"What do you mean by that?"
Kōhei was beginning to understand. He looked at Hoshiyomi, whose excitement was impossible to conceal.
Hoshiyomi slammed the table and stood up, declaring:
"The war is inevitable. Rather than sitting around being harassed by their Explosion Release unit, we should strike first.
After this, go to the nearby towns and bring Jiraiya back. Have everyone prepare over the next two days. The night after tomorrow, we'll launch a surprise night attack on Iwagakure.
If we're going to fight, then let those Iwa bastards witness just how powerful we really are!"
...
Jiraiya and Danzō received the message from the Iwa front at nearly the same time.
After reading it, Jiraiya couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes. While he had been taking care of Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko recently, that didn't mean he'd forgotten his identity as a shinobi of Konoha.
Now—it was time to take the field again for Konoha!
On the other side, Danzō couldn't suppress the smirk on his face as he read the message.
That brat really is arrogant. After dealing with Earth Release Burrowing unit, he's gotten so cocky he doesn't even know his own name.
And now he's actually planning to charge straight into Iwagakure's main camp? This time, I'll make sure he dies with no body left to bury. Once Hoshiyomi is dead, no one will know the secret of my Sharingan.
And as the pillar of that group, once he dies, the rest of them will likely start to crack. If I can take advantage of the fallout to poach a few subordinates…"
The future is bright indeed.
The more Danzō thought, the more excited he became, muttering to himself:
"If you're so eager to die, then I'll make sure you go down with no regrets. Who would've thought—Danzō Shimura, doing you a favor for once."
With that, Danzō raised his hand and tossed the letter into the flame, letting it burn to ashes. For such under-the-table dealings, he would naturally leave no trace behind.
Watching the paper disintegrate, Danzō took a sip of tea and said in a low voice:
"Put all other intel transmissions on hold for now. Notify all Root members to prevent any information leaks. No matter what methods they use, we absolutely cannot let anyone from Sunagakure or Iwagakure learn of Hoshiyomi Gekkō's plan to night raid the Iwa camp."
Early the next morning, Hoshiyomi's subordinates arrived at the Suna front.
After reading Hoshiyomi's plan, Sakumo immediately realized its significance. He convened Tsunade and Orochimaru to discuss the matter, and after some hesitation, decided to bring Danzō along as well.
After all, Danzō still carried the nominal title of supreme battlefield commander, and as an elder, he deserved the basic courtesy.
However, Sakumo had already made up his mind. No matter what Danzō said, he would ignore his opinion and work with Tsunade and Orochimaru to fully support Hoshiyomi.
Even if he had to completely break ties with Danzo, he would not let Hoshiyomi face any danger because of their internal issues.
During the strategy meeting, Sakumo clearly stated that Konoha's forces would not take the initiative to attack Sunagakure, but must ensure that Suna would not be able to reinforce Iwa in time.
Tsunade and Orochimaru naturally agreed without question. The three of them had expected to spend a lot of time arguing with Danzo, but to their surprise, Danzo also agreed to the plan, which left them a little baffled.
Less trouble was better than more. Since Danzo had agreed, they wouldn't foolishly ask him why . They quickly finalized the plan before he had a chance to change his mind.
With everything ready, all that remained was to wait for the operation that night.
...
Time flew by.
The night of the raid arrived.
That night, the sky was filled with thick clouds, completely blocking out the moonlight. Not a trace of it could penetrate.
It was a hot, stifling night—one that made people feel drowsy and sluggish.
The Konoha camp was silent. But this wasn't because everyone was asleep—rather, they had already eaten their fill and were preparing to head out.
Minato, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit with a black short-sleeved top, finished sharpening his kunai and walked out of his tent. He smiled at Kuugetsu, who had just come out of the tent across from his.
"Don't worry—everyone will protect you."
Kuugetsu still felt a bit uneasy. But seeing Minato, her father, and the many uncles and seniors who had always treated her well, her heart gradually settled.
She gave Minato a slight nod, and then—after a moment's hesitation—nervously adjusted the ninja sword strapped to her back. That action drew soft chuckles from the surrounding uncles.
As they joked quietly, the curtain of the largest central tent lifted. Hoshiyomi stepped out.
Tonight, he had abandoned his usual relaxed attire. He wore the standard dark green Konoha flak vest, with an overcoat matching Jiraiya's and the others'.
He walked steadily from the tent toward the front of the entire Konoha camp. The ninja behind him followed one after another. By the time he reached the frontmost position, everyone had spontaneously assembled.
Hoshiyomi's gaze swept over every face, finally landing on Minato and Kuugetsu. He smiled slightly.
"I won't be able to look after you once things start. Make sure to protect yourselves."
Then, turning to the rest of them, he said:
"Proceed according to the plan. I'll strike the Explosion Release unit's camp first. The rest of you set up five kilometers from the target.
Whether or not the strike succeeds, I'll fire a signal flare immediately. That flare will be the call to attack.
The moment you see it—charge. Understood?"
When everyone nodded together, Hoshiyomi smiled and slowly turned around.
"Move out. Victory to Konoha!"
...
On the Iwa side, they remained completely unaware of what was happening in the Konoha camp.
It was already 3 a.m.—the drowsiest time of the night. Most Iwa shinobi were deep in sleep. Only the patrol squads were still active.
In such humid weather, it only took a few steps before a layer of sweat formed on one's skin. That sticky heat was enough to drive someone mad.
One of the patrolling shinobi wiped the sweat off his forehead and cursed under his breath:
"Damn this hellish weather. When it should rain, it doesn't. It's hot enough to kill."
His curse was met with strong agreement from those around him, and the rest started complaining too. Their motivation for patrol was clearly at an all-time low.
All they were waiting for now was the end of their shift—so they could get back and enjoy some proper rest.
At last, the time came for their rotation. The squad didn't even bother checking the remaining route and turned straight back toward the guard camp to prepare for shift change.
Not a single person in the group noticed the transparent figure watching them mockingly from about 500 meters away.
Once they had moved far enough, Hoshiyomi no longer hesitated. He raised a hand and performed the Summoning Jutsu, signaling Lobo to head toward Iwa's supply camp.
At the same time, he sprinted straight toward the Explosion Release unit's location, as marked in the intel.
Confirming the camp's position, Hoshiyomi silently drew his Mikazuki Munechika. His form appeared out of thin air—and without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed his long-prepared attack.
Earth Dragon Tremor: Modified– Mountain-Splitting Earth-Cracking Slash!