"But!"
His voice suddenly rose, his robe flapping loudly in the wind: "People of Konoha, remember this!"
"This is not the first time we have faced war."
"Since the founding of Konoha, we have endured countless storms, countless moments of life and death. Yet every time, we have endured. Why?"
His gaze swept over the crowd, over faces filled with fear, unease, and confusion.
"Because we are Konoha's ninjas, Konoha's villagers, Konoha's family."
"Because behind us is this village, our home, our loved ones, the things we protect with our lives."
"Because we have the Will of Fire!"
"The belief of burning ourselves to protect what is important and to illuminate others, passed down from the first Hokage through generations, engraved into the bones of every Konoha person!"
"And the Will of Fire never bows to aggression!"
"Countless predecessors and heroes, carrying the Will of Fire, shed their blood on this land to protect our home."
His gaze became incredibly profound, as if seeing into everyone's hearts.
"Now, the dark clouds of war are about to descend upon us once again."
"The enemy may be strong, the situation may be severe, but everyone, remember why we fight!"
The third Hokage raised his arm, pointing toward the crowd, toward the village, toward the distant memorial stone.
"For the flowers on our windowsills, for the sweat on our training grounds, for the laughter of children, for the warmth within our families, for the peaceful time of the elderly… for all the ordinary days we love!"
He took a deep breath and pushed his final words to the sky with all his strength: "Unite! People of Konoha! Trust your Hokage! Trust your comrades beside you! Trust the strength within your own hearts! Prepare to face the storm! No matter how strong the enemy is, no matter how severe the situation, Konoha will be an iron wall the enemy cannot cross! The Will of Fire will burn even more fiercely in this trial!"
"Woooah!!!"
After a brief deathly silence, a massive wave of sound erupted into the sky.
The third Hokage nodded slightly and stepped back.
"Next, we invite the respected advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, to deliver important speeches."
Koharu Utatane stepped forward. With a solemn expression and firm tone, she spoke clearly: "War means sacrifice. It means every person of Konoha will bear responsibility."
"All active ninjas, from this moment, all non-emergency leave is canceled. You are to remain on standby under wartime regulations. The mission system will shift fully toward strategic defense and logistical support! Medical, barrier, intelligence, and logistics departments must immediately enter maximum efficiency operation!"
"As for non-ninja villagers, your battlefield is equally important! Remain calm, follow instructions, support the front lines, and take care of your homes, the elderly, and children. That is your greatest contribution to the village."
After speaking, Koharu Utatane stepped back. Her speech was brief and practical, clearly outlining everyone's immediate direction.
Then Homura Mitokado stepped forward and spoke in a steady tone: "Suspicion and panic are more frightening than the enemy. In the coming war, we may face difficult times and hear unfavorable news, but you must believe in the village's decisions and in the efforts of your comrades on the front lines! Do not spread unverified rumors. Do not question unified directives. Maintaining order is strengthening the rear."
"Konoha has endured the trials of two Shinobi World Wars. Our system and our resilience can withstand the storm! Everyone, stay in your positions and fulfill your duties. Victory requires passion, but also calm minds and steady steps."
After speaking, Homura Mitokado nodded slightly and stepped back to his original position.
He did not say many grand words, but every sentence was like a nail driven into the hearts of everyone present.
"Next, we invite the respected advisor, Elder Danzo Shimura, to deliver an important speech."
As soon as the words fell, many villagers in the crowd looked confused.
Who is Danzo Shimura?
Does Konoha have such an advisor?
Hasn't the village always had only two advisors?
They looked at each other, exchanging glances in low voices, trying to get an answer from the people around them, but most just shook their heads, having no impression of this name at all.
But there were also some who, after a brief moment of stunned silence, revealed expressions of sudden realization.
And in the area where the ninjas were gathered, especially the older ones, all showed looks of surprise.
This person… for the past twenty years, had never spoken in any public setting.
And this time, he was actually going to speak?
Many people looked curiously toward the high platform, wanting to see what this third advisory elder of the village actually looked like.
Meanwhile, some who knew Danzo Shimura were waiting for that elder, known for his toughness, to deliver an even harsher declaration of war.
In the area representing the Fire Temple monks, Chiriku, who was attending such a large event with his master for the first time, also curiously stood on his tiptoes to look toward the platform.
The crowd stirred slightly.
However, the one who walked onto the platform was a very familiar figure, yet completely unexpected by everyone.
The green Konoha flak jacket, the properly worn forehead protector, the still somewhat slender yet perfectly upright posture, Shinichi Higashino.
A wave of astonished discussion instantly erupted across the plaza.
"What's going on?"
"Where's Elder Danzo?"
"Why is it Shinichi?"
"Did he go to the wrong place?"
Even some of the Jonin in the front row showed expressions of surprise.
Obito Uchiha opened his mouth wide, staring blankly at the familiar figure on the platform, then suddenly turned his head to look at Kakashi.
"Kakashi! I-it's Shinichi!"
Kakashi ignored him.
His gaze remained fixed on the figure standing on the platform.
Chiriku blinked, stunned for several seconds, then turned his head to look at his master.
"Master, is he Danzo? Why does he look about the same age as me?"
"Chiriku!"
His master's voice carried a trace of helplessness. "Just watch quietly."
Chiriku let out an "Oh" and turned his gaze back to the platform, but the curiosity in his eyes grew even stronger than before.
But Shinichi simply stood there in front of the microphone, motionless, quietly facing the hundreds of thousands of astonished, confused, and even doubtful gazes.
Waiting.
Waiting for them to quiet down.
Gradually, the commotion subsided.
Hundreds of thousands of eyes refocused on him.
"Due to elder advisor Danzo Shimura's physical discomfort, and upon his own designation, I, Special Jonin Shinichi Higashino, will speak here on his behalf."
Shinichi finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread across the entire plaza.
"I thank Elder Danzo for his trust and support, allowing me the honor to speak before all of you, fellow citizens of Konoha, on his behalf today."
"I am young and inexperienced, and I do not know what I should say on behalf of Elder Danzo. So here, I will tell a story."