The ninja forces were led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Kagami Uchiha, and Torifu Akimichi—an exceptionally formidable lineup. Even during the Second Shinobi World War, no single battlefield had required all four of them together. Only the Kirigakure front had been jointly commanded by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō.
Kazemori Masaki did not lead the troops himself. Under the current circumstances, remaining in the village was the best choice, allowing him to respond to any sudden developments. Although the Southern Alliance's declaration of collective defense might discourage other countries from acting rashly, they could not let their guard down entirely, especially since no Southern Alliance member stood in the way of the Land of Lightning.
Katsuya Uchiha, who was on the Daimyo Mansion's side, was a troublesome enemy, and Kazemori Masaki believed he should deal with him personally. However, his opponent's movements were inexplicable, and without a reliable fix on his location, the Hokage's Cabinet felt Masaki should refrain from leading the troops into battle. Doing so might needlessly expend their strength.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi put it, they could handle the Daimyo Mansion's forces themselves. If Kazemori Masaki truly needed to confront Katsuya Uchiha, he could simply wait until Katsuya's location was confirmed, then use Space-Time Ninjutsu to travel there—which was precisely what Masaki and the others had planned.
Thus, Kazemori Masaki remained in the village, waiting for his opportunity. The moment Katsuya Uchiha appeared on the battlefield would be his cue to enter. Until then, he would leave the stage to the others.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others left the village with their troops, they immediately advanced toward their objectives. Along the way, reports gathered by the intelligence ninja reached them. According to those reports, the enemy was advancing along three routes, approaching Konoha Ninja Village from different