"What did you say?!"
Ōnoki's aged voice turned piercing with utter shock, almost splitting everyone's eardrums!
The Fourth Raikage!
Personally leading an army of three thousand Kumogakure shinobi!
Had already crossed the border!
Each of those key phrases slammed into the hearts of every Iwagakure official present like a colossal hammer!
The atmosphere in the conference room, which had only just eased slightly following their submission, was instantly shrouded once more in a shadow like death itself!
"It's over... now we're truly finished!"
Ishikawa, the newly appointed "sole elder," had just climbed off the floor. At the news, his legs buckled, and he collapsed again, all color draining from his face.
They had barely offended Kumogakure before its army came knocking at their door!
And leading it personally was Fourth Raikage A, whose temper and speed were unrivaled throughout the Shinobi World!
How was this any different from a death warrant?!
"Lord Gen'yō... this..."
Ōnoki instinctively turned his gaze toward Uchiha Gen'yō, his voice shaking violently with panic.
His heart was filled with endless regret and bitterness.
If those fools on the Council of Elders hadn't acted on their own, how could they have brought such a terrifying catastrophe upon them?!
Now Iwagakure was trapped between two terrifying powers, the Uchiha and Kumogakure. The slightest misstep would mean the village's destruction and its people's deaths!
Yet contrary to everyone's expectations, faced with a battle report that would make any Kage-level powerhouse's scalp prickle, Uchiha Gen'yō remained as unruffled as ever, his expression even carrying a trace of languor.
He merely took the declaration of war from Ōnoki and casually glanced at it.
Then.
Riiip.
Under everyone's horrified gazes, he slowly tore the declaration of war representing the Fourth Raikage's will into pieces, right before them all.
"How noisy."
Uchiha Gen'yō dusted his hands as though brushing away a trivial speck of dust.
"Three thousand?"
"Does he misunderstand what the word 'army' means?"
"Or does he think these few men are worthy of spilling Uchiha blood?"
Those utterly calm words held a dominance and disdain a hundred times more arrogant than the Fourth Raikage's declaration of war!
"Lord Gen'yō, this... you absolutely mustn't!"
Ōnoki was so frantic he nearly fell out of the air!
Tearing up the Raikage's declaration of war before everyone was no different from declaring a fight to the death!
"This isn't the time to act on impulse! You may not know the Fourth Raikage's temper, but he's a madman! Three thousand elite Kumogakure shinobi, combined with his own speed, would be enough to tear through any of our defensive lines in a short time!"
Kitsuchi also stepped forward anxiously and spoke gravely.
"Father is right! We must assemble our forces immediately and establish defenses along the border, or the consequences will be unthinkable!"
"Establish defenses?"
Uchiha Gen'yō looked as though he had heard some enormous joke.
He turned and looked at the worried father and son as though they were idiots.
"Why establish defenses?"
"Isn't he coming to demand an explanation?"
"Then I'll go give him one myself. Wouldn't that settle it?"
"What?!"
Everyone present was shocked by those words!
Go himself?!
All alone?!
To face three thousand Kumogakure shinobi and the enraged Fourth Raikage?!
How was that any different from going to his death?!
"Lord Gen'yō! Please reconsider!"
Even Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help speaking up. Although he trusted Gen'yō absolutely, this decision was simply far too shocking.
"Those three thousand Kumogakure shinobi aren't the remnants of Konoha's Anbu. They're a truly battle-hardened army! And the Fourth Raikage himself is commanding them!"
"That's right, Big Brother Gen'yō!"
Shisui Uchiha also stepped forward, fierce fighting spirit burning in his eyes.
"Please let me accompany you! My Body Flicker Technique will certainly be of help!"
Looking at everyone's tense, worried expressions, Uchiha Gen'yō shook his head helplessly.
"You still don't understand."
"When did I ever say that resolving a war required waging one?"
His gaze swept across the room before finally settling on Ōnoki.
"Lord Tsuchikage, didn't you just ask how I intended to solve the problem of your Land of Earth's barren soil?"
"I can give you the answer right now."
Gen'yō slowly raised his right hand, which held the Seed of the World Tree.
The seed floated quietly above his palm, emitting a soft green glow and brimming with a sacred, immense aura of life.
"The answer is right here."
"And the audience who will witness it has already arrived."
The corners of Uchiha Gen'yō's mouth curved into a cold smile full of mischievous malice.
"Come on. All of you, follow me."
"It suddenly occurs to me that planting a brand-new forest along the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning would make a very nice 'welcoming ceremony.'"
With that, he paid no more attention to the people behind him, who had fallen into utter stupefaction. His figure flickered, turning into a spatial vortex and vanishing on the spot.
Fugaku and Shisui exchanged a glance. Although still full of questions, they followed without hesitation.
Only Ōnoki, his son Kitsuchi, and the Iwagakure officials remained, utterly bewildered.
Plant a forest?
Along the border?
Right in front of three thousand Kumogakure shinobi?!
What... what kind of outrageous talk was this?!
"Father, we..." Kitsuchi swallowed with difficulty.
"Follow him!"
Ōnoki gritted his teeth, a wild gambler's look appearing on his aged face!
He had a powerful premonition!
Today, he might personally witness a true miracle capable of overturning the history of the entire Shinobi World!
"Tell me, when the Fourth Raikage sees a desert turn into an oasis before his eyes, will he still be in the mood to discuss just how much that useless subordinate's arm is worth?"