Orochimaru's gaze burned as he looked at Uchiha Kō. He wanted that technique too. Unfortunately, he didn't have the Kekkei Genkai Magnet Release; otherwise, it would be a divine technique for him.
Seeing Orochimaru's fiery gaze fixed on Uchiha Kō, Tsunade couldn't help snorting. She stepped in front of Kō. "What, Orochimaru? Are you trying to steal my man?"
Orochimaru's eyes widened at the scene, and he couldn't help giving a wry smile. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Jiraiya, who was scratching his head, completely oblivious.
Orochimaru was speechless. Jiraiya really was an idiot. Never mind, he'd think about him later. Turning to Tsunade, Orochimaru said, "No. I'm just interested in Kō's sensory ninjutsu. Besides, Lady Mito chose him as your trusted aide. Why would I try to take him from you?"
"Hmph. You'd better be!" Uchiha Kō was a real catch in Tsunade's eyes: he had two Kekkei Genkai, knew how to fight, didn't chase glory, and always thought of her. He was practically the perfect aide sent by the heavens!
Uchiha Kō scratched his head. Now he didn't know whether he should speak or keep quiet.
Then Tsunade took Kō by the arm, led him to the seat of honor in the office, and pushed him into it.
Orochimaru:!!!
Jiraiya:!!!
Nawaki:!!!
Uchiha Kō:!!!!
Was he even allowed to sit there? That was the commander-in-chief's seat. If they won this battle, most of the credit would go to the commander!
Uchiha Kō hurried to get up, but Tsunade's monstrous strength kicked in. His face flushed red from straining, but he couldn't move an inch.
"Lady Tsunade, didn't we agree earlier? I'm only here to assist you this time. I don't want the credit!" Uchiha Kō said hurriedly.
"That was then; this is now! Jiraiya just suggested that the three of us face Salamander Hanzō in battle, and I think it's a good idea too. But that would leave us with the problem of who commands the army!" Tsunade said with a smile.
Orochimaru understood the key point too and smiled. "That's right, Kō. We need a capable commander to lead the army and defeat the other ninjas of the Land of Rain!"
"Exactly, Kō. Tsunade says you're a brilliant strategist, so you're the obvious choice to lead the troops!" Jiraiya laughed.
Uchiha Kō froze, then frowned. "Who did Tsunade say suggested fighting Salamander Hanzō?" He'd even forgotten to struggle as he looked at Jiraiya, his eyes full of suspicion.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up. Could this kid have—
Jiraiya, meanwhile, was stunned. Wasn't this a good plan? The three of them were taking on a huge burden!
Tsunade blinked her beautiful eyes and looked from Jiraiya to Uchiha Kō.
Uchiha Kō patted Tsunade's arm. She withdrew the hand holding him down, and he rested his chin on both hands. "Why fight him in a duel?"
Jiraiya scratched his head. "The intelligence reports say that, apart from Salamander Hanzō, the Land of Rain's forces are mostly a rabble, so..."
"So the three of you planned to hold off their main force while sending the army to wipe out their ninja and deal them a crippling blow?" Uchiha Kō asked coldly.
Orochimaru fell silent, thinking. He'd sensed something was off earlier, but hadn't worked out what. Judging from Kō's expression, though, it seemed he had a better plan.
Tsunade listened closely to Uchiha Kō, watching his back in silence.
"Lord Jiraiya, what does Salamander Hanzō want? He wants to expand his territory and show other countries his strength and authority. If you fight him and lose, you'll be disgraced. If you win, he'll have fought three of you at once. Either way, you'll only boost his reputation. So why fight him?" Uchiha Kō said gravely.
"Then if we don't fight, how do we settle this?" Jiraiya frowned a little. He thought his plan was already the best option.
Uchiha Kō stared straight at Jiraiya. "Lord Jiraiya, if we follow your plan and win, don't forget that we aren't the only force in the Land of Rain."
"Iwagakure and Sunagakure are both watching us. If we attack and win, then those two swoop in to reap the rewards, crippling or wiping out what's left of our forces, would we really have won?" Uchiha Kō tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.
Jiraiya fell silent at once. Orochimaru's eyes lit up. Right—their forces weren't the only ones in the Land of Rain. They could end up letting someone else take advantage of them. No, judging by the intelligence on that man Ōnoki, he would definitely make a move!
Orochimaru's gaze filled with admiration as he looked at Uchiha Kō.
Tsunade spoke up at just the right moment. "Kō, then how should we fight this battle?"
Uchiha Kō looked at the map. The Land of Rain bordered the Land of Earth to the west and the Land of Wind to the south, while the Land of Fire lay to the east. In that case...
"Tomorrow, we march on the Land of Rain's capital, Uji City. Lady Tsunade, take the Senju forces and surround the East Gate. Lord Jiraiya, lead a force to surround the South Gate. Lord Orochimaru, take a force to surround the North Gate."
"Every day, we'll fortify our positions and clear the surrounding area, cutting off all their supply routes. If they send out troops, we'll retreat. Once they withdraw, we'll surround the city again." Uchiha Kō's eyes lit up.
"What about the West Gate?" Jiraiya asked.
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya strangely, as if he were seeing him for the first time.
"What does the West Gate have to do with us? That side borders the Land of Earth. We only need to surround these three gates! Once the Land of Rain is desperate, they'll break out through the West Gate, and Ōnoki will be the one left battered." Orochimaru smiled.
Tsunade nodded too. "And this way, we can keep our army as intact as possible while still achieving what we want."
Uchiha Kō nodded. "War isn't just about the strength of ninja and armies. It also depends on resources, national strength, weapons, and other supplies."
"If we cut off their food for two months, they'll either surrender or break out through the West Gate. Then they'll be like trapped beasts fighting for their lives. It won't be easy for the Land of Earth to deal with a starving enemy either." After saying all this, Uchiha Kō leaned back and closed his eyes, lost in thought.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade all looked at Uchiha Kō. It made him feel a little uneasy. He opened his eyes and looked at the three of them. "Why are you all staring at me? Is this plan any good or not? Someone say something!"
Orochimaru smiled. "It's good, of course. I'm just curious: with military strategy this impressive, who did you study under?"
Tsunade nodded too. "That's right. Kō's military strategy really is excellent. He's turned a war of numbers into a resource war that favors us!"
Jiraiya was convinced. "Kō, I'm impressed!"
Uchiha Kō froze. Oh no, he'd overdone it. This strategy seemed to be a first in the world of Naruto! Oh man! So much for keeping a low profile!
Before you continue