Chapter 177
2-in-1-chapter
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Jiraiya sat diagonally across from Rēn, beside an elder of the Hyūga main family. Hyūga Hiashi was still on the front lines in the Land of Hot Water, engaged with Kumogakure's forces, so the elder attended this meeting as his proxy.
At Torifu's words, Jiraiya straightened and replied solemnly, "Leave it to me. I won't let the Stone set foot on the Land of Fire."
Torifu nodded, saying no more. Everything essential had already been discussed beforehand. In truth, his purpose in raising the topic was not Jiraiya but the others present. He swept his gaze slowly across the gathered clan heads and elders before continuing.
"With Jiraiya leading the defense, we can expect no immediate threat from Iwagakure. However, our true problem lies in the Land of Hot Water. The Cloud's offensive is fierce. Though we've already sent two waves of reinforcements, the Fourth Raikage has personally taken the field, and both of their jinchūriki have joined the battle. The forces currently stationed there cannot withstand them. Therefore, we must dispatch a third wave of reinforcements."
At that, several clan heads and elders who grasped his implication immediately stiffened, their expressions darkening.
And as expected, Torifu continued.
"The Uchiha clan head will lead the reinforcements as commander. However, the issue is our lack of manpower. Even the strongest cannot face every enemy alone. I understand each clan has already contributed greatly, but the situation is dire. I ask everyone here to think of the village as a whole. If Konoha cannot hold back the Cloud, I don't need to explain what that would mean."
When he finished, the meeting room fell into heavy silence. None of the clan heads spoke. The smaller families' leaders all wore strained expressions, clearly reluctant to commit more of their limited forces.
It wasn't that they failed to grasp the principle that when the foundation collapses, nothing else can stand upon it. Rather, many doubted that the situation at the front was truly as grim as the Hokage described. After all, the Uchiha clan head himself sat there calm and composed. If the front were truly desperate, surely the Hokage would already have dispatched him.
Of course, everyone knew the battle at the front was harsh. After all, both the Hyūga clan head and the Aburame clan head had already gone to the front lines. Even so, many still hesitated to part with their comfort. In their hearts, they thought that since great clans like the Uchiha and the Hyūga had yet to make their move, there was no reason for them to be the vanguard.
Seeing this, Akimichi Torifu sighed quietly and exchanged a glance with Nara Shikaku. Just as Shikaku was about to speak and set an example for the others, Rēn spoke first.
"Hokage-sama, give me one thousand men—that will be enough."
"One thousand?" Torifu frowned. "Rēn, are you certain? According to the intelligence from the front, the Kumogakure forces may not number ten thousand, but they are not far from it. Even counting the shinobi from the Land of Hot Water, our own troops stationed there are still under five thousand. Taking only one thousand men would be too risky, wouldn't it?"
"Hokage-sama, please don't worry. When the First Hokage went to war, he often swept through the enemy forces alone. I may possess only a tenth of his strength, but that much should be more than enough to deal with the shinobi of Kumogakure."
A thousand troops—
It was a number that made everyone in the room quietly exhale in relief.
Not only Nara Shikaku but also the heads and elders of the smaller clans present felt the same way. A thousand men was an attainable figure. Even if the civilian ninja contributed five to six hundred, that would not be a problem, and the great clans could supply three to four hundred more. They might not even need to send their own people, and if they did, no single clan would have to provide more than a few dozen.
"…Rēn, are you truly certain about this?"
Faced with Rēn's statement comparing himself to the First Hokage, even though he had modestly claimed to possess only one-tenth of the First's power, such words were beyond audacious. The God of Shinobi was not a title uttered lightly, and for most people, the thought of comparison would never even arise—only reverence.
To dare compare oneself to the First Hokage was arrogance beyond measure.
If anyone else had said such a thing, Akimichi Torifu would have ordered a medical examination to see if the speaker was delirious. But since the one who said it was Uchiha Rēn—who had once captured the Fourth Mizukage alive—he could not dismiss it outright. Even if Rēn might not truly match the First Hokage, who could say for sure?
Perhaps Uchiha Rēn really did have the confidence to defeat the Cloud shinobi with less than half their numbers.
"It's enough. This force will do. Adding more won't make a difference," Rēn said calmly. The composure and quiet confidence in his voice silenced all possible objections in the council chamber.
Even Torifu could only scratch his head helplessly.
If he had known it would end this way, he would not have spent so much effort trying to squeeze manpower out of the clans. One thousand troops—Shikaku had already said they had gathered about eight hundred, which meant they only needed two hundred more. Merely two hundred; the Ino–Shika–Chō trio could easily fill that quota by themselves.
And so, the meeting concluded far more smoothly than expected.
Torifu had assumed it would take hours of negotiation to persuade the clan heads and elders, yet in the end he had not needed to convince anyone at all. Instead, he himself had been persuaded by Rēn, ultimately agreeing to let him lead a one-thousand-strong force northward.
Moments later, the once-crowded chamber returned to silence.
"Hokage-sama, isn't this plan… a little risky?"
Nara Shikaku spoke after a long pause, looking at Torifu, who remained seated at the head of the table.
"The First Hokage's strength should be well recorded within the Uchiha archives. If Rēn dares to make such a claim, he must have confidence in his ability. But to be safe, continue quietly negotiating with the clans to gather additional forces. If they end up not being needed, all the better. Still, if the frontlines call for reinforcements, I want a ready unit that can deploy immediately."
"I understand. I'll treat this as top priority."
"And don't forget—keep things discreet. Control the flow of information in the village. The people have only just begun to calm down; we can't let anxiety spread again. Leave recruitment to yourself and let Haichi handle internal communication control. Have the ANBU and the Police Force assist him."
Torifu sighed, pressing his fingers against his temples.
His eyes fell on the Hokage hat resting on the table. As he looked at the bold red character for "Fire," he could feel the weight of responsibility settle heavily upon his shoulders. Being Hokage was no easy burden. Every decision he made as the village's leader would shape the future of tens of thousands of people.
"By the way, Hokage-sama, there's one more matter to report."
"What is it?"
"It's about your Hokage Rock engraving."
"Hokage Rock?" Torifu blinked, turning his head instinctively toward the window. From the meeting room, he could clearly see the colossal stone faces of the previous four Hokage—carved in a row from the First to the Fourth. As the Fifth Hokage, his likeness would one day join them, standing for future generations to see.
"Shikaku, what about it?"
"The Administration Department sent a message asking whether construction should begin immediately."
"Tell them there's no need to rush. We're still in wartime. It can wait until after the war ends. Have them focus their efforts on logistics instead. Under no circumstances should anyone disrupt the war effort. If someone tries to slack off at a time like this, it will be the perfect opportunity for me to make an example of them."
Torifu's tone carried unmistakable menace.
He had no intention of being remembered as the Hokage under whose leadership Konoha lost a war. He needed victory—a decisive one. That was why he had entrusted the position of Hokage's advisor to Uchiha Rēn, hoping the young clan head would perform yet another miracle.
Before long, after the meeting adjourned, a mixed force of one thousand Konoha shinobi and two thousand Mist shinobi set out under Jiraiya's command, advancing northwest. Though the overall command had passed from Uchiha Rēn to Jiraiya, under Hōzuki Mangetsu's coordination and the awe inspired by one of the Three Legendary Sannin, the army moved without confusion or dissent.
Not long after Jiraiya's departure, Rēn also set out again, leading a little over one thousand men at full speed toward the Land of Hot Springs.
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