Chapter 41

News of the Third Kazekage's sudden disappearance spread throughout the Shinobi World in just a few days.

Something like this could not be concealed even if they tried. A village's Kage-level figure had vanished just like that. It was too big a stir.

Once the news spread, the major shinobi villages all began making their calculations, each harboring more schemes than the last.

The strongest reaction came from Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning, far to the north of the Shinobi World, which loved a fight more than anyone.

"If we don't strike now, when will we? Send troops into the Land of Wind immediately!"

The speaker was the Third Raikage, known as the Strongest Raikage. His fists were as big as clay pots, and when he slapped his desk, the desktop nearly shattered.

Strangely enough, the Thirds of several villages all liked to flatter themselves with the title of "strongest"-

The Third Hokage was the strongest Hokage.

The Third Kazekage was the strongest Kazekage.

And the Third Raikage was the Strongest Raikage.

But this Lord Raikage was not all talk.

He possessed both the Strongest Spear and the Strongest Shield, with genuine fighting power at the pinnacle of Kage Level.

Under his rule, Kumogakure's overall strength had also reached its greatest height since the village's founding.

Besides him, his son A and his adopted son Killer B were both Kage-level fighters.

Killer B, in particular, had almost completely mastered the Eight-Tails' power.

The only slight pity was the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii. The girl was still young.

Although she worked well with her Tailed Beast, she still needed a few more years before she was truly ready for the battlefield.

"Dad, what's worth attacking in that dump, Sunagakure? There's nothing valuable there."

The future Fourth Raikage A looked puzzled.

He was not afraid of fighting.

But if they were going to fight, they should attack a filthy-rich village like Konoha. Iwagakure would work, too.

What could they loot by conquering that godforsaken desert in Sunagakure?

"Use your head." The Third Raikage looked at his son and grinned. "Sunagakure and Konoha are allies now. If we attack Sunagakure, do you think Konoha will send anyone?"

A froze, then thought for a moment. "Almost certainly."

Beside them, the Raikage's Assistant, Dodai, picked up the explanation. "Lord Raikage will personally lead a unit in a surprise attack on the Land of Wind, making it look as though we're launching an all-out war against Sunagakure. Since Konoha has allied with Sunagakure, they'll definitely send reinforcements, weakening the defenses in the Land of Fire. When that happens, A, you and B..."

A's eyes lit up, his face full of delighted surprise. "I get it! We pretend to attack Sunagakure, but we're really diverting Konoha's attention so we can launch a surprise attack on the Land of Fire?"

"Exactly."

The Third Raikage nodded in satisfaction, a vicious edge to his smile.

"The Land of Wind has nothing but sand. Conquering it would be nothing to boast about. The Land of Fire is the one swimming in wealth. That's our real target."

So what if Konoha had plenty of powerful fighters?

Who had he, the Strongest Raikage, ever feared?

Under his leadership, Kumogakure could fight Konoha on even terms without any trouble.

The conference room on the top floor of the Hokage's Administration Building was packed.

Almost every senior figure in Konoha with a say in things had arrived.

Besides the four old-timers who had held the village's power for nearly thirty years, the heads of major clans, including Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, and Shikaku Nara, had all been summoned.

"You should all have heard about the Third Kazekage's disappearance."

For once, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not touched his pipe. His expression was grim.

"The problem now is that the Third Raikage has personally led Kumogakure forces in a surprise attack on Sunagakure. As you all know, our Land of Fire only recently signed an Alliance Treaty with the Land of Wind."

"Under these circumstances, we must send reinforcements."

Anger smoldered inside Hiruzen Sarutobi.

That bastard Orochimaru had actually dared to go after his son!

It was clearly retaliation against him.

With his only remaining flesh and blood in that man's hands, Hiruzen Sarutobi could hardly keep his earlier promise not to pursue him in earnest. He had immediately dispatched Anbu to investigate Orochimaru's whereabouts.

But no sooner had the Anbu left than news arrived that Sunagakure's Third Kazekage had disappeared.

Right after that came word that Kumogakure's Third Raikage had personally led troops into the Land of Wind.

Anyone could see that the Third Shinobi World War was now unavoidable.

At a critical moment like this, Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer spare attention for Orochimaru. He could only leave one small squad to keep tracking that bastard and recall most of his personnel to Konoha to discuss how to support Sunagakure.

"The Hatake Clan's Black Blade and White Fang... probably wouldn't be suitable."

Shikaku Nara, their strategist, was the first to speak.

"Supporting the Land of Wind will inevitably mean dealing with Sunagakure's people. Those two made some serious enemies in Sunagakure during the last Shinobi World War. I think we'd be better off keeping them apart."

Hatake Sakumo had killed the son and daughter-in-law of Chiyo, a Sunagakure elder.

Hatake Xuanzhe had gone even further, cutting off the Second Kazekage Shamon's head.

Who knew what might happen if those two went to reinforce Sunagakure?

"Exactly. Anyone who fought Sunagakure last time isn't suited to go."

Inoichi Yamanaka added his agreement.

At those words, everyone's attention turned to clans like the Uchiha and the Inuzuka Clan, who had not fought Sunagakure in the previous Shinobi World War.

"Then how about this? Minato will serve as commander, with Fugaku as his deputy, and lead the reinforcements to Sunagakure. What do you think?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his gaze toward Uchiha Fugaku.

Uchiha Fugaku did not look pleased.

After Shisui Uchiha's "death," relations between the Uchiha and the Hokage's faction had deteriorated considerably again.

Not long ago, Uchiha Fugaku had heard that Hiruzen Sarutobi's son Asuma had been kidnapped by Orochimaru.

The news had made him eat two extra bowls of rice, savoring every bite.

Now the higher-ups wanted him to serve as deputy to some youngster who was not even twenty. As if he could be happy about that.

But however aggrieved he felt, Uchiha Fugaku did not dare openly defy Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders. He could only grit his teeth and respond.

"It would be ideal if Lady Tsunade could accompany us."

Since he had accepted the assignment, he had to secure some benefits for his clansmen.

If Tsunade went to the front, their soldiers' chances of victory would increase by at least half.

"Well... if you can persuade her, I certainly have no objections."

Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding.

In truth, he wanted Minato Namikaze to rack up more military achievements in this war, enough to curb the arrogance of Xuan Zhe and his crowd.

Sending Tsunade to the battlefield would mean handing her an opportunity to earn merit.

The problem was that Tsunade's medical skills were so outstanding that even the Uchiha, the Senju's sworn enemies, could not do without her.

However unwilling Hiruzen Sarutobi was, he could find no reason to stop Tsunade from going to the front.

"Go to the battlefield? Don't even think about it!"

Two hours after the meeting ended.

Uchiha Mikoto, the Uchiha Clan Head's heavily pregnant wife, came to plead with her.

Tsunade promptly tossed out that thoroughly irritated reply.

During the Second Shinobi World War, the Senju Clan had suffered a catastrophe, and she had wanted to throw in the towel and leave long before.

Staying until the very end had already been more than enough.

Now they wanted her to risk her life again? Not a chance!

Nawaki scratched his head beside them, not daring to interrupt.

Uchiha Mikoto had been his classmate, which was why she had asked him to help pull some strings.

"Lady Tsunade, this..."

Frantic and utterly unable to persuade Tsunade, Uchiha Mikoto could only turn a pitiful gaze toward Xuan Zhe.

Her stare made Xuan Zhe's scalp prickle. Could you please stop looking at me like that, pregnant lady?

Still, the thought that Nawaki had been Uchiha Mikoto's classmate reminded Xuan Zhe that he had once indulged in some gossip about them.

He had wondered why those two, one a Senju and the other an Uchiha, had never gotten together the way people did in those light novels.

"No, Tsunade. You have to go."

Xuan Zhe walked over and spoke.

Tsunade's beautiful eyes instantly went wide, her gaze plainly saying, You're actually speaking up for another woman?!