"Everyone, something's not right with the Hidden Cloud Ninja. Although they've assembled quite a number of ninjas, they have been neither aggressive nor passive... It's nothing like they're waging war with us."
After pausing the offensive, Hatake Sakumo gathered everyone to discuss the matter.
They had already pushed the frontline camp to the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, and dispatched numerous ninja squads to patrol the Land of Hot Water, sometimes even entering the Land of Lightning to fight against the Hidden Cloud Ninja.
Against a military superpower where martial arts are prevalent, Hatake Sakumo's arrangements could be seen as a provocation, yet the Hidden Cloud Ninja's resistance has been notably weak, only counterattacking when Konoha's task squads enter the Land of Lightning.
The war has been going on for two months now, and Uchiha Yoichi has amassed five opportunities to draw from, with six possible by next month and two chances for redemption, but the war on this side has seen no progress.
Compared to the battle conditions against the Hidden Rock and Grass Village Ninja, the situation at the Land of Hot Water could be considered mere skirmishes; in two months, thirty-seven have died here, while the number over there is nearly tenfold.
"If they're not intimidated by Lord Sakumo and Mr. Yoichi's reputation, then they're up to something. We need more intelligence... and perhaps infiltrate behind the Hidden Cloud lines to gather it."
As Orochimaru spoke, he glanced at Uchiha Yoichi, akin to when he last obtained information about the Two-tailed Beast.
"But perhaps the Hidden Cloud learned their lesson and won't use that method to transmit information again."
"Have the Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud really joined forces? If the two great Ninja Villages had allied, the Hidden Cloud should have launched several attacks, giving us some pressure."
A Jonin from the Nara Race spoke, "Now, the Hidden Rock side has suffered over two hundred casualties, but the Hidden Cloud seem not in any hurry."
Although the Hidden Cloud also suffered at least a hundred casualties, compared to the other side, this battlefield is not intense at all; moreover, among those hundred casualties, a third were dealt with by Uchiha Yoichi while he was on missions.
Nowadays, as soon as the Hidden Cloud encounter Uchiha Yoichi and realize it's him, they'll immediately have all their squad members disperse and flee.
Just surviving an encounter with the Konoha Lightning Fang is something to brag about.
Hatake Sakumo spoke, "There is another matter. The Third Generation Hokage wishes to deploy two hundred ninjas from this side to aid the other battlefield, hoping that we can contract our defenses."
Upon hearing this, the other Jonin in the tent fell silent, voicing no objections.
Uchiha Yoichi frowned and asked, "Can't we send reinforcements from the village?"
"Currently, the village needs to retain ninja to deal with the Hidden Sand and Hidden Mist; we can't risk everything by pressing all ninjas into the Land of Grass battlefield.... We simply have too few ninjas; facing two ninja villages is really stretching us thin."
There are already over two thousand Konoha Ninja on the Land of Grass battlefield, while the Land of Hot Water only has fifteen hundred ninjas; if two hundred are sent to the other side, and the Hidden Cloud suddenly launches an attack... we'll be the ones suffering.
However, the ninja remaining in the village are indeed few; to date, the registered ninja numbers are only near ten thousand; if you subtract those who died in the First and Second Ninja World Wars, Konoha's registered ninja count might only be about seven thousand.
And now, almost half the ninjas have been deployed on the two battlefronts, and the Hidden Sand, with a history of invasions, cannot be entrusted to the Hidden Rain for defense.
"Although it's not ideal here, it's Lord Hokage's order, Mr. Yoichi, Mr. Hayama, each choose a hundred from your Ninja Corps to assist."
Hatake Sakumo spoke, as the Third Generation Hokage didn't negotiate but directly ordered, he only had to comply.
"Understood."
Uchiha Yoichi and Shirakumo Hayama stated, preparing to handle this task following the end of the discussion.
"In addition, continue to enhance intelligence gathering, and increase patrol squads; Mr. Ryota, I'll leave this matter to you."
"Understood, Jonin Hatake."
The Hidden Cloud war has progressed to a point where even Hatake Sakumo doesn't quite understand it, though they didn't lack contingencies; Orochimaru has created a Summoning Seal and prepared blood in advance.
As long as some Chunin and Genin are arranged to use the Summoning Jutsu beforehand, they can summon ten giant snakes over a hundred meters long on the battlefield.
The appearance of these giant snakes could pose a significant threat to the Hidden Cloud, considering Orochimaru and Uchiha Yoichi also possess Summoned Beasts.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's another reason for wanting to send Uzumaki Minami to the battlefield was that Uzumaki Minami would take Gates, but after learning that Uzumaki Minami was pregnant, he abandoned this plan.
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On the other side, in the Land of Grass battlefield, although Namikaze Minato received reinforcements, it was barely enough to stabilize the situation.
It's incredibly difficult to have one Ninja Village contend with three, and the Hidden Rock, Grass Village, and Hidden Waterfall Ninja, knowing that Konoha Ninja are few, deliberately attack in multiple places to exhaust them.
Even Danzo's Root faced setbacks; he had initially planned to have the Root quietly infiltrate behind the Hidden Rock lines for assassination and sabotage but lost over a dozen Root Ninja without success.
Fortunately, these Root Ninja didn't die in vain; they at least destroyed a Hidden Rock supply line and uncovered critical information: the Hidden Rock Village's supply route, and the Grass Village's supply point.
Previously, only the Hidden Cloud Village could use the Six Paths Ninja Tools to transport supplies without pressure; other villages required manpower, as Storage Scrolls couldn't hold much.