The Hokage's Office.
"You've all read the battle report from Uzushio Village. Tell me what you think."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, an irrepressible smile tugging at his lips as he looked at Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura beside him.
Utatane Koharu hesitated for a few seconds. "Hiruzen, has the news been confirmed?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
"Lady Mito and the others haven't returned yet. Jonin Dan Katō was ordered to bring the report back ahead of them. The information has been verified."
At those words, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura couldn't help drawing sharp breaths.
Even Danzo's perpetually gloomy expression eased. His eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of satisfaction.
"This is unbelievable!" Utatane Koharu murmured. "We've captured more than a dozen Kumogakure Jonin, the Third Mizukage was severely wounded, five of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were killed, and the Iwagakure Jonin squad was wiped out..."
Mitokado Homura nodded. Any one of those reports alone would have counted as news of a victory.
He stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes burning with excitement. "Hiruzen, is it true that only a few Konoha ninja were wounded, with none killed?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi cheerfully exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled. "Homura, you read that correctly. It's true."
"This is a tremendous victory! An unimaginable victory!" Mitokado Homura slapped the table hard, barely able to contain his excitement. "With Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure suffering such heavy losses, this war might not even happen!"
Utatane Koharu nodded repeatedly, marveling, "Exactly! Lady Mito is so powerful. With her here, who would dare start a war?"
As one of Konoha's leaders, she had previously had mixed feelings about Mito Uzumaki.
After all, no one wanted an imposing authority looming over them, forcing them to tread carefully in everything they did.
Fortunately, Mito Uzumaki couldn't be bothered with the village's mundane affairs, and they had never clashed over authority.
Moreover, Mito Uzumaki had scarcely fought since the village's founding.
Koharu had only known that Mito Uzumaki might be very powerful. She had never imagined she would be this strong.
She had faced the Third Raikage and more than a dozen Kumogakure elites alone, and in the end, the Third Raikage had fled in disgrace with only two others...
Such fighting prowess inspired awe.
Amid the swirling smoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze grew complicated.
He hadn't expected Mito Uzumaki to be so powerful either. He couldn't help wondering whether he could have accomplished what she had.
Just then, Danzo spoke up with a cold snort. "Has this victory blinded you all?"
The smiles vanished from Utatane Koharu's and Mitokado Homura's faces.
Hiruzen Sarutobi also looked at his old friend, curious about what Danzo would say next.
"Koharu, Homura, you're too naive!"
Utatane Koharu asked in confusion, "Are we wrong?"
"Yes! Do you think the other hidden villages won't start a war just because they've suffered heavy losses?" Danzo said coldly. "They've merely lost some ninja. They will still go to war!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi considered this for a moment and silently nodded.
He cast Danzo an approving look.
As expected of Danzo, he remained calm and clearheaded even at a time like this.
Utatane Koharu shook her head and challenged him. "With Lady Mito here, the other hidden villages will have another concern to weigh before starting a war. Even if war can't be avoided, it will at least be delayed. That's to our advantage."
Mitokado Homura agreed. "That's what I think too."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded as well. Koharu also had a point.
Danzo didn't rush to argue. Mito Uzumaki's fighting prowess had shocked him too.
After a moment's contemplation, Danzo said, "You're wrong about one thing. Delaying the war is bad for us. All three major hidden villages have suffered heavy losses. Giving them time to recover their strength does us no good whatsoever."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked thoughtful.
That seemed to make sense.
Danzo turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his gaze icy. "So stop hesitating, Hiruzen. Let's go to war!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi choked on his smoke and coughed violently several times.
"Danzo, what did you say?"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura froze as well, unable to understand how they had suddenly arrived at starting a war.
Had they missed something just now?
Danzo frowned, deeply dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi's reaction.
Hmph. If I were the Hokage...
He suppressed his displeasure and explained, "We don't need to worry about Kirigakure. Kumogakure has suffered devastating losses, and morale is shaken. The same goes for Iwagakure. Seizing this opportunity to launch a war ourselves is our most advantageous option!
Lady Mito can handle the Kumogakure front alone, Orochimaru can take the Iwagakure front, and Hatake Sakumo can handle the Sunagakure front..."
Danzo laid out his entire plan in one breath, then declared firmly, "Konoha will win this war!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura came to their senses and exchanged a glance.
Each saw temptation in the other's eyes.
If they would have to fight eventually anyway, why shouldn't Konoha seize the initiative?
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."
Looking at the fervor in Danzo's eyes and his two visibly tempted old friends, he sighed.
Was this a joke?
It was true that the other major hidden villages coveted Konoha and targeted it, but they also had blood feuds with one another, making a genuine alliance difficult.
But if Konoha started the war, the situation would be different.
What if they set aside their grievances and attacked Konoha with everything they had...?
And they wanted Mito Uzumaki to handle the Kumogakure front alone?
However powerful Mito Uzumaki was, her vitality was finite. Were they going to let her exhaust herself to death on the battlefield?
What would happen to the Nine-Tails?
At that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "No. Having Lady Mito face the Kumogakure front alone is too risky. We cannot afford to lose the Nine-Tails."
Danzo sneered. "Hiruzen, do you think I'd make such an oversight? Don't forget, we have more than a dozen Kumogakure ninja in our hands."
"You want to use those ninja to threaten the Third Raikage?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had little faith in that plan.
As Hokage, he believed that if he faced such a situation, he would rather abandon a dozen or so elites than compromise the village's safety.
Danzo shook his head. "The Third Raikage will certainly negotiate with us to get those ninja back... Hiruzen, do you remember the tactic Lord Tobirama invented?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, then asked in disbelief, "...Impure World Reincarnation? Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags? Danzo, have you gone mad?"
Danzo's eyes were cold. "Lord Tobirama invented that tactic for us to use! If we use it properly, we can crush Kumogakure completely in this war!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo, feeling as though he were meeting his old friend for the first time.
All kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind.
Could this tactic work?
Mito Uzumaki, along with more than a dozen Kumogakure Jonin, unleashing Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags among the Kumogakure ninja...
After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "No!"
Seeing the warning in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Danzo felt anger well up inside him.
"Why not?! Hiruzen, you know this is the perfect plan! As long as..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off, slamming his hand down on the table. "Enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!"
Danzo took a deep breath and said bitterly, "Hmph. Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
With that, he grabbed the office door. But just before he could slam it on his way out, Danzo abruptly stopped and turned back to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen, who supplied the intelligence about this attack on Uzushio Village?"