"Tatsuma, tell us your thoughts."
Though Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't directly reveal the correct answer, Minato's intelligence was enough to make him realize he had guessed wrong, while Tatsuma guessed right.
Feeling increasingly amazed at his own inadequacy compared to Tatsuma, he also perked up his ears, wanting to hear what Tatsuma relied on to deduce the truth.
Tatsuma nodded and said, "The Uchiha clan holds the northern front. In terms of combat, the Uchiha's abilities are unmatched by anyone. Even facing a larger number of enemies, they cannot be easily breached.
At the same time, there are plenty of Konoha Ninjas guarding and patrolling the Gulf side. Even if the Cloud Ninjas change direction and launch their operation against the Land of Iron by sea, they cannot deceive us in Konoha.
And Mifune's withdrawal of troops should be a spur-of-the-moment decision or a choice made out of necessity. Both routes of the Cloud Ninjas will give us and the Land of Iron enough time for deliberation, so I don't think it's the result of the Cloud Ninja's actions.
Mifune received the most immediate news that prompted him to withdraw troops, and the most likely scenario is the Samurai Group's frontal battlefield, which is the war against the Rain Ninja.
If it were the usual situation, with the assistance of Konoha Ninjas, the samurai led by Mifune wouldn't lose to the Rain Ninja. It must be an accident, such as Hanzo, who has never been involved in the Rain Iron's frontal battles."
At this point, Tatsuma paused, leaving room for others to interject. Danzo immediately spoke up, saying, "Then why must it be Hanzo? Onoki can also do it, and the Seven Tails from the Waterfall Ninja Village can as well."
The secrecy level of the Tailed Beasts is extremely high. Now that the village has been established for a third generation, the existence of the Tailed Beasts has been gradually decreasing. Most of Tatsuma's peers don't even know about the Tailed Beasts' existence.
However, Tatsuma and Minato are too close to the Elders. Even if they don't actively inquire, they would hear many rumors. Therefore, Danzo also knows that the two are aware of the Tailed Beasts' existence, and even know the distribution of the Tailed Beasts.
Therefore, Danzo was merely using the Tailed Beasts to disrupt Tatsuma's judgment, wanting to see if Tatsuma had overlooked it or if he truly had an answer.
And Tatsuma did not disappoint Danzo. Without needing to think further, Tatsuma spoke, "Since the outbreak of the war, it has been a year and a half. If we include the prelude, it's close to two years now.
Onoki and the Hidden Rock Village, however, have never directly participated. This indicates that they lack the conditions for involvement, be it money or public support. And the Land of Rain, with whom they have only slight interests, isn't worth their intervention at this time.
Even if the Hidden Rock Village were to engage at such a dire moment, it wouldn't be Onoki who acts. The Hidden Rock Village might dispatch a ninja corps, but not Onoki himself."
At this point, Tatsuma shook his head, indicating that further explanation was unnecessary. He continued, "As for the Seven Tails... if it were truly running amok, the message wouldn't be about withdrawal of troops, but rather a call for help."
After finishing, Tatsuma shrugged, as if indicating that such questions were too amateurish.
His attitude didn't anger Danzo; instead, it further impressed him. Minato kept nodding continuously. Compared to Tatsuma, he had overlooked too many things in his recent thoughts.
Indeed, it had to be Tatsuma!
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen unconsciously began to prepare his pipe, lighting the tobacco inside and taking a deep drag. He nodded in satisfaction and then asked, "So, what do you think we should do, Konoha?"
Upon hearing this, Tatsuma glanced at Minato, silently asking if he wanted to answer first. However, Minato slightly shook his head; he still had much to learn in this regard.
If it were just the two of them in private, he could express his own humble opinions and let Tatsuma correct him. But in front of the Hokage and Danzo, it was better not to, lest his inexperienced views waste time and disrupt the proceedings.
Seeing this, Tatsuma didn't insist further. He withdrew his gaze and said, "The first step, we should support the withdrawal of troops from the Land of Iron."
As soon as these words were spoken, both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo frowned. But before they could speak, Tatsuma continued, "However, there must be conditions. That is, the ninja corps stationed on the northern front line must have their roles exchanged with us.
They can withdraw from the Land of Waves and return to their Land of Iron, but they must ensure that the Land of Lightning Ninja won't invade our Land of Fire.
At the same time, all liberated ninja from the northern front line, as reinforcements for the samurai, will start from the Land of Frost, assist in driving out Rain Ninja from various countries along the way, and then arrive in the Land of Waves for support."
"This is fundamentally useless, and the time consumed in the transition between the two armies will only allow the Rain Ninjas to ravage and plunder resources among the various countries."
Danzo interjected, his face showing a slight disappointment. But Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't in a hurry; instead, he smiled at Tatsuma and said, "Continue."
Tatsuma nodded and said, "The key to the first step is actually what Danzo-sama mentioned, allowing the Land of Rain to ravage the various countries."
Sarutobi Hiruzen squinted but didn't interrupt, and Tatsuma continued, "The purpose of the northern army heading west is not to help the countries defend their resources but to ensure that the Rain Ninjas return with a bountiful harvest.
During this period, we also need to explain to the various countries that it's not that Konoha is turning a blind eye to the Rain Ninja's misconduct in their territories; it's just that the decision of the Land of Iron forces us to resort to such inefficient measures.
This step is not for profit but to shift the conflict, transferring the conflict between Konoha and the Cloud Ninja to the warriors of the Land of Iron and shifting the dissatisfaction of the various countries onto the Land of Iron."
With this, the first step became clear, and Danzo, who had originally shown disappointment, began to look at Tatsuma with renewed appreciation.
However, Tatsuma paid no attention and continued, "As for the second step, it is to exaggerate Hanzo's gains, letting all the people of the Land of Rain know that their leader, Hanzo, has obtained enough resources to ensure their victory.
The Land of Rain, which has been affected by war for over a year, is now in dire straits. Once they know that Hanzo has obtained a large amount of resources, Hanzo will only have two choices left.
One is to use the resources for the reconstruction of the Land of Rain, but this will consume all of Hanzo's acquired resources, and it may not even be enough. The other option is to sustain the war with these resources and exchange them for even greater benefits.
The crucial point is to ensure that the resources obtained by Hanzo are returned in a short period. With Hanzo's ambition, he will definitely not prioritize the former."
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. He knew the extent of Hanzo's ambition, and acquiring resources for the reconstruction of the Land of Rain would not satisfy him. Therefore, he would only choose to use these resources to exchange for greater benefits.
Tatsuma adjusted his wording slightly and continued, "The third step involves besieging the Rain Ninjas on multiple fronts, even more than three if possible, to force them into a decisive battle with us.
We are different from over four months ago; we have overcome the effects of battlefield losses, and the ninjas have all had sufficient time to rest and recuperate."
"Hmph!"
Danzo suddenly snorted, evidently feeling stung by Tatsuma's words, as he was the one who led the team to defeat.
Tatsuma also paused for a moment before realizing. He was about to offer some explanation for his remarks, but Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand, indicating for him not to worry about it.
Seeing this, Tatsuma ignored Danzo's mood and continued, "As for the Rain Ninjas, they have been fighting repeatedly and are already worn out. If a war breaks out, Konoha will surely emerge victorious."
"On the battlefield, perhaps as you say, but what about Hanzo? His poison can change the entire course of the battle."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a drag of his pipe, exhaling smoke as he spoke, "Although he's the leader of a small country's ninja, Hanzo's strength is not as weak as the Land of Rain's national power compared to our Land of Fire.
In fact, Hanzo's strength is comparable to that of the Five Kage. Even if Sakumo were to intervene, he wouldn't dare guarantee victory against Hanzo. How do you propose to handle him?"
The best way, of course, is for Sarutobi Hiruzen to personally intervene. Tatsuma also eagerly wants to witness the strength of this Third Hokage, who is still in his prime.
But Tatsuma knows this isn't practical. Sarutobi Hiruzen is someone who dislikes being talked about, and if one wants him to truly intervene, they must force him to, just like Orochimaru did in the original series with the Konoha Crush plan.
"As long as we can restrain Hanzo and let the two armies on the battlefield determine the outcome, I believe there are many suitable candidates for this task, such as your three disciples"
Upon hearing Tatsuma's proposed solution, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded at first, then furrowed his brows. After a moment, his expression relaxed, and he smiled, saying, "While Hanzo takes away victory in battle, we'll claim the fruits of war for Konoha. However, I still want to hear why you chose to send Tsunade and them, rather than Sakumo or others?"
"Because if others fail, they may die. And even if it were Sakumo-sama, if he were to make a mistake and Hanzo kills him, the other four great nations would likely offer support, or even intervene, for the Land of Rain."
"Haha~ If Tsunade were to hear you, her disciple, say such things about her, she would definitely lose control of her temper, give you a good beating, and then make you admit that she's definitely stronger than Hanzo."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a laugh, then his smile slightly faded, but he glanced triumphantly at Danzo.
"Excellent, isn't it? My grandchildren!"
Danzo was so enraged that he clenched his teeth, wishing he could snatch Tatsuma away on the spot. This three-step strategy, with its hidden darkness and manipulation of people's hearts, was perfectly suited for his roots!
Oh, wait, he no longer had roots. His roots were now in the hands of Sakumo Hatake.
Damn Sakumo Hatake!
After enjoying the silent performance of his old friend, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Tatsuma and Minato and said, "In the upcoming meeting, the two of you will participate as secretaries."
Upon hearing this, Tatsuma and Minato both startled. Though they were just secretaries, this marked the first time Chunin would participate in a Jonin meeting, right?
The confidentiality requirements of Jonin meetings are very strict. Even the task of pouring tea or water must be done by Jonin because only Jonin can be trusted by the village to relay confidential information to them.
Although Jonin might also leak secrets, or might reveal them under enemy interrogation, the likelihood is much smaller compared to Chunin or Genin.
However, Tatsuma quickly realized that if he were a secretary, then who would convey all the information he discussed here today to the meeting?
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen's unyielding smirk, Tatsuma understood.
Indeed, "employees working hard to ensure the boss gets a new car" isn't just a joke.
----
Check out my Patreon for more advanced chapters up to 50 at patreon.com/HellGolt