"Kirigakure was unlikely to send troops. Konoha was already on its last legs before, and Kirigakure still didn't dare make a move.
The Third Mizukage feared Konoha would retaliate in the end. Did he not fear retaliation from Kumogakure too?
The Land of Water might be one of the five great nations, but it was only an island. Its civilian population was small to begin with.
Its supply of ninja recruits also fell short of the other four great nations. That was why Kirigakure dared not start a war lightly.
A surprise attack by Kirigakure was only speculation. With the forces we have now,
we could send six to seven thousand ninja into the Land of Earth, then draw some of the more promising children from the Ninja Academy.
Four to five thousand ninja would be more than enough to defend Kumogakure. Given the Third Mizukage's nerve, a war involving two to three thousand ninja would already be the limit of what he could stomach.
He doesn't have the nerve to gamble by sending five or six thousand.
If Kumogakure and Iwagakure each commit seven thousand ninja, that gives us fourteen thousand together. Even if Iwagakure hasn't recovered its strength,
as long as it can muster more than five thousand troops, twelve thousand ninja would be enough to deal Konoha a devastating blow and invade the Land of Fire," said a senior Kumogakure official.
The Third Raikage fell into thought. Once seven thousand ninja entered the Land of Earth, the question would no longer be whether Ōnoki might turn on them.
It would also be whether Kumogakure might turn on Iwagakure. If seven thousand Kumogakure ninja fell out with them inside the Land of Earth,
the entire country could suffer enormous losses. No nation would allow that.
"Lord Raikage, Ōnoki