https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-569-We-ve-Never-Fought-With-Such-Abundance/12558852/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-571-White-Zetsu-Appears-The-Terrifying-Potential-of-War/12558854/
Chapter 570: The Hope that Shook the Ninja World
Chapter 570: The Hope that Shook the Ninja World
"Lord Iwaguro, our Anbu has obtained the latest critical intelligence on the Konoha ninja troops!"
An excited Iwagakure jonin entered the tent where Iwaguro was located to report this new development.
"Critical intelligence?" Iwaguro, who had already drifted off to sleep, jolted awake with interest.
Any information deemed critical would generally have a significant impact on the battle situation. The last time Iwagakure had achieved a major victory was due to knowledge of Konoha's main force location and deployment.
"That's right," the jonin continued excitedly. "We not only have news of Konoha's reinforcements but also their upcoming battle strategy."
With this intelligence, he could foresee an unprecedented triumph.
"Let me see," Iwaguro said, his curiosity piqued.
Retsushi, who had been severely injured, had already been sent to the rear for emergency treatment. For now, Iwaguro was in command of the Iwagakure forces.
Of course, he was only an acting commander; once Retsushi recovered and returned to the battlefield, Iwaguro would have to relinquish his position.
Taking the scroll of intelligence, Iwaguro quickly unfurled it and began to read its contents.
"The Konoha reinforcement vanguard, led by Hayato Uzuki, has joined forces with the Konoha Grass Country troops. Konoha has dispatched a total of one thousand ninjas, including the elite vanguard. Currently, nine hundred and fifty ninjas are still en route to the Grass Country..."
With each line he read, Iwaguro's eyes gleamed brighter.
After carefully reading through the entire report, Iwaguro felt like laughing aloud.
This was a heaven-sent opportunity. It was perfect timing, with his superior, Retsushi, away, and now they had critical intelligence on Konoha's forces.
"Even if we only eliminate a thousand ninjas, it will still be a victory worth celebrating!" Iwaguro's lips curled upward.
With the remnants of Jiraiya's forces and Konoha's reinforcements, there should be at least a thousand six hundred ninjas. If he could take out two-thirds of them, it would be a triumph worthy of recognition throughout Iwagakure.
Moreover, with such an outstanding performance, the 'acting' tag before his commander title would surely be removed.
Once he officially became the commander, he could continue to lead the two thousand Iwagakure ninjas to glory on the battlefield.
By the end of this, his standing in Iwagakure might even surpass that of Retsushi, and he could be nominated as a candidate for the Fourth Tsuchikage.
At this thought, Iwaguro could no longer contain the smile spreading across his face.
The Tsuchikage, one of the Five Kage, was the true pinnacle of power in the ninja world—an indisputable force.
"Gather the jonin within the forces, and let's commence a war council!" Iwaguro ordered.
If it had been Retsushi, he might have simply issued the orders without further discussion, but Iwaguro's standing among the Iwagakure forces was not as formidable. He needed to gain their support first.
Although it was currently sleeping hours, the ninjas had undergone special training and wouldn't be in a deep slumber. Some of the jonin didn't even need to be called; they naturally awoke at the slightest disturbance outside.
In the tent designated for war councils, Iwaguro began the meeting once all the jonin had assembled.
Iwaguro first had a ninja read out the entirety of the intelligence report and then asked, "What are your thoughts?"
"We should prepare for battle! Now that we have such detailed information, we must strike with full force and wipe out Konoha's troops!" Higaku declared.
They now knew the color of Konoha's underwear, so to speak; it would be a waste not to take action.
"Of course, we attack," the other jonin agreed.
Iwaguro nodded in satisfaction; his thoughts aligned with theirs. In possession of such critical intelligence, no one would choose to avoid the battle.
"My thoughts are the same as yours," Iwaguro said, a smile spreading across his face. "Not only will we fight, but we will also use this opportunity to completely shatter Konoha's defense line in the Grass Country and advance into the Land of Fire itself."
Iwaguro held a relatively high position within Iwagakure, and he knew that the village's higher-ups preferred a conservative, low-key approach.
Invading the Land of Fire was certainly not a low-key move, but this grand battle had been ordered by the Iwagakure higher-ups, giving them the freedom to fight without holding back. Iwaguro could focus on racking up impressive military achievements.
"However, we must have a plan," Iwaguro continued. "Even though we have the advantage in numbers, even with their reinforcements, it would be better to pick them off one by one.
We should aim to eliminate Konoha's Grass Country forces before their reinforcement main force arrives, and then deal with the reinforcements afterward." Iwaguro laid out his offensive strategy.
The intelligence report included detailed plans of the rendezvous between Konoha's Grass Country ninja forces and their reinforcement troops.
Iwaguro's plan gained the approval of most of the jonin, and they began to discuss how to fine-tune their strategy and address any potential issues.
One of the more imaginative ninjas even suggested immediately gathering their forces and launching a surprise attack on the Konoha ninja troops.
However, this proposal was not accepted. Intelligence transmission and travel both took time, and the report had mentioned that the Konoha ninja forces intended to get an early start after resting tonight.
If they rushed over now, they might find the area empty, and they could even risk exposing their intentions. If the Konoha ninja forces changed their plans because of this, it would be a significant loss.
"This is their second temporary resting place," Iwaguro said, pointing to a spot on the map—a forest with a small river deep within it.
What Iwaguro would never imagine was that Mu Yue and Jiraiya had deceived a group of Konoha jonin into holding a fake meeting to ensure their plan's success.
The abundance of intelligence left little room for discussion during the war council, and the specific operation plan was quickly finalized.
"It's true that you don't know your own strength until you fight a real battle," an Iwaguro jonin said with a relaxed smile. "I never expected our intelligence department to be so much better than Konoha's."
Anyone with a bit of insight knew that the battle's outcome was predetermined, and Konoha's crushing defeat was not due to the superior strength of the Iwaguro ninja forces. It was because they had completely outmaneuvered Konoha in the intelligence game.
If one were to liken this to a game, the battle between the Iwaguro forces and Jiraiya's forces would be like playing with a minimap that revealed the opponent's positions. They could even hear Jiraiya's voice through a linked audio connection, though it was one-way, and Jiraiya couldn't hear them.
The Iwaguro jonin wore satisfied smiles, finally releasing the pent-up frustration they had felt before. This recent battle had been truly exhilarating.
As the meeting concluded, Iwaguro assembled the Iwaguro ninja forces and began their rapid march toward their destination.
Even though it was only 1 a.m., not a single ninja dragged their feet. They all prepared swiftly and silently followed the main force.
"After this battle, the entire ninja world will know my name," Iwaguro thought proudly, gazing at the black sky adorned with only a few stars.
If everything went according to his plan, this campaign would become one of Konoha's most devastating defeats in recent years.
As dawn approached, the Iwaguro ninja forces neared the second resting spot mentioned in the intelligence.
Although the information indicated that the Konoha ninja forces planned to arrive later that evening, Iwaguro remained vigilant. He ordered the sensory ninjas in his team to use their jutsu to scan the area.
"Lord Iwaguro, I don't sense any ninja chakra!" The sensory ninja canceled his hand seals and reported with his eyes open.
"Keep moving forward!" Iwaguro nodded with a smile.
Everything they encountered reinforced the authenticity of their intelligence, and victory seemed within reach.
Looking at the tall trees deep in the forest, Iwaguro felt exceptionally pleased.
It was as if each tree represented a Konoha ninja he would soon defeat.
"No wonder this place is only meant for a temporary rest," Iwaguro remarked as he observed the surrounding terrain. "It's relatively concealed, but the terrain is easy to attack and difficult to defend."
The terrain made Iwaguro feel somewhat insecure, so he quickly organized patrol squads to survey the area.
The Iwaguro forces had fewer sensory ninjas than Konoha, and they couldn't afford to have their scarce sensory ninjas using their jutsu continuously. Hence, patrols by ordinary ninjas were also crucial.
After a short while, seeing that the surroundings remained calm, the Iwaguro forces relaxed completely.
"Our intelligence department is truly amazing. Their accuracy is spot-on," one of the Iwaguro ninjas praised.
If they had such detailed intelligence for every battle, they could take on ninja forces with 1.5 times their number and still have a fighting chance.
Iwaguro then began arranging for the ninjas to rest in batches. They had barely slept, and with the night march, the Iwaguro forces were exhausted and needed rest.
However, to prevent any surprises, Iwaguro couldn't allow all his ninjas to sleep soundly at once. He organized shifts, with some ninjas resting while others kept watch and set up traps.
After making all the necessary arrangements, Iwaguro also prepared to get some rest.
As a commander, he had more to think about and do than the average Iwaguro ninja, and he needed his rest.
BOOM!!!
An incredibly powerful explosion shattered the silence, and the bright crimson flames of the blast shone vividly in the dawn's early light.
Iwaguro, who had just lain down, instantly lost all desire to sleep. He jumped up, his eyes wide open.
BOOM!
It seemed to trigger a chain reaction, and soon another explosion rocked the area, bathing the surrounding Iwaguro ninjas in fiery red light.
"Damn, we've fallen for it!" Iwaguro's expression turned ugly.
Although he didn't yet understand how the Konoha ninjas had pulled this off, it was clear that the explosions were triggered by explosive tags.
The intelligence was fake. The Konoha ninjas had already been here and had set up traps.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
