28, The Trap

No matter how the war between the two countries ultimately unfolded, rulers never wanted their own territory to become the battlefield.

That was especially true when it came to a special force like the ninja, whose individual members could wreak enormous destruction. Any large-scale battle would inevitably have a devastating impact on the surrounding area.

The damage to infrastructure and commerce went without saying. Even the shrinking population would greatly reduce the number of mission requests and hinder the replenishment of new blood!

These were vital resources that could shake a ninja village's rule. Sarutobi Hiruzen had every reason to devote himself to protecting them!

From that perspective, the potential value of Jingu Forest Field Hospital was probably far greater than that of a mere medical transfer station.

"Is the Hokage planning to use Jingu Forest Field Hospital as a foothold to establish a Konoha Ninja forward base closer to the border?"

"That's right." As the boy's resistance gradually ebbed, Nara Motonari released his grip on the boy's arm. "Building the field hospital is only the beginning. Lord Hiruzen hopes to turn this place into a fortified stronghold like Kikyo Castle. That would greatly shorten the village's supply route to the front, naturally improving the combat effectiveness of the vanguard. Even if war breaks out, the flames of battle won't spread across the Land of Fire."

"I see. So that's why the Hokage went to such lengths to make two separate arrangements..." Soji reached into his robes with his right hand and gripped the Superman Drug, silently weighing the significance of Motonari's words.

In fact, from a purely rational perspective, he didn't believe that building a forward base in the Jingu Forest region would allow Konoha's ninja to push all the way into the Land of Wind.

The boundless Great Desert might have limited the Sand Ninja's prospects for development, but objectively speaking, it also served as a vital barrier against outside invasion.

Given the Third Hokage's temperament, his real intention probably wasn't to push the front line straight into enemy territory. Rather, he wanted to face the enemy in the relatively temperate Land of Rain and defeat them head-on, relying on the deep foundation Konoha Ninja Village had built up from the Second's reign to the present.

That way, the Land of Fire's territory wouldn't be ravaged, and Konoha's fighting forces wouldn't be wasted trying to advance through the impassable Great Desert.

The only ones who would suffer losses were the people of the Land of Rain, trapped helplessly between three great powers...

But even if everyone understood this arrangement, it still wasn't suitable for open discussion.

So the boy skipped over his speculation and went straight to the more objective analysis. "Whether or not the potential enemy really attacks the medical support team, as long as Jingu Forest Field Hospital is successfully completed, we'll have achieved our strategic objective. Conversely, even if we're ambushed, the forward base project must still be carried out. There's no room for compromise."

Under Nara Motonari's approving gaze, Soji took a deep breath and added his final conclusion. "The Frontline Support Battalion's real goal isn't to serve as bait. But to improve the chances of the mission's success, we made arrangements in advance for a bait operation."

"Excellent analysis. Perhaps I should stand up and applaud?" Motonari raised a hand and made two silent claps.

"That's really not necessary. Teacher, you can tell me the details of the operation now."

Now that he'd pieced together the whole picture, most of the unease in Soji's heart had faded.

It wasn't that he lacked conviction or kept changing his mind, nor would he recklessly risk his life for a single bottle of secret medicine.

Rather, as his strategic perspective broadened, the boy realized that the measures the Frontline Support Battalion would take against an attack had shifted from a forced response to a carefully planned operation.

And it wasn't just a change in mindset brought about by the reversal of hunter and prey!

Since the Hokage had laid his net well in advance, the Frontline Support Battalion could count on more immediate aid than just reinforcements summoned from the village with a Reverse Summoning scroll.

Soji was certain that Konoha's forces assigned to spring the trap were either secretly following the battalion nearby or were already concealed among the medical personnel. The moment the unwelcome guests arrived, they would appear and save the day.

In other words, the boy's role in this grand performance would be no more than providing a little support from the sidelines. Breaking through enemy formations and killing foes had nothing to do with him. The danger and difficulty of the mission were still within the range of an ordinary Genin.

In that case, of course he wasn't going to pass up a prize within his grasp.

"How do you need me to help?"

"It's simple. Now that we've dealt with the first group of assassins sent by Takigakure, the balance of the game has been upset. If the enemy really intends to try again, they'll have to act before reinforcements from the village arrive!

"Since we're serving as bait, staying alert and keeping a strict watch from now on would be a safe enough approach. But to turn the tables and minimize our losses, I've decided it'd be better to deliberately leave them an opening."

"What's the plan?" Soji pressed.

"Four words." Motonari spread four fingers, then clenched them into a fist. "Invite the wolf into the house."

"How do we lure them in?"

"They'll surely guess that we're waiting for reinforcements from the rear. So we'll give them a chance to disguise themselves as a support unit sent from the village and infiltrate the camp~"

"That makes sense... But how will you control the details?"

"That's my job." Motonari waved a hand, using the gesture to cut off Soji before he could make any further suggestions. "All you have to do is act as their guide at the right moment... and use the kekkei genkai technique you're best at to give the operation an extra layer of security."

"Am I going alone? If things go south, won't I be surrounded?" Soji frowned.

He wasn't brave enough to take risks lightly. He wouldn't agree until Teacher Motonari explained the precautions in place.

After spending some time together, Motonari had gotten a sense of his student's temperament. So instead of getting annoyed at Soji's question, he chuckled teasingly.

"Heh, don't worry. Starting tonight, an old acquaintance of yours will be responsible for keeping you safe. You've been working together for half a year now, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"..."

Soji was a clever boy.

He said nothing more. Clearly, he'd already seen through the hidden meaning.

It had to be admitted: those in high positions really did have a keen eye.

To avoid having too much firepower on hand, the Third Hokage had even taken into account the little schemes between the boy and Inoue Reina when assigning the mission!

That mysterious ninja, who had long served as a messenger carrying information for the boy, was certainly capable. With him secretly providing support, the chances of this special operation succeeding would increase considerably.

"Then I have one last question."

"About how to use the Superman Drug?" Teacher Motonari asked, narrowing his eyes. Once again, he'd anticipated the question.

"Please enlighten me, Teacher."

"Of course. The bottle I gave you holds about 20 ml. When you use it, take a little with the dropper and put it on the tip of your tongue. Wait fifteen minutes. If you don't experience any adverse reaction, you can drink the rest of the medicine in one go. It should reach peak effectiveness after about ten seconds."

"Thank you..."

Soji bowed, then took his leave.

But the moment he lifted the tent flap, he ran into Inoue Reina, who'd earlier been assigned to deliver the intelligence.

The efficient, short-haired kunoichi took half a step back and nodded to the boy. Then they went their separate ways to attend to their duties.

At the same time, an invisible net had already spread over the camp.

All that remained was to wait for the lost moths to fly to their doom...