Konoha's Hokage Building.
Highest-level conference room.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, looking at the intelligence in his hand. The joy in his eyes was almost impossible to hide.
"Yoru killing Asakura Kira has greatly boosted the morale of our Konoha army!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a loud laugh.
"Yes, yes! Yoru truly did a fine job."
"It's hard to imagine. How old is Yoru? Yet he can already kill Asakura Kira!"
"Remarkable!"
Inside the conference room, the elders of the Senju faction laughed heartily as they echoed Hiruzen Sarutobi's words. The joy in their voices made it seem as if they were celebrating the New Year.
The elders of the neutral factions also joined in with smiles. After all, Yoru had rendered great service to the village, and Konoha Village was one step closer to victory in the war!
As for the others in the conference room—
The head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Ryoku, had a sour expression, as if he had just swallowed a dead child. The matter between Yoru and Uchiha Mikoto, the daughter of Uchiha Kan, had already spread throughout the higher levels of Konoha.
Although he was the clan head, Uchiha Kan's faction was basically opposing him at every turn! This made Uchiha Ryoku extremely irritated.
The people of Uchiha Kan's faction were practically raising both hands in approval of the matter between Uchiha Mikoto and Yoru This was a powerful thigh to cling to! This was the key figure who might determine whether their faction could save the Uchiha clan!
The clan head's faction had already gone mad! They had actually begun to deviate from the village's decisions. Especially during these two wars, their response to the village's conscription orders had been so perfunctory. The people of Uchiha Kan's faction could already sense the intense dissatisfaction the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held toward the Uchiha clan!
Uchiha Ryoku naturally wanted to stop the matter between Uchiha Mikoto and Yoru, but the Uchiha clansmen of Uchiha Kan's faction had already firmly decided to follow Yoru's footsteps! Uchiha Kan had even slammed the table and roared, "She is my daughter! She has the right to choose her own happiness!"
The clansmen of Uchiha Kan's faction firmly believed that only this way would the Uchiha clan have a future!
Recently, the conflict between the two factions of the Uchiha clan had grown increasingly severe. The younger generation of the two factions had even begun fighting fiercely on the training grounds, injuring several people badly.
The internal strife of the Uchiha clan seemed close at hand.
As for the Hyuga clan, one of Konoha's three great clans, the situation was somewhat strange.
The Hyuga clan head, Hyuga Toki, was smiling brilliantly. He was even chatting enthusiastically with the elders of the Senju faction about Yoru's greatness, as if Yoru were a member of their Hyuga clan.
Meanwhile, beside him, the second elder of the Hyuga clan sat silently in his seat with an ashen expression.
But among everyone in the conference room, the one with the ugliest expression was, of course, the one who considered himself the darkness of Konoha—Danzo!
Danzo sat below Hiruzen Sarutobi with a gloomy face, his fists clenched tightly. Because he was exerting too much force, veins bulged across them.
"Yoru!"
Danzo's eyes were filled with hatred toward Yoru!
The more glorious Yoru became, the more it felt like slap after slap landing across Danzo's face!
"Enough!"
After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished laughing, he patted the table and restored the dignity of the Hokage.
"Now, let's begin discussing serious matters!"
"Iwagakure Village seems to be getting restless. It looks like they intend to launch a major offensive. The overall commander of the Iwagakure battlefield, Senju Senra, has already sent three urgent reports over the past few days, requesting reinforcements from the village."
When Hiruzen Sarutobi said this, his expression became extremely solemn.
The intelligence showed that on Iwagakure's side, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki had disappeared without a trace!
This was a terrifying signal!
Iwagakure was very likely preparing to launch its final battle against Konoha as well!
"And on Sunagakure's side, the Third Kazekage has gathered the last of Sunagakure's forces, along with the One-Tail Jinchuriki, and has already begun rushing toward the battlefield!"
Bad news came one after another. Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke another piece of news that was extremely disadvantageous to Konoha.
The Konoha elders, who had been elated just moments ago, fell silent.
"But there is good news as well! Orochimaru, the overall commander of the Sunagakure battlefield, and Senju Tsunade, the head of the medical division, have finally stepped into the Kage level."
When Hiruzen Sarutobi said this, pride appeared in his eyes as well.
Both of his disciples had become Kage-level powerhouses!
How remarkable was that?
Master and disciples were all Kage-level powerhouses! This would surely become a famous tale in the shinobi world!
As for that bastard Jiraiya!
Right now, Hiruzen Sarutobi truly hated him so much his teeth itched.
Damn it, under the current situation where Konoha was so lacking in high-end combat power, that bastard was still taking care of those war orphans in the Land of Rain!
After that, Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent several urgent letters, ordering Jiraiya to return to the village immediately.
But Jiraiya, who still firmly believed Nagato was the "Child of Prophecy," had refused every time with various excuses.
At this moment, the elders of the Senju clan were practically overwhelmed with surprise and joy. Their clan's princess, Senju Tsunade, had finally stepped into the Kage level as well!
The Senju clan had grown even stronger!
"Then, on the Sunagakure battlefield, the village will not dispatch any more powerful reinforcements. As for the Iwagakure battlefield…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi swept his gaze around. When he saw Uchiha Ryoku's attitude, as if the matter had nothing to do with him, he hated him so much his teeth ached.
The Uchiha clan had more than one Kage-level powerhouse!
Yet they showed no intention of considering the village at all!
Detestable!
"Clan Head Hyuga."
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that the Uchiha clan was completely unreliable, so he turned to Hyuga Toki and said, "Then I will have to trouble your clan to dispatch one Kage-level powerhouse."
Hyuga Toki's expression became solemn as he responded, "Yes, Lord Hokage!"
But it was still somewhat insufficient!
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was thinking about what other Kage-level powerhouses could be sent to the frontline battlefield, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Lord Hokage!"
A highly respected elder of the Senju clan stood up and spoke with a determined expression.
"My Senju clan is willing to dispatch another Kage-level powerhouse to the Iwagakure battlefield!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi was overjoyed. At the same time, a trace of unease appeared in his heart.
The Senju clan actually still had another Kage-level expert!
Including Senju Senra and Senju Takuya on the frontline, that made three!
If Tsunade was included, the Senju clan now possessed four Kage-level powerhouses!
Terrifying foundation!
This was the thought in the hearts of everyone at the meeting.
Even the arrogant Uchiha Ryoku looked at the Senju clan elder with deep wariness in his eyes.
"Very good! Dispatch another two thousand reinforcements to the Iwagakure battlefield. The decisive battle is about to begin!"
With the decisive battle about to arrive, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer had the energy to scheme over these matters. He shouted in a deep voice.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The elders inside the conference room responded loudly.
The decisive battle of the Second Shinobi World War was about to begin!
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