Uchiha Patriarch !

"Dealing with the Iwa-nin, huh? What a headache!" Jiraiya scratched his head in frustration. "Those rock-headed folks are tough to handle! Especially that old man Onoki. His Dust Release is really tricky!" This was from his personal experience during the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars.

"Jiraiya, aren't you going to continue your journey?" asked Torifu Akimichi.

"Yeah, hitting the road is inevitable, but since Konoha is in trouble, delaying my trip a bit isn't big deal," Jiraiya said calmly. His journey didn't have any strict timeline, and Great Toad Sage's vague prophecy didn't restrict his travel. He could go with the flow, whether it was continuing or taking a break—it was all part of the journey.

"For now, huh?" Torifu Akimichi sighed but quickly perked up. Even if Jiraiya was only staying temporarily to help, the impact would be enormous. He knew well that Jiraiya was one of the most powerful in Konoha. Even in his prime, Hiruzen Sarutobi probably wouldn't be confident of defeating Jiraiya, who was also in his prime.

"Well, even if it's temporary, Jiraiya, lend me your strength!" Torifu looked at him.

"For the village, I'll do whatever it takes," Jiraiya solemnly agreed, his expression serious and focused—far from the playful and mischievous look he had when peeping. His resolute demeanor reminded everyone of the true "Toad Sage" Jiraiya.

"Alright then... I'll leave the command against the Iwa-nin to you," Torifu said seriously. However, after he finished speaking, he glanced at Sougen, his serious expression fading, as if he felt a bit awkward but still asked, "Sougen, can we let Jiraiya command those 2,000 Mist-nin to resist the Iwa-nin?"

Sougen blinked.

Wow, no wonder it was hard to bring up! These 2,000 Mist-nin were quite a force in Konoha, whose forces were spread thin. Although they were supposed to follow Hokage's command as reinforcements from Hidden Mist, it was clear they were sent mainly because of Sougen. Based on original plan, these Mist-nin were supposed to go north with Sougen to fight Cloud-nin.

So now they're trying to take my people, huh?

"Sending Mist-nin to fight Iwa-nin? Water Release is at a disadvantage against Earth Release," Sougen noted. He didn't outright oppose the idea, as he didn't particularly care about keeping the Mist-nin. Whether they stayed or left wouldn't affect his confidence in defeating the Cloud-nin. His strength came from himself and the Uchiha clan, not the Mist-nin.

Still, taking away these 2,000 Mist-nin without a good reason? That wouldn't happen.

"Shikaku, explain," Torifu turned to Nara Shikaku.

"Clan Leader Uchiha, after discussing with other strategists, we predict that based on Third Tsuchikage's usual behavior, he won't launch a full-scale attack right away," Shikaku began. "Given Iwa-nin's history of sitting on sidelines and taking advantage of others' battles, they're likely waiting to see how our fight with Cloud-nin goes before committing. If we lose, they'll swoop in to take advantage. But if we defeat Cloud-nin, Iwa-nin might just turn on Cloud-nin instead."

These predictions were based on past events.

In Third Great Ninja War, it was Iwa-nin's ambush that took down Third Raikage, forcing Cloud-nin to retreat and abandon their invasion of Land of Fire. Unlike Sand-nin and Iwa-nin, who had been devastated by Konoha, Cloud-nin had entered the war later and were still in the early stages when the ambush occurred.

"So, you're planning to use the Mist-nin to scare off the Iwa-nin?" Sougen quickly grasped Shikaku's underlying meaning.

This strategy was banking on Third Tsuchikage being opportunistic. If Iwa-nin saw Konoha and Mist-nin working together, they'd likely hesitate to engage. And if Konoha could gain an upper hand against Cloud-nin, Iwa-nin might abandon any thoughts of attacking, or even strike at Cloud-nin themselves.

"Exactly. Third Tsuchikage is too crafty to take unnecessary risks. Seeing our alliance with Mist-nin, he'll probably hold back. If we show some strength against Cloud-nin, Iwa-nin will almost certainly give up on attacking us. They might even turn east and ambush Cloud-nin again," Shikaku explained.

However, Sougen asked, "Shikaku, you said it's likely that Third Tsuchikage will back off, but what if he decides to ally with Cloud-nin to weaken Konoha?"

"That's impossible!" Shikaku replied without hesitation.

"Why not?"

"As long as Third Tsuchikage hasn't lost his mind, he won't think Konoha is strong enough to warrant teaming up with the Cloud-nin against us. Let's be honest, their spies are all over our village. While they may not know every secret, both Third Tsuchikage and Fourth Raikage likely have a good sense of our current situation. That's why Cloud-nin had the confidence to start this war—they believed they had a chance to win."

But both Cloud-nin and Iwa-nin underestimated Konoha's upper echelon.

Uchiha clan was an unpredictable factor, even for someone like Shikaku. Sougen had captured Fourth Mizukage, and Uchiha Shisui had reportedly defeated Orochimaru. Their combined strength more than made up for the deaths of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo.

Moreover, unlike the aging Hiruzen and Danzo, Sougen and Shisui hadn't even reached their peak yet. For most ninja, the peak age is between 30 and 50. Jiraiya, at 47, was still in his prime, with both physical prowess and battle experience at their height.

Sougen and Shisui hadn't reached that peak yet, and if they did, their power could rival legendary First Hokage and Uchiha Madara. Shikaku didn't know for sure, but he was confident that Konoha wouldn't lose this war against Cloud-nin.

"So no, Third Tsuchikage won't ally with Cloud-nin. At most, they'll act independently. If we show enough resistance, and if we send someone to negotiate with them, we might even convince Iwa-nin to turn on Cloud-nin again," Shikaku finished.

Sougen blinked, surprised at the aggressive strategy. He'd never seen Shikaku this fired up. Usually, Shikaku was cautious, always planning for his clan's safety. This time, though, his plan was full of boldness and offense.

"Shikaku, I didn't know you disliked Cloud-nin so much."

"I've never liked those brutes," Shikaku replied honestly.

That was the truth. He didn't just dislike Cloud-nin—he disliked all of Konoha's enemies, including Iwa-nin, Sand-nin, and Mist-nin. In his younger days, he'd even dreamed of Konoha launching a counterattack against other villages, drafting battle plans for such an occasion.

Unfortunately, after Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had been too exhausted to retaliate. And older Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer had ambition he'd once had, preferring to end war even at the cost of Konoha's interests.

But fate had other plans.

Shikaku never imagined that the Uchiha clan would rise so suddenly, overthrowing the Third Hokage's reign and ushering in a new era for Konoha—an era where they could fight back against the Cloud-nin and deliver a crushing blow.

Torifu Akimichi, despite being as old as Hiruzen Sarutobi and in worse health, hadn't lost his ruthless edge. After hearing Shikaku's plan, he immediately agreed without hesitation.

He wouldn't mind adding another great achievement to his record as acting Hokage! 

"Haha!"

Sougen chuckled pleasantly. Seeing such a fierce Nara Shikaku was actually quite pleasing to the eye. "Lord Hokage, let those two thousand Mist Ninjas handle Rock Ninjas! Since Second Mizukage and Second Tsuchikage perished together, with a bit of stirring, they won't hesitate to fight Rock Ninjas to the death."

The command of two thousand Mist Ninjas was readily handed over.

Strictly speaking, Nara Shikaku's plan wasn't overly complex, but as the saying goes, the simpler the plan, the easier it is to succeed. Even if it failed, it didn't matter. After all, two thousand Mist Ninjas weren't something Sougen would feel too much pain over losing. Even if they all died, it wouldn't matter!

He was more than happy to hand these two thousand Mist Ninjas over to Nara Shikaku. Sougen was eager to see what kind of brilliant play the genius strategist of Konoha would deliver!

"Uchiha Clan Leader, the village will remember your contributions."

Akimichi Torifu expressed his gratitude to Sougen for his understanding.

"It's all for the sake of the village, after all!"

Sougen casually uttered some flattering words.

The acting Fifth Hokage nodded and turned toward Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, aside from these two thousand Mist Ninjas, I'll try to muster another thousand Konoha Ninjas for you. I know this amount of manpower is barely enough to resist the Rock Ninjas, but as long as Shikaku's plan is sound, we should be able to handle their attack... Shikaku will coordinate the specific actions with you later."

"Three thousand, huh? Konoha situation is really dire."

Jiraiya shook his head with a wry smile.

In his memory, under the rule of Hiruzen-sensei, Konoha was at its peak after Second Ninja War, long before Third Ninja War began. Back then, Konoha could easily mobilize over ten thousand ninja troops while maintaining defensive units along its borders. White Fang was still alive, Tsunade's hemophobia hadn't worsened, and Orochimaru hadn't completely gone astray…

Konoha was so strong back then!

But somehow, that once-powerful Konoha had swiftly become nothing but a dream of the past. White Fang committed suicide, Tsunade's hemophobia spiraled out of control, making her unable to fight or perform surgeries, and she chose to leave Konoha. Only Jiraiya and Orochimaru were left struggling to keep things together until his disciple, Yellow Flash, rose to prominence, lighting up the ninja world.

"I'll do my best."

Jiraiya promised.

"By the way, Lord Hokage, didn't you say you were sending someone to meet wandering priestess? Have you decided who to send yet?" Seeing that the conversation between Jiraiya and Akimichi Torifu had wrapped up, Sougen brought up another matter. Strictly speaking, it was even more urgent than two thousand Mist Ninjas.

"We've settled on two people."

Akimichi Torifu answered truthfully, his gaze shifting to the stoic ANBU commander standing nearby, 'Matsuzou.'

"One is an elite from the ANBU skilled in infiltration and reconnaissance, with excellent mobility. The other is Kakashi Hatake, one of the standouts among the younger generation. There were other options… but none seemed reliable enough. Escorting the wandering priestess might require crossing Earth Country's border, and though two people might seem too few, sending more would risk exposing the mission. We need only the very best."

"So I wanted to ask, Sougen—could the Uchiha Clan spare one or two strong fighters? Preferably those who can really pack a punch!"

Uchiha Clan's strength was widely recognized. It was common knowledge in the ninja world that it took at least two ninjas of the same level to take on a Sharingan-wielding Uchiha. Among Konoha's clans, Uchiha's jonin were undoubtedly the most powerful. Seeking fighters from the Uchiha was natural choice!

"Kakashi, huh?"

Sougen murmured to himself.

It made sense for Kakashi's name to come up. Although he hadn't yet reached his peak, Kakashi had already been a jonin for over six years. His inclusion in such a critical mission wasn't surprising. As for the ANBU member, Sougen wasn't sure who it was, but they sounded like someone skilled in support.

"I have two people in mind."

Sougen hesitated slightly before speaking.

"I can assure you both are formidable and won't be weaker than Kakashi. However..."

"Not weaker than Kakashi? That's perfect!"

Hearing they were on par with Kakashi, Akimichi Torifu's face lit up. He agreed before Sougen could finish. Fighters of that caliber were hard to come by, especially with much of their strength tied up with the Cloud Ninjas. The village's mid- and lower-tier forces were spread thin, and even among the upper ranks, there weren't many left who could really hold their own.

There was no time to be picky.

Even if they had minor flaws, they'd just have to make do. As long as they could fight, they were good enough!

"Lord Hokage, they're indeed strong, but they're… very pure-hearted. No, more like they're single-minded in their ways. When they get emotional, they can be hard to control," Sougen explained, revealing why he had hesitated.

"Would they deliberately disobey orders?"

"No, they wouldn't."

"Would they act on their own?"

"Generally, they shouldn't."

"Then there's no problem!"

Without even asking their names, Akimichi Torifu made the decision.

Sougen was speechless but didn't argue further. Apart from their minor quirks, the two were indeed extremely powerful, and both were battle-crazed. Not only would they not fear the dangerous mission, but they'd likely be thrilled. Sougen could already imagine the glee on their faces when they heard the news.

This small office meeting was nearing its end. Akimichi Torifu had already instructed the ANBU commander to gather all four team members for the mission. Jiraiya's army still needed preparation, but the task of escorting the wandering priestess couldn't wait. The team had to depart immediately.

Once assembled, they could set off!

At that moment, Sougen brought up one last point.

"Lord Hokage, if news spreads that we're about to go to war with Rock Ninjas, I'm worried there could be unrest in the village. To keep the peace, I think you should remove the 'acting' title and officially become Fifth Hokage."

Aside from Sougen and Akimichi Torifu, only Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku remained in the room. ANBU Commander Matsuzou and Interrogation Department Head Sihna had both left—one to carry out tasks, the other tactfully exiting since their presence was no longer needed.

Hearing Sougen's suggestion, Jiraiya's expression remained calm, as he had heard a similar argument from Sougen in the park earlier.

"Sougen, I'm old and weak now. Acting as Hokage for this long is about all I can manage. I think Konoha needs a younger, more energetic Fifth Hokage. Even though Jiraiya declined, we can still look for Tsunade..."

Akimichi Torifu repeated the same reasoning.

But Sougen wasn't having any of it. "In terms of suitability, no one is more qualified than Lady Tsunade to be Hokage. But the problem is, she's not even willing to return to Konoha, let alone take the position. ANBU have been searching for her for ages, and they haven't even found her."

"Even if we do find her, there's a good chance she'll refuse, just like Jiraiya. So what then? What will we do?"

Jiraiya opened his mouth as if to defend Tsunade, but when he thought about her hemophobia, he hesitated. Tsunade's hemophobia was a closely guarded secret known only to a select few. Most villagers thought she left Konoha out of grief over the loss of her lover and brother, and that wasn't entirely wrong. But the truth was, her uncontrollable fear of blood had made it impossible for her to fight or even perform surgeries, leading to her departure.

If the secret of Tsunade's hemophobia were to be revealed, it would be devastating for a ninja, let alone one who could potentially be Hokage.

It would be better for Tsunade to stay away for now, until her condition improved.

"And as for you being old and weak, Lord Hokage, Konoha doesn't need you on the battlefield right now. Your role is to stay in the village and keep morale high. And if the workload is too much, isn't Shikaku here? Let him handle the paperwork!"

Sougen was determined to have Akimichi Torifu officially take the role of Fifth Hokage. He even started using formal honorifics.

"Let me think about it. I'll think it over carefully, Sougen."

Akimichi Torifu responded with a wry smile.

He could feel Sougen unyielding determination, the kind that wouldn't rest until he succeeded. His heart, which had already been indecisive, became even more conflicted. If possible, he wouldn't mind taking on the role of legitimate Fifth Hokage, rather than just being a temporary substitute.

However, he genuinely loved Konoha. His declining health wasn't an excuse—he was truly worried about how long he could hold this position and whether he could actually make Konoha better.

Moreover, if he did become Fifth Hokage, he would have to face the troublesome Uchiha clan, which had grown too powerful to control. He had intended to leave that problem for real Fifth Hokage, but now it seemed like the burden might fall on him instead. 

The complexity of the situation left Akimichi Torifu deeply torn, as if he were stuck in a quagmire, unable to make a quick decision.

For now, he decided to delay and buy some time.

He planned to discuss the matter with Shikaku later. After all, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were inseparable, and Torifu trusted Nara Shikaku as much as he trusted his own hands.

"Hokage-sama, please take your time considering this. But as I said before, this issue has been dragging on for a while. The sooner we settle on the Fifth Hokage, the sooner we can focus fully on battling the Cloud and Stone ninjas. We wouldn't have to worry about both the frontlines and the instability within the village."

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