After Gaara's sincere declaration, a long silence settled over the conference hall once more.
"I support the Kazekage's proposal." Behind the Water Daimyo, a woman with long red hair broke the silence.
"Mizukage, even you..."
Mei Terumi spoke with conviction. "Your Excellency, when the nest falls, no one escapes unscathed. This is a catastrophe that all humanity will face together! Fortunately, the toad's prophecy, which has never failed, has already shown us the way: we must cultivate a 'Celestial Ninja' at any cost!"
"The deadline is clear, and so is the goal. Whichever way you look at it, our only way forward is to unite, overcome every obstacle, and achieve that goal within the allotted time, isn't it?"
Mei Terumi spoke as though it were only natural.
The Wind Daimyo picked up the teacup before him. The tea had gone cold, but he still gulped it down.
His gaze flickered, his expression somewhat grim.
"You ninjas are good at breathing fire, spitting water, and fighting to prove your strength, but affairs of state can't be put into practice with a few hand signs!"
"Have you considered how much resistance Shixiu and the Kazekage's ideas will face when we actually try to implement them?"
Mei Terumi gave her own daimyo's words serious thought before replying. "Opening Ninja Academies throughout the country to select promising ninja candidates would indeed require not only enormous funding, but also a vast number of instructors. After all, ninjas would have to handle everything themselves. Still... given the Land of Water's circumstances, if we mobilized every ninja in Kirigakure ranked Chunin or above, perhaps we could..."
The Water Daimyo interrupted her. "This isn't merely a question of manpower!"
"Then what do you mean...?"
"Most obviously, once we implement a measure that turns the entire population into soldiers,