The master strategist

The leaders of the two ninja villages independently chose the same approach. In the war that followed, both Kumogakure Ninja and Konoha Ninja fought in small squads embedded within the Samurai Legion, helping the Samurai eliminate enemy Samurai while also battling enemy ninja squads.

Although this approach reduced ninja casualties, it also steered the war toward a prolonged stalemate. The two nations had now begun a back-and-forth struggle that showed no sign of ending anytime soon.

At first, no one had reacted in time to Kumogakure Ninja Shinobi Village's surprise attack. But once Kumogakure's offensive stalled and the Land of Lightning's Samurai Legion was forced to join the war, the other nations all learned of the conflict between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. Their responses differed. Small nations naturally would not intervene; they could count themselves lucky as long as they were not dragged into it. Only the other three great nations were capable of joining the war.

In the Land of Earth, in the northwest of the continent, the moment Iwagakure Ninja Village received the latest news about the war between the two nations, a short young man hurried to the Tsuchikage's office, shoved the door open, and shouted, "Teacher, we have new intelligence!"

The young man was named Ōnoki, the grandson of Ishikawa, the First Tsuchikage. The man he called his teacher was the current Second Tsuchikage, Mu.

The Second Tsuchikage Mu was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, with only his eyes exposed, making him look like a mummy. He nodded and said, "Mm. Let me see."

Ōnoki quickly handed over the intelligence Scroll. Mu read its contents and said, "Heh. It looks like the Land of Lightning's plan has failed. Unless something unexpected happens, we can say they've already lost."

"Really,