The Daimyo of the Land of Earth fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded as well.
"One month."
The Daimyo of the Land of Wind closed his eyes, tapped a fingertip against the table, and finally murmured his agreement.
"All right. One month."
As those words fell, something finally settled over the tent, barely holding the chaos in check.
Helian looked at the map on the table, his voice quiet.
"Now that it's settled, stop arguing."
"List who needs to replenish their stores, who needs to move troops, and who needs to distribute grain before tonight. Start moving first thing tomorrow."
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning looked at him with a complicated expression.
"Helian, if it hadn't been for you this time-"
Helian raised a hand to cut him off, seemingly uninterested in such pleasantries.
"I just don't want everyone scattering from hunger before we even enter the Land of Fire."
The Land of Wind's frontline commander asked quietly, "Then what about Konoha-"
Helian raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as frost that lingered through the night.
"They'll come again."
Everyone in the tent turned to look at him.
Helian's voice remained steady.
"Last night's strike wasn't meant to win. It was meant to stall us. If they can buy time, they'll keep buying it."
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning's brow furrowed. "Then we-"
"Wait," Helian said. "Wait for their next move. Or rather, wait for the moment they think we've been forced to settle down."
The elderly minister from the Land of Earth swallowed. "You mean to lay an ambush?"
Helian didn't answer directly. He merely rolled up the supply map at the edge of the table.
"Spread out the depots, and build decoys too. Mix real depots with fake ones, light convoys