Whether to help the other side target Kumogakure was an extremely difficult decision. Even the Kage, as leaders of their villages, fell into hesitation. Mei Terumi could not help tapping the table, each tap seeming to strike deep into people's hearts.
None of them immediately stated their position. Instead, they waited for those around them to reveal their stance.
Minato Namikaze looked toward Uchiha Yuu. The latter had fallen into thought, knowing this decision concerned the village's future alignment.
If they truly helped the other side defeat Kumogakure, the Kumogakure of old would become history. Even if a few stragglers were lucky enough to escape, compared to a behemoth like Konoha, and without the support of a nation, they would be unable to sustain further development.
Konoha would not only obtain the considerable wealth Kumogakure left behind, but also the vast sums of money brought by Akatsuki, allowing Konoha to recover from the exhaustion of war.
Of course, all of this rested on Akatsuki being able to defeat them.
If they failed to defeat Kumogakure, then any villages that had helped Akatsuki would become Kumogakure's enemies. Should a Shinobi World War break out in the future, Kumogakure would surely be the first to retaliate against them.
With their villages' future stability at stake, those present did not agree right away.
The atmosphere sank into a standstill, though fortunately, they had plenty of time.
They were all weighing the strength of both sides, trying to determine which had the greater chance of victory.
In that quiet atmosphere, a voice broke the deadlock. Ebizo's aged words rang out, drawing everyone's attention.
"Our village is willing to send shinobi to support your invasion."
Ebizo placed his hand on the summoning scroll. Naturally, he did not withdraw it immediately. His gaze swept across the