1 vs. 100,000

The news that Iwagakure's air force had launched indiscriminate bombing against Kumogakure's base, destroying the entire city and several million civilians along with it, quickly spread throughout the Shinobi World and caused an enormous uproar!

The entire Shinobi World fiercely condemned Iwagakure's brutal actions in public opinion. Even the civilians and Daimyo government of the Land of Earth lodged strong protests against Iwagakure.

Faced with overwhelmingly condemnatory public opinion, Iwagakure's upper ranks were equally enraged and developed intense dissatisfaction with Deidara, who had commanded the operation.

Although the bombing order had been collectively decided by the higher-ups, they had never intended to destroy the entire base. Worse still, after paying such a huge price, they had actually let the bulk of the Rock Ninja forces escape!

Now even the Third Tsuchikage was dissatisfied with Deidara. If the war had not been at such a critical juncture, Iwagakure might already have held him accountable. However, they had decided that Deidara would bear all responsibility after the war. While he would not be executed, he would certainly be unable to keep his position as commander of the air force.

While Iwagakure was encircling and suppressing Kumogakure, Nawaki was conquering cities and territories in the west of the Land of Earth. With an absolute advantage in troop numbers, his forces swept forward unstoppably and occupied a large number of towns. At the same time, Konoha deliberately publicized Iwagakure's massacre of civilians in the occupied areas. Combined with Konoha's various conciliatory policies, this greatly weakened the local civilians' will to resist.

Although Roshi, who was responsible for the defense, hated Nawaki bitterly, his beliefs differed from Ōnoki's. He would never sacrifice his own country's civilians for victory. Thus, he was severely constrained in guerrilla warfare and could not bring out the Jinchuriki's strategic power