"Hiruzen, are you certain this is what you want?"
Inside the Senju Compound, Uzumaki Mito sighed as she looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had come to discuss the brewing conflict.
Hiruzen nodded firmly. "Sunagakure has shattered the unspoken rules. If I, as Hokage, do not deliver a swift and forceful retaliation, where is Konoha's dignity? Furthermore... even if I were reluctant to start a war, the various clans—led by the Hyuga—would lose all faith in the village leadership after what happened. Konoha must fight this battle, and Konoha must be the one to dictate when it starts and when it ends."
"And the manpower? The forces currently led by Tsunade and Orochimaru cannot sustain a full-scale war," Mito pointed out.
Hiruzen didn't hesitate. "Rima and Chema have already requested to be deployed. Hyuga Mitsuru is also willing to lead his clansmen to the front. Beyond them, young Jonin like Mumoku Isago, Yuhi Shinko, and Umino Ikkaku immediately voiced their support for the village's decision. Even Danzo has already mobilized Root to begin covert infiltration and sabotage."
He paused, his eyes hardening. "If the Third Kazekage insists on personally participating in this war, then I am prepared to take the field as well."
As Hiruzen rattled off the names, Mito closed her eyes wearily. The first two names he mentioned—Rima and Chema—were among the few remaining elites of the Senju clan.
The origins of this conflict lay in the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, and the frontline commander was Tsunade. It was only natural that the Senju were chomping at the bit to deploy. But... a battlefield was never a kind place.
"If this is truly your decision... then I shall support it," Mito finally relented. Her gaze drifted past the resolute Hiruzen, looking out toward the courtyard. "This village is the legacy Hashirama and Tobirama left to everyone. Treasure it well."
Hiruzen didn't quite grasp the deeper melancholy in her words, but he nodded solemnly. "I will, Lady Mito."
"Go then. I will not make a public appearance. If any clan disagrees with the mobilization, tell them to come speak with me."
Mito waved a hand, signaling the end of the conversation. Hiruzen bowed respectfully and backed out of the hall. Once he cleared the building, his form dissolved into a cloud of white smoke—a Shadow Clone.
In a conference room within the Hokage Building, the various clan heads, village elites, and consultants were already gathered.
Hiruzen, sitting at the head of the table, suddenly closed his eyes. The room fell silent. A moment later, he opened them, stood up, and spoke with absolute finality.
"The matter of whether or not to declare war is no longer up for debate. We are here to discuss one thing: how we will crush Sunagakure!"
The faces of those who had intended to oppose the war twisted into scowls. Only moments ago, Hiruzen had seemed open to hearing their arguments. But in the span of a few minutes, his stance had shifted from deliberation to a unilateral declaration.
This meant Hiruzen had secured his "trump card"—the approval of the only person in the village who could override the collective hesitation of the clans: Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the First Hokage and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
The opposition was suddenly silenced. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged a glance, both looking deeply uncomfortable. As the Hokage's consultants, they were supposed to be in lockstep with Hiruzen, yet they had been among the loudest voices against the escalation.
In contrast, Danzo Shimura—who was usually at odds with Hiruzen—voiced his firm support. He had already "acted first and reported later" by dispatching Root agents into Suna territory.
Hiruzen ignored those who had previously refused to fight and turned his gaze toward the head of the Hyuga clan, Hyuga Mitsuru. "Mitsuru, I want you to personally lead the Hyuga reinforcements. Is that acceptable?"
Mitsuru accepted the command immediately. "Lord Hokage, the fact that you have granted us the opportunity to avenge our fallen clansmen is more than we could ask for. The Hyuga will give their all."
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction before looking at Rima and Chema. Though they attended as individual Jonin, they represented the will of the Senju. "Rima, Chema, the pressure on the main front will be immense. Before you depart, draft a roster. The more people, the better. We must ensure the front line does not buckle."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" they replied in unison, their voices thick with excitement.
Finally, Hiruzen looked toward the representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. "Shikato, you will handle the formal declaration of war and coordinate the logistics. Ensure the front line lacks for nothing."
"Understood, Lord Hokage," replied Nara Shikato.
Shikato, the father of Nara Shikaku, already had a rough draft of the declaration in his head. Writing a war manifesto was a simple formula: claim the moral high ground, condemn Sunagakure's "barbaric" actions, and then state that for the sake of global peace and stability, Konoha was "forced" to intervene with righteous fury. The end usually involved advising Suna to surrender before it was too late.
However, Hiruzen had paired the easy paperwork with the nightmare of logistics management. That wasn't something that could be solved with a clever pen. For a moment, Shikato found himself wishing his son would hurry up and graduate so he could retire and pass the headache along.
As Shikato's mind wandered, Hiruzen finished his rounds. He suppressed the surge of adrenaline in his chest and asked, "Does anyone have any further questions?"
He pointedly caught Shikato's eye. The Nara snapped back to attention and sighed. "Lord Hokage, regarding the logistics... we have a bit of a problem."
"Speak."
Shikato nodded. "In recent years, the greed of the Cloud, Rock, Mist, and Sand nations regarding the Land of Whirlpools—and their subsequent 'inhumane' actions—didn't just result in the fall of Uzushiogakure. It..."
Shikato shook his head with a look of feigned grief. "It disrupted the commercial flow of the entire shinobi world. Prices for raw materials and commodities have skyrocketed. From rice and grain to coal and iron ore, the costs are significantly higher than they were during the last era of peace. With the village's current reserve funds, fighting a full-scale war against the Land of Wind... might leave us spread thin."
Hiruzen frowned, his fingers tapping the table rhythmically. Finally, he spoke with gravity. "I will personally petition the Daimyo for an emergency increase in war funding, but that will take time. For now... in my capacity as the head of the Sarutobi clan, I hereby donate thirty million Ryo to the village to secure the first wave of supplies. We cannot allow bureaucracy to delay the war effort."
The room went dead silent. The clan heads looked at one another, particularly those who hadn't yet been asked to provide troops. Their faces were flushed with awkwardness. Hiruzen's move had made it clear: you either provide blood or you provide gold. There was no middle ground.
Just as most of the clan heads were preparing to play dumb and wait for the moment to pass, a middle-aged man with long, flowing black hair slammed his hand onto the table.
"The Uchiha clan will also donate thirty million Ryo!" he declared, his eyes flashing with intensity. "Furthermore, we will dispatch our finest elites to the front. We are honored to share the village's burden!"