Konoha, Just Like Kizaru

In the end, under Simu's guidance, the battle concluded with Kumo Shinobi's defeat. Even with Eight Tails covering their retreat, the Kumo forces left behind countless casualties.

Simu wanted to pursue them further, but Jiraiya advised caution, suspecting an ambush. He decided to take a steady approach and gradually secure Kikyo Mountain.

The following morning, Nara Shikaku stood beside Jiraiya, lightly tapping the table, and reported, "Lord Jiraiya, the casualties from last night have been tallied."

"Hm?" Jiraiya stirred awake, the sound of Shikaku's tapping rousing him. He had only just managed to catch some rest after dealing with the aftermath of the battle.

But as the commander, there was no escape from his responsibilities.

Everything on the battlefield required Jiraiya's personal attention. Rubbing his eyes, he looked up and asked, "Shikaku? Where's your uncle, Lukaku?"

Shikaku scratched his head and replied, "Uncle was injured in the battle last night, so I've been assigned to assist you temporarily."

Jiraiya's face grew serious as he asked, "Is Lukaku alright?"

Shikaku hesitated for a moment before answering, "Uncle lost a leg. If Simu hadn't arrived in time and summoned Lady Katsuyu to treat the injured, he might not have survived."

Jiraiya's expression darkened. He nodded slightly, offering no words of consolation. On the battlefield, such tragedies were inevitable. Anything could happen.

He couldn't help but admit, though—Katsuyu's arrival last night was crucial. 

Without the weapons and healing support brought by Katsuyu Sage, the situation might have been far worse.

Konoha's casualties were expected to more than double at this rate. Because of this, the name "Katsuyu Sage" had started spreading throughout the army. 

After all, who wouldn't appreciate a cute little Katsuyu saving their life in a critical moment?

Just then, Simu pushed open the tent flap and walked in, looking half-asleep. "Did I hear someone mention my name?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

Jiraiya glanced at him and scoffed. "You slept more than I did last night, didn't you? Why do you still look so tired?"

Simu yawned and stretched lazily. "Sleep doesn't matter right now. How bad were the casualties yesterday?" 

He slouched into a chair and added, "I just want to finish this mission and get back to Konoha for some proper rest. Who knows how long this miserable war will drag on?"

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples. 

Only after becoming the general commander did Jiraiya realize just how troublesome. His teacher daily work must have been. Managing a battlefield was already exhausting—what kind of effort would it take to be Hokage?

Simu seemed to share the sentiment, slouching in his chair.

Shikaku looked at the two of them, clearly unimpressed. "You two—can we get to the battle report from last night now?"

"Oh, right, go ahead," Jiraiya replied, casually leaning back in his chair. Simu, meanwhile, slouched even further, looking like he might slide off entirely.

Shikaku pressed a hand to his temple, as if trying to calm a headache. Finally, he began, "Last night, our forces lost a total of 189 ninjas. Most of them died in battle before Simu arrived."

He continued grimly, "We also have 556 injured." 

On a typical ninja battlefield, there wouldn't be this many wounded.

Ninja battles are swift and ruthless. Once injured and exposed, your opponent won't hesitate to strike the finishing blow. Even if you manage to avoid being finished off, you're still at risk of being caught in the crossfire of powerful, indiscriminate ninjutsu.

The only reason so many injured survived this time was because of Simu. He summoned Katsuyu Sage, saving countless lives.

Shikaku continued, "Kumo Shinobi lost 1,167 ninjas, including 27 registered Jōnin. Without a doubt, this was a decisive victory for us—nearly ten times their casualty rate compared to ours."

This big win gave Konoha a huge advantage in the ongoing battle at Mount Kikyo. 

While Konoha suffered over 500 injured, most of these ninjas could recover as long as their injuries weren't severe, thanks to Katsuyu Sage's medical prowess.

In other words, the actual loss of manpower in the Battle of Kikyo Mountain was only around 300 ninjas.

Jiraiya, with his sharp experience, quickly spotted an issue in the data. He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"It seems Tsunade's proposal was indeed necessary," he said.

After the Second Ninja World War, Tsunade had proposed creating a comprehensive medical ninja system. The idea received widespread support, and the Third Hokage approved the establishment of a medical ninja training center. Promising students from the ninja academy could be selected to train and graduate as medical ninjas.

However, the program achieved limited success. This was primarily because Konoha's children were raised with the belief that becoming powerful combat ninjas was their ultimate goal.

To many, becoming a medical ninja, someone who relies on others for protection, seemed like a career for cowards. This perception left Konoha's medical ninja system underdeveloped.

It wasn't until this battle that everyone truly understood the value of medical ninjas. The realization struck—medical ninjutsu is incredibly powerful!

This experience solidified Jiraiya's resolve. Once this battle ends, he would strongly advise the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to fully support the development of the medical ninja program.

As Jiraiya was deep in thought, Kato Dan entered the tent.

As one of Konoha's Elite Jōnin, Kato Dan had distinguished himself during last night's battle, using his unique Spiritualization Technique to eliminate two Kumo Jōnin. However, compared to Simu's extraordinary contributions, his efforts seemed minor.

With Two-Tails as Simu's Summoning Beast, its achievements in battle were attributed to Simu. Two-Tails alone had taken out more than two Jōnin during the fight.

And, of course, Simu had single-handedly blocked Fourth Raikage Ai's assault. Without Simu, Konoha's forces could have been completely overwhelmed by Ai, resulting in catastrophic losses.

Kato Dan nodded at Simu, acknowledging his incredible performance from the previous night, which had earned everyone's admiration.

He then turned to Jiraiya and reported, "Jiraiya-sama, Kumo Shinobi has abandoned several surrounding strongholds and fully retreated to the high ground on the north side of Mount Kikyo."

Jiraiya waved dismissively and replied, "Come on, you're Tsunade's friend. Don't call me 'sama.'" He deliberately emphasized the word "friend."

Of course, the relationship between Tsunade and Kato Dan was no secret in Konoha. Despite Jiraiya's obvious reluctance, there was nothing he could do to change the reality of their bond.

As for trying to create a rift between them? It wasn't even an option. Not only would it go against Jiraiya's character, but his carefree nature and lack of scheming ability made such an idea laughable.

The only time Jiraiya could put his mind to work was during a battle.

Kato Dan smiled lightly.

"Jiraiya-sama, as the commander-in-chief, you should always take things seriously."

Jiraiya stopped arguing and began analyzing the situation.

"Kumo Shinobi won't surrender so easily,"

"But now that Simu has neutralized the demon cat troops, they've lost their ability to use guerrilla tactics effectively.

"As long as we maintain steady supplies, taking down Kumo Shinobi should be simple."

The Land of Fire was still the dominant power, even with Kumo Shinobi's recent rise. 

However, with the loss of their two strongest assets—Ai and the demon cat troops—there was no way they could match Konoha in a direct confrontation.

The tide of the war was shifting, and it was clear that the next phase would mark the beginning of Konoha's counterattack.

As Jiraiya predicted, things unfolded accordingly. With Simu successfully pinning down Ai, Konoha's forces quickly gained the upper hand in the battle, pushing Kumo Shinobi onto the defensive.

Konoha's resources were continuously sent to the front lines, fueling the warriors who fought bravely. It didn't take long before all of Kumo Shinobi's strongholds were wiped out, leaving only their base camp standing.

Simu and Two-Tails repeatedly clashed with Killer Bee and Ai, but each encounter ended in a stalemate.

"Bakayarou, konoyaro!" Killer Bee cursed, glaring at the battlefield littered with fallen comrades. "That Hanyu Simu is really a pain!"

Moments ago, Simu had led another raid on Kumo Shinobi's camp with Two-Tails. After creating chaos and wreaking havoc, they escaped with ease, relying on Two-Tails' fast speed.

While Ai was fast enough to keep up with Simu and Two-Tails, Killer Bee and Eight Tails couldn't match their speed. 

Charging in alone would only mean facing a one-on-two fight, and even battling Simu alone was challenging enough. Adding Two-Tails to the mix? The chances of winning were slim.

So the situation on the entire battlefield is reversed.

In the beginning, they took advantage of their speed and ran away with a single shot at the Konoha Camp.

Now it becomes Simu and Two-Tails...

Over the past six months, Kumo Shinobi had suffered greatly. 

Many ninjas were sent back to the village for treatment due to psychological strain. After all, no one could endure hearing lewd voices in their ears while trying to sleep every night.

"Here we are again, Kumo Shinobi!" 

Killer Bee grumbled. "If this keeps up, we'll have to retreat."

Kumo Shinobi had poured a lot of resources into this battle. 

The death toll had already surpassed 4,000, and even Jōnin had fallen. If they retreated now, it would be a significant blow to the prestige of the Third Raikage.

But the Land of Thunder was not like the Land of Wind. There was no one like the Kazekage to step in personally.

Although the Land of Thunder wasn't as wealthy as the Land of Fire, it still had decent conditions. The Land of Earth, their bitter enemy, bordered them, so if too many troops were sent out, the Land of Earth might take advantage of the situation. This is why Third Raikage Ai couldn't leave Kumo Shinobi Village easily; he had to stay to guard against potential attacks from the Land of Earth.

Just as Ai was considering whether to retreat, Nanami, the Third Raikage's secretary, entered his tent.

Ai looked at Nanami. "Did my father send you with orders?"

Nanami, with her slightly curly blonde hair, fair skin, and black-rimmed glasses, looked every bit the intellectual beauty. She wore black silk and stood poised.

"Yes, Lord Ai," she said, handing him a document.

Ai took the paper and read it carefully. His brow furrowed for a moment before relaxing. It seemed the intelligence contained something that made a big impact on him.

"Is this accurate?"

"Yes," Nanami nodded without hesitation.

Ai smiled coldly. "So, the daimyo of the Land of Fire really has problems with the Hokage? Trash."

The "trash" Ai referred to was, of course, the name of the Daimyo of Land of Fire. As a straightforward and powerful man, Ai despised people who stabbed others in the back.

At the Konoha camp, Jiraiya slammed his fist on the table.

"To do this at a time like this..." Jiraiya was genuinely angry.

Simu, having been woken up for a late-night meeting, yawned.

As a staff officer, Shikaku frowned. Jiraiya had specifically asked Third Hokage to keep Shikaku on as a staff member due to his excellent performance.

"What happened?" Shikaku asked, puzzled.

Although Jiraiya could be unreliable at times, he had always remained calm during battle.

Simu and Jiraiya's relaxed demeanor gave the army confidence. When the main general appears so at ease, it makes the soldiers believe the battle is already won.

But this letter made Jiraiya lose his composure. There must be something extremely important and unfavorable to Konoha inside it.

Jiraiya stared at the envelope on the table and said coldly, "Sensei Sarutobi wants us to withdraw our troops now."

"Withdrawal?" Shikaku was taken aback.

Even Simu couldn't believe it. Kumo Shinobi was retreating steadily, and now Third Hokage wanted them to pull back?

Simu frowned, deep in thought. After the Mito family's downfall, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and other key figures had been dealt with, leaving many benefits in their wake.

At this point, the Hokage, who commands the most powerful force in the Fire Nation, essentially has the final say. So why did this happen?

Since there's no issue within Konoha itself, the problem must lie elsewhere—likely with the Fire Country's daimyo.

Jiraiya suppressed his anger and explained, "The Fire Country's daimyo said that the funds and resources that were originally allocated to Konoha must be delayed due to financial constraints. And with the Land of Earth staying at the border, if this battle continues without support from the Fire Nation, Konoha will be in danger."

"So, Sarutobi-sensei decided to abandon the offensive at Kikyo Mountain and shift to a full defensive strategy."

Shikaku twirled the pen in his hand thoughtfully. "It seems the daimyo is fearful of Konoha's power and the Hokage's influence, and is trying to check and balance it."

As the son of the Nara clan's patriarch, Shikaku grew up alongside his father and was no stranger to political matters.

For the daimyo, Mount Kikyo was just a marginal area, probably home to only a few thousand people. 

Losing it wouldn't be a big deal. However, Konoha, as the military force of the Fire Nation, posed a much bigger threat. If it went out of control, the consequences would be dire.

Simu sneered, "It's always about power and profit, even at a time like this."

Jiraiya knocked on the table, his tone serious. "Regardless, we have to withdraw our troops under these circumstances. Once Kumo Shinobi reinforcements arrive, we'll be left isolated."

Simu looked at the map and said, "Jiraiya-sensei, I have an idea." 

He pointed to a bridge spanning a canyon in the northern part of Kikyo Mountain.

This is already within the Land of Thunder,

"I plan to go there and cut off their supply routes. If we destroy the bridge, their resupply will slow down greatly. It will make defending Kikyo Mountain much easier."

However, Jiraiya immediately rejected the idea. "That's inside the Land of Thunder! It's the most dangerous place."

Simu smiled faintly. "Have you forgotten my speed?"

.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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