"Iwakura-sama, our Anbu have obtained the latest significant intelligence on the Konoha Ninja Squad!"
A Hidden Rock Jonin entered the tent where Iwakura was, reporting the latest achievement with a face full of joy.
"Significant intelligence?" Iwakura, who had already fallen asleep, quickly sat up.
What is deemed significant intelligence is usually information that can have a crucial impact on the battlefield. The last time Hidden Rock successfully launched a major sneak attack, it was because they knew the position and deployment of the Konoha main force.
"That's right, we've not only received news of Konoha reinforcements but also acquired their upcoming battle plans," said the Hidden Rock Jonin excitedly.
With this intelligence, he could almost see an unprecedented victory just ahead.
"Quick, let me see." Iwakura's curiosity was piqued.
Rekiseki had been sent to the rear for rescue treatment due to severe injuries, now it was up to Iwakura to command the Hidden Rock Squad.
Of course, he's just an acting commander. Once Rekiseki recovers and returns to the battlefield, he'll have to give up his position.
Receiving the intelligence scroll, Iwakura quickly opened it to examine the information.
"The Konoha reinforcements vanguard squad, led by Habu Mokgetsu, has joined forces with the Konoha Land of Grass troops. The Konoha sent a total of a thousand reinforcements, apart from the elite vanguard arriving first, there are still nine hundred and fifty ninjas advancing toward the Land of Grass…"
With each line he read, the light in Iwakura's eyes grew brighter.
After thoroughly reading all the intelligence, Iwakura couldn't help but want to laugh skyward.
This is truly a godsend, just as his superior Rekiseki left, they happened to obtain significant intelligence on the Konoha Squad.
"Even if we only eliminate a thousand ninjas, it would be a victory worth celebrating!" Iwakura's lips curved upward.
The remnants of Jiraiya along with Konoha's reinforcements should make up around sixteen hundred ninjas. If he can eliminate two-thirds, it would result in a victory worthy of reporting throughout the Hidden Rock Village.
Additionally, with such excellent performance, the "acting" title for commander would naturally be removed.
Once the acting title is removed, he can continue to lead two thousand Hidden Rock troops on the battlefield, earning achievements.
Ultimately, he might rise above Rekiseki in status within the Hidden Rock Village, with potential nomination as a candidate for the Fourth Tsuchikage.
Thinking of this, Iwakura's upturned mouth couldn't be suppressed anymore.
The Tsuchikage, one of the five Kage, is truly the pinnacle of the Ninja World, an existence no one can ignore.
"Gather the Jonin from the squad and start a strategy meeting!" Iwakura ordered the Hidden Rock to notify.
If it were Rekiseki, perhaps a single command would suffice, but Iwakura's prestige in the Hidden Rock Squad wasn't that strong; he needed a meeting to garner support.
Although it was sleep time, the ninjas had undergone special training, preventing them from sleeping too deeply. Some Hidden Rock Jonin naturally woke up upon hearing the commotion outside without needing a call.
Inside the dedicated meeting tent, once the Hidden Rock Jonin were gathered, Iwakura commenced the meeting.
Iwakura first had a Hidden Rock Ninja read out all the intelligence, and then he began to speak:
"Now, let's hear your thoughts."
"Prepare for battle! With such intelligence, we should decisively eliminate the entire Konoha Squad!" Firelight stated boldly.
Even knowing the color of Konoha's next move, if we don't act, it would be a huge waste.
"Of course, we should attack." Other Hidden Rock Jonin echoed in agreement.
Iwakura nodded inwardly. As he expected, with such important intelligence at hand, no one would choose to avoid battle.
"My thoughts align with yours. We not only need to fight but also use this opportunity to completely destroy Konoha's Land of Grass defense line and enter the Land of Fire's mainland," Iwakura said with a smile.
His status in Hidden Rock was not low, knowing the high-ranking members leaned towards a conservative, low-key route.
Entering the Land of Fire's mainland naturally doesn't count as low-key, but this war is also a directive from the Hidden Rock's high-ranking members, allowing them to fight openly. Iwakura could confidently accumulate military merits.
"However, even in battle, there must be a plan. Although our forces outnumber theirs even with their reinforcement arriving, defeating them piece by piece would be better.
We must eliminate Konoha's Land of Grass troops before their main reinforcement force arrives, and then eliminate the reinforcement troops," Iwakura began outlining his attack plan.
The submitted intelligence included detailed plans for the Konoha Land of Grass Ninja troops and their rendezvous with Konoha's reinforcement troops.
Iwakura's plan received recognition from most of the Hidden Rock members, leading them to discuss filling in gaps and making refinements.
Some Hidden Rock Ninja got creative and suggested immediately gathering the troops for a surprise attack on the Konoha Ninja Squad.
However, this decision was not acknowledged since the transmission of intelligence takes time, travel takes time, and the intelligence indicated the Konoha Ninja Squad would go to bed early and wake early to travel.
If they moved now, it's highly likely they would come up empty-handed, possibly even exposing their intentions. If the Konoha Ninja Squad changes plans temporarily because of this, it would be detrimental.
"This is their planned second temporary rest location." Iwakura pointed to a deep forest area on the map with a small river.
"Their plan is to wander during the day, then head to the resting point at night for a brief rest before moving on, to confuse our sight.
Then we follow their lead, and we'll march quickly right now, sneak around, and wait for them, whether they arrive early or on time, they'll face us, who are fully prepared for battle."
Iwakura believed the intelligence immediately as real information from within the Konoha Ninja Squad.
On one hand, he trusted his own intelligence ninja, after all, they had recently achieved great success.
On the other hand, it was because of the specific content of the intelligence. The information not only included handling spies but also misleading the Hidden Rock Ninja Squad, no matter how Iwakura considered, this was genuine intelligence.
Iwakura probably never thought that Mokgetsu and Jiraiya orchestrated a fake meeting with a bunch of Konoha Jonin to deceive them.
Due to the intelligence being too comprehensive, the battle meeting had little room to play, specific battle plans were quickly decided.
"You really don't know your own strength until you fight for real, I didn't expect our Hidden Rock's intelligence department to be so much stronger than Konoha's," a Hidden Rock Jonin remarked with a relaxed smile.
Anyone with some self-awareness knows who's in control on the battlefield. Is Konoha's defeat because their squads are far superior to the Konoha Ninja Squad?
Of course not, it's because they crushed the Konoha Ninja Squad from the intelligence layer.
If using a game analogy, the Hidden Rock Squad fighting Jiraiya's Squad not only has a perspective box to see positioning but can even link to Jiraiya's side's voice, one-sidedly; they can hear Jiraiya, but Jiraiya can't hear them.
Hidden Rock Jonin smiled; they could say they vented all their previous frustration, it really felt good.
The meeting ended, Iwakura assembled the Hidden Rock Squad to begin the rapid march toward the destination.
Although it was just 1 am, not a single ninja lagged behind, they quickly prepared everything silently following the main squad forward.
"After this battle, the entire Ninja World will remember my Daimyo." Iwakura felt pride as he looked at the star-lit black sky.
If everything unfolds as he planned, this battle will become one of Konoha's most harrowing defeats in recent years.
As the darkness gave way to dawn, the Hidden Rock Ninja Squad approached the second resting point in the intelligence.
Although the intelligence said this was where the Konoha Ninja Squad intended to come tonight, Iwakura was still cautious, he ordered the Perception Ninja within the Hidden Rock Squad to use ninjutsu to sense the place.
"Iwakura-sama, no ninja Chakra detected!" The Perception Ninja canceled the hand seal and reported after opening his eyes.
"Continue moving forward!" Iwakura smiled and nodded.
Everything confirmed the authenticity of their intelligence, victory was getting closer.
Looking at the tall trees deep within the forest, Iwakura's mood was exceptionally cheerful.
As if each tree were Konoha ninjas destined to be killed that night.
"No wonder it's just a temporary resting point, besides concealment, the terrain is easy to attack and hard to defend." Observing the surrounding terrain, Iwakura thought.
The terrain made Iwakura feel insecure; he quickly organized patrol squads to survey the surroundings.
The Hidden Rock's Perception Ninja were not as abundant as Konoha's, and ongoing use of Perception Ninjutsu by the scarce ones couldn't happen, so ordinary ninja patrols were also crucial.
After some time passed, the Hidden Rock Squad relaxed completely, finding the surroundings still peaceful.
"The intelligence department is formidable indeed, so accurate," a Hidden Rock Ninja exclaimed.
If every battle could have such intelligence, even when facing ninja squads 1.5 times their number, they would be able to fight.
Next, Iwakura began organizing ninjas to rest in shifts, having lacked sleep and rushed through the night, the Hidden Rock Squad's state was quite average and needed rest.
Yet, to prevent mishaps, Iwakura couldn't let all the Hidden Rock sleep at the same spot, he could only implement batch resting shifts, part resting, part alert and trap setting.
Having arranged everything, Iwakura also prepared to rest.
Ordinary Hidden Rock just needed to fight, as the commander, he had more to think about and do and needed rest.
Boom!!!
An intensely fierce explosion sound arose, the vivid, fiery explosion firelight was particularly dazzling in this faintly bright dawn.
Just lying down, Iwakura immediately lost all trace of sleepiness, suddenly opened his eyes, and jumped up.
Boom!
As if triggering a chain reaction, soon another explosion sounded, the fiery explosion light shone on the nearby Hidden Rock ninjas.
"Damn it, we've fallen into a trap!" Iwakura's face turned extremely grim.
Though he couldn't understand how the Konoha ninjas managed all this yet, the recent explosion was evidently an explosive tag trap.
The intelligence was fake, the Konoha ninjas had already been here, and laid traps.