"Can we be certain it was us?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured for the two of them not to panic.
"Kumogakure did not present any evidence, but their attitude is extremely forceful and resolute. They insist that we are highly suspicious..." Utatane Koharu answered swiftly, handing Kumogakure's condemnation to the Hokage.
"All the major nations and Hidden Villages are waiting for our response!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi read it carefully.
A moment later, he gave a cold laugh.
"Teacher, shall we discuss this another day? There are still some matters I need to report to you." Orochimaru stood up and nodded to the two advisers.
"No need to leave. You should read it too." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand, put his pipe between his lips, and unhurriedly packed it with tobacco.
"Then I'll do as you say, Teacher." Orochimaru smiled knowingly.
A moment later, hurried knocking sounded at the door.
The instant Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Come in," Shimura Danzō strode inside. "Hiruzen, we need to prepare for total war and mobilize all our ninja!"
Seeing him arrive, Orochimaru naturally handed the document to Shimura Danzō one-handed.
Shimura Danzō frowned. Toward this rival, his instinct was to suppress him.
This was a meeting of Konoha's upper ranks!
But seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him, Shimura Danzō let it go.
He was not an idiot. Naturally, he could see that Hiruzen Sarutobi was supporting Orochimaru as competition for him...
Yet Shimura Danzō could not bring himself to feel angry.
Because Hiruzen Sarutobi had made things clear to him beforehand.
He was guaranteeing that Danzo had the "qualifications," not deciding that he would become the next Hokage.
Normally, Hiruzen Sarutobi also intentionally or unintentionally taught him how to become a Hokage. He was not playing favorites...
Fairness had power.
Even for Shimura Danzō, that was true.
"Orochimaru, did your side leave behind traces?" Shimura Danzō said with a stern face. "There is absolutely no way the Anbu has a problem. I've checked repeatedly!"
This was not deliberate targeting. If intelligence had leaked, they had to find the source and hold it accountable.
Orochimaru snorted coldly. "There is no way my side has a problem either. Also, you should address him as the Third Hokage, not call Teacher by his name!"
The smell of gunpowder instantly filled the air between the two.
Like the point of a needle against a wheat awn, neither was willing to yield!
"Since you both say there is no problem, then there is no problem." Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table, signaling for them to calm down, and said evenly:
"Everyone, don't fall into a mental trap and grow guilty just because the enemy bluffed us..."
Orochimaru and Shimura Danzō each snorted, considering Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
Mitokado Homura spoke after some thought. "Third, do you mean Kumogakure is bluffing us?"
"Most likely."
"Did you notice? They never said the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was dead. Although their wording sounds furious and rough, if you look past the surface to the core, they are merely applying pressure."
Hiruzen Sarutobi disdainfully exhaled a puff of smoke. "Put yourselves in their shoes. Kumogakure has currently lost the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, their village has suffered a severe blow, and they have no target to pursue..."
"What should they do? Lie low? Obviously not."
"Hiding would only make their enemies, as well as those potential enemies, think they were weak!"
"So they need to become even tougher."
"They need to announce to the entire Shinobi World that their village remains strong, and that the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki can deploy at any moment..."
"And Konoha has always been known throughout the Shinobi World as a pacifist, a so-called 'soft target.' If we back down, then their objective will be achieved."
"They might even extort a sum from us."
The room fell silent as everyone considered Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's faces grew somewhat hot.
On one hand, it was because their earlier impatience and rashness did not suit the image of advisers.
On the other hand, during the previous Shinobi World War, the two of them had belonged to the Dove Faction that strongly advocated minimizing reparations and ending the war as quickly as possible.
"Times have changed..."
"Your past decisions were also made with the circumstances at the time in mind. Don't overthink it." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand as he spoke.
"And don't jump straight to starting a war. Our core advantages are technology and talent, both of which need time to accumulate value."
Blind toughness was not necessarily a good thing either.
The so-called Dove Faction and Hawk Faction merely viewed matters from different angles. Neither was inherently better than the other.
Shimura Danzō's face darkened, but he still voiced his agreement. "I agree with the Hokage's view!"
That was aimed at him...
Shimura Danzō regretted it a little. He had not actually intended to start a war immediately. He had only wanted to make the situation sound more serious, then shift the blame onto Orochimaru...
"Teacher, I believe your analysis is correct." Orochimaru looked at his smoking teacher with admiration.
This was what a Hokage should be like in his heart...
Always remaining calm.
"Kumogakure's provocation is an opportunity for us to buy Konoha time. We must recognize that."
"We must use this opportunity to deter the other Hidden Villages as well."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice:
"For a long time, there has been a consensus in the Shinobi World that Konoha 'leans toward peace.' The chance of other Hidden Villages believing Kumogakure is very low."
"This time, we must demonstrate sufficient toughness. We must make it clear that while Konoha upholds the First Hokage's belief in peace, we are not weak. Rather, we hope the other Hidden Villages will adopt a similar attitude."
"If anyone dares to destroy peace, Konoha, having already suffered once, will use everything to defend our homeland, including but not limited to Forbidden Techniques. In accordance with Tobirama's legacy, we will make our enemies pay a price they will regret beyond measure!"
A Hashirama Peace Card in his left hand, and a Tobirama Forbidden Jutsu Card in his right.
Among the outside villages, the Senju brothers' reputation scores could be said to have reached the absolute extremes of positive and negative...
But who said a negative reputation had no value?
The Hokage intended to make ruthless use of it, cashing it in for his own prestige!
"Draft a declaration according to my intentions. The wording must be precise, and it must be announced to the entire Shinobi World!"
"At the fastest possible speed!" Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered in a tone that allowed no objection.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura immediately replied, "Understood!"
The two from the Administrative Department sprang into action.
"Orochimaru, continue with the matter of the project," Hiruzen Sarutobi said. "There is no need to wait for another day."
"Yes, Teacher."
Orochimaru reported, "The medicine revised earlier can now be initially produced on a large scale. The samples are ready. The Nara Clan and Akimichi Clan have worked very diligently."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly.
Once they established a diplomatic advantage through Kumogakure, discussing matters with the Land of Fire and the Daimyo would become much easier.
"Also, your idea is very good, but completing it will require time."
"Certain special cases may be faster, but if we want it to become universally applicable..." Orochimaru shook his head. "It won't be easy."
He was referring to the Deactivated Hashirama Cells.
With Shimura Danzō present, Orochimaru's wording was extremely ambiguous.
He had done it deliberately...
He wanted this assistant to know he was doing something, yet not know what he was doing...
Die of anxiety!
"Take it one step at a time. This is a long-term project. I understand."
"I will prepare the materials for you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said this, but something stirred in his heart.
Special cases would be enough...
According to the notes, Izuna Uchiha and Senju Tobirama's compatibility was astonishingly good.
"Thank you for understanding, Teacher. Then I'll get back to work!" Orochimaru glanced at Shimura Danzō, then walked out of the office with a smile.
Shimura Danzō silently ground his molars.
Darkness of the Shinobi World would remember this grudge!
And just as Orochimaru had expected, when Shimura Danzō realized that he was working on something...
A wave of anxiety rose from the depths of his heart.
But Orochimaru reported directly to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Let alone interfering, Shimura Danzō could not even conveniently spy on him...
Although the Anbu under his command obeyed him as their chief...
They also obeyed the various Squad Captains and Deputy Chiefs!
All of them were Hiruzen Sarutobi's people.
If he used them like Root's private soldiers as before, Hatake Sakumo alone, who had impeached him in the past, would be enough to make Shimura Danzō suffer badly...
"Danzo, lately you need to focus on the village's internal security and defenses."
"Also dispatch some scout squads to the borders to prevent enemy infiltration."
Hiruzen Sarutobi patted his shoulder. "Your task is not much easier than Orochimaru's!"
Joy immediately welled up in Shimura Danzō's heart.
It was good to have work to do. It was good to have something visible...
But upon second thought, Shimura Danzō found it somewhat strange.
"I won't leave you out of any matters where you can show your face either..."
"Arrange the work properly and prepare to accompany me to the Land of Fire. I'll give you a surprise then."
The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi said this, Shimura Danzō completely stopped thinking about the source of that strange feeling...
"Don't worry, Hiruzen!"
Shimura Danzō complained again:
"You should rein Orochimaru in too. I've called you by your name for so many years, yet that junior dares to question me? He's completely lawless!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded.
He said nothing...
Without competition, where would the motivation to work come from?
And taking Shimura Danzō to the Land of Fire was also his genuine intention.
His reputation as the Darkness of the Shinobi World carried considerable weight among the Daimyo and Nobles as well...
#
Three days later.
Konoha's response spread throughout the Shinobi World, throwing all the Major Hidden Villages into an uproar.
They were actually being this tough?
Before you continue