Danzo sat in the commander's seat, with an Aburame clan ninja standing beside him, hidden beneath high-collared clothing and sunglasses, scrutinizing the figure before him.
"Absolutely not!"
Mitokado Shihiro assured firmly.
It was precisely for this piece of information that he risked everything to rush back.
Unfortunately, the one who assigned him the task, Uchiha Takashi, wouldn't be able to know this intelligence anymore (Uchiha Takashi: Sorry, your intel is outdated!).
"The Sand Ninja supplies weren't sent back to Sunagakure but to the front lines?"
Danzo questioned as he looked over the report.
This point was crucial.
Everyone knew that Sunagakure was on the brink of collapse, and their attack on the Land of Fire was a desperate move for survival. If the looted supplies weren't being sent back to the village but to the front lines, something was definitely off.
There was only one possibility for this.
The enemy was planning something big.
"Yes, and the security was extremely tight!"
Mitokado Shihiro recounted everything he had seen but refrained from making any judgments.
Because that was the commander's job, not his.
"Continue gathering intelligence, no matter the cost. We need more information as soon as possible!"
Danzo, showing some resolve, decided to allocate more resources to monitor the Sand Ninja's every move after realizing something was amiss.
After Mitokado Shihiro left, he immediately ordered Aburame Shikuro, "Have the 'Wandering Priestess' find a way to gather related intelligence. We must confirm the Sand Ninja's actions!"
The Root had an ace up their sleeve.
The ninja world might be behind in some aspects, but that referred to ordinary people. Ninjas had special communication methods, so there was no worry about how long it would take to relay information.
"Understood!"
Aburame Shikuro nodded and left.
He was one of Danzo's right-hand men. The other had died in a previous battle at the Root base, making him the sole confidant now.
Once the office was empty, a hint of unease appeared on Danzo's face.
In the past, Hiruzen Sarutobi always took the lead on the front lines while he assisted from the shadows. This was his first time sitting in the commander's seat, facing the front, and it was only natural to feel a bit uneasy.
"Is this a coincidence or..."
Danzo muttered to himself, looking at the empty office.
Uchiha Takashi had just been kicked out, and then the Sand Ninja attacked... It was hard not to be suspicious.
But thinking it over, it seemed impossible for there to be any issues.
Even the Root didn't know about the Sand Ninja's intel, so how could the other side possibly know in advance? It had to be a coincidence.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Takashi was by a stream not far from Kikyo Mountain.
Fishing!
Yes, after being relegated to the warehouse as a manager, he hadn't even set foot there.
How humiliating.
With his current status, it was clear Danzo was trying to suppress him.
For those 'honest folks,' they would have no choice but to accept it, even if they had objections.
But Uchiha Takashi wouldn't let it slide, simply ignoring the appointment. Of course, it wasn't because he couldn't embezzle with someone watching that he chose not to go.
After all, it was a 'position,' not a mission. Even if he didn't go, there wasn't much Danzo could do.
If it were a mission, not executing it could be considered treason.
But not going to a position was like refusing to go to work. The company might be displeased, but at most, they'd 'deduct pay,' not call for blood.
Fishing!
For Uchiha Takashi, it was far more important than being a warehouse manager.
Because the chakra control and natural energy perception needed for Sage Mode could be trained while fishing.
"Breaking a sweat, aren't you, Danzo?"
At this moment, Uchiha Takashi was full of schadenfreude.
He knew Mitokado Shihiro had returned, and there was only one reason for his hurried return.
He had gathered intelligence on the Sand Ninja!
And Danzo, upon receiving news of the Sand Ninja army's movements, surely couldn't sit still.
In terms of strength, he truly wasn't on par with Orochimaru, and his leadership skills were even less so.
When it came to internal strife, he was undoubtedly Konoha's TOP1, but in external warfare, he was definitely a standard 'pig teammate.'
Who knows what kind of karma Konoha had to produce such a 'Sleeping Dragon.'
Anyway, for other ninja villages, Konoha can kill anyone, except for Danzo. Without him, Konoha would have swept through the other villages long ago.
Who says only those standing in the light are true heroes.JPG!
Other ninja villages owe their continued existence to Danzo, and should probably bow to him in gratitude.
Right now, Uchiha Takashi just wants to see how Danzo, who is fierce in internal conflicts but timid in external battles, will handle the Sand Ninja.
He's really looking forward to it!
Anyway, he's in spectator mode.
When the sky falls, let the tall ones hold it up.
As for his two teammates?
They're still out doing missions, and once they return, an A-rank jutsu contribution should be within reach.
For now, his most important task is to master Sage Mode as much as possible.
Because when the Sand Ninja army attacks, that's when he'll take the stage.
As for whether his plan will cause significant losses to Konoha?
Well, why should it matter?
Just because he transmigrated to Konoha doesn't mean he has to treat it as his homeland, right?
As long as the losses aren't his own, he can just ensure he doesn't actively sabotage others and maintain his principles.
Respect others' destinies and let go of the urge to help! Uchiha Takashi is lying back comfortably, without a hint of worry for Danzo or Konoha.
By the way, his progress in Sage Mode is excellent.
After all, he developed it himself, unlike the three great sanctuaries that created it for their own species and then modified it for human use, which naturally has issues.
The First Hokage had the "Sage Body" and "alien bloodline" as cheats to ignore these drawbacks.
But ordinary ninjas trying to learn the Sage Body face numerous pitfalls.
Just look at Jiraiya's "toad-like" appearance when using Sage Mode to see how many pitfalls there are.
And Uchiha Takashi, who holds a sanctuary specifically for humans, finds his Sage Mode much easier and more powerful for humans than those of the three great sanctuaries.
At this point, his Sage Mode far surpasses Jiraiya's.
Jiraiya didn't continue to put in hard work after learning Sage Mode, instead relying on the "Twin Sage Technique" with two toad sages assisting him, so he didn't have to put in much effort.
Compared to Uchiha Takashi, even though Jiraiya learned it earlier, the time and effort he spent on Sage Mode is far less.
It's precisely because of his progress in Sage Mode that Uchiha Takashi is confident he can hold off the Sand Ninja.
As long as the village gives him a clear temporary command role without "kicking him to the curb" afterward, he'll step up.
Unfortunately, the response already indicates the original plan.
They really do plan to kick him to the curb!
No wonder Konoha's top brass never fails to disappoint.
It's only because Uchiha Takashi is a transmigrator that he isn't swayed by their rhetoric.
Just days after Danzo took command of the southwestern ninja army.
The Sand Ninja began to gather their forces.
Leaving only a few to maintain their occupied territories, the rest were fully assembled.
With over three thousand Sand Ninja, it's definitely a desperate move.
No one can understand this.
By doing so, the Sand Ninja are clearly acting as vanguards and cannon fodder for the Stone Ninja, which is disadvantageous for them.
But if they're doing it, there must be some inside story.
However, such confidential information is only known to the high-ranking officials of the two ninja villages, and there's no way to find out.
The upcoming Battle of Kikyo Mountain is bound to be a decisive battle for Konoha's survival.
If the Sand Village occupies Kikyo Mountain, they can directly attack Konoha Village at any time, or at least hold the fortress and occupy the western region of the Land of Fire.
It's because of this significant strategic importance that Konoha is anxious.
They've dispatched a third batch of reinforcements, including some ninja school students who haven't graduated yet, and have also conscripted a private army from various clans, led by Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, to support the effort.
Clearly, neither side can afford to lose this battle.
If the Sand Ninja lose, their current momentum will plummet, shifting from strategic offense to strategic defense.
So the Sand Ninja won't hold back in this battle.
And Konoha has also played its trump card.
A completely unexpected trump card.
(End of Chapter)