June 6, 1 bNb
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Izuma stretched his legs, glancing around the briefing room and quickly decided the place—just like the Hokage tower—was in much need of renovation
The room itself was a long rectangle of polished wood and tatami, simple in construction. Paper screens filtered the corridor light into a muted cream. Ink-brush calligraphy—old slogans about endurance and duty to the village—hung high.
They'd arranged the cushions at the front in a way that made the hierarchy unmistakable. One for the Hokage, slightly elevated, and two set a respectful distance from it.
To his left, Minato Namikaze sat on his cushion ramrod straight. He was cross-legged, his spine was straight, and his hands were resting on his lap.
Izuma sat beside him. He leaned back with one leg stretched straight across the tatami, the other bent lazily at the knee. One of his hands rested on the ground, supporting his weight; the other was draped across his knee.
Most people would have been inclined to call his posture disrespectful—certainly the two elders, who, thankfully, were not present in this specific briefing—but, if the Hokage didn't bother calling him out on it, why would anyone else dare?
Izuma turned his head, watching the last jonin enter and take their seat next to the rest of the team.
Behind Minato and him, the rest of the shinobi force appointed for this mission settled in a disciplined arrangement. They were cross-legged, had their flak vests neat, and their forehead protectors positioned tidily.
Izuma let his gaze drift over them, not counting heads—he already knew the roster courtesy of the dossier provided by the Hokage—but to gauge their expressions. He wanted to see who looked especially nervous, because, more likely than not, he'd have to help settle their nerves lest they make a mistake.
Minato didn't look back once. His eyes were trained directly on the Hokage himself.
Speaking of the Hokage, the main man, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was positioned at the front. Despite the gravity of the situation, the senior citizen still seemed relatively lax. His posture was somewhat slouched, and his trusty pipe was resting between his teeth.
He waited until everyone was seated, and only once all clothing stopped rustling did he set his pipe down.
Then he spoke.
"This mission," Hiruzen said, "is intended to fast-track the end of our seemingly ever-going war with Iwa, and hopefully, by extension, also put a stop to The Third Great Ninja War."
Hiruzen's gaze swept the room, pausing on each of the twenty-four heads facing him for but a moment.
"Our objective is the destruction of Kannabi Bridge."
"Kumogakure is not the only enemy with ambitions, yet their ire for the Leaf has been greatly extinguished post the death of their Kage. Sunagakure is likely eager to end fighting, considering their current state. With Orochimaru and the shinobi under his command, "vacationing" in River Country, Suna is probably in a state of starvation."
Orochimaru made it back already? Izuma thought to himself, feeling slight surprise at the speed at which the Sannin had rushed back at.
From what Hiruzen had told Izuma, Orochimaru had been resting here for just over a week, having caught wind that Izuma was going to return soon. And now, it seemed, as soon as that matter was dealt with, he had sped back to River, where he had been originally stationed for the past few weeks.
Suna really could not catch a break.
"At the moment, Iwa is the only village fighting at full force. And, unfortunately for them, they have to deal with the full force of Kumo and us, now that our own skirmishes with the other villages have been mostly pacified. The only way Iwa will now be able to survive this war is through its logistics and numbers."
"Ignoring everything else, it would not be wrong to say Iwa's ability to prolong the war is contingent on this bridge, and their ability to get resources across it."
"As such, the front line that you're all going to bleed for," Hiruzen said, "is not in Earth Country. It is between Fire and Grass. That region is not chosen for convenience. It is chosen because it is the only practical area where Stone can apply sustained pressure to the Leaf without overextending itself into fragility."
He lifted a hand, and an ANBU stepped forward with a rolled case.
Hiruzen took it, set it on a low table, and unfastened the ties unhurriedly.
The Land of Grass was rendered in careful ink. There were additional markings—most in red—indicating patrol zones, supply routes, and known outposts.
Kannabi Bridge sat on the map spanning a gorge where the land narrowed.
Hiruzen tapped the bridge's symbol with one finger.
"This is not a simple bridge," he said.
Izuma watched the Hokage's finger trace the thickest route line leading from Earth's direction, through Grass, toward the border of Fire.
"Stone's forces operating near Fire Country cannot subsist without aid," Hiruzen said. "They require rations in many forms. Bandages, explosive tags, replacement weapons, armor plates, medical supplies, and seals. Even mundane things—ink, thread, salves—without which a unit deteriorates faster than you can replenish it. All of that must travel."
Hiruzen paused, eyeing the map before he spoke again.
"Thanks to the natural resources of the Fire Country, Konoha has a depth which Iwa cannot match. We have storage which we can pull from, and worst case, we can even rely on the Daimyo for resources. Iwa, however, is not so lucky. The Stone Country is not as blessed in that department. Hence, they are supremely reliant upon resources from smaller allied nations, all of which pass through the Kannabi bridge to get to them. In layman's terms, their supplies are vulnerable."
The Professor's words were indeed all correct. It was something he'd quickly realized since coming to this world—the only reason the Leaf never annexed or brought "freedom and democracy" to the other Villages was simply because they were too lacking in resources worth plundering. Otherwise, well, the Leaf would have pulled a U.S.
Izuma sighed, his mind continuing down the train of thought. If they did cripple the bridge, then the hungry shinobi would make impulsive decisions. At the same time, a unit with dulled blades would start dying in preventable ways.
And once an army started losing to preventable causes, morale would simply become nonexistent.
"So," Hiruzen said, "why Kannabi? Why not strike caravans? Why not ambush couriers?"
"Caravans can be rerouted. Couriers can be replaced. But a bridge is not a person. It is a fixed requirement for efficient, heavy transport through this particular section of Grass Country. Especially once you consider the amount of resources put into strengthening the bridge in the form of seals and ninjutsu."
He tapped the gorge line, then traced the terrain around it.
"Without Kannabi Bridge, Stone's supply line becomes a labyrinth," he said. "They will have to divert through less developed paths. Narrower roads, more rugged elevation changes, and longer distances all increase travel time. Additionally, it increases exposure to raids and the cost of every movement."
"More importantly," Hiruzen continued, voice deepening, "it limits the volume of supplies they can move at once. Stone can still send shinobi through forests and gullies, yes, but you cannot efficiently haul bulk—rations for thousands, crates of weapons, repair materials—through that terrain."
He looked up from the map and caught the room's attention.
"Destroy the bridge," Hiruzen said, "and you do not merely inconvenience Stone. You starve it."
Hiruzen's finger moved to the border lines.
"Grass Country borders both Earth and Fire," he said. "That makes it the primary connecting point for this theater. It is where Stone can feed its forward forces while maintaining a degree of safety and speed. They can bring supplies into Grass, then distribute them to the vanguard operating at the Fire-Grass border."
He drew another route line with his finger, one that bypassed Grass entirely.
"Rain Country could, in theory, serve as an alternate corridor," he said.
Izuma felt the urge to cough. Pass through the rain, his ass.
"But Rain is not available to Stone in practice," Hiruzen said, confirming Izuma's thought. "Hanzō controls that country with an iron grip. He has no interest in becoming a highway for anyone's war. Any attempt to use Rain as a supply route would either be blocked… or tarrified in blood."
He shifted again, tapping a different region.
"Waterfall," Hiruzen said. "Takigakure is indeed another potential connection, but ultimately it fails to act as a viable substitute. Their military strength is significant, and they possess a Jinchūriki—the Seven-Tails—which guard their sovereignty fiercely."
Izuma watched a chunin swallow nervously with derisive amusement. The mere mention of a Jinchūriki would indeed scare lesser shinobi. Heck, even a seasoned jonin would be, rightfully, scared.
"And beyond that," Hiruzen continued, "their infrastructure is poor in comparison. The roads are less developed and certainly do not have the extra reinforcement that the stone has added to Kanabi bridge. The kind of bulk transport Stone requires cannot flow through Waterfall at the necessary scale. Even if Stone forced the route, supply movement would slow to a crawl."
Hiruzen's finger returned to Grass Country.
"Grass," he said, "is the only corridor that meets Stone's needs: developed enough for heavy movement, close enough to sustain a front, permissive enough, because Grass has been weakened."
"The population of Grass Country has been reduced by nearly sixty percent," Hiruzen said. His voice didn't soften with sympathy.
"That reduction is not merely a humanitarian catastrophe," Hiruzen went on. "It is a strategic complication…for us that is."
Izuma sighed; all the people who had died thanks to Konoha and Iwa were truly the most pitiful. They had done nothing to deserve it, and yet, simply because their home was lodged between the Earth and Fire Countries, they had become casualties of war.
"In other operations," Hiruzen continued, snapping Izuma from his musings, "a shinobi team can blend among civilians, merchants, farmers, or pilgrims. You can move with the disguise of normalcy. In Grass, normal life has been scraped thin. Villages are empty, and roads that once carried carts now carry only patrols. A group of armed strangers stands out immediately."
He dragged his finger along the Fire-Grass border.
"If you attempt to infiltrate conventionally from Fire into Grass," Hiruzen said, "Stone will see you coming a mile away. They notice footprints because there are fewer to confuse them. They notice smoke because fewer fires burn. Not to mention, they have stationed an abundance of sensory ninja, not that they are very adept. Yet, with enough patrols, they are bound to find you."
"That," Hiruzen said, "is why we cannot simply walk in."
He turned slightly toward Minato and Izuma at the front.
"And that is why your roles as squad leaders are not ceremonial. Rather, they are deeply integral to the possible success of this mission."
Izuma didn't react outwardly. If he felt any nerves at the responsibility, he certainly could not show it.
Hiruzen stepped to the table and unrolled a second diagram: a cave system with layered notations and sealing marks.
"With two medical-nin on standby," Hiruzen said, "both having honed put aside focus on healing traditional wounds, diverting that attention to chakra restoration."
The phrasing was deliberate. Traditional healing closed flesh, soothed damage, and helped keep you alive. The best way to describe restoration was to say it gave you fuel.
Izuma's eyes narrowed as he studied the diagram, absorbing the location markers. It was a thoughtful choice.
"They will support the teleportation, should Minato face any form of chakra loss." Hiruzen continued. "Minato has already established a marker inside. The cave doubles as a base, and all the necessary supplies are cached there. You will be transported directly into that chamber."
He tapped the central mark on the diagram.
"This avoids the border entirely," Hiruzen said. "Furthermore, it avoids the immediate suspicion that would accompany any group appearing near Fire's edge."
Izuma let his gaze slide sideways toward Minato. In his opinion, the two medics' presence was completely and utterly unnecessary. Minato had a freakish amount of chakra, more than all the other shinobi he'd met—well, discounting Kushina, of course.
Hiruzen's finger traced the cave's entrance paths.
"Once inside," he said, "you will remain there for a period of time. Likely two days."
He looked up, making sure the room understood the reason before it could grow impatient.
"Stone's vigilance near the bridge is not casual," Hiruzen said. "They are aware that Kannabi is vulnerable. They are well aware we are not stupid. Their security is layered in the form of patrols, sensors, and rotating squads meant to prevent exploitation."
He returned to the Grass map and tapped the roads leading to the bridge.
"If you move immediately upon arrival," he said, "you increase the chance of intersecting an active patrol route. You risk triggering a defensive posture before we are positioned to exploit it."
"The cave is merely a waiting point," he said. "A place to gather yourselves, and become synchronized."
The Hokage straightened.
"Minato, the Commander of this mission," he said, "will lead the teleportation. Izuma, the deputy Commander, will coordinate the forward operations once you have arrived."
Izuma's name in the Hokage's mouth came with heaps of expectation.
He didn't mind.
Hiruzen turned the map so even those at the back could see him tracing a path with his finger, starting from the cave marker, winding through the terrain.
"This," Hiruzen said, "is the planned route through Grass Country."
He continued the trace.
Izuma's mind mapped it instantly into movement: who goes first, who watches the rear, who handles traps, who scouts. The success of a plan was only as good as its weakest link, and thus, his job was to ensure there were none.
Hiruzen's finger stopped just short of the bridge.
"And here," he said quietly, "is where the mission truly begins."
He lifted his hand from the map and looked at all of them again—jonin, special jonin, chunin—each person tempered by varying degrees of experience, but all carrying the same fundamental goal.
"The destruction of Kannabi Bridge," Hiruzen said, "will cripple Stone's ability to sustain its forward operations. It will deprive them of essential resources that keep an army functioning."
"It will also send a message," Hiruzen said. "Not merely to Stone, but to every village watching. Although all may eye us, none can truly touch us. In essence, we have successfully outlasted three other villages—one more remains. And after this mission, after the efforts of the collective currently facing me, Konoha will soon bring about an end to this war, and remind the world that since the First Great Shinobi War, Konoha has not known defeat, and no matter what may come, that is a notion which will never change."
Izuma felt his own blood boiling. Of all the many skills of Hiruzen Sarutobi, propaganda was perhaps his best.
Izuma thoroughly detested war, yet Hiruzen had managed to bring about a sense of deep patriotism within him. After all, he had essentially said, "the other village's ain't shit, and we're about to three-peat."
Izuma's fingers flexed once against the tatami, a barely noticeable movement.
Hiruzen's gaze moved over the room one last time.
"This is why Grass is vital," he said.
Izuma didn't even need a look at the people behind him to know they, too, felt some semblance of hype.
At the beginning of this meeting, they were reluctantly prepared to die for the mission. Now they would gladly see themselves brought before the gates of hell if it meant the success of the mission.
Izuma's eyes drifted back to the bridge.
Hiruzen rolled the diagram of the cave carefully and set it beside the map.
"The medical-nin have a critical role, and their skill is not widely known. You will not speak of their ability outside designated channels."
A collective nod passed through the room.
Hiruzen's gaze returned to Minato and Izuma at the front.
"You are the squad leaders," he said. "Your composure will be contagious; however, inversely, your errors will be magnified."
Minato and he both nodded solemnly.
Should they fail, they would have condemned hundreds, maybe thousands, to death.
That went for both the stone and the leaf.
Hiruzen reached for his pipe and took a long inhale, followed by an equally long exhale.
"You have your route, you have your objective, you have your method of entry. And, most importantly, you have your own reasons," he finished. "Do not forget them when confronted with the full force of Iwa's might."
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A/N:
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know it was a huge info dump, with tons of yap, but it was all necessary.
This mission was vital to the Leaf, yet Kishi barely even glossed over how it was completed. Heck, even other fics don't bother mentioning anything about how it was completed, and why it was so important. And after researching for this fic, holy shit, ion even blame them.
Had to go through the map and the wiki for so long to come up with reasons and a method to complete this mission. Not to mention, had to bs some reasoning as to why the bridge is so important to the nation that is best at moving earth. So why can't they just create another bridge?
Anyway, gripes aside, sorry for the yap in this chapter, but it does set up what will happen quite aptly.
Thanks for reading and join the Discord and Pa-atreon if you are interested.
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