Seeing Hanzō look his way, Sanshōyu Shinda slowly stood, a confident smile appearing on his face as he offered his opinion. Yet the moment he spoke, Yahiko's expression darkened further:
"I think Yahiko's suggestion would simply push our Amegakure toward destruction!"
Yahiko was trembling slightly, his fists clenched, clearly on the verge of flying into a rage. But with Hanzō present, he could only hold it in.
Konan, beside Yahiko, could not hold back and immediately retorted:
"We're trying to protect the village! How does that become destroying the village coming from you? What are you really after?"
Shinzō of the Salamander was not angered by her words. Instead, a sinister smile appeared on his face as he said:
"You're doing me an injustice. I have no intention of targeting you. Why do you think Sunagakure dares to attack Konoha at a time like this? Do you think they don't know Konoha and Kumogakure have already formed an alliance?"
Shinzō of the Salamander's questions made Konan freeze, and a bad feeling welled up within her.
Shinzō of the Salamander continued:
"Konoha has more than just Sunagakure as an enemy. Iwagakure is involved as well. Things are manageable during this unusual period, with both sides holding each other in check. We could indeed pressure Sunagakure into withdrawing its troops, but what about afterward? Sunagakure and Iwagakure have spent so many resources launching this war, only for us to ruin it. Do you think they would swallow that?"
At these words, not only were Yahiko and the others left speechless, even Hanzō nodded repeatedly, clearly agreeing wholeheartedly with Shinzō of the Salamander.
Yahiko had been so intent on stopping the war that he had forgotten about the aftermath. He hurriedly dropped to one knee to ask Lord Hanzō's forgiveness:
"Lord Hanzō, I