The spacious and bright Hokage office was where Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on the chair symbolizing supreme authority.
He slightly closed his eyes, appearing serene as he rested, his hands gently propping up his chin as if deep in thought about something important.
By his side stood the three advisory elders—Danzō Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado.
While everyone had been relatively relaxed outside, the moment they stepped into the Hokage office, an invisible pressure enveloped them, instantly making the atmosphere in the room heavy and oppressive.
Faced with this situation, everyone chose to remain silent, not daring to break the quiet. They silently found roughly suitable positions to stand and waited without making any unnecessary sounds.
This was actually one of the common tactics used by those in high positions. By creating such a tense atmosphere, they could effectively establish their authoritative image while also taking the opportunity to observe the subtle expressions and psychological states of everyone attending the meeting.
Time passed minute by minute, and the clock's hands slowly pointed to nine o'clock. At that moment, a black shadow suddenly flickered into the office like a ghost. It was an ANBU ninja dressed in black tight-fitting clothes and wearing a mask.
The ANBU ninja quickly walked to Hiruzen Sarutobi's side, leaned down, and whispered a few words into his ear.
After listening to the ANBU's report, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had kept his eyes closed until now, slowly opened them. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a barely noticeable smile, and his gaze swept over everyone present as he softly asked, "Is everyone here?"
The office was so quiet that the sound of a pin dropping could be heard, the atmosphere unusually tense.
Amid this deathly silence, a loud and clear voice suddenly broke through. "The Uchiha clan representatives, Uchiha Hirotomo and Uchiha Ryun, have arrived!" The voice echoed throughout the office like a booming bell.
The one who had spoken was Uchiha Ryun himself.
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces showed confusion and bewilderment. They thought to themselves, "Isn't the Hokage capable of seeing who enters? Why bother announcing it?"
However, these thoughts were fleeting because soon, some realized that things might not be so simple.
Nara Luming's eyes suddenly brightened, and his originally serious expression was instantly replaced by a sly smile.
Then, he slightly raised the corners of his mouth and mimicked Uchiha Ryun's tone, saying, "The Ino-Shika-Chō representatives, Nara Luming, Yamanaka Kumokai, and Akimichi Torifu, have arrived!"
As soon as he finished speaking, low laughter rippled through the room, though more people looked at Nara Luming thoughtfully.
Nara Luming chuckled inwardly, thinking, "As expected of Ryun. This simple sentence isn't just about announcing who's here. It's also a declaration of stance."
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been sitting at the desk, smiled and nodded. He then said to the newcomers, "Come, Clan Head Hirotomo, Ryun, and Luming, come sit at the front. Don't stand so far away."
As Hiruzen Sarutobi's words fell, Uchiha Hirotomo, Uchiha Ryun, and Nara Luming walked to the front seats and sat down one after another.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on them, filled with complex emotions—some curious, some doubtful, and some even wary.
For a moment, the office was filled with a tense and delicate atmosphere, as if a fierce confrontation was about to unfold…
Tsunade also spoke up. "Sensei, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya have also arrived!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and waved at them. "Come, sit!"
Tsunade grinned and walked over to Uchiha Ryun, sitting in the seat next to him.
Now, everyone understood. Hiruzen Sarutobi was asking which clans were willing to stand on his side. Currently, the Uchiha and Ino-Shika-Chō had become part of the Hokage faction—one was a thousand-year-old noble clan, while the other was the clan best at placing bets.
Tsunade and the others were Hiruzen Sarutobi's students. There were still many seats left, but the front seats were becoming fewer and fewer.
As the clan heads hesitated, Hyūga Sekijō spoke up. "Hyūga Sekijō and my youngest son, Hyūga Hiashi, have arrived!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded. "Please take a seat." He gestured to the remaining front seats.
Hyūga Sekijō nodded and sat down. Seeing that both the Uchiha and Hyūga had declared their stance, the other clans followed suit one by one.
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled faintly and even gave Uchiha Ryun a look that said, "Well done." Uchiha Ryun smirked and nodded in response.
After each clan declared their stance and took their seats, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke. "First, as the Hokage, I would like to thank all the clans for sending their ninja to fight in the Land of Rain."
"This victory belongs to everyone!"
Nara Luming was the first to applaud, smiling as he looked at Uchiha Ryun. Uchiha Ryun understood and also began clapping.
Under the lead of these two, the others started clapping as well. The applause lasted for three minutes before Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and motioned for everyone to stop.
Only then did the applause gradually fade.
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again. "Originally, public rewards were to be given to each clan. However, last night, I received a secret report!"
As he spoke, his expression darkened. "The Sand Village has already mobilized troops and is advancing toward Konoha. With war imminent, we must first record the previous merits and postpone the rewards until after this battle. Does anyone object?"
Everyone shook their heads. Who would object at a time like this? With the Sand Village's attack looming, dealing with them was the top priority.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly in acknowledgment before slowly saying, "Since no one has any objections, I now invite everyone to freely share their views on the current war situation."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tsunade abruptly stood up. With a grave expression, she looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said solemnly, "Sensei, based on my personal experience on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, I believe we should increase the number of medical ninja assigned to combat units. Every three-man squad should have at least one medical ninja. This will greatly reduce casualties!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.
It was well known that medical ninja were rare in all nations. If these precious medical ninja were assigned to squads and encountered strong enemies, they could easily be killed.
This approach was truly inappropriate…
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head slightly, rejecting Tsunade's proposal, and bluntly replied, "Tsunade, your intentions are good, but given the current situation, this method is not feasible!"
Tsunade was stunned for a moment before lowering her head, a trace of disappointment and frustration on her face.
At this moment, Uchiha Ryun, who had remained silent until now, suddenly stood up and declared, "Lord Hokage, I believe Lady Tsunade's proposal is quite reasonable."
Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly hadn't expected Uchiha Ryun to support Tsunade's view and was momentarily stunned. After regaining his composure, he frowned slightly and asked, "Ryun, then tell me, what exactly makes this proposal feasible?"
Not just Hiruzen Sarutobi, but all the clan heads and future heirs turned their gazes to Uchiha Ryun, curious about what he would say.
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