The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.
Dozens of gazes, like searchlights, focused on Hiroki. They held scrutiny, suspicion, and a hint of absurdity that even they themselves had yet to notice—the notion of placing their hopes in a child.
Hiroki did not answer at once.
This was not the first time the Third had asked for his opinion.
The last time, when they had faced Hanzo, the Third had likewise given him a choice.
And when it came to the Hyuga Clan matter, the Third had also given him the freedom to deal with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu as he saw fit.
But without a doubt, that freedom came at a price.
The Third's respect for him was something he had to repay by serving Konoha.
For example, by going to war.
It was clear that this war was when he had to repay that debt.
Even at a time like this, though, the Third still valued Hiroki's own opinions and views. He simply wasn't being as forceful about it.
Hiroki took a deep breath and began to analyze the differences between the three battlefields in detail.
First was the Land of Rain main battlefield.
This was a typical head-on battlefield. Their enemies were Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, and A, the Third Raikage.
They were two living legends, monsters who stood at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World and wielded the power to lay waste to the world. Even in the Fourth Shinobi World War arc of Naruto: Shippuden, they were still the main forces in the war!
If the Third Raikage could resist his Genjutsu and Golden Finger abilities, Hiroki had almost no way to affect him.
And the Third Raikage happened to be the kind of enemy Hiroki was worst at dealing with—extremely fast,