136. The Southern Front: A Critical Turning Point (2)

136. The Southern Front: A Critical Turning Point (2)

Fugaku's voice carried a mix of apprehension and even respect as he suddenly began discussing Minato's rising influence,

"That guy Minato is quite a misfortune for us... I never expected his strength to escalate so rapidly and significantly by this point.",

"He's already reached the level of the Hokage and likely matches Sakumo-san in prowess too. What's more, he's become the most renowned figure to emerge in the shinobi world during this war and is now one of the most famous ones globally - on par with the Kages.",

He sighed, his expression darkening with concern just like Hikari's, "However, the most troubling aspect, the one that poses a significant challenge to us and everyone else, even more than his power in total, is his unparalleled ability to teleport anywhere essentially.",

"He can appear virtually anywhere in the world, across all fronts and locations, which allows him to shift the tide of many conflicts on a global scale and force all of our enemies to always be on guard and on the defensive nowadays. And I hate to say it but I suspect that this will also become quite a large obstacle to our own faction's goals in the future as well..."

Hikari nodded somberly, absorbing Fugaku's observations before adding, "Minato's Flying Raijin technique is also uniquely problematic for us because it allows him to be omnipresent, 'cover more ground', and personally aid countless shinobi across countless battlefields...",

"This direct involvement and 'story' has greatly enhanced his reputation and regard within the village's lower and civilian ordinary shinobi ranks and many people in the Land of Fire.",

"It's no coincidence that the 'Yellow Flash' is so highly acclaimed now and held in such high moral esteem by the majority of our shinobi. His hero-like high strength also resonates quite well with that narrative...",

He paused, a hint of bitterness in his tone as he continued, "And let's not forget how Hiruzen initially always promoted him through his media manipulation tactics, though I believe he has since pulled back.",

"Minato's popularity has soared to the extent that it even threatens Hiruzen's position, which is no small feat considering it's not yet time for a new Hokage. However, knowing Hiruzen's personality, he wouldn't let that pass without intervention.",

"As a result of everything, Minato's image completely overshadows mine right now, by a notch, without a shadow of a doubt, despite my previous achievements in the Kirigakure in effectively securing the first truce and a victory for Konoha in this great ninja world war.",

Hikari's gaze hardened as he considered the strategic implications for his standing, "That's because my battle and victory over the Mizukage in the 'distant' Kirigakure wasn't directly witnessed by many, and our front was predominantly led by the Hyuga, so it didn't resonate as directly with the civilians. I've also never assisted anyone directly in the manner he did...",

His voice grew more determined, outlining a path forward, "If we want to boost our reputation to match his, we need significant achievements here on the Suna front too, and I must be at the forefront.",

"If I can manage to push back and secure peace with two great ninja villages, everyone will have to acknowledge my capabilities, regardless of my reserved demeanor and Minato's charismatic presence. The results will speak for themselves. So, we all must work diligently here for quite a while..."

|However, Takumi chimed in at this time, adding another layer to the discussion with a hint of relief in his tone, "You're right, Hikari-kun, and we get it. Thankfully, it seems like there has been a silent conflict of interests on the Western Front after Minato was established as the Vice Commander there by Hiruzen, and he and his team were more permanently stationed there in order to help.",

"Between Minato's newfound faction and Orochimaru's die-hard loyalists, there hasn't been a seamless integration of efforts. This internal discord has prevented them from fully utilizing all of Minato's individual gifts to secure a definitive victory on that front. They've managed only to reverse some of the previous losses and stabilize the situation, nothing more, which is good news."

"Initially, that front was entirely managed by Orochimaru, as decided during the pre-war convention.", Hiashi noted, adding depth to the discussion,

"However, it was performing very poorly, so eventually Hiruzen had to station Minato and his team there full-time to try and turn things around.",

He paused before adding, "But, despite this, Minato and his team still find opportunities to teleport and assist on Jiraiya's front from time to time, when needed, judging from our intel."

Hikari's voice meanwhile carried a note of intrigue as he joined in the discussion of the shifting dynamics on the Western Front, again focusing on Takumi's words especially,

"Orochimaru is quite dissatisfied with Minato Namikaze now too, trust me. He might even harbor more resentment towards him than towards us.",

Kushina's battles against the Iwagakure jinchurikis, in particular, have been a crucial learning ground for her.

She's been able to observe and adapt their behaviors, enhancing her own control over the Nine Tails.

This revelation was another concern for Hikari, adding complexity to the already intricate web of strategic calculations he continuously made.

Kiyomi's brow suddenly furrowed in confusion as she considered Orochimaru's perplexing priorities for some reason,

"I just don't understand why Orochimaru would behave so carelessly and indifferently over time, before, and what kind of experiments he is conducting that seem more important to him than maintaining control over his Division and his influence...",

"It's unsettling to think that his secretive activities could have consequences we are not yet aware of..." she said, her voice tinged with curiosity and frustration.

Her eyes scanned Hikari and the room, seeking insights or theories that might explain Orochimaru's enigmatic actions, which had seemingly jeopardized not only his leadership position but potentially also the broader strategic interests of their coalition in the future.

Hearing that, Hikari shared his insights once again, painting a complex picture of Orochimaru's character and motivations.

"Orochimaru's personality tends to be a bit detached, and unlike his former teammates Jiraiya and Tsunade, he prefers isolation and relies mostly on himself. This can lead him to 'slip up' in maintaining strategic interests because of his ego and his personality type.",

"However, his capabilities in intellectual pursuits, shinobi arts, and scientific research are undeniable. Whatever he's working on must be of significant importance, believe me...",

He leaned forward, his expression serious, "We need to be very cautious regarding Orochimaru. I consider him to be as much a threat to our future goals as Minato...",

"Additionally, I suspect he has been collaborating with Danzo, this entire time, from the beginning of the war, whose main sphere of influence includes the nearby Amegakure.",

"It's unlikely that research operations and infrastructure on such a scale and also effectively isolating a shinobi village and taking full control of it so comprehensively, so quickly, could occur without substantial external support, possibly from an organization like Danzo's Root."

Hikari's analysis deepened as he considered the broader implications, "This adds another layer of complexity and requires even more heightened vigilance from us regarding their activities and any joint research they might be conducting.

"Also, let's not be naive enough to think that Hiruzen wasn't aware of this from the start. It's probable that he not only tolerated their actions but may have actively facilitated them, especially given the threat our Anti-Hokage faction poses to his leadership.",

Pausing to let his words sink in once again, Hikari finally concluded his assessment, "It's possible that their actions just became too extreme or they grew way too powerful even for Hiruzen somehow, prompting him to 'trim' their power to manage the situation better slightly, which is his usual 'modus operandi'."

Kiyomi nodded thoughtfully in response to Hikari, "That internal conflict and their overreach could indeed be something we could exploit in the future...", To which everyone agreed.

As Kiyomi and Hikari's discussion wound down, the focus of the meeting shifted back to the immediate concerns at hand.

The group focused on more practical decisions regarding their stance against Sunagakure.

Each member brought forward their insights and proposals, weaving together a tapestry of tactics and strategies designed to strengthen their position and exploit any vulnerabilities in their adversaries' ranks.

The meeting deepened in complexity as they mapped out their next moves, each decision critical to shaping the outcomes of the ongoing conflicts and ensuring their strategic objectives were met on the Southern Front.