Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 22: Fighting on three fronts? No, it's a four-pronged attack!

The air in the meeting room became heavy because of Koharu Tsurugi's words about the desperate quagmire of fighting on three fronts.

Every single person present was a battle-hardened ninja, an elite of Konoha. They understood better than anyone what it meant for Konoha to be fighting three powerful ninja villages simultaneously on three battlefields.

That wasn't war, that was suicide.

"Lord Hokage, a decision must be made!"

An impatient clan head stood up. "We can't let Hanzo lead us by the nose! I suggest we concentrate all our forces and launch a swift and decisive attack on the Land of Rain. If we can quickly defeat Hanzo, Sunagakure and Iwagakure will naturally retreat!"

"madness!"

Danzo Shimura snorted coldly. He finally spoke, his voice as cold as iron, "Hanzo is called a demigod, but is he so easily defeated? The Land of Rain has a complex terrain and is perpetually rainy, making it a natural defensive barrier. Once we're trapped there, our supply lines will be stretched endlessly. What will you use to defend yourself when Sunagakure and Iwagakure stab us in the back?"

"So you mean to cower in defense? Just stand by and watch Amegakure swagger around right under our noses?" the clan chief retorted, his face flushed.

"Defense and waiting for the right opportunity is always better than walking into a trap!" Danzo refused to back down.

"That's cowardly behavior!"

"That's just reckless courage!"

The argument resumed in the meeting room, with hawks and doves clashing fiercely and neither side able to convince the other.

Uchiha Kagami watched all this, his brows furrowing slightly. He didn't speak, but instead turned his gaze to the man in the main seat who had remained unusually calm throughout.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He simply listened quietly, his fingers rhythmically tapping the table, as if the argument taking place had nothing to do with him.

For some reason, Uchiha Kagami's heart calmed down.

He believed that his teacher's disciple, now the Hokage, must already have the answer.

Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his hand and gently pressed it down.

The rhythmic tapping stopped.

The entire conference room fell silent instantly. Everyone's gaze, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, focused entirely on him.

"Everyone, don't panic."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice remained calm, yet it carried an undeniable power that instantly soothed the anxious emotions of everyone present.

"The war has indeed begun."

"But we have more than one enemy."

He stood up, walked slowly to the huge map of the ninja world, and picked up a long red pole that represented command authority.

Everyone held their breath, thinking he would point the long pole at Amegakure, or Sunagakure, or Iwagakure.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi made a move that surprised everyone.

His long pole swept over the three villages that represented a direct threat, and landed heavily on the northeast corner of the map.

The Land of Lightning, Hidden Cloud Village.

"What?"

"Hidden Clouds?"

"Why is it Kumogakure?"

A suppressed gasp rippled through the conference room.

Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance, both seeing deep confusion in each other's eyes.

They couldn't keep up with Hiruzen's train of thought at all.

Only Shimura Danzo's pupils suddenly contracted. He stared intently at that location on the map, as if he had thought of something, and his face instantly turned extremely ugly.

"Have you all forgotten about our teacher's death?" Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, his icy gaze sweeping over everyone present.

The meeting room fell into a deathly silence.

The death of Tobirama Senju is an eternal pain for Konoha, and a thorn that cannot be removed from the hearts of many present.

"Do you believe that what Gold and Silver Horns did back then wasn't supported by some high-ranking members of the Hidden Cloud Village?"

"The Hidden Cloud Village has been frantically expanding its military in recent years, faster than any other village. What will they be doing?"

"They will be like the most greedy jackals, tearing a gash across our northern border!"

A chill ran down everyone's spine.

They only saw the immediate threat, completely ignoring the venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

"Hanzo is gambling, betting that our three great nations will fall into chaos because of his declaration of war, thus giving him a chance to catch his breath, but there's a very high probability that he'll fail." Hiruzen Sarutobi walked back to the main seat, slowly sat down, and his eyes revealed a profound insight that seemed to see through everything.

A slight smile appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips.

"Fighting on three fronts? No."

"First Army Corps, Rain Country battlefield." Hiruzen Sarutobi extended his first finger, his voice becoming resolute, "I will dispatch a contingent of elite squads into the Rain Country."

"An elite squad?" Mitokado Homura was stunned. "Hiruzen, this is too risky! The Land of Rain is the main battlefield; this is like throwing lambs to the slaughter!"

"No, their mission is not to win the war."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "Their mission is to act as bait."

"Barecloth?"

"That's right. I want Hanzo, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure to all think that I made a mistake in my decision."

"They will focus all their attention on this squad, trying to eliminate them at minimal cost in order to gain an early victory in the war and boost morale."

"And this will create an excellent opportunity for our other units."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze fell on the corner of the conference room, where Tsunade and Orochimaru, who were attending the meeting, sat upright.

"Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya."

The three people whose names were called jolted and stood up abruptly.

"The three of you will serve as commanders of the First Legion, leading your squads to the front lines of the Land of Rain immediately!"

"You have only one task."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his three disciples who had grown up, his eyes filled with expectation.

"Hold them back, create the biggest commotion in the Land of Rain, and keep all the enemy's eyes glued to that battlefield."

Excitement instantly shone in Tsunade and Orochimaru's eyes. They understood their teacher's intention. This was an incredibly dangerous, yet incredibly important, mission.

"Yes, teacher!"

"Second Legion, border of the Land of Wind."

Hiruzen Sarutobi extended his second finger, his gaze shifting to a figure standing behind the Anbu Captain-Commander.

He was a tall, well-built man with short, silver-white hair.

Hatake Sakumo.

"Sakumo Hatake".

"Here!" Sakumo stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

"I command you to immediately select one hundred of the most elite members of the Dark Guard to form the Second Legion. You will be like a sharp dagger, bypassing the main battlefield and penetrating directly into the heart of the Wind Kingdom."

"Your mission is not to occupy, but to destroy!"

"I want you to burn their supplies, cut off their provisions, and assassinate their commander! As quickly as possible, unleash a death storm behind Sunagakure that will keep them awake at night!"

Sakumo Hatake raised his head, and a burning fighting spirit ignited in his once calm eyes.

This is the fighting style he is best at and most desires.

"Yes, Lord Hokage! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"

The arrangement of the two armies had already made all the high-ranking officials present gasp in surprise.

The interconnectedness, the interplay of light and shadow, is simply a stroke of genius.

Looking at the Hokage in the main seat, they were filled with shock and awe.

Is this really the gentle Hiruzen they know? This plan, this audacity, is even more terrifying than that of the Second Hokage back then.

Ignoring the shock of the crowd, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly swept his gaze across the entire scene, finally settling on Kagami Uchiha.

Uchiha Kagami's heart stirred; he knew it was their turn, the Uchiha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him and spoke slowly.

"And the third route..."

His gaze passed through the conference room window, looking towards the distant north, at that land perpetually shrouded in thunderclouds.

A surge of intense fighting spirit rose in his eyes.