Chapter 63: The Weight of a Reputation
Kagenori lay in his tent for almost a full day before the deep-seated ache in his muscles and the fog of chakra exhaustion began to recede. Pushing himself up, he rubbed at his throbbing temples and decided to find Orochimaru and, more pressingly, something to eat.
As he walked through the camp, he passed several Konoha ninja. Their reactions to him were markedly different than before. Looks of casual disdain had been replaced by expressions of stark surprise and a undercurrent of fear.
Word of his performance in Yugakure had spread. The idea that the boy once universally scorned as the "Traitor's Son" had seriously wounded an elite jonin, a village leader no less, was difficult to process. The fear, however, had a sharper edge. It wasn't just his power they feared. Many had seen, or heard in horrified whispers, about the incident with Daigo and the explosive tags. The cold, pragmatic calculus of that act sent a chill down their spines. How could they not fear someone so ruthlessly efficient? Some of them, he knew, were among those who had spat at him in the streets years ago. Now they worried that if they fell in battle, he might see them not as comrades, but as expendable assets.
Kagenori ignored their gazes, his face an impassive mask. He went straight to Orochimaru's personal tent, but found it empty. Guessing his teacher would be planning the next move, he headed for the command tent.
He found Orochimaru there, along with Jiraiya, their heads bent over a large terrain map.
"Orochimaru-sensei. Jiraiya-sama," Kagenori greeted them.
Orochimaru acknowledged him with a slight nod. Jiraiya offered a warmer, if weary, smile. "How are you holding up, kid? Get some decent rest?"
"I have rested enough, thank you," Kagenori replied.
Orochimaru cut straight to the matter at hand. "Kagenori, prepare yourself. We begin advancing the front line at dawn. We push forward ten kilometers."
Kagenori's brow furrowed for a fraction of a second before smoothing out as he processed the order. "You've already requested reinforcements from Konoha," he deduced. "We advance ten kilometers tomorrow, then conduct a fighting retreat, trading space for time until we link up with the support forces to solidify a new, forward position. Is that correct, Sensei?"
Jiraiya's jaw went slack. He stared at Kagenori, then back at Orochimaru. "No way? He just heard 'ten kilometers' and figured all that out?"
"It's the logical conclusion," Kagenori explained calmly. "The assault on Yugakure was the preparatory move. Now that its psychological impact is fresh, we must capitalize immediately. If we wait for Kumo to regroup and analyze our true strength, the entire operation becomes a waste of lives and effort. Advancing ten kilometers is untenable with our current numbers. Since Sensei is proceeding, he must have a contingency—reinforcements. The Cloud front poses the greatest strategic threat to Konoha right now. The Hokage will prioritize it."
Jiraiya was left speechless, simply staring at the boy. He finally turned to Orochimaru, shaking his head in disbelief. "Orochimaru... your disciple's brain is something else."
Orochimaru didn't bother to hide his approval. "Kagenori's strategic awareness and situational judgment have always been among his greatest assets."
Still reeling, Jiraiya pressed on, seeking to understand the depth of the boy's insight. "But the point of hitting Yugakure was to force the Cloud out. They haven't left yet! The plan isn't a complete success, so how can you say it worked?"
A faint, knowing smile touched Kagenori's lips. "Jiraiya-sama, the purpose was never to physically eject them. Whether Yugakure declares neutrality or the Cloud ninja stay is irrelevant to our frontline advance. The purpose was to demonstrate overwhelming force, to instill fear and uncertainty. We've made them bleed. We've shown them we can strike deep into their supposed safe haven. That shock and awe will make them hesitant, buying us the time and space we need to move our line. The objective was the psychological impact, not the territorial one. Given the casualties you and Sensei inflicted, I'd say the impact was significant. The plan succeeded."
Jiraiya could only let out a low whistle of admiration. "Orochimaru, he's too sharp."
Orochimaru then posed a question, turning the conversation into a lesson. "Kagenori. Do you believe the Cloud will engage us when we advance?"
Kagenori thought for a moment. "They will probe us. They'll send scouts, harass our flanks. But a full, decisive engagement? No. Not yet."
"And the solution?" Orochimaru pressed, his golden eyes intent. "How do we secure ten kilometers at the lowest cost?"
Kagenori had already considered this. "We create a deception. We must project an image of greater strength. We use a combination of Shadow Clones and basic illusion clones. Every able-bodied shinobi creates a contingent. The Shadow Clones can form a perimeter around the more fragile illusion clones, giving them substance and making it difficult for scouts to discern the truth from a distance. Meanwhile, our real forces guard the actual perimeter of this entire 'army.' This creates the illusion that our reinforcements have already arrived in force, making the Cloud even more cautious and discouraging a major attack."
Orochimaru gave a slow, satisfied nod. "A sound tactic. The layered deception with clones can effectively confuse enemy perception ninja. Combined with our real fighters on the outer screen, it can indeed simulate a much larger force."
Jiraiya blinked. "Wait, isn't that almost exactly the plan you just outlined, Orochimaru?"
Kagenori also looked slightly surprised. He hadn't realized his reasoning had so closely mirrored his teacher's.
Orochimaru remained unruffled. "There is no need for dramatics, Jiraiya. It is simply the most efficient method available to us given our constraints."
He then turned his attention back to Kagenori. "I have reported your actions in Yugakure to Lord Third. Given your recent promotion to Chunin, a jump to full Jonin is unlikely, but a promotion to Tokubetsu Jonin is highly probable. Your performance warranted it."
Kagenori bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Sensei."
"You earned it," Orochimaru stated flatly. Then he paused, his tone shifting subtly. "There is one more matter. Regarding the composition of Konoha's reinforcements..."
Kagenori's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. For Orochimaru to bring this up specifically meant something. He connected the dots instantly. "The first wave of reinforcements... they will be drawn from the clan shinobi, won't they?"
Jiraiya could only stare, a sense of numb astonishment settling over him. Master and disciple were playing a game of chess several moves ahead of everyone else. He found himself wondering if he should advise Minato to keep a healthy distance from Kagenori. His disciple was gifted, yes, but he was fundamentally decent. Jiraiya had faith in Minato's talent, but he worried about the boy's spirit in the face of such cold, preternatural cunning.