Uzumaki Jun was all too familiar with examples of the weak defeating the strong. Especially since this world had just emerged from a brutal Warring States period, and due to the nature of ninjutsu, tactical thinking here was rudimentary at best, decapitation strikes, head-on clashes, ambushes, and at slightly more advanced levels, luring the enemy away.
This was largely because the power gap in this world was too extreme.
Overcoming stronger opponents was nearly impossible, as absolute power rendered most schemes useless.
Yet now, the Land of Whirlpools had no choice but to rely on strategy to survive. To execute such plans, they needed to match soldiers against soldiers and leaders against leaders, while also applying the guerrilla warfare principles of "hit-and-run" tactics.
Only then could they hope to halt the invasion of Kirigakure.
Of course, if he had actually studied the works of Clausewitz or Machiavelli, he might have been able to use their strategies for some unexpected advantage. But...
As an otaku, when had he ever read military theory? The only tactics he vaguely remembered were "divide and conquer" and "retreat to fight another day." The rest were a complete blank!
Fortunately, the Land of Whirlpools was a small island nation. Due to its sparse population, they hadn't occupied the entire island, so...
"Use this line as the boundary. Lure all of Kirigakure's forces into this area."
Jun pointed to a region on the map covered in dense forests, which would serve as natural barriers to slow Kirigakure's advance.
By hiding their forces and using ghillie suits, they could leverage the terrain and the nation's full strength to stall the enemy. This way, they wouldn't need to waste manpower guarding the rear.
Meanwhile, residential and commercial districts would be evacuated and demolished. The command center and medical units would relocate to hidden locations, with strict orders to avoid unnecessary movement.
Kirigakure would only realize something was wrong when they saw this. By then, they'd have to send scouts to investigate.
And Jun refused to believe Kirigakure had more sensory ninja than the Uzumaki clan. As long as they confined the enemy to a specific zone, they could play a game of cat and mouse.
Jun tapped the map and declared, "Remember: When the enemy advances, we retreat. When they camp, we harass. When they tire, we strike. When they retreat, we pursue. Use the terrain to wage guerrilla warfare against Kirigakure."
His tone turned grave as he eyed the uneasy ninja below.
"This is our only path to victory. Every one of you must follow this plan without fail. Anyone who acts recklessly will be stricken from the clan registry."
Damn it, he was most worried about these hotheads who'd rush into battle shouting, "For the Uzumaki's glory!" and get themselves killed. They were already outnumbered, if they didn't use terrain and strategy, their only option would be to flee with Kushina.
Hearing Jun's words, the ninja stiffened and replied in unison, "Understood."
Satisfied, Jun nodded. "The key to this strategy is matching soldiers to soldiers and leaders to leaders. If you can't win, run. If you can..."
A cold smirk crossed his face.
"Kill them all."
Even the cannon fodder had to be eliminated. As for the stronger enemies, seal them if possible. If not, drown them in numbers later.
If Kirigakure suffered heavy losses without gaining any advantage, even the Mizukage wouldn't be able to ignore the dissent within the village.
Eventually, he'd have no choice but to turn his attention elsewhere after all, even cannon fodder were still ninja.
"Remember, if you can't win, retreat," Jun emphasized. Their priority was whittling down the enemy's low-tier forces, leaving the high-tier ones for later.
Next, they had to split Kirigakure's forces. If an elite squad led by a Kage-level ninja pushed straight in, this plan would fail. So from the very beginning, they needed to deliver a "gift."
Jun smirked.
"Aniki, bring out what I prepared."
Though young, as the crown prince, he had enjoyed considerable freedom and convenience over the years. He had never forgotten to prepare for this war.
Uzumaki Aniki and several guards carried in ten large wooden crates.
"Open them."
With a clatter, the crates revealed their contents eliciting gasps of shock from the gathered ninja. Even the daimyo and clan leader stared in disbelief.
So many explosive tags?! Wait, where did the money come from? Had this kid embezzled the national treasury?
Jun smiled at their stunned expressions. These were the explosive tags he had spent years stockpiling, using... well, "reallocating" funds from the treasury. (Not embezzling! More like an advance withdrawal.)
If the country fell, these would just end up in enemy hands anyway. Might as well give Kirigakure a fiery welcome. It wasn't as extravagant as Konan's 600 billion tags, but...
After years of accumulation, the stockpile was still impressive.
"Once they land, bury 100 million explosive tags here. Let's give them a warm welcome." Jun's voice was icy.
Did they really think they could invade a time traveler's nation without consequences? Provoking Kirigakure was the only way to split their forces and secure victory.
To avoid detection, the tags had to be spread out, forming a perimeter that would force the enemy to fight even if they realized the trap.
Kirigakure wouldn't take things slow, speed was crucial for maximizing gains. Delays risked unforeseen complications. So baiting, enraging, and harassing them was Jun's only viable plan.
And...
"Uncle Clan Leader, did you deliver the letter I wrote to Grandma Mito?"