In the following days, as news from the Land of Whirlpools continued to spread, more and more villagers took to the streets, their calls for severe punishment of the culprits growing louder.
Facing this situation, the Third Hokage had to give multiple speeches to appease the restless emotions of the villagers.
On this day, the Third Hokage had just finished a speech and walked into his office, only to see Danzo already waiting there.
"Hiruzen, you've seen it. The will of the people is with us now. Are you really not considering my previous suggestion?"
The Third Hokage took off his Hokage hat and placed it on the desk before turning to Danzo.
"The last war was too long ago, so much so that the villagers have forgotten the pain it brings. But you and I experienced it firsthand. We should know that once a war begins, its direction is no longer within our control."
"Moreover, the militant factions in the other great nations are rising. They might even be hoping Konoha starts the war first, so they can claim the moral high ground. The scale of the subsequent war might far exceed the last one."
Danzo nodded. He was the leader of Konoha's militant faction, but he was not a fool. The more sensitive the period, the less one should be the first to act.
"Then what about the villagers now?"
The Third Hokage lit his pipe, and amidst the curling smoke, he said, "Anbu intelligence indicates that the first batch of Uzumaki survivors will arrive in Konoha tomorrow. Release this news. Let the villagers go to the village entrance to see what war truly looks like. I believe after seeing it, their emotions will calm down considerably."
"In addition, you also need to act quickly and make a public display of our actions."
"Yes. My first team of ninja has already reached their designated positions and can launch an attack tonight. I believe we will have news by tomorrow."
"Furthermore, the situation in the Land of Lightning is complex, and we must prevent them from becoming truly desperate. Therefore, I plan to personally go to the Land of Frost to command the operation."
The Third Hokage nodded. "With you going, I feel much more at ease. Also, inform Homura to issue a statement of condemnation. Condemn first, then attack, so as not to leave any room for criticism."
Danzo agreed. That day, Konoha, together with the Land of Fire, issued a letter of condemnation. The letter enumerated the crimes of the major nations in this incident and urged them to immediately hand over the culprits and make reparations, otherwise Konoha would take action to seek justice for the innocent allied citizens who died.
The next afternoon, Konoha villagers, who had already received the news, flocked to the village entrance to welcome the arrival of the people from the Land of Whirlpools. Konoha's high-ranking officials—the Hokage and two Advisors, as well as the clan heads of various ninja clans—were all present.
Grandma Mito stood at the village entrance, holding Kyuushin's and Kushina's hands. Although Grandma Mito had told them that they still had relatives alive after receiving the survivor list, Kushina was still fraught with anxiety. Kyuushin's mood was also complicated. He had only seen his relatives from this world in his memories, and he felt a little nervous now.
As time passed, a convoy of carriages slowly appeared on the horizon. Kushina couldn't bear it any longer and wanted to rush forward. Grandma Mito pulled the two of them along and actively went forward to greet them. As they moved, the Third Hokage and others behind them also followed, walking out of the village.
After walking a few steps, Kyuushin saw a figure suddenly exit one of the carriages, leaning on a cane. After taking two steps, he seemed to feel he was moving too slowly, so he threw the cane aside and stumbled quickly towards them. As he got closer, Kyuushin saw that his hair and beard were completely white, his face was deeply furrowed, and he looked utterly haggard. It was his grandfather, Uzumaki Masaaki, the only remaining elder of the Uzumaki Clan.
He could clearly see tears flowing uncontrollably as his grandfather walked closer.
Grandma Mito rushed forward, wanting to embrace him, but he stopped a few steps away from her. He then knelt directly on the ground, burying his head deeply as he whimpered, "Big Sister… I have failed…"
Grandma Mito pulled him up abruptly and scolded, "What are you doing!"
But he just cried, sobbing, "I am a sinner to the Uzumaki clan!"
"Alright! You're already halfway to the grave, what is all this crying for! Quickly wipe your tears, or you can go back!"
Upon hearing this, Masaaki could only reluctantly stop his sobbing and wipe away his tears with his sleeve.
Seeing that he was no longer crying, Grandma Mito's tone softened. "If you hadn't sent Kyuushin with that message, do you think anyone from the Uzumaki would have survived? In that case, you are not a sinner, but rather the greatest contributor to our clan."
"But… but so many of our clansmen…"
"That is their own fault for not being ambitious! In this era of great struggle, instead of training properly, they indulged in a life of ease, relying on Konoha's protection. In this world, weakness is a sin. I am simply thankful the Uzumaki were not completely wiped out."
Grandma Mito came from the Warring States Period, witnessing countless mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Her husband, son, and daughter all died in war, and the pain she experienced was unimaginable to ordinary people. The Land of Whirlpools, since signing the alliance with Konoha, had not experienced war for thirty or forty years. Almost all the young ninja of this generation of Uzumaki had never killed anyone. For them to not be annihilated in the four-nation surprise attack was, in her view, a miracle. As long as the Uzumaki bloodline continued, there was still a chance for everything; its revival would only be a matter of time.
"Grandma Mito is right," Kyuushin said. "Grandpa, the Uzumaki Clan still exists. We will definitely train hard and get our revenge."
Masaaki then turned to look at Kyuushin, and hearing his words, he managed to force a smile. "Good. The Uzumaki will depend on you all from now on." After saying this, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Grandma Mito quickly checked his body and after a moment, she said to the anxious Kyuushin, "He has some injuries, coupled with mental exhaustion. It's nothing serious. He just needs rest."
At that moment, the ninja responsible for escorting them came to their side and said, "Elder Masaaki has been working tirelessly since the incident, disregarding his injuries. He hasn't rested until now."
Grandma Mito nodded. Kyuushin looked at the ninja in front of him, a man with white hair and a short sword on his back, looking a bit weathered. It was most likely Sakumo Hatake.
As they spoke, the convoy slowly entered Konoha's main gate. Kushina had also found her mother, and the two were now embracing and weeping bitterly. Seeing this, the Third Hokage did not hold any welcoming ceremony or give a speech, but instead prepared to settle them down first. Throughout the journey, the atmosphere was somber, and the previously agitated villagers were now quiet.
Suddenly, a villager shouted loudly, "The Land of Whirlpools is our ally! Now that they are suffering, I have nothing good to give. This basket of eggs was for the market, but please, take it. It's for our friends, to help them recover."
His words immediately inspired others.
"Yes, yes, and mine! I just butchered a pig today."
"These are vegetables I picked from my own garden."
"I have freshly steamed buns here. If you're hungry, you can have a bite first."
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