The Situation

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Office.

Puffs of smoke rose one after another, slowly spreading through the air and filling the entire office, as if a thin mist had gathered within it.

At the source of the smoke, the Third Hokage was frowning deeply as he puffed on his pipe, completely unaware that the whole office had become a world of smoke.

"Cough, cough..."

The Third Hokage took another puff, but could not help coughing. Yet he seemed not to care, his gaze remaining fixed on the scroll in his hands even as he coughed.

This was a battle report from the front lines, detailing Kumogakure's ambush. The losses of three hundred-man units had undoubtedly dealt Konoha's shinobi forces a crushing blow. From that point on, Konoha had thoroughly fallen into the disadvantaged and weaker position. The advantages it had accumulated since the end of the Second Shinobi World War had vanished completely. It could be said that this was Konoha's greatest—and only—defeat since the Third Shinobi World War began.

Really... in this situation, what right did I, as Hokage, have to ask Chiba for counsel again?

At that moment, a self-mocking, worry-filled thought crossed the Third Hokage's mind.

Ever since the Mount Kibitsu Battle had broken out, marking the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War, Chiba's strategies had allowed Konoha to go from being caught off guard by Sunagakure's ambush to holding the other major shinobi villages in check. Throughout that process, Konoha had built up an enormous advantage. Whether in numbers, strength, or morale, Konoha had entered this Ninja World War with the bearing of a victor. Its losses had been so low that even he, someone who had experienced the Second Shinobi World War, found them astonishing.

But he had never expected that Chiba merely going to