Joining the Battle

Chiyo was furious and wanted to head to the front lines to fight Princess Tsunade to the death. This past month, Hidden Sand had been far too stifled; if things continued this way, the Hidden Sand forces would collapse even without a full-scale assault from the Leaf.

At that moment, Ebizo walked in. "Sister, good news! The Kazekage is aware of our situation. He has already ordered an additional 3,000 reinforcements to be sent to us."

Seeing the rage on Chiyo's face, Ebizo knew exactly what had happened, so he immediately shared the good news. He continued to advise her, "We must retreat for now and wait for the reinforcements from the village to arrive. The Leaf forces have already pushed deep into the Land of Wind. They are unfamiliar with the terrain, their supply lines are strained, and their logistics are struggling. This is our best opportunity to counterattack and wipe out the Leaf forces!"

Chiyo let out a long breath. "Very well. Sooner or later, I will finish off that Monster Strength Woman! By the way, I want my son and daughter-in-law to return to the village."

Ebizo looked puzzled. "Hm? My nephew and niece would be a formidable force if they stayed."

Chiyo shook her head. "This battle is of great consequence. They must return to hold down the fort in Hidden Sand to ensure we have a fallback. If things take a turn for the worse, my son can unite with our old friends in the village to act as our shield. Even if we are defeated, the Kazekage won't be able to use us as scapegoats so easily."

Chiyo added, a hint of guilt crossing her face, "Besides, my little grandson hasn't seen his parents in a long time. I hope they can go back and spend some time with Sasori."

Ebizo nodded. "Indeed. Sasori has grown so much, yet he has spent so little time with his parents... Very well, let it be done."

Chiyo stared at the map, clenching her fists. "Leaf, Monster Strength Woman, White Fang of the Leaf! Don't celebrate too early. I haven't lost yet!"

Chiyo did not realize that this single decision would alter the future landscape of Hidden Sand. Riyue, meanwhile, had not anticipated that the counterattack strategy he formulated would lead the Leaf to victory after victory, preventing the stalemate with Hidden Sand that had occurred in the original timeline. This situation forced Chiyo to seek a swift resolution with the Leaf. To play it safe, she had recalled her son and daughter-in-law back to the Hidden Sand Village.

Consequently, the White Fang of the Leaf would not need to assassinate high-ranking Hidden Sand commanders to break the stalemate. The current White Fang squad's assassination targets were focused on ordinary ninja, meaning they would have no opportunity to kill the parents of Sasori of the Red Sand. The future of Sasori, the future of the Third Kazekage, and the overall structure of the Third Shinobi World War would all undergo unforeseen changes.

Riyue, this little butterfly, had already begun to influence the course of history itself.

"What? Chiyo has retreated again?" Riyue asked, looking at Shikaku.

"Yes. This time, she didn't take the bait. Also, we received word: the Kazekage of Hidden Sand was furious upon learning of the situation and has ordered another 3,000 reinforcements. They should reach the front lines in a few days," Shikaku replied with a nod.

"It seems it wasn't that she didn't take the bait, but that she is waiting for reinforcements to arrive, preparing for a decisive battle," Riyue mused for a moment before reaching his conclusion.

"Indeed. Through our counterattacks, we have crippled Hidden Sand's logistics. Chiyo no longer has the capital to drag this out; she wants a final showdown. If they don't fight now, Hidden Sand will have no chance to fight at all," Shikaku agreed.

"It seems she will continue to retreat over the next few days, waiting for reinforcements and seeking terrain favorable for a decisive battle," Riyue nodded.

"Riyue, do you think we should slow our advance?" Shikaku asked after a moment of thought.

"Chiyo wants to turn the tables, and we in the Leaf want to wipe them out in one go. We could have slowly worn her down, but to end the war as quickly as possible, we might as well grant her wish for a decisive battle. If we win, even if Hidden Sand doesn't surrender immediately, they will no longer have the capacity to launch an offensive."

"But if we lose, the Leaf forces will be routed across the desert. We have pushed too deep into the Land of Wind; if we are defeated and our retreat is cut off, the entire army could be annihilated!" Shikaku argued that they needed to be cautious.

"True. Everything rests on this battle..." Riyue's expression turned serious.

"By the way, fresh intelligence: the Hidden Cloud and the Hidden Stone have started fighting. The Hidden Cloud forces have already invaded the Land of Earth. Orochimaru has been monitoring the Hidden Mist, but there hasn't been any movement there. It seems the Mizukage intends to sit back and reap the rewards," Shikaku informed Riyue of the latest updates from other fronts.

"Then shall we discuss how to fight this battle?" Riyue gave a mischievous smile.

"Riyue, if you have ideas, just tell everyone. Making us plan it out and then having me present it is such a hassle," Shikaku complained.

"Then... how about we play a few games of chess first? That shouldn't be a hassle, right?" Riyue pulled out a chessboard.

"Fine then." Shikaku's interest was piqued, and he stopped being lazy.

The next day, Princess Tsunade summoned all the Jonin for a meeting to prepare for the upcoming battle.

"It seems Hidden Sand is going all-out this time. If they don't, they won't have another chance to fight," Princess Tsunade said solemnly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Then we must mobilize everyone and win this battle!" one Jonin said with excitement.

"After pushing into the Land of Wind, logistics have become even more difficult. If possible, we must thoroughly defeat Hidden Sand in this engagement," another Jonin added.

"This battle can be considered the final showdown. We absolutely cannot fail!" Princess Tsunade felt the weight of the responsibility on her shoulders.

"Shikaku, do you have any good ideas?" Princess Tsunade looked at Shikaku. Everyone else followed suit; Shikaku's counterattack plan had been a great success, and everyone valued his input.

Shikaku stood up and said, "The front lines should remain under the command of Princess Tsunade, while the main assault force will be led by Sakumo Hatake. I intend to gather all sensory-type ninja and disperse them before the battle to guard against enemy ambushes. Additionally, we should reserve 1,000 men as a mobile reserve force for flexible deployment."

The group agreed. This would make the battlefield much more transparent.

"Let it be done! Shikaku, you will command the reconnaissance squad. Everyone else, mobilize all available combatants for this decisive battle!" Princess Tsunade nodded.

After discussing a few more details, everyone went off to prepare.

Shikaku began assembling the reconnaissance squad. He gathered members of the Hyuga Clan, the Aburame Clan, the Inuzuka Clan, and other sensory-type ninja. The members of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans were also placed under Shikaku's command.

As a member of the Hyuga Clan, Riyue naturally received the order to join Shikaku's reconnaissance squad for the battle. In total, the reconnaissance squad consisted of over 420 ninja, while the Leaf's front-line combat force reached 12,000, giving them a clear advantage over Hidden Sand.

Riyue arrived at the assembly point and looked at the 420 sensory-type ninja standing in neat formations. Shikaku was busy assigning tasks for the battlefield.

Riyue looked up at the sky. "Am I finally going to the battlefield? Oh Heavens, grant me a Dynasty Warriors System! I could mow through the battlefield like grass with a Musou attack. Haha!" The heavens looked upon Riyue's request with utter disdain.

"I hope everything goes smoothly..."

Chiyo and Ebizo stood on a high platform, looking down at the 9,000 Hidden Sand ninja. Most of them were low-spirited, hanging their heads as they waited for the commander's address. Only the 3,000 reinforcements appeared relatively normal.

Seeing this, Ebizo shook his head, walked to the front of the crowd, and spoke in a booming voice: "Ninja of the Hidden Sand Village! We are about to engage the Leaf in a decisive battle!"

Upon hearing this news, most of the Hidden Sand ninja were shocked, glancing at one another. One could see retreat, cowardice, fear, and pessimism on their faces. It seemed the Leaf had left a deep shadow over them in recent days.

"However! The Leaf forces are formidable, numbering no less than 10,000. They are led by the White Fang of the Leaf, Sakumo Hatake, and one of the Sannin, Princess Tsunade. Their logistics are well-supplied, their medical support is comprehensive, and their combatants are fierce and powerful! More importantly, they have won battle after battle, pushing nearly 240 kilometers into the heart of the Land of Wind! Their momentum is currently unstoppable!"

The commanders beside Ebizo stared at him in astonishment. Had he lost his mind? Instead of boosting morale, he was laying out the enemy's strength; did he really think these demoralized ninja would still have the courage to take the field? By highlighting the grim reality that the enemy was strong and they were weak, wouldn't everyone just become even more pessimistic? Wasn't he just inflating the enemy's ego while crushing their own?

Sure enough, after Ebizo finished speaking, the expressions of the ninja below grew even more despondent, and a sense of cowardice and aversion to battle began to spread rapidly. No one wanted to go to their deaths!

"Therefore, if anyone is afraid of dying, they may leave this place right now. I personally grant these individuals permission to return to the village without facing any punishment or accountability. I, Ebizo, always keep my word!" When these words left Ebizo's lips, the crowd was stunned.

A commotion broke out below, and the ninja began whispering to one another. Some were excited, some worried, some suspicious, and a few were already eager to leave and head back to the village.

With a tone of profound regret, Ebizo continued, "It is just a pity! Those who leave will never again have the chance to avenge their fallen comrades, never again have the chance to finish off those despicable Konoha ninja, and never again have the chance to kill the culprits who have turned your lives into a nightmare!"

Ebizo spoke calmly, and the crowd beneath the platform fell into silence. Feelings of guilt, sorrow, and rage began to stir quietly within their hearts.

Ebizo's voice suddenly turned sharp and piercing: "Who is it that makes you tremble in fear even when you try to sleep at night? Who is it that left your comrades to die in despair and helplessness at the Medical Station? Who is it that prevents you from receiving precious supplies and provisions? Who is it that makes you suffer, despair, and cower? It is Konoha! It is those damned Konoha ninja!"

These words struck directly at the hearts of the ninja; something called hatred was ignited, and soon, the tiny sparks grew into a roaring inferno.

"If you want to be cowards, then run away at once! If you want your families back in the village to suffer the same agony, then get out of my sight! If you are willing to abandon a victory that is rightfully yours, then vanish from before my eyes immediately!"

"In this decisive battle, we of the Hidden Sand are destined to win! I, Ebizo, have the certainty of victory; follow me, and we shall prevail! Do you not even want the victory you crave? Do you trust me?!" Ebizo looked down at the ninja, his voice stern and demanding.

The Hidden Sand ninja fell silent. Did they want to be cowards? Did they want their families to be threatened? Did they not want to win? No! No one thought that way. The gazes of the Hidden Sand ninja grew firm, and the thoughts of leaving or fleeing vanished, for they did not want to!

"Do you... trust me?!" Ebizo asked again, his voice booming to everyone present, the unquestionable authority in his words moving them deeply.

"I do! I trust you!" one Hidden Sand ninja shouted. Once he took the lead, many others immediately joined in:

"I trust you!" "We trust you!" "We will follow you to the death!" "Victory! Hidden Sand will be victorious!" "Fight! Avenge us!" "Kill every last one of them from Konoha!"...

These ninja had been suppressed by Konoha for an entire month, and the hatred pent up in their hearts was unleashed by Ebizo. Now, their eyes were filled not with fear, but with fury and resentment. They wanted revenge; they wanted to defeat the enemy and show Konoha what they were made of. Moreover, since Ebizo had hinted that he possessed a trump card to secure victory, how could they not be stirred? Just like that, they were incited by Ebizo's few words, filled with fighting spirit and strength.

"Hidden Sand will be victorious! Crush Konoha! Hidden Sand will be victorious! We swear to have our revenge! Hidden Sand will be victorious!" Finally, the voices of the crowd synchronized, a wave of sound that threatened to overwhelm the heavens.

Ebizo watched it all from the platform, nodding with a smile.

"With morale like this, they are ready for battle!"