The General Sets Out

An army had to be provisioned before it marched.

Even with the efficiency that set ninjas apart from ordinary people, they still couldn't avoid relying on food. Under Shikaku Nara's arrangements, scrolls loaded with Military Ration Pills were divided among three routes and sent toward the front lines.

The next most important thing after supplies was medical ninjas.

This new branch of the ninja system, founded by one of the Sannin, Tsunade, had first emerged during the Second Shinobi World War. Now, in the Third Shinobi World War, it had become an indispensable part of every nation's forces.

As the strongest nation in the world, the Land of Fire had more than half of the Five Great Villages' medical ninjas. Moreover, over eighty percent of the most advanced Medical Ninjutsu was found in Konoha. As a result, the moment one of these ninjas appeared on the battlefield, every enemy's attention was drawn to them.

Therefore, to protect their medical ninjas, Konoha had an unwritten rule.

Until all the combat ninjas were dead, medical ninjas must never be allowed to the front lines.

Except for one princess who possessed the Strength of a Hundred Technique.

"You're still nowhere near that girl Tsunade, but you're pretty good by the village's standards."

Feeling the cool sensation in his eyes after the fresh medicine had been applied, Guo Wang opened them and looked at the blonde, green-eyed beauty before him. He sounded a little surprised.

"Lord Danzo, I've left Root. The Third personally approved it."

Yakushi Nonō furrowed her brow, then put on her round-framed glasses, which she wore as an accessory. The change made a woman who had been strikingly beautiful seem plain and gentle.

"This is for the village's ultimate victory. Even though you're no longer Anbu, you still wear Konoha's Forehead Protector. You're a ninja of the village."

Ever since copying the Dojutsu in Shisui's left eye, Guo Wang had been testing this power, said to be the strongest Mangekyo ability. He had discovered the drawbacks of using a Sharingan that wasn't his own: not only did it consume an enormous amount of Chakra, it also caused his body considerable pain.

With war imminent, and Danzo confirmed as the commander who would lead the army, Guo Wang could only leave the problem to Orochimaru for now and have him find a solution.

Then, as the army's supreme commander, he had specifically requested Yakushi Nonō by name.

He had even assigned his own loyal Ino-Shika-Cho to the army. Sarutobi Hiruzen had no reason to hesitate over a mere medical ninja, and added her to the roster.

"That isn't what I meant. Of course I have a duty to serve the village. But the children are still so young, and the Orphanage was only just established. If I leave as its head, they'll be frightened."

"Oh? If the people of Sunagakure knew that the 'Wandering Miko' had such a kind heart, they'd probably laugh themselves silly."

Guo Wang's taunt made Yakushi Nonō clench her fists.

Konoha had won a great victory in the Battle of Kikyo Pass, completely defeating the Land of Wind. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the general himself, had played his part, but two kunoichi had contributed just as much.

Besides the famous Lady Tsunade, who had neutralized Chiyo's poison, a female spy had relayed every detail of Sunagakure's forces, supplies, secret passages, and logistical arrangements at Mount Kikyo to Shikaku Nara. No one knew the spy's name. They knew her only by her codename, "Wandering Miko." It was thanks to the top-secret intelligence she had obtained from Sunagakure that Konoha had been able to devise a strategy to break through its predicament while facing enemies on every side.

The great victory at Mount Kikyo had allowed Yakushi Nonō to leave Root without Danzo's approval.

But once Root, always Root.

To establish the Orphanage and fund its daily expenses, the Miko, who knew everything about Root, had ultimately returned to Danzo's side.

After changing Guo Wang's eyes and learning everything about his body, there was no way this woman could escape his grasp again.

"You know that during wartime, it's almost impossible to allocate funds for the Orphanage. The only reason you can keep indulging your kindness is that I still need you. With your powers of observation, you should understand that if I truly let you go, your death won't be far off."

The blonde beauty knew all too well what Root stood for. Her body trembled as she thought of the children in the Orphanage, scarred by the war, and finally bowed her head in resignation.

"I understand, Lord Danzo."

"Good. Let's move."

A ninja's mobility meant the troops didn't have to gather into one large army before setting out.

Aburame Torune and Root had gone ahead a day earlier as scouts. Their main mission, however, was to retrieve the Jinchuriki.

Next to set out was the reconnaissance squad, led by the Hyuga Clan. With the Inuzuka Clan's keen sense of smell alongside them, they could ensure the main force wouldn't stumble into an enemy ambush.

After that came the Jonin unit led by Shikaku Nara. These were Konoha's elite; even Root and Anbu combined might not match the village's strongest combat force.

Last came the overall commander, General Shimura Danzo.

He had originally intended to travel alone, but because of his eye problems, he brought along Yakushi Nonō, a deadweight who was useless in combat.

At the border of the Land of Fire, just before entering the Land of Hot Water's battlefield, the Jinchuriki was intercepted by Konoha ninjas who had been waiting for her.

"Uzumaki Kushina, this is the Third's order. Please return to the village with us at once."

Hizashi Hyuga led two teammates. Relying on the Byakugan's extraordinary range, he had been the first to find the Nine-Tails' massive Chakra signature. Compared with the others in the village, he treated the Jinchuriki rather well. He first tossed her the scroll bearing the Hokage's seal, then urged her in a relatively tactful tone.

"Byakugan boy, tell the old man I'll go back. I'll return with Minato and the Raikage's Forehead Protector in hand, but not now."

Zzt!

Hizashi Hyuga didn't even need to activate his Byakugan to be angered by the woman's words. A vein bulged on his forehead. Trembling, he clenched his fist and produced a second scroll.

"This is an order from the battlefield's supreme commander, Elder Shimura Danzo. If the Jinchuriki refuses to return, use Fuinjutsu to bring her back."

After he finished speaking, one of his teammates took a glass bottle from his ninja tool pouch and smashed it on the ground.

"Is that perfume?"

Uzumaki Kushina, being a woman, noticed the movement at once. The Jinchuriki's heightened senses let her smell the faint but pungent scent wafting from the bottle.

"Could it be...?"

Ten kilometers away, on a tree, Aburame Torune stopped. Black insects suddenly stirred and crawled out of his dark coat, flying toward a single location.

"Red Flame Incense! We've found her."

Three Root ninjas accompanied Aburame Torune. One of them was short and spoke in a childish voice, like a child who hadn't yet grown up.

"I heard our Uchiha Clan's ancestor, Lord Madara, could control Tailed Beasts with the Mangekyo. I wonder if I can do it too."