Following Ao's instructions, the nearby shinobi carefully placed uniquely shaped game pieces onto the sand table.
Each piece represented a force of one thousand soldiers.
To distinguish between the villages, different colors were used:
Konoha was represented by fiery red pieces.
Sunagakure used wind-green pieces.
Iwagakure was marked with earthy brown pieces.
Kumogakure was designated by lightning-gold pieces.
The battlefield between Konoha and Sunagakure was set near Kikyo Mountain. The Sand Village had occupied the stronghold at the mountain using a sandcastle-like symbol, while further east, Konoha's forces positioned themselves with their backs to a narrow canyon—an ideal location for both attack and defense.
In terms of numbers, Sunagakure had deployed 10,000 troops against Konoha's 8,000. Within Sunagakure itself and to the west, additional forces of 3,000 and 1,000, respectively, had been stationed.
The total standing military force of Sunagakure remained classified.
...
Meanwhile, the battle between Konoha and Iwagakure was set on a vast plain, though combat had yet to commence.
North of this battlefield, deep within Iwagakure's territory, lay the strategic site where the gears of fate were set to turn—Kannabi Bridge.
In terms of numbers, Iwagakure had 6,000 troops ready to engage Konoha. However, within Iwagakure itself, another 20,000 remained stationed, seemingly held back by orders from the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.
The exact total of Iwagakure's standing military force remained undisclosed.
...
The conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure had erupted on two fronts—one deep within the forests of the Land of Fire, the other along the Land of Lightning. Tensions had reached a boiling point, and full-scale war was inevitable.
Currently, Kumogakure had committed 3,000 troops to the forest battle and another 7,000 to the coastal front. Additionally, a force of 6,000 was en route from the village to reinforce these fronts.
Within Kumogakure itself, 8,000 shinobi remained stationed.
Due to Kumogakure's preference for elite combat units, their overall standing military force was slightly smaller than that of Iwagakure, the third-largest force among the Great Nations.
On Konoha's side, the total forces deployed across all three battlefronts amounted to an undisclosed number.
Additionally, 4,000 shinobi were still en route to reinforce the Sunagakure front, while another 4,000 remained in reserve for flexible deployment.
Konoha's combined standing and emergency reserve forces reached an undisclosed total.
...
This was the state of strategic deployments across the major villages on the first day of war.
Though these numbers were not entirely accurate or complete, they still provided a general picture of the military landscape.
Yagura rubbed his temples and sighed.
"Ahhh... Remind me again, how many shinobi do we have in Kirigakure?"
Ao promptly replied, "Officially, our forces stand at 12,000."
Kirigakure held the dubious honor of being the weakest among the Five Great Nations, with 4,000 fewer troops than Sunagakure, the fourth-ranked village. Compared to Konoha, their numbers were a mere third.
A series of reforms had drastically reduced the size of Kirigakure's standing army over time.
And now, the so-called strongest shinobi in the Mist Village—the Mizukage—was just a kid barely past adolescence.
Frankly, many likely saw Kirigakure as having already fallen below Sunagakure in terms of power ranking.
How wonderful.
Yagura's sudden shift from a pained expression to a bright smile was something his subordinates had grown accustomed to. He was a child, after all—his emotions fluctuated frequently. As long as he didn't assign them more work, they had no complaints.
"We sure are in for a show. Konoha's taking on three villages at once."
He gestured at Ao. "Continue."
Over time, Ao had become one of Yagura's most trusted subordinates. Once merely an Anbu captain, he had risen to become the Mizukage's personal guardian and assistant, now also serving as Kirigakure's wartime strategist.
Though Ao's rigid personality didn't quite align with Yagura's tastes, the man was undeniably efficient.
"Understood!" Ao responded enthusiastically. He took his duties with utmost pride, treating each day like an adrenaline-fueled mission.
Compared to the rest of the Mizukage's office, he was like SpongeBob among a sea of Squidwards.
"Everyone, allow me to share my assessment of the current battlefield situation."
With permission from the assembled officers, Ao pointed to the Konoha-Sunagakure front, using his staff to indicate the positions.
"First, the Sunagakure front. The Sand shinobi launched a surprise attack on Kikyo Mountain, capturing the stronghold in a single strike and committing nearly 60–70% of their entire standing force. This suggests they are aiming for a swift victory."
"That makes sense," agreed Hozuki Shizuru, Yagura's deputy and secondary strategist. "Sunagakure lacks the national strength for a prolonged war."
He continued, "Unlike Iwagakure and Kumogakure, which have enjoyed decades of stability, Sunagakure suffered greatly during the Second Shinobi War. Their recovery rate pales in comparison to Konoha's. And during the Third Kazekage's reign, both Iwagakure and Kirigakure heavily targeted them."
"Exactly," Ao affirmed. "As Lord Shizuru said, Sunagakure may have initiated this war, but they are also the weakest of the three invading forces."
He then gestured toward Konoha's position. "Konoha's expected troop commitment to this battle is 8,000, with an additional 4,000 reinforcements en route. Despite losing Kikyo Mountain to Sunagakure's ambush, Konoha has clearly chosen to focus its strategy on defeating them first."
Of the three enemy nations, Sunagakure was the weakest.
If Konoha had to prioritize an opponent to neutralize, Sunagakure was the obvious choice.
"At present, 8,000 Konoha shinobi are holding the western side of the canyon, engaged in fierce combat."
Having lost Kikyo Mountain, this canyon had become Konoha's second defensive line.
If they lost this position as well, any future counteroffensive would first require retaking the canyon before making another push toward Kikyo Mountain—an effort that would come at a steep cost.
That was why Konoha's forces had entrenched themselves here, unwilling to give up even an inch of ground.
Behind them was the heart of the Fire Nation—Konoha itself.
...
"Reinforcements will arrive in half a day," Ao stated. "Once that happens, Sunagakure will lose their numerical advantage."
With that, he shifted his focus to the Kumogakure front.
"Kumogakure has continued to reinforce both fronts, and battle is raging at the border. Intelligence suggests that the forces are being led by the son of the Third Raikage, who has taken a highly aggressive approach. Since the war's onset, he has already advanced their battle lines by six kilometers."
Yagura smirked inwardly.
So, the infamous Fourth Raikage—the man who could slice through a Susanoo with his bare hands—was leading the charge.
...
With each battlefront analyzed, only Iwagakure's remained uncertain.
What was Onoki planning?
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