When news reached Iwagakure's main headquarters that the Iwa Ninja Force invading Herb Country had suffered a crushing defeat and been completely annihilated, even the rock-solid resolve of Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki was shaken.
What made it even worse for Ōnoki was that this devastating report was personally delivered by Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki who had been regarded as their ultimate trump card and rear guard.
From the very beginning of this campaign, Ōnoki's decision to directly assign the Jinchūriki to accompany the forces had primarily been to ensure the safety of his legitimate son leading the expedition. Even if they couldn't beat Konoha's ninja outright, having a Jinchūriki on-site would at least make the enemy think twice before going all out.
In other words, Roshi had actually been a safeguard specially prepared by Ōnoki for his eldest son Kitsuchi—hoping that the presence of a Jinchūriki would prevent his son from suffering total defeat, ensuring that even in unfavorable battle conditions, he wouldn't fall into a desperate situation where both commander and army would be destroyed.
To a tough village like Iwagakure, a temporary battlefield loss wasn't the end of the world. What infuriated Ōnoki most was that Roshi, assigned specifically as Kitsuchi's bodyguard, came back without a scratch while Kitsuchi himself—who needed protection—had fallen into enemy hands with his fate unknown. That was what he found absolutely unbearable.
And to top it off, Ōnoki couldn't even openly punish Roshi because it had been Kitsuchi himself who personally gave the order for the Jinchūriki to retreat!
So despite his deep resentment, Ōnoki still couldn't bring himself to blame Roshi for returning alone after the defeat.
"You did well," he said in a voice dripping with insincerity. "The Jinchūriki is our village's most precious weapon of war. At least one thing went right among all these disasters!"
The Iwa Jonin gathered upon hearing the defeat all bowed their heads nervously at Onoki's biting sarcasm, barely daring to breathe.
"We followed Commander Kitsuchi's orders—we beg the Tsuchikage's forgiveness."
Though he rarely got along with Ōnoki, Roshi stammered out an apology anyway. "But those despicable Konoha ninja used underhanded tactics—sneak attacks and deception—that caught our honest commander Kitsuchi off guard, so…"
Bang!
Ōnoki slammed his palm onto the table, shattering it and cutting Roshi short.
"Damn those Konoha ninja! That cursed Hyuga Soushu again!"
For a ninja, being called 'straightforward' was never truly a compliment—it often meant naive and lacking cunning. This was exactly the kind of evaluation Ōnoki hated hearing most at a moment like this, even if it did reflect reality.
Roshi and the assembled Iwa Jonin trembled involuntarily and instinctively held their breath.
"Withdraw the Southern Forces from Bird Country and stop fighting those jackals in the desert!"
After a long pause, Ōnoki finally spoke coldly.
"But…"
"Please reconsider, Honorable Lady Tsuchikage!"
"The Sunagakure isn't a real threat. We mustn't lose our heads now!"
"There are only about a thousand Konoha border guards at our borders right now—our regular forces should be more than enough to handle them."
A group of Iwagakure jonin quickly spoke out in protest, clearly unwilling to give up their influence in the Bird Country.
"Truth can't stay hidden forever."
Onoki took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. "Once news about the Grass Country spreads, we'll find ourselves in an even more disadvantageous position."
"Tsuchikage-sama, we could also mobilize for war!"
An aggressive Iwagakure jonin who supported continued fighting jumped up. "If we send another three thousand ninja forces to Bird Country, I guarantee we can completely eliminate those desert hyenas!"
"If Sunagakure continues reinforcing its troops, it won't be this easy!"
Another Iwagakure jonin glanced at Onoki's expression and quickly judged his leader's will, stepping forward to assist. "Our top priority should be dealing with the Konoha aggressors on our southeastern border!"
"That's right! If those lawless Konoha elements cross into the Land of Earth, it would dishonor the Daimyo!"
Other Iwagakure jonin who sensed the changing winds hurriedly chimed in. "Besides, focusing first on Konoha before addressing Sunagakure appropriately prioritizes our most critical concerns according to our current situation!"
"But Bird Country is our border barrier!"
The warmongering jonin still refused to back down. "Losing this vassal state means we'll have to deploy defenses along our domestic borders. Worse yet, if Sunagakure establishes itself in Bird Country, they'll resolve their logistical problems — then we'll be the ones facing difficulties!"
One could say both sides had a point, and soon the jonin supporting each position launched into a heated debate.
However, this was merely a staged performance.
Onoki understood this perfectly well.
While the pro-war faction advocated firmness against Sunagakure, Iwagakure absolutely lacked the capability to sustain two fronts simultaneously. Maintaining Bird Country as a battlefield meant they couldn't fully commit to fighting Konoha. What's worse, recognizing Konoha's de facto control over the Grass Country might become the bare minimum required to secure the return of his eldest son Kitsuchi — who could say whether the relentless Hyuga Soushu might exploit this chance to wring every last drop from Iwagakure and even the entire Land of Earth?
Furthermore, if they really continued compromising with Konoha, it would inevitably damage the Tsuchikage's reputation, creating fertile ground for the pro-war faction within Iwagakure to grow powerful.
As for the conciliatory faction's arguments, these were mostly judgments based on reading the room. While aligning with Onoki's inner expectations, in reality they were simply people who followed the trend. If he, as Tsuchikage, clearly favored war, they would immediately transform into the most aggressive warmongers. Therefore, their opinions held little reference value.
"Recall the Bird Country expeditionary force back to our territory to join border forces in defense arrangements!"
Onoki rubbed his temples to calm himself before speaking. "Regarding the commander... Roshi, you shouldn't have any issues with this task, right?"
"Huh!"
Roshi, who had been trying to minimize his presence, was greatly startled and hastily responded, "No issues at all!"
"In that case, you'll assume command of the Border Defense Warlord duties!"
"No matter what, not even a single Sunagakure ninja must be allowed to infiltrate the Land of Earth!"
Onoki made the appointment directly, ignoring the unspoken reservations among the Jonin of Iwagakure who seemed hesitant to voice their opinions.
"I'm just a Jinchuriki, and freshly defeated at that—who am I to assume command over a faction of the Ninja Force?"
Though an enormous opportunity had unexpectedly fallen from the sky—a chance he had long dreamed of—Roshi still expressed profound hesitation toward this unprecedented trust bestowed upon him.
"The village has already decided—the Border Defense Forces will now fall under your command!"
Without room for argument, Onoki emphasized again, "What does it matter if you're a Jinchuriki? This is the village's trust in you. Don't you dare disappoint everyone's expectations!"
"At your service!"
Though puzzled by exactly what scheme Onoki was playing at, Roshi respectfully knelt on one knee, accepting the responsibility with due reverence.
At once, the Jonin among the hardline faction changed expressions dramatically, wanting desperately to argue or object—but lacking the courage to do so.
While Onoki's intentions weren't immediately clear to Roshi, those seasoned and politically savvy Jonin who'd seen decades of battle understood perfectly well.
Plainly put, Roshi—merely a survivor of a defeated force—and further marked by his delicate status as a Jinchuriki—was someone whose fate had already been set. Even if he rose to the rank of Warlord, there was no way he could ever challenge the position of Tsuchikage itself.
On the contrary, should Roshi actually manage to stir up significant commotion at the border and secure a nominal great victory, then not only would Roshi benefit—Onoki himself, known for seeing potential where others didn't and holding no grudges, would also gain widespread praise.
This, in fact, was Onoki's true intention.
Of course, another possibility remained: Onoki might have simply disliked Roshi and decided to send him far away—to be out of sight and out of mind.
Even so, despite the hardliners' ability to see through Tsuchikage Onoki's thoughts, they lacked any grounds for protest.
If they stubbornly insisted on arguing about a Jinchuriki's instability, they'd be provoking Roshi's strength without cause—an action bound to backfire. The Jonin of the hardline faction had no interest in engaging in such a foolish and costly move.
Therefore, amid the resentment of the hardline Jonin, a fortunate Roshi happily departed having benefited from misfortune.
"Stop staring already!"
Onoki barked irritably at these ambitious yet inept hardliners.
The Jonin of Iwagakure shrank their necks slightly, sulking as they resumed listening obediently to Tsuchikage's instruction.
And the attitude of these Jonin only served to make Onoki feel increasingly exhausted.
Among the Five Great Hidden Villages, Iwagakure possessed the largest number of registered ninja and placed the highest emphasis on discipline.
Compared to Konoha, where prestigious ninja clans continuously produced exceptional talents and prodigies, Iwagakure had no powerful clans serving as its backbone. What it did possess included only the Dust Release techniques passed down through generations in the Tsuchikage bloodline, and two tailed beasts obtained through distribution.
Even Iwagakure's Explosion Corps, while known to inspire fear in neighboring countries, in reality used the same selection strategy as the rest of the village's ninja forces—a rigorous screening process from a vast number of candidates to produce only a handful of elite operatives.
This elite force, which Iwagakure regarded as its bulwark, could only be described as hovering on the edge of decent performance when facing off against the top forces from the other three great ninja villages—it had yet to reach a level that would command admiration.
This was precisely Iwagakure's dilemma.
Onoki did not rush into speaking but instead chose to slowly scan across the jonin before him.
His gaze was calm and deep, like an ancient tree whose densely packed growth rings bore witness to the tender new shoots of spring. As his gaze fell upon them, these battle-hardened jonin instinctively lowered their heads, bowing humbly in silent acknowledgment of the Tsuchikage's scrutiny. The air was thick with unspoken tension.
Although there were certainly jonin within Iwagakure who desired progress, in reality, none possessed enough strength or prestige to threaten Onoki's firm rule. Though inevitable ideological divisions gave rise to factions among the jonin, they served only as a routine balancing act—a natural form of internal friction. Regardless of personal beliefs, they would habitually follow the Tsuchikage's orders and carry out missions once clear directives were issued.
Yet this was exactly what Onoki hoped not to see.
Unlike the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—who was so determined to keep leadership of Konoha within his own faction or even family—Onoki held no strong insistence on passing down the Tsuchikage title through a strict master-disciple tradition, nor had he ever considered hereditary succession.
However, the crux of the issue lay in Iwagakure's excessively rigid educational system that emphasized discipline above all else, resulting in batches of standardized Earth Release ninja molded like products from a single mold. While these ninja might display decent combat abilities in their early stages of development, they fell short in terms of long-term potential and adaptability compared to those nurtured in more diverse environments, making them seem inferior when measured against shinobi from other villages who thrived in richer conditions.
[Reform]
A bold thought suddenly surfaced in Onoki's mind.
But just as quickly, he personally crushed it.
The foundation of Iwagakure lay in its massive ninja force. If diversifying their training reduced the number of new recruits, then the village would be abandoning its core strength—something that would cost far more than it gained.
"Whether in war or peace, we cannot afford to be careless along the southeastern border!"
Shedding all distractions, Onoki finally spoke: "Regardless of what plans Konoha may have next, the village must immediately reinforce the border areas!"
"That's right!"
The Iwa jonin nodded together in agreement.
"How many troops can still be mobilized?"
Onoki casually asked one of the administrative jonin.
"Seven thousand!"
The administrative officer responded immediately.
"Not counting the genin?"
"Four thousand!"
"Not enough!"
Onoki paused for a moment, helplessly shaking his head.
Just judging from the number of available fighters yet to be mobilized, the extent to which the prolonged, high-intensity Great Ninja World War had weakened Iwagakure was truly terrifying!
You must understand, the number of Konoha ninja currently operating in the Herb Country exceeds three thousand. Although Iwagakure's Standing Ninja Army still maintains a defensive force of over two thousand troops along the southeast border of the Land of Earth, even with the mobilized forces from the village combined, they remain at a disadvantage against Konoha's secondary expeditionary force. This situation is deeply concerning.
Even worse, there's a significant Konoha occupation force stationed in the Land of Lightning across the sea, which also diverts part of Iwa's Border Forces' attention.
"Mobilize two thousand ninja forces from the village," Onoki ordered decisively, "and requisition another one thousand garrison ninja forces stationed along our northern coast to reinforce the southeastern border defenses immediately!"
Onoki hesitated briefly before deciding this was just another case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. "Also, have Han prepared as well!"
"Are we deploying Han too?"
The Jonin assembly murmured in surprise.
Han, also known as Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchuriki, had long been considered one of Iwa's ultimate weapons alongside Rosho.
"It might not be appropriate to place a Jinchuriki directly in command of regular ninja forces," one Iwa Jonin voiced his concern.
"Who said he'll be commanding them?" Onoki snapped angrily at the suggestion. "He's merely accompanying the army into battle!"
"But…"
The Jonin exchanged uneasy glances—none of them had any way to control or supervise a Jinchuriki.
"If this old man doesn't personally take the battlefield," Onoki scolded bitterly, disappointment evident in his voice, "do you expect me to rely on good-for-nothing failures like you? Now return and prepare yourselves! We'll inform you about specific deployment arrangements later!"
"Hai!"
The Iwa Jonin dared offer no further objections and quickly took their leave after bowing respectfully.
Soon afterward, the Tsuchikage's office returned to its usual cold silence.
"Tsk..." Onoki clicked his tongue in frustration.
This crumbling mess called Iwagakure had reached the point where maintaining appearances had become nearly impossible.
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