Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

Furthermore, even in this life where the plot has changed, the subsequent developments will be vastly different, and Shoji is capable of guiding and changing things to a certain extent. At the very least, Shoji has no shortage of patience.

Half a day passed quickly.

The Cloud Ninja delegation officially arrived outside the main gate of Konoha Village.

"Ogata-san, for the rest of the time, you and the rest of the delegation will stay at the inn. I'm going to find out who the Cloud Ninja has sent to Konoha!"

"Ok!"

After giving a brief explanation, the general...

He stepped straight out of the inn and walked openly and lightly toward the main gate of Konoha Village.

Unlike the previous Iwagakure delegation, which was only greeted by Mitokado Homura and a few others, this time the Kumogakure delegation was welcomed by Konoha with ordinary citizens lining the main gate!

Upon reaching a high vantage point and witnessing this scene, Jiang Si couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a hint of mockery. He could, of course, see that while some of the organized crowds were deliberately arranged by the Konoha leadership, a considerable number of them were genuinely happy about the arrival of the Cloud Ninja delegation!

Because these ordinary people are unaware of the dirty dealings between the high-ranking officials of various countries, in their eyes, since the Cloud Ninja delegation came with the banner of peace, it means that the war between the two countries will soon come to an end. Not to mention others, the Konoha people who have family members fighting on the front lines are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the Cloud Ninja peace negotiation delegation, as news of deaths in battle is being sent back to the village day after day.

In the past two or three years, many families in Konoha Village have already had to wear mourning clothes. If the war continues, the people of Konoha will really not be able to bear it. This feeling of bleeding little by little is really unbearable. Even if their own family members are still alive, as long as the war is not over, it is like the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, making them always in a state of fear.

So, it's not wrong to say that these people came to welcome the Cloud Ninja delegation spontaneously. However, these Konoha people are still too naive. Wars don't end so easily. Shoji doesn't know whether the Cloud Ninja in the original story really felt that Hyuga Hizashi's corpse was already very valuable for research and left satisfied, or whether they were forced to endure it temporarily due to the situation in the ninja world. But these things are not important.

As long as the beginning unfolds as in the original work.

The situation that follows will not unfold as it did in the original story.

Has Hinata been captured? Are Hizashi and Hiashi dead? Shoji doesn't care at all. So what if the Cloud Ninja obtain the Byakugan? Unless the Cloud Ninja can cultivate a pair of Tenseigan, the Byakugan bloodline limit is just a joke!

"So, this time, I will definitely assist you properly, lords of Kumogakure, and the Fourth Raikage. Whether it's the territory of the Land of Hot Water or the Byakugan bloodline limit, I will help you get what you want. I just hope you can be a little more assertive and cooperate well in the next act!"

Looking down from his vantage point, Jiang Si surveyed the group of over a dozen Cloud Village members who had entered the village through the main gate of Konoha. His gaze fell upon the Cloud Ninja at the front, who clearly possessed the most imposing presence, and he murmured to himself.

The Third Hokage, who had no idea of ​​Shoji's true intentions, felt that the recent movements of the Iwagakure delegation, including Shoji, were somewhat incongruous, even strange. However, the most important thing at the moment was to receive the Cloud Ninja group. If there were no other unexpected events, the Cloud Ninja were genuinely willing to negotiate peace with Konoha.

In the eyes of the Third Hokage, all other problems were minor issues.

Even if it meant abandoning his sphere of influence in the Land of Hot Springs and retreating his defenses to the border of the Land of Fire, Hiruzen Sarutobi would accept it. Ultimately, he only needed to ensure the general safety of Konoha and the Land of Fire. As for the surrounding small countries, the Third Hokage's so-called "foresight" really didn't matter that much.

Of course, the premise here is very clear: that the Hidden Cloud Village truly wants a ceasefire and peace talks. Otherwise, if the Land of Hot Water hands over the land and then tries to invade the Land of Fire from the south, that would be an outcome that the Third Hokage would absolutely find unacceptable.

Therefore, the Third Hokage attached great importance to this negotiation. The reason why he deliberately arranged for the people to welcome the Cloud Village delegation was not only to reassure the people of his own village, but also to suppress the arrogance of the Iwagakure delegation.

The Third Hokage was quite bothered by the arrogant demeanor of Shoji and his group when they first arrived two days ago. The power that Iwagakure currently possesses certainly requires high vigilance and caution, but if Konoha can truly reach an agreement with Kumogakure, the danger level will definitely be greatly reduced!

It would be best to avoid fighting if possible!

This is the most unwavering governing philosophy since the Third Hokage took charge of Konoha.

Taking this opportunity to put pressure on Shoji and his group, the Third Hokage deliberately kept the two leaders of the Cloud Village delegation at the Hokage Building for a longer period of time after they arrived. This included not only the main content of the negotiations but also some less important matters. Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately delayed the negotiations a little longer.

The purpose was to put pressure on Shoji and the others in this way, in order to further probe the true intentions and bottom line of Iwagakure.

Unfortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea that Shoji didn't care about any of this. Even though Ogata and the others were a little worried, they gradually calmed down under Shoji's strong calming power.

This is Hiruzen Sarutobi's intention.

The general's insight is truly remarkable.

For him, the matter was as it was, and all he needed to do was watch the Cloud Ninja's actions. Everything else was irrelevant. Hiruzen Sarutobi's so-called pressure wouldn't move Shoji in the slightest; in fact, he even felt a little amused.

This Third Hokage's magnanimity and awareness were too narrow.

Shoji simply sat quietly to the side, watching the Third Hokage strike a pose!

At least Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that his plan was going very smoothly.

On the contrary, the Jonin leading the group from Kumogakure was somewhat confused by Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude. He almost thought that Konoha had some kind of trap. After thinking it over and over again, this Jonin, who had received detailed instructions from Tsuchida before setting off, vaguely guessed that it was probably related to the Iwagakure delegation led by Shoji!

This is a powerful figure who has only risen to prominence in the last two years.

This Cloud Ninja named Maya was naturally well-known. This situation, which was roughly clear, made Maya happy, and on the first day, he also put forward his village's request.

"A ceasefire is possible, but only if Konoha completely withdraws from the Land of Hot Springs, bringing that country entirely under the control of Kumogakure!"

This was an expected development, but the Cloud Ninja's overly assertive attitude caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression to darken slightly during the meeting. Although he had long known that none of the major ninja villages were simple characters, simply trying to use anyone was extremely difficult.

But this is a series of strong and intimidating actions.

This still made Hiruzen Sarutobi very uncomfortable.

However, that's all. In terms of the big picture, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that this was still within his acceptable range.

If the Cloud Ninja are truly willing to negotiate, then peace talks are possible.

This is something that needs to be 100% certain, and the Third Hokage didn't want to reveal his intentions at the beginning.

With a smile, he indicated that his side would give this so-called 'Yunren goodwill' serious consideration.

After having the relevant person in charge lead the Cloud Ninja delegation to another villa, he immediately dispatched members of the Anbu to summon Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzo. He also specifically instructed Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi to stay behind. These two Jonin are currently the Third Hokage's most trusted and most capable subordinates in Konoha!

There is absolutely no need to worry about their magnanimity, methods, wisdom, or overall perspective.

The two can also advise the Third Hokage. Unlike Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi still acknowledges deep down that he is getting old and his thinking is not as sharp and quick as before. He needs these young people to help him fill in the gaps in his thinking and make up for some important loopholes at critical moments!

Both of them were well aware of the importance of the arrival of the two major powers' delegations this time.

Standing in this office, which can be described as the seat of the highest power in Konoha, Shikaku and Inoichi both wore solemn expressions. The four people seated in their positions were all true bigwigs of Konoha. As long as their Hokage didn't ask anything, they remained silent.

Shikaku and Inoichi would definitely not take the initiative to say anything.

This is basic subordinate etiquette!

This is also a quality that an adult should have.

"That's roughly it. Iwagakure's intentions are still unclear, but it's very likely related to the Land of Grass, some border trade, and the division of mission quotas. Kumogakure, on the other hand, has made a clear demand that Konoha withdraw from the Land of Hot Springs as a whole and not allow us to set up any more bases in the Land of Hot Springs. Obviously, we can't stand against two major ninja villages at the same time, especially with Sunagakure and Kirigakure's attitudes unclear. This is the moment when we must make a decision!"

"Danzo, En, Koharu, I want to hear your opinions!"

337. Consultation and Decision-Making

P.S.: I'll post 5,000 words first, and there will be more tonight. I didn't post enough words the past two days, so I'll make up for it today. Also, I want to thank all my readers for your continued support. I was originally a complete failure, but I never expected that my high subscriptions would break 6,000 and my average subscriptions would reach 1,700, heading towards 2,000. I will definitely post more today to express my gratitude to all my readers!

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat upright in his main seat.

He used the most concise language to explain to his three closest friends the current situation his village was facing, especially emphasizing the attitudes of the two major ninja villages and the forces they were currently deploying on the eastern and western borders.

While the Hidden Cloud Village appears to have ceased its military operations, the forces previously deployed to the Land of Hot Springs have not decreased at all, and there is even a hint that they will be further increased and intensified. Regardless of their quality, the Hidden Cloud Village's overall number of troops alone is already over 3,500, according to the Konoha's reconnaissance!

This legion already accounts for at least a quarter, or even a third, of the ninjas in Kumogakure. If we put it in Konoha today, it would be close to one-fifth!

While the forces deployed by Iwagakure in the Land of Grass were not as aggressive, the number of Iwagakure ninja they had scouted was approaching a peak of two thousand. Not to mention, compared to the Third Shinobi World War, Iwagakure had deployed about three or four times the number of troops this time. If Konoha were to be careless, a war between the two sides could break out!

It will only lead to a complete and uncontrollable abyss.

It's important to understand that, putting aside the lower and middle-level forces compared to the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha simply doesn't have enough solid command and coordination personnel at the Kage level right now, unless they can recall Jiraiya and Tsunade immediately.

Otherwise, we'll really have to force old guys like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura to go to the battlefield themselves!

Therefore, the analysis and judgment of the current situation must be as perfect as possible. Hiruzen Sarutobi really doesn't want to see his ninja village in turmoil again.

His old bones can't withstand too much stress anymore.

"Although this was expected, isn't Kumogakure's appetite a bit too big? They want us to completely withdraw from the entire Land of Hot Springs. Is Hiruzen Kumogakure's bottom line? Did Iwagakure gain anything else? Can we tell that Iwagakure is just bluffing? If I'm not mistaken, Iwagakure has deployed a considerable number of troops along the eastern and southern borders of the Land of Earth to prevent any unusual movements from Kumogakure and Sunagakure. I find it hard to believe that Iwagakure would have the confidence to attack us under these circumstances!"

While Mitokado Homura was generally considered a moderate figure who leaned towards the Third Hokage's ideals, over the past few decades, many of his ideas and decisions were similar to Hiruzen Sarutobi's, aiming to handle any problem in the safest way possible. He wasn't as fiery and assertive as Danzo Shimura, but compared to him, Mitokado Homura was someone who wasn't easily inclined to submit.

Especially in this situation where they are being threatened, it would be best if taking a step back could lead to a more peaceful outcome, but what if that's not the case? They also have to consider whether the other party is deliberately trying to fool them and get something for nothing!

Mito Menyan takes this very seriously.

"There is still no specific information about Iwagakure. Since the first day we arrived, Uchiha Shoji and everyone in the Iwagakure delegation below have been staying quietly in the inn. Even today, when the Cloud Ninja delegation arrived, only Uchiha Shoji came out to investigate for a bit before returning directly. On the surface, there is nothing unusual, and it is difficult to see anything."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, and said with a hint of difficulty.

"Then we'll..."

"Hmph, what's there to think about? Just agree to the Cloud Ninja's request first, and then completely suppress the Iwagakure Ninja's side. That's the best option!"

In the left-hand position.

Danzo Shimura snorted coldly, his open eyes flashing with a chilling light as he spoke disdainfully.

"Ok?"

"Danzo?"

This sudden and clear statement caused a slight shift in the expressions of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Shikaku and Inoichi, who were standing on either side behind them.

"Danzo, this is a crucial decision concerning the entire village, and we cannot let too much personal emotion get in the way!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo Shimura with a very serious expression. In his opinion, the reason why his close friend was so decisive must be because of the Uchiha clan. A year and a half ago, when the Uchiha clan planned to merge with Iwagakure, Danzo clamored to hold Iwagakure accountable and force them to hand over the Uchiha clan, otherwise he would declare war on them.

This blatant display of malice.

Hiruzen Sarutobi already had some reservations, and now, at a time when Konoha's most important survival issue was at stake, Danzo was still bringing in such deep personal emotions. As a result, a stern look of dissatisfaction appeared on the Third Hokage's face.

"Hmph, Hiruzen, you underestimate me too much. I admit that my desire to deal with Iwagakure is indeed partly due to my hatred for the Uchiha clan, especially Uchiha Shoji, but it is more out of consideration for the overall situation. Talking with Kumogakure and then jointly suppressing Iwagakure is the best course of action for Konoha at present!"

Shimura Danzo tightened his grip on his wooden staff slightly, slammed it heavily on the ground, and said in a cold voice.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was in the head seat, narrowed his eyes slightly as Danzo finished speaking, while Shikaku Nara, who was in the side seat, had a faint strange light flickering in the depths of his pupils.

"Why do you make this judgment, Danzo?"

At this moment, Mitokado Homura, who was sitting opposite Danzo, leaned forward slightly and looked at Danzo with a very solemn expression, asking him a question. Utatane Koharu also opened her slightly narrowed eyes and stared at Danzo with a fixed expression.

"It's very simple. It's still because of the Uchiha clan. Why is Iwagakure putting pressure on our border at this time? Why is the leader of the delegation Uchiha Shoji? Don't you think this is a revenge act instigated by the Uchiha clan? I can guarantee that Iwagakure, or rather the Uchiha clan, saw that Konoha and Kumogakure are currently locked in a fierce battle and planned to take advantage of this opportunity to attack us!"

"The so-called negotiation delegation is just here to probe our strength. Once they discover any weakness in Konoha, Hiruzen, do you believe that the Iwagakure border troops will take immediate action? At that point, it won't just be a problem for the Land of Grass; even the stability of our Land of Fire's borders will be greatly threatened!"

Danzo looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a slightly deep gaze and said.

To be honest, even though Danzo's judgment this time was mostly his own arbitrary speculation without any real evidence, a considerable portion of it was actually correct.

However, Danzo's dark history is truly too much, not to mention it involves the Uchiha clan. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane really find it hard to believe Danzo's judgment. If you say that this is Danzo's rational judgment based on the current situation, sorry, the three of them really find it hard to accept.

Even though what he said sounded plausible.

"Lu Jiu, what do you think?"

Instead of refuting it immediately, he pondered for a moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at Shikaku Nara beside him and asked.

Since Danzo cannot be easily trusted, and it is difficult to make a judgment on one's own, asking Shikaku is the most direct and effective way.