Hokage Building

Konoha, Hokage Building.

The night was deep, yet the Hokage's office remained brightly lit.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, clad in his haori robe, showed signs of age and weariness as he slowly lifted his gaze from the intelligence scrolls spread across the desk.

He took a deep drag from his pipe, letting the bitter smoke swirl in his mouth, but it could hardly dispel the gloom in his heart.

According to the latest intelligence, Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning, Iwagakure of the Land of Earth, and Sunagakure of the Land of Wind had all dispatched their shinobi forces.

Following the unspoken understanding among the Five Great Nations, they had each stationed their troops in the buffer zones surrounding the Land of Fire.

Apart from not wanting to be the first to face Konoha's focused retaliation, they were each harboring thoughts of absorbing smaller nations' hidden villages as cannon fodder.

Sunagakure coveted the passage through the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, Iwagakure had its eyes on the borders of the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls, and Kumogakure's forces were aimed directly at the Land of Hot Water.

Numerous small-scale ninja squads had already begun infiltrating the Land of Fire, attacking Konoha shinobi.

These minor skirmishes could escalate into a full-scale war at any moment. Many areas were overwhelmed, and Konoha's defenders could only react passively. Even some ninjas from smaller nations had started to take advantage of the chaos in the Land of Fire.

With such a vast territory, many places could only be left to the ravages of enemy ninjas.

Even more worrying was Kirigakure, far overseas, which could cross the sea at any time.

"We absolutely cannot sit back and wait for death."

"The legacy of Konoha must not end in my generation."

A ruthless glint flashed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes as he took a deep breath, two streams of smoke billowing from his nostrils.

The thick white smoke spread through the room. Just then, the office door was gently pushed open.

"Cough, cough..." Mitokado Homura, entering first, frowned, irritated by the dense smoke.

Utatane Koharu, following close behind, glanced at her old friend shrouded in smoke, sighed softly, and walked silently to the window, pushing open the closed casement.

The night wind, carrying the damp scent of plants from the Konoha forest and the lingering warmth of the distant market, surged into the office soaked in tobacco and anxiety.

The strong smell of smoke around Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth and nose was quickly diluted, replaced by a freshness mixed with night dew and earth, clearing his mind, which had grown dull from overthinking.

"Hiruzen, don't be too anxious. Konoha is hailed as the strongest hidden village; that foundation isn't something they can shake easily."

Mitokado Homura sat down in a nearby chair, trying to sound relaxed.

"Haven't we gotten through the two great shinobi wars the same way?"

Utatane Koharu, sitting down as well, followed up with a calm analysis.

"Homura is right."

"Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure—when have they ever truly trusted each other? They're just putting up a front while scheming behind each other's backs, united only by profit."

"As long as they find Konoha to be a tough nut to crack, and we fan the flames a little, most of them will turn on each other out of suspicion and greed, tearing each other apart."

"Konoha might not be without a chance to profit from their conflict."

This clear analysis eased the furrow in Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow slightly.

But then, as if remembering something, Utatane Koharu looked around, frowning slightly.

"By the way, at a time like this... where is Danzō?"

As her words fell, a cold, sneering laugh came from the doorway, like a chunk of ice hitting the floor.

"Fan the flames? That sounds nice." Shimura Danzō's figure stepped out of the shadows outside the door.

"In the end, doesn't it just mean having me and my 'Root' do all the dirty, thankless work for you?"

He stopped under the light, his face, etched with the wrinkles of time, almost solidifying with a sinister expression.

One look at him and you knew he was no good.

"Truly, no good jobs come my way, while all the dangerous ones land squarely on me."

"Enough, Danzō."

Sarutobi Hiruzen put down his pipe and waved his hand impatiently at his sarcastic old friend, cutting off his divisive remarks.

Ever since the Jonin Council meeting ended and he had a private, closed-door talk with the Uchiha Clan Head, Shimura Danzō had been wearing a deadpan expression, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen utterly exasperated.

Now, with powerful enemies surrounding them and Konoha in need of manpower, it was precisely the time to rely on the Uchiha's formidable combat strength.

But Danzō stubbornly clung to his extreme views, his face clearly showing his profound distrust of the Uchiha, even revealing an intent to uproot them entirely.

Such an uncooperative, shortsighted, and stubborn attitude left Sarutobi Hiruzen feeling a deep sense of helplessness, with no energy left to offer kind words.

"Danzō, come sit down."

As the only woman among the four higher-ups, Utatane Koharu often acted as a lubricant, easing the tense atmosphere when the men argued.

Shimura Danzō, his face dark, sat down in an empty chair and then closed his eyes, adopting a silent attitude.

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at him and, seeing he had no intention of speaking, wasted no more time and clearly laid out the grave situation.

"Ultimately, the battles between the Five Great Hidden Villages are a struggle for profit."

"At the same time, they inevitably involve the nations behind each of them."

After listening, Mitokado Homura immediately said, "I suggest we must initiate diplomatic action at this point."

"On behalf of Konoha, I will personally travel to the Capital of the Land of Fire to seek an audience with Lord Daimyo."

His tone was firm, his reasoning clear.

"This trip has two main objectives."

"First, to present the border crisis to the Daimyo and urgently request financial aid from the Land of Fire to sustain the prolonged war we may face."

"Second, and more importantly, to implore Lord Daimyo to use his status and influence to issue formal diplomatic inquiries to the other four great nations."

"Condemn the unjust aggression, pressure them to restrain their respective hidden villages, and create a sliver of opportunity for a peaceful resolution."

"Surely the Daimyo would not wish for the Land of Fire to suffer further losses."

Shimura Danzō half-closed his eyes, casting a sidelong glance at Mitokado Homura, who was speaking with such eloquence.

Those high-sounding diplomatic platitudes, to his ears, were nothing but Homura's excuse to avoid the front lines.

An attempt to replace true bloodshed and battle with documents and negotiations.

Moreover, in this storm sweeping across the entire Shinobi World, were the Daimyos seated behind the scenes of each nation truly innocent?

They appeared detached and aloof, but who could guarantee that the endless stream of supplies flowing to the front lines, the tacit approval and indulgence of the villages waging war, hid no deeper schemes?

These sanctimonious rulers might well be playing the role of instigators, or even watching from the safety of the shore.

"Homura, leave this matter to you. Set out tomorrow morning and reach an agreement with the Daimyo as soon as possible."

Sarutobi Hiruzen made his decision, then turned to Utatane Koharu, who laid out the plan she had just fully considered.

"Konoha does not lack early-war supplies; we can send the ninja forces on standby in the village to the front lines at any time. The biggest problem now is the commanders of each front—if their strength is insufficient, they cannot withstand the enemy villages' military edge."