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Damn it! You dare to indirectly criticize the Third Hokage?
Do you really think that just because the Third Hokage is retired at home, you can let yourselves go completely?
Actually, letting themselves go a bit wasn't a big deal. Even if Kazuki found out, he probably wouldn't punish them.
But doing so would inevitably lead to being targeted in small ways.
So, some overly pointed remarks are best left unsaid. Even if you can't help it, don't say them in public.
"And besides, do you really think Iwagakure is weak?"
The person tasked with cooling things down sprayed spittle everywhere as he railed at them.
"Look at yourselves! You're all elites specially selected by the village. Moreover, without Lord Advisor personally clearing the path, tearing through Iwagakure's defenses, and destroying their camp, do you think we could have so easily invaded the Land of Earth? Ninja from the Sarutobi clan, don't take this too personally. They were wrong, yes, but that was caused by internal village conflicts. Now that we're on campaign, we need unity and solidarity. Anyone who talks nonsense again, when we get back, I will definitely report it to Lord Advisor!"
With both warnings and threats deployed, those dissatisfied ninja could only swallow their complaints.
The Sarutobi clan ninja were unhappy, but since the other had put it that way, what could they do?
They could only pretend not to hear.
In truth, in recent years, many Sarutobi clan ninja also had considerable complaints about their own Third Hokage.
Being targeted in the village, missing out on benefits, struggling to get any advantages—all of this was bitter fruit planted by the Third Hokage in the past. Now they were the ones eating it.
Those with narrow minds and short sight would become discontented due to some targeting and loss of benefits.
But those who could see the truth of the matter walked on eggshells, constantly fearing that their clan, or they themselves, might be called to account one day.
Fortunately, several years had passed, and such an accounting had not come.
Even if Kazuki didn't want to include the Sarutobi clan in the benefits, at least he didn't target them.
In terms of being targeted, the Shimura clan had it worse.
Fortunately, they had learned to behave. After they behaved, the targeting had basically stopped.
After all, the Uchiha might be a bit crazy, but they didn't have the inclination to constantly hound the Shimura clan. To put it bluntly, the Shimura clan had backed down.
Looking at it from an Uchiha perspective: the insignificant Shimura clan was no longer even on their radar.
"Follow orders. Converge on Orochimaru-sama's location as quickly as possible."
"Yes!!!"
Konoha's forces retreated quickly. Iwagakure's forces pursued equally quickly. But catching up only meant sending more troops to die. At best, they could create a little chaos and trouble for Konoha's main force, inflicting minimal casualties.
*******
Kumogakure, Raikage's Administrative Building.
Sitting in the Raikage's office, A frowned as he looked at the casualty reports and supply consumption documents from the Land of Waterfalls battlefield.
Ever since Kumogakure declared war on Iwagakure, they had fully intervened in the conflict. On the Land of Waterfalls battlefield, they fought fiercely with Iwagakure, neither side giving ground. Takigakure had been completely reduced to cannon fodder and spectators, offering little help to Kumogakure.
When any two of the Five Great Shinobi Villages clashed, regardless of the method, there was only one outcome: significant casualties on both sides.
Kumogakure was not to be trifled with, but Iwagakure was no pushover either.
The cost was a bit high, but fortunately, the village could bear it.
Kumogakure lacked neither money nor ninja. They could afford to grind Iwagakure down.
Conversely, Iwagakure was in a situation akin to walking barefoot over hot coals—every step burned.
"Raikage-sama, this is an intelligence scroll sent from Konoha."
Mabui trotted into the Raikage's office, closed the door, and personally handed the scroll from the Intelligence Division to A.
"Hmph. Finally, some news. Konoha people are so slow and indecisive, utterly lacking in decisiveness."
Thinking about Kazuki's nature of never releasing the hawk without seeing the rabbit, A wanted to curse him out. Young as he is, he's full of schemes.
Who would have thought the Uchiha clan could produce such a troublesome kid.
Verbally disdainful, his body was honest. A eagerly opened the scroll, sat up straight, and seriously read its contents.
After scanning a few lines, A paused.
'What was recorded in the scroll?' Mabui wondered curiously.
"Ha ha ha! Excellent!!"
Suddenly, A burst into loud laughter and slammed his hand on the desk. The desk, which had only been replaced two days ago, turned into a pile of splinters.
Standing nearby, long accustomed to this, Mabui helplessly patted her forehead with her small hand.
"Raikage-sama, this is the fifth desk you've destroyed this month."
"Uh..."
The Raikage's burly frame froze for a few seconds. The smile on his face slowly solidified.
This is the fifth?
I don't remember slamming it that many times.
The replacement rate is too fast. Must be the poor quality of the desks that makes them break so easily.
It must be that.
Guiltily, A decisively shifted the blame to the desk's quality. He coughed twice.
"I'll be more careful next time. Definitely more careful."
With that, he continued reading the scroll.
Mabui sighed. Next time?
"Ha ha ha..."
Rereading the scroll, A soon burst into laughter again. Unable to help himself, he raised his hand to slam the desk—but nearly toppled over from the force of slamming nothing. With no desk to brace against, the force of his motion sent him lurching forward in his chair.
Steadying himself, A looked at Mabui's expression caught between laughter and tears, and realized the desk had already been destroyed and not yet replaced.
Looks like I need to break this bad habit. Otherwise, the annual desk replacement costs will be considerable.
"Raikage-sama, has good news come from Konoha?"
As his secretary, Mabui could only go along with A's topic change. Being the Raikage's secretary, she had endless worries.
"Yes."
A nodded, unable to stop laughing.
"Ha ha ha. Old man Ōnoki must be frantic by now. Konoha is truly ruthless. Uchiha Kazuki personally selected three thousand elites to wait on the border. Then he single-handedly charged into Iwagakure's camp, tore through their defenses, destroyed the camp, and let Konoha's three thousand elites pour into the Land of Earth, plundering its resources. Ha ha ha. And that guy Orochimaru is running around stealing money everywhere! It's killing me!"
Konoha plundering resources was part of the plan. Though the village wouldn't get any benefits, at least Iwagakure would suffer significant losses.
Thinking this way, A felt much more balanced. As the wealthiest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Kumogakure didn't lack those supplies.
What made A burst into laughter was Orochimaru running around stealing money—just stealing money without killing. The Land of Earth must be in complete chaos by now.
Ōnoki, Ōnoki, you old bastard, you finally got what you deserved! This must be driving you crazy!