Chapter 115

Sarutobi Hiruzen's idea was simple.

He wanted to take a gamble, utilizing Konoha's strength and allowing all Shinobi to experience the realities of war. During this time, they would train and develop exceptional soldiers. By immersing themselves in the battlefield, Shinobi would gain firsthand experience, and those who had rushed into battle recklessly would mature and maximize their fighting potential.

In Amegakure, Hanzo had been feeling quite sullen during this period. Every time he deployed a large force to attack and eliminate Konoha's small Shinobi army, they were consistently met with resistance from Konoha's elite Shinobi. Whether it was Orochimaru leading the team or Jiraiya, they seemed to always appear at the right moment.

Amegakure had become the grinding stone between the two Hidden Villages. Every time they made a move, it seemed to be the wrong one. Iwagakure Village had also taken action and began to train their Shinobi.

Hanzo had never experienced such a frustrating battle in his life. He was indebted to Sunagakure for not involving themselves in the training. He couldn't afford to trouble them. For Hanzo, it was the right decision.

After a long day as a temporary firefighter at the leader's building, Hanzo returned to Amegakure exhausted. He started processing the accumulated documents and discussed how to deal with the attacks from Konoha and Iwagakure.

"Let's discuss our options. If this continues, once Konoha finishes sharpening their Shinobi, they will unleash a cruel attack on us," Hanzo said wearily after a long silence.

Months of nonstop battles had taken a toll on him, leaving him drained.

The Rain Ninja exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a sense of helplessness. They couldn't help it; the gap was too significant. Despite their efforts, Amegakure had suffered defeat after defeat in the past few months of war.

"Since we have no other choice, allow me to propose something," Hanzo finally spoke up as he noticed the hesitant expressions on their faces. They seemed eager to voice their opinions but hesitated to speak up. Hanzo felt uneasy about their silence.

"Continuing this attrition war won't work. Our foundation can't compare to that of Konoha and Iwagakure. In that case, I suggest we organize a large-scale attack to distract Konoha while I lead a small group of troops to directly attack Konoha. Consider it."

Hanzo's voice remained calm as he presented his strategy. He had thought about it extensively and had spent the past month planning the details in his mind.

"Isn't that too risky? If we fail to capture Konoha, they might retaliate and push us back," one of the Jonin couldn't help but voice their concerns.

Hanzo's plan was indeed risky, a true gamble. Lives were at stake.

"If I succeed in capturing Konoha, they will suffer heavy losses. From then on, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the future Hokage won't dare to spare too many Shinobi. At the very least, they won't dare to deplete Konoha's forces anymore. On the other hand, if we fail, Amegakure should be prepared to face severe consequences. In the best-case scenario, it will take several decades for Amegakure to regain its previous advantages," Hanzo explained, shaking his head with a sigh.

As the Jonin hesitated, he understood their predicament.

"Fight! Follow Lord Hanzo's plan and use any means necessary. In the words of the Sandaime Kazekage, we must shed blood and give our lives. We must take a piece of the pie!" a young Jonin with wounds on his body exclaimed with an angry glint in his eyes.

His words stunned everyone, including Hanzo. They looked at him in shock, curious about what he had to say.

"If we continue like this, we won't survive. The foundation of Sunagakure and the reforms in Kaze no Kuni rely on the resources we control. Konoha and Iwagakure won't let us off the hook. If we can no longer achieve favorable results in battle, the Kazekage-sama will personally come to deal with us. In that case, it's better to take advantage of our exploitable value, fight for it, put everything on the line, and continue to enjoy life. If we lose, well, we would have died sooner or later anyway," the young Jonin said with a smile, seemingly mocking himself.

His words resonated with everyone present. They began to understand that Sunagakure was the true enemy they needed to overcome. It was Sunagakure that hindered their future the most. They couldn't continue to rely on Sunagakure for their survival.

"Damn it! It's just death. Otherwise, Sunagakure won't let us go," a middle-aged Jonin clenched his teeth and declared fiercely.

If their plan succeeded, they could gain a temporary advantage and potentially intimidate both Sunagakure and Iwagakure. As long as the plan succeeded and Konoha suffered heavy losses, they refused to believe that others would allow Konoha to triumph.

"Yes, let's do it! People die, birds die in the sky. We'll find a way to recover. If we don't fight, guarding anything is useless," others voiced their opinions, emboldened by the young Jonin's words.

...

"Send a message to Sunagakure, informing them of our plan and asking for their help in containing Konoha's experts."

"Yes, and send a message to Iwagakure as well, requesting that they allocate a portion of their forces to help contain a part of Konoha's troops."

"As long as we don't die, we can find a way to turn the tide. It's pointless to defend something if we're dead."

"Sunagakure and Iwagakure will definitely lend their support. Send a message to Iwagakure requesting reinforcements and putting pressure on Konoha. They'll be eager to watch this grand spectacle unfold."

"We can initially feign defeat, shrinking our forces and buying ourselves more time."

"Prepare everything. When the time comes, launch a full-scale assault. We'll advance close to Konoha. The great camp won't scare us."

"When Konoha is under attack, I'll bring the Seven-Tails with me. I don't believe they won't be shaken when I unleash the Seven-Tails in Konoha."

Amidst the frenzy of discussions and suggestions, the Rain Ninja, including Jonin, shared everything they could contribute. After Hanzo presented the initial idea, the rest was filled in by the Rain Ninja.

After breaking free from their illusions and facing the pressure of death, the Rain Ninja unleashed their terrifying potential. They tapped into their collective ingenuity and created a comprehensive turnaround plan.

It could be said that if this plan succeeded, Amegakure would be able to make a remarkable comeback. The next battle would also be within their grasp.

As they fervently discussed and each Jonin voiced their family's assets and contributions, Hanzo had only one thought in his mind:

For the first time, he witnessed the explosive power of Amegakure.