Nagato smiled—a rare, sincere smile he reserved solely for Konan.
"I need you to conduct recon in the Land of Fire," Nagato said to Konan, who listened attentively. "Previously, when we invaded Sunagakure, we underestimated their defensive capabilities. This time, before attacking Konoha, I must obtain all possible intelligence. No detail is too small—I must know every aspect of their defense. This cannot be overstated. At the same time, I'll issue operation orders to other villages for the next phase. Kusagakure must keep Konoha's forces occupied for as long as possible."
Konan nodded seriously. "I will complete every task you entrust me with, Nagato."
At this point, there was no need to say more. It was time to return to their original purpose—but on a much larger scale this time.
She would fight to protect Amegakure and build a peaceful world—even if it meant waging war first.
Perhaps Nagato was no god—at least not in Konan's view. But it was precisely for that reason that she remained all the more resolute to stand by his side, forever unwavering.
******
Tsunade read the message from Takigakure, and a faint smile formed on her lips.
They were ready to negotiate. That meant a formidable enemy was on the verge of collapse.
Takigakure had already withdrawn its troops from the western front in the Land of Grass, creating a major breach in the Allied Forces' defensive line.
They had lost both the will and the means to continue resisting Konoha...
Though it wasn't stated outright, they'd lost their most crucial trump card—the Hero Water—and the jinchuriki who controlled it.
Moreover, before the mysterious attackers retreated, their village had already been undermined from within.
Without the Hero Water or its jinchuriki, they felt isolated and helpless.
When their village was attacked, several jonin were killed, and even their Village Headman was assassinated at the holiest place in the village, it dealt a crushing blow to their confidence in their own defense.
If a small unknown unit could cause all this damage, what kind of destruction would a real army bring once Konoha turned its full attention toward them?
Damn it, Tsunade had to admit—though she always remained cautious about Danzo and Root under his leadership—they truly performed outstandingly.
Most members of Root still loyally followed Danzo's commands, executing important missions behind enemy lines and assisting the main forces.
Root operated ruthlessly, striking straight at the enemy's core. They seemed willing to do anything for Konoha's sake. This was evident in their daring strikes against enemy centers deep behind enemy lines.
They did all the dirty work, so Tsunade didn't have to risk her elite Anbu operatives on such dangerous missions.
This eased Tsunade's burden, but she knew she couldn't let her guard down. Root's operations remained shrouded in secrecy—they answered to no one and revealed nothing.
The only way Tsunade knew they had acted was through the undeniable consequences left behind.
She had already given them complete freedom of action, and they hadn't wasted a single moment.
Perhaps now she finally understood why her teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to leave Danzo in place even after officially dissolving Root, even though knowing full well that Danzo still controlled it.
Because he needed someone to carry out the dirty work—the kinds of tasks no one else could be seen doing.
Of course, during times of war, such concerns didn't matter.
In wartime, nearly anything could be forgiven. But in peacetime, this arrangement would prove invaluable.
"Hmm..." Tsunade murmured to herself as she considered the message from Takigakure.
She would pressure them under the name of the First Hokage, making them squirm in fear and guilt, then let their fear fester over Grass Country's fall.
Takigakure would soon bow before Konoha within days.
Had the world's strongest ninja village truly been underestimated? It certainly seemed that way.
Unfortunately for them, certain parts of Konoha weren't quite as weak as outsiders believed, even if their ideals did seem genuinely naïve. Because behind their "Will of Fire" was a simple, undeniable truth most people overlooked: fire burns.
******
"What?!"
A roar of fury erupted in the Raikage Office as a table was hurled to the ground, shattering into pieces, debris flying through the air, smashing through the wall just above the villagers' heads before crashing to the ground.
Gaara was in a terrible mood.
Just moments ago, Yugito and Naruto had reported the details of their mission.
At first, he had been in high spirits, immediately sending word to his aide Mariko to pass on orders for his units to engage in guerrilla tunnel warfare within the Frost Country.
But upon hearing the news that an entire elite unit had been completely wiped out, his good mood vanished instantly.
Combined with the similar incident from last week, this meant he had lost two elite units in just two weeks.
"White Zetsu?" Gaara said through gritted teeth while sitting on the chair where a table once stood, "Those clones—capable of perfectly mimicking anyone, including their chakra signatures..."
An army made entirely of clones—was this the end of an era as we knew it?
"The days when sheer numbers could win wars are over... Dammit! What the hell is Madara Uchiha planning?"
It was time to alert his forces and find a way to regularly identify genuine Kumogakure ninjas. Somehow those White Zetsus must have stolen the chakra signatures from his troops, sneaking into camps and replacing real shinobi.
This couldn't happen again—not ever.
Naruto, Yugito, and Mariko stood before Gaara, the broken hole in the wall behind them visible proof of Gaara's earlier outburst.
Yet all three silently agreed to pretend it hadn't happened.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," Mariko said quietly to Naruto. "That's not normal for him."
Her unspoken message was, "This sort of thing happens all the time. Please don't judge our Raikage too harshly."
Someone had to uphold the Raikage's honor, didn't they? As the Raikage's assistant, Mariko considered it her duty.
Naruto waved a hand dismissively, showing he didn't care and making no effort to defend anyone's honor.
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