Orochimaru did not care about the regulations at all and directly had Minato Squad join in formulating the tactics.
After seeing Hatake Sakumo off, he summoned several Jonin from the front lines, including an Anbu captain...
Sarutobi Shin'nosuke, the Third Hokage's eldest son.
Orochimaru was the commander-in-chief of the front line, making him something like a military governor. Some major decisions could not avoid going through him.
He had not worn a mask during the meeting. He was a young man who bore some resemblance to the Third Hokage in his youth.
After explaining the general situation, Orochimaru began outlining his plan.
"Sunagakure has sent large numbers of ninja to harass the borders of the Land of Fire. Driving them away one by one is too passive."
"I plan to concentrate our forces and launch a counterattack directly against the Land of Wind, forcing them to send reinforcements back!"
After a moment of silence, the Nara Jonin said solemnly, "That would indeed force Sunagakure to withdraw from the borders of the Land of Fire, but Lord Orochimaru..."
"That would leave our border defenses weak. Iwagakure won't let such an opportunity pass."
Among the five great nations of the Ninja World, leaving aside the smaller countries, the Land of Fire lay at the center of them all.
In every Ninja World War, it was tacitly assumed that the Land of Fire would fight the other four.
If only the Land of Wind invaded, the Land of Fire had nothing to fear. With Konohagakure's strength, it could crush them eighteen times over.
The western front where Orochimaru and the others were stationed faced not only Sunagakure, but also the neighboring Land of Earth.
The old man Ōnoki would definitely have Iwagakure's ninjas take advantage of the opportunity to plunder the Land of Fire once he discovered that Konohagakure's ninjas had invaded the Land of Wind in force.
Orochimaru looked at Minato. "I remember Minato-kun encountered Iwagakure's Jinchuriki before. How strong are they?"
Unless there was a large-scale battle, the Kage of each village generally would not appear on the front lines. After all, protecting the village was the most important thing.
Therefore, the highest level of conventional combat power was the Jinchuriki.
Minato thought for a while before replying, "Very strong. Most importantly... they possess the ability to attack over a large area. Numbers don't mean much against them."
The strongest aspect of a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki was the ability to release a Tailed Beast Ball, the equivalent of a cannon in the age of cold weapons.
Although top-tier powerhouses could play with Tailed Beasts like pets, ordinary ninja—even a perfect ninja and solo-kill champion like Hatake Sakumo—could not deal with a Tailed Beast.
As far as anyone knew, only Sealing Jutsu could effectively restrain a Tailed Beast.
The Mangekyō Sharingan could do so as well, of course, but few people knew that.
Orochimaru nodded. "According to the intelligence I've gathered, Ōnoki has stationed large numbers of troops at the Earth-Lightning Border, while committing few forces to the western front."
"He certainly doesn't think the Land of Lightning is stronger than the Land of Fire. There's only one possibility for why he's doing this... the Jinchuriki have been at the Earth-Fire Borderline all along!"
The moment he said this, the expressions of several people at the meeting changed, and some looked frightened.
The fear of Tailed Beasts had already penetrated deep into the hearts of most ninja.
"Minato-kun, can you deal with a Jinchuriki now?"
Minato did not rush to guarantee anything. After thinking carefully, he said, "Holding one back shouldn't be a problem. It's just that they usually act together, don't they?"
The Land of Earth's Tailed Beasts were the Four-Tails and Five-Tails. When Minato and Jiraiya encountered them last time, they had been together.
That was the normal situation. Who would send their high-end combat power into battle without a team and insist on going solo?
Orochimaru looked at Kagami Uchiha. "I believe Jing-kun should also be able to hold one back."
"I'll leave some ninja behind to deal with Iwagakure's ordinary ninja. The two Jinchuriki will be left to the two of you."
Before Kagami Uchiha could respond, a furious shout rang out.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Sarutobi Shin'nosuke slammed his hand on the table and glared angrily at Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, you're sending a child to face a Jinchuriki. What on earth are you thinking?"
Normally, Sarutobi Shin'nosuke did not participate in tactical discussions. He merely sat quietly as an observer.
But Orochimaru's suggestion this time was too outrageous, and it made him drop even the honorifics.
He had been deeply influenced by his father's Will of Fire. He had already been very displeased with children like Kagami Uchiha and Kakashi joining the battlefield.
In his eyes, Uchiha children were still children, no matter what.
He had already submitted several reports requesting that the two be recalled, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had not replied to him.
"Shinnosuke, Jing isn't an ordinary child..." Orochimaru said calmly.
"He killed a Scorch Release ninja in his very first battle. Even you would have a hard time accomplishing something like that, wouldn't you?"
Sarutobi Shin'nosuke remained unmoved and said firmly, "Regardless, I will not agree to a deployment like this. I will ask the Hokage to recall Jing and Kakashi."
He turned toward the two of them, the concern in his eyes sincere. "We're not all dead yet. The war doesn't need children like you to take risks!"
"Asuma often mentions you. I know you're geniuses far beyond ordinary children, but you can't understand the cruelty of war... Go back, all right?"
Even Minato wavered at those words, unsure whether he should let the two Junior Disciples return to the village.
If not for the Uchiha Clan, Kagami Uchiha would not have wanted to participate in the war either.
He knew all too well how cruel war was and how precious peace could be.
Better to be a dog in peaceful times than a human in chaotic times...
But he understood even more clearly that peace could not be achieved through compromise. Only through struggle could true peace be obtained!
You're a good person, but I don't need your kindness.
Kagami Uchiha spoke calmly.
"I'm very grateful for the concern, Sarutobi Shin'nosuke. I'm already a ninja, and I will obey Lord Orochimaru's orders."
His gaze shifted to Orochimaru.
"The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. The village is facing difficulties now, so I hope to arrange for some Uchiha ninja to join the battlefield. There shouldn't be a problem with that, right?"
War was a catalyst for the Sharingan's evolution, and Konohagakure's Higher-ups understood this very well.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, they only wanted to keep the Uchiha confined to the village and prevent this demon blade from being stained with blood.
Their judgment was correct—or rather, Second Hokage's judgment was correct.
After the Uchiha were forced to participate in the latter half of the Third Shinobi War, it catalyzed Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan. Shisui and Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan were also influenced by this war.
Not to mention Kamui, which could be called the strongest Mangekyō.
Orochimaru did not know the conditions for awakening the Sharingan, but he keenly sensed that Kagami Uchiha was absolutely not as selfless and righteous as he appeared. He definitely had some secret.
What did that matter?
Orochimaru did not care in the slightest about Konohagakure's Higher-ups' plans. He only wanted to see what Kagami Uchiha was capable of.
"I'll report to the Hokage and dispatch Uchiha ninja to provide support."
He gave Kagami Uchiha a meaningful look.
"Jing-kun can give me a list later. No one knows better than you which Uchiha are more suited to participating in the war."
The two reached a tacit agreement. Orochimaru would help him recruit people, and he would help Orochimaru hold the rear.
Even if they failed to hold it, it did not matter. Konohagakure was currently at the height of its power, with more Jonin than ever before.
Even the most pessimistic person would never have imagined that this war would last ten years and drag the prosperous Konohagakure into the mire.
It would be more accurate to say that Namikaze Minato's death and the departure of the Sannin nearly caused Konohagakure to collapse, leading to the later incident in which Hizashi sacrificed himself.
Orochimaru dared to play this way because he had enough capital.
Before you continue