The Jinchūriki Must Never Leave Konoha!

Because the battlefield lay within the Land of Fire.

Traveling at full speed, Jiraiya's intelligence report and request reached Konoha in less than half a day, landing on the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was in the prime of his life. Puffing on his pipe, he stared gravely at the intelligence report in his hands without saying a word.

"What happened, Hiruzen?"

Leaning on a cane, his head wrapped in bandages, Danzō entered with a gloomy expression.

He immediately noticed that, besides his old friend Hiruzen, the other two old companions were also present in the Hokage's office.

One was a middle-aged woman with her hair pinned up, her eyes narrowed and her expression exceedingly stern.

The other wore glasses, had a spiky hairstyle, and a raised white collar wrapped around his neck.

Both were among Konoha's upper brass and old companions of his: advisors who assisted the Hokage with administrative affairs, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. (Fun fact: Mitokado Homura's surname is Mitokado.)

Seeing the two old companions there as well, Danzō's heart skipped a beat, and a faint sense of foreboding rose within him.

"You should all take a look."

With his pipe clenched between his teeth, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen handed the intelligence report to the three people present.

After just one glance, all three of their expressions turned extremely grave.

"Jiraiya has encountered a serious problem on the front lines. A Hyoton ninja named Yuki Yoru single-handedly killed elite fighters such as Shikaku, Inoichi, and Hizashi, inflicting massive losses on the front lines."

"His bizarre secret techniques, speed surpassing even Uchiha Shisui's Body Flicker Technique, and chilling swordsmanship... Even Jiraiya could not take him down in a short time. Most importantly—"

"He's very young!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows furrowed deeply, while Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked equally grim.

The fallen Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi had not merely been Konoha's pillars, or the Clan Heads of the Nara Clan and Yamanaka Clan. They had also been steadfast supporters of the Hokage's faction.

Losing the two of them was undoubtedly like losing an arm for the Hokage's faction—a devastating loss!

Shimura Danzō's expression was no better. His already gloomy face darkened further.

As the one in charge of Konoha's Root and the head of its intelligence apparatus, Danzō controlled vast intelligence resources. He knew Kirigakure's combat forces at every level, ninja numbers, and information on its Kekkei Genkai Clans like the back of his hand.

Yet even so, he had never heard that Kirigakure possessed such a Hyoton expert within its ANBU—someone skilled in secret techniques, Body Flicker, and swordsmanship, and capable of contending with Jiraiya!

"This was my oversight. I will gather every scrap of intelligence on Yuki Yoru in the shortest time possible!"

"You've only just returned from the Kumogakure Front. This is not your responsibility, and I trust your capabilities."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep draw from his pipe, soothing his old friend. "But the urgent matter is Jiraiya's request for reinforcements."

"We have just signed a ceasefire agreement with Sunagakure, and the situations with Kumogakure and Iwagakure are steadily improving. Kirigakure absolutely cannot become the point of collapse."

"A single move affects the whole board. If Kirigakure breaks the deadlock, Kumogakure and Iwagakure will likely become restless at once!"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura nodded in deep agreement.

Kumogakure and Iwagakure were unlike Sunagakure.

Sunagakure had surrendered and sought peace only after Konoha had beaten them bloody and beaten the fear into them.

Kumogakure and Iwagakure, on the other hand, had not actually suffered many losses in combat strength. They had merely been forced to pull back their fronts for various other reasons.

If Kirigakure broke through Konoha's defenses and inflicted severe losses upon Konoha, Iwagakure and Kumogakure would certainly launch a counterattack immediately!

"Then why not send Minato?"

Mitokado Homura said in a low voice, "Didn't Jiraiya say that man possesses speed that even the Uchiha Clan brat cannot match? He hopes Minato can restrain him, so why not send Minato?"

"Minato is indeed a good choice. With the Flying Thunder God Technique, there shouldn't be any problems."

Utatane Koharu also strongly approved.

"No. Minato cannot be moved."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and shook his head.

"Iwagakure has not yet been completely stabilized. Orochimaru alone is not enough to make that old man Ōnoki wary. Only with Minato, who possesses the Flying Thunder God, there will Ōnoki have to worry about his logistics and supplies and refrain from acting recklessly."

"Therefore, Minato absolutely cannot be moved."

"Then who should go? Don't tell me we're transferring Orochimaru over there?"

"No. If Minato is the weapon keeping Ōnoki in check, then Orochimaru is the commanding general holding down the Iwagakure Front, the pillar of the army's morale. He cannot be moved either."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu's proposals were rejected one after another by Hiruzen, and the Hokage's office fell into a deathly silence.

They realized awkwardly that Konoha had actually fallen into a situation where there was no one left to use!

Thinking back to the Second Great Ninja War, Konoha had been overwhelmingly powerful.

The Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen had been at his peak, Danzō, the Dark of Shinobi, could make children stop crying, the White Fang of Konoha had intimidated all sides, the Sannin had burst onto the stage, and outstanding talents such as Kato Dan and Fugaku had shone brilliantly on the battlefield. They had had more cards than they could possibly play.

But now?

"If only Tsunade were still here..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took two puffs from his pipe, a trace of loneliness appearing in his eyes.

Unfortunately, after the deaths of her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Kato Dan, Tsunade developed hemophobia and chose to leave Konohagakure.

And with White Fang's suicide a few years ago, even if the Third Hokage wanted Tsunade to return, she probably had no desire to wade back into this mess.

"Why not let me go to the Kirigakure Front?"

Danzo said gravely, "Kumogakure has shown no unusual movements lately. According to the intelligence I've received, the Fourth Raikage has only just taken office. They need time for the transition and adjustment, so there shouldn't be any issue with me going to the Kirigakure Front."

"But what if something goes wrong?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "Kumogakure is unlike the other ninja villages. Their transfer of power is extremely smooth, not to mention that the Third Raikage and the Fourth Raikage are father and son."

Danzo fell silent.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's concerns were indeed valid. The transition of power between the Third Raikage and the Fourth Raikage would not cause Kumogakure any major upheaval. The Fourth Raikage might even use a victory in war upon taking office to raise Kumogakure's morale.

He truly could not leave the Kumogakure front.

Silence fell over the Hokage's office.

After a long while, the Third Hokage took a roster of ninja from a drawer and puffed on his pipe.

"I want Kushina to go to the Kirigakure front."

"No!"

"What?! That's not possible!"

"I disagree too, Hiruzen. Kushina cannot go!"

The moment he said this, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Danzo all went pale and immediately rejected the idea.

Danzo slammed the cane in his hand heavily against the floor, producing a series of dull thuds as his single eye fixed on Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, the Jinchūriki must never leave Konohagakure!"