Hatake Sakumo and the others had barely rested when fresh intelligence arrived. Fortunately, this time they did not need to sortie; a few adjustments to their deployment would solve the problem. After so long fighting on the front lines, Sakumo had ample experience. He considered the matter briefly, then wrote out his orders and had someone deliver them.
"The pressure isn't too bad right now, but that might change if this drags on," Mizuki said. "The Sunagakure ninja have clearly realized that Sakumo is trying to ease everyone else's burden, so they keep harassing us. At this rate, they'll wear him down sooner or later."
Although the Konoha ninja had Chakra Storage Blocks to replenish their chakra quickly, chakra could not be converted entirely into physical stamina. It offered some recovery, but they still needed to rest when the time came. After three fierce battles, their chakra reserves were not much of a concern, but physical and mental fatigue had already begun to creep in.
"What can I do? I'm a thorn in their side," Hatake Sakumo said with a self-deprecating smile. "We've had bad blood since the Joint Chunin Exams. That wasn't much in itself, but I only just 'killed' his wife."
"But she isn't really dead. Speaking of which, when can we finally let everyone know that those captured Sunagakure ninja are still alive?" Mizuki asked.
As members of Hatake Sakumo's team, all three knew what the higher-ups intended. Their discipline as ninja naturally kept them from leaking secrets. While they discussed the matter in Sakumo's command tent, no one else was outside, and a soundproof barrier protected them. Yamanaka Risa was even monitoring chakra constantly to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
They already knew that the village was transferring the captured Sunagakure ninja to the front, clearly preparing