Just then, soft footsteps sounded behind Xuandou.
Kurotsuchi emerged from the inner room.
Over the past two months, she had gradually grown accustomed to life in the Imperial Palace.
Occasionally, when she "behaved well," Xuandou would even allow her to see her grandfather and father.
"Has more intelligence come in from the front?"
Kurotsuchi walked over to Xuandou, her gaze falling on the unrolled battle report on the desk, her brows tightly knitted.
"My lord, I'm worried... if the Uchiha advance too quickly and clash head-on with Iwagakure, I'll be caught in the middle, torn between both sides."
"I don't want to see Iwagakure's ninja die for nothing, and I don't want to see the Uchiha's soldiers bleed because of my grandfather's stubbornness."
Xuandou leaned back in his chair, slipped an arm around her waist, and pulled her closer.
Kurotsuchi stiffened slightly, but did not pull away.
Her cheeks flushed, but her eyes were filled with genuine concern.
"The Land of Iron has already been taken."
"Next is the Land of Earth."
"The White Zetsu army has already assembled at the Land of Earth's border, and the powerful fighters brought back through Impure World Reincarnation are ready to march."
"At my command, the army can push into the heart of the Land of Earth within three days."
Kurotsuchi paled, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of Xuandou's clothes.
"But..."
Xuandou changed tack, his tone softening a little.
"Iwagakure already lost many ninja in the previous Great Shinobi World War, and after these past few years of harassment by the Akatsuki, it still hasn't recovered."
"To the Uchiha as we are now, Iwagakure is undoubtedly very vulnerable."
"I wouldn't even need to deploy the army. Sending experts like Madara Uchiha would be enough to inflict devastating casualties on Iwagakure."
Kurotsuchi