The expressions of everyone present were complex.
Although they had ultimately managed to kill Jiraiya, one had to look at the massive force mobilized to do so.
Four Mangekyo Experts had been deployed, and three Edo Tensei Strongmen had joined forces.
In particular, Senju Hashirama was the former God of the Ninja World, and Uchiha Jin was the strongest person in the Ninja World at the current stage.
Such a luxurious lineup, just to kill one Jiraiya, was truly nothing to boast about.
After all... anyone with a discerning eye could see that Jiraiya clearly had lethal moves he hadn't used yet.
So, sigh!
Under these circumstances, how could everyone's mood not be complex?
However, regarding this, Uchiha Jin did not offer an explanation, simply speaking in a calm tone.
"Alright, everyone go back."
"Level One Alert is lifted, restore to Level Two Alert."
"Department heads and theater commanders, proceed to Conference Room One."
After speaking, Uchiha Jin left first.
Although the others were puzzled upon seeing this, they still went to arrange their respective personnel before heading to Conference Room One.
As for the Kage of the Other Ninja Villages, although they weren't needed to take action this time, they were still granted the qualification to observe.
Of course, one really couldn't blame them for not acting; after all, this was all Uchiha Jin's arrangement.
The reason was simple!
After all, they had only just joined Konoha, and no one could be sure if these people would immediately betray Konoha when a critical moment truly arrived.
For such an important matter, naturally, one had to use reliable personnel from Konoha.
The elite Ninjas from the other major Ninja Villages only needed to be responsible for perimeter security; Lin Feng had never intended to actually let them act.
On the contrary, what he needed to guard against was for the people from these major Ninja Villages not to cause trouble for him during the battle with Jiraiya.
Yes!
Nominally, it was said to be an invitation for them to join this operation, but in reality, it was to use this operation to coerce them, thereby preventing these people from stabbing him in the back.
Half an hour later, in Conference Room One.
Uchiha Jin sat high at the head of the table; Konan did not have the qualification to sit at the conference table, so she was just sitting at a small table behind him.
At this moment, her position was more like that of a scribe.
The three Edo Tensei Strongmen, including Senju Hashirama, and the commanders of the major theaters, including Kakashi, were all sitting in their respective seats at this time.
The current Kage of the four major Ninja Villages—Sunagakure, Hidden Mist, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure—were seated in the observation seats on both sides.
This arrangement was the most appropriate!
After all, this was not a Five Kage Summit; the four major Ninja Villages had completely joined Konoha, but they currently held no positions.
According to common logic, they were not qualified to attend the meeting.
However, considering that he would still need them to help stabilize the Ninjas from the newly joined major Ninja Villages, he had only granted them the qualification to participate in the meeting after some thought.
At this moment, the four of them had complex looks in their eyes.
After glancing at each other, they couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile at the corners of their mouths.
Yes!
In the past, wherever they were, they were basically qualified to sit at the main seat.
But now?
They were not even qualified to sit at the conference table and ultimately could only barely sit in these observation seats.
This disparity in status was truly difficult to put into words.
However, it was a pity.
Uchiha Jin had no intention of comforting them; to him, being willing to let them observe this meeting today was already an act of leniency.
This was also out of consideration for the four major Ninja Villages joining Konoha; otherwise, the four Kage would not have been qualified to listen to such high-level, top-secret intelligence of the Konoha Higher-ups.
"Everyone, the meeting begins."
"The first point I want to make is that regarding the fact that the hostile faction only had Jiraiya alone today, I feel both surprised and disappointed, but there is also a hint of secret happiness in my heart."
"The happy part is that the enemy looks down on us; otherwise, they wouldn't have sent only Jiraiya."
"Not to mention the enemy's hidden forces, even Mount Myōboku did not participate."
"What is surprising and disappointing is that just one Jiraiya almost overturned us!"
"We must realize one point: how much is Jiraiya's true strength?"
"When he does not activate Sage Mode, he is just a Kage-level expert; even when he barely enters Sage Mode, he is at most a high-level Kage-level master."
"Yes, you heard that right!"
"In my opinion, even if Jiraiya uses Sage Mode, his strength simply cannot step into the Super Kage Level."
"And what about us?"
"Hashirama and I are considered the strongest batch at the Super Kage Level, and Tobirama can also be considered to have barely stepped into the ranks of the Super Kage. Sakumo, Fugaku, Shisui, Orochimaru, Itachi..."
"And Rasa, Ōnoki, and others are also considered experts among the Kage-level."
"Kakashi, Itachi, and the others can also be considered to have barely stepped into the Kage-level."
"Yet, with such a powerful lineup, we were almost overturned by Jiraiya alone!"
"Everyone, what does this represent?"
"It represents that they merely used an unknown power to force Jiraiya to mature, and just by giving him a talisman and a Ninja, they almost overturned our Konoha."
"We must be vigilant!"
"The enemy didn't even take action personally; just by relying on one Jiraiya and expending a negligible amount of resources, they were able to display such terrifying power."
"What if the enemy takes action personally next?"
In an instant, accompanied by Uchiha Jin's words, the expressions of everyone present became increasingly ugly, and their hearts felt as heavy as if pressed by a giant stone.
Even Senju Hashirama and the others had faces full of heaviness at this moment.
Clearly!
They had previously vaguely learned some inside information about the hidden aspects of the Ninja World from Uchiha Jin, and they also knew about the two brothers, Hagoromo and Hamura, and the existence of the faction known as Mount Myōboku.
It was just that before, although they were vaguely vigilant, they didn't have any real sense of it.
Now, however, it was different!
Although the enemy had not truly appeared, just by sending one thug, Jiraiya, they had almost overturned this group of Konoha experts.
Yes.
Everyone in their hearts was very clear that if it weren't for Uchiha Jin relying on his own Mangekyo Dōjutsu, the three Edo Tensei Strongmen would have been finished by now, and the subsequent Shinigami would have had the ability to overturn everyone.
This gap was simply too large!
Unlike the people of Konoha, the four Kage from the Other Ninja Villages were completely confused.
What?
What exactly are you talking about?
Enemy?
Or faction?
The four Kage were clearly not fools; although the intelligence they had access to was limited, relying on their own reasonably good brains, they still vaguely deduced a horrifying piece of news.
Could it be that Jiraiya was not an isolated case, and that a faction was hidden behind him?
Thinking of this, the bitterness at the corners of their mouths grew even heavier.
If they had known earlier that Konoha had such enemies, they definitely would not have chosen to join Konoha unconditionally.
Watching Konoha and the enemy consume each other, wouldn't that be better?
But, it was a pity.
They had already made their choice; the citizens, Ninjas, and families of the major Ninja Villages had now all been shuffled and distributed to various places in the Land of Fire.
Want to reorganize?
There was absolutely no possibility!
Konoha would definitely keep them pinned down.
So, sigh!
Now, besides being determined to follow Konoha, there was clearly no other path to take.
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
Read Ahead & Support Access up to 413 chapters ahead with daily updates on Patreon: patreon.com/laktozlu
Discover more novels: 02radnovel.com
Connect & Updates:
Twitter • x.com/02IsmetHQ
Instagram • instagram.com/02novelofficial
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯