Naruto : Minato back to the past

The Land of Wind is the largest of the five great ninja countries, but its economic strength is the weakest. Despite its vast area, most of the land is occupied by deserts, leading to low productivity. The people of the Land of Wind built their villages in the oases scattered throughout the desert, and although the population isn't small, they face significant challenges. After the Five Kage Talks many years ago, there were numerous trade exchanges between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, which improved the economy. However, in the period leading up to the outbreak of the Second Ninja War, tensions rose between the five ninja countries, and these exchanges were forcibly halted. To this day, the economy of the Land of Wind remains damaged.

The endless desert stretched before them, with howling winds and swirling dust.

Rustle!

More than 2,000 Konoha troops marched steadily through the desert. On the battlefield of the Land of Rain, Konoha, having seized the initiative, chose not to invade other countries. However, the troops of the Sand Village in the Land of Wind had twice employed despicable tactics, which Sandaime Hokage could not tolerate. Therefore, this war wasn't about attacking other nations; it was about asserting the majesty of Konoha, the leading force among the five great ninja countries. If a nation, especially a powerful one, doesn't maintain its authority, it will be seen as weak by other countries. This was something Konoha could not allow.

This time, Hyuga Tenki brought not only a ninja army of more than 2,000 but also enough supplies to sustain them for a protracted war—unlike the situation in the Land of Rain. As the war advanced deeper into the Land of Wind, transporting supplies became increasingly difficult.

As night fell, campfires lit up the vast desert. In the tent of the temporary command center, Minato handed Tsunade a scroll of intelligence he had just received from the Mount Myoboku Toads, then quietly withdrew. Tsunade unrolled the scroll on the table before her. With the sharp eyesight of Sakumo, Orochimaru, and the others, it was easy to read the contents from all angles.

When Hyuga Tenki and Tsunade finished reading the scroll, their expressions turned serious.

The scroll reported that troops from the Cloud Village had passed through the desolate Gobi Desert and invaded the territory of the Land of Earth. The Tsuchikage seemed to have anticipated this move, and the Rock Village troops had set up a defensive line at the border. Thanks to their geographical advantage, they managed to block the Cloud Village's advance. However, despite their preparations, the Rock Village troops still suffered a defeat.

This wasn't surprising. After all, even strong figures like Tsuchiguki were lost in the Land of Rain. While the Rock Village had more elite ninjas, they were no match for the Cloud Village's elite, who hadn't participated in the Land of Rain battles and were well-rested.

Moreover, it seemed that the son of the Third Raikage had shone in this battle, killing many Rock Village Jonin.

"The Rock Village and Cloud Village being locked in conflict is good news for us," Orochimaru said with a smile. Although many had expected this outcome, the speed of the Rock Village's defeat was surprisingly fast. Within days, the Rock Village troops had retreated, allowing the Cloud Village to gain control of the border.

"If that's the case, the Cloud Village can continue sending troops to launch a full-scale attack on the Land of Earth," Hyuga Tenki noted with a light smile. "The Third Tsuchikage is probably furious in his office right now. I'm sure he despises Konoha for this."

Tsunade and the others had wiped out the elite troops of the Rock Village, a significant factor in the Rock Village's defeat this time.

"Let him hate us," Tsunade said dismissively. "In this situation, no matter how much the old man Onoki hates us, he has no choice but to suppress his anger."

The Rock Village was at a disadvantage against the Cloud Village and was even less likely to provoke Konoha again. The conflict between these two nations meant that Konoha's troops didn't need to worry about the situation in the Land of Water or any changes in the Land of Fire.

The next day, the Konoha troops set out again. The journey went smoothly, and they didn't encounter even a hint of the Sand Village's reconnaissance team.

"Are the people in the Sand Village so cowardly? They were bold enough to launch sneak attacks in the Land of Rain, but now, on their home turf, they don't dare to fight!" Nawaki, who was at the back of the team, spoke with contempt.

If it weren't for Minato, Nawaki would have nearly died at the hands of the Sand Village ninjas. Reflecting on it afterward, he realized the root cause was his own impulsiveness and overestimation of his abilities. He wasn't yet qualified to face a Jonin.

At that moment, Suki, Akimichi Choza, and others nearby seemed to agree with his words.

"Do you really think the Sand Village is afraid to fight and that's why they're not resisting the Konoha troops?" Nara Shikaku, who was in the same group, sneered at their naive assumptions and shook his head with a smile.

"Isn't that the case?" Suki asked with a sidelong glance.

"Of course not," Shikaku chuckled. "The Sand Village is one of the five great ninja nations, after all. Even though Konoha has sent many powerful ninjas and over 2,000 troops this time, the Sand Village isn't weak enough to be scared by our force."

"It's not that they're afraid to fight; they just won't waste their efforts on something meaningless. We marched more than 100 kilometers in a straight line across the desert yesterday. How vast is this desert?" Shikaku continued, explaining his thoughts.

"In such a large desert, it would be a waste of energy to try and defend against a ninja army of over 2,000," Hyuga Hiashi, who had been listening, added, immediately understanding Shikaku's point.

Shikaku nodded in agreement. "I advise you not to approach this war with such naive ideas. Underestimating the enemy could cost you your life."

Normally, Shikaku was too laid-back to offer such advice, but seeing that Nawaki, who had already experienced war, still held such simplistic views, he felt compelled to speak up.

"Thank you," Mikoto said gratefully.

At that moment, Minato, who was leading the team, overheard the conversation and smiled. What Nara Shikaku had pointed out was exactly what he had been concerned about.

Although Konoha's troops were currently in a strong position, the most dangerous thing on the battlefield was to become impatient and underestimate the opponent. This genius from the Nara clan, even without prior war experience, had already seen through the situation.

=========================

[Read up to 160+ chapter ahead and more Weakly Chapter Update at [email protected]/goldengaruda]

=========================