----
After the initial shock, the Raikage spoke up. "Now isn't the time for talk we need to prepare for battle immediately!"
Ōnoki chuckled. "Before that, Hokage, as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I believe you should address everyone. Right now, the army isn't as united as we'd like to believe."
"I understand." Minato stood up and walked outside. "I had something to say to them anyway."
…
As Ōnoki had pointed out, gathering 80,000 shinobi and samurai from different villages inevitably led to friction. Disputes arose from past grudges, escalating from verbal conflicts to outright fights.
The previous Shinobi World War had ended just over a decade ago. Many present had fought on opposite sides, and some even bore grudges as deep as the deaths of their own parents.
Frankly, the fact that they hadn't started killing each other on sight was a testament to the discipline instilled by their respective Kage.
Although most soldiers were managing to stay in formation, the tension in the air was palpable.
That was until—
The Five Kage appeared on the high platform.
At the sight of the five most powerful figures in the shinobi world, the bickering and scuffles gradually subsided. Those who had been gripping each other's collars let go, straightening their uniforms.
A crowd is a strange thing. Like students in a self-study session, when left unchecked, the noise gradually builds into chaos, resembling a bustling marketplace. Then, suddenly, an inexplicable silence falls upon them all at once.
At that moment, if they see a teacher, they instinctively transition into obedient listeners. If there is no authority figure, they erupt into laughter and the cycle of disorder continues.
Right now, it was clearly the former. The moment the shinobi spotted their leaders, the "bosses" of their respective "clans", a hush fell over them.
It was in this atmosphere that Minato spoke. The other four Kage stepped back slightly to flank him, lending their silent support.
"Shinobi of the Allied Forces," Minato's voice carried across the vast army, "you have travelled far and endured hardships to gather here. I am Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage and Supreme Commander of this alliance."
His azure eyes met the gaze of thousands below. He couldn't make out individual expressions, but he was certain of one thing Konoha's shinobi looked at him with admiration and trust.
Meanwhile, the shinobi from other villages likely viewed him with hostility, suspicion, or even fear.
Minato took a deep breath and continued.
"For generations, in pursuit of our nations' and villages' interests, shinobi have fought and bled through three Great Wars. In these endless conflicts, we have inflicted suffering upon each other, bred hatred, and given rise to organizations like Akatsuki and men like Pain."
His words rang through the silence.
"They seek to destroy everything, to overturn this world, to gather the Tailed Beasts and then claim that they have brought peace!
But we all know it's a lie.
That's why we stand here today, united in war.
This battle will decide the fate of the entire shinobi world.
If we lose our families, our friends, our dreams, our hopes, everything will be lost!
We fight to protect our loved ones! We fight to protect this world!"
As a rallying cry, these words alone were powerful. At the very least, those who had been glaring at each other moments ago now restrained their emotions, focusing instead on the common enemy.
But Minato wasn't finished yet.
He took a step forward, his voice unwavering.
"I firmly believe that if we stand together, we will emerge victorious. But simply winning this war is not enough.
As long as our world remains unchanged, as long as the shinobi system persists in its current form, new hatreds will continue to be born. And from that hatred, new Akatsuki, new Pains, will rise."
A deep silence settled over the crowd.
Many of the older shinobi felt the weight of his words.
The First War. The Second War. The Third War. And now, the Fourth.
How long would this cycle of war continue?
"For the pain and hatred of the past," Minato continued, "I do not have the right to tell you to forget. I do not have the position to ask you to let go.
On the contrary, I want you to remember.
Remember the suffering we have endured. Remember the grief and anger that have brought us here.
And then fight to protect the peace we will achieve!"
Minato's voice rose with conviction, his presence commanding the battlefield. The shinobi below, and even the Kage behind him, found themselves drawn in.
"Is the dream of a world where people truly understand one another nothing but an illusion?"
He answered his own question with unwavering resolve.
"No. It is not!
Because right now, we stand together.
The Five Kage, the Jinchūriki, the Jōnin, the Chūnin, the Genin, and the samurai come from different lands, wear different headbands, and fight with different styles.
Yet, today, at this moment, we fight for the same cause.
We can understand each other!
And my wish, my dream, is to sever the chains of hatred. To put an end to this cycle of suffering.
I will give everything to make this dream a reality. My life, my strength, my very soul whatever it takes!
But no matter how determined I am, I know one thing.
I cannot do this alone.
So I ask you—
Will you lend me your strength?!"
His unwavering sincerity radiated from him, his piercing blue eyes shining with determination.
For a brief moment, the world seemed to pause.
And then—
A deafening roar erupted from the army.
"OOOOOOHHHHH!!!"
"That's our Fourth Hokage!"
"We're honoured to fight by your side!"
"OUR YOUTH IS BURNING!!"
"FOR THE HOKAGE!"
…
Peace.
A goal that the God of Shinobi himself had failed to achieve.
A dream countless souls had longed for.
A vision so many had deemed impossible.
Yet here stood a man who believed.
A man who still had faith that people could understand one another.
A fool? Perhaps.
But if such fools truly existed then let there be more of them!
Gaara crossed his arms, watching the scene unfold. "The hostility in the air just vanished."
Yagura exhaled. "The morale is unbelievable."
Ōnoki chuckled, rubbing his old back. "Hahaha, what a remarkable young man."
The Raikage scoffed. "Only a man of this calibre could lead us into this war."
Minato, now met with thousands of determined gazes, smiled warmly.
In that moment, his charisma won over countless hearts many shinobi, samurai, and even some hard-hearted veterans found themselves seeing him in a new light.
Minato raised his hand. The moment he did, the roaring army immediately fell silent, all eyes on him.
This was no longer a gathering of scattered forces.
From this moment on—
They were truly one army.
"Orders," Minato declared.
"Uchiha Fugaku will lead the First Combat Division westward into the Land of Fire.
Kitsuchi will lead the Second Combat Division North.
Terumi Mei will lead the Third Combat Division to the eastern coastline.
Mifune will command the Fourth Combat Division in a support role.
Lady Tsunade will oversee the Medical Division, distributing medics to all units.
The Sensor Division will monitor enemy movements.
The Rapid Response Division will stand by, ready to reinforce the battlefield at a moment's notice.
Commence operations!"
----
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