Chapter 47: The Predicament of the Three Legendary Sannin
*Office in the Land of Fire.*
"The Land of Taki! Ohnoki!"
After reading the intel, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.
"This is a trap! Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya's mission to contact the Grass Village was a setup!"
In the next moment:
"Immediately send orders to Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya to retreat! At the same time, send orders to the front lines for the Konoha forces stationed in the Land of Grass to withdraw to the border, and mobilize an elite unit to provide backup…"
"Yes!"
Acting quickly, Sarutobi Hiruzen issued a series of orders.
Seeing his reaction, everyone understood the gravity of the situation. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado looked serious as they asked, "Hiruzen, what's going on in the Land of Grass?"
Sarutobi, his face grim, handed them the report. He explained solemnly:
"We were too careless, focusing only on the major Hidden Villages and forgetting to monitor the movements along the smaller borders. Iwagakure has secretly mobilized elite forces along the Taki border—they plan to cut off our forces in the Grass Country and push the conflict into the Land of Fire."
As Sarutobi spoke, Koharu and Homura read the report, with Homura erupting in anger:
"Iwagakure's target isn't the Grass Village—they intend to use the Taki route to cut off our ninja forces in the Land of Grass, bringing the war directly to the Land of Fire!"
Between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire lie three small buffer countries, aligned in a row: the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Taki.
At this point, it was critical to pull back, foiling their plan and preparing a counterattack to keep the conflict in the Grass Country.
However, Danzo Shimura, looking furious, slammed the table and shouted his disagreement:
"If Iwa wants to trap our forces, then let our army become a nail, driven deep into the Grass Country! Command the front-line army to attack from both sides, crushing the Iwa forces within the Grass Country!"
"Hiruzen, your caution is disappointing!"
Danzo's words were not without reason; ninja are trained to be tools, even in situations with a high risk of ambush—such is their duty.
But Hiruzen, defiant, slammed his own fist on the table. Without a hint of fear, he ordered the ANBU outside the door:
"Relay another command to our forces in the Land of Grass—abandon all supplies and break through before Iwa encircles them. An elite unit from the border will provide support."
"Yes!"
Ignoring Danzo's protests, Sarutobi's firmness left him fuming. Danzo glared at Koharu and Homura:
"Is this how a Hokage act?"
"Danzo! I am the Hokage!"
This time, Sarutobi did not hold back, berating him in front of everyone. Koharu frowned, adding:
"Danzo, you should examine the intel from the Land of Grass. Hiruzen isn't being indecisive; if this group of Konoha shinobi truly falls, it would shake the entire village."
Homura nodded gravely:
"Exactly. This force includes members of prominent clans, and even Tsunade. We can't afford any losses!"
Realizing the group in the Land of Grass included many young clan members, Danzo's expression changed, frustration flooding him as he slammed the table again.
"Damn it! They're all weak! Weak!"
If these younger shinobi suffered heavy casualties, the village's prominent clans would likely direct their fury at Sarutobi.
Danzo finally understood: though he often disagreed with Hiruzen, they shared the same boat. An irreparable rift with Konoha's clans could force them out of power.
This underlying tension is why the so-called "F4 of Konoha" and other villages constantly suppressed the powerful clans. These clans hold immense strength but are also a double-edged sword.
But there were only two ways to handle this power effectively. One was like the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju—strong enough to break any blade aimed at him. The other was like the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju—though not as powerful as his brother, his skills and the mighty Senju clan behind him allowed him to wield that blade freely.
"Iwa!"
Exhaling a ring of smoke, Hiruzen's voice turned solemn, filling the smoky air.
"The most intense phase of the war is about to begin!"
Iwagakure's recent move was undoubtedly a spark igniting the coming storm.
---
*Land of Earth, Iwagakure.*
In the stone Tsuchikage office, a younger Ohnoki read the frontline report, a rare smile crossing his face.
"Tsuchikage-sama, our elite troops report they've bypassed Taki and are close to entering the Grass Country, ready to cut off Konoha's forces."
"We mustn't get complacent—our target is Konoha, after all."
Despite his grin, Ohnoki was always wary of Konoha, his face growing serious.
"But the Grass Village might be useful."
A cunning smile spread across Ohnoki's face; he didn't trust the Grass Village's fickle nature.
---
*Land of Grass, Konoha Camp.*
Inside the command tent, Uchiha Yosuke, transformed to appear as Tsunade, casually crossed his legs, yawning as he read the reports with a weary expression.
"The Second Shinobi War has begun, and the battles in the Land of Rain are only growing fiercer. The Third Hokage's aces are Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, while the legendary White Fang looms in the background."
Yosuke, disguised as Tsunade, frowned, deep in thought. Shinobi warfare is built on intelligence; both in open battles and covert conflicts, intel is key.
In the original story, the Shinobi Wars had only a few illustrated scenes, leaving Yosuke with limited information to go by.
"If the Three Sannin's reputations were partially built on fortuitous circumstances, then perhaps the situation in the Land of Rain will soon reach a breaking point."
"Before that happens, there's one more crisis where the three are surrounded and nearly killed."
Deep in thought, Yosuke checked his ninja pouch, where he'd kept a crucial piece of intel ready. However, it wasn't yet the right time to pass it to Tsunade; this was his contingency plan.
Just then, an eagle's sharp cry echoed over the Konoha camp.
Yosuke, in his Tsunade disguise, paled. The tent flaps flew open as two jonin rushed in, one calling urgently:
"Immediate emergency! Orders from the Third Hokage—Konoha forces in the Land of Grass are to abandon all supplies and retreat to the border."
Stunned, Yosuke-as-Tsunade read the intel and exclaimed:
"Iwagakure bypassed through the Land of Taki!"
In a flash, Yosuke realized the reason behind the famous incident of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru nearly perishing. This was it.
This time, they were in real danger.