The General Sets Out

Before the troops move, provisions must come first.

Even though ninjas possess an efficiency beyond that of ordinary mortals, their reliance on food is unavoidable. Under the arrangements of Shikaku Nara, scrolls loaded with Military Ration Pills were divided into three routes, heading toward the front lines of the battlefield.

And second only to provisions, are medical ninjas.

This novel ninja system, founded by one of the Sannin, Lady Tsunade, first showed its potential during the Second Shinobi World War, and in the current Third Shinobi World War, it has become an indispensable branch of service for every nation.

As the strongest nation in the world, the Land of Fire possesses more than half of the medical ninjas among the five great villages. Furthermore, over eighty percent of the most cutting-edge medical ninjutsu is held by Konoha. This leads to the fact that as soon as these ninjas appear on the battlefield, they instantly attract all hostile attention.

Therefore, to protect medical ninjas, Konoha has an unwritten rule.

Before the combat-type ninjas have all perished, medical ninjas must never be allowed to stand on the front lines.

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

"Although you are still far behind that girl Tsunade, you are quite capable within the village."

Feeling the cooling sensation in his eyes after the medicine was changed, Guo Wang opened his eyes and looked at the blonde, blue-eyed beauty before him, saying with a hint of surprise.

"Lord Danzō, I have already left Root; this was personally approved by the Third Hokage."

Yakushi Nonō furrowed her brows and put on the round-rimmed glasses she used as a disguise, instantly turning a dazzling beauty into someone ordinary and gentle.

"This is for the final victory of the village. Even if you are no longer Anbu, you still wear the Konoha forehead protector; you are a ninja of the village."

Ever since he copied the ocular technique of Shisui's left eye, Guo Wang had been experimenting with this power, which is touted as the strongest of the Mangekyo. He discovered that it was not without the drawbacks of a non-original Sharingan; it not only consumed a massive amount of Chakra but also caused significant pain to his own physical body.

With the war imminent, Danzō, who had been confirmed as the leader, was about to set out with the main army, so Guo Wang could only leave this problem to Orochimaru, tasking him with finding a solution.

Then, as the commander-in-chief of the army, he specifically named Yakushi Nonō to accompany him.

Even when he had given up his own direct subordinates, the Ino-Shika-Cho, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not hesitate at all over a mere medical ninja, adding her to the list for the ninja army.

"That is not what I meant. I am duty-bound to serve the village. But the children are still young, and the Orphanage was only just established. If I, the director, leave, they will be afraid."

"Oh, if the people of Sunagakure knew that the 'Wandering Miko' actually possessed such a kind heart, they would probably laugh their teeth out."

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

In the Battle of Mount Kikyo, the reason Konoha was able to achieve a sweeping victory and completely crush the Land of Wind, aside from the personal intervention of the general Sarutobi Hiruzen, was due to the contributions of two female ninjas that were in no way inferior.

Beyond the famous Lady Tsunade breaking Chiyo's poisons, there was another female spy who transmitted all of Sunagakure's troop deployments, provisions, secret passages, and logistical arrangements at Mount Kikyo into the mind of Shikaku Nara. No one knew this spy's name, only her codename: "Wandering Miko." It was precisely because she obtained Sunagakure's top-secret intelligence that Konoha was able to formulate a strategy to break the deadlock while surrounded by enemies on all sides.

The massive victory at Mount Kikyo allowed Yakushi Nonō to break away from "Root" without Danzō's nod.

But, once in Root, always in Root.

For the sake of the Orphanage's establishment and its daily operating expenses, the Miko, who knew all the circumstances of "Root," ultimately returned to Danzō's side.

After helping Guo Wang change his eyes and learning the full state of his body, this woman could no longer escape from his grasp.

"You also know that during wartime, it is almost impossible to allocate funds for an orphanage. The reason your kindness can still be maintained is because I still need you. With your insight, you should know that if I were to truly let you go, your death would not be far off."

The blonde beauty, who understood the tenets of "Root" all too well, felt her body tremble. Thinking of the children in the orphanage who had suffered the trauma of war, she finally lowered her head in resignation.

"I understand, Lord Danzō."

"Very good. Move out."

The mobility of ninjas meant the troops did not need to gather into a massive army before setting out.

Aburame Torune, leading "Root," had already set out a day in advance as scouts. However, their primary mission was still the retrieval of the Jinchuriki.

Next to depart was the reconnaissance squad led by the Hyuga clan, which, in coordination with the keen-scented Inuzuka Clan, could ensure the subsequent main combat force would not fall into enemy ambushes.

Then came the elite force of Jonin led by Shikaku Nara. This was the cream of Konoha's crop, a group of the village's strongest combatants that even Root and Anbu combined might not necessarily surpass.

Finally, there was the commander-in-chief, Shimura Danzō.

He had originally intended to travel alone, but due to the issues with his eyes, he brought along the "dead weight" that was the combat-inept Yakushi Nonō.

At the border of the Land of Fire, just as they were about to enter the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water, the Jinchuriki was encountered by the Konoha ninjas who had been waiting.

"Uzumaki Kushina, this is the decree of the Third Hokage. Please return to the village with us immediately."

Hizashi Hyuga, accompanied by his two teammates, relied on the long-range vision of his Byakugan to be the first to locate the massive Chakra signature of the Nine-Tails. Compared to others in the village, his attitude toward the Jinchuriki was relatively decent. He first tossed the scroll stamped by the Hokage to her, urging her in a relatively tactful tone.

"Byakugan-boy, you tell the old man that I will return, and I'll return with Minato after taking the Raikage's forehead protector, but not now."

Zzz!

Without needing to activate his Byakugan, Hizashi Hyuga was so angered by the woman's words that veins bulged on his forehead. He trembled as he clenched his fists and pulled out a second scroll.

"This is an order from the battlefield commander-in-chief, Elder Shimura Danzō. If the Jinchuriki refuses to return, we are to use sealing methods to bring her back."

After speaking, his teammate took a glass bottle from his ninja tool pouch and smashed it against the ground.

"This is... perfume?"

As a woman, Uzumaki Kushina noticed this action immediately. The keen senses granted to her as a Jinchuriki allowed her to smell the faint yet pungent scent overflowing from the bottle.

"Could it be..."

Ten kilometers away, perched on a tree, Aburame Torune, wearing sunglasses, stopped in his tracks. Dark insects suddenly crawled out restlessly from his dark coat, flying toward a single location.

"Red Flame Incense! Found her."

Following Aburame Torune were three Root ninjas, one of whom was short and spoke in a childish tone, like a child who had not yet grown up.

"I heard that our Uchiha clan's ancestor, Lord Madara, could control the Tailed Beast with his Mangekyo. I wonder if I will be able to do the same."