"Hmm? Tell me your reasons."
Tobirama Senju neither agreed nor disagreed. He stood expressionlessly where he was, his eyes still fixed on the distant Kumogakure force.
His attitude left the people around him afraid to say anything further. Those familiar with him knew that this meant he disapproved.
"I, I—"
But just then, a calm voice came from behind him. "Hokage, I have a different opinion."
Tobirama Senju turned at the sound. When he saw Uchiha Ao approaching, the coldness in his expression immediately softened considerably.
"I took a look. There is no sign of Kinkaku Ginkaku in the Cloud Village force across from us."
Tobirama Senju's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
"If we eliminate the Raikage and his main force here,"
Uchiha Ao continued, his voice not loud but every word clear, "then we would be clearing away Kinkaku Ginkaku's greatest obstacle for them. In terms of strength, those two are enough to lead the people of Kumogakure in a prolonged war against us for several more years.
Konoha might win in the end, but the price behind that victory would likely not be much lighter than the losses before us. Besides, the Mist Village, Iwagakure, and the Sand Village will not simply stand by and watch."
After those words, the two Anbu and Jonin who had been urging action just moments ago fell silent.
Tobirama Senju remained where he was and did not speak at once. He was thinking. It was not hesitation, but a habit of running through every relevant variable in an extremely short time. He had possessed that habit since his youth, and it was one of the reasons he had survived on the battlefield until today.
Uchiha Ao was right.
The Shinobi World did not consist of only Konoha and Kumogakure. That sort of either-or