Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 408 Double Act and Chessboard

"two."

Nara Shikaku held up two fingers and said calmly, "First, troop strength. According to intelligence, the scale is neither large nor small. It's neither enough to inflict a devastating blow on the enemy, nor does it seem overly formal. In the past three days, all the battles between the two sides have been concentrated in the daytime. Moreover, most of those who died were relatively unknown genin. This doesn't seem like a war of life and death."

His words were clear and calm, carrying an undeniable logical force.

A slight commotion arose in the conference room.

"Do you have other plans?" Koharu Utatane frowned.

"Secondly, and most importantly—logistics."

Shikaku drew two thin red lines on the sand table with his fingers, representing the supply lines of Sunagakure and Iwagakure respectively.

"Everyone here has experienced war. In such a crucial frontline conflict, supply lines are lifelines. Yet their supply lines were exceptionally long and vulnerable."

"This is unreasonable."

"It's like a swordsman deliberately sticking his neck into his opponent's sword during a duel."

"The only explanation is that they were certain that their opponent wouldn't actually cut it down."

Shikaku's analysis, like a scalpel, precisely dissected the disguise of this conflict.

A hint of undisguised satisfaction appeared on Nara Shika's face.

That brat, at least he didn't embarrass me.

Lu Jiu's voice echoed in the quiet conference room.

"A war where the input and output are completely disproportionate. This is illogical, and even less consistent with the style of Onoki and the Third Kazekage."

After he finished speaking, he put down the baton and returned to his father's side.

The conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The two consultants, who had just taken it all for granted, were now deep in thought.

They are experienced politicians, but their thinking has become somewhat rigid, and they are used to judging based on existing experience.

But Nara Shikaku, this young man, saw a completely different possibility in the details they overlooked.

"What is your conclusion?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried a hint of approval.

Nara Shikaku took a deep breath and uttered the prediction that sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"Their goal isn't the mine itself. It's to keep our attention firmly focused on the West, on Mount Great. They want us to believe that they're too preoccupied with their own internal conflicts to care about anything else."

Nara Shikaku finally opened his eyes, looking at his son's back, a hint of barely perceptible relief on his face.

That brat, at least he didn't embarrass me.

"They...are concealing some deeper strategic intention."

Lu Jiu's voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart with a heavy blow.

If the previous analysis of doubts only made the senior executives present feel uneasy, then this conclusion was like a lightning bolt, shattering everyone's habitual peaceful thinking.

Mitokado Homura muttered to himself, "This..."

"To cover up...the real intention?"

Fugaku Uchiha, who had been silent all along, raised his head at this moment.

His three-tomoe Sharingan had been activated at some point, and his red eyes were fixed on the map instead of looking at anyone.

It was as if he wanted to completely etch that vast land, along with all its mountains and rivers, into his mind.

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed.

It wasn't a smile of relief or approval, but rather a smile tinged with weariness and understanding.

He slowly stood up and walked to the map, drawing everyone's attention.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not visit Mount Kyoto, nor did he visit Sunagakure or Iwagakure.

His finger crossed the border of the Land of Fire, passed over the numerous small countries scattered across the land, and finally gently touched a corner of the map that had been almost forgotten.

That place is the land of rain.

"Since it's acting, the real stage is definitely not under the spotlight."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was soft, yet it instantly lowered the temperature in the entire conference room to freezing point.

Everyone realized that a far more insidious and deadly game than a direct confrontation had quietly begun.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the peaceful village below.

"Since that's the case..."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Then let's open our eyes even wider."

"Pass on the order."

"Western Frontier Forces, upgraded to wartime status."

"Command the root, activate all infiltrators in the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Waterfalls."

He turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone present, finally settling on Uchiha Fugaku in the corner.

"Fugaku".

"exist!"

Fugaku Uchiha stood up instantly, his posture ramrod straight.