Chapter 28.1- Gamer of the Desert

“We will need to draw a strategy for a possible invasion and counteroffensive of the Hidden Stone village. If we make a push, how far could we get? What challenges will we face? What would a preemptive strike look like? Is there any key infrastructure we can damage in a blitzkrieg attack?” I asked my impromptu war council as I sat behind the Kage desk. Iwa had recently made themselves more urgent enemies with their actions at the chunin exams. Speaking to the genin after the festival had given me enough information to understand that while the Iwa offensive had not been necessarily organised, they’d definitely sought out Suna nin above all others. It spoke of a hostility between our villages that went beyond the pale. As I hadn’t done anything to piss them off recently, I was willing to bet that they were planning to do something to me. Propaganda to turn the troops against the enemy was one of the preludes to war after all, and that was why I’d convened this group.

Apart from all the councillors, we had the ANBU commander, Dragon, the Jounin commander, and the Academy Head,  along with Mebuki and a representative from the Hospital here to offer what advice they could as I drew up plans and discarded them.

“Blitzkrieg?” Dragon asked, unfamiliar with the word. I cursed myself again. Too much freedom had me slipping more and more into terminology and language from my old life.

“It’s a kind of surprise attack using rapid, overwhelming force to take the enemy by surprise and get them disoriented and reeling. It’s basically just attacking something important with so much firepower that they’re paralysed from the effects.” I explained with a wave of my hand, and the masked man just nodded, taking a notebook out of somewhere and jotting down something I couldn’t see.

“Thank you, Kazekage-sama” He said, and I nodded, trying to move on to something else.

“I also need a concrete projection of what they can do if they were to flip those tactics on us in the first place. What vulnerable targets do we have? What can they take? What do we seek to defend with our last breath if the worst happens and the wolves break through the proverbial door?” I asked the silent group of people. The councillors rarely ever contributed to these meetings, most of them content to watch silently and judgingly. It was how I preferred them, so I couldn’t complain.

That was why I was surprised when Yura was the first to volunteer and idea; “The hospital” He said and I nodded, having already had that on my own list.

“The water storage and treatment facilities” Ikanago responded next, the woman giving me a nod as she did so, showing that she was coming around even more fully to my reign. I thanked Mebuki in my head and I waited for the next idea.

“The academy. The younger generation is Suna’s future” Tojuro contributed, adding his own two cents and I nodded at the good suggestion. All these things were already accounted for in my own mental models. This was just to make everyone feel more involved in the decision making process. If a surprise attack did happen, these targets would be prioritised over and above all else, so anyone who lost something or someone because of that would need a place to pin their blame.

Making the decision making a group effort like this would make the councillors much more unlikely to simply turn on me once winds swayed from my favour. Sure, they could just lie, but that went against the vibe I understood from them. Opportunistic bastards? Yes. Dishonest ones? No.

“The archives. Suna’s records and forbidden techniques are of paramount importance.” Goza chimed in and I recognised the suggestion with a smile and nod. Showing my approval for his thinking process and idea.

“The medical nin training division should not have taken this long before being mentioned” Chiyo sniped from her corner of the room pinning the rest of the room with her gaze. “Second to the hospital, it has the highest population of medical ninja, without the burden of so many vulnerable targets in the form of patients.” The head of the hospital seemed keen to speak up at that, but I just raised a hand to quiet him. Chiyo was right. As a trained medical nin, I could see just where she was coming from.

“With all due respect, Honoured elders, there is one target that you all seem to have failed to mention. The most important one of them all” Toshiro began and I turned to him wondering where this was leading.

“It is you, Kazekage-sama” He said with a seated bow at me, and I noticed Dragon nodding enthusiastically from the sides.

“I am no target to be protected, Toshiro-san” I said.

“I disagree, Kazekage-sama. Blitzkrieg, was it? The word you used. It’s about leaving the enemy paralysed into inaction with shock and awe is it not? All the previously stated infrastructure will wound Suna, but none would truly cripple her as thoroughly as the loss of a Kage with no viable replacement” At the end of his words, pretty much the entire council was nodding along with him in agreement.

“I need no protection, Toshiro. Do not forget to whom you speak. I am Subaku no Gaara. He who is the Desert itself. If you think I will hide while my home is invaded, then you are sorely mistaken. I am no ordinary Kage. I pledge it to you now, I will not cease to draw breath while the deserts move” I said to them, projecting myself to them with a smile. If I didn’t dump so many points into my charisma stat ahead of all this, then the speech might have gotten me laughed out of the room. With it, the council looked swayed. They probably thought it a boast, but it wasn’t. None would kill me while the deserts of Kaze no Kuni still moved. I had made sure of it.

“Now, let us leave such gruesome topics and sketch out our own invasion of Iwagakure. Dragon, tell me of the border situation. Mebuki, update us all on the Geography before we begin. Focus on the key landmarks and possibly vital infrastructure. I dub this Operation; Blitzkrieg, and with the powers inherent to my position as Kazekage, grant it S-ranked classification” I said, moving the meeting forwards, keen to begin the planning.

A/N; Bit of a retcon to include a Charisma stat. I’ll fix it into prior chapters in  a bit.