The others present might not have known the reason, but as the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Ōnoki had already met Fujisaki the moment he returned and learned the true reason for his trip.
It was precisely because of that intelligence that Ōnoki abandoned the excellent opportunity to ambush Amegakure today and instead gathered everyone here to discuss their next strategy.
Perhaps launching a surprise attack now could have taken Amegakure, but if they failed to properly handle the information Fujisaki brought back, Iwagakure's future actions would become extremely passive.
The first purpose of this meeting was to make everyone understand the situation Iwagakure was about to face—and to explain why he had not moved to encircle Amegakure today.
Once they heard this intelligence, he believed no one would question that decision anymore.
Everyone was anxious, staring at Fujisaki and waiting for him to reveal something significant. Otherwise, giving up such a golden opportunity to strike Amegakure might cost Iwagakure a major turning point in the war.
Facing the gazes of so many high-ranking officials, Fujisaki remained calm and began to speak.
"Two days ago, the Uzumaki clan was attacked from both sides by a 20,000-strong allied army. Since the location was close to my position, I went to investigate."
Everyone already knew about the siege on the Uzumaki clan. It was no longer a secret in the shinobi world.
Iwagakure had even secretly sent an elite squad near the Land of Whirlpools to look for opportunities. After all, the Uzumaki sealing arts were something even Iwagakure coveted.
Unfortunately, since their last communication two days ago, that squad had gone completely silent, as if they had vanished from the world.
The higher-ups had long guessed the squad was likely wiped out. The mission itself had been extremely dangerous, and they had only sent people on a trial basis, so they didn't dwell on it.
Even the squad members themselves likely knew they might never return once they went.
Now that Fujisaki brought it up again, the leadership—who had already given up on obtaining Uzumaki sealing techniques—immediately regained interest.
Fujisaki was strong; if he had encountered danger, he should still have been able to retreat safely. Otherwise, he wouldn't be standing here reporting.
Among the officials, a purple-haired youth spoke impatiently:
"Just get to the point. What happened in the Land of Whirlpools?"
He was clearly hot-tempered. For a mere 17- or 18-year-old to speak so bluntly among senior leaders showed a lack of deference.
Yet surprisingly, no one rebuked him. Everyone seemed used to his attitude. Moreover, his strength was undeniable—reaching Kage level at such a young age. In the shinobi world, where strength commanded respect, he naturally had a strong voice.
And his urgency reflected everyone's concern. Even bad news was valuable. Knowing the Uzumaki clan's fate was important for Iwagakure.
If the Land of Whirlpools had truly fallen, the ninja world's balance would shift. Early knowledge meant better preparation.
Ōnoki, seated at the head and silent until now, shot the purple-haired youth a glare before nodding to Fujisaki to continue.
Fujisaki went on:
"The 20,000 allied forces led by the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water failed to wipe out the Uzumaki clan. The battle was stopped by a single man. In the end, the Raikage was heavily wounded and forced to retreat, the Mizukage was left in critical condition, and the other nations' forces withdrew. The war ended there."
Silence fell over the room.
Even the purple-haired youth gasped, staring at Fujisaki in disbelief.
He suddenly stood and pointed at him.
"You're not joking, are you?! That was the Third Raikage and Hōzuki Gengetsu! Who could seriously injure both of them? And a 20,000-strong allied army— even if Konoha's elites were fully deployed, they couldn't defeat our 15,000 combined Iwa–Suna forces so easily. How could one person repel 20,000 troops?!"
His shock was understandable. It sounded like pure fantasy.
In his entire ninja career, he had never heard of anyone possessing such terrifying power.
Setting aside the 20,000 troops—coalition armies often collapsed if their leaders fell—but the two Kage leading them were top-tier figures.
The Third Raikage's strength spoke for itself. Even Ōnoki would be at a disadvantage against him. The purple-haired youth himself had fought the Third Raikage once and was utterly defeated; without his teammates' rescue, he would have died.
As for the Third Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu—while perhaps slightly below the Raikage in realm, near the sea around Uzushio Island his combat ability would be no weaker.
Iwagakure, which frequently clashed with Kirigakure, understood this well.
Though located on the western edge of the continent, the shinobi world was a spherical planet, not a flat landmass—a fact hinted at in later wars.
Because of geography, Iwagakure was actually the closest nation to the Land of Water. Sailing west by sea, they could reach its islands in just over a day.
Thus, Iwagakure fought Kirigakure more often than anyone else.
The Lands of Lightning and Fire were too far—three days' travel or more—making rapid conflict impractical.
The Land of Wind faced endless deserts to the west; with little water, Kirigakure's water-style specialists struggled there.
Therefore, the most feasible target for Kirigakure had always been—
Iwagakure.