Naruto: Veigar the Ninja

Under Rasa's sharp call, Chiyo slowly opened her eyes, still bleary with sleep. Her expression was calm as water, and without a trace of apology, she said:

"My apologies, Kazekage-sama."

"I'm old now, and my energy isn't what it used to be. I must've dozed off without realizing it."

She followed the remark with a drawn-out yawn.

Rasa, barely containing his growing irritation, responded with forced calm:

"Since Elder Chiyo is feeling tired, perhaps it would be best to rest up and we can resume the discussion after—"

But Chiyo, unfazed and unhurried, cut him off:

"No need. I've rested enough."

"Besides, if I slept any longer, you three would probably start cursing this old lady behind my back."

Hearing that, Ryoma and Yūki were startled, quickly bowing their heads in nervous panic:

"Elder Chiyo has poured heart and soul into the village's future. We wouldn't dare!"

"Please take care of yourself. The village still needs you."

Rasa's face remained composed, but inwardly he was awkward, because truth be told, that's exactly what he had been thinking.

But that wasn't something he could ever say aloud.

"You jest, Elder Chiyo," he said, trying to move the conversation forward.

Chiyo chuckled softly but didn't dwell on the topic. Her expression turned steely as she spoke:

"Kazekage-sama, I've already finalized our strategy for this operation."

"This time, we'll deliver a devastating blow to Konoha."

Her calm demeanor vanished, replaced by an ominous bloodlust, like a vengeful spirit returning from the underworld.

At her words, Rasa perked up instantly, eager to hear more:

"Oh?"

"Would you be willing to share the details, Elder Chiyo?"

Ryoma and Yūki also straightened, ears pricked in anticipation.

Instead of answering directly, Chiyo turned to them and ordered:

"I have certain tools prepared for this operation. The two of you will gather a team and begin forging them immediately."

"If you fail to complete them within three days, you'll answer to military law."

The two shinobi understood the weight of the task instantly, these tools must be pivotal to the plan. Not daring to slack off, they responded in unison:

"Understood!"

Though disappointed at being left in the dark about the strategy itself, they obeyed without complaint and departed to carry out their orders.

Rasa watched them leave, then turned to Chiyo with a curious spark in his eyes:

"Now that they're gone, could I ask what the plan entails?"

Chiyo met his gaze and calmly laid it out:

"We'll launch an assault on Konoha from the sky. We'll land in the center of their frontline base and execute a decapitation strike on their commanding officers."

Rasa's eyes widened in disbelief.

"From the sky?"

"But… how do we even get up there?"

Even as the words left his mouth, he recalled Chiyo's earlier command to craft special tools.

"Wait, you mean…"

Chiyo nodded.

"Exactly."

"Once the three days are up, I intend to bury every ninja at Konoha's frontline with my brother."

Rasa's face hardened as he nodded solemnly.

"Understood. Three days it is."

"Is there anything you need me to do during that time?"

Chiyo shook her head.

"Nothing. Just carry on as usual."

"That's the only way we can fool Konoha's commanders, and their Byakugan surveillance."

Time slipped by, and three days passed in a flash.

At the Konoha frontline base, the withdrawal and trap deployment had already been completed according to plan.

From a force of nearly 3,000, fewer than 500 elite shinobi now remained, among them, a significant portion were from the Hyuga Clan and other sensory-type units.

Their main purpose was surveillance, particularly underground, critical for the execution of Veigar's intricate chain-trap strategy.

Over the past few days, the Hyuga had worked in rotating shifts, Byakugan constantly active to scout the surrounding area.

Only by tracking the Sand shinobi's movements in real time could Veigar's plan hope to succeed.

At the forward-most trench, Hizashi Hyuga rubbed his strained eyes, the result of prolonged Byakugan use.

"Veigar… are you sure this plan of yours will work?" he asked, eyeing the small figure beside him with uncertainty.

Veigar remained perfectly composed, a faint smile on his lips.

"It will work. The Sand are about to make their move."

Hizashi frowned, puzzled.

"How do you know they're preparing to attack?"

Nearby, Minato, Kakashi, Obito, and a dozen other Konoha shinobi turned to look at Veigar as well, curious to hear his reasoning.

Minato, especially, was intent. He alone knew that Veigar had devised and led this operation from start to finish, making him the most invested of them all.

Veigar's voice was steady as he explained:

"Haven't you noticed? For three days, the Sand have been suspiciously... quiet."

"They've been preparing."

"And that silence is exactly what gives them away."

Hizashi blinked.

"But… our intel teams said everything was normal?"

"Wasn't it?"

Veigar's tone turned cryptic.

"Exactly. Everything's normal."

"That's the problem."

"Three days ago, they were constantly probing, spying, testing our defenses. And now? Silence."

Minato was the first to grasp the implication, his eyes going wide.

"You're saying…"

"The Sand have used these past three days to prepare for an assault?"

Veigar nodded.

"And chances are, they'll strike tonight."

"Because... the weather has changed."

The past few days along the Fire–River border had been plagued by constant drizzle.

But today, the skies were clear and the sun warm.

Under different circumstances, it would've been the perfect day for a picnic.

And, more importantly, it was ideal weather for the Sand to move.

Why?

Because Sand shinobi hate fighting in wet terrain. They lack skilled water-style users, and their techniques are most effective in dry conditions.

If Veigar were in their shoes, this would be the perfect day to strike, after three days of quiet preparation.

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