Chapter 221: Level One Combat Readiness
As Uchiha Akira's final, chilling words fell—"In this world, there only needs to be one Konoha"—the entire conference room plunged into an eerie, suffocating silence.
The Jōnin Commander, the Clan Heads, the Sannin, the elite Jōnin instructors… they were the pillars of Konoha, seasoned veterans of multiple wars. They understood.
Shatter the old system.
Rebuild the new order.
Annex the entire Ninja World.
How arrogant. How utterly, terrifyingly domineering.
This was not a political maneuver. This was a declaration of intent to conquer. To use the unprecedented power of Konoha under his rule to subjugate the other Great Shinobi Villages, the minor villages, everything.
Every person present was an Elite Jōnin or higher. They knew precisely what this meant.
This meant Konoha would become the enemy of the entire Ninja World. Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure... all of them, united against Konoha.
This was an unprecedented gamble. The stakes were not just political power; they were the very fate and existence of Konoha itself. Win, and achieve Akira's vision of eternal peace under Konoha's rule. Lose... and Konoha would be wiped from the map, its people scattered or exterminated.
Amidst this suffocating, heavy silence, where even breathing seemed too loud…
"Click."
With a soft, deliberate sound, a chair was pushed back.
The head of the Hyūga Clan, Hyūga Hiashi, slowly, purposefully, stood up.
Every single gaze in the room instantly focused on him.
As Konoha's oldest and most prominent clan, second only to the now-ascendant Uchiha, the Hyūga Clan's stance was absolutely crucial. Their support, or opposition, could sway the entire room.
Hyūga Hiashi's face, usually stern and impassive, was as calm as ever. But his white Byakugan eyes held a new, hard light.
He turned to face Uchiha Akira and bowed deeply, formally.
"The Hyūga Clan," Hiashi began, his voice clear and steady, cutting through the silence, "since the time of the First Hokage, has been Konoha's unwavering shield. We have guarded the Village's safety, unwavering through generations of conflict."
He paused, his gaze sweeping briefly over the other clan heads.
"We once naively believed that tolerance and compromise could bring lasting peace."
"But facts, hard-won through blood and loss, have proven otherwise. Kindness only fuels the greed of jackals. Compromise is seen as weakness."
"Lord Hokage's words today are deafening. They ring with undeniable truth."
Hiashi's voice gained strength.
"Rather than passively enduring these endless cycles of hatred, these meaningless wars fought over scraps of land and pride… it is better for us, for Konoha, to end it all with our own hands!"
He turned fully towards Akira, his expression resolute.
"For the future of the Hyūga! For the future of Konoha! For our descendants, so they do not have to live under the constant shadow of war and loss!"
"I, Hyūga Hiashi, representing the entire Hyūga Clan, fully agree with Lord Hokage's decision!"
His next words sealed his clan's fate.
"From this moment on, the Hyūga Clan is willing to be the sharpest spear in Lord Hokage's hand! We will clear all obstacles for you!"
"The Hyūga Clan, every member, Main and Branch, is at your command! Willing to die ten thousand deaths without regret!"
His words were resonant! A solemn, binding oath.
Hyūga Hiashi's declaration immediately stirred up huge waves in the tense conference room.
Many people present showed shocked expressions.
They had not expected that Hyūga Hiashi, always known for his conservatism, his caution, his rigid adherence to tradition, would be the first to stand up and so clearly, so absolutely, support this insane, world-altering plan!
With the Hyūga Clan's powerful declaration, the atmosphere in the conference room subtly, but irrevocably, shifted. The first crack in the dam of opposition had appeared.
"Sigh..."
A long, weary sigh broke the ensuing silence.
Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, rubbed his temples beneath his white, spiky hair. A wry, tired smile played on his face.
"You kid…" he muttered, looking at Akira. "You truly never play by the rules, do you?"
"Unifying the Ninja World… Heh. Only you would dare to utter such words aloud, let alone actually attempt it."
Jiraiya's tone paused. The playful, almost resigned look on his face completely vanished. It was replaced by an unprecedented solemnity, the gravity of decades weighing on him.
"My entire life," Jiraiya said, his voice low but carrying immense weight, "I have pursued a peaceful world. A world where people can truly understand each other."
"I have traveled the lands. I have seen too much war, too much death, too much pointless suffering."
"I know better than anyone that this Shinobi World, built on a foundation of hatred and vengeance, is rotten to its very core."
Jiraiya's gaze swept over everyone present – Tsunade, Shikaku, Kakashi, Guy – finally returning to Uchiha Akira.
"With your current strength… with the power you wield… perhaps… no," Jiraiya corrected himself, conviction hardening his voice. "You definitely have the ability to end this twisted, broken Ninja World."
"Konoha, because of your existence, is unprecedentedly strong. We hold all the cards."
He looked towards the window, imagining the children playing outside.
"For our descendants… so that Naruto's generation of children do not have to experience the fires of war that consumed ours…"
Jiraiya took a deep, final breath.
"Now… terrifying as it is… now truly is the best time."
"I, Jiraiya, approve."
"However!"
Jiraiya's tone shifted again, becoming extremely serious, the voice of a seasoned commander.
"This is, after all, a war that will sweep across the entire Ninja World! It is not child's play! We must plan carefully! Formulate a detailed strategy! We must minimize casualties on our side!"
Jiraiya's stance, his approval, carried immense weight. He was a Sannin, a war hero, the student of the Third, the teacher of the Fourth.
Even he had agreed. The scales in the hearts of the remaining, undecided individuals began to tip sharply.
"Hmph."
A loud, dismissive, cold snort sounded from the other side of the table.
Tsunade, the Slug Princess, crossed her arms over her ample chest, leaning back in her chair with a defiant look.
"Plan carefully? Jiraiya, you're still so naive after all these years."
"To deal with jackals and wolves, the best plan is to have the absolute strength to beat them to death with one decisive blow!"
She slammed a fist on the table.
"So-called peace talks! So-called Five Kage Summits! They are nothing but meetings to divide spoils and posture! Those worthless agreements are not even as good as toilet paper!"
Tsunade suddenly sat up straight, her hazel eyes fixed intently, fiercely, on Uchiha Akira.
"I don't want to see any more Konoha ninja die! Not in meaningless border skirmishes! Not in pointless political schemes!"
Her voice rose, filled with the passion born from witnessing countless deaths on the operating table.
"If you're going to fight, then fight! Beat them into complete submission! Cripple them! Beat them until they hear the name Konoha and immediately fall to their knees begging for mercy!"
She stood up, her presence formidable.
"I, Tsunade, representing the Konoha Medical Department, fully support you!"
"I will ensure that Konoha's medical system becomes the strongest backing for this war! Every ninja on that battlefield will know that as long as there's still a breath left in them, I can snatch them back from the Shinigami (死神, Death God) himself!"
Two of the Legendary Sannin had declared their stance, one after another! The pillars of the old guard were falling in line behind the new Hokage.
The atmosphere in the entire conference room had shifted dramatically, from stunned shock to a rising, dangerous fervor.
Everyone's gaze now turned towards the last few key figures.
Nara Shikaku. Yamanaka Inoichi. Akimichi Chōza.
The heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio. Their clans were the strategic backbone of Konoha; their unparalleled brains, perception, and raw power were indispensable in any conflict.
Nara Shikaku slowly stood up, his usual lazy expression replaced by one of sharp, calculating focus.
"Lord Hokage's strategy," he began, his voice calm and analytical, "though… admittedly insane on the surface… is logically… sound."
He tapped his temple.
"With Konoha's current military strength, our economic advantages, and coupled with Lord Hokage's… unfathomable personal power… taking the initiative to attack is indeed the option with the lowest long-term risk and the greatest potential reward."
"Continuing to maintain the current, fragile status quo would inevitably lead to an endless war of attrition, border conflicts, and espionage. That would be disadvantageous to us in the long run."
Shikaku sighed, the weight of the decision clear on his face. "Troublesome… but necessary."
"I… representing the Nara Clan, approve."
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza exchanged a brief, knowing glance. They stood up simultaneously.
"The Yamanaka Clan, seconds the motion." Inoichi stated, his voice firm.
"The Akimichi Clan, seconds the motion." Chōza added, his tone rumbling with resolve.
At this point, all of Konoha's top clans – Uchiha, Hyūga, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi – had reached a consensus!
What remained were the Elite Jōnin present – the field commanders, the instructors.
Kakashi Hatake leaned back, his visible eye closed. He hadn't moved.
"I have no objections." His voice was quiet, weary.
"If this war… if it can truly ensure that there will be no more wars in the future…"
Kakashi paused, perhaps thinking of Obito, of Rin, of the endless cycle.
"Then let's do it."
"OH OH OH OH—!!"
Just then, a roar filled with extreme, almost blinding passion suddenly erupted, shattering the tense solemnity!
Might Guy stood up with a "BOOM," slamming both fists on the conference table, making it jump. His entire being seemed to be physically ablaze with fiery enthusiasm!
Guy's eyes were filled with actual tears, streaming down his face, which was brimming with unrestrained excitement.
"THIS IS YOUTH!!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls.
"TO PROTECT A FUTURE WHERE OUR DESCENDANTS CAN BLOOM IN PEACE, WE WILL BURN OUR OWN YOUTH TO THE FULLEST! WHAT A PASSIONATE MISSION!"
Might Guy suddenly spun around and, facing Uchiha Akira, gave a sharp salute, followed by a dramatic thumbs-up, revealing a dazzling white smile that gleamed unnaturally.
"LORD HOKAGE! I, KONOHA'S PROUD BLUE BEAST, MIGHT GUY! AM WILLING TO BECOME THE MOST YOUTHFUL VANGUARD ON THE BATTLEFIELD FOR YOU!"
He then pointed dramatically at Kakashi. "MY ETERNAL RIVAL, KAKASHI, WILL SURELY JOIN ME IN CLEARING ALL ENEMIES FOR YOU! RIGHT, KAKASHI!"
Kakashi looked at Might Guy with a visible expression of utter helplessness, letting out an almost inaudible sigh that sounded suspiciously like "Mm" from his nose.
At this point.
Everyone. Every major faction, every key figure.
Approved!
Uchiha Akira slowly rose from the main seat at the head of the table. He surveyed the faces before him – each with a different expression: grim determination, fervent excitement, calculated acceptance, weary resolve.
"Very good."
His voice was calm, but held the weight of destiny.
"Then, I declare."
"From this moment forward, Konohagakure enters a Level One state of war readiness!"
[Inorin's Note: Level One Combat Readiness (臨戦態勢レベル1, Rinsen Taisei Reberu Wan) typically signifies the highest state of military alert, indicating that war is imminent or has already begun. All village resources are mobilized, leaves are cancelled, and borders are sealed.]
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