Bab 274: Chapter 274: Sakumo Hatake Faces Opposition from Danzo
"Go sit up front!"
Tsunade mercilessly pulled Jiraiya up, shoving him toward the front of the room before plopping down beside Takuya.
She waved her hand in disgust, saying, "You reek. You must've been to those seedy places again."
"Cough, cough!" The sound of suppressed laughter filled the meeting room.
Jiraiya, clearly embarrassed, quickly ducked his head and found his seat at the front.
Just stay away from me, Orochimaru thought, shifting his position to put some distance between himself and Jiraiya.
Why?! Why do all of you avoid me?!
Sakumo Hatake, sitting beside Jiraiya, sniffed and gave some considerate advice, "Jiraiya, I know you enjoy your travels, but it's still important to maintain proper hygiene. The smell is... noticeable."
"..."
If one person avoids you, it could be that they just don't like you. If two people avoid you, maybe there's some bad blood. But if three people avoid you, then you might have a problem.
Realizing that everyone was avoiding him, Jiraiya immediately resolved that, as soon as the meeting ended, he would head straight to the baths! And maybe bring a few extra changes of clothes next time, just to be safe!
Despite the awkwardness, people in the meeting room were already chatting among themselves.
"Looks like war is inevitable."
"The Mist Village must've lost its mind, actually thinking they could start a war with us."
The chatter continued until Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and others entered the room.
"Lord Hokage!" Everyone stood to greet him.
The Third Hokage nodded with a smile and moved to take his seat at the head of the table, with Danzo and the others seated beside him.
Nara Shikaku, now working as Hiruzen's assistant, swiftly handed out documents detailing the intelligence on the Mist Village and then stood behind the Hokage.
What's that smell?
The Third Hokage was about to speak but paused, sniffing the air. It smelled like something had gone bad.
Following the scent, he glanced at Jiraiya, whose face turned crimson. Realizing what it was, Hiruzen wisely chose not to mention it aloud, sparing Jiraiya from further embarrassment.
"Everyone, please look at the documents in front of you. This is intelligence regarding the Mist Village."
Everyone opened their files and began reading.
Takuya was somewhat surprised at the amount of information Sakumo Hatake had managed to gather; he had uncovered quite a few hidden secrets from the Mist Village.
After everyone had had enough time to review, the Third Hokage began to speak:
"Recently, tensions between our village and the Mist Village have escalated, as you all are aware. Now, the Mist Village is threatening war, which is something neither I nor this village can accept."
"The Leaf Village cherishes peace, but that doesn't mean we fear war!"
"The reason for convening this jonin meeting is because the possibility of war is now very real. According to information from the Uzumaki outpost, Mist Village ninja activities have increased recently; they are clearly preparing for war."
"Lord Hokage, is war truly unavoidable?" Jiraiya asked, concern evident in his voice.
While he wasn't afraid, Jiraiya certainly wasn't eager for war to break out—it would mean countless deaths, both for the Leaf and the Mist.
"I don't want it either," Hiruzen responded, his expression somber. "But the Mist Village seems determined to go to war, and our only choice is to respond. If we do nothing, they'll invade the Land of Fire and bring the conflict to our very doorstep."
There wasn't much left to say. If war was inevitable, there was no use wishing otherwise. It was better to prepare than hope the enemy would change their mind.
Hiruzen was right—they could not allow the fighting to reach the Land of Fire.
"After this meeting, we will be mobilizing our forces along the coastline, preparing to defend against any incursions from the Mist Village."
Among the Five Great Shinobi Nations, Mist and Sand were considered the weakest contenders.
The brutal regime of the "Blood Mist" era had also weakened the Mist Village's military strength, making them far less formidable than the likes of the Cloud or Stone Villages.
After conferring with the advisory council, Hiruzen had decided to form an elite unit to station along the border in preparation for any attack. This unit would primarily consist of clan ninjas, given the nature of the battlefield.
Since the fighting would likely take place near the sea, Mist Village shinobi would have the advantage, and ordinary Leaf shinobi would be at a disadvantage—sending them would be akin to sending cannon fodder.
"Lord Hokage, since this conflict started because of me, I volunteer to go to the border and lead the fight against the Mist Village," Sakumo Hatake suddenly spoke up.
Though no one blamed him—Mist Village was merely looking for an excuse—Sakumo couldn't justify staying in the village. He needed to be on the front lines.
Will Lord Hokage allow this?
Given Sakumo's status and reputation, if he went to the front, he would undoubtedly end up leading the operations there.
But his prestige was already incredibly high. If he were to achieve great success on the battlefield, it was likely that he'd become the clear favorite for the position of Fourth Hokage.
"No way!"
The first to oppose was Danzo. He immediately stood up.
If Sakumo Hatake became a candidate for the Fourth Hokage, then what would happen to Danzo's ambitions? He could not let that happen.
Danzo's objection drew everyone's attention.
As expected, Takuya thought, Danzo couldn't stay quiet.
"Danzo, why are you objecting?" The Third Hokage asked, his tone calm. Despite his own underlying concerns, he wouldn't openly oppose Sakumo. But with Danzo stepping in, things were different.
Why?
Sakumo couldn't understand why Danzo was opposing him.
Meeting Sakumo's puzzled gaze, Danzo stood and spoke:
"The reason the Mist Village is threatening us with war is because of your actions. If you go to the front lines, it will only provoke them further, potentially affecting the course of the conflict. Therefore, I believe it's best for you to stay in the village."
"As for who should lead the front, I think Orochimaru is a good choice."
If no opportunities were available, then create them.
If the road ahead was blocked, then remove the obstruction—that was Danzo's approach.
Danzo was well aware that many people disapproved of him, and it was unlikely that he would be appointed as the commander of the front lines—Tsunade would be the first to object.
So he aimed for second-best: Orochimaru, his ally.
If Orochimaru wasn't available, then Jiraiya would work as well. It didn't matter who took the position—even if Tsunade decided to send Takuya—as long as it wasn't Sakumo Hatake.
Sakumo was already wearing the Hokage candidate's cloak, so if he went to the front lines and further boosted his reputation, it would almost guarantee his selection as the next Hokage.
And that was something Danzo absolutely could not allow.
"You make a good point," Hiruzen said, pretending to think it over and nodding in agreement with Danzo's reasoning.
"But, Lord Hokage, I—" Sakumo began.
"Enough, Sakumo. Danzo's right. If you were to go, it could anger the enemy further and negatively impact the war. I think it's best if you stay in the village for now and rest."
"Understood," Sakumo replied, clearly disappointed as he sat down.
What's going on here? Nawaki and Minato both tugged at Takuya's sleeve, seeking an explanation.
Takuya glared at them, "Cut it out, I'm watching the show."
Can't you see it yourselves?
This is about fearing his power—or rather, fearing his potential as Hokage.
_____________Bonus Chapter_____________
Next Bonus: 1800 Power Stones ╰ (´꒳`) ╯
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at patreon.com/ Emik01. ಥ‿ಥ
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