The news that the Third Raikage might personally join the fight made Qianyu suspect the Hidden Stone was about to stab the Hidden Cloud in the back.
Given the current state of the shinobi world, the Hidden Cloud was a far more suitable target than Konoha or the other villages.
If this was true… then the legendary feat—the Third Raikage versus ten thousand Stone ninja—was about to unfold.
A spectacle like that? Qianyu wasn't about to miss it.
Besides, he wanted to see if Iwagakure even had ten thousand ninja.
Konoha's total force was around ten thousand. Spread across too many fronts, they deployed in minimal squads of one or two hundred to each battlefield, conserving strength for a long war. The rest were stationed within the Land of Fire, ready to reinforce any hotspot with the bare minimum needed to hold the line.
Ten thousand ninja? After the forces in the Land of Grass, did Iwagakure really have that many left?
And the Land of Earth was separated from the Land of Lightning by several minor countries. If Iwagakure was mobilizing an army that size, how could the Raikage have no intel?
The whole story smelled off to Qianyu.
"Orochimaru-sensei," Qianyu said, turning to his teacher. "I'd like to request a mission."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly. "What mission?"
"Reconnaissance. To verify the intel about the Third Raikage's deployment and investigate the circumstances around it."
Orochimaru looked puzzled. "The Raikage's personal involvement seems confirmed. Is further investigation necessary?"
"It is." Qianyu's tone was firm. "Because I don't think Iwagakure will just sit back and watch. I think they're planning something."
Orochimaru's brow furrowed. "You believe they will launch a large-scale operation against Konoha?"
Qianyu shook his head. "No. My guess is… they're going to move against the Hidden Cloud."
Orochimaru's expression shifted to one of genuine surprise. "Why would you think that? They are supposed to be allies."
"Ōnoki of Iwagakure is a cunning old man," Qianyu analyzed. "The war has dragged on for years. Despite their alliance with the Cloud, the Stone's forces in the Land of Grass have been exceptionally conservative, far less active than other fronts. Right now, of the Five Great Villages, Iwagakure's military strength is likely the strongest.
"The Hidden Cloud, on the other hand, has been grinding against Konoha in the Land of Hot Water from the start. Years later, they still can't break Konoha's line. Their overall strength is now roughly on par with Konoha's, and Konoha is fighting on multiple fronts.
"That old man Ōnoki cares about profit, not Konoha. Look at the board. The Sand is too poor, no real gains there. The Mist is too distant, not worth the trouble. Konoha's morale is high now, with many powerful new shinobi emerging.
"But the Cloud? They've committed a large portion of their elite to Hot Water. The Raikage himself is heading to the front. Their homeland is vulnerable. The timing is perfect.
"I think Ōnoki won't let this chance slip. He'll likely ambush the Third Raikage, cripple the Cloud, and seize the advantage."
Orochimaru fell silent, considering. Qianyu's logic had merit, though he judged the probability low. Still… possible. And if true, it would signal the beginning of Konoha's counter-offensive.
"Very well," Orochimaru nodded. "The mission is yours."
"Then I'll depart immediately, sensei."
Qianyu reasoned that if the Stone planned an ambush, it wouldn't be in the Land of Lightning or Hot Water. The most likely location was the Land of the Moon, between them. He headed straight there.
Several days later, Qianyu was in the Land of the Moon. The moment the Third Raikage crossed the border from Lightning, Qianyu sensed him—he'd memorized that potent chakra signature during his infiltration of Kumogakure.
The Raikage was trailed by over twenty ninja, each one formidable. Qianyu shadowed them from the very edge of his Observation Haki's range.
Two more days passed. Sitting on the ground, meditating, Qianyu's eyes snapped open.
"They're here."
He sensed them—a massive force. Around seven thousand. Not ten thousand, but still a staggering number. The vast majority were weak, their chakra signatures faint. Only a small core group held any real strength.
He checked the Raikage's position again. They were still moving, unaware of the trap closing in. Qianyu frowned. Was the Cloud's intelligence network that deficient? How could an army this size cross multiple nations without a single warning reaching the Raikage?
No matter. The clash was inevitable now. Qianyu accelerated.
When he arrived, the confrontation had already begun.
The Stone army, led by Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi, faced the Third Raikage and his escorts.
The Third Raikage's voice was a low, dangerous rumble. "What is the meaning of this? Ōnoki told me your forces would flank the Land of Hot Water from the Land of Rice, to support our push against Konoha. Not here!"
So that's it, Qianyu realized. Ōnoki had lied. He'd used the joint operation as a pretext to move his army into position for an ambush.
Kitsuchi took a step forward. "New orders from the Tsuchikage. Intercept and eliminate the Third Raikage here. Then… we march on the Land of Lightning."
The Raikage's eyes blazed with fury. "That treacherous old bastard! He dares betray our alliance!"
Kitsuchi's expression hardened at the insult to his father. "This is war, Raikage. As a Kage, I shouldn't need to explain deception on the battlefield to you."
The Third Raikage didn't waste another word. Lightning erupted around him, crackling with raw power—the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
He barked an order to his men without looking back. "I'll hold them. All of you, get to Hot Water. Order a full retreat of all Cloud forces back to the village. Tell A to inherit my name!
"Tell him… for the Land of Lightning and Kumogakure, this war ends here. We have lost!"
His subordinates hesitated, rooted to the spot. "Raikage-sama…"
"Don't stand there gawking!" he roared. "GO! You are the future of Kumogakure! You must NOT fall here!"
"…Yes, Raikage-sama!"
With red-rimmed eyes and heavy hearts, the Cloud ninja turned and fled, leaving their leader alone before the sea of stone.
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