Naruto Birdcage

Silent Night.

The camp was much quieter compared to the daytime.

Inside the main tent, the candlelight flickered dimly.

Shikaku sat in the main seat, while Makoto sat quietly to the side.

"Has the Kazema squad returned yet?"

"No, the Inuzuka clan members have already been sent to search the area they were responsible for."

Shikaku frowned deeply, sensing that something was amiss.

"Prepare for the worst."

In war, intelligence is extremely critical.

Losing the initiative would be nothing short of a disaster for Konoha, which was already in decline.

Minato was currently outside the borders, and Jiraiya was leading a team searching for traces of the enemy. If the Kumo Ninja found them first...

"Lord Minato is back!"

A sudden shout rang out from outside.

Shikaku immediately stood up, but before he could step out of the tent, Minato had already walked in.

"Minato!"

"Lord Minato!"

Everyone inside the tent quickly rose to greet him, a clear testament to his influence.

The blond young man standing before them was respected by all in the village.

Part of this reverence might have stemmed from the Third Hokage's efforts to build him up, but much more came from his personal charisma and strength.

"Minato, how is it?" Shikaku asked eagerly.

Minato walked over to the map, examining it carefully.

He then took out a rough map he had drawn on the spot, compared it, and made several marks on the map laid out on the table.

"The Land of Rice, here, is where the Kumo Ninja are stationed," he said slowly, his expression grave.

"The enemy has significant forces—an estimated 7,000 men—and they are being led personally by the Fourth Raikage."

As soon as those words were spoken, the tent fell into dead silence.

A look of shock flickered in Shikaku's eyes.

The disparity in strength was simply too overwhelming!

Inoichi couldn't help but remark, "With that kind of force, they could launch a direct assault…"

Shikaku furrowed his brows, thinking deeply for a long time before finally uttering, "It's probably to avoid others trying to claim a share of the spoils."

He continued slowly, "To the Kumo Ninja, it may seem like our defeat is inevitable, but after we fall, it's highly likely that others will try to interfere and take advantage of the situation."

These words provoked a wave of anger among the group.

"This is outrageous!"

"Those bastards are despicable!"

Shikaku's mind raced as he pondered the next strategy.

However, no matter how much he thought, he couldn't devise an effective solution to break the stalemate.

Even during the war with the Iwagakure, the disparity hadn't been this severe.

No matter how strong the Konoha shinobi were, it was impossible for each of them to take on seven opponents at once—especially when the enemy had the Eight-Tails on their side, not to mention another contingent of forces already stationed within the Land of Fire.

Minato added, "I discovered a massive formation within the Kumo Ninja camp. I sensed the power of space-time; it's likely a summoning teleportation array."

Makoto suddenly recalled that Kumogakure possessed a secret technique known as Heavenly Transfer Jutsu, capable of transporting targets to any location.

However, this technique had extremely high requirements for the target, making it unbearable for ordinary individuals.

Using such a jutsu came at a great cost, but a teleportation array was different.

It functioned similarly to summoning techniques, requiring far less sacrifice.

Moreover, in the original story, Hanzo of the Salamander from Amegakure had once used a teleportation array to launch a surprise attack on Konoha.

It wouldn't be surprising if Kumogakure possessed a similar method.

Minato said, "Such a teleportation array is usually two-way. The other end might be inside Kumogakure, allowing them to continuously send reinforcements."

Makoto suddenly interjected, "Is it possible that the other end is within the Land of Fire?"

All eyes turned to him simultaneously.

Makoto continued slowly, "A force of 7,000 is more than enough to attack us."

Shikaku suddenly muttered, "That contingent of Kumo Ninja within our borders…"

Everyone was struck with a chilling realization, envisioning an extremely dire outcome.

Minato quickly asked, "Have the Kumo Ninja within our borders been located?"

Shikaku shook his head silently.

No one in the tent spoke again.

Minato exhaled deeply, then said after a moment of thought, "I'll go and destroy that teleportation array."

Shikaku immediately objected, "That's too dangerous!"

The enemy's main camp had over 7,000 soldiers, countless elite jonin, and a Raikage.

No matter how strong Minato was, attempting such a mission would be a near-suicidal endeavor.

Minato replied calmly, "I am the commander, and what I say goes."

Shikaku, Inoichi, and the others were left speechless.

Makoto couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect for Minato in him heart.

He said, "It's just my speculation; there's no need for you to take such a risk, Minato-senpai."

Minato shook his head. "No, you're absolutely right. If we think carefully, 7,000 soldiers is already more than enough. And that contingent of Kumo Ninja within our borders, which has been hiding and refusing to reveal themselves—there's a high chance they're connected to this."

He continued, issuing orders: "Find that group of Kumo Ninja and eliminate them."

Shikaku nodded solemnly.

From the side, Fugaku reminded Minato to be cautious and not rush into action.

He emphasized that if any danger arose, Minato should retreat immediately using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Minato assured them that he knew what he was doing.

He then addressed everyone in the tent: "This battle concerns the very survival of Konoha. It will be even tougher than the previous war with the Iwa Ninja. I ask all of you to set aside personal concerns and dedicate yourselves fully to the village."

The group responded firmly, "We will sacrifice without regret!"

Minato also said, "I wish you all the best of luck on the battlefield!"

With that, Minato departed, once again leaving alone.

The night was quiet.

Except for the sentries, most of the ninja had fallen asleep.

Makoto lay in his tent, tossing and turning.

Not far away, Guy's thunderous snores filled the air, and Makoto couldn't fathom how Kakashi and Hakumen managed to sleep through it.

In this world, Makoto wasn't used to sleeping with others nearby and never allowed Ayano to stay overnight in his room.

"Lord Makoto."

A soft call came from outside the tent.

Hearing it, Makoto got up and stepped outside.

After Makoto left, Kakashi, who was also wearing a mask while sleeping nearby, suddenly opened his eyes.

He glanced at Guy, lying next to him, with a helpless expression.

Smack!

A loud slap echoed—it was Hakumen's hand, which had landed on Guy's face as he turned over, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Guy didn't wake up.

He simply scratched the spot and muttered in his sleep, "Don't do that, Kakashi…"

Kakashi: "???"

Guy continued mumbling, "A real showdown is the only way... no rock-paper-scissors…"

With that, he went right back to snoring.

Kakashi let out a small sigh of relief, turned over, and closed his eyes, facing away from Guy.

Meanwhile, outside the tent, Makoto was met by a camp ninja who had called for him.

"Someone from the village has arrived, bearing the Hokage's seal, and they're asking for you," the ninja reported.

Makoto followed him outside the camp, where he saw a figure surrounded by several guards.

The person was completely covered in a black cloak, leaving no part of their body, not even their face, exposed.

Makoto froze for a moment when he saw the figure, his eyes revealing a hint of surprise.

As Makoto approached, the guards greeted him, "Lord Makoto."

Makoto nodded and said, "It's fine. He's here to see me. Didn't you already verify the Hokage's seal?"

One of the guards replied awkwardly, "This person hasn't spoken a single word, no matter how much we've questioned him, so it felt suspicious."

Makoto led the cloaked figure to an empty clearing.

Then, he reached out and pulled back the figure's hood.

Under the moonlight, a ghastly pale face was revealed.

Makoto's eyes widened with even greater shock. "Can you speak?"

The figure replied, "Yes, Lord Makoto."

However, his expression remained blank, and his tone was devoid of any emotional inflection.

He wasn't human—he was a White Zetsu.

This was Orochimaru's research result—a brand-new White Zetsu!

(Note: The protagonist's true strength will be revealed soon—stay tuned!)

--------------

Exclusive access : All novel on paetron

Genshin impact 270+ch, Naruto birdcage 250+ch, Overlord Complete novel

From the apocalypse 100+ch, Fairy tail Destiny 120+ch

Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz