Kotarou's strategy had been explained so clearly that even Jiraiya fully grasped how to carry it out in practice.
Tsunade led the Senju clan to block the eastern gate, preventing the enemy from launching a direct offensive toward Konoha.
Jiraiya took the Uchiha clan to guard the southern gate, cutting off any attempt by the enemy to connect and collude with the Sand ninja.
Orochimaru led elite units from all the major clans to hold the northern gate, stopping the enemy from looping around to attack Konoha from the rear.
The three of them openly stationed their forces within the enemy's line of sight, yet just outside the effective range of thrown shuriken.
Any supply convoys from the nearby towns headed toward the city were intercepted by jōnin squads sent out by the three commanders. Without exception, they were all successfully cut off.
Hanzo of the Salamander naturally realized something was wrong. He personally led his troops out of the city, charging straight toward Tsunade. The moment Tsunade saw the city gates open, she immediately issued her order.
"Everyone, fall back!"
At the same time, she fired a green signal flare into the sky. The Senju units began an orderly retreat. The Rain ninja pursued at full speed, only to run headlong into an ambush in a dense forest: countless explosive tags and ground spikes awaited them.
Screams echoed one after another. Even Hanzo of the Salamander could not help twitching around the eyes. These damned Konoha ninja… if he ever got his hands on them, he would flay them alive and strip their bones.
His bloodshot gaze locked onto Tsunade in the distance, while Tsunade simply watched him from afar without taking a single step forward.
According to Kotarou, this was called guerrilla warfare:
"When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy makes camp, we harass; when the enemy is exhausted, we strike; when the enemy retreats, we pursue."
In other words, a frontal, stand-up fight was off the table. Those sixteen words had been coined by a great figure. There was no need to explain how effective they were.
Watching his Rain ninja die one after another, Hanzo's expression twisted. He began to drive his chakra to the limit, flooding it into his legs to increase his speed. He was going to hack Tsunade into pieces.
At that very moment, at the southern and northern gates, Jiraiya and Orochimaru gave the order to attack the city.
Battle cries rose up in waves. From within the city, someone hastily loosed a signal arrow.
Whoosh!
The screech of the signal arrow tore through the sky.
That shrill sound made Hanzo, who had been seeing red, suddenly halt and turn his head to stare at behind him. His heart gave a heavy thump.
Not good. This whole thing was just luring the tiger away from the mountain. Their true target was the city, his base of operations.
If he kept chasing Tsunade now, he might indeed manage to kill her.
But if his own base fell into enemy hands, then the war would already be decided. There would be no need to keep fighting. It would be total defeat.
Hanzo bit down hard, grinding his teeth.
"You lot, we'll settle this with them next time!
Fall back to the city!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Rain ninja were seething. It was bad enough to have their supply lines cut. Now the enemy refused to stand and fight properly: neither fully committing to battle nor fully retreating, always laying traps and ambushes.
This was the conduct of a great nation?
If Kotarou could have heard their grievances, he would probably have snorted out loud.
"A bunch of brainless muscle-heads. Time to show you what true military strategy looks like."
Once Tsunade's troops saw Hanzo withdrawing, she fired a red signal flare into the sky. Seeing it, Orochimaru and Jiraiya immediately led their forces back to their original encampments.
By the time Hanzo returned to the city, all that awaited him at the gates was devastation: charred ground showing where explosive tags had detonated, and a gate so battered it was on the verge of collapsing.
Looking up, he saw corpses strewn atop the city walls: the Rain defenders who had been manning the ramparts. Faced with such a scene, even someone hailed as a "demi-god" like Hanzo could do nothing.
Kotarou remained in the command post. In front of him was a sand table map, with three small flags stuck into it, representing Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya.
He moved the flags based on reports from the field, observing the changing situation. As the saying went: "Planning from within the command tent, deciding victory a thousand miles away."
Outside the command post stood Kiyoshi himself along with several members of the Uchiha clan. They had insisted on protecting Kotarou personally. Seeing their determination, Tsunade had no choice but to agree.
At this point, aside from Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, no one else was allowed into the command post.
Not even the Hokage.
As fresh intel arrived, Kiyoshi carried the scout's report into the command post. Kotarou sat in his chair with his eyes closed and said calmly:
"Let me guess. Hanzo has pulled back, returned to the city, and things have gone quiet, haven't they?"
The scout immediately dropped to one knee.
"You are truly wise, my lord!
Just as you predicted, following your strategy, our casualties number fewer than two hundred, while the enemy's dead are at least eight hundred!"
The scout's eyes shone as he looked at Kotarou. A four-to-one casualty ratio… what an extraordinary feat of strategy and planning.
He had never imagined he would get to witness this firsthand, let alone serve as one of the scouts relaying information. It was the honor of his life.
Kiyoshi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he looked at Kotarou's back, his throat seemed to close. No sound came out.
It was hard to blame him for being overcome. Throughout the entire Warring States Period, the best casualty ratio anyone had ever achieved was two-to-one. Now it had just been doubled.
Having watched Kotarou's every move this whole time, Kiyoshi's feelings were mixed. The look he now directed at Kotarou was full of respect.
At the same time, anger burned inside him. He wanted to march right back and ask those clansmen who had bullied Kotarou in the past a single question:
With talent like his, you dared to bully him? Are you even worthy?
Never mind Kotarou's terrifying gift for battle. His command talent alone was something those thick-headed idiots had no right to look down on.
This was simply… this was simply…
"Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi, are you even listening when I talk to you?"
Kotarou waved a hand in front of him, frowning. How had this guy, who had seemed so reliable, suddenly spaced out like this?
Kiyoshi snapped back to reality and dropped to one knee as naturally as breathing.
"My apologies, Commander. I was momentarily distracted."
Kotarou waved him off.
"It's fine, Kiyoshi. No need to be so tense. It's nothing serious, I just…"
He bent down and whispered into Kiyoshi's ear…
"T-this… this really isn't appropriate."
The corner of Kiyoshi's mouth twitched. Good grief. He wanted to take back everything he had just thought about Kotarou. This guy was a complete rascal with no bottom line.
Kotarou rolled his eyes.
"You know nothing!
When two nations go to war, the highest form is to attack strategy, next is to attack alliances, and the lowest is to attack cities.
If we can resolve this campaign without losing a single soldier, how is that not a good thing?"
"Hurry up and go. Don't waste time when we're in the middle of a war."
Kotarou glared at Kiyoshi, then crossed one leg over the other and started humming a tune in a lazy drawl.
Kiyoshi took a deep breath, bowed, and headed off toward Tsunade's frontline force.
Tsunade was still observing the city in the distance when a subordinate rushed over with a report.
"Tsunade-sama, Kiyoshi requests an audience!"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Kiyoshi? Then her expression relaxed. He was most likely here on Kotarou's orders. Did something urgent happen?
"Bring him in," she said.
(End of Chapter)
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