While everyone present was still considering Uchiha Yuzhen's suggestion,
his teacher, Namikaze Minato, made the decision outright:
"That's how we'll proceed. Yuzhen will lead part of the Uchiha forces and join up with the troops the village has assigned."
"Once you reach the Land of Hot Water, don't make any moves for the time being. We'll see how Kumogakure responds to us."
"After all, those Kumogakure barbarians have no shame, but we do! As for what comes next... every action we take will be guided by the village's instructions."
Minato's reasoning was simple. Kumogakure's current behavior was just as Lord Third had said.
They probably had no real intention of negotiating peace.
If so...
They would prepare for the worst and seize the initiative.
First courtesy, then force.
The message from the Kumogakure envoy, representing the "courtesy" part, would reach Kumogakure at a speed
that was entirely under their control.
After all, Konoha wasn't like those uncivilized hillbillies from Kumogakure. They still had to care about appearances.
They had to act in self-defense and avoid waging an unjust war.
Therefore, in this incident...
With time, justification, and, most importantly, military strength all on Konoha's side,
Minato was already considering how to negotiate the terms of the treaty after their victory.
There was no helping it. Namikaze Minato knew just how outrageous his disciple's strength was.
With the advantage entirely in his hands, he simply couldn't imagine how they could possibly lose!
Hearing the current Hokage, Namikaze Minato, make his decision, everyone present nodded in agreement.
"Yes!"
The brothers Hiashi and Hizashi, in particular, felt as if a weight had been lifted from their hearts.
After all, judging by the situation...
The village clearly wasn't going to sell out the interests of the noble clans to pursue some empty notion of