113 Prelude to War (Part 2)

(A.N: Had no inspiration whatsoever… the main reason I didn't post the past 2-3 weeks. The minor reason was a course I am following and searching for a job. Was stuck on half the chapter for most of the time with no clue on how to continue but I finally pushed through it. Have to admit. When I just read fanfiction it seemed way easier 😊. Hope you enjoy it anyway.)

As soon as Kei appeared in his house, he rapidly made his way towards the Hokage tower, taking less than 5 seconds to cover the distance with his shunshin, going straight through the open window and landing inside the office softly.

Only for Shikaku, Guy and Tsume to be standing in front of his clone, having just arrived moments prior.

Without missing a beat, his clone was the first to speak, keeping his expression in check as he softly spoke.

"Well… this is an apt coincidence. With the original's return it seems right I leave." – the Kei sitting at the table said as he disappeared.

'I should have been more careful, I sensed their chakra but completely disregarded it the next moment. I was too excited to finally begin the next phase, and their weak chakras didn't help in my unconscious decision to disregard them completely without thinking. I might be growing too arrogant while being detached from 'him'."

Before the clan leaders could even start any inquiry, Kei spoke.

"I've confirmed the location of the enemy troops, and their numbers, as well as taken necessary steps to delay their movements. However, I cannot delay it any longer without resorting to open combat with multiple S-Rank shinobi beside Madara himself."

'Lies have to be the greatest invention of the mind.' – Kei thought as he smiled inside, lying through his teeth without any problem or indication.

Their eyes widened at that "revelation".

"Their numbers?!" – Shikaku was the one that jumped first at his words.

"100,000. Give or take a few thousand. Coupled with about around a dozen S-Rank shinobi, most Edo Tensei, with Madara using the Red Demon as his personal guard dog. I wager that neither of them is the one behind the Edo Tensei… though Madara might have certainly changed his approach during the last century."

"Well, he did move from taking the village to taking the world. I wouldn't put it past him given what I know… which isn't much." – Shikaku sighed as he rubbed his forehead.

"I'm guessing the archives didn't contain anything useful on him."

"The originals were kept by the Uchiha's, which were subsequently handed to the village after the founding, and later lost in one of the subsequent conflicts. Sabotage, maybe Madara destroyed them himself, maybe someone just stole them then to the same end we are trying to achieve today. It was so long ago that no one really knows why or what happened. It's not like his are the only records missing from that time period. Barely a tenth remain. What a pain." – Shikaku said as he rubbed the back of his pineapp… his head.

"So, since you are back, is it finally time?" – Shikaku asked once more.

"As much as I would like to push it back a little more… Yes, it's time. Inform the other Kages and perform a final check on the supplies. Team 7, Guy, Lee, and Shikamaru are to act as the vanguard. The Hyuga and the Inuzuka clan are to act as the recon force, advancing ahead of them and falling back when encountering any enemy forces to let the vanguard clear them up, at least until we reach the designated location for setting up the F.O.B."

"I can see the logic behind that… but is the reason for waiting strong enough to continue and allow our enemy more time?"

"I have negotiated 'forced' the Daimyos to lend us some of their troops in light of the gravity of the situation. 100,000 of their own soldiers should be near the border anytime next week."

"…I see, then I shall take my leave and tend to the preparations, lord Hokage."- Shikaku said as he signaled the two others in the room, Guy flashing a big grin and raising a thumb as he walked out.

As Shikaku walked outside the room, he heard Tsume let a sigh escape her.

"Something wrong?"

"…He always… always, gives off the same scent… the right scent."

"I would suppose that would be a good thing."

"It is." – Tsume said as she ended the conversation, leaving - 'But… it was too perfect, like it was tailor made for one's senses to pick it up and feel comfortable by it.' – only as a thought in her head.

As her thoughts spun, Shikaku's thoughts took another direction.

'100,000 normal soldiers arriving even late next week and the beginning of the 3rd week, would only serve one purpose against an army of 100,000 prepared to face an even shinobi force. Kei brought the soldiers to act as a meat shield for the shockwave. A buffer for us to learn the enemy's capabilities and maybe slow them down slightly. It will be a slaughter…'- Shikaku thought as he looked at the shinobi roaming within the Hokage tower, acting as security while chatting idly with each other, the occasional frustration, deadpan stare, or simple smile at each other, not really knowing what might await them the following day.

Clenching his teeth, Shikaku forced his eyes ahead and made his way towards the exit.

'Alas… to be a good leader, to be in charge of those under you… sometimes… you have to stop being human at all.'

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(2 Weeks Later.)

It was the middle of the night, with clear skies as far as the normal eye could see, the moon shining down on the forest as approximately 65' 000 shinobi traveled calmly below.

Kei Uchiha could be seen standing on the highest vantage point he could find. the very top of the tallest tree… thinking, planning, plotting, and deciding.

Standing on a single leaf, using the chakra to cling to it, Kei carefully considered his rapidly narrowing options. It was the same consideration that had been done countless times through the past nearly two decades. The destruction of Iwa and subsequent "retirement" of their shinobi, had lowered the number of possible combatants considerably, effectively decimating 1/5 of the elemental nations' military power. Konoha had absorbed most of their population, but it would be many years before that could bear any fruits.

Kiri and Kumo had fared much better, but their survival alone all but guaranteed that in comparison to Iwa. Their loss had been disastrous, but ultimately far less costly, Kumo especially retaining more than 80% of their military numbers, disregarding the Raikage, who lost his life during the unfortunate "Iwa Betrayal Summit" and his brother who had been lost to Akatsuki's interference in the preceding war, leading to Yugito Nii taking the seat of Raikage.

As for Kiri, the purge of the shinobi clans alone had lowered their threat to negligible levels long ago, numbers notwithstanding, with their Kage being the exception. Now, all they had was a no-name mouthpiece and bodies to throw.

The Samurai's presence had grown considerably with the death of Mifune, lead by another puppet for Kei, presenting a figure of someone eager to return the Samurai to being more than just a mediating force for the great villages, greatly supported by the people themselves, especially with no opposition to speak of.

Still, these fluctuations in shinobi numbers had more downs than ups, originally lowering the number of participating combat shinobi by more than 20'000. This had also been an optional objective of Kei for a long time, as it allowed him to strip the defense garrison of the shinobi villages bare with the pretense of increasing their odds against Madara Uchiha's army.

It would have originally been a tense debate, leaving their villages all but defenseless to go towards an enemy that everybody had heard only in stories… if what was effectively considered as a younger and weaker version of the man was not sitting at the same table as them, his feats being far from simple legends.

With these additions, the numbers were able to rise marginally, presenting an army approximately 65'000 shinobi strong.