Iwagakure.
Inside Ōnoki's command tent,
Kurotsuchi stood before Ōnoki, reporting the newly acquired intelligence.
"According to our intelligence, Konoha plans to blow up Kannabi Bridge."
"What?"
Ōnoki's eyes went wide with fury at the news.
"Does Konoha really think we in Iwagakure are fucking idiots?"
"They actually dare to blow up Kannabi Bridge?"
"Wait!"
"Why does this plot feel familiar?"
Something suddenly occurred to Ōnoki, and he turned a wary gaze on Kurotsuchi.
Kitsuchi nodded slightly, confirming Ōnoki's suspicion. "Yes, Konoha's Team Minato blew up our Kannabi Bridge back then."
Realization dawned on Ōnoki.
He knew he hadn't gone senile!
He was already on his second playthrough of this plot!
When Team Minato blew up their Kannabi Bridge back then, they had practically blown up their lungs along with it!
It wasn't that losing Kannabi Bridge left them completely helpless.
Rather, the timing had been critical.
Iwagakure had already been locked in a fierce battle with Konoha on the front lines, only to turn around and find their supply route cut off.
They had rushed to assemble Earth Release shinobi to repair the route.
When their shinobi heard that even their supply route had been severed, their nerves, already worn thin by days and nights of fighting, finally snapped.
On top of that, Konoha suddenly stepped up its offensive.
They fought like madmen, heedless of their own lives!
Iwagakure's front lines soon collapsed.
By then, even rebuilding Kannabi Bridge afterward was useless.
All it did was give their own men a way to flee.
At the thought, Ōnoki wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"This time, we absolutely cannot let what Team Minato did back then happen again at Kannabi Bridge!"
Ōnoki spoke gravely to Kitsuchi.
"What do you intend to do?" Kitsuchi asked.
Ōnoki considered it, then said