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HSU: Ch. 59
🕑 Added 2024-12-09 20:08:48 +0000 UTCHistory's greatest irony is that strength breeds its own destruction, the Third Hokage had once written in his personal records.
Perhaps there truly was merit to the saying: "Things often take a turn when they reach their extreme."
Since its founding, Konoha had stood as the strongest power in the ninja world. With the alliance of Hashirama and Madara during its inception, the village overwhelmed all opposition.
However, not long after, the two legendary figures turned against each other, and Madara nearly destroyed the village he helped create.
After Hashirama's death, the First Great Ninja War erupted like a tidal wave across the ninja clans.
This conflict wiped out most of the second-generation leaders of various villages and inflicted severe losses on the clans. As the eye of the storm, Konoha experienced firsthand the consequences of being at the center of attention.
The glory of their past victories was matched only by the pain of this war.
The Second Great Ninja War saw the rise of civilian-born ninja, but the scale and intensity of the battles dwarfed those of the Warring States Period due to the massive increase in ninja populations across nations.
During the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha fought on three fronts simultaneously at its darkest hour.
Just when it seemed peace might finally settle in, disaster struck again.
Only a year later, the Nine-Tails went on a rampage and almost destroyed the village. If not for the extraordinary power of an Uchiha, the village might have been leveled.
However, the subsequent scandal involving Danzo revealed the murky depths of Konoha's internal politics.
Then, the three Sannin parted ways.
Peace remained elusive.
The disappearance of the Sannin only reignited the ambitions of Konoha's northern neighbor.
When news of Kumo's southern invasion broke, it spread throughout Konoha within a single day. The high mobility of Konoha's population and its location in the continent's most prosperous region made secrecy nearly impossible.
By the time Minato received the report, the entire village already knew.
He didn't even need to finish reading the report.
"The barbarians are coming!" a merchant hollered loudly in the streets—a voice so piercing it reached the Hokage's office.
"Keep your voice down!" another snapped back. "You'll start a panic."
"Too late for that," one civilian called out. "Look at the markets. Prices are already climbing."
The nickname "barbarians" for Kumo ninjas had somehow spread like wildfire over the past six months, as if it were an infectious disease. Many in Konoha now referred to Kumo ninjas by this term.
The name was alarmingly catchy.
"Is war truly unavoidable?" Minato mused as he stood by the window, gazing down at the streets below.
Villagers filled the streets, discussing the impending conflict.
The Land of Fire, with its fertile lands and unmatched national and military strength, always found itself in a unique predicament—it had no territorial ambitions against others.
As a result, it was always on the receiving end of invasions. Each attack on the Land of Fire meant another attack on Konoha.
"Their timing isn't coincidental," an intelligence officer reported in the command center. "They've been watching, waiting for the Sannin to separate. Our intelligence suggests they've been preparing for months."
To deter wars, Konoha needed overwhelming strength to maintain its image of invincibility.
One of Danzo's most critical roles during his lifetime was overseeing intelligence operations across the shinobi world. He used every method at his disposal to eliminate anything that threatened Konoha's deterrent power.
Even with his efforts, Konoha couldn't avoid the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars.
The desire to invade the Land of Fire was a universal ambition for other nations.
The only question was when, not if.
The Land of Lightning's hunger for the Land of Fire's territory was an open secret. If not for their constant rivalry with the Land of Earth, their military confrontations with the Land of Fire would likely have doubled.
Since taking office, the current Raikage had aggressively expanded the military capacity of Kumo.
After the Third Great Ninja War, where Kumo sustained relatively light losses, their military power now nearly rivaled Konoha's.
Although they lost a Raikage during that war, that Raikage had single-handedly decimated an invading army of ten thousand Iwa ninjas. The battlefield was littered with Iwa corpses, and the survivors developed a lasting fear of lightning.
Now, emboldened by news of the Sannin's disbandment, the Raikage could no longer suppress his ambitions and launched an invasion against the Land of Fire.
The Yu ninjas were no match for Kumo forces. In fact, as soon as Kumo's army crossed into the Land of Hot Water, they could crush the defenders within a day.
The fact that Konoha only learned of this move after Kumo's army had already begun marching south exposed an issue: without Danzo, the village's intelligence capabilities had severely deteriorated.
Over the years, the intelligence division's foreign operations, once controlled exclusively by Root, had faltered, leaving the regular ANBU unprepared and ineffective in this role.
For years, the ANBU had grown complacent, accustomed to domestic peace and lighter responsibilities.
This was one of the major consequences of Danzo's death: the sharp decline in Konoha's foreign intelligence capabilities.
Minato now understood the meaning behind one of Danzo's last remarks to him.
It wasn't about who would do the dirty work; it was about this gap in expertise.
Despite the same intelligence network remaining in place, its effectiveness had plummeted.
But he didn't dwell on this.
"Priority level three," Minato said as his fingers brushed against the seal array on his desk—a network of chakra-responsive formations he'd developed after the Nine-Tails made him realize how vulnerable the village's communication system was during a crisis.
In moments, the sky lit up with precise bursts of chakra—three red, one blue.
A silent command that every ninja in the village knew: immediate mobilization, no active combat.
The seals converted small amounts of chakra into visible signals that could be seen from any point in the village, ensuring orders could be transmitted even if normal communications were compromised.
Through his window, he watched as ANBU teams dispersed across rooftops.
Below, uniformed chunin moved through the crowds.
"The Hokage has anticipated this situation," a young chunin announced in the market square. "Our defensive preparations are already in place."
"What about our children?" a woman called out.
"The Academy's shelter system has been activated," another chunin replied from a different corner. "All students will begin emergency preparedness courses starting tomorrow morning. The training is open to everyone—we have facilities adapted for non-shinobi participants."
Across the street, the PR division had mobilized its civilian contacts.
Shopkeepers began posting pre-prepared notices: "BUSINESS AS USUAL—TRUST IN KONOHA'S STRENGTH."
Markets that had started to empty suddenly found themselves restocked as merchant clans 'coincidentally' scheduled major deliveries.
A masked ANBU appeared at Minato's side. "The clan messengers are ready, Hokage-sama."
"Inform the clan heads that their presence is required at the war council," Minato said. "The future of Konoha requires their wisdom."
The ANBU vanished.
The eight major clans responded swiftly. Not a single clan delayed. They moved so quickly that they arrived faster than the Hokage's messengers could return.
A group of elite jonin and one chunin raced to the Hokage's office. Their speed made it clear who was most prepared for war.
Within thirty minutes of the summons, Konoha's strongest and most ruthless fighters had gathered in the large conference room on the third floor of the Hokage's office for the war council.
Even Hiruzen, semi-retired, attended. "The speed of response is impressive," he noted quietly.
Among the Uchiha clan representatives was Masashi, standing with the quiet confidence of someone who had already proven himself in battle.
The low murmur of voices died as Minato stepped to the head of the table. "Thank you all for responding so quickly," he addressed the gathered clan representatives. "As you know, Kumo's forces are mobilizing. Our border patrols report significant troop movements near the Land of Lightning's western frontier. Their intentions are clear—they mean to start a war."
He spread the intelligence reports across the table. "Their forces outnumber Yu's defenders five to one. At their current pace, they'll reach the Land of Hot Water's borders within days."
Moving to the large map on the wall, his finger traced the border lines. "Based on our analysis of past conflicts with Kumo, the primary battlefield will likely be in the Land of Hot Water. Its vast territory and shared border with the Land of Fire makes it the most strategic front."
"The Land of Frost," he continued, shifting his attention to the smaller territory, "will serve as their supply route. The daimyō there won't resist the Raikage's demands—their relationship with the Land of Lightning leaves them no choice in the matter."
Hiruzen nodded silently, smoke curling from his pipe as he listened to his successor's assessment.
"Kumo's strategy will be familiar to those who fought in previous wars. They'll strip the Land of Hot Water of everything valuable—resources, supplies, even civilians."
"However, their aggressive advance will give us time to position our forces effectively."
"Now," Minato straightened, his gaze sweeping across the room, "let's discuss how we'll deploy our forces in response."
This "deployment of forces" was essentially a competition among Konoha's major clans.
Having endured three Great Ninja Wars, Konoha's eight major clans had grown adept at navigating the new wartime structure, striking a balance between earning military achievements and ensuring their clan's survival.
Far from opposing war, they often relished it. After all, no accolades carried more weight than those earned in a national conflict.
"Regarding the primary offensive assignments, please share your thoughts," Minato announced, signaling the start of the "bidding."
"The Sarutobi clan volunteers for the primary offensive!" a jonin from the Sarutobi clan declared confidently. "Our clan specializes in Fire Release. When it comes to strong offensives, we have no fear of the Kumo ninja."
"We've proven ourselves in three wars already."
The Sarutobi clan, along with the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans, traditionally acted as a united bloc.
"The Nara clan stands with the Sarutobi," their representative stated, stepping forward.
"As do the Yamanaka," came another voice.
"The Akimichi clan joins this alliance," their clan head declared, moving to stand beside the others.
The Aburame clan's representative remained silent but adjusted his glasses and stepped forward. The message was clear—if others were piling in, the Aburame clan wouldn't hold back either.
Hiruzen, puffing contentedly on his pipe, watched with satisfaction. Though Danzo's death had saddened him, the newfound vigor of his clan lifted his spirits. Once reluctant to take front-line roles, his clan now displayed an eagerness for combat.
In his youth, Hiruzen had aggressively pursued key assignments, often clashing with Danzo over such matters. Now, seeing his clan's next generation carry on the tradition brought him comfort.
Still, he had some concerns. Were these youngsters underestimating the Kumo ninja, renowned for their fierce and fearless nature?
Nevertheless, with the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans as allies, things probably wouldn't go too poorly. After all, growth often required facing setbacks.
"Fire Release? You dare claim that domain from the Uchiha?" Yaku sneered. "Leave that to the Uchiha."
"Hokage-sama, the main offensive should be handled by the Uchiha and Hyūga clans."
"The Byakugan and Sharingan combination proved effective in the Kiri campaign," the Hyūga representative noted, nodding slightly.
The Uchiha and Hyūga clans, known for their exceptional visual jutsu, were rivals in many respects. Yet on the Kiri battlefield, the two clans had demonstrated seamless cooperation.
"Past victories don't guarantee future success," a Sarutobi representative countered.
The only clan yet to speak was the Inuzuka. Their representative seemed troubled, knowing that compared to other clans, their advantages in this specific mission were limited. Still, they couldn't afford to back down completely.
"We'll follow Hokage-sama's instructions," the Inuzuka representative said. "We're ready to go wherever you assign us."
Standing behind Yaku was Masashi, flanked by Shisui, another key figure in the clan. As an important member of the Uchiha's combat force, Masashi also had a voice in the proceedings.
Driven by his own ambitions, he stepped forward. "Hokage-sama, I propose forming a special operations team to infiltrate the front lines and eliminate isolated Kumo ninjas. My jutsu is perfect for eliminating isolated units."
"Masashi, I know you're strong," Minato cautioned. "But don't underestimate the Kumo ninjas. Their reputation for fearlessness is well-earned—I've faced them myself and can vouch for their tenacity."
"Rest assured, Hokage-sama. I'm cautious and won't endanger myself or my comrades," Masashi replied confidently, expressing his gratitude. With respect, Minato, rumors of their fearlessness are just that—rumors.
The same thing had been said about the Kiri ninjas he faced before. In the beginning, they had indeed been ferocious, but in the end, they had fled faster than anyone else.
It just went to show that rumors were often unreliable. The more stereotypical the depiction, the farther it strayed from reality.
As soon as Masashi finished, other clans eagerly chimed in, highlighting their specialties to justify their suitability for the mission.
The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm. At this moment, Konoha feared nothing from Kumo.
Did Kumo think Konoha's forces had grown weak simply because the Sannin were absent? A swift correction was in order.
Both Minato and Hiruzen observed the eager volunteers with satisfaction.
In truth, the "bidding" was little more than a ritualistic war council to boost morale. The battle plans had long been decided.
