Chapter 90: Prelude to the Decisive Battle
Chapter 90: Prelude to the Decisive Battle
Feng Ye's encounter with Tsunade was but a small interlude in the grand scheme of the war, and the only person privy to the details was Shizune. The outcome of the war had already been determined by the previous ambush and annihilation of the Sand Ninja strike force, and nothing could stop what was to come.
The war continued to escalate towards a full-blown eruption.
After days of 'treating' Tsunade, Jiraiya had finally formulated a comprehensive battle plan and made all the necessary preparations.
...
Three days later.
Inside the central command tent of the Konoha encampment.
Jiraiya slapped the edge of the sand table map, adorned with various little flags, and looked up, his gaze sweeping across the many elite jonin present in the tent.
"Then, our full-scale counter-offensive will officially commence tomorrow!"
"Next is the battle plan!"
"Jonin Shika, Jonin Ino... You will lead the first and second combat units, bypass the southern hills, and attack the enemy's flank!"
Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka acknowledged Jiraiya's instructions with calm responses.
Jiraiya then turned to his right and addressed Minato Namikaze, "Minato, you lead the fifth and sixth combat units, bypass the north, and engage the enemy's right-wing forces!"
"Yes."
Minato responded with a serene tone, reflecting his composure and confidence as an exceptional ninja. Even on the eve of this decisive battle, he maintained his poise.
"The third and fourth combat units will follow me in a frontal assault!" Jiraiya continued issuing orders. "The medical unit will follow the main force, maintaining a safe distance, and be ready to treat the wounded at any time!"
"Yes."
The jonin in charge of the medical unit also acknowledged the order.
After allocating the personnel, Jiraiya looked towards Feng Ye, who was not far away, and said, "Feng Ye, you will accompany my unit."
"Understood."
Feng Ye nodded calmly.
His current identity was a special jonin directly under Jiraiya, a unique presence among the special jonin. Hence, he was summoned to attend the front-line encampment's jonin meeting.
Hearing Jiraiya's instruction, many jonin in the tent glanced at Feng Ye, and a hint of strangeness flashed in the eyes of several of them.
Almost everyone present was part of the front-line encampment's high command.
They were either elite jonin of Konoha or jonin who held the position of squad leaders, occupying relatively high positions. They had all heard about Feng Ye's exploits in the Grass Country and Rain Country, but they harbored some doubts.
After all, Feng Ye's age was incredibly young. While the battle in the Grass Country could be attributed to the presence of powerful entities like Orochimaru restraining the Rock Ninja, the battle in the Rain Country seemed inconceivable.
A lone person taking down nearly a hundred elite Sand Ninja?!
It sounded like a tall tale!
Many suspected that there was some conspiracy at play. Perhaps Konoha had sent Feng Ye to collaborate with the Rain Ninja in a joint operation, but they had chosen to conceal this aspect and only propagated the news of Feng Ye's solo mission.
Alternatively, it could be that Feng Ye had worked alongside the covert ops unit, which was also a possibility. The covert ops unit's activities were typically not recorded and remained hidden.
"A disciple of Orochimaru-sama..." someone murmured as they gazed at Feng Ye.
As individuals already entangled in the power dynamics of Konoha, they were aware that it wouldn't be long before the village got a Fourth Hokage. While it was difficult to predict who would succeed the title, there was no doubt that Orochimaru was one of the candidates.
Considering this, Feng Ye's back-to-back astounding performances in the Grass Country and Rain Country might carry some deeper implications—a scheme orchestrated by Orochimaru as part of his bid to become the Fourth Hokage.
Shikaku Nara also fixed his gaze on Feng Ye for a moment.
The ninjas present in the tent were the cream of Konoha's crop, with some even representing their clans.
Such an insult would be intolerable to them.
"...And lastly, the seventh unit and the intelligence department will be responsible for guarding the camp."
Jiraiya concluded the allocation of combat assignments, and the chakra within his body stirred, accompanied by a surge of aura as he took a step forward. "That's the general plan. I'm counting on all of you for tomorrow's battle!"
The ninjas in the tent inhaled sharply, aware of the pivotal nature of the upcoming clash. While it might not bring an end to the war, it would undoubtedly shape its future course!
Just as those present were about to respond, a voice suddenly interrupted.
"Don't leave me behind, Jiraiya."
The voice caused Jiraiya, exuding the aura of one of the Three Ninjas and the frontline commander, to pause momentarily, a hint of astonishment flashing across his face as he looked toward the entrance of the tent.
There stood a figure with light golden hair and a rhombus-shaped mark on their forehead, a faint smile playing on their lips. It was none other than Tsunade, one of the Three Ninjas.
"Tsunade? How did you...?"
Jiraiya stared at her, bewildered. "I thought you were..."
Tsunade raised her thumb and pointed to her cheek, her voice steady. "That won't affect me much anymore."
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Jiraiya's face lit up with excitement. "That's wonderful! With you joining the battle, victory is assured! Tsunade, you'll accompany the main force as well!"
"Yes!"
Tsunade's loud response echoed through the tent.
The ninjas, initially taken aback, soon mirrored Jiraiya's enthusiasm. With Tsunade, a formidable ninja, on their side, their chances of success had increased significantly!
However, as everyone celebrated, Feng Ye, standing at a distance, twitched the corner of his mouth and shot Tsunade a helpless glance. Their eyes met, and she offered him a subtle, mischievous smile.
Feng Ye knew better.
He was all too aware of Tsunade's current condition.
While her hemophobia had improved after three days of psychological treatment, progressing from severe to mild, its influence remained. Fighting on the battlefield and functioning normally amidst bloodshed would still be a challenge.
At most, she might be able to withstand the sight of blood without collapsing, and perhaps muster a fraction of her strength and chakra. Matching the prowess of an elite jonin would already be impressive.
It seemed like they had gained a formidable shadow-level combatant, but in reality, her impact would be negligible.
"Alright, everyone can return to their preparations."
As Jiraiya spoke, the ninjas began to file out of the tent until only Tsunade and Feng Ye remained. The former had been assigned to act independently and wasn't part of the command structure.
Jiraiya, noticing Tsunade's smile, moved closer and asked, "Did you finally overcome your hemophobia because you were worried about me fighting alone?"
Smack!
Tsunade's expressionless palm connected with Jiraiya's face, halting his advance.
"Cut the nonsense," she said flatly, pushing him away. Turning to Feng Ye, she added, "I'm here because I'm concerned about Feng Ye's safety, and I want to see his performance for myself."
(End of Chapter)
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