Tobirama was very satisfied with Fumori Masaki's response. He then instructed Fumori Masaki to select a few suitable individuals from the camp to form a team and cooperate in luring out the Golden Horn and Silver Horn. The selection was limited to those below the rank of Jōnin, as the battlefield demanded the presence of higher-ranking ninjas elsewhere.
Fumori Masaki felt a tinge of regret, he had hoped to choose Hiruzen and Danzo for this mission. Having been away from the front line for some time, he felt it would be easier to work with familiar faces. However, considering the strategic importance of this mission, he had to abandon that plan.
After some thought, Fumori Masaki decided to enlist his former comrades with whom he had previously completed infiltration and raid missions. Their familiarity with each other's abilities made them ideal partners for this operation.
Soon, Hyūga Kei, Inuzuka Shigeru, Sarutobi Konosuke, Yamanaka Takuma, and Senju Risa were summoned. Although they were aware of Fumori Masaki's return, they hadn't had a chance to meet him. Upon seeing him, they quickly inquired about his well-being and the condition of Senju Tōka.
"Tōka-sama is not in any serious condition," Fumori Masaki assured them. "She can't continue fighting for now and is recuperating in the village. Before I left, she expressed her regret for not being able to join the front line and urged me to fight hard. She also asked me to convey her regards to all of you."
"No need for Tōka-sama to give us orders; we've been fighting tooth and nail here," Hyūga Kei replied with a wry smile. "Honestly, I'm not sure how we've survived. Many of our seniors have fallen on the battlefield. We're truly lucky."
"Indeed, it's fortunate that you're all safe. Tōka-sama would be pleased to know that," Fumori Masaki said warmly.
"But Masaki-dono," Hyūga Kei said after a moment, "you didn't gather us here just to reminisce, did you?"
Fumori Masaki nodded and explained the mission assigned to him. The group quickly became serious, realizing the gravity of the situation. Whether the mission succeeded would determine the outcome of the Kumo battlefield.
"Why choose us?" Yamanaka Takuma asked, puzzled. "Even if we're not Jōnin, there are many others in the camp stronger than us. Shouldn't this crucial task be assigned to more powerful shinobi?"
"It's not just about individual strength," Fumori Masaki explained. "I trust you, and I'm familiar with your abilities. A strong team isn't defined by the power of its members but by how well they work together. A team that understands each other will always outperform a team of individually strong but disconnected members."
The five were deeply moved. Fumori Masaki was the youngest Jōnin in Konoha, with a reputation for cutting off Silver Horn and killing Kaguya Nobunaga. Despite their own skills, they knew that their status in the village did not compare to his. Yet here was Fumori Masaki, showing them genuine trust and valuing their abilities.
"Of course, if any of you are unwilling to participate, you can decline. There's no shame in stepping away…" Fumori Masaki began, but before he could finish, all five had already nodded in agreement, eager to take on the mission.
"Thank you," Fumori Masaki said, smiling. "Let's discuss the combat plan."
"Wait, Masaki-dono," Senju Risa interjected, "there are only five of us. Shouldn't there be one more to form two full teams?"
"Ah, yes. The last member is Rimi; you should all know her," Fumori Masaki replied.
"Rimi-dono?" Senju Risa said, surprised. Rimi, like Risa, was a member of the Senju clan. Although their ranks were similar, Rimi's status had risen significantly after her marriage to Fumori Masaki, who was not only a clan leader but also a disciple of Senju Hashirama. Out of respect, Risa addressed her with honorifics.
The others were also aware of Rimi's formidable abilities. Hyūga Kei, in particular, knew she was a skilled kunoichi and had no objections to her joining the team.
"Since there are no other concerns, I'll explain the plan," Fumori Masaki said, glancing at everyone. "As I mentioned, this mission is a decoy operation. Our targets are the Golden Horn, Silver Horn, and their ninja squad. We don't need to defeat them; our objective is to lure them into an ambush."
"Even though Silver Horn was severely injured by Masaki-dono, would they really abandon the fight to pursue you, Masaki-dono?" Yamanaka Takuma pondered aloud.
"Absolutely," Fumori Masaki affirmed. "Golden Horn and Silver Horn are notorious for their arrogance. From captured Kumo shinobi, we know they often disregarded the First Raikage's orders. Now that the Second Raikage is in power—a man they have a strained relationship with—they're even more likely to act on their own."
"So, the Golden Horn and Silver Horn units follow the brothers more than the Raikage," Hyūga Kei mused.
"Exactly," Fumori Masaki confirmed. The Golden Horn and Silver Horn units have essentially become their private army. This began under the First Raikage and has only grown worse. In the future, these two will even lead an attack on the Second Raikage and the Hokage during peace talks, leading to their deaths.
In the future, Konoha Ninja Village will face a similar threat to that posed by the Golden Horn and Silver Horn unit, in the form of Danzo's "Root" organization. To Fumori Masaki, this was one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's gravest errors. Hiruzen's inability to control Root's operations allowed them to act independently, creating an uncontrollable and destabilizing force. Though Root never went as far as openly betraying the Hokage, Danzo's inaction during Orochimaru's attack on the village—choosing to let Hiruzen die rather than intervene—underscored the danger of allowing such a private military force to exist unchecked.
Masaki is determined to prevent any similar force from arising in Konoha in the future. Fortunately, it's Kumogakure dealing with this situation now, not Konoha.
"So, whether the Golden Horn and Silver Horn act hinges on their personal motivations," Masaki explained. "Given their arrogance, it's likely they'll pursue us out of spite. Of course, if they don't, we'll continue with our current strategy. The war might drag on longer, but nothing will be lost. However, if they do take the bait, that's when we'll strike." Masaki then unrolled a map and pointed to their chosen battlefield.
"Our battle will take place here. Initially, we'll engage them as we have before, but when the Golden Horn and Silver Horn arrive, we'll lead them to this location," Masaki's finger traced the path on the map. "Here, the three Uzumaki shinobi who came from the Land of Whirlpools will deploy a sealing barrier to trap the Golden Horn, Silver Horn, and their men."
The sealing barrier is incredibly powerful; once it's activated, it's almost impossible to break. Like the Four Violet Flames Formation used by the Sound Four during the Konoha Invasion, which even Hokage-level Anbu couldn't penetrate, this barrier will be a nearly impenetrable trap. While Uzumaki Toru and the others can't perform the Four Violet Flames Formation, they possess the unique sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan. When Kushina Uzumaki was on the brink of death, her chakra chains created a barrier so strong that it couldn't be lifted in time, as Minato performed the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. This shows just how formidable Uzumaki sealing techniques can be.
"The battlefields for Hiruzen and Danzo will be positioned nearby. Once the Golden Horn and Silver Horn are trapped, they'll move in to assist us in dealing with the rest of their forces," Masaki continued. "With this, we can inflict heavy losses on their unit and pressure the Land of Lightning into seeking peace."
"Wait, what about the Golden Horn and Silver Horn? Are we not planning to kill them?" Inuzuka Shigeru asked, puzzled by the lack of discussion about eliminating them.
Masaki glanced at Inuzuka Shigeru, contemplating how to explain.
When Masaki hesitated, Inuzuka Shigeru assumed it was because the brothers were too powerful. "If it's because they can't be killed, then we'll just have to contain them, right?"
"No, it's not that they can't be killed," Masaki replied. "But that only applies to them in their normal state."
"I understand, it's the Nine-Tails chakra," Hyūga Kei interjected. "That power is indeed formidable, not something ordinary shinobi can handle."
Masaki nodded. He wasn't concerned about the Golden Horn and Silver Horn in their normal state, but if they unleashed the Nine-Tails' chakra, the battle would become far more challenging. While they typically only transform into the second stage of tailed beast mode when enraged, they can access the first stage at will. Even this partial transformation gives them a significant boost in power, making them a formidable threat.
"For me, the plan is clear: either eliminate them before they can tap into the Nine-Tails' chakra, or find a way to restrain them," Masaki stated firmly, his hand lightly brushing over the map as he spoke.
############
It's almost 100 chapter and I still haven't talking about this. I hope you don't mind, when characters using Japanese honorifics when addressing someone. Although of the many stories that i have read. i still don't fully understand about japanese honorifics. while Masaki around the same age (0-5 years differences) with his team, but he's more respectable and has quite a growing popularity. but i don't want to use "-sama" because it doesn't quite fit . If any of you really understand Japanese honorifics, please correct me if I'm wrong. Ciao.