"Is everyone okay?"
Minato stood in his green standard-issue flak jacket, his golden hair swaying slightly under the dim light of the cave. In his hand, he held his signature three-pronged kunai.
Around him lay the corpses of enemies, their bodies scattered across the ground, along with numerous fallen cards.
These cards had been distributed by Danzo to each squad, engraved with Minato's Flying Thunder God markings. This meant that if Danzo detected any squad in danger, he could instantly summon Minato for support.
This time, Danzo had Yamanaka Fu and his team plant these cards throughout the cave in advance.
As soon as the enemies fully entered the cave, Minato could use the narrow terrain to annihilate them like a flash of lightning.
The battle unfolded exactly as Danzo had expected. It took Minato only a dozen seconds to wipe out all the enemies—so effortlessly that it felt like cutting through vegetables.
The terrain played a crucial role.
In such a confined space, the enemies had no room to maneuver effectively. Meanwhile, the cave was filled with Flying Thunder God markings, allowing Minato to appear anywhere in an instant, completely unpredictable.
With his terrifying reaction speed, even three Jonin stood no chance—no matter how many more came, he would still cut them down without hesitation.
It wasn't until their final moments, with only a breath of life remaining, that the enemy ninjas finally saw their killer's face.
"It really is you... The Yellow Flash!"
One of the Iwagakure ninjas gasped. His fear of Minato was ingrained in his very bones.
In their minds, only The Yellow Flash could possess such overwhelming speed and lethal precision.
With those last words, he breathed his final breath.
Minato had no intention of leaving any survivors.
Hearing Minato's question, Yamanaka Fu quickly responded, "We're fine! No injuries!"
After confirming that all three were unharmed, Minato nodded.
"If that's the case, I'll take my leave. I have other missions to complete."
The trio nodded hurriedly.
"Understood! Thank you, Lord Minato!"
"You're welcome."
As his words fell, Minato's figure vanished.
Looking at the corpses strewn across the cave, the three were left in stunned silence.
"So this… is the power of a top-tier ninja?"
Yamanaka Fu realized just how vast the gap was between himself and a true powerhouse. His awe was mixed with discouragement.
As for Might Guy?
He didn't even know what "discouragement" meant.
Instead, he immediately declared, "I will burn my youth and become as strong as Lord Minato!!"
---
After leaving, Minato didn't return to camp.
Instead, he continued using his exceptional mobility to support various battlefronts under Danzo's guidance.
Both Iwagakure and Kumogakure soon felt the terrifying presence of The Yellow Flash once again!
With Danzo's reconnaissance abilities and the assistance of Katsuyu, Minato was practically unstoppable.
Previously, hunting down enemies required searching. Now, he simply followed Danzo's directions and teleported to the designated markings.
His kill efficiency skyrocketed.
In just half a day, he had inflicted devastating losses on the enemy forces.
Most of the casualties were Iwagakure's Jonin.
This was intentional.
Danzo didn't want to weaken both Iwa and Kumo evenly.
By selectively targeting one side, he aimed to create a rift between them.
However, Minato's overwhelming presence signified that the war had now entered its second phase—
The battle of top-tier forces.
As expected.
When the reports of heavy losses reached Ōnoki, his fury knew no bounds.
In a single afternoon, Iwagakure had lost 26 Jonin!
Every Jonin was a vital asset to a village.
Losing so many at once was a devastating blow.
Ōnoki slammed his hands on the table, his face darkened with rage.
He knew that for Minato, dealing with ordinary Jonin was as easy as slicing melons and vegetables.
But even if you want to slice melons and vegetables, you still have to find them first, right?
The most pressing question now was: How were the enemies able to pinpoint their squads' locations so precisely?
This didn't just apply to the Jonin who had been hunted down by Minato—it included other squads as well.
In short, after analyzing the entire battle, Ōnoki was left with only one feeling:
Something was off.
It was as if an invisible hand was controlling everything from the shadows.
And their ninjas were like puppets on strings, one after another marching onto the battlefield only to die.
"Damn it! Danzo must have some kind of special sensory technique!"
His sharp instincts led him to this conclusion.
Then, he noticed another issue.
Compared to Iwagakure, Kumogakure's casualties in this war seemed strangely low.
During Minato's large-scale massacre that afternoon, Kumogakure had only lost three Jonin.
Compared to Iwagakure's 26, this difference was completely baffling.
"Danzo, are you trying to sow discord between us?"
Ōnoki quickly realized Danzo's intentions, but that didn't stop him from gritting his teeth in anger.
Because the sacrifices of Iwagakure's Jonin were real.
Even if he knew it was a manipulation tactic, it didn't change the fact that Iwagakure had suffered enormous losses.
At the same time, Ōnoki and the other Iwagakure ninjas couldn't help but feel an undeniable sense of imbalance.
At that moment, the Third Raikage hurried in.
When he saw Ōnoki's dark expression, his heart sank.
"What happened?"
Ōnoki let out a cold snort and slammed a list of fallen Iwagakure ninjas onto the table.
"Look for yourself!"
The Third Raikage furrowed his brows and picked up the list.
Damn.
Twenty-six Jonin dead in a single afternoon.
Even in several years, Iwagakure might not be able to produce that many Jonin!
This was a crippling loss.
Only now did the Third Raikage truly understand why Ōnoki looked so furious.
If Kumogakure had suffered such heavy casualties, the desks in the command room would have been smashed to pieces by now.
And when he thought about Kumogakure's relatively low losses, he immediately understood something.
"…Are you suspecting that we in Kumogakure are deliberately letting you take the fall?"
He spoke with a serious expression.
"Ōnoki, you're not that stupid, right? It's clearly Danzo's scheme to divide us!"
"Of course I know that!"
Ōnoki slammed his palm onto the table in fury, his face twisted with rage.
"The problem is, Danzo can see through all our movements!"
"And that damn Namikaze Minato is specifically targeting Iwagakure!"
"If we don't figure out a way to counter this, Iwagakure will be wiped out!"
Ōnoki was furious. His gaze seemed to say, Once we're crushed by Konoha, you guys in Kumogakure will be able to swallow both villages whole!
It could be said that Danzo's strategy was an open scheme—one that they could see through but still couldn't counter.
Even the Third Raikage couldn't come up with a perfect solution immediately.
After a few seconds of silence, he gritted his teeth and said:
"If Danzo has a way to control the battlefield, then we simply won't hide anymore!"
A determined fire burned in his eyes.
"We will send out all our squads at once, along with our top-tier forces, and push straight toward Konoha's main camp!"
Tacticians have their strategies.
Brutes have their brute-force tactics.
The Third Raikage's plan was simple:
If we're being led around by the nose in a chaotic battle, then let's make the battle even more chaotic.
He proposed a full-force assault, committing every available soldier and elite fighter into a single, overwhelming charge toward Konoha's main camp!
No fancy tactics—just a direct, full-frontal attack!
After all, Kumogakure and Iwagakure had more high-level fighters and a larger army than Konoha.
If Konoha didn't want to engage, their only option would be to abandon their base and retreat in disgrace.
After a moment of contemplation, Ōnoki agreed.
Because at this point, they had no other choice.
He couldn't keep throwing his elite Jonin into the battlefield just to be slaughtered.
"Then it's decided. Tonight, all squads will mobilize—including our Jinchūriki!"
For once, Ōnoki made a firm decision.
The Third Raikage nodded.
——————
That night, Danzo saw a massive surge of chakra flooding into the battlefield.
These chakras were grouped in threes, forming an overwhelming force.
Among them were several immense chakra signatures.
Those must be the Jinchūriki…
"So, they finally couldn't hold back anymore?"
Rather than feeling threatened by the enemy's all-or-nothing assault, a smile of excitement appeared on Danzo's face.
"The enemy has launched a full-scale attack. Shikaku, execute the plan we prepared."
Upon hearing this, Nara Shikaku didn't hesitate. He immediately relayed a warning to all battlefield squads:
"All squads, the enemy has begun a full-scale assault. Command center communications will be temporarily disrupted!"
"Retreat immediately, focus on delaying the enemy, avoid unnecessary casualties, and await further instructions from command."
As soon as the order was given, ANBU ninjas rushed into the command center.
They swiftly packed up all essential documents, maps, and personnel, evacuating toward the rear as quickly as possible.
Their job was simple: stay away from the battlefield and move deeper into the rear lines.
Since the command center's primary role was to coordinate rather than fight, its location didn't matter—not with Katsuyu's telepathic link enabling instant communication.
Thanks to preparations in advance, the evacuation was completed within moments, leaving behind only Danzo.
"Lord Danzo, this mission is incredibly dangerous—please take care of yourself!"
Nara Shikaku looked at Danzo with deep admiration.
Since Danzo was the "eyes" of Konoha's army, he could not retreat.
Not only could he not fall back—he had to remain in the very center of the battlefield.
Only by doing so could the Byakugan's field of vision cover the battlefield to its fullest extent.
After all, the Byakugan's vision was spherical—if Danzo positioned himself in the middle, he could monitor everything in 360 degrees.
As for communication?
He only needed to relay enemy positions through Katsuyu to the command center.
Of course, this also meant immense risk for Danzo.
Being at the center of the battlefield, if he was discovered, he would be completely surrounded.
This was precisely why Shikaku felt so much respect for him.
Not only had Danzo contributed greatly to the war effort, but at this critical moment, he was placing himself in extreme danger—a truly admirable act.
Yet, Danzo remained completely indifferent.
Rather than fearing being surrounded…
He even had a bold plan in mind.
---
With that, the command center swiftly retreated to the rear.
Then, Danzo issued one final order:
All squads, abandon the base—scatter into the battlefield!
This was the strategy that Danzo and Shikaku had devised.
Since the enemy was recklessly throwing everything into an all-out frontal assault on Konoha's base…
Danzo would do the exact opposite.
Instead of defending the base, he would dissolve his forces into small, mobile units and engage in guerrilla warfare!
You want my base?
Fine. Take it!
Let's see how well you fight when I'm waging guerrilla war against you!
The drawback of this strategy was that it eliminated a clear front line, making it easier for the enemy to infiltrate Konoha's rear.
But Danzo didn't care.
Let them infiltrate.
If they want to push all the way to Konoha, let them see firsthand the might of the "Professor of Ninjutsu."
As long as he could tie down the enemy's "big fish", the small fry didn't matter.
And if by any chance that old tortoise, Hiruzen Sarutobi, got so frustrated that he personally entered the battlefield…
Danzo would be laughing his head off.
---
With that, all Konoha squads quickly stocked up on supplies and then dispersed, vanishing into the dense forests and mountains.
Many even burrowed underground, disappearing into subterranean caves.
Of course, not everyone was convinced by Danzo's strategy.
But after witnessing his near-prophetic level of battlefield control over the past few days, all doubts vanished like smoke.
Even Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and others saw Danzo's command ability as borderline miraculous.
So, in the end, they had no choice but to believe.
To believe that Danzo's strategy would lead Konoha to victory!
__
This Danzo Is Weird 430 advanced chapters: (5-10 ch updates everyday)
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