Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

With families like the Sarutobi and Shimura supporting the battlefield, sacrifices among civilian ninjas were minimal, reducing the impact on ordinary villagers. Additionally, Konoha did not deploy many troops, and the support from the Cloud Village was sufficient to cover frontline expenses. Essentially, Konoha was being paid to fight.

The war's financial burden was not falling on the village, ensuring its economic stability. Under these circumstances, stable development within Konoha was enough, while the Third Hokage and others could handle frontline matters.

"So, you're saying there's no need to continue supporting the frontlines?" Tsunade asked skeptically.

She found the idea unsettling.

"What if the Cloud Village isn't satisfied?"

The alliance was still in effect, and the Cloud Village was fighting both the Rock Village and the Mist Village. If word got out that Konoha was holding back, it could tarnish their reputation.

"If they're not satisfied, terminate the alliance," Shinki replied bluntly. "The village hasn't fully recovered from the war with the Sand Village. It's already generous of us to send troops. Besides, you're the Fourth Hokage, and the agreement wasn't signed by you."

He added, "When the village was in chaos, you became Hokage. The fact that you haven't invalidated the previously signed agreement and are still assisting the Cloud Village speaks volumes. What more could they possibly demand?"

As long as Konoha didn't overtly slack off or drag its feet, even the Third Raikage would have little ground to criticize Tsunade.

Frontline: Grass Country Battlefield Camp

Because of the cooperative relationship between Konoha and the Sand Village, the two shared a combat camp. Their ninjas fought together under a joint command structure.

Originally, the commander-in-chief for Konoha was Mitokado Homura, while the Sand Village had deployed Chiyo as their representative. However, the arrival of the Third Hokage on the frontlines shifted the dynamics. Homura stepped back to oversee camp logistics, ceding command to the Third Hokage.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I'd work with you, Sarutobi Hiruzen," Chiyo remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"And I never imagined cooperating with you," the Third Hokage replied indifferently.

Chiyo smirked. "Word is that Konoha is in a bit of chaos. Is that true?"

Her comment was a deliberate jab, poking at the Third Hokage's sore spot.

"The situation in the village is no concern of yours," Hiruzen countered. "Tsunade is handling everything. If you're worried about Konoha, perhaps you should focus on how you'll fulfill your next compensation quota."

He added with a smirk, "After all, with the war ongoing, the Kazekage doesn't have much time to go mining, does he?"

The barb hit its mark.

The mention of the Kazekage's mining efforts—digging resources in the desert as war compensation—was a sore point for the Sand Village.

"You…!" Chiyo's face flushed with anger, her age-spotted cheeks turning crimson.

She had intended to provoke the Third Hokage but found herself on the receiving end of a sharp rebuttal.

Mitokado Homura sighed at the exchange, his expression weary.

Are you two really doing this right now?

Before Hiruzen arrived, Homura and Chiyo had managed a functional relationship. But the moment the Third Hokage entered the fray, the atmosphere soured, and the two leaders constantly exchanged barbs.

"You two," Homura interjected, "this is hardly the time for petty arguments. We're up against the Rock Village's Earth-Style Corps. Our mission is to hold them back. Do you really want the Cloud Village to accuse us of slacking off?"

Even if everyone was slacking, it had to be done subtly. Openly neglecting their responsibilities would invite scrutiny from the Cloud Village, potentially embarrassing both Konoha and the Sand Village.

Chiyo scoffed, folding her arms. "The Sand Village is merely cooperating. Any accusations from the Cloud Village would fall squarely on Konoha, not us."

Her tone was smug. The Sand Village had adopted a mercenary-like approach to the war, sending troops in exchange for compensation. Their obligations ended there.

The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes but refrained from responding.

If the Cloud Village raised questions, Konoha could justify its actions by pointing to internal village matters. The Sand Village, however, would have no such excuse and would face accusations of dishonesty.

Still, Hiruzen chose to de-escalate the tension. With the war far from over, maintaining a cooperative relationship was essential.

"While Konoha and the Sand Village are united, our military strength is far inferior to that of the Rock Village," Hiruzen remarked, steering the conversation back to strategy. "The ninjas of the Rock Village excel at coordinated operations, a strength we cannot match."

Among all the ninja villages, only the Rock Village's Earth-Style Corps could boast such a formidable reputation. In comparison, other villages' specialized forces, including the Sand Village's Puppet Corps, were lacking.

Konoha, for its part, had little to offer in terms of specialized corps.

The Rock Village's tactics emphasized unity, with their ninjas avoiding small-scale skirmishes that might expose their weaknesses. Confident in Konoha and the Sand Village's reluctance to launch full-scale attacks, the Rock Village held its ground firmly.

"They won't disperse their forces," Chiyo said grimly. She had seen firsthand how the Rock Village operated.

Their strategy was simple: overwhelm their enemies with either brute force or waves of soldiers. Small-scale engagements? They simply wouldn't bother.

"Exactly," Hiruzen replied. "Our job is to hold them back, nothing more. We'll avoid reckless engagements and focus on fulfilling our obligations to the Cloud Village. As long as we achieve that, the war's burden on us will remain manageable."

>>>>>

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[Naruto: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]