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JST Chapter 193: War, Strategy, and a Dangerous Idea
🕑 Added 2025-03-01 15:16:40 +0000 UTCKumogakure Battlefield, Konoha Headquarters
“This new style of warfare… is quite interesting to lead…” Orochimaru, with an uncharacteristically excited expression, held a marker and marked strategic points on the battle map in front of him. He pointed out key locations for bombardment. “Connect me to Tobirama Fortress!”
Exhaling slowly, Orochimaru signaled to a Yamanaka Root shinobi to establish a connection with the command center. "Requesting bombardment of Tobirama No. 1 and Tobirama No. 2 on the Kumogakure battlefield. Divert the necessary resources to our position."
"What? The Sunagakure battlefield needs them too? That old man...! The Third Hokage doesn't even know how to use them properly. There's no need to send them to him."
It seemed that the headquarters had refused his request, causing Orochimaru to be clearly annoyed. "The Suna shinobi have puppets that can be used as decoys, the Third Kazekage has Magnet Release to counter metal weapons, and Chiyo is an expert in poisons. The effect of the new weapons would be minimal on such a battlefield. As the head of the Root Science Department, I make this decision. Tell the Third Hokage to hold on. We will support him when we are done here."
"Contact Kazuki? Hmph… Okay, I'll do it."
Orochimaru sighed and shook his head, muttering to himself, "Leaving these weapons in the hands of that old man is an absolute waste..."
Ever since he had led troops against Kumogakure, Orochimaru had enjoyed the experience of war. Seeing science and strategy materialize into reality was a validation of his way, proof that his methods were effective.
Aside from Kazuki, only he could effectively use and command the new weapons. However, despite being the director of the Root Science Department, the distribution of the Tobirama series weapons was not under his control. Each deployment required Kazuki's approval.
"Orochimaru, you are truly ruthless. Aren't you afraid that your sensei will die on the battlefield?" Tsunade heard Orochimaru's words and snorted coldly. "It seems that you enjoy the new weapons too much…"
Reluctantly, she had to admit that under Orochimaru's direction, even the most basic bombs, which were normally countered by Lightning Release, were wreaking havoc on the enemy ranks.
"After all, that old man is the Third Hokage. Sunagakure is the weakest of the large villages. He can handle the situation."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, and his long tongue instinctively passed over his lips. "The Tobirama No. 1 and Tobirama No. 2 bombs, along with the aerial troops, are not easy to produce. Any ninja tool or ninjutsu, once known to the enemy, loses its effectiveness. That is why they must be in the hands of those who truly know how to use them."
Tsunade didn't answer, but her thoughts drifted from Hiruzen to Kazuki. She didn't know when it had started, but she had grown accustomed to her apprentice's presence.
Many times, in the solitude of the night, she woke up from terrifying nightmares.
War was a merciless hell.
Even a shinobi as powerful as Tobirama had lost his life on the battlefield…
If Kazuki died…
The thought alone paralyzed her. A blood red came to her mind, the one that had so often haunted her nightmares. She feared that her hemophobia would return with greater intensity than before.
The distance had only served to make her understand how important Kazuki was to her.
"It would be better if you focused on the current war, Tsunade."
Orochimaru tapped his fingers on the table, his expression turning serious. "Kazuki's victory on the Iwagakure battlefield was two days ago. Yesterday, Kumogakure's forces launched a massive assault, but I managed to push them back with high-scale bombardment, causing thousands of casualties."
"This shows that Iwagakure and Kumogakure do not share information in real time. They are not a firm alliance. That is what we need to analyze."
"If intelligence was exchanged, Kumogakure would have taken precautions."
Tsunade nodded disinterestedly and replied calmly, “It’s not a big deal. Although these shinobi villages have united to attack Konoha, it’s not the first time something like this has happened.”
“During the First Great Shinobi War, Kirigakure and Iwagakure were in conflict, Kumogakure faced an internal revolt... this is simply the nature of shinobi.”
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade in surprise. Wow! She was also capable of this kind of analysis. She even dared to criticize the flawed nature of shinobi.
"It seems that I need to contact Kazuki. The war is probably going to enter the next stage..." Orochimaru's eyes flickered and he said: “Our stockpiles of advanced weapons are dwindling, and the enemy is facing internal trust issues. The question is: will they choose to unite, divide, or declare a truce? And most importantly, what should be our response?”
“War is like an experiment with countless variables. To get a perfect result, we must constantly adjust them...”
Tsunade waved her hand in annoyance, not interested in listening to Orochimaru's philosophical speech.
Just as Tsunade was about to speak, Kazuki’s figure appeared at the entrance of the camp. With a warm and friendly smile, he greeted her: “Long time no see, Tsunade-sensei!”
Tsunade's eyes flickered in surprise, her emotions fluctuating, but then she quickly calmed down. "Kazuki, why are you here!"
"Kazuki-kun, I was just about to contact you..." However, before Tsunade could continue speaking, Orochimaru tactlessly stepped in, pushing her aside. Tsunade shot him a glare, but Orochimaru ignored her and walked over to Kazuki. “Regarding the distribution of the Tobirama series weapons, I need your permission.”
Kazuki nodded calmly. “Do you have the latest reports from the front? Let me see them.”
Orochimaru took a brief report and handed it over.
“The state of the war is favorable, but the problem is that we still have too few troops...”
“In addition, Kumogakure has hidden weapons. After seeing our Tobirama series technology, they brought out the tools of the Sage of the Six Paths. Now they can compete with us.”
Kazuki quickly read the report. Thanks to advanced weapons and the advantage in aerial combat, the casualty ratio on the Kumo front was approximately 1:4 in favor of Konoha.
“Do you have detailed information about the tools of the Sage of Six Paths?”
Kazuki recalled his Totsuka Sword and the Yata Mirror. He wondered how powerful they would be compared to those legendary tools.
“Yes.” Orochimaru demonstrated his impeccable information gathering ability. “According to ancient records, Kumogakure is using the Banana Palm Fan and the Amber Purifying Pot.”
“The Fan can unleash devastating attacks from the five elements, powerful enough to annihilate a Jonin. Its Wind Release technique can quickly disperse the poisonous mist of the Tobirama No. 2.”
“The Amber Purifying Pot seems to possess a formidable sealing ability. The Third Raikage used it to quickly absorb the black fire of the Tobirama No. 1, preventing us from extending our advantage in the previous battle.”
“Kumogakure also possesses the Golden Canopy Breaker, the Crimson Gourd, and the Seven Star Sword, but they have not yet used them, so we do not have detailed information about them.”
Kazuki nodded, understanding the situation.
Kumogakure had a solid foundation, the five treasured tools had been passed down since ancient times. In addition, they would even develop a chakra cannon capable of shooting at the moon. It was the village with the greatest respect for research and technology.
Without the presence of the chakra reincarnations of Asura and Indra, Kumogakure might have been the village with the best chance of becoming the final winner among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Its administration was not the best, but compared to the other villages, it was the most outstanding...
"With this casualty rate, if we assume we completely eliminate the enemy, Konoha would be left with only a handful of shinobi..." Kazuki tapped the table lightly with his fingers and continued, "If we target the enemy's mid and low ranges, they can do the same to us, especially since they have the numerical advantage."
"Eliminating the enemy's living forces is a basic strategy. Any Kage should understand this."
Orochimaru nodded. To him, the loss of hundreds of Konoha shinobi meant nothing; it was simply an inevitable part of war.
"Orochimaru, tell me, what is the true definition of peace?" Kazuki looked intently at the intelligence reports in his hands and muttered with a thoughtful expression, "If we follow this casualty rate, by the time Konoha has only a few hundred shinobi left, the other hidden villages should have been completely wiped out. Would that be considered peace?"
He looked up and said with a smile that didn't seem entirely natural, "After all, if only we are left, and all the enemies are dead… wouldn't that be the beginning of eternal peace?"
What Kazuki said made even someone as cold-blooded as Orochimaru feel a chill. He imagined the scenario for a moment.
Kazuki was basically suggesting that if everyone died, there would be no war.
Even someone like Orochimaru, accustomed to performing experiments on humans, felt that this idea was too extreme.
"That... that doesn't count as peace, does it?" Orochimaru spoke cautiously, watching Kazuki's serious gaze uneasily.
'Definitely, the combination of an Uchiha and Tobirama could only give rise to such strange ideas...' he thought to himself.
Kazuki had always been a gentle-natured man. How did he go from that attitude to seriously considering blowing up the entire shinobi world in such a short time?
Orochimaru felt an attachment to Konoha. Even in the original timeline, when he set in motion the plan to destroy Konoha, he did so not out of simple hatred, but because he wanted to bring about change, to break the rigid and decadent order that governed it.
But from there to wanting to exterminate Konoha and all the shinobi villages...
Kazuki's gaze made it clear that he was really considering the idea.
Orochimaru couldn't help but worry. After all, that was the perfect body he had set his sights on! He couldn't allow old man Tobirama to lead him astray on a self-destructive path.
Realizing this, Orochimaru only wanted one thing: to end this war as soon as possible and get Tobirama out of Kazuki's mind...
Of course, after that, he himself would take Tobirama's place.
