Chapter 224: The Three-Pronged Strike
The air in the Hokage's private strategy room was thick with unspoken tension. Maps lay spread across the large central table, marked with potential troop movements and enemy positions. Nara Shikaku stood near the wall, his usual lazy demeanor replaced by sharp focus.
An invisible aura of absolute dominance emanated from Uchiha Akira as he stood before the main map, his back to the room.
Having finalized the core strategy in his mind, he turned.
As soon as he finished speaking the final confirmation to Shikaku, Akira gave orders to the Anbu operative concealed in the shadows behind him.
"Go. Invite Jiraiya-sama and Lady Tsunade here. Immediately."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
A black shadow detached itself from the corner, flickering once before disappearing instantly, without a sound.
Nara Shikaku looked at Akira's decisive back, marveling once again, despite himself.
[This kind of courage... this absolute, unwavering confidence to challenge the entire world...]
[Throughout Konoha's entire history, from the First Hokage downwards, no one has ever possessed such conviction. Or perhaps... such madness.]
Soon, the heavy office door was pushed open.
Tsunade strode in first, her face impatient, followed closely by Jiraiya, whose expression was uncharacteristically serious, the lines on his face deeper than usual.
"Akira," Tsunade asked directly, already tapping her foot. "You called us so urgently. Has the final plan been decided? Are we finally moving?"
Jiraiya remained silent, his gaze fixed on Akira, waiting.
"Sit."
Akira gestured to the heavy sofas arranged around a low table, away from the main strategy map.
Nara Shikaku consciously moved to stand behind Akira, ready to add details or answer strategic questions at any time.
"The primary target has been confirmed," Akira stated, wasting no time on pleasantries.
He let the statement hang for a beat, meeting both Sannin's eyes.
"Sunagakure." (砂隠れの里, Sunagakure, Village Hidden by Sand)
Hearing the name, neither Tsunade nor Jiraiya showed much surprise. They had been part of the preliminary discussions.
[It makes sense,] Jiraiya thought. [Suna is still reeling from Orochimaru's betrayal and the Fourth Kazekage's assassination during the Chūnin Exams invasion. Their leadership is unstable. Their military is weakened. Geographically, they are isolated. They are the logical first domino.]
"It is indeed the most ideal breakthrough point at the moment," Jiraiya murmured, nodding slowly.
"Shikaku," Akira instructed, turning slightly towards his strategist. "Explain the specific battle plan to them."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
Nara Shikaku stepped forward, picking up a smaller, summarized map from the table. He began to elaborate on his strategic concept, his voice calm and precise.
"Our plan, finalized by Lord Hokage, is to divide our main forces into three distinct routes."
"The first route, and the most critical one, will be the main invasion force. It will be personally led by you, Lord Hokage."
Shikaku pointed to a direct, aggressive thrust line on the map, originating from the Land of Fire's western border and aimed straight at Sunagakure.
"This force will act as the primary attacking spearhead, striking directly at the heart of the Land of Wind and taking Sunagakure itself with overwhelming lightning speed."
[Inorin's Note: The Land of Wind (風の国, Kaze no Kuni) is the nation where Sunagakure is located. It is primarily a vast desert.]
"This route requires absolute, crushing power. The objective is to completely destroy Suna's command system, neutralize their Jinchūriki if possible, and shatter their will to resist in the shortest possible timeframe – ideally within 48 hours."
Nara Shikaku looked directly at Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, your unparalleled medical abilities are an indispensable guarantee for the success and, more importantly, the survival of our forces in this war. Therefore, I strongly suggest you accompany Lord Hokage on the main expedition."
"You will be stationed with the main attacking force's command unit. Your presence, and the medical corps under your direct command, will be crucial to minimize our casualties during the initial assault."
Tsunade raised a confident eyebrow at his words, a fierce grin spreading across her face.
"Hah! That suits me perfectly! Finally, some real action! I haven't stretched my muscles properly in a long time!"
Tsunade clenched her fists, knuckles cracking. A powerful, almost eager aura emanated from her.
Nara Shikaku gave a wry, slightly pained smile. [Troublesome woman... but her strength is undeniable.] He continued.
"The second route is the primary defensive force. Although our main target is Sunagakure in the west, we must guard against any opportunistic movements from the other major Ninja Villages, particularly from the north."
His gaze turned to Jiraiya.
"Specifically, we must anticipate Iwagakure's (岩隠れの里, Iwagakure, Village Hidden by Stone) reaction. Their leader, Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, is an old, cunning fox, full of schemes and grudges against Konoha."
[Inorin's Note: Ōnoki is the long-reigning Third Tsuchikage, known for his stubbornness, immense power (including the Particle Style kekkei tōta), and deep-seated rivalry with Konoha.]
"Once we commit our main forces to the war with Sunagakure, he is very likely to see it as an opportunity to stab us in the back, perhaps making a move towards our northern territories or supply lines."
Jiraiya nodded, his expression solemn. "Ōnoki is indeed a troublesome opponent. Underestimating him would be foolish."
"Therefore," Nara Shikaku said seriously, looking directly at Jiraiya.
"I hope that you, Jiraiya-sama, will personally lead an elite force to the northern border of the Land of Fire (火の国, Hi no Kuni), the area directly bordering the Land of Earth (土の国, Tsuchi no Kuni). You will establish and command our primary northern defenses."
[Inorin's Note: The Land of Fire is Konoha's nation; the Land of Earth is Iwagakure's nation.]
"Your mission is not to actively attack Iwagakure. It is purely to deter and defend. To make Ōnoki think twice before committing his forces."
"Just your presence there, Jiraiya-sama, as a Sannin and a known powerhouse, should be enough to achieve that deterrent effect."
"At the same time," Shikaku added, "I have assigned Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy to lead elite Jōnin units under your command, to assist in fortifying the defenses."
Jiraiya pondered for a moment, stroking his chin. His gaze was distant, likely accessing his own vast intelligence network's information on Iwa's current troop deployments.
Then, he nodded. "Alright. To deal with that stubborn old fence-sitter Ōnoki... you're right. I do need to keep an eye on him personally. Consider it done."
Nara Shikaku visibly breathed a sigh of relief. The two most crucial parts of the plan – the main assault and the northern defense – had been decided and assigned to Konoha's strongest.
"Then what about the third route?" Tsunade asked, tapping the eastern border on the map. "Are we just going to ignore those loudmouthed barbarians from Kumogakure (雲隠れの里, Kumogakure, Village Hidden by the Cloud)?"
"Of course, we'll deal with them," Shikaku replied immediately. A sharp, calculating glint flashed in his eyes.
"Kumogakure currently possesses arguably the strongest conventional military power among the Five Great Ninja Villages, especially since Kirigakure is still embroiled in civil war."
"Their leader, the Fourth Raikage, Ay, is an absolute warmonger who values strength above all else. He is aggressive and unpredictable."
[Inorin's Note: Ay is the Fourth Raikage, known for his immense speed using the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and his aggressive personality. Kumogakure also possesses the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer B.]
"He will definitely not sit idly by when we make a move against Sunagakure. He'll see it as Konoha making a power grab and will likely try to take advantage."
"Therefore," Shikaku continued, pointing to the eastern border on the map, "the third route is the defensive force against Kumogakure."
"This route, similar to the northern defense, will also focus primarily on defense and containment. Its mission is to prevent Kumogakure forces from breaking into the heartland of the Land of Fire from the eastern border while our main force is engaged with Suna."
"The personnel assigned to this crucial eastern defense route..."
Before Nara Shikaku could finish outlining the command structure for the third route, Uchiha Akira interjected smoothly.
"This route," Akira stated calmly, "I will arrange personally."
His gaze was calm and profound, giving nothing away.
Shikaku paused, surprised, but didn't question the Hokage's decision. "As you wish, Lord Hokage."
Akira stood up, walking towards the main map.
"Shikaku, your overall plan is perfect."
He summarized, his voice resonating with command.
"The main attacking force will be led by myself and Tsunade."
"The northern defense line against Iwagakure will be handled by Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Might Guy."
"The eastern defense line against Kumogakure," he paused, a subtle emphasis, "will be commanded by forces I select."
He turned to face them all.
"Effective immediately: The Intelligence Department, the Anbu Black Ops, and the Logistics Department will operate at full capacity to make the final preparations for this expedition."
"All troop movements, supply caching, and deployment orders must be carried out in absolute secret. Maximum operational security. I want no disturbance within the village, and no leaks to the outside."
"I want to see all forces secretly arrive at their designated positions within two weeks."
Uchiha Akira stood tall, his presence dominating the room.
"This time," he declared, his voice resonating with cold power, "I want the entire Ninja World to clearly see."
"Those who follow Konoha shall prosper. Those who defy Konoha... shall perish!"
Night. Deep as ink.
Hokage Residence.
Uchiha Akira sat quietly in his private study, sipping calmly on a cup of freshly brewed tea. The earlier tension of the war council had dissipated, replaced by a focused calm.
"Knock knock."
A soft, respectful knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
The study door slid open, and a tall, steady figure walked in.
The person who came was none other than the former head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku.
Ever since Akira had become Hokage, Fugaku had resigned from his position as Captain of the Military Police Force, retiring gracefully to a secondary, advisory role within the clan and the village council.
"Lord Hokage."
Fugaku bowed slightly to Akira, performing a standard, respectful subordinate's bow.
"Fugaku. Sit."
Akira gestured to the seat opposite his desk.
"Yes."
Fugaku sat down as instructed, his posture formal, his expression serious.
"I called you here so late," Akira began, putting down his teacup and getting straight to the point, "because there's something concerning Konoha, the Uchiha, and indeed the future of the entire Ninja World, that I need to tell you personally."
Fugaku's expression became even more serious. He immediately focused all his attention, sitting straighter.
He knew that anything Akira spoke of with such a grave tone was no small matter.
"The Ninja World," Akira stated simply, "is about to change."
"I have decided. It is time to end this era of constant warfare, of meaningless hatred, of division among the great Ninja Villages."
Fugaku's entire body went rigid. His breath hitched audibly in the quiet room.
[End... this era?]
[What is he saying?]
What an astonishing, almost unbelievable declaration!
"In the Jōnin Council meeting held earlier today," Akira continued calmly, "all high-ranking officials of Konoha have reached a consensus."
"We will strike proactively. With lightning speed. Using absolute military force to sweep away all obstacles."
"Starting with Sunagakure."
Akira leaned forward slightly, his eyes intense.
"Ultimately, Fugaku, we will achieve the unification of the entire Ninja World."
"In this world, in the future, there will only be one Konoha."
Boom!
The words struck Fugaku's mind like a physical blow.
Unify... the Ninja World!
This... this was something Uchiha Fugaku, even in his most ambitious moments as Clan Head, dared not even dream of!
And even now... sitting here, hearing it spoken so calmly...
Fugaku suspected for a fleeting moment that Akira was joking with him! Testing him!
But he wasn't. The cold, absolute certainty in Akira's eyes was unmistakable.
Fugaku stared, trying to process the sheer scale of the ambition. He confirmed it repeatedly in his mind, and the answer was always the same.
After a long, long silence, Fugaku finally recovered from his profound shock.
He looked at the young man before him – the man who had single-handedly pulled the Uchiha from the brink of annihilation, restored their honor, and led the clan to unprecedented glory. The man who now calmly spoke of conquering the world.
His heart churned with a complex mix of awe, fear, and a dawning, terrifying excitement.
At this moment, Uchiha Fugaku finally, truly understood.
His own past struggles… his plotting for power within the Village for the sake of the clan… his failed coup… it all seemed so insignificant. So ridiculously small-minded in the face of this.
Akira wasn't playing politics. He was reshaping reality.
After another long pause, Fugaku let out a deep, slow breath, releasing decades of pent-up frustration and limited ambition.
He stood up. And bowed deeply, fully, to Uchiha Akira. Not just as Hokage, but as the true leader he should have followed long ago.
"Lord Hokage, I understand."
His voice was thick with emotion, but steady.
"In the past, I always wavered. Between the clan and the Village. Between pride and duty. That hesitation... it led me to ruin."
"I, Uchiha Fugaku, am a member of the Uchiha Clan. But even more so, I am a shinobi of Konoha!"
He looked up, meeting Akira's gaze, his eyes burning with a renewed, fierce loyalty.
"For the warless future you envision! For our descendants, so they no longer have to live and die in this endless cycle of hatred!"
"I, Uchiha Fugaku, am willing to follow all of Lord Hokage's arrangements! I will clear any and all obstacles in your path!"
His pledge was absolute. The past was buried. The future belonged to Akira.
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