Perhaps, in the eyes of truly powerful shinobi, tailed beasts were formidable, but by no means invincible.
Especially the One-Tail through the Seven-Tails.
Throughout the history of the shinobi world, there had been numerous instances where tailed beasts or their jinchūriki had been subdued, defeated, or even captured alive.
The most recent example was Gaara, the One-Tails' jinchūriki of Sunagakure, who had been captured by the Akatsuki after being defeated despite Sunagakure's attempts to defend him.
Likewise, Yūgao the Six-Tails' jinchūriki in this timeline had nearly been overwhelmed by the elite Kumogakure force led by Darui.
These examples were enough to prove that the One-Tail through the Seven-Tails could indeed be suppressed through conventional military strength.
However…
That came with an important condition.
Without a force composed of elite shinobi, supported by at least one Kage-level combatant, suppressing a tailed beast was virtually impossible.
Ordinary shinobi simply stood no chance.
Unlike humans, a tailed beast's chakra reserves were so vast that they were often described as inexhaustible.
Strictly speaking, they were not truly infinite.
But for practical purposes…
The amount of chakra they possessed far exceeded anything an ordinary human could hope to match.
Against a tailed beast, ordinary chūnin or even average jōnin were little more than cannon fodder.
No matter how many came, they would merely add to the casualties.
Unless an army truly committed itself to an overwhelming war of attrition, sheer numbers alone meant very little before the destructive power of a tailed beast.
Hoshigaki Kisame was famously known as the "Tailless Tailed Beast."
Yet that title merely reflected the astonishing volume of chakra he possessed compared to ordinary shinobi.
Compared to an actual tailed beast…
The difference remained enormous.
The Third Raikage himself was another excellent example.
His legendary stamina and chakra reserves allowed him to battle the Eight-Tails for days and later hold back ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi alone.
Even so…
Had he truly possessed chakra on the level of a tailed beast, those ten thousand Iwa shinobi would never have been enough to bring him down.
At the very least, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, together with powerful jinchūriki like Rōshi and Han, would likely have needed to join forces personally to suppress him.
That…
Was the terrifying reality of the tailed beasts.
How could Ajun not be shocked after learning that Takigakure now possessed three jinchūriki?
This meant that, at least in terms of top-tier military strength, Takigakure had finally begun to acquire the qualifications necessary to stand alongside the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
However…
The moment that excitement settled…
Another thought immediately surfaced.
Konohagakure.
Kumogakure.
And perhaps even other hidden villages.
Once Menma's identity was exposed, Takigakure would almost certainly face diplomatic pressure, military intimidation, or even outright war.
Ajun's expression immediately grew serious.
He took a deep breath before looking directly at Menma.
"Menma-kun…"
"You mentioned accelerating your plans."
"What exactly do you intend to prepare?"
Menma nodded slightly.
"There are several objectives."
"The first is to strengthen Takigakure's overall military power."
"Persuading Yūgao-san to join us was merely the beginning."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"The next step is to locate the Three-Tails, Isobu."
"Since Isobu is currently roaming free after escaping Kirigakure's control, we have an opportunity."
"If we can find it before anyone else does…"
"And if we can persuade it to cooperate with us…"
"Takigakure's top-tier combat strength will increase dramatically."
"At that point, the few of us alone would be enough to make even the Five Great Shinobi Nations think twice before acting against us."
Menma's voice remained calm.
Yet everyone present could clearly hear the confidence within it.
Four tailed beasts.
The Nine-Tails.
The Seven-Tails.
The Six-Tails.
And, if everything proceeded according to plan…
The Three-Tails.
Such a force would be enough to make even the Fourth Raikage pause before choosing war.
No single hidden village would dare launch an attack lightly.
Of course…
If several of the Five Great Shinobi Nations united and coordinated their military strength, that would be an entirely different matter.
Even Menma had no intention of underestimating the combined might of multiple great villages. A coalition of that scale was something Takigakure, in its current state, still could not withstand head-on.
History had already proven one thing.
It was virtually impossible for the Five Great Shinobi Nations to unite with complete sincerity.
Even if they could temporarily set aside their differences, eliminate every external concern, and genuinely agree not to attack one another during a joint operation…
There would still be one unavoidable question.
Who would take the lead?
Four tailed beasts.
Such a terrifying military force was something no great village could tolerate.
However, if a coalition army truly marched against Takigakure, what would happen if one village deliberately held back while another charged ahead?
Even if Takigakure were ultimately destroyed…
Even if Menma and the other jinchūriki were successfully captured…
The village leading the assault would inevitably pay the highest price.
It might even end up being dragged down together with Takigakure.
That was not speculation.
It was the harsh reality of warfare.
This wasn't merely a matter of military tactics.
It was a matter of trust.
Would genuine trust ever exist between the Five Great Shinobi Nations?
The very idea was laughable.
After allowing the silence to linger for a moment, Menma calmly continued.
"Besides that, Orochimaru remains one of our most reliable allies."
"I've also reached a certain level of mutual understanding with the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki."
"Although that old man is clearly treating us as a useful pawn, that doesn't matter."
"As long as the situation continues to benefit Iwagakure, he has no reason to move against us."
"As for Sunagakure…"
"They're still recovering from the severe losses they suffered over the past few years."
"Their military strength has yet to recover."
"Kirigakure is in a similar situation."
"So, for the foreseeable future, the only enemies we truly need to prepare for are Konohagakure and Kumogakure."
Resting both hands upon the table, Menma explained his strategic assessment with remarkable composure.
One point after another.
One arrangement after another.
He patiently outlined the current balance of power before analyzing both the enemy's strengths and Takigakure's own position.
His conclusions might not prove correct in every detail.
However…
They were more than sufficient as a foundation for future planning.
Nor was Menma making baseless assumptions.
Everything he said was built upon intelligence gathered through Orochimaru's network and his own understanding of the political landscape of the shinobi world.
By the time Menma finished speaking…
Both Shibuki and Ajun visibly relaxed.
Especially Ajun.
Learning that the legendary Orochimaru stood on Takigakure's side was already shocking enough.
Now, hearing that Menma had even established a tacit understanding with the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki…
Ajun found himself looking at Menma with increasingly strange eyes.
The boy before him was not even thirteen years old.
Yet…
Every word he spoke carried the calm confidence of a seasoned commander who had already experienced countless political struggles.
The contrast between Menma's youthful appearance and his mature demeanor created an indescribably strange feeling.
After pondering for a moment, Shibuki slowly nodded.
"In that case…"
"Our primary defensive focus should remain on the eastern border."
Although Takigakure had declined considerably over the years, it still retained one advantage.
Numbers.
Aside from Fū, the village previously possessed no truly reliable Kage-level combatant.
Even Shibuki himself was merely an ordinary jōnin whose abilities had yet to reach the elite level.
The overall quality of Takigakure's shinobi could not compare to that of the Five Great Nations.
However…
The village still maintained more than four thousand active shinobi.
While that force could not decide the outcome of a war against a great village, it remained more than sufficient for reconnaissance, logistics, territorial security, and defensive support.
Menma nodded.
"Exactly."
"The priority is preventing surprise attacks."
"During this period, we should establish as many forward reconnaissance outposts as possible."
"I'll also personally deploy barrier formations at key strategic locations."
"Those barriers won't stop an invading army by themselves."
"But they'll provide us with something even more valuable…"
"Time."
"Time to detect the enemy."
"Time to prepare."
"And time to respond."
That had always been Menma's true objective.
From the very beginning…
He had never intended to rely upon ordinary Takigakure shinobi to confront elite forces from the Five Great Nations head-on.
There were two reasons.
First…
Most Takigakure shinobi simply lacked the strength.
Second…
He had no intention of sacrificing them needlessly.
Military strength could always be rebuilt.
Public trust…
Was far more fragile.
Even if Takigakure somehow emerged victorious…
If more than a thousand of its shinobi died in the process…
Menma could already predict the outcome.
Shibuki's position as village leader would immediately become unstable.
As for Menma himself…
He would become the target of even greater resentment.
No matter which world one lived in…
The people expected their leaders to provide both prosperity and security.
Victory alone was never enough.
A leader had to achieve victory while minimizing casualties.
Given Takigakure's current population…
If casualties exceeded one thousand…
Complaints throughout the village would become unavoidable.
That was something Menma absolutely refused to allow.
Because of that…
His original strategy had always been clear.
The majority of Takigakure's shinobi would focus on reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, logistics, and maintaining security.
Only after the decisive battle had been won would they participate in securing the battlefield and eliminating any remaining resistance.
To an outsider…
That strategy might seem overly cautious.
Perhaps even absurd.
Yet…
It was the most realistic approach.
Difficult…
But necessary.
Once his identity was exposed, the first assault would inevitably be the most dangerous.
If Takigakure could withstand that initial wave…
The situation afterward would become considerably easier to manage.
After all…
The political games played by the Five Great Nations were extraordinarily complicated.
Did they truly believe they could crush Takigakure in a single blow?
That would depend entirely on whether they possessed the ability to do so.
Shibuki nodded firmly.
"Very well."
"Ajun-san, I'll leave the defensive arrangements to you."
"Coordinate everything according to Menma-kun's plan."
"I understand."
Ajun nodded immediately.
However, another question soon surfaced.
"Still…"
"Are we really going to leave the western approach almost undefended?"
"I understand why we don't need to worry too much about Iwagakure."
"But hasn't Sunagakure restored its alliance with Konohagakure?"
"Regardless of its current condition, it's still one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations."
"If we neglect that direction entirely and Sunagakure suddenly acts…"
"Wouldn't our response be delayed?"
From Ajun's perspective, the concern was entirely reasonable.
Even if Sunagakure had declined…
It remained one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
Menma could afford to evaluate them calmly.
Ajun could not.
The reputation accumulated by the Five Great Nations over decades still carried enormous psychological weight for the shinobi of smaller countries.
Menma smiled faintly.
"You don't need to worry about Sunagakure."
"For many years now, their greatest enemy has always been Iwagakure."
"Besides…"
"Launching an invasion of Takigakure isn't nearly as simple as it sounds."
"Unlike Kirigakure, they're not separated from us by the sea."
"But there are still multiple countries lying between the Land of Wind and the Land of Waterfalls."
"Sunagakure neither possesses the confidence nor the logistical capability to launch a large-scale cross-border campaign at present."
"And even if they tried…"
"The number of troops they could commit would be extremely limited."
"I've already prepared contingency plans for that possibility."
"If anything changes…"
"I'll be able to suppress it immediately."
Menma spoke with complete confidence.
Compared to Konohagakure, Kumogakure, or even Iwagakure…
He genuinely did not regard Sunagakure or Kirigakure as immediate threats.
Partly because of geography.
Partly because of military reality.
The truth was simple.
Neither village currently possessed many truly top-tier combatants.
Sunagakure still relied primarily upon Gaara.
Kirigakakure's greatest asset was Terumī Mei.
As for the rest…
Their overall military quality had declined considerably over the years.
Compared to the other great villages, both had weakened significantly.
Arrogant though it might sound…
Menma genuinely believed that, with his current strength, he could defeat either Gaara or Terumī Mei in direct combat.
Likewise, the overall quality of Suna and Kiri shinobi no longer fully matched the reputation expected of one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
Because of that…
Menma simply didn't believe either village would risk provoking Takigakure under the current circumstances.
Doing so would only weaken themselves further.
At that point…
They might well become the next targets of the remaining great villages.
Kirigakure's recent actions perfectly illustrated this mentality.
According to Orochimaru's intelligence, Kirigakure had indeed deployed troops near the border with the Land of Fire.
However…
The force numbered fewer than a thousand shinobi.
Even the number of elite jōnin leading them was surprisingly small.
Their deployment was little more than a political statement.
A complete contrast to Kumogakure, whose preparations clearly indicated genuine readiness for war.
Menma could easily understand Kirigakure's thinking.
After all…
The matter involved the disappearance of one of their own jinchūriki.
Remaining silent was impossible.
At the very least, they needed to demonstrate a firm attitude.
As for actual military action…
The current Kirigakure simply lacked both the confidence and the capability.
After a brief pause, Menma concluded.
"So, as I've said from the beginning…"
"Our preparations only need to focus on two enemies."
"Konohagakure."
"And Kumogakure."
"Everything we're doing now is aimed at dealing with those two villages."
Ajun slowly nodded.
"I understand."
"That certainly puts my mind at ease."
Yet…
Even as he spoke, a strange feeling lingered within his heart.
Especially after seeing Shibuki calmly accept every one of Menma's proposals without objection.
Something felt…
Wrong.
Not because Menma's analysis was incorrect.
Quite the opposite.
His strategic judgment was impeccable.
That was precisely the problem.
Shibuki was the leader of Takigakure.
Normally…
Menma should have been presenting suggestions.
The final decisions should have belonged to Shibuki.
Instead…
The roles had quietly reversed.
Even in Konohagakure, where Lady Tsunade frequently relied upon Nara Shikaku's strategic insight, the final authority always rested with the Hokage herself.
Shikaku advised.
Tsunade decided.
That distinction mattered.
Ajun wanted to voice his concern.
Yet…
He ultimately remained silent.
Because deep down…
He knew the truth.
In matters such as these…
Only Menma possessed the knowledge necessary to formulate an effective strategy.
Shibuki simply lacked that level of experience.
Completely unaware of Ajun's inner conflict, Shibuki smiled with visible relief.
"Hearing your analysis certainly eases my worries."
"So, for now, we'll focus on strengthening our defenses while searching for the Three-Tails, Isobu."
"Should we dispatch additional personnel to assist with the search?"
Menma immediately shook his head.
"There's no need."
"I've already entrusted that matter to Orochimaru."
"Takigakure shouldn't move recklessly."
"Unnecessary troop movements will only attract unwanted attention."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Besides…"
"We have something even more important to deal with."
"…Something more important?"
Both Shibuki and Ajun stiffened simultaneously.
Their expressions immediately grew solemn once again.