I, The New Hokage of Konoha - Chapter 282
“Four thousand Rain Ninjas, this is already the greatest force that the Hidden Rain Village has been able to amass for recuperation over these many years.
However, despite this, the Rain Ninjas’s strength is generally weaker than that of the Five Great Nations’ ninja. When they truly engage, not only do the initial two thousand Rock Ninjas stationed on the borders not fall behind, but they might even have the possibility of defeating them.
The gap is indeed so vast.
This is also why, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, apart from the Land of Iron, no other small nation was willing to join the war.
Even the Hidden Rain Village, ranked among the foremost of these smaller nations, stands only at this level compared to the Five Great Nations.
Let alone the weaker ones among them.
Going there would just be delivering food.
Similarly, having stayed in the Hidden Rain Village for some time, Jiraiya naturally understood the strength of the Rain Ninjas.
He didn’t lead his team to confront the Rock Ninjas head-on.
Instead, he chose a more relaxed approach, attacking the Rock Ninjas’s logistical forces and cutting off their supply lines.
Having experienced victory against the Rock Ninjas in the Third Great Ninja War, it would have been a waste not to employ such a successful strategy.
Thus, with no one to stop them, the four thousand Rain Ninjas, led by Jiraiya and Konan, swiftly made their way to the heartland of the Land of Earth, achieving a monumental success never before seen since the founding of the Hidden Rain Village.
Meanwhile, upon hearing of the Rain Ninjas’s major invasion, the Hidden Stone Village remained relatively calm.
Though their number of ninjas was scarce, relying on years of village barrier construction and various defensive weapons, they were not particularly afraid of the Rain Ninjas’s potential attack on the village in the short term.
On the contrary, upon learning the news, the daimyos and nobles in the capital of the Land of Earth, aware that there were no more ninjas available domestically and that their samurai would be of little use against ninjas, feared a direct assault from the Rain Ninjas. Led by the Emperor, they fled to the Hidden Stone Village, bringing their families and households.
As a result, before the Rain Ninjas could even act, many of the Land of Earth’s noble officials responsible for providing logistical support to the Rock Ninjas army at the frontlines began squabbling among themselves and fled for their lives, resulting in chaos in the logistical work to come.
“Well, the officials of the Land of Earth have inadvertently helped us a great deal.”
Near the former site of the Valley of the End, where the main account of the Rain Ninjas army was stationed on this crucial supply line, after commanding the Rain Ninjas to scatter and disrupt various transportation routes, Jiraiya, looking at the news just received, chuckled.
He hadn’t expected that their first encounter wouldn’t be a counterattack from the Land of Earth but rather their assistance.
“In this case, does our chance of winning increase even more?”
Beside him, Konan, who had just personally taken down a Rock Ninjas logistical team, asked expressionlessly.
“Of course!” Jiraiya nodded.
As if seeing victory on the horizon and the long-awaited village of Konoha about to come into view, he explained to his disciple with great satisfaction:
“Whether it’s in the era of samurai or today’s ninja wars, logistics are crucial in warfare. Considering the scale of the Land of Grass’s war, under high-intensity combat, the Rock Ninjas consume vast quantities of food, various ninja tools, medical supplies, and more. The frontline Rock Ninjas don’t have enough supplies on their own; they need continuous replenishment from the rear.”
“As long as we cut off the Rock Ninjas’s logistical line, it won’t take many days before the Grass Ninjas won’t have enough to eat, shortage of kunai, explosive tags, and inadequate treatment for the wounded… under these various impacts, the combat effectiveness and morale of the Rock Ninjas will weaken, leading to a collapse!”
In the end, as Jiraiya spoke, he glanced at the new, broader, and sturdier bridge built at the former site of the Valley of the End by the Rock Ninjas. He smiled boldly, “Just like the Battle of the Valley of the End during the Third Great Ninja War, which ensured the failure of the Rock Ninjas, now, let us deliver this decisive blow!”
Despite previous opposition to Cloud’s policies, after years of lessons and the situation having reached this point, Jiraiya no longer considered anything else. He was determined to do everything in his power to ensure Konoha’s victory in this battle and ultimately achieve the unified goal that everyone in Konoha longed for—the unification of the entire ninja world!
Perhaps, this would truly bring about the long-awaited peace.
At this moment, Jiraiya’s eyes were filled with anticipation.
He didn’t care about Konoha’s grand ideals. This deployment was more because of Konan’s personal vendetta. At this moment, she also glanced towards the new bridge between the mountains in the distance, her gaze flickering.
“The Battle of the Valley of the End… was it where Uchiha Madara supposedly met his end?”
Ever since she was informed of the true identity of Tobi, Konan had dedicated considerable effort to gathering information about him.
At Jiraiya’s words, she hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, “It should be a distance away from here. According to the intelligence from back then, Tobi sacrificed himself to save his team.”
As if evoking memories, Jiraiya, as he spoke, couldn’t help but think of the few times he had met the seemingly silly and non-Uchiha-like youth. He didn’t resemble a Uchiha at all.
Speaking of which, he was somewhat similar to that youth in his youth.
Equally passionate and impulsive.
Having a teammate with extraordinary talent, and someone he liked.
Of course, he wasn’t a shy boy back then.
He openly pursued the one he liked, unlike Tobi, who seemed obvious to everyone but kept his feelings hidden, lacking the courage to openly love.
Though both ended up as losers.
But how could such a sunny person turn into what he is now?
Jiraiya couldn’t understand.
In the end, he could only shake his head with regret.
Regardless, Tobi, who had gone to great lengths to oppose Konoha and had even harmed Nagato’s life, was now on a path of no return.
As Nagato’s teacher, and well aware of how important this was to Konan and the four thousand Rain Ninjas, he knew there was only one choice.
“Don’t worry. According to the reports from Konoha, Uchiha Madara, and Uchiha Obito are both on the battlefield in the Land of Grass. Now, as long as we defeat the Rock Ninjas, the fate of these two will be sealed without any reinforcements. Remember, the current Fourth Hokage, along with Minato, Kushina, and our disciples, are all
in this war. Nagato’s revenge is certain when the time comes.”
At his words, Konan fell silent for a moment, then nodded firmly.
Knowing her capabilities, she didn’t care if she could personally kill her enemies.
As long as it was for Nagato and for the plans that Obito had manipulated, the indirect revenge for Yahiko and all the initial members of the Akatsuki who once shared the same ideals would suffice.
“Angel-sama, Jiraiya-sama, a new batch of Rock Ninjas supply units has been discovered,” a Rain Ninjas reported at that moment.
“I’ll go,” Konan immediately said.
For her goals to be achieved, she was undoubtedly going to give her all.
Jiraiya didn’t refuse.
Thus,
Boom!
A large number of paper sheets fluttered instantly.
Among them, a pair of gigantic white wings quickly formed behind Konan.
The next moment, she spread her wings and flew at high speed towards the reported location.
Watching this scene, Jiraiya, standing in place, revealed a confident smile.
With four thousand Rain Ninjas, Konan, and himself, this endeavor would undoubtedly succeed!
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