Arc XI Chapter 2

    XI

    ━━━━━━┓???┏━━━━━━

    Arc XI Chapter 2

    ━━━━━━┛???┗━━━━━━Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com

    Explosions. Jutsu. Kunai. Smoke. Dust. Fighting. Combat. Ambush. Attack. Counterattack. Defence. Cover. Camouflage. Concealment. Manoeuvring. Training ground. Filed exercise.

    Asami observed the battlefield through her pair of binoculars, inspecting Amegakure’s first official field training exercises from afar, from atop her hill. Her hill granted her a wide field of vision, allowing her to view the entire battlefield.

    Amegakure''s army conducted their first large scale live field training exercises. They were wargaming, pitching blue force against red force on the company level and above. Her army was busy drilling command and leadership, formations and tactics, proper cooperation and coordination, manoeuvres and movement, communication and initiative, application of firepower and combat strength, unit cohesion and dispersal. It was a wonderful sight to Asami who was watching her army grow in size and strength. Training created familiarity. Familiarity created normality. Normality created automatisms. Such automatisms didn’t yet exist. They had to be nurtured and practised. The battlefield had to become a part of her troops. It had to become deeply ingrained in their very soul and psych.

    Yet her army had still much to learn. The officer corps proved lacking in terms of professionalism and experience. Meanwhile, the rank and file often lacked basic skills and competence. Nevertheless, Asami was satisfied with their results so far. A content smile crossed her lips.

    They made much progress in a matter of a few mere months. An undisciplined and uncoordinated bunch they were, but they made their first steps in the right direction, as her reforms gradually and slowly began to take effect. Her measures were working, but it would take time to bear fruit. Amegakure’s forces had to be completely rebuilt and reorganised from scratch. It would take months, years, if not decades for them to absorb fully her lessons from the highest officers down to the common soldier. Building an army was a project that required considerable time and patience, but it was progressing. Their training would and must continue. One day, Amegakure would reap the benefits of the foundations they had laid today. Her armies would be baptised in the fires of a war that was still beyond them. The armies of Amegakure would be prepared for the true test, for the crucible of war. They would be prepared for her war.

    “Lady Asami.” Kaoru and her entourage appeared. Of course, Her de facto minister of war was attending and supervising the manoeuvres.

    “Ah, greetings, Lady Kaoru, how do you like our little wargames? Impressive, aren’t it?” Asami offered her a benign smile.

    Always the stern and serious woman she was, Kaoru didn''t share her enthusiasm. “Not exactly impressive ..., but I must say they are a rather unique experience. I haven''t seen anything like this ever before.”

    “... True, but hardly surprising. 80 000 men were admittedly on the more optimistic side of things. Don’t worry, though, Lady Kaoru, we are already searching and scouting for alternative manpower sources.”

    “Such as?”

    Aurora smirked. “Sometimes even the strongest needs help. We will search for allies. They will compensate for our lack of manpower and provide troops. They will fight under our command and thus bolster our numbers.”

    Kaoru furrowed an eyebrow. “Allies? I guess that''s a solution, but with all due respect, Lady Asami, allies don’t grow on trees. Where are they supposed to come from?”

    “Lady Kaoru, Amegakure is not alone. We are not the only village that has suffered injustice at the hands of the five villages. We are not the only ones who detest their hegemony and plot in secrecy their downfall. We are not alone in our quest, Lady Kaoru. At least, I assume so. Other minor villages might join our cause if we are able to persuade them. Be it by the way of defensive pacts, treaties, alliances, bribery, threats, or force, we will bring one village after another into our fold. In fact, we already arranged a series of diplomatic missions. I dispatched Makato and his daughter to the Land of Stone, and Masanari to the Land of Grass, to Kusagakure. Meanwhile, I will soon visit the Land of Iron. So far the shogun and his samurai maintain their neutrality, but if we are able to draw them to our side and gain their support, that would be a huge diplomatic victory of strategic importance. It would strengthen our northern flank and grant us access to 15 000 trained samurai.”

    ━━━━━━┛???┗━━━━━━

    “Listen Ero-sennin, I would be happier living as a fool than being wise if that is what it needs to be!!! Sasuke might have betrayed Konoha, but he is still my friend!!!” Determination filled Naruto''s voice. He was serious, serious like never before. Bandaged, injured, beaten, defeated, he was lying in his hospital bed after fighting Sasuke at the Valley of the End, but he meant what he said. He would bring Sasuke back.

    “... ... ...” Surprise and disbelief were written all across Jiraiya’s face, who was leaning against the frame of the hospital window.

    Naruto clenched his fist, his resolve unwavering. “I will train. I will become stronger. I will fight. Trust my word, I will get Sasuke back no matter what!!! By myself, if necessary!”

    A sigh of resignation escaped Jiraiya. “The only thing that you will achieve through your stubbornness is getting yourself killed, Naruto ... A fool always remains a fool, but only a moron would do what you are about to do ... But I guess there is no way to change your mind. When you have recuperated from your injuries and leave the hospital, get ready. We will leave the village together and go on a journey. You will become my student and train under my tutelage. As said, Akatsuki shouldn''t come after you for the next few years. We should use that time well. You must grow stronger, Naruto, if you truly wish to bring Sasuke back. So see you later.”

    ━━━━━━┛???┗━━━━━━