"Currently, our offensive in the southern mining area and the Third Elder's residence has encountered fierce resistance. Although there have been some regional breakthroughs, casualties are continuing to rise."
"The advance in the central plaza and other areas is progressing smoothly, and we have successfully controlled many key strongholds."
"However, the Council of Elders has deployed a large number of elite troops and various defensive measures in these core areas, and our progress is gradually slowing down."
"Concentrate our efforts on dealing with the Three Elders and the surrounding areas first, and then take control of the west."
Inside the meeting room, everyone was rapidly analyzing the situation via a 3D projector.
Apart from its Armed Forces Department, the Reform Society's other five core departments each had their own directly subordinate troops, numbering only around two hundred people.
When the topic of troop deployment came up, everyone's expressions turned grim again.
The other four people's armed forces have already been dispatched, while the armed forces that clashed with the Second Elder in front of the building belong to the Scientific Research Department.
The main reason is that the Scientific Research Department, Hoshino, has not yet logged in, so the operational authority of this unit is strictly limited. Others cannot mobilize it, and it can only be used to protect the Reform Society building.
Just as everyone was nervously discussing countermeasures, the communications ninja suddenly rushed in and reported.
"This is bad! We just received a message that nearly two thousand ninjas have left their posts at the border and are heading towards Sunagakure. They are estimated to arrive within an hour!"
This news came like a bolt from the blue, making the atmosphere in the meeting room even more tense.
Temari gritted her teeth and said, "Haven't we made contact with Hoshino yet? Our forces are currently scattered across various battlefields. Without the intervention of the Armed Forces Department, these enemies will be difficult to deal with!"
Gaara shook his head and said, "We can't get in touch with them. Hoshino's private lab is still locked down. How about I go keep watch at the village entrance? Shukaku and I together should be able to hold them off."
"No!" Temari immediately objected, "Even if you are Jinchūriki, you still can't fight against a large number of ninja troops. It's too dangerous."
Kankuro suggested, "Why don't we send the border troops to intercept those ninjas?"
Rasa said in a deep voice, "That won't work either! Three thousand against two thousand would result in heavy casualties, and there's also a thousand ninjas whose attitudes are unclear that need to be watched over."
"Furthermore, the complete departure of the border garrison will give Iwagakure and Konoha a bad feeling."
Ultimately, the intervention of the Armed Forces Department is necessary.
After all, the Armed Forces Department was established to deal with the ninja forces of the Council of Elders, but Hoshino just messed up at the crucial moment.
It seems that this system of five people jointly governing is flawed, and preventative measures should have been taken in advance.
Just as everyone was filled with anxiety, the conference room door suddenly opened.
When everyone looked up, they saw faint black lines flowing beneath Hoshino's panel, and his entire body exuded a strange and unsettling aura.
At this moment, he had completely abandoned his previous gentle demeanor, replaced by a powerful and oppressive aura that made people afraid to look him in the eye.
"Are you Puppet Clone... or the real person?" Temari couldn't help but ask.
In truth, she was more inclined to believe it was Puppet Clone.
After all, the change was too great. His temperament was completely different from the Hoshino she knew. Only Puppet Clone could be so changeable, and Hoshino's real body rarely left the laboratory.
Unfortunately, Temari's guess was wrong.
"I am the original!" Hoshino sat down in his seat without saying a word.
"I understand the situation. Begin authorizing the Armed Forces Department!"
The Reform Society's Armed Forces Department, totaling two thousand people, has completed full-body cybernetic transformations and possesses the latest modules from its Scientific Research Department.
Directly led by four deputy ministers, it integrates the three major fields of Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and firearms, constructing a comprehensive and multi-layered combat system.
Designed specifically for group operations, it perfectly encompasses various combat scenarios, including long-range, medium-range, and close-range combat.
[Authorization begins; all members vote.]
Without hesitation, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Rasa placed their hands on the terminal almost simultaneously.
"Agree."
"Agree."
"Agree."
"Agree."
Five electronic voices confirming the authorization sounded in succession.
[ The Reform Society's supreme directive, authorizing the Armed Forces Department to conduct full-scale operations, is now in effect.]
[ Armed Forces Department - Strike]
The ground in Sunagakure began to tremble.
boom--
Five hidden underground passages opened simultaneously, and two thousand cybernetically enhanced ninjas surged out like an iron torrent.
"Group A, consisting of 500 people and led by Vice Minister Lan, Council of Elders' Council strongholds."
"Team B, consisting of 500 people led by Vice Minister Hizuki, will establish an ambush position three kilometers outside the village, ensuring that none of the two thousand ninjas are left alive."
"Group C, consisting of 1,000 men, will be led by the remaining two deputy ministers and will be dispatched to the border in batches to replenish the vacant troops."
Following the issuance of orders from the five top leaders.
Two thousand ninja in disguise, like finely tuned war machines, swiftly rushed to their respective battlefields.
The ground trembled from their perfectly synchronized movements, the hum of mechanical joints and the hissing of Chakra flow weaving together into a chilling battle hymn.
Inside the meeting room.
Hoshino, Gaara, Rasa stood up one after another.
As originally planned, Hoshino, Gaara, Rasa were to clear out the Council of Elders's influence in three different directions, Temari and Kankuro would stay behind at the Reform Society building to oversee the entire area.
At the edge of the conference table, three holographic maps suddenly rose up, marking the real-time battle situation in the Council of Elders ' residential area, the southern mining area, and the main road.
After gazing at the map for a moment, Hoshino pointed and said, "I'll go to the southern mining area. I'll take a look at the Council of Elders ' research findings."
Gaara said in a deep voice, "Leave the residential area to me."
Rasa then said, "I'll handle the main road."
"..."
"In that case, let's deal with the Second Elder and his cronies in front of the building first!"
Let's go!
Without another word, the three turned and rushed out the door, disappearing into the night.
Temari and Kankuro immediately stood in front of the command platform, and dozens of screens lit up instantly, projecting images and data from various battlefields into the air.
In front of the building, the Scientific Research Department's directly affiliated departments were engaged in a fierce battle with the Second Elder's puppet army.
The energy beams fired from the specially made Chakra rifle collided with Ninjutsu and Shuriken, sparking dazzling sparks.
The brightly lit square was shrouded in smoke, the ground was riddled with craters of varying depths, broken puppet parts and ninja remnants were scattered among the scorched earth, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of burning metal and blood.
But the moment Hoshino and his two companions arrived, a sandstorm, Gold Dust, and swarms of insects swarmed in, instantly killing at least two hundred puppets.
Upon seeing this, the Second Elder's expression changed drastically. He immediately ordered the remaining ninja troops to return to reinforce, with the puppet army at the forefront.
The Scientific Research Department also began to retreat, blocking the way for Hoshino and his companions, watching the enemy with predatory eyes.
"Minister!" The captain approached Hoshino and bowed his head.
"Okay!" Hoshino nodded, then turned to Rasa and Gaara and said, "Make this quick, and try to spare some survivors, Second Elder."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gaara and Rasa worked together to manipulate the sand, instantly condensing it into a giant sand hand that blotted out the sky above the battlefield.