"Lord Jiraiya, aren't you going to meet them?"
Tsuchiki hesitated for a moment before asking.
"They've been traveling at full speed to get here. They must be exhausted. Let them rest for now," Jiraiya replied.
"It seems that the ninja from the noble clans still have some objections to Lord Jiraiya. But for us civilian-born shinobi, that's actually a good thing. The more power Lord Jiraiya gains, the better it will be for us. He'll look out for us."
Observing Jiraiya's attitude toward the noble clan shinobi, Tsuchiki couldn't help but feel pleased.
Jiraiya clearly harbored some hostility toward them. If he were to rise to power, he would undoubtedly provide more opportunities for civilian shinobi.
If, instead, Jiraiya had a favorable attitude toward the noble clans as well, then even if he rose to the top, nothing would change for civilian shinobi.
The reason why it was so difficult for them to get ahead was simple—resources.
Unlike the major clans, who could easily obtain training materials and techniques, civilian shinobi had to struggle for even the most basic resources.
"Lord Jiraiya, I'll make arrangements for their rest right away," Tsuchiki said with a nod.
"Summon the Anbu. We're holding a meeting," Jiraiya instructed Tsunade.
Tsunade nodded and swiftly gathered the Anbu members.
"Now that Konoha's reinforcement unit has arrived, we'll launch the attack on Tetsuishi Town within three days at the latest. During the assault, your mission is to coordinate and eliminate the strongest elite chūnin among the enemy ranks," Jiraiya announced to the assembled Anbu.
Every Anbu squad under Jiraiya's command had a jōnin leading them. Working together, taking down elite chūnin would be as easy as cutting through weeds.
With the additional jōnin from Konoha's reinforcements keeping the enemy jōnin occupied, the Anbu squads would have free rein to hunt down elite chūnin.
Jiraiya had no intention of sending them after enemy jōnin—without a significant advantage, defeating a jōnin was a time-consuming and difficult task.
It was far more efficient to eliminate elite chūnin instead.
Elite chūnin played a crucial role in large-scale battles. Removing them quickly would significantly weaken the Rain Country's forces.
Most importantly, if the enemy jōnin were pressured too soon, they would be forced to go all out in a desperate counterattack.
That would put Konoha's elite chūnin at risk.
However, as long as the enemy jōnin still saw a chance of victory in one-on-one combat, they wouldn't throw their lives away recklessly.
"Captain, with our strength, we can engage their jōnin directly. Why are we being ordered to target chūnin instead?"
Hatake Shirayuki asked, her voice filled with confusion.
Some of the other Anbu nodded in agreement, though most already understood Jiraiya's reasoning.
Shirayuki, having only recently joined Anbu, lacked the broader tactical perspective needed for large-scale operations.
Jiraiya had no patience to explain. His expression turned cold.
"If you can't figure it out on your own, then you can hand in your resignation as soon as we return to the village. Anbu has no place for fools," he stated bluntly.
Jiraiya didn't make exceptions—not even for the sister of Hatake Sakumo.
Anbu required both strength and intelligence. Without sharp instincts, survival in their line of work was nearly impossible.
"I understand, Captain."
Hatake Shirayuki lowered her head in shame.
Everyone else had immediately grasped Jiraiya's strategy, but she had been the only one left in the dark.
She knew the fault lay with her own lack of understanding, so she accepted the reprimand without resistance.
"That being said, if you get the opportunity to take down an enemy jōnin during the battle, that should always be your top priority."
Jiraiya continued, his tone slightly more relaxed.
"Orders are set in stone, but people are not. If you see a way to maximize our advantage, act on it. Use your judgment."
"Understood, Captain!"
The Anbu responded in unison.
"Orochimaru, your strength among the jōnin is exceptional. Your team won't be focusing on hunting elite chūnin. Once the battle begins, your job will be to disrupt the enemy jōnin fighting against our own. Move constantly, don't fixate on a single target. Keep them off balance."
Jiraiya issued a separate order to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's abilities were far too valuable to be wasted on eliminating elite chūnin.
"I understand," Orochimaru replied with a nod.
After delivering his orders, Jiraiya dismissed the Anbu to continue their training.
Even on the eve of war, Anbu training never stopped.
Sharpening their skills just a little more before the battle could mean the difference between life and death.
Sieges were brutal.
Even in the best-case scenario, Konoha's forces stationed at the base were expected to suffer at least a 30% casualty rate—if not more.
...
Meanwhile, in Tetsuishi Town, within a heavily fortified building protected by multiple barriers, a group of high-ranking Rain shinobi gathered.
Seventeen jōnin.
Four elite jōnin.
The town had hidden formidable strength within its walls.
It was impossible for Konoha's troop movements to go unnoticed.
"Captain Ryūgen, a large number of Konoha shinobi have just arrived at their base. It seems they'll be launching an attack soon."
One of the jōnin reported.
Ryūgen, one of the four elite jōnin, was the strongest among them.
At forty years old, he was a personal guard of the "Demi-God" Hanzō.
His combat experience and strength were among the highest in the Rain Country.
The fact that he had been assigned to Tetsuishi Town proved how much Hanzō valued this stronghold.
"What about their numbers and strength?" Ryūgen asked.
"They're incredibly strong. Most of them are from Konoha's noble clans. They have sixteen jōnin and four elite jōnin. On top of that, they've been reinforced by additional Anbu and Danzo's forces. Their high-level combat power has completely surpassed ours."
A jōnin answered grimly.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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