Chapter 142: Surprise Attack Mission
Late at night, in the assembly hall of Konoha's camp, the atmosphere was heavy. The meeting had ended, but only a few people remained in the dimly lit room.
Tsunade sat silently, her brows furrowed in deep thought. Meetings had been relentless for some time, yet no solutions to break the stalemate had emerged. Every clan had suffered heavy losses, and the discussions had been far from harmonious. If not for the presence of a few strong leaders maintaining order, arguments would have erupted long ago.
Sakumo paced back and forth across the hall, visibly agitated.
"Big Brother, please stop walking," Kawakaze said, his voice tinged with frustration. His train of thought had been derailed by Sakumo's incessant movement.
"I'm anxious," Sakumo admitted, halting his pacing. He sat down next to Duy, exhaling heavily before continuing. "The elite teams from each clan are undeniably strong, but the casualties are mounting. We can't keep this up for much longer."
This was the central issue of the recent meetings—the disparity in numbers and the unsustainable rate of losses.
"I think the surprise attack plan is worth a try," Sakumo suggested. "The situation can't get any worse. As long as we're still here, neither village will dare launch a large-scale attack."
Tsunade, listening intently, finally broke her silence. "It's possible," she said, referring to a proposal from the earlier meeting. "But who are you planning to send?"
Kawakaze had been mulling over the feasibility of the plan himself, though his earlier thoughts had been interrupted by Sakumo's restless pacing. Before he could respond, the doors swung open, and Minato and Nawaki strode in purposefully.
"Sensei, we are willing to go," Nawaki declared, his voice firm.
The two had been eavesdropping outside and decided to enter when they overheard mention of a surprise attack plan. Their confident demeanor caught everyone's attention.