Similar Actions, Different Intentions

"Even that old bastard Ōnoki had seen through it. He knew we didn't want to fight Iwagakure to the death, so he sent his son to the Land of Grass, set up a defensive formation, and waited for us to attack. His goal was to tie us down as well."

At the mention of this, Chiyo's expression darkened.

That Ōnoki had become craftier with age.

Although our two villages had joined forces to attack in order to tie you down, wasn't it a little shameless for you to use our own tactics against us?

"What about the intelligence from Kirigakure?"

The Third Hokage asked.

Mitokado Homura promptly found the intelligence report and handed it to the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage carefully read through the report, then frowned.

"Kirigakure's intentions are probably similar to ours. They also want to tie down Kumogakure. Or rather, Kirigakure did this deliberately. Aside from the Kaguya Clan, Snow Clan, and Hozuki Clan, no other factions participated in the war. They merely sent some civilian shinobi to cooperate."

Why did this arrangement seem so familiar?

Wait!!!

At that thought, the Third Hokage's aged face fell.

Yagura, you deserve to die!!

"Hokage, did you figure something out?"

Seeing the Third Hokage's strong reaction, Chiyo concluded that he must have discovered something.

Furiously clenching the scroll in his hand, the Third Hokage gritted his teeth and said:

"I found it strange before. Kirigakure had only just replaced its Mizukage and should have needed time for stable development, so why would it go to war with Kumogakure? Even if it was over territorial waters, it shouldn't have come to this. Now it seems Kirigakure deliberately started this war!!!"

"They did it deliberately?" Chiyo was slightly startled.

Sunagakure had received little intelligence. After all, they were not allies with