Scorched Earth, Leave a Way Out

Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Xiao with a burning gaze; he wanted this technique as well. It was just a pity that he lacked the Magnet Release bloodline limit; otherwise, this skill would be a divine ability in his hands.

Seeing Orochimaru's intense stare fixed on Uchiha Xiao, Tsunade couldn't help but snort coldly before stepping in front of Uchiha Xiao. "What is it, Orochimaru? Are you trying to snatch someone away from me?"

Orochimaru's eyes widened as he watched this scene, and he couldn't help but offer a wry smile. He then glanced at Jiraiya out of the corner of his eye, but Jiraiya was merely scratching his head, completely oblivious to the situation.

Orochimaru felt a bit speechless; Jiraiya was truly dense. Forget it, he wouldn't dwell on him for now. Orochimaru looked at Tsunade and said, "Not at all. I am simply interested in Xiao-kun's detection-type ninjutsu. Besides, this is a trusted aide selected for you by Lady Mito; how could I possibly snatch him away?"

"Hmph, you'd better not!" Uchiha Xiao was a precious treasure in Tsunade's eyes. With dual bloodline limits, combat prowess, a lack of greed for merit, and a thoughtful nature, he was simply the best support heaven could have sent her!

Uchiha Xiao scratched his head, feeling that he was in a bind whether he spoke or remained silent.

Following this, Tsunade grabbed Uchiha Xiao's arm, led him to the main seat in the office, and pushed him into it.

Orochimaru: !!!

Jiraiya: !!!

Nawaki: !!!

Uchiha Xiao: !!!!

Was this a position he was allowed to sit in? This was the seat of the commander-in-chief; if this war were won, the majority of the credit would go to the commander-in-chief!

Uchiha Xiao hurriedly tried to stand up, but Tsunade's super strength kicked in. Uchiha Xiao's face turned red from the effort, yet he couldn't move even an inch.

"Lady Tsunade, didn't we agree on this earlier? This time, I am only here to assist you; I don't want the credit!" Uchiha Xiao said hurriedly.

"Before was before, and now is now! Just a moment ago, Jiraiya proposed that the three of us should fight a decisive battle against Salamander Hanzo, and I think it's a good idea. However, that makes the command of the army a problem!" Tsunade laughed.

Orochimaru also grasped the crux of the matter and smiled. "That's right, Xiao-kun. At this time, we need a commander who is adept at leading troops to defeat the other ninjas of the Land of Rain!"

"Exactly, Xiao. According to Tsunade, you are a genius at military strategy, so the role of leading the troops belongs to no one but you!" Jiraiya laughed heartily.

Uchiha Xiao was stunned and frowned. "Who did Tsunade say proposed the duel with Salamander Hanzo?" He even forgot to struggle as he looked at Jiraiya, his eyes filled with a strange expression.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. Could it be that this kid...

Jiraiya, on the other hand, was taken aback. Wasn't this a good plan? The three of them were under immense pressure, after all!

Tsunade blinked her beautiful eyes, looking from Jiraiya to Uchiha Xiao.

Uchiha Xiao patted Tsunade's arm, and she withdrew the hand that was suppressing him. Uchiha Xiao then rested his chin on his hands and asked, "Why must you duel him?"

Jiraiya scratched his head. "Because intelligence reports say that apart from Salamander Hanzo, the Land of Rain is basically a mob, so..."

"So, the three of you want to pin down the main force and let the army clean up their ninjas to achieve a heavy blow?" Uchiha Xiao said coldly.

Orochimaru fell into silent contemplation. He had felt something was off earlier but couldn't pinpoint the problem, yet seeing Uchiha Xiao's stance, it seemed there was a better way.

Tsunade listened carefully to Uchiha Xiao's argument, watching his back in silence.

"Lord Jiraiya, what is Salamander Hanzo thinking? He is thinking of territorial expansion and showing off his strength and prowess to other nations. If you fight him, losing is a disgrace, and winning—well, he is one against three, so regardless of the outcome, it only bolsters his reputation. So why fight?" Uchiha Xiao said in a deep voice.

"Then, if we don't fight, how do we resolve this battle?" Jiraiya frowned slightly, believing his method was already the best.

Uchiha Xiao suddenly stared straight at Jiraiya. "Lord Jiraiya, if we follow your method and win, don't forget that we are not the only ones in the Land of Rain."

"Iwagakure and Sunagakure are both watching us. If we strike and win, and those two guys sit back and reap the rewards, then ambush and destroy our remaining forces, have we won? Or have we lost?" Uchiha Xiao's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

Jiraiya fell silent instantly. Orochimaru's eyes lit up. That was it—they weren't the only ones in the Land of Rain. They might end up being taken advantage of. No, based on the intelligence on that guy Onoki, he would definitely make a move!

The look in Orochimaru's eyes as he watched Uchiha Xiao was filled with admiration.

At this moment, Tsunade spoke up at the right time. "Xiao-kun, then how should we fight this war?"

Uchiha Xiao looked at the map. The west and south of the Land of Rain bordered the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind, respectively, while the east bordered the Land of Fire. Since that was the case...

"Tomorrow, we mobilize and attack Yuji City, the capital of the Land of Rain. Lady Tsunade, lead the Senju troops to surround the east gate; Lord Jiraiya, lead your team to surround the south gate; Lord Orochimaru, lead your team to surround the north gate."

"Every day, we implement a scorched-earth policy, cutting off their grain supply routes. Whenever they send troops out, we retreat; once they withdraw, we surround them again." A glint appeared in Uchiha Xiao's eyes.

"What about the west gate?" Jiraiya asked.

Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya with a strange expression, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"What does the west gate have to do with us? That's the Land of Earth's side. Surrounding these three gates is enough! When the Land of Rain is pushed to the brink, they will break out through the west gate, and it will be that guy Onoki who suffers the damage," Orochimaru laughed.

Tsunade also nodded. "And by doing this, we can preserve the integrity of our army to the greatest extent while achieving our desired goal."

Uchiha Xiao nodded. "War is not just about the strength of ninjas or the power of troops; it is also about resources, national strength, weaponry, and supplies."

"Once we cut off their food for two months, they will either surrender or charge out the west gate. At that point, they will be cornered beasts, and it won't be easy for the Land of Earth to deal with a group of starving people." After saying all this, Uchiha Xiao leaned back and closed his eyes in thought.

Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade all stared at Uchiha Xiao, which made him feel a bit creeped out. He opened his eyes and looked at the three of them. "No, why are you all looking at me? Is this strategy viable or not? Give me an answer!"

Orochimaru laughed. "It works, of course it works. I'm just curious, Xiao-kun, your military strategy is so advanced—who was your teacher?"

Tsunade also nodded. "That's right, Xiao-kun. Your military strategy is indeed formidable. You've turned a war of attrition into a war of resources that favors us!"

Jiraiya was convinced. "Xiao-kun, I, Jiraiya, am truly impressed!"

Uchiha Xiao was stunned. Oh no, he had overplayed his hand. This strategy seemed to be a first in the world of Hokage! Oh my god! He had failed to keep a low profile!