Alone Against a Thousand

Konoha Hokage Tower Office.

The air carried the heat characteristic of Natsuhi, and coupled with the various trivial matters that kept popping up after the Nine-Tails Incident, it was inevitable that a sense of restlessness would rise in people's hearts.

Minato Namikaze sat behind his large desk, the sharp edge of a young Hokage in his brows now set on eliminating all obstacles.

He held a thin intelligence scroll between his slender fingers, the edges of the pages almost crumbling from the unconscious pressure he applied.

"Cloud Village —their movements are truly swift."

Minato's voice was low and unreadable, but those who knew him well could sense the suppressed anger within.

He gently placed the scroll on the table and tapped the clearly marked route map on it with his fingertip.

"A thousand elite troops, led by Darui, have set off at full speed, heading for the border of the Land of Frost. This Fourth Raikage A is too lazy to even bother with formalities."

Minato was not alone in the office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on the sofa to the side, his pipe twirling unconsciously in his hand, the wisps of smoke unable to dispel the solemnity between his brows.

The two Advisor elders Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, sat on either side, their faces bearing identical expressions of worry and caution.

"The Cloud Village have always been like this." Utatane Koharu sighed, her voice filled with helplessness. "The Nine-Tails' rampage has barely ended, and he can't wait to test our limits and take a bite."

Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses, his eyes gleaming behind the lenses. "They've stationed themselves in the Land of Frost. Although they haven't crossed the border, their tense stance is obvious. If we don't react, it will only convince the outside world that Konoha is weak and vulnerable, attracting even more covetous eyes."

"Therefore, we must respond." Minato said decisively, his azure eyes sweeping over the three Senior. "Moreover, we must respond with the strongest possible stance! Let them understand that Konoha's fangs are still there, and the Nine-Tails' scars are not for anyone to lick!"

"Tough—" Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his voice slow and heavy, "Minato, I understand your anger. But Konoha is now in dire need of rebuilding."

The reconstruction of the central area requires massive resources, the loss of ninjas will take time to heal, and the public's panic needs to be quelled—reopening the war, even a small-scale border conflict, could disrupt our own recovery process and drag the village into an even deeper quagmire.

He paused, then looked at the two Advisor. "Our intention is still primarily deterrence. The best course of action is to exert pressure through diplomatic channels to force Cloud Village its troops."

"Reasonable?" Minato's lips curled into a cold, sharp smile, devoid of any genuine mirth.

"Trying to reason with a bunch of barbarians who only believe in muscles and brute force? Third Kazekage Hokage, do you think the Fourth Raikage A, would listen? He'll only see it as a sign of our cowardice, and his next step will be to march into the Land of Hot Water!"

A brief silence fell over the office.

The Third Kazekage and the two Advisor exchanged glances; they knew, of course, that Minato was right. A's ambition and ruthlessness were ingrained in his very being.

However, their deep-rooted conservative mindset and instinctive fear of the depletion of war prevented them from being as resolute as Minato.

In the end, the three chose to remain silent.

They could not agree with the drastic measures that Minato might take, but they could not offer a more effective solution, so they could only express their concerns in this way.

Minato looked at the three silent elders and understood.

He was not disappointed, but he realized more clearly that there were some old barriers on the road to rebuilding Konoha that he needed to Teuchi.

He was already quite satisfied that the three Advisor had performed as they had and hadn't caused any trouble.

Without further hesitation, he raised his voice. "Someone come here!"

A member of the Anbu wearing a wolf-shaped mask appeared silently at the doorway like a shadow.

"Go, summon Taichi Matsushita Jonin the Hokage's Office immediately." Minato's command was concise and forceful.

"Yes!" The Anbu responded and disappeared.

The wait wasn't long, but the atmosphere in the office was unusually tense due to the silence of the Third Kazekage and the Advisor.

Until—a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Minato replied.

The door was pushed open, Taichi Matsushita appeared in the doorway.

He was still dressed in a smart dark combat uniform, with an upright posture and a calm expression.

However, everyone's eyes, including Minato's, were immediately and involuntarily drawn to his left shoulder.

There, sitting steadily, was a—well, let's call it a "small animal" for now.

Its fluffy tail was swishing impatiently, and its small, golden, vertical pupils were half-closed, carrying a kind of languidness and utter despair after being overly disturbed.

Most noticeably, its normally glossy and beautiful fur now appeared somewhat disheveled, especially on its head and back, where several strands of fur stood up unruly, clearly indicating that it had just been through a rough time.

"Cough----" Hiruzen Sarutobi almost dropped his pipe, and he coughed loudly to cover up his embarrassment.

Utatane Koharu's lips twitched uncontrollably, while Mitokado Homura subconsciously pushed up her glasses again, as if that would allow her to see more clearly.

Nine-Tails keenly caught the three gazes focused on it, filled with complex emotions.

Its golden pupils widened!

What a disgrace! This is utter disgrace! To be treated like a plush toy by those ignorant human children is bad enough, but now they have to be stared at like that by these three old geezers?!

"What are you looking at! You three old geezers!"

A fierce roar, though sounding like a child's voice, rang out. Nine-Tails- Tailed Fox's fur stood on end, like a frightened hedgehog. It stomped its front paws hard on Taiichi's sturdy shoulder armor, making a soft "tap-tap" sound, as if this could vent its anger.

"If it weren't for this wretched fellow stopping me, I would have beaten those arrogant brats to a pulp!"

It added angrily, its golden eyes glaring fiercely at the Third Kazekage of people.

Taiichi simply tilted his head slightly, raised his hand, and gently rubbed the side of the Nine-Tails Fox's ruffled neck with his fingers in a soothing manner.

His movements were so gentle that they instantly silenced the little fox's roar, leaving only a reluctant gurgling sound in its throat.

"It did very well today," Taiichi smile, his tone revealing a hint of satisfaction. "Compared to its previous threats to 'eat up' those kids, giving it a good beating is a huge improvement. A little complaint is nothing to worry about."

His gaze swept over the three elders, whose expressions were quite varied, and finally landed on Minato. "The Hokage-sama summons you. What are your orders?"

Minato watched this scene, a faint smile flickering deep in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by serious business.

He picked up the intelligence scroll on the table and stated succinctly. "The Cloud Village has dispatched a thousand-strong elite force, led by the Elite Jonin Darui, which has arrived at the border between the Land of Frost and our Land of Fire. Their deployment posture is highly aggressive, and their target is the Land of Hot Water' share of the mission."

He tossed the scroll directly to Taiichi: "Konoha cannot show weakness. I need someone to hold down the Northern Front defense line, stabilize the situation, and if necessary—"

A sharp glint flashed in Minato's azure eyes, and his tone was resolute, "Give Cloud Village a lesson they won't forget! Let them understand that Konoha's blade remains sharp!"

Taiichi quickly scanned the scroll's contents, understanding immediately. He looked up, his gaze fixed on Minato: "What does the Hokage-sama mean?"

"Immediately proceed to the garrison troops on the Northern Front border, and assume full responsibility for responding to the Cloud Village's provocations as its highest Advisor."

Minato's voice was resolute, "The specifics are up to you. The bottom line is: never allow Cloud Village to set foot in the Land of Hot Water! If they don't know what's good for them—"

Minato paused, a cold smile curving his lips. "Then let's use the method they understand best, to make them remember the pain!"

Taiichi was slightly surprised.

He had expected to at least symbolically consult with the three elders, or receive some advice on "restraint" and "avoiding escalating the conflict."

He hadn't expected Minato to be so direct and forceful, granting him the power of life and death. He instinctively looked at the Third Kazekage and the two Advisor.

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently puffed on his pipe, his expression obscured by swirling smoke.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance, their lips moved slightly, but in the end they only nodded almost imperceptibly, which was taken as acquiescence.

Clearly, when it came to the specific issue of how to deal with the Cloud Village, they chose to leave the difficult problem entirely to the Fourth Hokage to decide.

He no longer hesitated in respecting the Hokage's trust. He placed his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly. "Yes, Hokage-sama! I will not fail you!"

On its shoulder, Nine-Tails sensed the sharp aura that rose and then quickly subsided from Taiichi's body. Its golden vertical pupils glanced at the intelligence scroll, and it snorted disdainfully.

It turned its head to the side, facing its rear end towards everyone in the Hokage's Office, leaving only its bushy tail swishing impatiently.

The Konoha Northern Front border garrison Camp is located in a hilly area with a high elevation, backed by a continuous forest and in front of an open plain.

The atmosphere in the Camp was heavy. The patrolling ninjas walked with hurried steps, and the sentries on the watchtower stared intently at the Northern Front horizon.

Everyone is on guard against the possibility that the barbarians from Cloud Village might launch a sudden, undeclared attack.

The Camp Commander, Sarutobi Yusuke Sarutobi Jonin the Sarutobi Clan, stood in front of the command tent with a furrowed brow, his fingers pressing hard against his temples.

The news of the Cloud Village' thousand elite troops pressing on the border weighed heavily on his mind. His border garrison numbered only about three hundred men. Although they could hold out for a while with the help of fortifications, if the Cloud Village were to launch a surprise attack regardless of the consequences—the outcome would be unimaginable!

The hawks sent out to request help have already been dispatched, but when will the reinforcements arrive? And how many will come?

Just as he was burning with anxiety, a streak of light flashed across the sky behind him, heading straight for the main Camp.

The alarm sounded, and all the ninjas in the Camp looked up on alert, but they relaxed only after realizing that the target was coming from behind.

Not long after, the streak of light began to slow as it approached the Camp, and everyone then recognized that it was Taichi Matsushita.

Yusuke Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, then a huge surge of joy instantly washed away the anxiety on his face!

He hurried over, his voice trembling with excitement. "Taiichi! You—you've come in person! This is wonderful! We no longer need to worry about the Northern Front."

With this "White Reaper" of Konoha in charge, the immense burden on his shoulders seemed to be lifted by more than half in an instant! Yusuke Sarutobi felt that he could breathe again.

"Jonin, the situation is urgent, no need for formalities." Taiichi's voice was calm and even, cutting straight to the point, "What's the situation with Cloud Village?"

Yusuke Sarutobi a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and quickly reported, "Yes! The Cloud Village forces arrived at Blackstone Canyon on the border of the Land of Frost yesterday evening."

The team was led by the Elite Jonin Darui. According to intelligence, there were at least ten Jonin in the team, and the rest were all elite Chunin.

After setting up camp, they did not advance further, but sent out a large number of reconnaissance teams, and their activity range has approached our actual control line, which is highly provocative!

Our outposts have issued multiple warnings to drive them away, but with little effect.

Taiichi listened quietly, his gaze fixed on the Northern Front, as if he could pierce through space and see that hostile Camp.

After Yusuke Sarutobi finished his report, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the little orange-red fox on Taiichi's shoulder—who was lazily yawning—and Chunin but mutter to himself.

"Master Taiichi is incredibly powerful, so why does he keep such a little creature? It looks quite rare, all fluffy and adorable, but what use is it on the battlefield?"

"Is it meant to be a mascot? Or... some kind of special sensory-type ninja beast? But with that size and that cute appearance... it doesn't look like it has any fighting ability at all."

The thought flashed through his mind, but he didn't say it aloud.

However, the moment his gaze fell upon the little Kurama, the little fox, who seemed to be dozing off, suddenly opened its eyes—what kind of eyes were they? No longer the lazy gold, but instantly turned like molten gold, the vertical pupils shrinking into a cold, thin line!

A terrifying pressure unique to the Nine-Tails, like an invisible tsunami, crashed down on Yusuke Sarutobi!

"Insect! What are you thinking!" A childish voice rang out, but it couldn't hide the violent intent within.

Yusuke Sarutobi's face turned pale instantly, and cold sweat poured down his forehead and back.

Just as Yusuke Sarutobi was about to draw his weapon, a warm and strong hand gently pressed down on Nine-Tails's back, pulling its small body into his embrace and shielding it from the terrifying mental attack.

"Alright, Little Nine." Taiichi's voice remained calm, carrying a hint of barely perceptible reproach. "Jonin Yusuke Jonin no harm."

The terrifying pressure receded instantly like a tide. The Nine-Tails wriggled unhappily in Taiichi's arms, letting out a dissatisfied grumble. Its golden vertical pupils glared fiercely at Yusuke Sarutobi, as if to say, "Consider yourself lucky!"

Yusuke Sarutobi gasped for breath, like a fish out of water, his whole body drenched in cold sweat. His eyes, looking at the "cute thing" in Taiichi's arms, were filled with unparalleled horror and awe!

"I'm so sorry, Taiichi- ichi! I—" Yusuke Sarutobi's voice trembled, overwhelmed with shame. He finally realized how foolish and dangerous his thoughts had been.

"It's alright." Taiichi waved his hand, as if nothing had happened. "Make preparations. Since the Cloud Village Camp has traveled all this way to the border, I naturally need to pay a visit to their camp. Otherwise, it would seem that our Cloud Village Konoha is impolite."

"Now? Just you alone?" Yusuke Sarutobi was taken aback. Although he had witnessed the terror of the "little fox," the opponent was a genuine thousand-strong elite force. He understood the principle that even ants can kill an elephant.

"Hmm." Taiichi nodded, his gaze turning Northern Front, his calm demeanor radiating absolute confidence. "Just find someone to lead the way, otherwise they'll think I'm afraid of them."

17