Konoha had long prepared for this war. Now, all that remained was for the ninja troops to proceed step by step. With a solid foundation in place, they could easily withstand the probing attacks from Kirigakure.
"Yosh!" As the troops arrived, Tsunade stood at the front of the camp alongside several high-ranking officers who had arrived earlier.
"The camp is divided into sectors. Everyone, find your assigned area and get settled. At four o’clock sharp, all captains and above will meet in the center of the camp. Dismissed!" Tsunade’s commanding presence was as formidable as ever. Her expression was firm, her voice unwavering, and she held great prestige within Konoha’s shinobi ranks.
"Hai!"
"Hai!"
...
Saitama noticed a girl around his height standing next to Tsunade. From memory, he recognized her as Shizune—Kato Dan’s niece, taken in by Tsunade after she lost her family.
She’s a genin already? Saitama recalled that Shizune was from Kakashi’s generation and probably a few years older than himself. Due to early development, she was slightly taller than him at the moment.
Once inside the camp, Saitama quickly located the Uchiha sector. All Uchiha shinobi received their tent assignments from Uchiha Tenmei and moved quickly to get some rest. Though all were trained ninja, the journey had been exhausting, and many were in need of recovery.
Saitama’s tent was located near that of the Uchiha brothers, Hoshi and Kasen, for convenience.
Interestingly, the Uchiha and Hyuga clan camps were adjacent.
Don’t they know there’s bad blood between the Uchiha and Hyuga? Saitama thought. Not that he cared for political squabbles—he wasn’t impulsive or easily provoked. He had no intention of picking a fight unless someone came looking for one.
---
Later that Afternoon
"Captain! Want something to eat?" Uchiha Kasen held out a chunk of roasted meat, fresh from the camp kitchen.
After several days on the road, the shinobi had neither eaten nor slept well. Most were now either resting or grabbing food, while Tsunade’s team had already prepared for their arrival.
"Thanks. I’ll grab a bite before heading to the meeting," Saitama said, nodding as he took the meat.
Kasen handed it over without hesitation. Saitama didn’t bother with courtesy—he simply took it, munching as he made his way to the camp center where the captain-level officers were assembling.
"Yo, Mori-san!" Saitama called out as he spotted Uchiha Mori approaching from the opposite direction. Mori had been busy helping Uchiha Tenmei manage the clan’s forces and hadn’t had time to check in with Saitama.
"Well met, Saitama," Mori replied calmly.
"Let’s walk together. Any tips on how I should act at this kind of meeting?" Saitama joked as they strolled side by side.
"Just don’t say anything stupid," Mori muttered, greeting another clansman along the way.
"Got it. This’ll be my first time seeing Lady Tsunade in action," Saitama said.
"She’s one of the Sannin for a reason. Konoha’s elite," Mori replied, though he didn’t know that Tsunade, despite her fearsome reputation, was currently dealing with her hemophobia and wouldn’t be engaging in combat directly.
---
They arrived at the meeting point. Many had already gathered, and Tsunade had not yet arrived. Saitama and Mori stood at the edge of the group.
This gathering was primarily to boost morale and go over logistics and orders.
The crowd fell silent as Tsunade entered, now dressed in her flak jacket with her hair tied in a tight ponytail. She walked with purpose, every step commanding attention. Shizune followed behind, nervously fidgeting.
Tsunade stepped onto the platform and surveyed the group in silence. The pressure of her presence was palpable.
"I know we’ve moved quickly to the front lines," she began, her voice strong and unwavering. "But the situation is critical."
"We’ll spend today settling in. Starting tomorrow, battlefield operations begin. I trust you’re prepared." Her gaze swept across the group, briefly lingering on Saitama.
She continued with task assignments and outlined responsibilities for each clan.
"Clan leaders, remain behind. The rest of you are dismissed!" Tsunade commanded.
Saitama and Mori nodded, turned, and left with the rest of the captains.
"Into the tent," Tsunade said, addressing the remaining twenty or so leaders as she entered the largest tent to begin strategic discussions. While war hadn’t officially broken out, preparation was vital.
---
Back in his tent, Saitama gathered the Uchiha brothers.
"So, you guys got it?" he asked.
"We’re patrolling tomorrow, right? To prevent Kirigakure shinobi from slipping across the border?" Hoshi asked, his mouth full of food.
"Exactly. Once Mori returns, he’ll go over the final patrol assignments."
"This isn’t a full-scale war yet—just probing attacks. But any enemy who crosses the border is to be eliminated. No exceptions."
"Yes, sir!" the two brothers responded. The seriousness of the situation weighed on them.
"Go rest for now. I’ll wake you if anything comes up. Be sharp for tomorrow."
"Got it."
They exited, leaving Saitama alone.
"Huff..." He took off the blade at his waist, placed it at his right side, and lay down.
The tent was modest—just a bed, table, and chair. Bare essentials. The past few days of marching had taken their toll. Though his body recovered quickly thanks to rigorous training and chakra control, even Saitama felt the mental fatigue.
Staring up at the tent’s ceiling, his expression grew serious.
Kirigakure might seem the least threatening, but he knew the truth.
Behind it all was the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura—the perfect jinchūriki of the Three-Tails—under the control of none other than Uchiha Madara.
Many of the strange movements in Kirigakure were orchestrated by Madara. He was the hidden hand behind this war.
Saitama didn’t expect any mercy from Madara just because they shared the same clan name. If they ever crossed paths, he knew he’d likely die.
But at this point in the timeline, Madara should be near the end of his life. He shouldn’t be able to show himself directly yet. And his successor—Obito—was still in Konoha.
Saitama had no choice but to focus on the mission at hand.
"Better get some sleep..." he muttered, eyes growing heavy.
He slept deeply until midnight, when hunger roused him.
The first thing he did was reach for the blade beside him—a habit forged over the past year. Only with a weapon at his side could he truly relax.
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