Uchiha's personal opinion

Uchiha Tokumitsu also took out paper and pen, and explained to Amata while writing down the contents.

"Thank you for your support, Lord Deguang!"

Yutian also shook off those random thoughts in his mind and answered excitedly.

"Three days later, a detachment of the border army, the first division of the Red Guard, and two divisions of the Grass Ninja will set off from the direction of the Grass Country. The Rain Ninja Army can come with them at that time."

Uchiha Tokumitsu continued.

"The Land of Grass..."

Yutian felt his mind was going blank.

With so many ninja villages from various countries and such a massive ninja army, does Uchiha Tokumitsu really intend to wipe out Kirigakure in one fell swoop?

He didn't dare ask any more questions, but after receiving Uchiha Tokumitsu's handwritten letter, he took his leave.

In fact, the scale of the Kirigakure campaign had exceeded Uchiha Tokumitsu's expectations.

Initially, Uchiha Tokumitsu envisioned a war strategy of first probing, then harassing, and finally seizing the opportune moment to concentrate forces to bleed Kirigakure dry, then plunder and leave quickly.

But Uchiha Tokumitsu never expected that a mere few hundred people could turn the eastern islands of the Land of Water upside down.

In truth, it was because the Hidden Mist Village's defenses in the Land of Water were too lax.

According to reports from Hozuki Masahiko and Minazuki Chino, Kirigakure's defenses in major ports and cities were extremely weak. As a result, most of the Seii Ninja Army's original operational plans were merely probing, and they easily captured the target cities in the war zone. Then, tempted by the readily available benefits, the Seii Ninja Army actively expanded their operational range and plundered all the major cities in the eastern islands of the Land of Water.

However, the deployment of the Fog Shadows was a last resort.

As an archipelago nation, the Land of Water is inherently fragmented, with each island isolated from the others. In some places, the nobles and the court nobles of the daimyo's mansion are at odds, and there is no shortage of underhanded dealings and sabotage among them.

When it came time to set up defenses, the local nobles felt that the so-called attack by the shogunate was just the daimyo trying to use the momentum of destroying the ninja clan to erode local power, so they were uncooperative in various ways.

The more agreeable local nobles simply transferred the Hidden Mist ninjas stationed there to their own castles as guards, while the less agreeable local nobles directly refused to allow the ninja army to enter.

As a result, the Kirigakure ninja army's defense line, which had been meticulously planned on paper, was naturally riddled with loopholes. Meanwhile, the Kirigakure elders, who were smugly celebrating their power replacing the Mizukage's influence in the Land of Water, remained oblivious.

Furthermore, although the three clans were destroyed, there were still quite a few sympathizers within Kirigakure who were willing to surrender when the situation was unfavorable to them.

How could something so absurd not be defeated?

The reason why Uchiha Tokumitsu mobilized ninja forces from all over the country this time, even sparing the dying Grass Ninja, was to fight with all his might and try to defeat Kirigakure, which was plagued by endless internal problems.

Of course, the price offered by Uchiha Tokumitsu was enough to make the leader of the Grass Village, Mang, willingly go all in.

Meanwhile, Konoha was in complete chaos.

From the perspective of the Konoha ninja, whether it was the two shogunate governments, the Hidden Mist Village's allegiance to the three clans, or the so-called Daimyo's Guardian Ninja Tokumitsu Red Guard, they were all, in essence, the forces of the Uchiha clan, only led by the most powerful Uchiha Tokumitsu.

Therefore, in Konoha's view, this war was actually a war launched by the Uchiha clan against Kirigakure of the Land of Water.

To fight against a major ninja village with the strength of an entire clan is absolutely unprecedented in the ninja world.

As ninjas from the same village, the people of Konoha both hoped that Uchiha Tokumitsu could display his divine power on the battlefield, defeat Kirigakure, and spread Konoha's name beyond the region. At the same time, they were also deeply afraid that the Uchiha clan's power would expand to an uncontrollable level after the war.

Therefore, the non-Uchiha ninjas of Konoha were merely observing this war with mixed feelings.

However, in the eyes of the Hokage lineage, the war launched by Uchiha Tokumitsu was a clear overstepping of his authority and an infringement on the Hokage's right to wage war.

Especially after the Uchiha clan and its affiliated ninja clans mobilized a large number of clan ninjas to form ninja army units for battle, the Hokage faction jumped up and down, clamoring to punish the audacious Uchiha Tokumitsu.

However, Sakumo Hatake thwarted all of this by claiming that the Military General Staff had other plans.

Privately, Hatake Sakumo had considered writing to Midway Island to ask if Uchiha Tokumitsu needed his assistance, but then he thought about his special status as the leader of the Konoha Jonin squad and the chief of the military command. If he were to participate in the war, a full-scale war between Konoha and Kirigakure would probably break out.

Amidst this complex situation, Uchiha Tokumitsu methodically made preparations for the battle.

Chapter 192 The Mighty Momentum

With ninja forces from all sides gathering, Midway Island could no longer deploy so many ninja troops.

Therefore, under the leadership of the Uzumaki ninja, several surrounding islands were also built as ninja army bases.

This conflict has officially escalated into war and has attracted the attention of the ninja world.

Even though it is located deep in the ocean and is not well-known, countless spies still try to infiltrate this area to spy on the strength and weaknesses of the ninja army under Uchiha Tokumitsu.

The maritime reconnaissance team, composed of ninjas from the three Hidden Mist clans, was exhausted and had captured no fewer than two hundred spies in just a few days.

As Hanzo of the Salamander, the leader of the Rain Village and widely regarded as a "demigod," officially departed the village to lead his troops to Midway Island in preparation for the war, the ninja world was in an uproar.

"The Hokage won't stop us, will he?"

After witnessing the might of Uchiha Tokumitsu's ninja army, one of the leaders of a pro-ninja clan asked somewhat nervously.

It wasn't that they were afraid of the Hokage's severe punishment, but rather that they worried that if Uchiha Tokumitsu unexpectedly accepted the Hokage's orders, their envisioned plunder would be wasted.

"Naruto..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu snorted coldly, "Konoha's ambition to fight is overwhelming. Besides, how many Jonin does Sarutobi even have?"

If we're talking about who Uchiha Tokumitsu felt most humiliated since launching the Hidden Mist Campaign, then it would have to be the Hokage of Konoha and the Daimyo of the Land of Water.

In name, Uchiha Tokumitsu is still a member of the Konoha ninja, and the Uchiha clan is one of the Konoha ninja clans, but in reality, the Hokage lineage has lost control over him.

After the first battle, Uchiha Tokumitsu recruited ninjas on a large scale in Konoha and various small countries without consulting the Hokage Building beforehand.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had instructed Homura Mitokado to attempt to interfere, but Sakumo Hatake blocked him, citing other arrangements made by the Military General Staff.

When the Hokage Building sent someone to the Military Command to request information on the Kirigakure Expedition, Hatake Sakumo refused, citing the war not yet being over and the fear of compromising confidentiality.

In short, there's no way you can interfere!

In particular, when the various affiliated ninja clans of the Uchiha clans mobilized their clan ninjas and formed an expeditionary ninja army of 1,500 men to fight, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, could no longer control his anger.

"Jonin Sakumo! Is the Uchiha clan preparing to rebel?!"

After summoning Sakumo Hatake to the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, asked him fiercely.

These past few days have probably been the most embarrassing for him since he took office as Hokage!

It's one thing for the village's ninjas to be unruly, and it's another thing for the border ninja army to often go off on their own, but now they've actually colluded to launch a war against another major power's ninja village?!

Is the peace agreement signed between the two daimyo just a piece of waste paper?

So, will we have to go back to the village and get a new Hokage soon?

"...The ninja troops sent by the shogunate were all directly under Tokumitsu-kun's command and had nothing to do with the village!"

Having been questioned to this extent, Hatake Sakumo had no choice but to bite the bullet and give a retort.

"What about the ninjas from each clan who are fighting? Are they also Tokugawa's private army? Some of them I watched grow up!"

Xiaochun, who was turning over in her room, shouted angrily.

"Ninjas not on the official register are naturally not Konoha ninjas."

On the surface, Hatake Sakumo maintained a composed and dignified demeanor.

"What about the banner raised by the Tokugawa Shogunate?"

Mitokado Homura asked with a dark face, "Upholding justice? Invading other ninja villages is justice? Is this justice the justice of the Uchiha clan or the justice of your Hatake clan? Don't you care at all about what the ninja world thinks?"

"...The Mizukage of Kirigakure slaughtered the ninja clan, which is against all reason. Tokukatsu-kun gathered the heroes of the ninja world to uphold the system of one village, one country, and won the first battle. This was because the people's hearts were with him."

Sakumo Hatake spouted another bunch of nonsense that even he didn't believe.

Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, displayed an even more complex expression.

What a wonderful and simple Jonin Hatake Sakumo was! He was a model ninja recognized by everyone in Konoha, and the successor to the Will of Fire.

But ever since he partnered with Uchiha Tokumitsu to form the Mobile Force, he has become so cunning that he doesn't even blink when he lies.

The Hokage's office fell silent once again.

"Can this battle be won?"

After a long while, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, finally spoke softly.

"The Hidden Mist Village is embroiled in internal strife and has not yet exerted its full strength..."

Sakumo Hatake hesitated for a moment before slowly replying, "Tokumitsu-kun also hired Hanzo of the Salamander from Amegakure. With a demigod involved, he should be fine..."

After the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo of the Salamander's reputation soared to new heights.

Although Amegakure was defeated without actually being defeated, Hanzo was the only one in the entire ninja world to escape unscathed from being attacked by the three great nations.

In particular, his summoning beast, the Salamander Ibuki, is a killing machine for genin and other low-ranking ninja. Unless there is a specific antidote for biological toxins, no matter how many people come, they won't be enough for him to kill.

"How many ninja did the Uchiha clan deploy?"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, continued to ask.

Sakumo Hatake didn't know how to respond.

"How many ninja soldiers did the Uchiha clan deploy!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, asked again.

This time, the tone was very stern.

"...As far as I know, nearly a hundred people were transferred from the village."

Sakumo Hatake answered softly.

"So, the various ninja clans mobilized 1,400 people?"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sneered repeatedly, "Truly loyal! He truly lives up to the people's wishes!"

"The village has 1,500 newly recruited ninjas, plus 1,200 mercenaries from two batches from Amegakure, over 400 troops directly under the shogunate, and 1,200 border defense troops..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, meticulously inventoried the possessions of Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"And there are also the five hundred ninja conscripted from the Land of Grass..."

Sakumo Hatake kindly offered a reminder.

Xiaochun, who was turning over in her dorm, glared at him.

"Nearly five thousand ninja troops..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Add to that the Northwest Border Defense Force and the police department's direct ninjas... half of Konoha is now in the hands of the Uchiha."

At this moment, Hatake Sakumo was glad that Koharu had just glared at him, otherwise he would have blurted out that the Hyuga clan had also mobilized dozens of people to participate in the battle.

"Sakumo-kun...you'd better do the right thing!"