Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart trembled.
Though only asked three questions, Hiruzen felt something ominous brewing.
"Although there have been some casualties, the younger generation of ninjas are mostly still alive and well."
"Since none of Konoha's three generations – old, middle, and young – have been wiped out, why did you, Lord Third, still send children under the age of twelve onto the battlefield?"
"Hmm?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
So, after those three leading questions, this was what Li Anshi truly wanted to ask?
Not just Hiruzen Sarutobi, but the other ninjas in the tent could also sense the weight Li Anshi placed on this question.
"Anshi, you must understand, this is wartime. We cannot be certain how long this war will last."
"Therefore, to ensure Konoha has greater war potential, we must also cultivate ninjas from a young age, let them become accustomed to war, grow through it, and gain the ability to protect Konoha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi delivered these words with righteous conviction.
As if sending children under twelve onto the battlefield was actually for their own good.
The Jonin beside him nodded in agreement.
Konoha had only been established for fourteen years; the youngest among them were nearly thirty.
It could be said they were all ninjas who had survived the Warring States period.
They too had walked this path on the battlefields of their youth.
"Heh, according to you, Lord Third, those children should be thanking you. If not for you, Lord Third, they wouldn't have had such an opportunity for growth, correct?"
"No need! As the Third Hokage, this is what I ought to do."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stated seriously.
"I understand."
Li Anshi nodded.
Among the dozen or so Jonin in the tent, apart from Kagami Uchiha, none of the others saw anything wrong with Hiruzen sending children onto the battlefield.
At this point, if Li Anshi still didn't understand the root cause of all this, he would truly be a fool.
With that, Li Anshi let out a sneer.
"Lord Third, and everyone else. Are you all still living in the Warring States period?"
Sweeping his gaze over the ninjas present, Li Anshi looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Lord Third, why did Lord First join forces with his mortal enemy of centuries to establish Konoha?"
"Hmm?"
Li Anshi's question stunned not only Hiruzen Sarutobi but all the ninjas present.
The Senju clan and the Uchiha clan were the two strongest super ninja clans of the Warring States period.
Their conflicts and killings had been documented for hundreds of years.
It could be said that centuries of slaughter had turned the Senju and Uchiha into irreconcilable enemies.
It had even reached the point in the Warring States period where any mission accepted by the Senju clan would inevitably face sabotage from Uchiha ninjas.
Conversely, if the Uchiha took on a mission, the Senju would also launch ambushes.
Other ninja families could only survive precariously amidst the killing of these two great clans, forced to align with one side or the other to avoid being swept away by the two frenzied families.
And due to the frequent slaughter, children of ninja clans during the Warring States period had to go to the battlefield at the age of six.
Many children died in one battle after another before they even had a chance to witness the beauty of the world.
Normal battlefield killings were one thing.
If subjected to deliberate retaliation, children would often be brutally tortured before being killed.
Hashirama Senju had three younger brothers, but apart from Tobirama Senju, the other two, Kawarama Senju and Itama Senju, both died in this manner.
Madara Uchiha was the same.
Madara Uchiha had one more younger brother than Hashirama Senju.
But only Izuna Uchiha survived; the other three brothers were killed in childhood wars.
Therefore, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha joined hands to establish Konoha precisely because they didn't want children to go to war anymore.
This original intention of Hashirama Senju in founding Konoha was no secret in Konoha, no, it wasn't a secret in the entire ninja world.
"Lord Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, even when facing attacks from other ninja villages, fought alongside ninjas of your generation, Lord Third."
"During the reigns of Lord First Hokage and Lord Second Hokage, not a single child under the age of twelve ever went onto the battlefield in Konoha."
"Why is it that under you, Lord Third Hokage, in just one short year, over three hundred children under the age of twelve have become ninjas and entered the battlefield?"
"I wonder if Lord Third has checked – how many of those children, filled with fervent passion wanting to contribute their strength to the village, are still alive today?"
As Li Anshi questioned sharply, Hiruzen Sarutobi's straight spine began to bend, and large drops of cold sweat slid down his face.
"Lord Third, tell me, how can you, who personally shattered the iron rule 'do not let children go to war' upheld by Lord First Hokage and Lord Second Hokage, possess their Will of Fire?"
As Li Anshi's words fell, all the ninjas present, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, lowered their heads.
The anger these ninjas had felt when Li Anshi initially said Hiruzen lacked the Will of Fire of the First and Second Hokage was now matched by their shame after hearing Li Anshi's questions.
Indeed, as Li Anshi said, Hiruzen Sarutobi, by sending children onto the battlefield, had already deviated from the will of Lord First and Lord Second.
"Lord Third, your current mindset still carries distinct Warring States characteristics."
"Indeed, Konoha faces an unprecedented crisis after the passing of Lord First and Lord Second."
"However, Lord Third, you should also have more faith in the older generation, the middle generation, and our generation of ninjas."
"No matter how strong the enemy we encounter, even if we have to fight with our lives, we will carve out the time for the younger generation to grow up safely."
"The ages of six to twelve are the optimal time for children to build their foundation."
"As long as the children lay a good foundation, then the ages of twelve to twenty are the golden period for their strength to grow."
"Do you think, if these three hundred-plus children had stepped onto the battlefield only after the age of twelve, how many would have survived? How much would their strength have improved?"
"And now?"
"Out of over three hundred children, more than a hundred are dead, over a hundred are crippled, and dozens have suffered psychological damage. Not only has their strength been greatly compromised, but leaving them on the battlefield might be like setting off an exploding tag, detonating their own emotions and disrupting everyone's fighting spirit."
"Fewer than thirty remain who can still fight."