"Another thirty miles today?"
The Third Raikage's question carried mild curiosity rather than complaint.
Jinghang ran quick mental calculations. "At Kakuzu's pace? He should be crossing into Waterfall Country right about now."
"Sounds right."
A predatory smile crossed Jinghang's face. "I'm betting Konoha and Takigakure's leadership are tearing each other apart as we speak. Let's throw gasoline on that fire." His voice sharpened. "Sasori! Where the hell are you?"
The tent flap lifted. "You called, sir?"
"Army moves out immediately. You and Gaojin each take a regiment—stay behind and clean up our tail." Jinghang's eyes glinted. "But leave me a dung beetle."
Sunagakure slang. The insect that rolled dung balls home no matter how far you threw it. Translation: let one scout escape to report back.
"Consider it done." Sasori's confidence was absolute. "I'll make it beautiful."
"So where are we actually heading?" The Raikage leaned forward. "Jinghang?"
"Wind Country."
"Wind—" The Raikage blinked. "Wait. What?"
"Setting the net." Jinghang's smile widened. "Waiting for fish."
"Hold on." The Raikage's confusion was genuine. "I followed everything up until now, but this move? We should be heading to Waterfall Country to ambush them when they come for Takigakure."
"If we were only dealing with Danzō and Amemiya? Absolutely." Jinghang stood, moving to the map. "But Konoha has someone else. Someone dangerous." His finger tapped Fire Country. "Shikaku Nara. Their chief of staff. And that man's brain is a weapon."
He traced the routes as he spoke.
"Takigakure joining the war doesn't worry me—it excites me. Two strategic objectives instead of one means opportunities to manipulate Konoha's movements. Ever since our 'Living Dead' operation failed, they've been dug into those fortress walls like ticks. Direct assault's suicide."
His finger moved to Waterfall Country. "Amemiya committed everything. Takigakure Village is practically empty—maybe two thousand defenders. No elite jōnin. So we use the oldest trick in the book: attack one place to force them to defend another."
"Kakuzu knows every path into Takigakure. That 'secret' location? Not secret anymore. I gave him twelve thousand troops—ten-to-one advantage. If he can't take an empty village with those odds, he can retire."
The Raikage started to nod, then stopped. "But that still doesn't explain—"
"Why we're going to Wind Country instead of setting the ambush in Waterfall?" Jinghang's grin turned sharp. "Because Shikaku Nara is smart enough to see the trap."
He outlined both scenarios with brutal efficiency.
"Danzō and Amemiya have two choices. First: rescue Takigakure. They march northwest, we crush them in the mountains with Kakuzu's help. Second: they hold position, let Takigakure burn, keep defending Konoha. Possible, but unlikely—Amemiya would never accept it."
"But there's a third option. The bold one. The one a strategic genius would see." His finger stabbed southwest. "Ignore Takigakure completely. Concentrate every ninja they have and strike here—Yuexi Peninsula. Our wealthiest territory. Force us to respond. Flip the entire dynamic."
Understanding dawned in the Raikage's eyes.
"It's exactly what Danzō would do," Jinghang continued. "Sacrifice his ally to seize initiative. And Shikaku's brilliant enough to propose it." He traced the Tang-Yue Highway. "So we set up here. If they attack Yuexi, they run straight into our ambush—and we have the advantage. If they go for Takigakure instead, Kakuzu leads them in circles through the mountains while we pivot east and take Konoha itself."
"Mobile warfare." The Raikage's voice carried new respect. "Use space to buy time. Concentrate superior numbers against divided forces."
"Exactly." Jinghang's smile was almost gentle. "We have the resources. Might as well play landlord."
The Raikage sat back, shaking his head slowly. "Little brother... you've turned war into art."
Jinghang laughed. If you only knew. Any decent military history could teach these principles. Real genius? That belonged to the strategists of old—thirty thousand troops making three hundred thousand dizzy with confusion through sheer tactical brilliance.
Now that was divine command.
"They're really gone." Hizashi Hyūga's Byakugan swept the empty camp one more time. "Not a trace within my range."
"We're near Fire Country's border." His brother Hiashi nodded. "Staff Department called it—they've moved toward Waterfall Country."
"Should we push further? Get confirmation?"
"Check the camp first. Look for intel."
The eight-man scout team emerged from the tree line. All Hyūga. All branch family except Hizashi himself—a calculated risk, using the clan's most expendable members for dangerous reconnaissance.
The main camp had been stripped clean. Support poles remained, but even the tent fabric was gone. Except—
"Command tent's still standing." Hizashi frowned. "That's... odd."
They entered cautiously. Empty except for a single low table. A piece of paper rested on its surface.
Hiashi picked it up. Read aloud:
"Wind clear, clouds light, the sun hangs low, How kind of you gentlemen to visit our show."
Ice flooded Hizashi's veins. "OUT! NOW—"
The entire tent lifted into the air.
Laughter echoed from every direction.
"Since you came all this way..." The voice was amused. Mocking. "Stay for dinner."
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