Tactical Explanation!

This entirely new tactic, with its absurdly low casualty rate, left the gathered ninjas hard-pressed to offer any lessons or experience. They could only feel that it was already incredible enough.

The feedback they'd collected boiled down to two points, aside from a lack of coordination and some problems with broader-scale deployment:

First, they lacked direct countermeasures against the Rock Ninjas' Earth Mound Ball and Splitting Earth Palm. It was recommended that they add Earth Release and Water Release support.

Second, it would be best to have Wind Release ninjas. That way, wind could fan the flames, making Fire Release more powerful and spreading the attack over a wider area.

Yakushi Nonō stood up and looked at Uchiha Kin. "I think this battle also demonstrated the role medical ninjas play in war... Ordinary medical ninjas may not have your abilities, but they can still get lightly wounded soldiers back into the fight."

Minato said, "I think this tactic is well worth promoting." He couldn't offer any suggestions either, because he'd spent the whole battle using the Flying Thunder God.

One flash, then another, then one more, and the Rock Ninjas fell one after another. Those brief intervals hadn't given him much time to observe the battlefield.

"All right, everyone's had their say. Now I'll say a few things." Uchiha Kin pulled out his notes and began.

A completely new concept had forced its way into their minds. So hand signs weren't supposed to be cast as quickly as possible? They could be coordinated, and even held in place, with the next move anticipated...

"One hand sign can be held for 1.3 seconds. After a jutsu is completed, it can be held for 0.8 seconds before release.

"Group combat is fundamentally different from fighting alone or as a squad. In a large-scale battle, there's no need for the deception and concealment ninjas use against one another. So you don't need to hide your hand signs or the jutsu you're using.

"Fast and slow take on a different meaning here. Say we're a hundred meters from the enemy and begin forming hand signs. How much time should pass between the first and second signs? You have to judge based on yourself and the teammates around you.

"Once you make contact, you need to create a timing gap during that final 0.8 seconds before release. That's the only way to make your opponent misjudge the situation.

"For example, you finish your hand signs and briefly hold your jutsu, but your opponent uses Earth Flow Wall. That means you've baited them into using a jutsu, and they can't use a second one. Your teammate beside you can take that opportunity to use Phoenix Sage Fire and kill the enemy.

"What about you? You keep holding your jutsu and charge forward. There are only two possible outcomes: either there are no enemies left, or you spot a new target while holding it and release your jutsu against them.

"I don't think this way of thinking should be hard for everyone to understand, right?"

But from the looks on their faces, it clearly wasn't as easy to understand as he'd hoped. So Uchiha Kin resorted to a more straightforward method: using stones as game pieces for one side and shuriken for the other, then acting out the battle.

He even assigned roles like A, B, C, and D, creating a battlefield with around fifteen people.

Starting with both sides "charging," Uchiha Kin walked them through when to begin forming hand signs, what each person saw, how they should judge the situation, and how to release their jutsu.

"So that's how it works!" "Lord Kin actually came up with such a marvelous tactic. It's unbelievable." "Heavens, facing a tactic like this would be a nightmare!"

The ninjas couldn't help exclaiming in amazement.

With Uchiha Kin breaking it all down and analyzing each role from that person's perspective, guiding them through the process step by step, they finally understood the tactic. The pieces representing both sides seemed to come alive, clashing in their minds.

It was a tactic like a work of art, one that brought every individual's intelligence, jutsu, and stamina to their fullest potential. It was intoxicating.

Minato Namikaze looked from the game pieces on the ground to Uchiha Kin and back again. Kin was even more impressive than he'd expected, and Minato was all the happier for it. It's fortunate we got this chance. Otherwise, we might never have discovered such a talent.

His strategy and tactics are both far ahead of this era! He glanced at Uchiha Kin again.

He understood why Uchiha Kin had insisted on taking the lead. Kin didn't want these people to die needlessly under outdated tactics.

Before seeing Uchiha Kin's tactics, Minato Namikaze, like every other ninja, hadn't thought there was anything wrong with the way they fought.

But after seeing this battle, he immediately realized how foolish those tactics were...

Compared with squad combat, large-scale combat was practically worthless.

It threw away every advantage of being a ninja.

It was no better than fighting like samurai.

If someone other than Kin had been in command, then... Kin would have had no choice but to follow orders, foolishly throwing shuriken and fighting at close range. Kin himself would probably have been fine, but these people... I'm afraid fewer than one in ten would survive. Minato didn't dare imagine how many Leaf ninjas would have died in that kind of battle.

Would even one in ten of these wounded soldiers have survived? They might have been wiped out here instead.

And how many families would have been shattered as a result? How many fathers would have lost sons, how many wives their husbands...

He thought of all the families where fathers and sons fought side by side. Among clans like Ino-Shika-Cho and the Uchiha, grandfathers, sons, and grandsons might all take the field, along with wives and husbands. Perhaps after this battle, none of them would be left to mourn. A shadow crossed Minato Namikaze's bright blue eyes.

War...

Why did there have to be war? Damn this war!

He thought, Wouldn't it be better if everyone could just live together in harmony? The question was far too complicated for him.

His experience and knowledge weren't enough to help him understand it. He only had a vague sense that the hatred in the shinobi world ran too deep. He couldn't imagine anything broader or more profound than that.

And that was the greatest tragedy of the shinobi world:

Those with foresight lacked the power to match it, while those with power lacked the foresight to understand. The cries of the powerless sounded like the yapping of dogs to those who held power. Power couldn't define what was "right," but it could carry out what was "wrong."

When Uchiha Kin finished speaking and looked up, he found Minato watching him, Kin's figure reflected in Minato's bright blue eyes—

Kin was crouching on the ground, looking up at him with an unreadable expression.

Uchiha Kin clapped his hands and stood up.

"Meeting adjourned. We're short on time. To prepare for the negotiations ahead, everyone needs to familiarize themselves with this system as soon as possible and learn to work together smoothly." As for Qingshi Town, he didn't mention it at all. They didn't need to know about that just yet.

Success depended on secrecy; speaking of it would invite failure.

Minato, Nonō, Dai, and Qingshan Yi had to know, because their cooperation was necessary. The others didn't need to.