The most important thing was achieving absolute victory in the intelligence war.
As for whether a vessel could be created... Su Nuo had no doubt that the Shinobi World possessed the ability to make one.
After all, Fuinjutsu truly existed in this world.
Therefore.
The intelligence absolutely could not be leaked.
This priority was extremely high.
What Su Nuo needed to do now was wait, just like Sukuna had in his previous life: temporarily hold back, gather all kinds of intelligence, and then wait for the right opportunity...
The Hokage Administration Building.
"That's everything I saw and heard in the Hyuga Family. This is my investigation report."
Yamanaka Inoichi handed the report in his hands to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe.
Dressed in the Hokage's distinctive robes, he quickly scanned the report.
"Thanks for your effort... What are your thoughts?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.
Before coming here, Yamanaka Inoichi had gone to find Shikaku Nara, and he already had an answer prepared.
"Hyuga Shin was probably attacked by someone. The third-party force was extremely powerful and was the true killer of Ai, but they deliberately spared Hyuga Shin. Hyuga Shin is kind-hearted and renowned for his good character. He bravely used Ai's corpse to save the remaining Konoha forces, preventing them from being wiped out by the greater number of Cloud Village Ninjas."
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi already knew whom Yamanaka Inoichi had consulted.
But that was only natural. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had always been united.
Yamanaka Inoichi, Shikaku Nara, and Choza Akimichi would probably become the next generation's Clan Heads.
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, signaling for Yamanaka Inoichi to leave.
Afterward.
Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō for a meeting.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura believed that Hyuga Shin should be handed over, but not openly. They would order Hyuga Shin to head to the front line against Kumogakure, then "accidentally" leak the intelligence to Kumogakure, allowing the Third Raikage to kill Chunin Hyuga Shin and quell Kumogakure's anger.
Shimura Danzō, however, believed that Hyuga Shin should be recruited into Root. Hyuga Shin was a Branch Family Member, after all, and his combat strength was not weak.
"Hiruzen." Danzo spoke forcefully. "War is unavoidable! Kumogakure started this war!! What we need are more War Heroes, not to let heroes die for nothing! Give me Hyuga Shin!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, displeased by Danzo's tone.
He remembered visiting Sarutobi Hiyori. She had been deeply grateful to Hyuga Shin and had spoken highly of him.
But what Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of was that letter.
The Third Raikage.
The Raikage hailed as the strongest had strengthened Kumogakure through absolute strongman rule since taking office. He had launched wars everywhere, seized vast resources, expanded military preparations, and increased the strength of Cloud Village Ninjas.
A Raikage like that... wanted to kill his son, Asuma Sarutobi.
Could he stop him?
The Hyuga Family's attitude was already clear. Hyuga Shin had been imprisoned and interrogated, and Yamanaka Inoichi had even searched his memories. In the eyes of those Main Family members, Branch Family Members ultimately had no status.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took two deep puffs of smoke.
"Send Hyuga Shin to the front line."
"Hiruzen!"
"Three votes to one. Danzo, withdraw."
"You... You're unbelievable! We're in the middle of a war! Konoha is actually sending a hero into the enemy's hands to die!?"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"
"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
The door slammed shut.
However.
Although they had decided to sacrifice Hyuga Shin.
Konoha still had its dignity to maintain.
At this point, Hyuga Shin was a War Hero whose reputation had begun to rise, and the war had yet to become desperate, so "recuperation" was necessary.
They could not send Hyuga Shin out immediately after he had just returned.
After discussing it with Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, Hiruzen Sarutobi set the date for three days later.
At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi began formulating a plan.
Although he had already decided to sacrifice Hyuga Shin, there was another solution to this problem.
That was to kill the Third Raikage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sent out a secret letter. After thinking it over, he did not send it to Jiraiya, but to Orochimaru instead.
For this encirclement-and-kill plan, Jiraiya was more suited to serve as a combatant, while Orochimaru was better suited to help devise and arrange the plan.
"Alas... poor Hyuga Shin."
"But that is the fate of a Branch Family Member."
In Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Hyuga Shin was destined to be sacrificed because he was a Branch Family Member.
Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi did nothing, the Hyuga Main Family would do it someday in the future.
This time.
The Third Raikage had escalated the war with extraordinary force, determined to avenge his son. He had even set his sights on Asuma Sarutobi.
Faced with the village's interests and his son's life, Hiruzen Sarutobi chose compromise and concession.
At this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not yet completely aged, so he made another move in secret. He covertly assembled Konoha's elite combat strength and attempted to ambush and kill the Third Raikage.
This was the remnant of the Shinobi Hero spirit within Hiruzen Sarutobi... not yet completely extinguished.
All these arrangements required time.
That was also why Hyuga Shin would have three days to recuperate.
In reality.
Generally speaking, after a ninja's injuries had fully healed, they would also have a week of rest.
This was the lingering advantage Konoha Ninjas currently enjoyed.
After all, the war had only just begun. Their troops were strong and numerous, and their logistics were robust.
If the war grew intense... not only would there be no rest time at all, but the ninjas might even be sent back to the front line before their injuries had fully healed.
Now.
Hyuga Shin would rest for three days, then head to the front line under the pretext of "carrying out a mission," where the enraged Third Raikage would tear him apart...
Everything would then seem perfectly reasonable.
The people of Konoha would even be able to accept the explanation.
By then, Konoha and the Hyuga clan would both express their condolences and regret the death of the young hero, allowing Hyuga Shin to make a dignified departure. The fighting spirit of Kumogakure would probably decline as a result.
However.
What Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know at this moment was that—
Hyuga Shin would not die at the hands of the Third Raikage.
Even if the Third Raikage succeeded and killed Hyuga Shin, he would not abandon his attack on Konoha because of a "victory."
That was the difference between strong and weak politics.
For the Third Raikage and Kumogakure, winning the battle and completing their revenge would only make them surge forward even more fiercely.
Only the weak Konoha High Command and the Hyuga Main Family would believe that sacrificing a hero and exchanging his life for peace was a worthwhile and viable way to achieve peace.
Peace could be preserved by seeking it through struggle.
Open one path with a single punch, and you would avoid a hundred punches coming your way.
In reality.
Only by completely crushing Kumogakure could Konoha possibly avoid being attacked on three fronts in the future.
The other villages would see Konoha's strength.
However.
The decisions made by Hiruzen Sarutobi's generation of leaders had also doomed the other villages to see Konoha's weakness and choose to attack continuously.
Who would refuse a profitable business?
The older generation of politicians had always been people who saw benefits clearly.
Once they saw Kumogakure succeed and realized that waging war for profit was viable, they would also fix their eyes on the fertile Land of Fire like a pack of wolves.
Before you continue