Kushina finally broke free from her grief. Although she still didn't know if her family members were alive, Mito's words undoubtedly gave her hope.
"Who are the enemies?" Kyuushin asked this question directly.
Mito didn't want the children to fall into a whirlpool of revenge so early, so she had never told them who was responsible. But now that Kyuushin asked, she looked carefully into his eyes and found no trace of impulsiveness, only a steely resolve.
So she shook her head slightly. "It's hard to say exactly who was involved right now. We only know that the leader was from the Hidden Cloud Village of the Land of Lightning, and several other Great Nations also participated."
Kyuushin nodded; he wasn't surprised by this answer. The Hidden Cloud Village was already known for its militant faction, a group of aggressive and hot-headed individuals who acted without moral boundaries. They often coveted a country's precious secret techniques or bloodline limits and would go to any lengths, including trickery, deception, and outright theft, to acquire them.
He asked about the enemy not because he impulsively wanted to graduate immediately and seek revenge, but to give himself and Kushina a clear goal. After coming to this world, his life had been relatively safe, and he had gradually forgotten the feeling of existing in moments of crisis. His training had become routine. Originally, the side effects of the Gene Lock should decrease with more use, but he had only activated it twice at the beginning and hadn't unlocked it again since.
Pressure creates motivation, and pressure allows people to grow rapidly.
He looked up and said earnestly to Mito, "I will kill the Raikage and offer his head as a sacrifice to our fallen clan members."
Kushina, standing nearby, also clenched her fists. "I will work hard too."
Mito was startled. She saw that Kyuushin's eyes were full of seriousness, as if he had made a firm resolve. She smiled and patted both their heads. "Good. I believe in you two."
After the Third Hokage left the Senju compound, he immediately returned to the Hokage's Office. Here, the two Advisors and Danzo, the Hokage's aide, were already waiting for him.
"Is it resolved?" Danzo asked.
"Lady Mito did not pursue our oversight," the Third Hokage nodded.
The two Advisors also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Now, let's think about how to deal with the aftermath," the Third Hokage said, sitting down at his desk and taking a deep drag from his pipe. "What are your opinions?"
"The villagers are enraged. I suggest we immediately retaliate against all nations equally," Danzo said sinisterly.
"That's not appropriate. It's too easy to provoke another Great Ninja War. If Konoha fights four enemies alone, it could fall into a very dangerous situation," Homura Mitokado was the first to object.
Utatane Koharu also nodded. "Right now, all nations are like powder kegs. If Konoha takes overly aggressive actions, it will inevitably cause a backlash."
"But if Konoha remains indifferent even after its ally is destroyed, other nations will certainly take advantage. Today it's an ally; if they think Konoha is weak and easily bullied, next time it might be the Land of Fire itself," Danzo retorted sharply.
"I'm not saying we shouldn't take action, just that we need to consider the method," Homura Mitokado said. "I'll share my thoughts. First, Konoha and the Land of Fire need to jointly issue a statement severely condemning the actions of the other nations. Second, demand that all nations execute all ninja who participated in this incident. Third, demand compensation from all nations."
"Of the points you mentioned, only the first is meaningful," Danzo shook his head. "Those brutes from the Hidden Cloud won't meekly tie their own hands just because of your condemnation."
"Therefore, we also need to secretly dispatch elite ninja to assassinate those who participated in the operation one by one," Homura Mitokado added.
"Mere assassination cannot achieve deterrence," Danzo still disagreed. He looked at the Third Hokage, awaiting his decision.
The Third Hokage's eyes were grave. After a long period of contemplation, he said, "Homura and Koharu are right. If we retaliate openly, it could indeed spark another Great Ninja War. Given Konoha's current prosperity, I truly can't bear to see it fall into the flames of war again."
Danzo's face showed disappointment.
But then the Third Hokage continued, "However, Danzo is also right; mere assassination cannot create effective deterrence. Although Konoha loves peace, it does not fear war."
He turned to Danzo. "How many outposts do the various nations currently have abroad?"
Danzo paused for a moment but immediately recovered. "Currently, as far as we've ascertained, the Land of Lightning has thirteen and eleven outposts in the Land of Frost and the Land of Moon, respectively. The Land of Earth has fourteen, fifteen, and eight outposts in the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rain. The Land of Wind has twelve and seven outposts in the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain. As for the Land of Water, most of their outposts are on islands; there are five outposts in the Land of Bears."
"Very good," the Third Hokage nodded. "Since we cannot openly retaliate against these nations, then we will eliminate their outposts in foreign countries. At least half must be destroyed. Danzo, I give you three months. My Anbu are at your disposal. Can you accomplish this?"
"Yes! I will definitely complete the mission!" Danzo bowed slightly.
"Additionally, I have received Lady Mito's approval to relocate all remaining Uzumaki clan members to Konoha. Koharu, this matter is your responsibility." Utatane Koharu nodded in agreement.
"As for Homura, the public condemnation also needs to proceed. Remember to discuss it thoroughly with the capital. This matter is entrusted to you."
After assigning all the tasks, the Third Hokage finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since this incident erupted, his heart had been filled with anxiety, but as the leader of Konoha, he couldn't show it. Now, with Mito not intending to hold him accountable and the aftermath arranged, the worry weighing on his mind finally eased.
As for how other villages would respond, the worst outcome would simply be war. He had already calculated that the Third Tsuchikage liked to act after careful consideration, so he probably wouldn't go to war immediately. The Hidden Sand had previously invaded the Land of Rain, so they probably wouldn't fight on two fronts. The Land of Water was shrouded in fog and internal turmoil, making an attack across the sea unlikely.
The most likely to react excessively was only the Hidden Cloud, but if it was just them alone, Konoha was not afraid. In the war twenty years ago, even with the Gold and Silver Brothers and a large number of elite ninja, the Cloud was defeated. The Third Hokage believed the result would be the same now.
Moreover, if it truly came to the point of life and death, with the Four Great Nations joining forces against Konoha, Lady Mito would still be there. Her power after controlling the Nine-Tails, even if not comparable to Lord Hashirama's, was not far off. If that day truly came, with her as the ultimate safeguard, Konoha would still emerge victorious. He was sure of it.
The Third Hokage thought it through several times, and after confirming there were no oversights, he finally let go of the remaining worry in his heart.