Hattori , Puppet Tyrant in Sand

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a powerful figure, known as the "God of Shinobi" for his participation in two Shinobi World Wars. Beyond his skill, he mastered five chakra natures, earning him the title "Professor."

Not only that, he mentored the renowned "Sannin of Konoha" and led the village to prosperity, establishing a reputation that made him highly respected within Konoha. Thus, when he claimed he could defeat the Hidden Sand Village within ten days, no one doubted him—instead, his words bolstered the morale of his forces.

Especially with him personally leading the charge, the Konoha shinobi felt renewed confidence, eagerly rallying to follow him into battle. But unlike the rest of his confident forces, Hiruzen knew this fight against the Sand wouldn't be so simple.

To him, the timing of the Sand's attack felt suspiciously convenient. They struck right as the Mist Village's offensive was looming. Believing it mere coincidence would be naive; it was likely a calculated scheme, possibly in coordination with the Mist.

Given this, Hiruzen planned to deploy his maximum force and personally lead the effort to crush the Sand in one decisive blow.

"Whatever plans you have, I'll thwart them by defeating you outright," he thought. "This is the essence of 'overpowering with strength!'"

To implement his strategy, Hiruzen decided to split his forces. He would lead the Sarutobi and Inuzuka clans head-on against the Sand's main force, while the Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans would flank the enemy under his students, Jiraiya and Orochimaru. This dual-front approach would allow for mutual support should either side encounter issues.

After leaving Konoha and reaching the Forest of Fire Country, Hiruzen used the Summoning Jutsu.

"Summoning Jutsu!" With this command, a massive ape in a tiger-striped vest appeared before him: the Monkey King, Enma.

Enma was Hiruzen's contracted summon. With a body as hard as diamond, he could also transform into an extendable, indestructible staff. Enma could adapt his form for various needs and even perform jutsu with Hiruzen.

Though in the original storyline Orochimaru once labeled him as the "strongest summon," this was possibly due to the synergy between Enma and Hiruzen, but Enma's strength was undeniable.

Upon appearing, Enma drew the attention of the nearby Konoha shinobi but paid them no mind, speaking directly to Hiruzen instead.

"Hiruzen, has war begun again? Who's the enemy this time?"

"It's the Hidden Sand Village!" Hiruzen replied gravely. "Time is short, so I'll keep it brief. Help clear the way and eliminate any enemies."

"Got it!"

With a swift leap, Enma vanished into the forest, clearing the path ahead. Even though he couldn't see Enma, Hiruzen could sense him and immediately called to his forces, "Everyone, follow me!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" they chorused in unison.

With Enma leading the way, the Konoha shinobi's pace quickened considerably. By crossing the forest, they reached their destination in just one day, braced for a fierce battle with the Sand.

But to their surprise, they found an abandoned town devoid of Sand shinobi. The streets were empty, all shops shut, and windows slammed closed at the sound of their approach.

Seeing this, Hiruzen frowned. "It seems the Sand has already been through here. Go, check with the reconnaissance team for updates!"

"Yes!" A nearby shinobi replied, disappearing with Body Flicker Technique. A while later, he returned, kneeling before Hiruzen.

"Report, Lord Hokage. According to the reconnaissance team, the Sand forces have retreated!"

"Retreated?" Hiruzen's frown deepened. "What is the Sand's strategy here? Could this be... a delaying tactic?"

Realizing this, his expression darkened.

The Sand could afford to delay, but Konoha, facing attacks from the Rock, Cloud, and Mist, could not. Time bought to fight the Sand was earned at great cost by the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, with many losing their lives daily. Once these clans could no longer hold, Konoha would be forced to reinforce them, or their frontlines would collapse.

In that event, if the Sand attacked again, Konoha would be stretched thin and vulnerable.

"They're using this tactic to try and weaken Konoha... The Sand's plan is ruthless!" Hiruzen murmured through gritted teeth and then gave the order.

"Pursue the Sand. Catch and defeat them before they cross the borders of the Fire Country!"

"Yes!" At his command, Konoha's shinobi sprang into action once more.

The Inuzuka clan took charge of tracking, with the rest following closely, giving chase at full speed. Thanks to their familiarity with the terrain and relentless pursuit, Konoha's forces finally located the Sand forces two days later.

Hiruzen wanted to seize this opportunity to attack but knew it wasn't viable. After three days on the move, Konoha's shinobi were exhausted, and launching an attack now would put them at a serious disadvantage.

So, he ordered them to rest while calling for the reconnaissance team to report.

"Are you certain the Sand's forces are just ahead?" he asked.

"Yes!" replied an Inuzuka scout confidently. "They're concealed in the nearby mountain range, seemingly preparing for a war of attrition."

"A war of attrition." Those were the last words Hiruzen wanted to hear, and his brow furrowed at the mention of it.

"What is the name of that mountain?"

"It's called Kikyo Mountain!"