Chapter 48: The Eve of the 3rd Shinobi War

War comes and goes, never-ending. The sorrow gathered by the flames of war is locked in the eyes and buried in the heart. Familiar faces that have become memories flood before the eyes on the eve of this moment, leaving only determination and intense hostility.

Wars between ninja villages often bring suffering to the small buffer nations. When the Iwa-nin initiated this war, the countries of the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain, situated on the map, were destined to be at odds. In this yet-to-erupt war, these two small nations could be called cannon fodder or vanguards; without a doubt, the initial battlegrounds were always the buffer nations.

Konoha had erected a vast defensive line along the border, making it difficult for the Iwa-nin to breach the territory. However, the Land of Earth, known for its defensibility, naturally had its own defenses and didn't need to waste too many troops on border fortifications.

"We're at a disadvantage in terms of troops."

Orochimaru looked at the general distribution of forces with a cold, slightly grim expression. The Land of Fire, where Konoha is located, had a favorable geographical environment but was surrounded by major nations. While engaging in war with the Iwa-nin, it was also necessary to keep a close watch on the movements of other ninja villages. That's why Konoha White Fang and Jiraiya were not on the front lines.

If only considering the battle between one nation and another, Konoha could win the war easily by deploying all its elite forces.

The Three Ninjas and the Konoha White Fang alone were enough to match half of Iwa-nin's elite forces.

"Most of Iwa-nin's main forces are concentrated together. With our current troop strength, it's difficult to withstand their attack. If we don't shrink our defenses, there's a high possibility that our lines will be breached." Inside the tent, a middle-aged man with a faint scar on his cheek spoke calmly. He was a member of the Nara clan, named Nara Shikaku, one of the jounin on the front lines.

"If we shrink our defenses, it will be hard to fend off the Iwa-nin's covert infiltrations." a handsome man with light blue long hair interjected. This man was Katou Dan, Tsunade's boyfriend.

Nara Shikaku stroked his chin and said calmly, "Indeed, if the rear becomes a problem, it will be quite troublesome. However, that can be addressed or avoided. But if we are breached head-on, the front line will inevitably be drawn into our territory."

Tsunade glanced at the pondering Katou Dan and said in a low voice, "Drawing the front line into our territory is not unfeasible. This way, we will have the advantage of terrain, and the enemy will face more difficulty in supply as they extend their lines. Don't forget, this war is primarily a defensive one."

Shikaku looked at Tsunade and said, "Once the front line is drawn into our territory, the damage area will also increase indefinitely. If there is no better method, I don't oppose it."

Tsunade nodded, and for a moment, she didn't speak. Her gaze remained fixed on the map.

Katou Dan suggested, "How about drawing Iwa-nin's main forces into our territory and then cutting them off?"

After a moment of silence, Orochimaru suddenly said, "The strength of the Iwa-nin cannot be underestimated. We cannot take that risk."

"I still think Shikaku is right. Shrinking the defense and confronting the Iwa-nin head-on is the way to go." A plump man from the Akimichi clan said boldly.

The people in the room were left speechless by this remark.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "To win this war, we ultimately need to defeat the enemy. Shrinking the defense is not out of the question. As for the risk of invasion, we can organize a covert unit to deal with it. There is no need for a full-line defense, just a few key points to address."

On the other side, discussions were also taking place in the Iwa-nin's stronghold on the eve of war.

"Konoha's defense line is too long. We only need to attack at specific points to gradually erode their defenses." a middle-aged man with prominent features said coldly. His eyes were icy and filled with deep resentment, as if he held a deep-seated grudge against Konoha.

"Orochimaru isn't so foolish as to let us rampage. Shrinking the defense is inevitable. We have the advantage in terms of numbers and can send a team to infiltrate the enemy's territory and cut off their supply lines." a man with a sinister expression suggested.

"Konoha's supplies are usually spread across multiple lines, making a complete blockade nearly impossible. However, causing them some trouble is still worthwhile."

"Right. This task can be entrusted to the demolition team."

"Heh…" Someone sneered, saying, "I really want to see the reaction of Konoha's ninjas when the rear erupts in flames."

"While the demolition team can be very intimidating, it would be even better with the assistance of camouflage teams."

"Agreed. With camouflage team support, it will be harder for Konoha to locate the demolition team."

"This time, we're going to make Konoha experience the power of the Iwa-nin!"

Both sides' strategic deployments were decided through discussions. In this conflict, both sides sent numerous jounin, but there were more chuunin and genin. Those with relatively weaker combat power and poorer self-defense abilities were often the most at risk.

Minato and Kushina were Chūnin, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who were Genin, also arrived at the front lines. As for the Anbu member, Lightning Fang, after removing his codename, was also dispatched to the front lines.

This was the first war for the new generation.

"War."

Ye Zi rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, lying on the grass and looking up at the moon in the night sky. His expression was indifferent. Beside him was a large bento box wrapped in a small floral cloth. For this war, the girl who had been his primary doctor had also come.

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