Chapter 134: Secret Intelligence
As the sky gradually darkened.
After cleaning up the battlefield, more than a dozen Anbu, according to the instructions of Minato Namikaze, set up a camp at the border and set up a camp in a hidden place.
It has been two or three hours since the vanguard of Kumogakure was wiped out. It seems that they are out of touch with the main force, which is a bit serious. But this also gave Minato Namikaze enough time to prepare and respond.
"Hokage-sama, according to your instructions, all arrangements have been completed..."
In a hidden tent somewhere in the snow forest on the border, Xiang led the Anbu team who had returned after setting up traps again, reporting to Minato Namikaze.
The interior of this temporary tent is very simple, with only simple tables and chairs. Minato Namikaze is looking at the map on the table at this time, in deep thought. Next to the map, there are several intelligence information about scheduled contacts that he had just received not long ago.
Among these messages, there are both those from the frontline of the Grass Country and those from the headquarters of Konoha Village...
After hearing Xiang's report, Namikaze Minato raised his eyes slightly, turned to look at everyone, and said pessimistically:
"Thank you for your hard work. According to the current situation, the main force of the Cloud Ninja may arrive tonight.
And our mission is to delay the enemy here as much as possible at all costs until our main force wins a great victory in the battlefield of the Grass Country, and then the reinforcements arrive."
Although the purpose of this trip was understood before departure, the words "at all costs" said by Namikaze Minato still shocked the Anbu members. You know, the main force of the Cloud Ninja is likely to have nearly a thousand people, but there are only a dozen people on our side. Isn't such a task of blocking the enemy like hitting a rock with an egg?
After the atmosphere in the tent was suppressed for a short moment, the captain of the Anbu, Xiang, hesitated, but couldn't help asking: "Hokage-sama, when will the reinforcements of the main force of the Grass Country battlefield arrive?"
Since they have to fight with a small number of people, Xiang believes that the reinforcements of the main force should arrive soon.
However, the answer given by Minato Namikaze surprised everyone.
"Judging from the latest news, it may be tomorrow afternoon at the earliest..."
"Tomorrow?!"
In the eyes revealed under the mask, Xiang was shocked at first, but then turned into a more complicated look.
Out of duty, he had to raise an objection: "If this is the case, I am afraid that even if we fight to the death, it will be difficult to complete the mission. Hokage-sama, as the leader of Konoha, I think you really shouldn't take risks like this..."
While speaking, Xiang was also secretly looking at Minato Namikaze's face.
This was the first time he openly questioned the decision of the Hokage. Although Minato Namikaze had always been gentle and considerate to his subordinates, he believed that as the captain of the Anbu, he had an absolute obligation to consider the safety of the Hokage.
No matter how strong the golden flash was, it would not be able to resist the main force of the Cloud Ninja with thousands of people.
What's more, among the next enemies, there will definitely be high-level combat forces of the Cloud Ninja, and they are not the same level of strength as the captain of the vanguard.
Minato Namikaze obviously anticipated that his seemingly desperate order would probably cause confusion among the crowd.
So he quickly explained: "It's not about fighting to the death, but about you doing your best to contain the enemy here."
"Because the more enemies we can delay, the more time we can buy for the arrival of reinforcements. Stopping the enemy is protecting Konoha!"
"...Yes."
"Understood."
"Understood..." The Anbu in the tent soon all cheered up and accepted the order in unison.
Namikaze Minato's words have made it very clear that although this battle is a battle of few against many, it is not a battle of life and death.
After confirming their respective assignments, the Anbu in the tent quickly dispersed and hid in different places in the snow forest. In the next battle, they will continue to rely on this geographical advantage and use it as a barrier to block the enemy.
Soon, Namikaze Minato was the only one left in the simple tent.
In the dim light, his eyes could not help but glance at the many intelligence scrolls on the table again. One of them was a delicate and unique scroll. It was the latest information sent back by Nono who was lurking in the Hidden Cloud Village.
And on that intelligence, it was a list of several very famous ninjas of the main force of the Hidden Cloud Village that was about to arrive.
The two-tailed Jinchuriki, Yukito, was among them...
However, in order not to affect morale, he did not tell everyone about this information...
...
Konoha.
Near the end of the night, the lights were still dimly lit in the conference room in the office building.
Mitomon En, Utatane Koharu, and Nara Shikaku all sat together, the three of them constantly receiving intelligence from all over, gathering information and analyzing the situation.
Strangely, only Shimura Danzo was not on the list.
"Officer Shikaku, the Fourth Hokage has decided to personally intercept the main force of the Cloud Ninja, but the Konoha reinforcements from the battlefield of the Land of Grass will not arrive until tomorrow afternoon. Is it really in time?"
After receiving the news from Minato Namikaze just sent back from the border, the two consultants were almost unanimous in their doubts about Minato Namikaze's decision.
Shikaku quickly saw through the two's thoughts, and answered truthfully with a wry smile: "Under normal circumstances, the Fourth Hokage and his men should only be able to resist the main force of the Cloud Ninja for a few hours at most."
"A few hours?"
"If that's the case... then why make such a decision?" Mito Kado Yan frowned, looking even more puzzled.
Not only him, but even Nara Shikaku would think that Namikaze Minato would most likely choose to fight and retreat, in this way to resist the enemy step by step and delay the offensive of the Cloud Ninja.
No one expected that he would plan to fight the main force of the Cloud Ninja at the border.
"I guess the Fourth Hokage should want to use me as bait." Nara Shikaku's mind turned very quickly, and he understood the intention of Namikaze Minato's decision after a little thought.
Seeing that the two advisors were still not quite understanding his explanation, he had to explain again: "In fact, whether we choose to retreat step by step to defend against the enemy or fight to the death, some enemies will definitely infiltrate the Land of Fire through other means tomorrow and directly attack the extremely empty village headquarters."
"The decision of the Fourth Hokage can actually effectively attract more attention from the main forces of the Cloud Ninja. With him at the border, our village may encounter fewer infiltrating enemy forces..."
"So, Lord Hokage is doing his best to protect Konoha."
After hearing this explanation, the two advisors fell into a brief silence. Even they had to admit that although Minato Namikaze was still young, his awareness as a Hokage was worthy of the title of successor chosen by Sarutobi Hiruzen...
After a long time, Utane Koharu suddenly said worriedly: "The Fourth Hokage is indeed very aware of being a Hokage, but he is also the Kage of Konoha and the current Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. If his safety is in danger, the loss of Konoha will be immeasurable."
"No, I still think that the Fourth Hokage's move is inappropriate..."
The conservative style soon emerged in the two of them.
Seeing this, Nara Shikaku scratched the back of his head and sighed slightly in his heart. Seeing that the things the two discussed were about to disrupt Minato Namikaze's plan, he had to help again.
With a thought in his mind, he immediately came up with an idea, and said with a smile on his face: "Please rest assured, the two consultants, there is still combat power that can be mobilized in the village now. I plan to summon them immediately and send them to support the battlefield on the Fourth Hokage's side."
...