Convincing Minato

Before setting out, Yūto saw a small, thin figure following behind Fugaku.

Itachi, only six years old.

It was this action of Fugaku's that laid the fuse for the Uchiha Clan Massacre.

"Lord Fugaku," Yūto said after some thought, walking over to Fugaku and pointing at Itachi. "The battlefield is no place for a child."

Fugaku remained calm and placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "Uchiha children must face war head-on. This is a baptism of honor."

Honor?

Yūto was speechless.

What a loving father and dutiful son.

Itachi was still a child, and he was already growing crooked at the roots. Little good could come of him later.

Once everyone had assembled, Fugaku led sixty Uchiha elite out in force toward the front.

After reaching the camp, Yūto immediately found Minato and explained the plan to lure out the enemy in detail.

"The first half is feasible, but having you assassinate Dodai alone is too risky." Minato's brows knitted tightly. "Dodai's Lava Release is powerful enough to turn the tables and kill you in an instant."

"But this is our only chance..."

Before he could finish, the tent flap was abruptly thrown open.

Tsukimi strode in. "I'll go with Yūto."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Yūto looked at Tsukimi. "The old man told me to protect you before he died!"

Minato shook his head as well. "You only just awakened your three tomoe. You lack experience in actual combat."

Just then, someone arrived.

Tsunade strode into the tent, one hand on her hip, and swept her gaze over everyone. "Count me in."

Minato was somewhat shocked, clearly not expecting Tsunade, one of the Sannin, to volunteer. "Lady Tsunade, what brings this on...?"

Tsukimi tugged at Yūto's sleeve and asked quietly, "Why is Lady Tsunade here?"

Equally puzzled, Yūto frowned at Tsunade. "Didn't you say you would only help once?"

Tsunade grinned and reached out to vigorously ruffle Yūto's hair. "Brat, I changed my mind!"

She turned to Minato and raised an eyebrow. "With me there, I guarantee I'll bring these two Uchiha brats back in one piece."

After weighing things up, Minato nodded solemnly. "With your assistance, I no longer need to worry about Yūto's safety."

Yūto looked at Tsunade, puzzled.

She had clearly already developed hemophobia, yet she had still agreed to help.

Though he did not know why she had suddenly changed her mind, he would remember this favor.

He turned to look at Minato, Tsukimi, and Tsunade, suddenly realizing that he had long since formed deep bonds with this shinobi world.

The Elder's last wish, Tsukimi's tears, the smiling faces of the children at the orphanage...

Since I can't die for now, I'll slaughter Dodai first!

Not long after Yūto arrived, a Kumogakure spy lay hidden in the bushes outside Konoha's camp, holding his breath.

Suddenly, two Uchiha ninja swept past along the branches above his head, seemingly unaware of his presence.

"Have you heard? We Uchiha are preparing to go after the Eight-Tails," one of them said in a low voice.

The spy's pupils contracted sharply, and he pressed his ear against the tree trunk.

"Lord Fugaku is leading the team himself. We move before dawn tomorrow."

Once the Uchiha were far away, the spy immediately tore off his camouflage and shot straight toward Kumogakure's camp in a streak of lightning.

He had to get this deadly intelligence into Lord Dodai's hands before Konoha made its move!

After the Kumogakure spy left, the two Uchiha from before immediately stopped.

Then both released their Transformation Technique.

It was Fugaku and Minato.

Watching the departing spy from a distance, Fugaku said quietly to Minato, "The fish has taken the bait. Now we'll see whether Dodai believes it."

Minato smiled gently. "If Kumogakure makes a move, the Hyuga Clan's ninja will spot it in time."

Dodai held the intelligence scroll delivered by the spy, his brows tightly furrowed.

Before he could make a decision, A furiously smashed a wooden table to pieces with his fist. "The lowly Uchiha dare set their sights on the Eight-Tails?!"

To A, Killer B was his own brother. Now that the Uchiha were after the Eight-Tails, how could A not be angry?

Killer B sat cross-legged on a Weapon Box. He showed no fear at all and even had the leisure to rap.

Perhaps that also had something to do with Killer B knowing he was a perfect jinchuriki.

"Stupid big brother, the Uchiha's Sharingan are all trash beneath my octopus tentacles, yo!"

Dodai glanced at the two of them and said gravely, "A, B, prepare to relocate."

"A, you'll personally escort Killer B."

A immediately objected when he heard this.

Lightning Release chakra crackled across his body. "Then let them come! I'll snap those Uchiha's necks myself!"

"Dodai, did that old Uchiha scare you out of your wits last time?"

"If the intelligence is fake and we move out a large number of ninja, won't the village's frontline camp be in danger?"

Dodai slapped the table. How could he not have considered what A had thought of?

Even if there might be something wrong with the intelligence, he would still choose to relocate Killer B.

Everyone in the camp combined was worth less than Killer B alone.

An elite jonin could decide the outcome of a battle, while a tailed beast could kill countless elite jonin.

Ignoring A and Killer B's words, Dodai said firmly, "This is an order. I am the camp's commander-in-chief!"

A grew angry as well. He had not expected Dodai to be such a coward.

"Dodai, you'll regret this!"

With that, he pulled Killer B out of the tent.

After spending much of the day in the cold wind outside the camp, A calmed down too.

Though running away was shameful, as the older brother, he had to protect his brother.

A patted off his backside and stood up, saying to Killer B beside him, "B, time to go!"

Killer B understood that his big brother had come around.

He did not care whether they retreated. More importantly, the current Killer B obeyed A's orders unconditionally.

Even if A now told him to defend the camp to the death, Killer B would carry it out without hesitation.

Inside the tent, Dodai marked up the map, searching for the best retreat route.

After pondering for a long time, he finally circled Takekuri Gorge.

Takekuri Gorge's location was simply too suitable: far from Konoha's camp and close to Kumogakure's camp.

Once they crossed Takekuri Gorge, they would immediately reach the Land of Lightning.

It would be no exaggeration to call Takekuri Gorge a passage connecting the Land of Lightning and the Land of Tō.

Yet after drawing the circle, Dodai felt an inexplicable surge of alarm.

It seemed he had made some momentous decision.

Shaking his head, Dodai regained his composure and asked Shiroi beside him, "Have A and Killer B finished their preparations?"

After Shiroi had offered him a strategy last time, Dodai had taken notice of the young man and kept him at his side to cultivate his command abilities.

If there were another war in the shinobi world, Shiroi would probably take Dodai's current position, commanding the front against a ninja village.

Shiroi lowered his head and said, "Lord A seems to have come around. He's ready to depart."

Dodai breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

Far from Kumogakure's camp, a ninja with the Byakugan closely watched the movements inside.

When he saw the Eight-Tails' distinctive, enormous chakra, he immediately said in a low voice, "Hurry back and report. The Eight-Tails is moving out!"