The fact that the Hokage-sama had not yet come out to confirm or deny the truth of the matter made the villagers even more anxious.
The heads of the various clans also became active, scurrying back and forth between each other's compounds. They all wanted to know what the other clan heads thought about the situation and how many clan members they planned to send. After much discussion, they couldn't reach a conclusion, so the large contingent of clan heads decided to go straight to the Hokage.
Just as they were about to leave their compounds, Torifu's voice echoed throughout Konohagakure.
"Villagers, I have confirmed that an organized, premeditated rebellion has indeed erupted in the Amegakure region. The Amegakure administrator has been struggling against this force for over two months, but the recent sudden explosion of the rebellion has led to many original inhabitants being seduced into joining them."
"Therefore, the administrator has requested aid from Konohagakure. The Amegakure region is an inseparable part of the Land of Fire—it is the dignity of the Land of Fire. We must eliminate every single one of these attempted rebels!"
In just two sentences, Torifu clearly explained the cause and effect, preventing villagers from spreading rumors, and firmly stated his attitude: he intended to execute all the rebels.
With this, the clan heads no longer needed to seek out the Hokage.
"Gentlemen, I trust we all understand the required magnitude now? The Hokage-sama is very displeased. We must teach these rebels a lesson." The Hyūga Clan Head spoke first, and the other clan heads naturally agreed.
They now fully understood the importance of this mission.
Thus, when the clan heads returned to their compounds, countless family shinobi streamed out of their territories and headed for the Assembly Hall. They would once again step onto the land of the Amegakure region to maintain peace and stability there.
As soon as Torifu finished those two sentences, all the groundless, exaggerated rumors in the village vanished instantly, and the villagers felt somewhat reassured. The rebellion was only being planned; they hadn't completely fallen out yet. If the situation could be stabilized, perhaps a war could be avoided.
Torifu was currently sitting in a chair in his courtyard. Although the news of the Amegakure rebellion made him angry, he still needed to rest. Panicking wouldn't solve the problem. Everything Torifu could do had been done, and the shinobi would soon leave for the Amegakure region.
This would relieve some of the pressure on the organization, and Kakuzu wouldn't have to focus all his attention on preventing the 'pyramid scheme' recruiters. He could then begin to strategize, utilizing the arriving support to turn the tide of the situation little by little. Torifu believed Kakuzu's mind was sharp. He had passed the test over so many years; Kakuzu was absolutely qualified to be the Vice-Leader.
"Torifu, with all this happening, is Anka still coming tonight?" Naori walked out of the house and asked.
Konohagakure was now incredibly busy, so Naori worried Anka wouldn't have time for dinner.
"She should be. There aren't many tasks left in the Hokage's Office. The busy place is the Mission Assembly Hall, and they'll probably be working overtime for a while."
The Assembly Hall wasn't Anka's responsibility; the main heads there were Danzō and Hiruzen. Those two old men definitely wouldn't sleep tonight.
"Good, then I'll go to the street to buy some groceries and check on the villagers' mood."
Torifu smiled and nodded. "Good. If you meet any emotional villagers, remember to calm them down."
The news Torifu had announced, from any perspective, had the scent of war. Although a war might not break out immediately, the villagers weren't as capable of analysis. Naori's trip to the market was secondary; her main purpose was to reassure the villagers.
Shortly after Naori left, Minato, Yahiko, Konan, and Kaito all returned from the backyard.
"Big Brother? What's going on? Is the Amegakure region rebelling?"
"Yes, Master! We heard what you just said and were completely stunned! Is it true?" Minato and Yahiko asked, while Konan waited with a worried look for Torifu to speak.
Torifu shook his head in resignation and recounted the entire situation.
The four young people finally understood.
"Then, Master, can we go? Minato is a Jōnin, and Konan and I are Chunin, so we should be allowed, right?" Yahiko asked.
It was a good question. Torifu hadn't originally intended to send Konan and Yahiko for training. However, it looked like both children strongly wanted to go to the Amegakure region.
"You can, but you must follow Minato's orders. He will be your temporary captain."
"Yes!" Yahiko and Konan immediately straightened up and responded loudly.
Minato also reassured Torifu that he would take good care of Yahiko and Konan.
Of the four, Kaito was the odd one out. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear all this, or if he would even be allowed to walk out the front gate. Seeing how frightened he looked, Torifu couldn't help but smile internally, but his face remained serious.
"Kaito, your last training session is over. Go back and find your master quickly. You'll be setting off tomorrow. I hope you'll be much stronger the next time you visit Konohagakure."
Kaito was touched and bowed to Torifu. "Hokage-sama, I will do my best. The next time I visit, I promise to show you my progress!"
After repeated goodbyes, Kaito departed. Though Yahiko and Konan were sad to see him go, there was no helping it. The situation in the Amegakure region was urgent. Even if Kaito had stayed in Konohagakure, they would still have to leave. It was all the same; they had to part eventually, and this was fine.
"Master, when should we depart?"
Though Yahiko and Konan were from the Land of Rain, they hadn't enjoyed a single day of peace there. Their memories were filled with heartbreak and suffering. Still, it was their homeland. This trip to the Amegakure region was twofold: to suppress the rebellion, and to see their slightly faded memories of the Land of Rain again.
Torifu thought for a moment. "Don't try to make yourselves special. Just leave with the main force. There will be many shinobi traveling to the Amegakure region over the next two days, so it's safer if you go together."
Even Kakuzu wasn't entirely clear about the situation in the Amegakure region. If Torifu allowed them to travel alone and they encountered danger, what would happen?
"I will also dispatch a Clone to the Amegakure region to oversee the situation. You can report anything directly to my clone when you get there."
Minato, Yahiko, and Konan all nodded. They had expected that Torifu wouldn't simply send some shinobi for such an important matter.
Following this, the three discussed the specific details with Torifu: whose command to follow upon arrival and various other minor matters. Torifu was like a father to children about to embark on a long journey, always having endless advice and warnings.