Making the Most of Everything

Bang!

Raikage A smashed a wooden table to pieces with one slap. "Damn it, why haven't those pests been caught yet? Iwagakure's army has already entered our borders!"

The Raikage's Female Secretary flipped through the folder again and placed an intelligence report before Raikage A.

"Lord Raikage, according to our findings in the Black Market, Iwagakure has hired a group of ninja to fight for them. They are the Akatsuki who appeared on the small-scale battlefield last time. Based on reports from the border outposts, we have reason to suspect that this Akatsuki is extremely powerful."

"What? Them again?! Damn it! Where are all these powerful ninja coming from?!"

"According to intelligence sent back by our Black Market informants, Akatsuki includes Biwa Juzo, a Rogue Ninja from Kirigakure; Kakuzu, a Rogue Ninja from Takigakure; Zetsu, a Rogue Ninja from Kusagakure; Orochimaru, a Rogue Ninja from Konoha; and a Hunchback Ninja. We know very little beyond that."

"Why are they all Rogue Ninja? Have Rogue Ninja become this powerful now?" Raikage A was deeply frustrated. There were always changes outside his plans.

Uchiha Shisui alone had already been enough of a headache. Now a group of Rogue Ninja had emerged to stir up trouble in his rear, while Iwagakure watched like a tiger eyeing its prey, ready to strike him hard at any moment.

"Lord Raikage, should we call a temporary truce with Konoha and deal with those hired ninja in the rear first?"

"No! At a time like this, we must remain calm. Have Dodai take men to assist Yugito. We must stabilize the rear!"

"Yes!"

The Kumogakure Ninja quickly withdrew to make arrangements. At that moment, an Anbu ninja from Kumogakure entered. "Lord Raikage, the front line has detected that Konoha's reinforcements have officially arrived."

Raikage A hesitated. Should he retreat a little farther at a time like this and stretch Konoha's supply line once more?

But retreating again and again would be too humiliating.

"Keep scouting! If Konoha's main force is discovered, report it immediately."

After saying that, Raikage A called over the Female Secretary.

"Notify everyone at the Command Center to prepare to retreat at any time. We will stretch Konoha's supply line."

Face was still less important than the village's ninja.

At Konoha's command post.

Nara Shikaku and the jonin held another combat meeting and settled on a plan for the entire army to advance.

Not long ago, they had received intelligence from a toad and had learned the location of Raikage A's Command Center.

Lady Kushina had no intention of voicing an opinion on the Command Center's order for the entire army to attack.

Anju, in the Sealing Space, had no particularly good suggestions either.

There was even less need to mention Minato.

His suggestion was for him to personally attack the Kumogakure Ninja.

Anju disagreed with that proposal, and Lady Kushina disagreed as well. This left Minato sitting on the sofa in frustration, reading a book. His opinion was no longer within Lady Kushina and Anju's consideration.

When the Uchiha Clan heard that Shisui would lead them as the vanguard, they were immediately beside themselves with excitement, shouting that they would cut down Raikage A with Susanoo as well.

Only Shisui was conflicted. His ocular power had yet to recover. If he activated Susanoo again now, his eyesight would deteriorate severely.

He might truly go blind ahead of time.

Yet he had no thought of backing down at this moment. His clan needed him, and the village needed him!

"Shikaku, can I serve as a support ninja behind the Uchiha Clan?"

Anju suddenly spoke at that moment, and Lady Kushina, who had originally intended to remain silent, immediately repeated it.

Kushina: Didn't you just say you didn't want to get involved? Why are you going as support now?

Anju: Because Uchiha Shisui can't defeat Raikage A.

Kushina: Why?

Anju: Because Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan consumes ocular power. As long as Raikage A drags things out until Shisui exhausts his ocular power, Shisui will lose.

Kushina: Then what should I do?

Anju: Just fire Tailed Beast Balls from far away. As long as Raikage A fears you, you can force him to retreat.

As soon as Lady Kushina finished speaking, the combat meeting suddenly grew noisy.

"You, as a Tailed Beast Weapon—"

Before the jonin could finish, Lady Kushina's Tailed Beast Cloak emerged.

"A perfect Jinchuriki!" Nara Shikaku had arrived at the front line early, so he did not know that Lady Kushina had become a perfect Jinchuriki. The moment he saw her Tailed Beast Cloak, he immediately understood.

"Good! Lady Kushina, you only need to approach Kumogakure's Command Center and launch Tailed Beast Balls at it. As for the Raikage, the Uchiha Clan will handle him."

Nara Shikaku was somewhat helpless as well. Lady Kushina's status in Konoha was rather unusual.

Everyone knew she showed no respect toward the Third Hokage.

The Fourth Hokage's widow.

The Nine-Tails' perfect Jinchuriki.

She also had close ties with the Uchiha Clan.

Thus, most ninja clans neither offended nor befriended her.

Now that Lady Kushina had voluntarily expressed her intention to participate in the battle against Kumogakure, he, as the frontline commander, could not refuse. But neither could he truly send Lady Kushina to assist the Uchiha Clan.

Otherwise, they would fail to achieve the Hokage's stated goal of weakening the Uchiha Clan.

Therefore, Shikaku decided to have Kushina attack Kumogakure's main force, giving most of the credit to Kushina rather than allowing it all to go to the Uchiha.

Anju transmitted his voice within Kushina's Sealing Space: "Kushina, listen carefully. Once you reach the battlefield, you must attack immediately. You cannot wait for Shisui to make the first move."

"Why?"

"Every bit of Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan power he uses is gone for good. If you don't want to lose an ally with Kage-level combat strength, don't let Shisui act again."

"Also, Kushina, meet Shisui alone later. Don't let any other Uchiha be present."

"Understood."

The meeting ended.

At the Uchiha Residence, Kushina and Shisui soon sat down together in a private tent.

"Shisui, your Susanoo cannot deal with Raikage A. Don't overuse your Mangekyō Sharingan, or excessive depletion of its power will cause you to go blind."

"!!!"

Uchiha Shisui opened his previously closed eyes in surprise and looked at Kushina strangely.

He found it strange that Kushina knew about the secret of the Uchiha Clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Don't be surprised. Have you forgotten that I'm a perfect Jinchuriki?"

"Lady Kushina, what would you have me do?"

"Your Uchiha Clan must not charge ahead too quickly. Once we spot Kumogakure Ninja, I'll clear the field in advance with a Tailed Beast Ball. When Raikage A appears, then you make your appearance. Remember, do not use your Mangekyō Sharingan first."

"Why?"

"Because even without using it, you can still pose a threat to Raikage A. Once Raikage A realizes he has no way to deal with you, he will definitely retreat with his men."

"But we Uchiha need a victory."

"That's fine. We'll stick to Raikage A's main force the whole way. If they retreat, we pursue. The credit will come."

"But if we pursue too deeply, our logistics won't be able to keep up."

"Don't worry. I'll send people to guard the supply transport."

"Very well, Lady Kushina!"

After leaving the Uchiha Residence, Kushina asked Anju: Where am I supposed to find people to guard the logistics?

"Kushina, have you forgotten? You still have a husband you haven't put to use."

Minato was stunned when he heard that.

"Let me out? Great! I'll let those Kumogakure Ninja have a taste of Flame Sun Courage's power!"

"No. Your mission is to guard the supply line, not attack Kumogakure's Main Camp." Anju directly cut Minato off.