The Meaning of the Federation; Izumi Is Promoted to Jonin and Confesses to Chiyo

A day passed quietly.

The qualifiers and elimination rounds of the ranking tournament had all concluded. The final round for the top sixty-four would take place a month later.

Konoha's streets were still filled with the lively atmosphere of the celebration. The Ninja Federation's anniversary festivities continued, with lanterns and decorations lining every street and alley. The air was filled with the scent of grilled octopus and the laughter of children.

Yet beneath that liveliness, an invisible tension was quietly spreading.

An emergency meeting had been underway in the conference room of the Hokage Building for two full days.

The Federation's upper echelon, representatives from every ninja village, and the heads of the Intelligence Division had gathered to discuss Chiyo's earlier battle in Konoha Forest and formulate a response strategy for the Otsutsuki Clan.

"According to the information provided by Lady Kaguya, the Otsutsuki Clan harvests planets as units. What they seek is the 'Chakra Fruit,' the crystallization of all life's Chakra on a planet."

Shikaku Nara stood before the holographic projection, analyzing the situation calmly.

"Urashiki was merely a scout-level member. True combat-type Otsutsuki are at least three times stronger than him.

"Furthermore, the Otsutsuki Clan usually operates in pairs or small groups."

The conference room fell silent.

Ōnoki of Both Scales spoke in a deep voice.

"So that means we may have to face several enemies of that level next?"

"The probability exceeds eighty percent."

Shikaku nodded.

"And the timing is uncertain. It could be a year from now, or it could be five years from now."

Minato Namikaze took over.

"So we need a complete defense system. The barrier unit has already begun setting up a large-scale warning barrier around Konoha, while the sensory unit will rotate shifts around the clock.

"At the same time, I suggest