After deliberation among Konoha's leadership, Sarutobi Shinnosuke was appointed commander, with Nara Shikaku as deputy, to lead the forces into battle.
The arrangement was made because Kumogakure's field commander was Dodai and they had not deployed a Kage-level powerhouse.
Since the Cloud's move was a probe and they did not wish to escalate the scale of war for now, Konoha's high command naturally did not want escalation either.
Because Kageyama Kokugetsu volunteered for the fight, he was also transferred to the front.
Only, the times were no longer the same. At the front, only Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Nara Shikaku outranked him by half a step.
Others were his equals or below him in status.
Kageyama Kokugetsu was in charge of the ANBU detachment sent to the front.
He commanded the fewest personnel, but his position matched that of other department heads and unit captains, making him one of the senior officers at the front.
On the very night Kageyama Kokugetsu left Konoha, Danzō brought the returning Orochimaru and Aburame Ryoma to the Konoha Orphanage.
After some maneuvering, Yakushi Nonō was forced to resume work as a spy in Iwagakure and took Yakushi Kabuto with her.
Iwagakure's troop movements were covert, but Konoha's intelligence network was no slouch and picked up traces.
On the way back, Danzō told Aburame Ryoma to find a place for Kabuto and walked the dark path with Orochimaru.
"Thinking about it now, Yakushi Nonō is rather good-looking, with a certain unique air about her."
Orochimaru arched a brow, his tone amused. "You, interested in women?"
"I have no interest in women. Women only hinder my pursuit of my ideals."
Danzō shot Orochimaru an irritated look, as if insulted.
"But Kageyama Kokugetsu has an interest in women."
"Oh? And how do you know that?" Orochimaru sounded a bit surprised.
"At the memorial for those who died in the Third War, I met him in secret after I left."
"Very opinionated, iron-willed, not easy to handle, and he has many he shields, only he is somewhat lustful."
"He is actually decent and shows me due respect."
Orochimaru laughed. "So that's it. You made your move early."
"A taste for women is nothing at his age."
"Jiraiya the fool is still a lecher now and will be decades from now until his face is on the wall."
"If he were like Minato, you and I would have no chance to win him over."
"Hm?" Danzō turned his head, surprised. "You want to recruit him too?"
"Ah," Orochimaru said bluntly, "his stealth and assassination are so strong even I cannot detect him."
"In direct speed he is not slower than I am. In my view he is even more outstanding than the White Fang's son, a Kage-class prospect."
"Most importantly, he is an interesting man."
Danzō was truly covetous. Such a talent fit Root perfectly.
"Oh? What makes him interesting?"
Orochimaru recounted what happened within the Hyuga clan, offering only conjecture and no proof.
When he finished, Danzō smiled.
Most other leaders would be displeased by Kageyama Kokugetsu's dark and ruthless methods, even if they disliked the Hyuga.
But Danzō was different. He liked to handle everything with darkness and ruthlessness.
As for the Hyuga main house, Danzō had long been displeased. The Byakugan was so useful, yet they hoarded it, which was intolerable.
"Seems that man has darkness in his heart. War and the deaths of kin did affect him."
"I hesitated about sending Yakushi Nonō, but I hesitate no longer."
"We will not arrange for them to kill each other upon completing the mission. You can go clean up afterward."
Hearing such a venomous plan, Orochimaru's face remained calm and his heartbeat steady, utterly unfazed.
"With the wandering shrine maiden's methods, she will have that boy in the palm of her hand sooner or later."
"By the way, I need experimental material. With war brewing, keep an eye out for me."
"Fine."
They fell silent, their figures fading into a darkness so thick it seemed to congeal, a darkness that made the heart quake.
The front was in the Land of Rice Fields, the future site of Otogakure in the original story, a small country without a hidden village and based on agriculture.
Compared with the Land of Rice Fields, the Land of Hot Water would actually have been a better battlefield.
But its tourism thrived and its hot springs were famed across the shinobi world. With nobles from every land frequenting it year-round, their influence kept war from touching it often.
In central Rice Fields, a dense forest held a scatter of emerald-green tents that blended into the surroundings when viewed from afar.
At the center of the camp, in the command pavilion, the front-line leadership gathered.
The clean-cut Sarutobi Shinnosuke sat at the head, Nara Shikaku at his right, Yamanaka Inoichi at his left, and the other senior officers along the sides.
Young and with shallow seniority, Kageyama Kokugetsu still sat in the middle ranks by virtue of position, strength, and reputation, an ANBU mask on his face and a sand-colored coat on his back.
Tight uniforms and harnesses were ANBU wear in warm weather. When it turned cold, they generally donned coats.
It was not mandatory. If one did not feel cold or found it affected combat, summer gear was acceptable.
The crowd discussed logistics, personnel, and strategy.
Kageyama Kokugetsu said little, only listening until it came time to assign him tasks.
The ANBU at the front would counter enemy black ops, assassinate key personnel, and gather intelligence.
A dedicated intel unit under Yamanaka Inoichi handled the front.
All shinobi doubled as collectors, and the intel unit integrated and analyzed the flow.
After the meeting, Kageyama Kokugetsu returned to his own tent on the northeast side of camp.
Outside, ANBU in black coats and masks stood in three ranks, twenty-four in all, a reinforced detachment.
"Captain." All dropped to one knee in unison.
It was their first meeting and on the battlefield, so the etiquette was more formal.
Kageyama Kokugetsu stood at the head of the formation and spoke in a low voice. "Rise."
They stood at attention.
"I am young and my experience is not abundant."
"If you think any decision of mine has a flaw, speak up. This concerns our lives and even the course of the battlefield."
"Now for area assignments. You will be divided into six squads."
"Each squad is responsible for one sector. Two remaining squads will serve as mobile support."
"Eight people will split into four pairs, each pair dedicated to supporting a specific squad."
"Do not support other squads unless ordered by me or the vice captain."
"Rotate every three days. Take one day of rest every half month."
"The precise plan will be settled by my vice captain and the squad leaders. It will be ready by noon at the latest."
"Before noon, operate with your existing squad configurations."
"Squads One through Four cover east, west, south, north. Squads Five and Six will slot in from west to north to east."
"All unrelated personnel, to your duties. Dismissed."
With a wave of his hand, the ANBU vanished one by one, racing in every direction per the orders.
"You come with me."
The vice captain and six squad leaders followed Kageyama Kokugetsu into the tent, where they discussed new assignments based on files and realities on the ground.
Squad capabilities had to be balanced as much as possible, strengths evenly matched, to play the strongest hand with limited cards.
The first day at the front was relatively calm, both sides probing and casualties light.
On the second day, the real fight began.
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