The Raikage gazed at the highly organized puppet army with a flash of surprise in his eyes. Still, he maintained a stubborn tone and scoffed,
"Hmph, just flashy toys. Whether they'll be useful in real combat is still up in the air."
Hyuga Gakuya smiled without bothering to argue.
"Let's wait and see."
Onoki, the Tsuchikage, frowned deeply and asked, "Technology? What kind of technology could possibly have such power?"
Gakuya kept spinning his fabricated explanation.
"It's the result of years of research by the Federation. Through specialized chakra conduction devices and finely tuned mechanical structures, we've achieved precise control and high efficiency in puppet deployment."
Of course, this was also a trap Gakuya had intentionally left for them. These people would no doubt try to secretly take a few units back for research—but it would all be in vain.
After all, final interpretation rights belonged to Hyuga Gakuya. Who told them to try and steal Federation tech?
That said, there might not even be a Five Great Nations after the war.
Mizukage Mei Terumi nodded thoughtfully.
"I see. No wonder they're so impressive. Looks like we'll need to ramp up our own research when we return. I didn't expect the gap between Kirigakure and the Federation to be this wide."
Gakuya gestured. "Let's move, everyone. The battle could start at any moment. We should finalize our strategies and work out the specifics of our battle plan."
They stepped down from the platform and entered a strategy tent. One by one, the Kage and their aides took their seats.
All eyes turned to Hyuga Gakuya. As the commander of this operation, he was expected to speak first.
Gakuya turned to the Federation logistics officer nearby.
"Let's hear the troop numbers. Everyone should have a general idea of our strength."
"Yes, sir. The Allied Shinobi Forces currently number ___ troops in total, with ___ puppet soldiers. The six major nations have contributed ___ shinobi, and smaller countries have mobilized 3,312 ninja."
Those ninja from smaller countries came from the nations that had joined the Federation's anti-imperial movement.
Gakuya nodded slightly and paused in thought before saying,
"We still don't have a clear estimate of enemy strength. But our biggest threat remains Edo Tensei. Lady Tsunade, how's Orochimaru's work with the sealing talismans coming along?"
Tsunade handed him a charm.
"This is the latest product of Orochimaru's research. It hasn't been tested yet, but according to him, it should be effective."
Gakuya examined the runes on the seal carefully. As expected... Orochimaru didn't disappoint. He'd left a little "gift" for the Allied Forces.
"No time for tests. We'll see how it works on the battlefield. How many of these do we have so far?"
"Just over ten," Tsunade replied. "Orochimaru is producing more as we speak."
Gakuya frowned. "That's not a lot... but we'll work with it and see what kind of results we get."
"We'll use them on the strongest shinobi we can convince to join us. Maybe they'll give us an edge."
The others nodded in agreement. What Gakuya suggested had crossed their minds too. If they could convince Hashirama Senju—the God of Shinobi—to join their side, the war might end in an instant.
Gakuya pulled out a battle plan and passed it around. It was a strategic outline devised by the joint think tanks of the Five Great Nations.
Even he had only just seen it, for secrecy's sake.
The plan was straightforward. Tobi and his team's goal was Naruto and Killer B. So, they would create the illusion that both were still in the Allied camp. Using the camp as the core, they would build four defensive lines—north, south, east, and west.
At the center would be the command post, where several members of the Yamanaka clan would use collaborative sensory jutsu to relay information.
Following the plan, Gakuya issued commands: "Raikage, your forces will defend the eastern front. Tsuchikage, the west is yours. Mizukage, you'll take the southern front, and the northern line goes to Gaara."
"Tsunade, have your medical-nin stationed near the command post, ready for emergency response. As for the last 5,000 puppets—they'll remain as mobile reinforcements around the base."
"Don't deploy all your shinobi at once. This could turn into a long, drawn-out war. We'll rotate forces as needed."
By now, no one hesitated or objected. All nodded in agreement.
"Understood."
Gakuya looked around solemnly.
"Everyone, this battle will determine the fate of the entire shinobi world. We must give it everything we've got—there's no room for mistakes!"
...
The group exited the command tent—only to be greeted by utter chaos.
Shinobi from different nations were already at each other's throats, shouting and arguing outside.
Things had stayed relatively calm while the Five Kage and Gakuya were present. The moment they left, the situation exploded.
And the reason was simple. These people used to be enemies. Some of them were staring at the very shinobi who'd killed their comrades or family.
How could they possibly get along?
Gakuya looked at the escalating chaos and soared into the air, his voice booming across the camp.
"Enough! Silence!"
His voice carried an unshakable authority. The shouting died instantly.
His commanding tone pierced every ear in the camp.
"You all recognize this face, don't you? I'm Chiba Mokushū, the current leader of the Federation—once your enemy, and now your temporary commander."
"You might be wondering what exactly brought all of us here today. Let me tell you—it's the enemy. A common enemy!"
Gakuya's gaze swept over the now-quiet crowd, his voice firm and powerful.
"In the past, the daimyo ruled our fates. They exploited us, used our blood and sweat, treated shinobi like tools—disposable and replaceable."
"But we rose up. We overthrew that corrupt power. Now, each nation has a provisional council. That's what we've achieved—together. That's the first step toward real freedom and equality."
"But today, we face a new threat—one even greater. The enemy wants to destroy our homes, to tear apart the peace we fought so hard to build. Will we let them?! No!"
"Behind us are the people—our families, our friends—everything we want to protect."
"We may come from different lands. We may have once been enemies. But today, on this battlefield—we are comrades!"
"We must cast aside old grudges and stand side by side for a common cause. Our strength comes from unity, from our convictions, from our desire for peace!"
"I believe—each of us will fight with courage. Each of us will give our all for victory! Not just for ourselves, but for our children—for the future of the shinobi world!"
"Let our blood and bravery carve a monument to our victory!"
...
P.S.: The pace leading up to the appearance of Edo Tensei Madara will be fast. Early skirmishes will mostly be skipped—they're side characters anyway and don't merit much detail. That won't change.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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