Chapter 52: The General and The King
After Kagenori left, Namikaze Minato remained standing in the same spot for a long time, the cold night air doing little to cool the turmoil in his mind. He replayed the conversation, trying to find a flaw in Kagenori's logic or a justification for his own feelings, but his thoughts were a tangled, frustrated mess.
"Minato."
Jiraiya's voice was uncharacteristically gentle as he appeared beside his student. He had overheard the entire exchange.
"Master Jiraiya," Minato said, his voice thick with confusion, "am I wrong? I don't believe I am. Those are our comrades. I want them to live. I've never shown mercy to our enemies, but I can't just treat our own as... expendable."
Jiraiya placed a heavy hand on Minato's shoulder. "Minato, you're not wrong. And in his own way, neither is Kagenori. This is war. Sacrifice is an inevitability of war; there is no path that leads to a perfect outcome without cost. Kagenori and Orochimaru... they are cut from the same cloth. They are rational to a fault. They calculate based on the most advantageous outcome and do not let emotion cloud their judgment. If the benefits outweigh the losses, they do not dwell on the losses."
He looked at his idealistic student with a mixture of pride and sorrow. "You and I, we're more alike. We hold on to our comrades until the very last second. We hope against hope that everyone can make it home. But... this is the battlefield. You've been here long enough, Minato. You must grow accustomed to it. There is no war without sacrifice. Sometimes, we must temporarily bury our hearts and let our heads lead. We are all fighting for Konoha."
Jiraiya's grip tightened. "But you must not doubt yourself. You are a better man than Kagenori. And when I say 'better,' I do not mean in strength."
Minato looked up, puzzled by his teacher's meaning.
Jiraiya offered a small, sad smile. "Minato, you have inherited the Will of Fire. It is a selfless spirit. You care for Konoha, you see every person in the village as a comrade, part of a larger family you are sworn to protect. The boy, Kagenori, like Orochimaru, is... detached. His world is insular. He is extreme, and he walks his path alone. Men like him can be the 'Generals' on the shogi board—powerful, decisive, essential pieces. But men like you... you are the 'Jeweled General,' the king piece that the General exists to protect and serve. You are the one who leads and inspires the Generals. In other words... you have the qualities to become Hokage."
Minato was stunned into silence. Hokage? The title felt impossibly distant and grand.
"Master Jiraiya, I... I have a long way to go," he finally managed, his voice humble.
Jiraiya let out a hearty, if forced, laugh. "Of course you do! That's why you must train harder! Strive to become the 'King' who can command his 'Generals' effectively!"
He then leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Speaking of training... you want to be faster, don't you? I'll put in a request to the old man. There's a jutsu in the Scroll of Seals I want you to learn. It was created by the Second Hokage. It's called the Flying Raijin. Master it, and you will be the fastest shinobi in the world!"
Minato's eyes widened, a spark of awe and ambition igniting within them. "Master Jiraiya..."
Jiraiya gave his shoulder a final, firm pat. "I'm your teacher, aren't I? Now, go get some rest. We have a difficult battle tomorrow night. If we want to minimize the sacrifices, we'll need to fight all the harder to protect our comrades."
The following day, every available Konoha shinobi in the Land of Hot Springs was assembled—less than a hundred in total. They had started with over a hundred and fifty, but the relentless clashes with Kumo had taken their toll.
Orochimaru's serpentine gaze swept over the crowd. His naturally sinister aura usually made people nervous, but not this group. These shinobi stood with backs straight and eyes burning with a mixture of frustration and rekindled hope. They had been beaten back again and again. Now, with two of the Legendary Sannin taking command and planning a counter-offensive, they were eager to vent their pent-up fury.
"Form squads," Orochimaru commanded, his voice cutting through the air, "based on your primary chakra nature."
The ninja quickly sorted themselves. The largest group was Fire Release users. They were followed by nearly equal numbers of Earth and Water Release specialists. Then came a smaller group of Lightning Release users. The fewest were the Wind Release ninja. There were five dedicated genjutsu specialists and only three sensory types.
Orochimaru addressed them. "You are aware we launch a surprise attack on Yugakure tonight. The success of this operation will dictate all our future actions in this country. Each of you is vital."
He began issuing orders with cold precision. "Sensory ninja, you will begin. Scout the village and identify concentrations of chakra and key structures. Immediately after, Jiraiya and I will make the first strike, targeting the areas with the highest enemy density."
"Once we have their attention, Earth Release users will divide the battlefield. Use your jutsu to create barriers, rupture the ground. Isolate their forces and prevent them from massing. Water Release users, you will then cooperate with the Earth users to create mudslides, further hindering their mobility."
"Fire Release squads will then split. One group will pair with the Wind Release ninja to create firestorms at key points throughout the village. The remaining Fire users will form the main assault line, providing ranged bombardment to draw and pin down enemy fire."
"Lightning Release teams will act as rapid response. Support any position where our forces are faltering. The genjutsu specialists will accompany the Lightning teams, providing tactical illusions. The objective is not occupation. It is destruction and demoralization. Drive the Kumo-nin out of Yugakure. That is victory."
"Each squad will elect a leader. Jiraiya will provide each leader with a messenger toad. The toads will relay my orders directly to you during the operation. You have one hour to prepare."
As the shinobi broke into a frenzy of discussion to choose their leaders, Orochimaru turned to Kagenori.
"Kagenori, your mobility is exceptional. I have confidence in your capabilities. You will operate independently. Your mission is to locate and assassinate the Kumo field commander."
Kagenori met his sensei's gaze, his expression grimly determined. "Understood, Orochimaru-sensei."
At that moment, Jiraiya spoke up. "Minato's mobility and combat strength are also top-tier. Let's add him to the commander assassination team."
Orochimaru glanced at Minato, then back at Jiraiya. "He is your student. The decision is yours."
Jiraiya looked at Minato. "Well, Minato? Are you confident you can complete this mission?"
Namikaze Minato's eyes shifted to Kagenori's impassive face. He remembered their conversation, the accusation of hypocrisy, the cold calculus of war. He straightened his posture, his resolve hardening.
"I am confident," he stated, his voice firm and clear.