Chiyo and Mikoto pushed open the door and entered. A ninja from the Hokage Guard stepped forward to distribute the lists.
The atmosphere inside the Hokage Building's conference room was solemn and oppressive.
In stark contrast to the frenzied celebrations at the village entrance, this place was a gathering of Clan Leader and high-ranking elites from Konoha's various clans.
Everyone's face bore the weariness of victory, as well as a heavy solemnity.
Although the war ended in a glorious victory for Konoha, the cost was equally devastating.
Chiyo glanced through it briefly.
This should be a list of the dead and a loss report.
Behind every name and every number above lies a broken family and a lost life.
No wonder the initial excitement of victory turned sour after seeing this bloody reality.
It will cool down quickly.
Instead, a complex emotion arose, a mixture of sadness, pride, and reflection.
This is war.
It was all paid for with human lives.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat in the main seat, his pipe burning, his brow furrowed.
He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice deep and powerful.
"Everyone's here, let's begin!"
"... These are the heroes who sacrificed themselves to Protect Konoha. Their names should be remembered forever."
I propose that a village-wide memorial service be held three days from now to honor the heroes and inspire the living."
I second that.
"That's how it should be."
"It must be held with great solemnity."
"..."
The audience nodded in agreement, offering no objections.
Remembering heroes is a necessary ceremony after victory; it is a sign of respect for the deceased and an explanation to the living.
The entire conference room was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere of mourning.
After a brief silence.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the report in his hand, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on Chiyo Uchiha, who sat calmly in the front row.
He cleared his throat, and the topic shifted to another sensitive and important issue.
"Regarding the placement of Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage of Ōnoki, and A, the Third Raikage A of Kumogakure..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone was somewhat deliberate.
"Since being captured by Chiyo and escorted back to Konoha, the two of them have been under house arrest in a special residence in the west of the village."
Although their freedom was restricted, considering their status as 'Shadows,' we did not treat them like prisoners; all their provisions were made to standard..."
His meaning was clear: although they had become prisoners, the dignity and respectability of the "Kage" needed to be maintained to some extent, which was related to the unspoken rules between ninja villages and the potential room for negotiation in the Mirai.
This is also a relatively common, moderate approach among high-level officials.
However.
Before he could finish speaking, Chiyo Uchiha's cold voice rang out, clearly interrupting the Hokage.
"I believe they should be transferred to Konoha Prison immediately and placed under strict guard."
Upon hearing this, the entire conference room fell into an absolute silence; you could hear a pin drop!
All eyes instantly focused on Chiyo.
It was filled with astonishment, confusion, and even a hint of disbelief.
Putting two "shadows" in jail?!
This is absolutely unheard of!
In the past, even when powerful figures were captured, they were usually given relatively "decent" house arrest for various reasons, such as deterrence or to leave room for subsequent negotiations.
Throwing them directly into a dark prison is an act that almost tears off all pretense of civility, an extreme humiliation to the two great ninja villages!
Even Shimura Danzō, who always advocated for tough measures, showed a hint of surprise in his one eye.
He hadn't expected Chiyo Uchiha to make such an extreme and uncompromising suggestion.
This is even more radical than he anticipated!
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned even more deeply.
" Clan Leader Chiyo, isn't this... a bit too much?"
They are, after all, 'Kage'; treating them this way will likely enrage Iwagakure and Cloud completely, which would be detrimental to future events..."
"Infuriated?"
Chiyo slowly stood up, his gaze calmly sweeping over each of the high-ranking officials present. His voice was not loud, but it carried a peculiar penetrating power and an undeniable authority.
" Lord Hokage, everyone, I would like to ask, what have we just experienced?"
He paused, and without waiting for anyone's reply, he asked and answered himself, his tone gradually becoming more forceful.
"It's a war! A war they started, intending to divide and destroy Konoha!"
How many comrades did we lose in this war?
How many children have lost their parents?
How many parents have lost their children?
His gaze sharpened, pointing to the list of fallen soldiers that had just weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
"And these heroes who sacrificed their lives, when facing the enemy, did they ever receive the slightest preferential treatment because the enemy was a subordinate of 'Shadow'?"
"Was I ever spared death because of the enemy's noble status?"
"No!"
Chiyo's voice suddenly rose, carrying a chilling undertone.
"They faced relentless slaughter! Cold Kunai and Ninjutsu!"
So why, once we've captured the enemy's leader and gained the upper hand, do we start considering their 'dignity' and 'decent'?
He glanced around and saw some people beginning to show thoughtful expressions, then continued in a deep voice.
"Dignity resides only on the edge of the sword!"
Truth lies only within the realm of Ninjutsu!
Silence fell upon hearing this.
Like a heavy hammer, it struck everyone's heart!
"The reason we're sitting here discussing how to 'settle' them isn't because we're reasonable or follow the rules, but because we've won!"
It is because of Chiyo Uchiha, because of everyone here, because of the victory won by all the Konoha Ninja with blood and fire...
"It's because our swords are sharp enough, and our Ninjutsu is powerful enough to cover the entire battlefield!"
"If Konoha were to be defeated, can you imagine how our Hokage would be 'treated' if he were captured?"
Will they talk to us about the dignity of 'shadow'?
Won't!
They will only flaunt their victory in the most cruel way, trampling on everything we have!
Chiyo's gaze finally returned to the Third Hokage, his words earnest yet sharp.
"Is it fair to give the defeated invaders' leaders such preferential treatment, even if it means sacrificing their lives on the battlefield to the heroic spirits of Konoha who gave their last drop of blood?"
Is this fair to the ninjas who are still lying in the hospital, enduring their injuries?
"This will only make our enemies think that Konoha's victory was weak!"
This will make those potential ambitious individuals think that even if they fail, they can still retain some dignity, thus underestimating our determination to defend the village!
"We must take the clearest stance against a clearly identified enemy, especially a defeated one."
That means failure comes at a price!
If you are captured, you should be prepared to be a prisoner!
" Konoha's mercy should not be wasted on them!"
His words were powerful, resounding, and righteous!
The expressions in the eyes of many people in the meeting room had changed.
The Nara Clan Head, who was initially shocked and confused, later showed deep thought and agreement in his eyes.
Clan Leader Akimichi nodded heavily, remembering the members of his clan who had sacrificed their lives.
Hyuga Sakon nodded slightly. The pride of the Byakugan clan made him better understand the principle of respecting the strong and the treatment that the losers deserve.
Even some Jonin who initially supported a mild approach showed signs of wavering.
Chiyo's words tore away the veil of warmth and self-deception, laying bare the naked logic of war, and tightly binding it to the honor and fairness of the victims.
Yes, why is it that our heroes fought and died on the battlefield, while the culprits who started the war can be comfortably imprisoned and enjoy the treatment of being "shadows"?
Is this fair?!
" Clan Leader Chiyo is right!"
Inuzuka Clan Head broke the silence first, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Many of my comrades died at the hands of those Cloud Village! They cannot be let off lightly!"
"I support Lord Chiyo's opinion!"
The representative of the Aburame Clan also stepped forward, adjusted his sunglasses, and spoke concisely.
"Losers should act like losers. Putting them in jail is the right thing to do."
I second that.
"Agree!"
"..."
In the blink of an eye, representatives from various families expressed their views, and public opinion shifted almost unanimously.
They all sided with Chiyo Uchiha's seemingly tough and ruthless plan, which actually hit the nail on the head!
Looking at the impassioned crowd Hiruzen Sarutobi him, and then at Chiyo Uchiha sighed deeply.
He knew that his "moderate" proposal, based on traditional political considerations, had completely lost support in the face of Chiyo's "fairness" and "deterrence."
The wheels of time have truly rolled forward, completely propelled by this young Uchiha.
He took a deep drag on his pipe, exhaled slowly, and finally made his decision. His voice was weary, but he no longer hesitated.
"Since that's the case... then let's proceed according to Chiyo's suggestion."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, and the Third Raikage A, were transferred to the Konoha Prison's serious offender section for strict supervision!
No one may visit without my authorization!
The order was given, and the decision was final.
The prison life of two powerful "shadows" begins here.
This marked the beginning of a complete shift in Konoha's foreign policy.