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Ch. 127: The Night of Genocide: Prelude
🕑 Added 2024-10-05 16:00:00 +0000 UTCWhen Hiruzen finished speaking, everyone took a sharp breath. Could Konoha alone really stand against an entire world?
Even if you added the ordinary soldiers of the Land of Fire, the situation wouldn't change much. The combat power of the Mi-Gos wasn't something ordinary people could match; regular soldiers would only be cannon fodder.
Moreover, if they chose to go to war with them, they had to consider one crucial thing:
This wouldn't be a war between nations or villages but a war between species—humans against the Mi-Gos.
"Consider this carefully. If we lose, it's not just Konoha at stake. It's all of humanity."
"Our shinobi are strong enough to-"
"Strong enough to risk the entire human race?" Hiruzen interrupted, his gaze sharp. "Are you certain, Danzo?"
The greatest difference between wars within the same species and wars between species is that, if defeated, the losing side would bear an unbearable cost. The defeated species could be enslaved as labor, or in the worst case, face total extermination.
If Konoha went to war with other ninja villages and lost, the worst that could happen would be losing land, paying reparations, or seeking alliances. Even if Konoha itself were destroyed, the civilians of the Land of Fire wouldn't be affected much.
But if they lost the war against the Mi-Gos, the civilians of the entire Land of Fire would face slaughter at the hands of another species. The Mi-Gos, coming from a different race, or even a different world, would show no mercy to humans.
From the previous encounters with them, it was clear their way of thinking was entirely alien to humans. They had no empathy. They could tear open a human brain and put it in a metal cylinder without hesitation. To them, humans, despite being intelligent, were no more than lab rats.
Shikaku cleared his throat. "I saw it with my own eyes. They extracted a man's brain as casually as we'd pick an apple. To them, we're nothing but specimens."
Hoping that such a race would spare civilians after a defeat was simply impossible. Hiruzen's words were meant to remind everyone that this wasn't a normal war—it was a war between species.
And the consequences of losing such a war were something that neither Konoha nor the entire Land of Fire could afford.
Seeing that the room remained silent, Hiruzen continued, "Based on the information we've gathered so far on the Mi-Gos, I estimate that their combat power is above that of a chunin, but below that of a jonin."
"In other words, a Mi-Go's combat ability is roughly equal to that of a special jonin."
Tsume's eyes narrowed. "Special jonin? That's not a threat."
"Perhaps not individually, but consider their numbers. Konoha currently has 7,924 ninjas. Of these, 4,754 are genin, 1,580 are chunin, 1,124 are special jonin, and 466 are jonin."
"We will be facing an unknown number of Mi-Gos, but it's certain there will be tens of thousands. I think everyone here understands what the final outcome will be."
Once again, Hiruzen's words brought a long silence.
After hearing these numbers, the previously indignant ninjas seemed as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over them. No one dared speak of war.
Choza broke the silence, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. "Tens of thousands of special jonin-level enemies... It's unthinkable."
Shibi adjusted his sunglasses. "Statistically unfavorable, to put it mildly."
The Mi-Go represented an entire species. Even if there were only tens of thousands, Konoha alone wouldn't be able to handle it.
"I object!" Danzo said, seeing no one had voiced opposition.
"You keep saying that Konoha's combat power is inferior to the Mi-Go's, but I completely disagree."
"You claim a single Mi-Go is as strong as a special jonin. That alone is a mistake."
"In the recent battle at the Daimyō's mansion, Guy, a mere chunin, was able to face off against several Mi-Gos by himself. This shows that our ninjas possess greater combat power. A single ninja should be able to handle a Mi-Go easily."
Danzo's words sparked murmurs among the masked ninjas at the edges of the room.
Although most didn't know who Guy was or hadn't seen a Mi-Go, knowing that a chunin could fight several Mi-Gos gave them a rough idea of the power balance.
"Yes, if even a chunin can take on several Mi-Gos, then jonin like us shouldn't have any problems."
"As long as each of us can take down three—no, five Mi-Gos, even if tens of thousands of them come, it won't be an issue."
The people discussing this were highly skilled, many of them captains from the ANBU and Root, most of whom were either jonin or elite jonin. So it was natural for them to assume jonin were superior to chunin.
However, one masked ninja with white hair shook his head slightly. Though he didn't speak, he silently disagreed with the others' assumptions.
Guy was an anomaly, and his strength couldn't be measured in the same way as an ordinary ninja's.
As the discussions continued, Hiruzen coughed twice, silencing the room.
"If you hadn't reminded me, Danzo, I almost forgot. Due to his exceptional performance in this recent incident, both in combat ability, awareness, and teamwork, Guy will be promoted."
"And with Shikaku as an eyewitness and willing to recommend him, I've decided to promote Guy from chunin to jonin."
"From now on, Guy is a jonin of Konoha!"
The purpose of this meeting had been to discuss whether to go to war with the Mi-Go. But halfway through, Hiruzen suddenly announced a promotion. This unexpected decision clearly revealed his intent to suppress Danzo's proposal.
Only the white-haired masked ninja at the edge of the room nodded in agreement. It's about time. Guy's mastery of the Eight Inner Gates has grown too strong. If he were serious, I might have a hard time defeating him.
Danzo snorted at Hiruzen's sudden announcement. "You're promoting a chunin just to avoid going to war?"
"No, this is something I've long intended to do. It has nothing to do with today's discussion."
"Even if we don't measure by Guy's combat ability, the other eight chunin who took part in the same mission struggled against the Mi-Gos."
"Even Shikaku and Guy together couldn't actually kill any of the Mi-Gos. In fact, the only person who's managed to kill or capture a Mi-Go so far is one individual."
"Tsunade."
Hiruzen then looked at Tsunade, signaling for her to speak.
Tsunade, who had been zoning out, finally spoke after a moment. "Yes, their bio-armor makes them very hard to kill."
"That's only because she's a medical ninja," Danzo scoffed.
Tsunade's eyes flashed dangerously. "In open combat, I'd like to see you fare better against them, Danzo."
Hiruzen raised a hand, forestalling further argument. "However, we've discovered that the chakra scalpel is the most effective technique against their bio-armor, and most who can use that technique are medical ninjas."
The room erupted into heated discussions, the council clearly divided between those eager for war and those urging caution.
This division could weaken us more than any external threat, Hiashi perceived the chakra fluctuations in the room. We need unity now more than ever.
Just as the debate was reaching a stalemate, a voice came from the doorway.
"The Daimyō has arrived!"
"The Daimyō? Why would he come?"
The ninjas on the outskirts of the meeting room were puzzled. After all, this was an internal meeting for Konoha, and although the Daimyō was currently taking refuge in the village, he hadn't been invited, so it was unexpected for him to attend.
"Troublesome." Shikaku muttered under his breath.
Hiruzen's eyes scanned the room, eventually settling on Danzo, who sat calmly across the table.
Was it him? He studied his old rival's impassive face.
"Compose yourselves," Hiruzen commanded. "Show proper respect."
Danzo's lips curled into a subtle smirk. "Of course. We wouldn't want to disappoint our esteemed leader."
While everyone was confused, the Daimyō's status as a highly respected figure meant that no matter where he appeared in Konoha, he was always treated as an honored guest. The ninjas in the room could only open the doors wide to welcome him in.
The Daimyō, looking somewhat lazy, entered the room flanked by some ministers. Without hesitation, he took the main seat at the table.
"I heard you're discussing whether to go to war with those monsters, is that right?" His voice carried a hint of boredom, but his eyes were sharp.
"What's the outcome of your discussion?"
He gently waved his fan, appearing indifferent, but Hiruzen knew that if the Daimyō truly didn't care, he wouldn't have come in person.
Hiruzen cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. "Daimyō-sama, it's a complex issue that requires careful consideration."
"I believe that the Mi-Gos' combat power is not something ordinary ninjas can handle. The number of ninjas in Konoha is limited, and going to war would have far-reaching consequences."
"Moreover, there's too much we don't know about them. We might have only scratched the surface of their technology, but they already understand our chakra. If they've started studying our chakra—"
Before he could finish, the Daimyō interrupted, his fan snapping shut with a sharp click.
"If that's the case, shouldn't we attack them before they figure it out?"
The Daimyō's sudden statement left Hiruzen at a loss for words.
At this moment, Danzo spoke up, continuing the conversation. "You're being too conservative. You've always been like this, and under your leadership, Konoha has grown weak."
"Caution has kept us alive, Danzo. Recklessness could destroy us all."
"Now that the Mi-Gos have started bullying us, if we don't take action, we risk becoming a laughingstock to the other great nations and ninja villages, Hokage-sama."
"No matter how strong the Mi-Go are, they are still an alien race. If an alien race can unite to attack us humans, why can't we unite against them?"
"If we can unite the other four great ninja villages, that combined strength would be enough to resist the Mi-Go."
Danzo's words caused an uproar among most of the ninjas in the room.
"Yeah, if we unite with the other villages, we'd definitely be strong enough."
"The combined power of the Five Great Ninja Villages could definitely defeat the Mi-Go."
However, unlike the ninjas on the outskirts of the room, the leaders of the ninja clans sitting at the table remained silent. Their words represented not just themselves, but their entire clans.
Among them, the heads of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi, and the Nara clan, Shikaku, did not look pleased.
Hiashi's displeasure was understandable. Not long ago, an incident occurred where a delegation from Kumo had come to Konoha under the pretense of forming a peace treaty but secretly kidnapped his daughter, Hinata. Although he managed to rescue her and kill the leader of the delegation, Kumo then used this as leverage to demand punishment for the murderer.
The issue had been resolved by his brother, Hizashi, offering his life in Hiashi's place, but Hiashi still harbored deep resentment. Now, with Danzo suggesting an alliance with other ninja villages—especially Kumo—it was naturally difficult for him to remain calm.
As for Shikaku, he had no personal grudge. His sharp mind, however, allowed him to see deeper into the matter. He realized that this wasn't just a meeting about whether to go to war with the Mi-Gos; it was a highly political gathering.
The ones who had suffered the most in this situation were the Daimyō and the nobility of the Land of Fire, many of whom had been killed by the Mi-Gos. In comparison, Konoha hadn't faced such significant losses.
However, Konoha was still subordinate to the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, essentially functioning as mercenaries for his government. In times of peace, the village was maintained by the Daimyō. But after such significant losses, Konoha was expected to restore his honor and provide some form of retribution.
If a rift were to form between them, or if Konoha were to lose the Daimyō's support, the consequences would be unimaginable for the village.
Thus, this meeting was largely meaningless. Under pressure from the Daimyō, Konoha had little choice but to act. The reason the higher-ups of Konoha had convened this meeting at all was to provide a platform for everyone to express their views.
Danzo's stance was clearly pro-war, going so far as to suggest the laughable idea of uniting the Five Great Ninja Villages against the Mi-Gos.
Shikaku knew that such unity was nearly impossible. The fractured Five Great Villages wouldn't come together unless they all suffered at the hands of a common enemy.
Only after experiencing pain could they unite.
But in reality, the Mi-Gos had not yet attacked the other villages. Without any direct threat, there was no reason for the other villages to join Konoha in declaring war on the Mi-Go.
A war between species? Mutual survival?
Don't be ridiculous. Given the treacherous nature of humanity, the other four villages would likely watch Konoha's downfall from the sidelines, only to unite afterward in the name of righteousness, divide up the spoils, and claim victory.
Cunning as always, Danzo understood this. So why did he propose something so unrealistic? It could only be to demonstrate to the Daimyō his commitment to avenge the fallen nobility of the Land of Fire and to declare war on the Mi-Gos.
This was his way of currying favor with the Daimyō, likely in pursuit of something he had long coveted—something only the Daimyō could grant.
So, Danzo had probably invited the Daimyō to this meeting.
But why? The Third Hokage could see through Danzo's schemes. Why, then, did he persist in opposing war in front of the Daimyō?
"Yes, if we unite the Five Great Villages, our chances of victory would increase significantly!"
The Daimyō closed his fan, wearing an innocent smile, but his true thoughts remained unclear. His words, however, had already shifted the conversation to the post-war scenario.
"Very well, since the idea came from you, Danzo, you will be the one to carry it out."
"Yes," Danzo replied with a slight smile, bowing.
"As for you, Hiruzen..."
"You've been acting as Hokage for several years now, ever since the Fourth died."
"Perhaps it's time for you to take a break."
