Sunagakure had prepared for this war.
But preparation alone could not make up for the difference in strength.
After being weakened again and again, the village no longer had the power to endure a long war on two fronts. With Iwagakure pressing in from one side and Kumogakure striking from another, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, Chiyo, and Ebizō originally planned to gather their forces first, crush one enemy army, and then turn to face the other.
However, the situation in the Land of Wind changed faster than they expected.
Cities were plundered.
Nobles were taken captive.
Farmlands were burned, mines were seized, and the losses continued to spread. For the daimyō and officials of the Land of Wind, this was no longer something they could watch from a distance.
The damage to their territory was one thing.
But once the nobles themselves began to suffer, the matter became impossible to ignore.
To protect their own interests, the daimyō of the Land of Wind immediately sent officials to Sunagakure, ordering the village to drive back Iwagakure and Kumogakure as quickly as possible.
Sunagakure relied heavily on the daimyō and the nobles for funding.
Because of that, the village had no room to refuse.
Even knowing how dangerous it was, Rasa could only grit his teeth and split their forces into two divisions.
The Third Raikage's strength was well known throughout the ninja world. His body, his speed, and his monstrous taijutsu made him an especially bad opponent for puppet users.
Because of that, Rasa and Chiyo led two thousand shinobi to hold back Iwagakure's invasion.
As for the coastal front, Ebizō led fifteen hundred shinobi along with Bunpuku, the jinchūriki monk, to stop Kumogakure's advance.
At this point, Sunagakure had almost emptied itself.
Even students who had yet to graduate from the Academy were forced through emergency graduation, given forehead protectors, and sent to the battlefield as genin.
Everyone in the village understood the truth.
With Sunagakure's current strength, they could not truly defeat either Iwagakure or Kumogakure.
All they could do was hold on.
Hold the line.
Delay the enemy.
And wait for Konoha's reinforcements.
That was Sunagakure's only remaining strategy.
At the same time, after receiving Sunagakure's request for aid, Konoha did not waste any time. A meeting was called immediately.
The question was not whether they should save Sunagakure.
That had already been decided long ago.
Supporting Sunagakure was part of Konoha's broader strategy.
The real question was how they should save them.
And more importantly, after saving them, how could Konoha make Sunagakure depend on them completely?
Inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was heavy.
Danzō was the first to speak.
"This is a rare chance," he said coldly. "We should use it to remove every faction in Sunagakure that still resists Konoha. Any shinobi hostile to us should be dealt with now."
Hiruzen frowned.
"That would go too far, Danzō. If we push them like that, Sunagakure's hatred for Konoha will only deepen."
Homura Mitokado nodded from the side.
"Hiruzen is right. If we are too forceful, it may leave trouble for the future."
Koharu Utatane looked toward Danzō with a stern expression.
"Your methods are always too extreme."
Danzō's single visible eye narrowed.
"And if we miss this chance?" he asked. "Once Sunagakure recovers, what do you think they will do? Bow their heads forever? No. They will rebuild their strength and betray us the moment they no longer need us."
For a moment, the office fell silent.
Then Hiruzen slowly nodded.
"Danzō's concern is not wrong."
Homura looked at him.
"Hiruzen, then what do you intend to do?"
Hiruzen placed both hands on the desk, his expression firm.
"Sunagakure will receive aid. But they must accept Konoha's educational support."
Koharu's brows tightened slightly.
"Educational support?"
"The children and descendants of Sunagakure's high-ranking officials, including the Kazekage's own line, must be sent to Konoha to study."
Hiruzen's tone left no room for misunderstanding.
"This is not a request. It will be one of the conditions for our support."
This idea had come from what Kizaru had once mentioned to him about a system for foreign students.
Danzō's lips curled faintly.
"I agree."
Koharu still looked hesitant.
"Hiruzen, will Sunagakure really accept such a thing?"
"They will have to," Hiruzen said. "This point is not negotiable."
After saying that, Hiruzen turned his gaze toward the corner of the room.
Kizaru was sitting there lazily, leaning back as if the entire meeting had nothing to do with him. His eyes were half-lidded, and from the look on his face, he seemed more interested in finding a good place to nap than discussing the fate of another village.
"Kizaru," Hiruzen said. "What do you think?"
Hearing his name, Kizaru slowly raised his head.
He scratched the side of his head, looking troubled.
"Ooh… me?"
His tone dragged lazily, as if even speaking required effort.
"I only have one thing to say."
Everyone looked at him.
Kizaru blinked slowly.
"If we keep talking like this… won't Sunagakure be gone before we finish?"
The office went quiet.
Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu all paused at once.
Only then did they realize it.
They had been so focused on how to use this opportunity to control Sunagakure that they had almost ignored the most immediate question.
How long could Sunagakure actually last?
Homura adjusted his glasses, his tone no longer as calm as before.
"With Sunagakure's remaining strength… holding for a few days should still be possible."
But even he did not sound completely certain.
Hiruzen lit his pipe and took a slow breath of smoke.
"Time is limited," he said. "Kizaru, continue. What is your suggestion?"
Kizaru rested his chin on one hand.
"Sunagakure is too weak right now to protect the Land of Wind by itself."
He spoke slowly, still wearing that careless expression.
"So, as their allies, Konoha can kindly send a shinobi force into the Land of Wind and station it there for a long time."
The room became still.
Kizaru smiled faintly.
"Sunagakure only needs to lend us a piece of land. Free of charge, of course. Just enough for Konoha to build a base."
Danzō's eye lit up.
For someone like him, the value of that suggestion was obvious.
A permanent Konoha base inside the Land of Wind.
A long-term military presence.
Combined with the foreign student system, Sunagakure would no longer be an equal ally.
It would become a village that could not move without considering Konoha first.
"I agree," Danzō said immediately.
Homura did not answer right away.
As one of the Hokage's advisers, he could naturally see how useful Kizaru's proposal was.
If Konoha could truly station a shinobi force in the Land of Wind for the long term, then Sunagakure's independence would exist in name only.
But there was one problem.
Would Sunagakure ever agree to such a condition?
Hiruzen had the same concern.
"What if they refuse?" he asked.
Kizaru's smile became even more careless.
"Then ask for something even worse first."
The four elders froze.
A second later, they all understood.
The meaning was simple.
First, Konoha would make an extreme demand that Sunagakure could not possibly accept. Once Sunagakure rejected it, Konoha would step back and offer the "lighter" condition of stationing troops and taking students into Konoha.
Compared to the first demand, the second one would appear much easier to accept.
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened slightly.
He had used similar methods countless times in political bargaining.
But hearing Kizaru summarize it so casually made the idea feel even cleaner.
More direct.
More effective.
Hiruzen looked at his disciple with open appreciation.
Kizaru truly was unusual.
Powerful, talented, sharp-minded, and still impossible to read.
How exactly had this child grown up?
"Danzō," Hiruzen said after a moment. "You will handle the first round of negotiations with Sunagakure."
Danzō understood immediately.
He smiled faintly and nodded.
"Leave it to me."
With the most troublesome matter settled, Hiruzen moved on.
"Now, about the support force. Who should we send?"
The office fell silent again.
Then, as if they had already reached the same conclusion without speaking, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu all turned their eyes toward Kizaru.
There was no better candidate.
Kizaru could fly.
His speed and mobility were unmatched in the ninja world.
His stamina in battle was abnormal, and his destructive power was enough to change the course of an entire battlefield by himself.
For supporting Sunagakure, no one was more suitable.
Kizaru looked at the four of them staring at him and smiled.
"Ooh… how scary."
Hiruzen ignored his lazy complaint.
"Kizaru, you will leave first and reinforce Sunagakure. The main support force will follow after you, led by Danzō."
Kizaru crossed one leg over the other and touched his chin.
"The Raikage and the Tsuchikage should give me some face, right?"
"There is no need to defeat them," Hiruzen said, his voice carrying a deeper meaning. "Just preserve Sunagakure's remaining strength."
Kizaru understood at once.
His teacher did not want him to save Sunagakure too early.
He was to wait until Sunagakure had been bled badly enough that they could no longer stand without Konoha.
Only then would he step in.
After all, a Sunagakure that had been crippled and could only rely on Konoha would be the most suitable ally.
Kizaru's smile did not change.
"Ooh… what a difficult job."
Danzō glanced at him.
"I will arrive with the support force as soon as possible."
Hiruzen nodded, then looked toward Homura and Koharu.
"Homura, Koharu, summon the jōnin squads. Form the support unit immediately."
The two advisers nodded at the same time.
"Understood."
Just as the meeting seemed to be ending, Kizaru spoke again.
"For the support force, I suggest taking more shinobi from the Uchiha clan."
Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu all looked at him.
The room grew quiet.
Danzō's gaze became colder.
"The Uchiha?"
Hiruzen also looked puzzled.
"Why them?"
Kizaru leaned back in his chair, still smiling lazily.
"Haven't they been making noise about Hashirama cells?"
His tone was light, but the meaning behind his words was sharp.
"Then give them a battlefield. Let them earn merit."
Hiruzen's eyes flickered.
Danzō also understood.
The Uchiha had been restless lately, demanding more benefits and arguing over the Hashirama cell matter.
Instead of letting them cause trouble inside the village, it would be better to send them to the front.
If they performed well, Konoha could reward them openly.
If they died on the battlefield, the village would have fewer problems.
Either way, their dissatisfaction would be suppressed for the time being.
The headache that had been troubling Hiruzen suddenly seemed much easier to handle.
He looked at Kizaru again, unable to hide the approval in his eyes.
This disciple of his really was frightening.
Lazy on the surface.
But when he opened his mouth, every word struck exactly where it needed to.
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