Sannin Gather

Front lines of the Land of Rain, Konoha's main camp, medical logistics area.

The moment his consciousness returned to his body, Nishikawa Tetsu's first sensation was a burning pain in his chest, the aftereffect of broken ribs and internal injuries.

He struggled to open his eyes and found himself lying on a simple field cot, surrounded by the strong smell of disinfectant and the suppressed groans of the wounded.

"...Nonsense! Utter nonsense!"

Outside the tent, an angry female voice cut through the rain, reaching Nishikawa Tetsu's ears clearly.

Immediately following was a cold, hoarse male voice laced with a hint of mockery:

"Tsunade is right, Jiraiya. All for three brats, you launched a full-scale offensive without any preparation? Do you realize how much pressure that put on the west and central fronts?"

Nishikawa Tetsu's heart stirred.

Is this... Tsunade and Orochimaru?

He endured the pain, turning his head slightly, and peeked outside through a gap in the tent flap.

Under the dim camp lights, three figures exuding powerful auras stood facing each other in the rain.

Jiraiya was soaked, his red coat covered in mud and gunpowder, looking exceptionally disheveled.

Opposite him stood Orochimaru, arms crossed, his face grim, and Tsunade, hands on her hips, her face contorted in anger.

"They aren't 'brats'."

Jiraiya's voice, though weary, was exceptionally firm. "They are my subordinates, the future hope of Konoha. In that situation, if I hadn't created a diversion to tie down Hanzō, those three would have certainly died."

"Hope?"

Orochimaru sneered, his golden snake-like eyes flashing with a cold, rational light. "To save your so-called hope, you disrupted the entire battle plan. Do you know the consequences?"

Orochimaru pointed towards the distant, blazing front line:

"Because of your sudden move, that old geezer Hanzō has gone completely mad. His armory was blown up, his personal guard annihilated, and now he's like a viper whose tail has been stepped on, counterattacking frantically without regard for cost."

"Just now, our front-line positions were forced to retreat twenty-five kilometers, and casualties are rising sharply."

Tsunade chimed in, her tone stern, "Jiraiya, you are the commander of the eastern front, not a babysitter! You completely disregarded the bigger picture! If the defenses collapse, it won't just be three people who die."

Inside the tent, Nishikawa Tetsu listened to the argument outside, feeling no great guilt, but rather a sense of calm.

This is a game of chess.

Trading the turmoil on the front lines and the casualties of ordinary ninja for the future Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, the wielder of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Fugaku, and incidentally, his own survival.

From a utilitarian perspective, Konoha had profited from this deal. However, they didn't know Minato would become the future Hokage; that was a story for later.

"So what?"

Outside the tent, Jiraiya suddenly roared, interrupting their accusations.

"The bigger picture? If I can't even protect the disciples by my side, how can I talk about protecting the village's bigger picture?"

Jiraiya took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and spoke with extreme seriousness.

"They succeeded. Hanzō's armory is completely destroyed, and his supply lines are cut. Hanzō's current frantic counterattack is merely the last gasp of a dying man. As long as we weather this wave, Amegakure will collapse due to a lack of supplies."

Hearing this, Orochimaru and Tsunade fell silent for a moment.

Indeed, being able to blow up an armory under Hanzō's nose and return alive was a feat of merit that could offset some of his transgressions.

"And..." Jiraiya's voice grew even lower, carrying a gravity only the Sannin could understand. "Fugaku, that brat... something's wrong with his eyes. If he died there, or if his body fell into Hanzō's hands, it would be a true disaster for Konoha."

"Eyes?" Orochimaru licked his lips, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Uchiha? Interesting."

"Alright, enough talk."

Jiraiya seemed unwilling to elaborate further. He turned and looked at the tent where the three of them were, his tone softening, tinged with a plea.

"Tsunade, do me a favor. Those three are severely injured, especially Fugaku and Minato. Ordinary medical ninja can't handle them; only you can save them."

Tsunade frowned, glanced at Jiraiya's pleading expression, and finally sighed.

"I really owe you one."

She flicked her golden hair and strode towards the tent. "Get out of the way. If they die, it'll be your fault!"

The curtain was abruptly pulled open.

Before Nishikawa Tetsu could pretend to be asleep, his eyes met Tsunade's as she entered.

The legendary ninja looked displeased at the moment, but upon seeing the bleeding puncture wound on Nishikawa Tetsu's chest, her professionalism kicked in instantly.

"Don't move if you're awake."

Tsunade walked to the bedside, her hands glowing with emerald chakra, and placed them on Nishikawa Tetsu's chest.

"Three broken ribs, punctured lung, severe blood loss. You little brat, you've got a real knack for survival to not have gone into shock yet."

Warm chakra flowed into his body, and the intense pain quickly subsided.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Nishikawa Tetsu said weakly.

"Save your breath, less talking."

Tsunade continued the treatment while looking at the other two beds beside him.

Minato was still unconscious, his right shoulder wound charred black.

Fugaku, on the other hand, had his eyes bandaged. Even in his unconscious state, his brow was furrowed, clearly enduring immense pain.

"Lightning Style penetrating wound, and this is..."

Tsunade walked to Fugaku's bedside, reaching out to remove the bandages and examine his eyes.

"Don't touch his eyes."

Jiraiya and Orochimaru also entered.

Jiraiya quickly held Tsunade's hand, shaking his head with a grave expression. "Deal with the external wounds and toxins first. We'll discuss his eyes back at the village."

Tsunade was intelligent and understood immediately.

She cast a deep glance at Fugaku and withdrew her hand.

"Understood."

At this moment, Orochimaru, who had been standing silently at the back, suddenly walked to Nishikawa Tetsu's bedside.

Those golden vertical pupils stared down at Nishikawa Tetsu from above, as if appraising a fine piece of art.

"Is this the brat who came up with Dust Explosion and gas warfare?"

Orochimaru's voice was hoarse and magnetic, carrying a chilling coldness. "Jiraiya said you wanted to combine my ninjutsu with science? And you refused his recommendation?"

Nishikawa Tetsu's heart tightened.

Being targeted by this viper was no good thing.

"Cough... Lord Orochimaru, you flatter me," Nishikawa Tetsu forced out, "I just... am very afraid of dying, so I think a lot."

"Being afraid of death is a good thing."

A playful curve formed on Orochimaru's lips. "Only those who fear death will desperately explore the meaning of life. I'm becoming... more and more interested in you."

Jiraiya shoved Orochimaru aside, blocking Nishikawa Tetsu. "Hey! Don't scare my subordinate! Go on, go! The front lines still need you to hold back Hanzō's pressure!"

"Hmph."

Orochimaru snorted coldly and turned to leave. "Jiraiya, this one is on you. That Uchiha brat, I advise you to keep a close eye on him."

Orochimaru left, and after stabilizing the injuries of the three, Tsunade also rushed to the front lines to treat the wounded.

Only Jiraiya and the three lying on the beds remained in the tent.

Jiraiya pulled over a stool and sat in the middle, looking at his weakened disciples and sighing deeply.

"Teacher..." Nishikawa Tetsu looked at Jiraiya's exhausted face.

"Don't speak, rest well."

Jiraiya patted Nishikawa Tetsu's shoulder.

"You don't need to worry about things outside. Hanzō is crazy, but he's at the end of his rope. Your mission is complete, and it was completed perfectly."

Jiraiya looked at the tent ceiling, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"Next, once your injuries have healed a bit, you'll return to the village. This war here no longer requires you to risk your lives."

Nishikawa Tetsu closed his eyes, feeling the life force gradually recovering within him.

He knew that Jiraiya's urgency for them to return to the village wasn't because the war was ending, but because of Fugaku's eyes.

The Mangekyo Sharingan had appeared.

Konoha's higher-ups would surely be restless. After all, the current higher-ups were the foundation left by the Second Hokage. While he couldn't say for sure about other things, their apprehension towards the Uchiha had definitely been passed down.