Chapter 181 173 Pitfalls for Danzo

The number of Jonin in the Shinobi World is limited, and there are only so many influential missions to go around. A-rank missions and above are scarce, and S-rank missions are certainly not always available. Under normal circumstances, if he wanted to farm missions, he could only do b-rank missions.

That night, Uchiha Gen led a squad and, with the efficiency of an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, scoured every suspicious location identified within his range of perception.

Given his current combat strength, it would be difficult for anyone below the level of an Elite Jōnin to escape his grasp unscathed. Below that level, it would take multiple Jonin working in concert to even have a chance of holding their own against him.

The Hidden Cloud ninja clearly weren't arrogant enough to commit the resources required to cast such a wide net of surveillance around the Konoha camp.

Consequently, the next day, the high-ranking officials of Kumogakure discovered that every scout they had sent to monitor Konoha had been thoroughly eliminated, with not a single one escaping. Terrified that Konoha was about to launch a full-scale war, they urgently sounded the alarm and mobilized everyone from top to bottom. After waiting in suspense for an entire day, they only realized it was a false alarm once their planted spies sent back word.

"Bang!" A dark, fan-sized hand slammed onto the wooden table, causing the legs to emit an unbearable creaking sound.

"Is Orochimaru playing us again?" Fourth Raikage A cursed after reading the report submitted by the Hidden Cloud ninja Anbu.

"Karai, what do you think? Is Orochimaru really just using a feint, or is he plotting some other scheme?" the Third Raikage asked, his voice steady.

The latter had already reviewed the submitted reports, but did not speak immediately, instead glancing at Dodai, whose chest was wrapped in gauze, sitting beside him.

In the battle against Uchiha Gen's squad, their base had been destroyed and they had suffered heavy casualties. Dodai had also sustained some minor injuries, but he had still managed to lead a portion of his men to retreat safely.

"Dodai, you tell us."

Dodai, who had been sitting quietly to the side, was slightly taken aback, but then began to voice his thoughts.

"Regardless of whether this is just a feint or some other scheme, Konoha's next move will certainly center around this Feonia Fortress beneath our feet. Unless they retake this location, they will never be able to establish a sufficiently stable defensive line in the Land of Hot Springs, and they will be forced to constantly guard against our attacks from every direction along the long border."

"In other words, as long as we remain here, we will always hold the strategic initiative. By remaining calm and adaptable, ensuring our logistics are smooth and our manpower is sufficient, we only need to hold this position."

"So we're just going to sit here and do nothing, just waiting for Konoha to come to us?" Fourth Raikage A grunted.

"What else do you suggest we do?" the Third Raikage asked, glancing at his son.

He was certainly very satisfied with his son's strength and talent. Within a few years, Fourth Raikage A would undoubtedly grow strong enough to take over the mantle of Raikage, ensuring the village had a qualified successor.

However, in terms of personality, while he was intelligent and decisive, he was also overly reckless. If he couldn't learn to be as composed as he was, he would sooner or later suffer the consequences of his impatience.

Fortunately, Dodai, the successor Karai had been cultivating, had already come into his own. He had not only inherited the Lava Release and possessed adequate strength, but his personality was also sufficiently steady and resourceful. With a few more years of transition to gain experience, he would soon be able to take on the responsibility of assisting the next Raikage.

Just as the high-ranking Kumogakure officials were deliberating, a knock sounded at the door, followed by the voice of the ANBU operative guarding outside.

"Raikage-sama, there is important news from the Intelligence Division."

"Bring it in."

"Yes!" The ANBU operative entered the room and, under the watchful eyes of the Kumogakure officials, respectfully handed the document to the Third Raikage at the table.

The latter snatched the paper with his thick hand. After merely glancing at it, his expression shifted, and he began to read it in detail.

"What happened, Dad?" Fourth Raikage A asked, noting his father's serious demeanor.

"It's Danzo," the Third Raikage said, passing the document to the others. "He's finally making a move."

A few minutes later, after Dodai finished reading the document, he looked up at the Third Raikage.

"The base was destroyed, and Orochimaru's main force made this move the night after the incident—now Danzo is starting to surface again. Could it be—"

The Third Raikage nodded. "That's what I was thinking, too. A feint to hide their true intentions, attacking in the east while targeting the west. The Intelligence Division has rendered a great service this time."

However, Dodai glanced at Karai, who was still deep in thought, and voiced his concerns: "It's just that this intelligence—could it have come at a bit too convenient a time? While our Intelligence Division is capable, Danzo is no amateur when it comes to intelligence. Could this be—"

In terms of overall coordination and strategic or tactical command, Danzo was not particularly brilliant, but when it came to intelligence gathering and clandestine schemes, he was top-tier in the Shinobi World.

"I was just considering that myself, but after weighing it, I don't believe there should be any issues."

Karai spoke up at this moment: "Regardless of whether this intelligence is true or false, preparing ourselves over the next few days can only do us good. If it's true, we can at least make Danzo suffer a major setback. If it's false, as long as we hold the fortress, the situation will remain as stable as Mount Tai, and there won't be any surprises."

I propose that we secretly recall all Ninjas of Special Jonin rank and below who are currently executing missions below A-rank. We should gather our forces, cast a wide net, and strive to deal Danzo a heavy blow!"

Seeing that his strategist had made a recommendation, the Third Raikage nodded and made the final decision: "Then let us make every preparation today. We will make sure that if Danzo comes, he won't be leaving!"

Uchiha Gen remained in the main camp, taking over the management of camp affairs for three days in Orochimaru's stead.

The primary affairs were handled with the assistance of the old head of the Nara Clan, Nara Shikahira. Even when certain matters were handled improperly due to a lack of experience, he was able to provide timely reminders and act as a safety net for Uchiha Gen, allowing him the freedom to pursue his own objectives.

Relying on the massive range of his Kagura Mind's Eye, Uchiha Gen managed to assign himself several b-rank missions over those three days, thoroughly scouring the area within a hundred miles of the Konoha camp.

It was only on the third day that Orochimaru officially returned to the camp.

Returning with him were a disheveled Danzo and a contingent of Root Ninjas filled with wounded soldiers.

In the twilight of the setting sun, Uchiha Gen and the older generation of the Ino–Shika–Chō stood at the entrance, assisting in receiving the wounded.

Uchiha Gen exchanged a subtle glance with Orochimaru, and both understood the meaning in the other's eyes.

The plan had succeeded.