For traditional ninjas, missions are everything. However, during the Third Great Ninja War, every major village issued a peculiar order: encountering Minato Namikaze and retreating would not be considered a mission failure. This alone elevated Minato’s strength and reputation to an unparalleled height. Beyond his calm demeanor and meticulous analytical skills, the Flying Thunder God Technique was undoubtedly the cornerstone of his legendary status.
It must be said that the set of tactics Minato devised around this technique was nearly flawless. His strategy? Simple: Flying Thunder God plus Rasengan. Max out agility and offense, and dominate the battlefield. Before you even caught a glimpse of him, his special kunai was already at your throat. How could anyone counter that? They couldn’t. Apart from a draw against the "AB Duo" from Kumogakure, Minato’s record was flawless. The dominance of the Flying Thunder God Technique was unparalleled.
"But this technique does have two flaws," the Great Immortal Huang remarked bluntly.
"Please, enlighten me," Jing Hang humbly requested.
"First, the technique requires pre-placed markers. While the Ink Movement Technique can mitigate this limitation to some extent, it still has its boundaries. You must prepare in advance. But on a battlefield, where situations change in an instant, you won’t always have the luxury of preparation."
The Great Immortal Huang’s observation was spot on. Minato addressed this issue by scattering markers everywhere, much like a dog marking its territory. He would leave marks on enemies during combat and carried a large number of specially crafted kunai with him at all times. This largely resolved the problem, but it introduced another: with so many "eyes" on the map, how could anyone keep track of them all? During the war, Minato frequently moved between the battlefields of Kumogakure and Iwagakure. One could only wonder how he managed to memorize so many locations.
"Second, this technique consumes a tremendous amount of chakra. The farther the distance, the greater the consumption. Even for you, prolonged use would be unsustainable."
This critique was even more insightful. How did Minato die? He was impaled by the Nine-Tails’ claw. But why didn’t the fastest ninja in the world evade it? Was it to shield Kushina? To protect baby Naruto? Couldn’t he have just teleported them all away? The real reason lay in his earlier battle with Obito. After a grueling night of combat, Minato had overused the Flying Thunder God Technique, depleting his chakra reserves. He simply didn’t have enough energy left to escape.
"Then I’ll activate Sage Mode while using the technique. Problem solved, right?" Jing Hang quickly proposed a solution.
"Smart kid," the Great Immortal Huang praised him for once.
"But it’s only a partial solution. You still can’t sustain it indefinitely. You’ll need to manage your usage carefully."
"Of course!" Jing Hang thumped his chest confidently.
"And one more thing: this technique demands exceptional perception, a massive chakra reserve, and a high combat IQ. I advise against teaching it widely in the village. Without the necessary talent, attempting to learn it would only harm the practitioner."
The Great Immortal Huang had a point. Widespread dissemination? If Sunagakure could produce just one more ninja like Minato, they could directly challenge Konohagakure.
"We must take control of Amegakure, or at least ensure it falls under Konoha’s influence. This matter is urgent!" Danzo Shimura declared, slamming his hand on the map in the Hokage Tower’s conference room.
"Explain your reasoning," Hiruzen Sarutobi responded calmly.
"After the rampage of the Eight-Tails, Kumogakure did withdraw its forces from Iwagakure. However, the ninjas stationed along the Fire Country’s border have not retreated. On the contrary, their numbers are increasing, and they’ve repeatedly crossed the border, clashing with our stationed forces."
"And what does this have to do with the Land of Rain? Why not just reinforce our troops directly?" Homura Mitokado interrupted Danzo’s fervent speech.
Danzo remained unfazed. "My concern is not the northern front with Kumogakure, but the western front with Sunagakure." He pointed to the green area on the map representing Sunagakure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes narrowed. "Go on."
"As we all know, Sunagakure and Kumogakure have formed a defensive alliance. Meanwhile, Iwagakure, which previously acted as a counterbalance, has been beaten down by the two villages and no longer poses a threat. In any future conflict, we may face the prospect of fighting a two-front war against both villages."
"War? Danzo, aren’t you being overly alarmist? The situation hasn’t escalated to that point yet," Koharu Utatane remarked skeptically.
Danzo shot her a disdainful glance. "There’s no such thing as a secret that doesn’t leak, especially when it comes to something as significant as the Eight-Tails’ rampage. Kitsuchi’s intelligence network is no joke. And let me remind you, I am a ninja, not a politician. Political scheming at the negotiation table is not my concern. What I care about is the blood spilled on the battlefield!"
"Danzo, finish your thought," Hiruzen Sarutobi interjected, silencing Koharu.
"If we go to war with Kumogakure, Sunagakure’s stance will be critical. If they decide to attack Konoha, they have two optimal routes: first, through the Huangfutu Desert, advancing via Lishi Fortress to strike the eastern part of Konoha; second, taking the sea route from Yuexi Peninsula to launch a southern assault on the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paced to the map, his brows furrowed. "Such an extensive frontline... How do we defend against it?"
"The frontlines are too long to defend effectively, especially with so many troops tied up on the northern border."
"What’s your proposal?" Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Danzo.
"I’ve already mentioned it—take control of Amegakure."
Seeing the confusion in the others’ eyes, Danzo elaborated, "We need to think differently. If we were to attack Sunagakure, what’s the most convenient route? It’s through Amegakure, crossing the Night-Howling Sand Sea to strike Sunagakure’s Moon Lake New Area. That region is their agricultural hub. Losing it would cripple their food supply. We could either hold our position there or advance along the Sha-Yue Expressway toward Sunagakure itself. This would not only neutralize their offensive capabilities but also give us the upper hand in the war."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement. "You’re suggesting a strategy of counter-offense, changing the battlefield to take the initiative?"
A leader’s ability to distill complex reports into concise strategies was truly remarkable.
"Exactly," Danzo confirmed.
"Hmm, preparing for the worst. This plan has merit. I support it. What do you need?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.
"Money. And manpower," Danzo replied bluntly.
"Funds can be arranged through Jiuzi. I’ll approve everything. As for manpower, who do you have in mind?"
"Hm?" Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn’t expected Danzo to name one of his most trusted subordinates. On second thought, it wasn’t a bad idea. With Sakumo overseeing the operation, Hiruzen could rest a little easier.
"Very well. I’ll have Sakumo reassigned from the northern front immediately. Orochimaru!"
"Yes," Orochimaru responded calmly.
"You’ll take over command of the northern forces."
"Understood," Orochimaru replied without emotion.
At that moment, a ninja wearing a cat-faced ANBU mask suddenly burst into the conference room.
Danzo frowned. "What is it?"
"Report, sir! The Nine-Tails’ Jinchuriki has been kidnapped!"
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