Shikaku Nara's Decision

Inside Konoha's command headquarters in the Land of Rivers, Shikaku Nara was discussing the Land of Rivers daimyo's recent covert recruitment of rogue ninja and samurai with several Jonin.

Suddenly, several Nara Chunin hurriedly burst in, interrupting Shikaku Nara's train of thought.

"Lord Nara, Hyuga Sanpo from the western outpost has brought back urgent intelligence. Hidden Sand has attacked the western border outpost!"

When Shikaku Nara heard the report that "Hidden Sand has attacked the western border outpost,"

he was first shocked, then puzzled and confused, before it finally turned into a sigh.

"I understand."

Shikaku's voice was low and steady, betraying little emotion, but that sigh had already said it all.

Just as he was about to issue orders, the command headquarters' doors were violently thrown open again!

This time, the one who rushed in was a liaison ninja responsible for communications in the northern defense zone. His face was deathly pale, and he was breathing hard, clearly having sprinted all the way here:

"R-report! Lord Nara! Urgent military intelligence! The forward checkpoint at Rock Turtle Pass on the northern defense line of the Land of Rivers has come under attack by a large-scale Hidden Sand puppet force!"

"The enemy's assault is fierce. They have deployed highly toxic smoke. The pass... the pass is requesting emergency reinforcements! Communications were cut off for a time, but have just been restored!"

Everyone in the command headquarters, including Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka, changed expression.

An attack on the southern part of the western line had been within expectations, but the north had been attacked at the same time as well? Had Hidden Sand truly spread its forces so widely?

Or was there... a deeper plot behind this? Had Hidden Sand finally started using its brains?

Only Shikaku Nara's pupils abruptly contracted. The fingers resting on the map tightened slightly, his knuckles turning pale.

Hidden Sand's appetite and ability to act had exceeded his previous conservative estimates.

This was no mere border skirmish or small-scale infiltration. It would require at least a thousand ninja.

This was clearly... a full-scale offensive advancing along multiple routes!

"Sir, the Land of Rain! Urgent communication from the Land of Rain!"

A ninja from the communications unit practically stumbled and crawled into the room, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"Ninja stationed at the Land of Rain border have sent back a secret message through summoned beasts! Just now, two of our outposts in the Land of Rain... suffered simultaneous devastating strikes from Hidden Sand forces!"

"The one leading them is Sand Village's Elite Jonin—Scorch Release Pakura!"

Boom!

Those two reports were like a bomb dropped into the command headquarters!

"What? Even that Hidden Sand elite has been deployed? It seems they are quite determined!"

"Three simultaneous attacks from the south, the north, and the Amegakure direction in the northwest. They are serious this time."

(Yekura's status in Sand Village was roughly equivalent to Konoha's Three Ninja.)

Shikaku Nara abruptly closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the raging turmoil in his heart.

His brows knitted tightly together, and his eyes sharpened like an eagle's. His usual lazy yet wise bearing was replaced by the decisiveness of a battlefield commander.

"Silence!"

Shikaku Nara's voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable force that instantly suppressed all discussion. The command headquarters became so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping.

He swiftly rose to his feet and decisively issued his orders:

"Immediately notify all our stationed forces within the Land of Rivers. Raise the alert to the highest level and enter combat readiness!"

His orders were clear, forceful, and beyond question.

"All checkpoints, strongholds, and supply lines are to strengthen patrols and defenses, especially in areas near the Land of Wind!"

"Yes!"

A Nara Chunin responsible for transmitting intelligence immediately accepted the order, turned, and rushed out of the command headquarters.

Shikaku turned his gaze to another messenger ninja.

"You. Use highest-priority communication to report the preliminary intelligence that 'Hidden Sand attacked the western border outpost' to Lord Hokage and the village immediately! At the same time,"

he emphasized,

"dispatch additional elite squads, led by ninja of the Hyuga Clan or Aburame Clan. They must verify the scale of the attack, Hidden Sand's troop composition, and their main direction of attack in the shortest possible time! I need exact intelligence, not 'maybe' and 'probably'!"

"Understood!"

A Jonin also quickly departed.

The brief commotion in the command headquarters subsided, leaving only Shikaku, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka—the core members of the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio—and several Jonin responsible for the Land of Rivers' defenses.

The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as though water could drip from it.

Shikaku returned to his seat at the head of the table, habitually rubbing his temples with his fingers.

He looked at Inoichi Yamanaka. "Inoichi, please lead the sensing squad and try to sense the area around the main camp. See whether there are any unusual fluctuations from a large gathering of chakra."

"The enemy attacked without declaration. There is a strong possibility they will attempt a decapitation strike."

Inoichi Yamanaka nodded and immediately closed his eyes. His immense sensory ability extended westward like invisible feelers.

Shikaku then turned his gaze to Choza Akimichi.

"Choza, have our logistics troops immediately inspect all combat supplies, especially antidotes and our stockpile of Explosive Tags meant for puppets..."

"Understood!" Choza Akimichi's voice was loud and powerful.

Only after making those arrangements did Shikaku lean back slightly, a nearly imperceptible bitter smile appearing on his face, carrying a cold, penetrating insight.

"So they came after all... These people truly are 'relentless.'"

His voice was quiet, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent command headquarters.

Several Jonin looked toward him, waiting for the analysis of this commander-in-chief renowned for his strategic mind.

"In truth, there is no need to wait for verification reports at all."

Shikaku's voice carried the calm of someone who had seen through the essence of things. "Hyuga Sanpo's intelligence is highly reliable. Hidden Sand has made its move, and this time, it is likely more than a minor probing attack."

"The Land of Wind's daimyo has been cutting their funding for far more than a day or two. Hidden Sand is poor as dirt. I heard that even the funding the daimyo sponsored for their Chunin Ninja Exams has been withheld."

"Coupled with the increasingly serious disappearance of the Third Kazekage, they have been handed a perfect excuse to shift their internal conflicts elsewhere."

Shikaku lightly tapped his fingers against the table, producing soft knocking sounds as though he were sorting through tangled clues.

"Empty stomachs, an empty treasury, and those troublesome ninja in the village with nothing to do and resentment toward the higher-ups..."

"Hidden Sand's leadership understands all too well that nothing unites people better than a 'war of revenge,' nor is there anything better for consuming those excess 'destabilizing elements.'"

"And better still... it lets them tear a piece of flesh from the prosperous Land of Fire to fill their own hole."

He paused, his tone coldly certain.

"So they came. They came with a hunger for land, resources, and a way to shift their crisis onto others, along with a touch of the madness of 'the Kazekage is gone anyway, so those with nothing to lose fear nothing.'"

"They are betting that the other ninja villages will enter the fray too. They are betting that we will not—or rather, cannot—fight with everything we have."

"Hmph." A Jonin responsible for border defense beside him snorted. "Wishful thinking! When have they not been beaten black and blue?"

"They still have not learned enough from the First and Second Ninja Wars!"