022 The United Konoha, Everyone Begins to Act

Kushina looked a little nervous.

Though she had been known as "Bloody Habanero" during her time at the Ninja Academy, famous for her fiery temper...

Meeting so many of Konoha's higher-ups all at once was another matter entirely.

Minato, on the other hand, appeared far more relaxed.

Kurama Genshin, standing nearby, was also sizing up the yellow-haired boy with the gentle smile from the corner of his eye. He sighed inwardly. What an impressive kid...

Along the way, he had heard how Minato had comforted Kushina.

—"Just listen to what Lord Third says later. He's my Grandmaster, so that makes him your... Grandmaster too. If Grandmaster says Konoha is your home, then Konoha is definitely your home."

At such a young age, he already knew to firmly latch onto Konoha's most crucial element—the Hokage!

And in terms of combat ability, he was said to be a genius as well...

Thinking of his clan's circumstances, Kurama Genshin felt anxious and despondent.

The constitutions of the Kurama clan's descendants were growing weaker and weaker, while the number of clansmen awakening the Kekkei Genkai was also sharply declining.

Still, he had recently heard that the village was carrying out sweeping reforms and placing great importance on ninjutsu research...

If he found an opportunity to speak to Lord Hokage about the Kurama clan's plight, perhaps they might receive help?

Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi's upright, powerful figure, Kurama Genshin thought to himself, I have to perform well!

"Kushina, have you been settling into Konoha well?"

Rather than immediately discussing Sealing Jutsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke gently. "I've been quite busy and couldn't visit you in person, so I could only ask Koharu to see you on my behalf."

"But if you run into any difficulties in training or daily life, don't keep them bottled up. Konoha is your home. Though I am the Hokage, I am also your elder. There's no need to stand on ceremony with me."

Kushina's eyes suddenly stung, and she nodded vigorously.

To her, the gentle yet powerful Lord Third seemed like the sun...

Warming her heart.

Namikaze Minato blinked.

Eh, so in front of Grandmaster, he really had become "Little Sun"...

"Kushina, we called you here this time because the village is going to launch a retaliatory operation against Kumogakure! It is for your sake, but it is not only for your sake."

"Every enemy that offends the village will be met with Konoha's iron fist!"

"Do you know anything about the technique called Iron Armor Seal?"

Kushina's heart trembled. Was this what it felt like to be protected by the village?

She promptly replied, "Lord Third, I do! This technique can seal a large amount of Chakra, and its main structure is very sturdy. But there are flaws in the details that cause Chakra to slowly leak away."

Orochimaru nodded slightly.

Slow leakage? So that was why Kumogakure's Jinchuriki kept going berserk.

"Kushina, can you deconstruct this formula? The village needs to understand its structure." Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up.

If Kushina had not known, he had considered approaching Mito Uzumaki ahead of time.

But naturally, it would be best to achieve some results before seeking her out, demonstrating both his remedy and his sincerity.

"No problem, Lord Third!" Kushina agreed readily, though her gaze drifted.

But where was she supposed to deconstruct it?

Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed at the Tactical Command Board in the center of the meeting room. "Go up there!"

"Lord Third, I have some thoughts on this formula as well!" Namikaze Minato raised his hand.

"Then do it together." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

Kushina and Namikaze Minato went up together and began outlining and drawing the Iron Armor Seal on the command board.

Kushina drew the main structure, while Namikaze Minato annotated the principles and purposes of every sealing structure.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's view, Sealing Jutsu was among the most difficult types of techniques.

Studying complex sealing structures was somewhat like the interlocking joints of ancient architecture. Not a single link could go wrong, and Chakra had to be used to manifest it.

"Rare talents. Kushina has the constitution and bloodline for it... but Namikaze Minato clearly possesses an exceptional talent for Sealing Jutsu."

"His foundation may not be as deep as Kushina's, but he is brimming with intuition."

"I need to let this boy come into contact with more techniques and focus on cultivating him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself.

Discovering talent was, naturally, one of his performance metrics as Hokage.

"That's how it is!" Namikaze Minato and Kushina gave the others a slight bow.

"The explanation was excellent. Do you have any questions on your end?" Hiruzen Sarutobi turned and asked.

"Heh heh, there are more and more talented people in the village." Orochimaru smiled. "The answer has already been laid before me. If I still can't understand it..."

"Then that nonsense Jiraiya spouted while drunk might actually come true."

This referred to when they had gathered at Hiruzen Sarutobi's home, and Jiraiya, drunk, had said that although Minato was young, he might not lack the chance to become the Fourth Hokage.

"Hmph..." Jiraiya rolled his eyes at Orochimaru and muttered, "You really hold a grudge!"

"Genshin, can your genjutsu affect a Jinchuriki?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked. "Don't feel pressured. Just state the facts."

"If I unleash it at full power, holding back a Tailed Beast for a while won't be a problem."

Kurama Genshin said seriously, "But if the Jinchuriki can draw upon the Tailed Beast's Chakra, it'll be troublesome... Chakra formed from the combination of the two is the natural enemy of any disruptive genjutsu."

"What if the Jinchuriki is poisoned or controlled by a Cursed Seal?" Shimura Danzō's voice was hoarse.

"Then there's absolutely no problem. I guarantee it!"

Kurama Genshin actually laughed. So this was going to be such a well-funded operation?

"The Kurama clan may no longer be as renowned as before, but our techniques aren't just empty boasts."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly rose to his feet.

His gaze swept across the crowd. He raised a hand and clenched it tightly.

The meeting room fell silent.

"When Konoha's shinobi stand united, no enemy can withstand us!" Hiruzen Sarutobi declared in a firm, ringing voice.

"Danzō, lead the Anbu in clearing out the sentries and opening a safe evacuation route."

"Orochimaru, you will assassinate the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Bring the body back."

"Jiraiya, take Genshin and infiltrate the area to rendezvous with Orochimaru. Keep the situation under control."

Hiruzen Sarutobi enunciated every word. "This time, we will make the enemy feel fear! Silently and without a trace, we will kill their Jinchuriki."

"Use the enemy's blood to write 'a blood debt must be repaid in blood' in their village!"

"Make them descend into chaos—into madness!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sneered coldly within his heart.

Several of Konoha's greatest experts against an immature Eight-Tails Jinchuriki...

Blue B could take pride in dying to such a force!

Kumogakure, which had always clashed with the various Hidden Villages, had an abysmal reputation throughout the Shinobi World.

The Eight-Tails dying violently within its village was something every Hidden Village would be happy to see...

And when Kumogakure was left powerless, all it could do would be to bluster and denounce every possible suspect.

That was precisely the stage Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted.

It was time for everyone to reacquaint themselves with Konoha—and with a hardline Hokage!

"Gentlemen, prepare to move out!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

Outside the window, the setting sun blazed like fire, spilling into the room. It was as though flames had ignited around everyone.

It reflected brilliantly against the fighting spirit in their eyes.