Immediately after, Uchiha Shigure and Kakuzu arrived at the gates of Konoha Village.
There stood Hyūga Akane, with her red hair and Byakugan; the masked sword master Hatake Kusuo; and the leader of Team Seven, Hyūga Hizashi.
"Shigure! You finally remembered us!" Kusuo called out. He hadn't seen Shigure in a long time, but then his eyes shifted to the unfamiliar figure beside him.
"Who is this person?" Kusuo asked, puzzled. He had never seen anyone in Konoha Village with such a villainous face.
"Ah, this is my employee, named Kakuzu. He'll be accompanying us this time, acting as my assistant," Shigure explained.
Hyūga Akane, standing nearby, smiled and said, "No matter what, at least I'll get to fight alongside Shigure this time."
"To stand shoulder to shoulder with you, these two have been working very hard," Hizashi added quietly.
"To stand shoulder to shoulder with me? First, they should set a small goal of surpassing me, shouldn't they?" Shigure said with a playful smile.
However, Hizashi then stated seriously, "This time, I am not participating as a squad leader jōnin, but as a Konoha ninja. The rest of us will follow Shigure's arrangements—because Shigure is our commander this time… No, I should say Shigure is the overall person in charge of the Konoha side in this battle."
Everyone nodded in agreement, fully indicating their trust in Shigure's leadership.
"Don't worry. Even though we haven't reached the front line yet, I believe our battle this time will surely end in victory! Because we are Konoha's Team Seven!" Shigure declared firmly. All his past experiences had strengthened him and taught him the power of unity and will.
Encouraged by Shigure's words, Team Seven was filled with renewed confidence.
"Boss, you really seem to have leadership qualities," Kakuzu remarked with a sly grin.
Shigure laughed. "Kakuzu, when did you become so good with words?"
"I heard bosses like to hear nice things. When they're happy, they promote you and raise your salary. But what I said isn't flattery—it's the truth," Kakuzu said honestly.
"Alright… Kakuzu… you don't need to explain anymore. The more you explain, the more awkward it gets. Just follow my instructions, and you'll definitely earn a higher salary," Shigure said, exasperated yet amused. He could sense Kakuzu's subtle change in attitude.
"Shigure, Lord Third Hokage has already informed me of the mission's general outline. But could you elaborate on the specific details?" Hizashi suggested.
Shigure nodded, took out a continental map, and began to explain.
"It's rumored that the Sand Village intends to expand its territory. Recently, they've dispatched a large number of ninja troops to invade the Land of Rivers. If the Land of Rivers is completely occupied by Sunagakure, it will directly threaten Konoha. The Land of Fire has always maintained friendly relations with the Land of Rivers—and as the saying goes, 'when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.' Therefore, we must provide support and suppress Sunagakure's invasion there."
"According to intelligence, Lord Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, has already established a main base within the forests of the Land of Fire to prevent surprise attacks from Sunagakure. We'll head there first—but our objective isn't to defend endlessly. It's to find a breakthrough and repel them completely."
As Shigure finished, Hizashi nodded, sensing the Third Hokage's meticulous foresight.
"Only by experiencing the true cruelty of the battlefield can one truly grow. Will the four of us be the key figures in this battle?" Hizashi asked with calm anticipation.
"Hizashi-sensei! Don't worry! We're no longer the same as when we first started doing missions! Each of us in Team Seven has grown," Kusuo said with passion, unable to contain his burning anticipation.
Akane also seemed to have shed her former fears.
"This time, I definitely won't hold us back. I've improved a lot too," she said, her heart full of fighting spirit.
Only Kakuzu crossed his arms and muttered, "A bunch of kids. I hope you don't die out there."
"Alright, Team Seven! Move out!" Everyone shouted in unison.
The four members, led by Shigure, departed from Konoha Village and rushed westward.
Along the way, vast forests stretched across the Land of Fire. The team traveled quickly, taking almost no rest. After several days, they arrived at Konoha's forward operating base.
The commander of the main base was none other than Orochimaru of the Sannin.
Orochimaru's expression shifted slightly when he saw Shigure, and then his golden eyes lingered on Kakuzu for a long moment.
Shigure greeted him respectfully. "Lord Orochimaru, how are things on the front line?"
Orochimaru replied in his distinct, soft tone, "Currently, the Sand Village has dispatched multiple ninja platoons to invade the Land of Rivers. According to our intelligence, the Land of Rivers has virtually no resistance and is expected to have its canyon crossings breached this afternoon."
Shigure's expression tightened. "They'll cross the Land of Rivers Canyon this afternoon? Doesn't Konoha have any resistance strategy prepared?"
"I believe resistance would be futile. It would be better to hold our position in the Land of Fire's forests. We're familiar with this terrain—it would be much easier to fight here," Orochimaru replied, his voice cool and deliberate.
"What about you, Shigure? Lord Hiruzen appointed you as commander for this battle, didn't he? What do you intend to do?" Orochimaru asked in a subtly challenging tone.
Shigure immediately understood. Orochimaru had been the original commander, and having a younger ninja suddenly take over would naturally provoke dissatisfaction. Though Orochimaru recognized Shigure's strength, commanding an army was an entirely different matter.
Hizashi and the others sensed the tension forming. The mission hasn't even begun, and they're already about to clash? they thought.
"Lord Orochimaru… Lord Shigure is still new to the battlefield and needs continuous training to—" Before Hizashi could finish, Shigure interrupted, "It's alright, Hizashi-sensei. I have my own methods."
"Oh? Bold words. Let's hear them," Orochimaru narrowed his serpentine eyes.
Shigure unrolled the map and spoke calmly.
"Please take a look, everyone. This is the Land of Rivers. The entire region is dominated by a long canyon that stretches for thousands of kilometers from north to south. If Sunagakure occupies it, they'll be in a position to threaten Konoha directly."
"You're correct," Orochimaru said, "but precisely because of the canyon's length, we can't know where they'll attack after crossing it. If we scatter our forces to defend every possible entry point, we'll be divided and easily destroyed—losing our geographic advantage."
"Orochimaru, have you thought about why Sunagakure is expanding militarily?" Shigure asked.
--
Unlock 50 exclusive advanced chapters for just $10 – don't miss out! Check the synopsis/description for the link! 🚀
Loved this fic? 🔥 Then you'll absolutely binge my other hits — "Douluo Dalu: Ten Thousand Years Early System!" & "Douluo Dalu: The Godly Drunkard System" — don't miss out!