The ranks stretched out in a vast formation.
Almost as Naruto led several thousand Snow Ninja under his command into a semicircular encirclement around the outskirts of Konoha Village, bearing down on Konohagakure like Mount Tai, Tsunade was also gathering the two or three thousand elite troops Konoha could muster. They were elite in the truest sense of the word: not a single Genin among them, and the overwhelming majority were civilian-born ninja. Almost none of the Konoha Ninja belonging to the various clans appeared in this force, though a small number of clan-born ninja had joined them. Some were simply fanatically loyal to Konoha.
Others had been inspired by the First's return. Ignoring the advice of their clan heads and elders, they insisted on following the First and the others to fight for Konoha. By ordinary standards, the clans' actions could already be called a betrayal of Konoha. But not only Senju Hashirama, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, but even the ruthless Tobirama Senju chose to turn a blind eye and let it pass.
One reason was the pressure of the situation. They could not afford another internal disturbance.
The other was that these clans had already lost many people fighting for Konoha in the previous major battle. The head of the Aburame Clan—Shibi Aburame, Shino Aburame's father—had died there. The Hyuga Clan had also sent more than twenty members into battle, all of them at least ordinary Chunin, despite Hiashi's own intentions. When the battle ended and the survivors managed to retreat, only five or six had made it back. The losses among the other clans were much the same.
It could be said that these clans had already shed blood and tears for Konoha.
Now they were trying to preserve their clans.
From the perspective of basic human nature,