Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

In a nearby spot, a blood-soaked Iwa ninja who had just finished cleaning up the battlefield flashed to Shoji's side and delivered another report.

'well....'

Jiang Si couldn't help but sigh inwardly, but on the surface he still maintained a resolute expression and said, "Yes, I understand. You guys clean up the battlefield here immediately. I'll go over and provide support first. Make sure to prioritize getting the wounded back to the stronghold as soon as possible!"

"Yes, Sir General!"

The Iwa ninja also lowered his head and replied.

Increased frequency and intensity of battles.

This made it impossible for Shoji to truly protect his subordinates completely. The intense mental strain also made it easy for Shoji to sometimes lose sight of one thing while trying to protect another. This is why the Konoha ninjas fought with such great teamwork.

Even if all of them were wiped out by the Shoji, the Iwa ninja under his command would still suffer casualties, not to mention the Iwa ninja fighting in other areas. In order to ensure control of the area surrounding the base, these Iwa ninja must be dispersed according to a certain configuration, and they don't necessarily have to fight.

But at the very least, the stability of information collection channels must be ensured.

Therefore, these areas cannot be vacated. As a result, in the past ten days or so, after the number of casualties on the Konoha side first exceeded 1,000, the number of casualties on the Iwa ninja side also reached four figures within two days. The proportion of those killed in battle was close to half. However, this is not the most cruel thing.

What upset the Iwagakure side the most was that Konoha had reinforcements arriving, with an initial estimate of between two and three thousand people.

In other words, while the number of combat-ready personnel on the Iwa ninja side is decreasing, the combat strength of the Konoha side is increasing rather than decreasing, and the combat pressure on both flanks is also increasing. Now the combat strength ratio between the enemy and ourselves is almost one to two. To put it bluntly, the forces that Konoha has now dispatched to the western battlefield are capable of annihilating the Iwa ninja's front-line troops.

Originally, Huang Tu and Jiang Si had planned to visit for a while longer, but the moment Konoha's reinforcements arrived, they truly had the idea of ​​withdrawing their troops. Even the Third Tsuchikage, who was in charge of the overall situation in the village, was considering whether to end the war in a dignified manner.

If the casualties were to increase further, then there would be no way to retreat. However, when the war has entered a fierce battle and our side is being suppressed, the Iwa ninja must make some necessary preparations in advance if they want to retreat. It is not something that can be done just like that.

Unlike the previous high-pressure attacks.

This time, the initiative has fallen into the hands of Konoha.

If they want to retreat, they must finalize the overall plan, especially the choice of route. Just like the garrison led by Gekko Zentsubasa at the Wuyuan Mountain stronghold, if it weren't for Jiraiya's timely support, they would have had at least half of their fighting force wiped out by the troops led by Shoji and Akatsuchi. Now, it's the same for the Iwa ninja. They still have nearly eight or nine thousand combat-ready troops. It's not something the Iwa ninja can easily retreat on a whim.

They must wait until the retreat route is completely secured before they can truly choose to withdraw their troops. Moreover, Huang Tu and Jiang Si may still harbor a sliver of wishful thinking deep down: that if the Cloud Ninja launches a fierce attack and draws the attention of the Leaf Village, greatly reducing the pressure on their side, then they won't have to give up the Wuyuan Mountain stronghold they have already captured. They won't even need to advance any further; they can simply stay here and manage this defensive line well.

Within five years at most, Iwagakure would be able to ensure that its tentacles have completely penetrated into the Land of Fire. However, things did not go as planned. Kumogakure still did not make any major moves. The so-called "defeating" Konoha's garrison in the Land of Hot Springs and seizing the Hot Spring Mountain base was just something that could only fool fools. Anyone with a normal brain could see that it was just a tacit agreement between Konoha and Kumogakure!

Shoji really couldn't understand. Was Kumogakure really so satisfied with just a hot spring mountain base and the corpse of a branch family member of Hyuga Hizashi? Or was Konoha really so generous as to hand over Hyuga Hiashi's corpse to Kumogakure?

Shoji couldn't understand it, and at the moment he had no way of knowing that although Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Hyuga clan weren't really stupid enough to hand over Hiashi Hyuga, they had still managed to temporarily deal with Kumogakure with their genuine Byakugan!

The Fourth Raikage, having satisfied his own greed to a great extent, has temporarily suppressed his restless heart for war, heeding the advice of his chief strategist to remain inactive and watch the battle between Konoha and Iwagakure!

To be honest, Konoha was driven by self-interest, while Iwagakure was driven by hatred. The Fourth Raikage truly had reasons to take action against both villages. Whether it was joining forces with the victor to beat the defeated party while they were down, or supporting the loser to attack the stronger party, there were advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, it depended on the Fourth Raikage's own decision.

Under these circumstances, the Iwa ninja, who had underestimated the different attitudes and actions of Konoha and the Cloud Ninja and waited in vain for the Cloud Ninja to launch a pincer attack, found themselves in a very dangerous situation. This was compounded by the arrival of Konoha's second batch of reinforcements, which further increased the pressure on both flanks.

The troop withdrawal plan, which had previously only been in the deliberation stage, now had to be put on the agenda immediately.

The Land of Fire, Wuyuan Mountain stronghold.

"The Tsuchikage's orders have arrived. According to the information from the Anbu reconnaissance, there has indeed been no battle between Kumogakure and Konoha in the eastern part of the Land of Hot Springs. Konoha ninjas voluntarily withdrew from the Hot Springs Mountain base, and Kumogakure also officially moved into the Hot Springs Mountain base three days ago without losing a single soldier. Although there were indeed some subsequent military advance operations, they basically remained within a safe range. If I am not mistaken, Konoha must have paid an even higher price to stabilize Kumogakure."

"The Cloud Ninja are also intentionally using us to weaken Konoha, and to weaken us in return. Therefore, the Tsuchikage's idea is to immediately abandon the Wuyuan Mountain base and retreat to the Land of Grass, still using Kannabi Bridge as the logistics center, shortening the supply route, reducing the defensive pressure, and rebuilding a defensive line to block Konoha's attack!"

Huang Tu stood in the control room, slightly bent over, and slammed his right hand heavily on the Grass Country region marked on the map on the table, speaking in a slightly helpless tone.

To be honest, the Iwa ninja side felt somewhat aggrieved at this point in the war. From the perspective of the pre-war situation, even if the Iwa ninja side withdrew from the Wuyuan Mountain stronghold, as long as the stability of the Grass Country could be ensured, the Iwa ninja side would still have gained a lot from this battle, and it could definitely be called a successful military operation.

However, judging from the current situation alone, being forced to retreat, and at the cost of more than a thousand casualties in the past ten days, is a difficult thing for Huang Tu and Jiang Si to accept. Especially Jiang Si, who had planned to take this opportunity to severely damage Konoha, at least to the point of weakening it, and then the Iwa and Kumo ninjas could each take a piece of the pie from the Land of Fire, further weakening Konoha's war potential!

Ideally, the Cloud Ninja incident could be used to further disrupt the internal stability and harmony of Konoha, sow discord between the major ninja villages and the Konoha leadership, and lay an important foundation for the future complete annihilation of Konoha!

However, reality delivered a resounding slap to Shoji. Of all the planned objectives, none have been achieved so far. Apart from the basic objective of reaching the Land of Grass, even considering only the most direct casualties, it's hard to say how much of an advantage the Iwa ninja have gained.

To put it bluntly, this was a strategic failure.

At least deep down, it was hard for Jiang Si to admit that his military operation was a success, given that none of the subsequent plans and objectives had been achieved. With nearly 10,000 troops, plus himself, Huang Tu, and two Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, the results were not particularly impressive. Jiang Si found it hard to accept that, if he were to act from the bottom of his heart, he would really not want to choose to withdraw his troops here.

But this was an emotional impulse. Rational thinking still advised Jiang Si that retreating from here was the most correct choice. The nearly 10,000 Konoha ninja army in front of them, with Konoha heroes in charge, was really not something they could take down.

Furthermore, news has spread from the south that Sunagakure seems to be stirring up trouble.

They, the Hidden Stone Village, could not accept the prospect of defeat here.

A major defeat here would trigger an even more devastating chain reaction.

Consider this a lesson learned. Fortunately, there is still room for maneuver. Even if they retreat, as long as they have the Land of Grass, Iwagakure will still be the beneficiary of this military operation.

The gains outweigh the losses; at most, they just can't gain any more benefits. As for the losses, Konoha's casualties are still greater than Iwa's.

"Indeed, it's no longer a good time to continue the stalemate with Konoha. The enemy is only sending more and more reinforcements. If we withdraw as soon as possible, we can still maintain a certain degree of control!"

After taking a deep breath, Jiang Si spoke with a serious expression.

There are only about 3,500 to 3,600 intact troops left at the front line. The rest have either been killed in battle or have been wounded to varying degrees and lost their ability to fight. Although the Land of Grass still has nearly 2,000 troops who can provide cover and support, the gap is still quite large compared to the combat-ready forces of the Hidden Leaf Village. If we don't take the initiative to retreat while the main passage is still in our hands, the situation will only become more and more difficult.

At that time, it will probably be necessary for our own Third Hokage to personally lead the troops to provide support. In that case, it could easily trigger a chain reaction. Who knows if Sunagakure and Kumogakure will take this opportunity to do something!

These two ninja villages can be considered the old and new enemies of Iwagakure.

It's not impossible for them to launch a pincer attack from the south and the east at the same time. To ensure that such a bad outcome doesn't happen, retreating as soon as possible will give them more room to maneuver.

Until this moment.

Having been in this world for nearly three years, Jiang Si finally realized why, in the original story, during the three Shinobi World Wars, the five great nations fought to the death, yet none of them were truly severely damaged, nor did any of them fall from their positions as the five great nations, or even be destroyed. It was because of the serious mutual entanglements between the five great nations. It can be said that since the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha passed away one after another, no ninja village in the ninja world has been able to truly fight two against one. The reason why Konoha was able to win in the past three Shinobi World Wars was not because it was really fighting against multiple ninja villages at once. At most, it was a war of attrition, or an additional battle against the detachments of another ninja village.

'Perhaps I was being too naive...'

Shoji sighed inwardly. He had overestimated himself and underestimated his enemies. The strength of Konoha and Kumogakure was still beyond his expectations, and the strength of his own village and his own power were not truly enough to determine the fate of the world. In particular, his own strength was somewhat insufficient when facing Jiraiya, a true Kage-level powerhouse.

"Yes, Shoji is right. The retreat must be initiated immediately and cannot be delayed. I have decided that Akatsuchi will be in charge of leading the first batch of retreaters. Together with Arai, you will prioritize covering the wounded, logistics personnel, and medical staff as they retreat back to the Kannabi Bridge area. Shoji, you will be responsible for the flank cover, leading the main force to ensure the safety of the retreat route. Hansang, I will trouble you to stay with me at the Wuyuan Mountain base as the last rearguard to temporarily withstand the likely pursuit and attack from Konoha Village!"

After Huang Tu nodded, he clearly issued the orders for their respective retreat plans. The retreat of ninjas, like that of ordinary troops, could not be a chaotic mass retreat; it had to be done in an orderly manner!

To put it simply, if a group of people were not left behind to cover the retreat, it would be difficult for the wounded, as well as the logistics and medical personnel, to safely escape this combat zone.

"Yes, I understand!"

"Ok!"

Akado, Arai, and Han responded in unison.

Jiang Si frowned slightly, but did not answer directly. Instead, he said, "Huang Tusang, you should cover the flanks. I will cover the rear and work with Han Sang to intercept the pursuing Konoha forces!"

Requesting to cover the rear wasn't because Shoji was arrogant enough to think he was guaranteed to win. If the two of them were to actually fight, it would only be fair to say that Shoji had a slight chance of winning. It was hard to say for sure who would prevail. Although Huang Tu seemed to have no bloodline limit or special abilities, Huang Tu's strength was undeniable. Over the past year, Shoji had sparred with his own son, the Tsuchikage, so he was very familiar with Huang Tu's strength. The reason he volunteered to cover the rear was ultimately a result of 'habitual thinking'.

They still felt that their clan's position in Iwagakure was not secure enough and that they had not fully integrated into the village. They hoped to make a greater contribution to gain more recognition and support from the Iwagakure ninja, especially from a high-ranking member of the village like Huang Tu, who greatly admired and valued their Uchiha clan. They would rather be seriously injured themselves than see Huang Tu get hurt.

This is a matter of fundamental principle, at least in the General's view, it should be this way.

"No need, General. The task of covering the flanks is still yours. Don't refuse. You've done enough on the front lines during this period. Leave the rearguard duties to me and Hansang. You can come back to support us after we've confirmed that the main force has retreated."

The loess soil could reveal some of the general's thoughts and feelings.

And the more this is the case, the more Huang Tu feels the need to take on some responsibility, especially the responsibility of covering the rear, which is something he, as the commander, should do.

This clearly conveys a sense of resolute determination.

Jiang Si opened his mouth, but could only nod silently and say, "Yes, I understand, Huang Tu Sang!"

But at the same time, he was determined to cover the retreat of the wounded and logistics personnel as soon as possible, and then turn around and go to meet Huang Tu in the shortest time. Even if you think about it from a pragmatic point of view, this son of the Earth Shadow must not make any mistakes in this battlefield!

"Ok!"

Hearing Jiang Si's reply.

A faint smile appeared on Huang Tu's face.

"Then, let each of you make your final preparations. May your military campaigns prosper!"

"Yes!"

359. A Head-on Confrontation (Supplementary Chapter)

P.S.: This chapter makes up for the missed update from the day I took leave in the first year of junior high. An author can't be completely self-indulgent while writing, but I also can't be completely without my own opinions. After all, I'm just a struggling author, and it's difficult to achieve the same level of control and perfect writing as those top authors. As a struggling author, I can only say that I try my best to find a balance, sticking to my own style while also trying to meet the needs of my readers. I still hope that all of you readers can continue to support me! Thank you with a bow, and please subscribe! Thank you!

Having made up his mind, there was naturally no room for hesitation. In the rear, his own Tsuchikage also dispatched an additional thousand troops to provide support. This was the limit of the forces Onoki could send out, given the need to ensure the safety of the southern and eastern fronts and to maintain a certain level of strength in the village.

Counting from before the war, the number of troops dispatched by Iwagakure to the southeastern front has exceeded eight thousand, almost half of Iwagakure's combat-ready forces. If they still cannot expand their gains on this basis, then stopping at the right time is the most correct choice, provided that all preparations are in place.

After the meeting adjourned.

Akatsuchi, along with Arai, led the wounded, medical personnel, and some logistics staff from the base as the first group to evacuate from the Wuyuan Mountain base. With the high-altitude passages on both sides of the base still under their control, the evacuation of these personnel was relatively easier and would not be subject to much interference or obstruction from Konoha.

However, under immense attack pressure from the high ground on both flanks, such a large-scale evacuation could not possibly be kept secret from Konoha's scouts. Not to mention, they had the Hyuga clan as support personnel with full vision from the beginning. It can be said that Konoha was aware of almost every movement made by the Iwa ninja in the Wuyuan Mountain base!

Shikaku received the report.

They took countermeasures immediately.

With Jiraiya's approval.

"whoosh"

"whoosh"

"whoosh"

"whoosh"

"Whoosh!"

The main force of Konoha's main camp was mobilized in full force. Shikaku's original plan was to launch a general offensive after seizing the high ground on both flanks. Although the timing was a little off, since the enemy was planning to retreat, the situation had already fallen into Konoha's hands. Shikaku had no reason to let such an opportunity slip by.

The thousands of Konoha ninja who marched straight through, aside from the wounded and the necessary guards, were almost entirely ordered by Shikaku to send out their own troops in full force, regardless of whether this was a ploy by the enemy.

Under the Byakugan's radiation, Shikaku was fearless. Ultimately, this is the most important role the Hyuga clan played in the three Shinobi World Wars. With just a dozen or so Jonin from the Hyuga clan on the battlefield, they could basically ensure coverage of all corners. You could defeat them on the front lines, but you could never ambush them!

Unless you engage in large-scale, circling maneuvers, even so, as long as you narrow the encirclement to a certain distance, the Byakugan will definitely detect it, and that distance is 100% sufficient for the Konoha commander to make any reaction.

The white eye's effect in war is just that overpowered!

Shikaku made full use of the Byakugan's powerful reconnaissance capabilities, which is why the Iwa ninja, despite the strength of Shoji and Akatsuchi, still suffered some losses in the previous clashes. The Iwa ninja were far superior in information gathering, and their tactical arrangements and strategic shifts were always one step ahead of them, or even more!

In such a situation, the kill-to-loss ratio is already considered to be an exceptional performance by Shoji and Akatsuchi. Every move of the Iwa ninja, as long as it is on the front line of the battlefield, cannot escape the Byakugan's detection.

A large-scale, all-encompassing troop operation.

The focus remains on seizing high ground positions on both flanks.

Then comes the tactic of concentrating forces to break through the center. Just as Jiang Si and Huang Tu predicted, Shikaku's core objective is to take back the Wuyuan Mountain stronghold first and annihilate this Iwa Ninja Army. Shikaku has considered this, but it is indeed difficult and may require paying a very heavy price.

This was by no means what Shikaku wanted, so he used this method to gradually put pressure on the Iwa ninja, so that they would be unable to withstand it and retreat on their own initiative. In this way, Konoha could not only more easily take back the Wuyuan Mountain stronghold, but also find an opportunity to severely damage this Iwa ninja army. This was a blatant conspiracy!

Tactical deployment based on absolute strength.