Inside Jiraiya's tent at the Konoha ninja station in the Land of Hot Springs, Shiranui Riku laid out his analysis.Jiraiya, after listening carefully, nodded his agreement.Orochimaru, clearly pleased, added, "That was a solid breakdown. Now, what's your proposed solution?"
Riku continued, "Trying to push the Cloud Village ninjas out of the Land of Hot Springs completely isn't realistic. The difference in combat strength is just too great. We don't have enough Konoha shinobi stationed here. Even if reinforcements are sent later, they won't be significant.Because of Lord Orochimaru's overall strategy, Konoha's forces are spread into four divisions, with some still guarding the village itself. Meanwhile, the Hidden Cloud Village can continuously send more troops into this region."
He paused, then said, "But if we take advantage of your reputations, Lord Orochimaru and Master Jiraiya, we may be able to push the front lines forward just enough to give us breathing room. That way, when war finally breaks out, we won't be immediately forced to retreat into the Land of Fire."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You're saying to rely on our... reputations?"
Even Minato Namikaze looked confused. "What do you mean by that, exactly?"
Riku spoke in a steady, serious tone. "Yes, reputation. We need to make it loud and clear that two of the Legendary Sannin are present in the Land of Hot Springs. That alone will instill caution in the Cloud Village forces."
He glanced toward the sand table. "And at the same time, the two of you should launch a surprise assault on one of their strategic outposts. This will create the illusion that Konoha has deployed major reinforcements and is preparing to counterattack. That fear will cause them to hesitate, giving us an opportunity to push the front line deeper into the Land of Hot Springs, away from the Fire Country border."
"But we can't advance too far," Riku added. "Eventually, they'll realize that Lord Orochimaru is the only reinforcement Konoha has sent. If our line is too stretched, we won't be able to hold it and will be forced to retreat again, which would make all this effort pointless. The goal is to gain just enough ground to maneuver, then hold our position. That will buy time for Lord Orochimaru's larger strategy to take shape."
He bowed slightly. "That's the best course of action I can come up with. I hope it's of some use, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru was quiet for a moment, then responded, "It's a bold but well-thought-out plan. More importantly, it's actionable. You're correct—we can't engage the Cloud ninjas head-on. My original intention was for Jiraiya and I to launch tactical strikes to stabilize the front, but your version is more aggressive. If it works, it'll yield great benefits and give us more flexibility for future operations."
He turned to Jiraiya. "I'm inclined to move forward with Riku's plan. What do you think?"
Jiraiya thought it over, then nodded. "I think it's doable. But for it to work, we'll need to hit one of their strongholds hard. We've already marked the known Cloud bases on the sand table. Which one do you propose we strike first?"
Without hesitation, Orochimaru picked up one of the flags from the sand table that represented a Cloud Village base. "If the goal is to announce our presence and strike fear, then we must hit their most fortified position. Anything less won't have the necessary psychological impact."
Jiraiya stared at the flag in his hand. "You're talking about attacking Yugakure Village directly?"
Minato Namikaze immediately objected. "Lord Orochimaru, Master Jiraiya, that's incredibly reckless! Yugakure isn't just home to Cloud shinobi—it also has Tang ninjas. So far, the Tang shinobi haven't engaged us directly. If we attack them, it might push them to openly join the enemy."
Orochimaru said nothing.Riku, on the other hand, let out a small laugh.
Minato frowned. "What's so funny, Riku?"
Riku turned and said coolly, "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking—your idea's not bad. In fact, it would be even better if we could ally with Yugakure and use their forces to crush the Cloud ninjas from within."
Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly, then explained, "Minato, if Yugakure willingly allowed the Cloud forces to set up camp in their village, that means they've already taken a side—just not officially. That makes them fair game. And if we want to send a message, then Yugakure is the ideal target."
He tapped the table. "Besides, it's better to strike first and catch them off guard. If we succeed, the largest Cloud stronghold in the region will be neutralized. And once that happens, Yugakure will think twice about ever hosting them again.Also, it will discourage their own shinobi from crossing us. They'll realize Konoha isn't to be trifled with."
Minato still wasn't convinced. "But the risk is—"
"I know the risk," Jiraiya cut in. "But the rewards outweigh it. And honestly, with Orochimaru and me leading the charge, success is more than possible. Most of the Cloud and Yugakure ninjas in that base are chunin and genin. We're not trying to seize the village—just hit it hard enough to shake them."
Minato fell silent. He understood the logic, but he couldn't help but worry about the potential casualties. Over his time in the Land of Hot Springs, he had grown close to the Konoha shinobi stationed here. The idea of watching them fall in battle weighed heavily on him.
Still, it wasn't his decision to make. That responsibility rested with Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
Jiraiya turned to his comrade. "Let's do it, Orochimaru. I'm handing over command to you. Every shinobi here—including myself—will follow your orders."
Orochimaru nodded. "Then let's rally everyone we can. This is a surprise attack. We have to move fast. Once they learn that I'm here, the impact will fade—and they'll be ready."
"Understood. I'll start organizing immediately."
Jiraiya and Minato quickly exited the tent to begin preparations.
Riku was about to follow them out when Orochimaru stopped him."This was your plan," he said. "Stay. We'll go over the operation details together."