Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: The War Begins (Double-Length)

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Chapter 90: The War Begins (Double-Length)

As soon as Yusuke led his forces to the border of the Land of Fire, he immediately gathered his commanders to discuss strategy against the enemy.

Having lived through the Third Great Ninja War, Yusuke was no stranger to the intricacies of large-scale shinobi conflict.

Unlike traditional warfare, shinobi battles weren't hindered by terrain. With high mobility and a vast arsenal of jutsu at their disposal, ninja could overcome most geographic obstacles. Natural chokepoints, which might have been invaluable in a conventional war, meant little to a shinobi force.

In fact, in ninja warfare, the defending side often lost the advantage of terrain entirely—and could even find themselves more vulnerable to enemy tactics.

That said, there were exceptions. Harsh natural formations—like steep cliffs, narrow canyons, or terrain that amplified or suppressed certain chakra types (such as lakes or deserts)—could still influence the tide of battle.

If Konoha opted for a purely defensive strategy, it would have to stretch its line across a long front to hold back Kumogakure at the border. This would exhaust their forces and make their scattered units easy prey for targeted strikes.

To make matters worse, Konoha also needed to defend its eastern coast from Kirigakure's naval incursion. Already split into two fronts, adopting a defensive posture would only worsen their strategic disadvantage.

Thus, Yusuke proposed a bold solution: strike first.

Rather than wait and react, Konoha would go on the offensive. Yusuke recommended advancing rapidly through the neutral buffer zone between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, bringing the war directly to Kumogakure's doorstep.

This strategy would shift the battlefield into enemy territory—allowing Konoha to seize the initiative and minimize losses at home.

After deliberation, the high command agreed—Yusuke's plan was both sound and necessary.

With the general strategy set, the commanders refined the details, then moved out with urgency toward the Land of Lightning.

During the march, Konoha's scout ninja moved ahead to recon enemy positions and gather intelligence. Itachi, meanwhile, led the vanguard—a crucial role that would determine the army's pace and safety. Izumi served as his second-in-command.

Though still young and less experienced than Itachi, Izumi had awakened Mangekyō Sharingan and was also protected by the ocular technique Yusuke had implanted in her eyes. With that safeguard in place, Yusuke had no worries for her safety.

Before the campaign began, Yusuke had also officially promoted Itachi to jōnin, giving him the rank and authority to lead the vanguard legitimately.

With that, Itachi shattered the record for Konoha's youngest jōnin—previously held by both Kakashi and Yusuke himself.

As commander-in-chief of Konoha's northern front, Yusuke remained at the central command post. Still, he used his Illusion Crow Clones to scout from above, watching for Kumogakure's troop movements.

Though useful, these clones required conscious control and attention to maintain. They couldn't compare to his True Crow Clone (Gen'ya), which operated almost instinctively and shared perception without draining his focus.

From high in the sky, Yusuke's illusion crows spotted numerous Kumogakure forward camps. The enemy's main force was advancing quickly, making their way toward the Land of Fire.

By current estimates, the two sides would meet at the border of the Land of Lightning in just under three days—perfectly in line with Yusuke's intention to shift the battlefield.

As soon as the vanguard units of Konoha and Kumogakure clashed at the Land of Lightning's frontier, fierce skirmishes broke out immediately.

Ninja warfare rarely followed the format of two armies lining up and charging at each other. Instead, it often played out as a series of fast-paced, small-scale engagements.

Over the next few days, dozens of such clashes erupted between the two vanguards—with Konoha holding the upper hand overall.

Despite being outnumbered, Konoha—under Yusuke's strategic guidance and the real-time surveillance from his Illusion Crow Clones—concentrated its forces to launch precise, decisive strikes. Kumogakure, in contrast, had spread its forces too thin to capitalize on their numerical advantage.

Moreover, with the Seal of Emergency Aid—a support technique developed by Yusuke—Konoha's casualty rate was significantly lower than that of Kumogakure.

Inside the Command Tent of the Hidden Cloud Village

Within the command tent of the Hidden Cloud, nearly all of the village's core forces had assembled.

At the moment, an intelligence shinobi was briefing the Raikage and the others present on the current situation in their conflict with Konoha.

Upon hearing the report, the Fourth Raikage's face darkened with fury. He hadn't expected their side—despite having a numerical advantage—to be forced into a disadvantage by Konoha.

The Hidden Cloud was renowned for its combative strength. To be suppressed while holding superior numbers was utterly intolerable for the Raikage.

Bang!

With a thunderous crash, the Fourth Raikage slammed his hand down and shattered the table in front of him.

"I'm going to the front lines myself. I'll teach those bastards from Konoha a lesson they won't forget!"

Saying that, he stormed toward the tent's exit.

Seeing his impulsive move, Mabui, Samui, Darui, and the others hurried forward to block him, throwing themselves into his path with all their might.

The Fourth Raikage was a towering hulk of muscle; the group trying to stop him looked more like a bunch of kids struggling to hold back a grown man.

"Raikage-sama, please calm down!"

"Right! You're the supreme commander—we can't have you charging into battle so recklessly!"

"Lord Killer Bee, please help talk some sense into him!"

A scene of chaos ensued in the tent as they struggled to hold him back. At last, they managed to restrain the furious Raikage.

It was then that Killer Bee strolled out, sunglasses on and notebook in hand.

"Yo! Yo! Yo!"

"Frontline's getting beat～"

"This tent's got no heat～"

"Big bro's feeling defeat～"

"Time to make the enemy retreat～"

"Yo!"

He finished the rap with a pose that defied description, leaving everyone in the tent wearing matching expressions of speechless exasperation.

Veins bulged on the Raikage's forehead—his briefly subdued anger surging back with a vengeance.

"You idiot! How many times have I told you—no rapping during war councils!!"

With a thunderous roar, he sent Killer Bee flying with a single punch.

"Goodbye～yo!"

With a long trailing note, Killer Bee left behind a human-shaped hole in the tent's ceiling.

Having vented his anger, the Fourth Raikage returned to his seat.

Seeing that he had finally cooled down, Mabui exhaled in relief and stepped forward to report the intelligence she'd gathered.

Mabui was the Raikage's personal secretary, with the dark skin common to the Land of Lightning, flowing white hair, and a formal work outfit. She had a calm, intelligent beauty to her.

"Raikage-sama, the enemy commander this time is Uchiha Yusuke, the newly appointed clan head of the Uchiha. According to our intel, he's extremely difficult to deal with. Not only did he eliminate Danzo of 'Root' during Konoha's recent internal strife, he's also taken on multiple high-level roles within the village. Furthermore, he enjoys the backing of the Fire Daimyō."

"At this point, his influence in Konoha may even surpass that of the Third Hokage."

Mabui continued her analysis. "He's also founded a new organization called the Konoha Research Institute. The unusual recovery capabilities exhibited by Konoha's shinobi during this war are likely a result of its research."

The Raikage snorted coldly. "Just a scheming little brat. In the end, power is what matters for a shinobi. When I meet him on the battlefield, I'll show him what real strength looks like!"

With that, he turned to a middle-aged man beside him wearing a fan-shaped hat and an eyepatch over his left eye. "Dodai, what are your thoughts on our next move?"

Dodai was known for his calm demeanor and keen intellect. He had advised every Raikage since the Second, and also served as the assessor for those seeking to become the Raikage's tag-team partner in the legendary "Double Lariat" technique.

Not only was his mind sharp, but he was also a formidable shinobi with a unique Lava Release kekkei genkai—truly a man of both brains and brawn.

Furrowing his brow in thought, Dodai spoke slowly. "The enemy is clearly taking the initiative, launching strikes across our territory and forcing us to respond reactively. However, we've now identified the location of their vanguard's main force. If we can dispatch elite shinobi to eliminate them, we can regain control of the situation."

Mabui opened a folder in her hands and added, "Their vanguard is being led by a ten-year-old jōnin named Uchiha Itachi."

"Intelligence indicates he is Yusuke's personal disciple, and the elite forces under him are almost entirely comprised of Uchiha clan members."

A ripple of shock spread through the Cloud shinobi present.

While it wasn't uncommon for children under ten to see combat during wartime, it was unheard of for someone that young to be appointed a jōnin—let alone to command an entire vanguard in a war between two major villages.

Mabui, noticing some hints of disdain among the group, offered a firm reminder. "Don't let his age fool you. Reports indicate his strength is extraordinary. Several squads that have faced his unit have suffered severe losses, and the elite jōnin who fought him all gave very high evaluations."

The Raikage scanned the room and growled, "Who among you will go and crush that snot-nosed brat?"

True to the village's culture of strength, many eager hands shot up—each shinobi itching to test themselves against the boy leading Konoha's vanguard.

After a moment of consideration, the Raikage made his decision—to send in their trump card: the Two-Tails' jinchūriki.

"Yugito, I'm counting on you."

Beyond her raw power, there was a more tactical reason for deploying a jinchūriki. Since most of the enemy forces were Uchiha, many specialized in genjutsu. A jinchūriki, whose tailed beast could disrupt genjutsu, had a natural advantage against them.

"Dodai, you'll lead this mission. Yugito is under your command."

Sending a jinchūriki into battle was a major decision. To minimize risk, the Raikage entrusted it to the steady and experienced Dodai.

---

Meanwhile, in a canyon near the border of the Land of Lightning

Uchiha Itachi's 30-man vanguard squad was moving swiftly.

Though Itachi commanded all ten squads, he also led one personally, which was responsible for engaging the Cloud's forward troops.

Using his Crow Clone technique, Itachi was monitoring enemy movements. However, his chakra reserves were still far behind his mentor Yusuke's, so the number of clones was limited—used mainly to support his own team.

Among those traveling with him was Izumi, her expression slightly troubled.

Like Itachi, Izumi was only ten years old. But unlike him, she had been sheltered from the harshness of the world by Yusuke. The recent bloodshed had shaken her. Still, she was a bright and thoughtful girl. She understood this was something every shinobi must go through—and she was working to steel her heart.

This was exactly why Yusuke had placed her on the front lines: he believed that by the war's end, Izumi would emerge not only stronger in skill, but in spirit.

"Captain, they say the Cloud's shinobi are the best fighters in the ninja world," one teammate joked. "But they haven't impressed me so far."

"Yeah, you're amazing, Captain. So young, and already leading the vanguard. You really are worthy of being the clan leader's student."

Their admiration wasn't empty flattery—Itachi had more than proven himself over the past few days. His strategic command and combat prowess had earned the respect of all under his lead, even those initially skeptical due to his age.

One member of the Hyūga branch family, assigned to Itachi's unit, couldn't help feeling conflicted.

Just months ago, the Hyūga clan had been poised to surpass the Uchiha in prestige, especially after the Root Organization's ambush left the Uchiha severely weakened. Many had considered the Hyūga the new top clan of Konoha.

But since Yusuke's rise to power, the Uchiha had made a stunning comeback, regaining political influence—and even outpacing the Hyūga once more. This reversal had left many Hyūga feeling bitter.

Suddenly, Itachi narrowed his eyes and called out, "Everyone, stay alert. A Cloud unit is approaching our position. Their special techniques are masking their identities, but judging by their speed, they're all highly skilled."

The Cloud shinobi had already noticed Itachi's crow clones surveilling them. Though the crows were intangible and flew high above, Cloud had tried and failed to eliminate them. In the end, they'd resorted to a secret technique that cloaked their squads in mist, making it impossible for the crows to see clearly.

Upon hearing Itachi's warning, the previously relaxed squad members immediately grew serious, readying themselves for the battle to come.