The fading light of sunset dyed the Red Guard camp in warm shades of orange and crimson.
After briefly greeting Uchiha Yashiro at the perimeter, Anlan and Shisui approached the outer defenses of the camp. A figure stepped forward from inside to meet them.
It was Uchiha Fugaku.
The crimson glow of his Sharingan flickered faintly in the twilight as his gaze swept over the two men like a blade.
"General."
The moment their Sharingan met in the dim air, both sides confirmed each other's identity.
Since only the Uchiha could freely activate and deactivate the Sharingan, it completely eliminated the possibility of outsiders impersonating members of the Red Guard.
"Fugaku, are the night patrols arranged?"
"Everything has been deployed."
Seeing that neither Anlan nor Shisui showed signs of injury, Fugaku's lingering worry eased slightly.
"During the evening, patrols are handled by Yashiro and Yakumi."
"After midnight, Shisui and Tekka will take over."
Anlan nodded.
Then he turned slightly toward Shisui beside him.
"Eat something and get some rest first. Stay alert tonight."
After all, Kirigakure was still one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, famous for assassination techniques.
Although Anlan personally held little regard for the Mist Village that would later become little more than a supporting actor in history—
At present, it still posed a considerable threat to the clan.
In short:
Strategically despise the enemy.
Tactically respect the enemy.
"Yes, General. Understood."
Shisui bowed.
He nodded politely to Fugaku before heading into the camp.
Anlan's gaze swept across the camp as he walked.
Defensive fortifications were arranged neatly.
The faint glow of five barrier seals shimmered across the perimeter.
Tents were aligned in precise order.
Cooking smoke drifted gently upward from a designated area.
After exchanging a few words with Fugaku, Anlan walked straight toward the central command tent.
When he lifted the curtain—
He saw Ayan, a silver-spotted ninja cat, crouched on the desk, pressing down a stack of scrolls with its fluffy paw.
Its emerald eyes glowed softly in the candlelight.
Seeing Anlan enter, it let out a small, affectionate "meow."
Across the table, Uchiha Mikoto sat kneeling.
Several intelligence scrolls were already spread open before her.
Hearing the familiar footsteps, she looked up.
The candlelight danced across her elegant face.
"Perfect timing."
"Ayan just delivered the latest report."
She smiled softly.
"Inabi and Hizashi have earned the first merit for the Red Guard."
The scrolls on the table still carried the faint scent of fresh ink.
Clearly, they had just arrived.
Ayan flicked its tail gracefully and pushed forward the top scroll tied with a red cord.
"First merit?"
Anlan raised an eyebrow as he picked up the scroll.
"Did that brat run into a Mist vanguard unit on the way and kill one of their commanders?"
"He's not injured, right?"
This wasn't a wild guess.
When the Ginza Merchant Alliance established Infinite City, they had chosen the location precisely because of its strategic position in eastern Fire Country.
The Red Guard camp was barely ten miles away.
It wasn't surprising that reconnaissance teams might collide with Mist vanguard units.
"Sharp as always, Young Master."
Ayan's whiskers twitched.
"Inabi and Hizashi encountered one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist on their way to the eastern army."
"And despite the enemy having a sensory ninja… that Mist unit actually attacked first."
The cat's tone carried a trace of disdain.
"They were completely annihilated."
As Anlan read through the scroll and realized the dead swordsman was an unnamed character who barely appeared in the original story, he closed it casually.
"Send the head to Konoha."
"Let the Hokage see that the Red Guard is shedding blood for the village."
"Exaggerate the casualties a little."
"After all, he was one of the Seven Swordsmen—we should show proper 'respect.'"
"Use that as an excuse for the Red Guard to rest in place and observe the battle between the eastern Konoha forces and Kirigakure."
If the Mist forces had already reached the eastern army's vicinity—
Then they clearly intended to attack it.
As long as the rumor about the hundred million ryo supplies in Infinite City hadn't been revealed yet—
The Mist army's primary target would remain Konoha's stationed forces.
Mikoto watched him speak confidently.
There was something about this Uchiha who behaved nothing like a typical Uchiha.
Her eyes curved slightly as she continued the thought.
"So when the eastern army suffers heavy losses and the Hokage orders the Red Guard to move…"
"Should we delay the operation on the grounds of insufficient equipment and manpower?"
"And perhaps request the village provide the support we deserve?"
Anlan paused briefly.
Then he took Mikoto's hand with a smile.
"Mikoto, you've grown a little wicked."
"The old you wouldn't say something like that."
"But I like it."
She shot him a sideways glance.
"Marry a chicken, follow a chicken. Marry a dog, follow a dog."
"If I didn't learn to be a little 'bad' myself…"
"I might one day hear you say 'average' after pulling up your pants."
Mikoto's cheeks flushed instantly.
Since she had recently taken over the intelligence network, she had also discovered Anlan's hidden identity—Ji Boda.
Some of the stories and scandalous lines written under that name worried her deeply.
Not only about her brother's mental health—
But also whether her fiancé secretly dreamed of becoming a harem protagonist.
However, Mikoto understood one thing clearly.
Anlan had never tried to hide anything from her.
"So Sister Mikoto has read those 'forbidden books' too?"
Her face turned even redder.
Anlan burst out laughing.
At the same time, he glanced at the silver cat.
The little feline immediately realized it was becoming a third wheel.
It let out a quick "meow," leapt gracefully off the desk, and slipped out of the tent—apparently to supervise the military cooks.
After a few familiar-sounding love words, the conversation returned to business.
"When the clan formed its independent army, we didn't take a single needle or thread from Konoha."
"One reason was that we didn't want their scraps."
"The other reason was that anything truly valuable—Konoha would never give us."
A group of average ninja—probably fewer than five hundred—would add little to the elite Red Guard.
Facing the Mist invasion, Anlan would be foolish to sacrifice the Red Guard's greatest advantage:
Mobility.
As for jonin—
Even expendable ones were reserved by Konoha's leadership for their own forces.
The same applied to supplies.
Konoha would never give enough.
And if they did give anything, it would come with strings attached.
Why bother?
The Uchiha didn't lack money.
Just the equipment for two hundred Red Guard soldiers had already cost over two hundred million ryo.
Mikoto leaned against Anlan, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
Her mind raced as she understood his reasoning.
"Konoha is surrounded on all sides now."
"Supplies and manpower are stretched thin."
"And the clan's greater plan must remain known only to our own people."
"Too many outsiders would only complicate things."
"No wonder you sent the Hyuga ninja away."
A cold smile appeared on Anlan's lips.
"And if we actually asked Konoha for manpower and supplies…"
"What do you think would happen?"
Mikoto shook her head slightly.
Then Anlan revealed the darker possibility she had never considered.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi's faction would immediately accuse the Uchiha of pressuring the village."
"And without hesitation…"
"They would send us the children from the Ninja Academy to fill our ranks."
"As for funding…"
He snorted.
"They would simply collect it from the civilians."
"They'd claim to be supporting us."
"Blame the Uchiha for greed."
"And end up gaining a reputation for generosity."
"A perfect three-bird scheme."
"That's their favorite trick."
Mikoto fell silent.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly in the candlelight.
"So… we truly cannot place any hope in Konoha."
The pro-peace faction of the Uchiha loved the village.
But the village itself had long been corrupted.
The illusion had shattered.
"Not entirely."
Anlan's sudden reply made Mikoto look up in surprise.
Her beautiful eyes widened.
He smiled faintly.
"We don't need to ask Konoha for anything."
"But the eastern army, which urgently needs reinforcements to survive…"
"They need help."
"So let the ones who should worry—worry."
"Let the ones who should fight for support—fight."
"We only need to act at the right moment."
Meanwhile — Kumogakure Camp
At the border of the Land of Fire, inside the newly established Kumogakure military camp.
An urgent intelligence report was delivered to the desk of the Third Raikage, A.
Inside the tent, candlelight flickered across the tense faces of several high-ranking Cloud ninja.
"From Iwagakure?"
One hot-tempered jonin slammed the table.
"They dare stab us in the back?!"
"They attacked our patrol squad! What are they trying to do?!"
"We must demand an explanation from that old man Onoki!"
The tent erupted into argument.
"Not necessarily Iwa."
Another calm jonin pointed to the location on the map.
"This place is far from their main forces."
"It looks more like someone is framing them."
"Danzo from Konoha is cunning enough to attempt something like this."
"Konoha is barely holding itself together. Do they really have time for tricks?"
"Exactly because they're desperate."
"They might want us to fight Iwa for them!"
The debate continued.
Some demanded immediate pressure on Iwagakure.
Others believed it was Konoha's scheme.
Throughout the chaos—
The Third Raikage remained silent.
His massive figure sat like a mountain.
His thick fingers tapped the table rhythmically.
The sound echoed like war drums.
Finally—
He chuckled.
A deep thunder-like sound.
"If it's a fox…"
"It will show its tail."
"If it's weak…"
"It will always get beaten."
"Robbing Konoha is robbery."
"Robbing Iwa is robbery."
"Since someone handed us a knife…"
"Let's test whether old Onoki's bones are still strong."
The coalition attacking Konoha all had one purpose:
Plunder.
Turn Konoha's potential into their own resources.
But they also had to maintain balance.
Push Konoha too far—
And it might drag everyone down with it.
In the end, everyone would aim for the softest target.
After the last profit was taken—
Peace talks would inevitably begin.
"Let the people in the village come out and see the battlefield."
"Send the Two-Tails with A and B."
"Head toward the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfall."
"Pressure both Iwagakure and Konoha."
"And if there's a chance…"
"Capture the Seven-Tails from Takigakure."
The Raikage cracked his neck.
Electric arcs snapped between his fingers.
"And we…"
He clenched his fist.
Lightning crackled loudly.
"…will teach Danzo Shimura a lesson."
"On the battlefield…"
"Power is the only truth."
"The strong can do whatever they want."
"Rats hiding in the gutter…"
"Will never stand on the stage."
Meanwhile — Sunagakure
At the Sand Village main camp near the border of the Land of Rivers.
After Konoha's night raid, Orochimaru and Jiraiya had launched two fierce assaults.
Although Sunagakure had temporarily repelled them—
The camp was filled not with joy, but with tension.
Charred earth.
Uncleared corpses.
The smell of blood lingering in the air.
Inside the command tent, the atmosphere was even heavier.
Rasa sat at the center.
His expression was dark.
Pakura stood beside the war table, pointing at Konoha's markers.
"Konoha forces have reorganized and expanded their scouting range."
"They're preparing a new encirclement."
Another jonin spoke hoarsely.
"We cannot continue a war of attrition."
"Our ninja will be worn down completely."
"The real threat is their summoning beasts," another added.
"Creatures of that size disrupt our formations."
"Even Lord Rasa's Magnet Release cannot cover the entire battlefield indefinitely."
Silence fell.
Everyone understood the truth.
Konoha's quick-victory strategy had failed—
But their national strength meant they could turn the war into a grinding conflict.
And while Konoha could endure it—
Sunagakure could not.
Every day of supplies consumed was unbearable.
Raiding nobles for resources was impossible.
The Wind Daimyo would never allow it.
Finally, Rasa spoke.
"We cannot hesitate any longer."
"Send letters immediately."
"To Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure."
Pakura's eyes flickered with complicated emotions.
But she did not object.
"Tell them this—"
"Konoha's main force is pinned down by us."
"If they continue watching without acting…"
"Sunagakure will withdraw."
He paused.
Then looked at the black teapot beside his feet.
Inside it—
The One-Tail, Shukaku, was sealed.
"Also inform the village…"
"The One-Tail may be deployed at any time."
Everyone's expression changed.
Without a jinchūriki—
Shukaku would not obey.
It was Sunagakure's final weapon.
And its greatest risk.
But there was no other choice.
Soon—
Messenger hawks carrying Sunagakure's hopes took flight into the red evening sky.
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