Behind the forward mountain defenses, a five-hundred-man reserve force stood ready under the command of Shikaku Nara and Uzumaki Kushina.
They were the final hinge of the formation—prepared to reinforce any collapsing sector at a moment's notice.
"One through Four Peaks are each facing roughly fifteen hundred enemy shinobi," a Hyūga scout reported. "The allied army has committed six thousand to the first wave."
Shikaku frowned slightly.
Something felt wrong.
If he were commanding an overwhelming numerical advantage, he would fix equal forces against three peaks and concentrate superior numbers to shatter the fourth.
Break one point decisively.
Collapse the rest in sequence.
Instead—
The enemy had evenly distributed six thousand across all four peaks.
Yes, this ensured local superiority everywhere—
But it also created a drawn-out engagement.
And time—
Was the one thing the allied army supposedly lacked.
More troubling still—
Four thousand enemy shinobi remained uncommitted.
Shikaku's mind raced.
He had deliberately extended Konoha's defensive perimeter to bait the enemy into committing more troops.
Yet they held back a substantial reserve.
If those four thousand remained flexible, Orochimaru's two thousand-man ambush might lose its decisive impact.
Too many unknowns.
Too little information.
Still—
Shikaku's expression remained calm.
He waited.
Then—
"Second Peak shows a powerful chakra signature!" the Hyūga scout exclaimed. "Lord Jin has engaged high-level opponents! Based on chakra analysis, it's Iwagakure's Kitsuchi and the Four-Tails' jinchūriki, Rōshi!"
Shikaku nodded faintly.
"And First Peak? Third? Fourth? Any top-tier signatures there?"
"Not yet—wait!"
The Hyūga's voice faltered.
On Fourth Peak, something had changed.
Shikaku strained his vision, but from this distance he could see only flashes of explosions and clashing steel.
"What's happening?"
The scout swallowed.
"Fourth Peak's defensive line is collapsing! Clan Head Hiashi has signaled for reinforcement!"
"The attacking force there appears to consist largely of chūnin-level or higher shinobi. Our defenders can't hold!"
"Elite concentration…" Shikaku murmured.
He didn't react emotionally.
"Any movement from the remaining four thousand enemy reserves?"
The Hyūga blinked—then quickly shifted his gaze further out.
"Yes! Three thousand are advancing toward Fourth Peak! It appears they intend to break the entire line through that sector!"
"Three thousand…"
Shikaku's eyes narrowed.
That was excessive.
If their goal was to punch through and encircle the remaining peaks, they didn't need three thousand.
And committing that many reduced their forward reserve to barely one thousand—
Potentially exposing themselves elsewhere.
Which meant—
Encirclement wasn't the real objective.
He thought for only a heartbeat.
Then turned to Inoichi Yamanaka, who stood beside specialized communication equipment.
"Inoichi. Contact Hiashi and the Fourth Peak defenders. Order a fighting withdrawal. No desperate resistance."
Inoichi closed his eyes immediately.
No hesitation.
Years of Ino–Shika–Chō coordination required no explanation.
Shikaku turned back to the Hyūga scout.
"The moment our withdrawal begins, report every enemy reaction. Do not miss a detail."
"Yes!"
Moments later—
"That's strange," the scout said urgently. "The three thousand reserves have reached Fourth Peak—but they're not assisting in widening the breach."
"They're advancing straight through!"
"They're ignoring counterattacks and pressing forward at full speed!"
Shikaku's eyes flashed.
"So that's it."
"They're aiming for Konoha Village."
It was obvious now.
If the enemy wanted merely to break Fourth Peak, they would consolidate and secure the sector first.
Instead—
They were pushing through recklessly.
Which meant their target lay beyond the battlefield.
Konoha itself.
That was always the true objective of this campaign.
If they could bypass Kikyo Mountain and threaten the village directly—
The fortress battle became secondary.
If enemy troops appeared beneath Konoha's walls—
The psychological blow alone would be devastating.
Shikaku exhaled slowly.
"Impressive," he muttered. "Abandoning Kikyo Mountain to attempt a lightning strike on Konoha."
Dangerous.
But bold.
And within danger—
Opportunity.
He acted immediately.
"Inoichi. Inform Chōza Akimichi to rotate to First Peak and relieve Minato."
"No counteroffensive required. Stabilize the line only."
"Have Minato Namikaze return at once."
Inoichi transmitted the order without pause.
Shikaku continued, eyes sharp.
"Contact Obito Uchiha."
"There are no high-tier threats in his sector."
"Tell him to stop holding back."
"Full assault. Break through their formation. Force their remaining thousand reserves to divert toward Third Peak."
He paused.
Cold light flickered in his gaze.
"And send the signal to Orochimaru."
"Begin the attack."
The trap was closing.
And this time—
It wasn't the allied army that was hunting.
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