reason for them not to contact headquarters for help. Yet the strangest part was that despite interrogating them, and despite those roaming Kumo squads repeatedly sending out ninja hawks, there had been absolutely no reply from headquarters—not even the usual half-hearted reassurance. It was like the entire village had vanished into thin air.
But to both Hyuga Soushu and Sakumo Hatake, this might be a bad omen—perhaps Kumo really was preparing something big.
"Maybe we should eliminate the remaining Kumo forces within the city sooner rather than later?"
Sakumo Hatake finally raised his head, glancing at the increasingly unrestrained pair. "Besides, this is the Central War Tent. We should still maintain some decorum here."
"What about A? Kill or capture?"
Hyuga Soushu calmly wiped off the lipstick mark Mahiru Uchiha left on his face and asked calmly, "Also, when will reinforcements from the village arrive?"
"Tomorrow."
At that moment, Orochimaru and his team also entered the tent.
"Three thousand?"
Sakumo Hatake arched his eyebrows.
"Yes. Nearly every ninja available for emergency conscription has already been mobilized."
Orochimaru nodded.
Although public opinion in Konoha exalted Hatake Sakumo as a defining figure of the era, praising him with sayings like "Without the White Fang, Konoha would know no dawn," the Hokage Tower's suspicion and vigilance toward him had not lessened in the least. In fact, right around the time this reinforcement squad was dispatched, the Hokage Tower issued special orders appointing the Sannin—disciples of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi—as regimental commanders, each leading a thousand Konoha ninja.
This was an obvious move to strengthen the branches while weakening the trunk—an unwise decision especially ill-suited for a time on the brink of war. If Sakumo himself hadn't been so indifferent by nature when it came to political games, someone else might've already sparked a civil war.
Hyuga Soushu paid no mind to those three of the Hokage's disciples. Instead, he turned his full attention to marking Mahiru Uchiha's skin.
"Tomorrow works."
Sakumo's expression didn't change as he voiced his thoughts: "Soushu, what do you think about breaching the city walls tomorrow?"
"What about A?"
Hyuga Soushu raised the same question once again.
Everyone understood Kumo's traditions and recognized A's status. Capturing Hakone Prefecture was easy enough, but A being the Raikage heir made him the biggest problem to solve.
"Attempt to take A alive if at all feasible."
Sakumo rubbed his temples, setting clear limits: "At minimum, we must preserve his life. Otherwise, it'll turn into an endless war with Kumo."
"I will inform my subordinates then."
Nodding slightly, Hyuga Soushu signaled his lover to rise, then walked off without so much as a glance toward the Sannin.
After all, everyone knew these three had come specifically to balance power. The fact that Soushu refrained from cursing them aloud already counted as remarkable self-restraint; naturally, he couldn't be bothered showing even basic courtesy.
"In that case, the camp defenses tomorrow will be left to you all."
Sakumo directed his gaze toward Orochimaru and the other two.
He had no intention of handing over opportunities for merit either, which was why he was eager to eliminate Kumo's final foothold in the southern Land of Lightning completely.
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