"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
When the Konoha council and the heads of the major ninja clans gathered in the conference room, and Hiruzen announced that the Four Kage had formed an alliance and were sending troops against Konoha, everyone's reaction was almost identical to his own when he first heard the news.
"Has Onoki gone insane?
His own son died, and he swallowed the humiliation, sending over a letter of surrender.
Now that someone else's son, the Raikage's, is about to die, he actually sends troops to attack Konoha?"
Danzo was completely dumbfounded.
As someone who had clashed with Onoki many times, he knew that old fox's temperament all too well.
A man who could endure even more than Danzo himself.
And Onoki hadn't disappointed him, after Kitsuchi's death, he had surrendered outright.
"So is Kitsuchi his son, or is A his son?
Did that old man bottle up the pain of losing his child for too long and finally go mad?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged bewildered looks as well.
His biological son died, and Onoki didn't move a muscle.
But when the Raikage's son was nailed to the Valley of the End, he dragged the entire Stone Village into war.
Not just the council, even the clan heads present all wore expressions of utter disbelief.
"Onoki joining the war alone would already be madness.
But what about the Kazekage, Yagura of the Mist?
All Four Kage going mad at the same time, what do you think the odds of that are?"
Orochimaru frowned deeply.
"Something must have happened.
There has to be some reason we don't know, something that drove three Kage to madness, to agree to the Raikage's alliance and drag their villages into this!"
Shikaku pondered for a moment, then tapped the table. Everyone subconsciously turned to look at him.
"Even though I don't yet know what it is, it must be that very thing that forced them to take such a desperate gamble."
After seeing that everyone had quieted down, he continued.
"I really can't imagine what could make all four Kage choose to gamble like this at the same time."
Jiraiya ran a hand through his hair.
Even now, he still hadn't recovered from the shock of the Four Kage alliance.
"Perhaps… it isn't a gamble at all."
A thought stirred in Shikaku's mind.
"Shikaku, have you thought of something?" Hiruzen couldn't help but ask.
"I wouldn't say I've thought of something specific.
It's just that, in our eyes, the Four Kage are walking a tightrope, but in their own eyes, they might not be walking a tightrope at all.
They might think they're striding down a broad, open road."
Shikaku hesitated briefly.
"What kind of thing could make them believe that, once united, they can defeat Lord Garp?"
The moment Fugaku spoke, everyone's expressions tightened slightly.
That's right.
Only if the Four Kage saw a hope of defeating Garp would such an inconceivable alliance come into being.
"Everyone, please allow me to say something."
Minato, who had remained silent since the start of the meeting, suddenly spoke up.
"Minato, go ahead. I think everyone would like to hear your opinion as well."
When Hiruzen saw that it was Minato stepping forward, his expression immediately softened.
Compared to Orochimaru or Danzo, the blond young man before him was the Hokage candidate he truly favored.
Only if Minato became the Fourth Hokage could he remain the Third.
If it were anyone else, whether Danzo or Orochimaru, then he would no longer be the Third Hokage.
"I believe this matter has already exceeded our expectations.
The alliance of the Four Kage, combined with the unknown secrets behind it, is enough to trigger a disaster even more terrifying than the Third Great Ninja War!
If we handle this poorly… Konoha might truly face the possibility of being wiped out."
The moment Minato finished speaking, an uproar erupted in the room.
"Minato, isn't that a bit too alarmist?" Hiruzen hadn't expected him to say something like this.
"I hope I am being alarmist.
But when I saw A being nailed to the Valley of the End by Lord Garp, I already felt an intense unease, as if something extremely terrifying was about to happen.
The facts have proven that this wasn't just my imagination, it was real.
Perhaps A alone wasn't enough to cause something so dreadful, but he was the fuse that ignited it."
Minato held firmly to his view.
"Then in your opinion, how should we respond?" Hiruzen asked thoughtfully.
"First, activate Konoha's spies within the four major ninja villages.
Before their forces fully assemble and march on Konoha, we must uncover the intelligence that led the Four Kage to form this alliance.
Second, actively prepare for battle. Inform all ninjas in the village to be ready for war at any time.
Third, and I believe this is the most important point, I think we should go and meet Lord Garp."
At the first two points, even Orochimaru and Danzo, both of whom had already sensed that Minato might become a rival, couldn't find a single flaw.
But the moment Minato mentioned meeting Lord Garp, Danzo leapt up to oppose him before Orochimaru could even speak.
"Minato, it seems you still haven't given up.
At a time like this, you're still thinking about letting A go.
I really have to wonder whether there's some kind of secret between you two, after all, one of you is the Yellow Flash, the other the Blue Flash. Even your titles are so similar!"
Danzo said coldly.
"How terrifying the Four Kage alliance is, I don't know.
Whether the secret that brought the four great villages together can destroy Konoha, I also don't know.
But what I do know is this, if Konoha truly stands against Lord Garp, then there's no need to wait for the Four Kage. Today, we can go meet the First Hokage ourselves."
Leaning back in his chair, Orochimaru fixed his snake-like eyes on Minato. A cold glint flashed through his gaze.
"Minato, have you ever seen a fist that tears the sky apart?
If you haven't, that's fine. If you haven't even heard of it, that's fine too.
Why don't you ask everyone present?
I'm sure any clan head or ninja here who's been fortunate enough to witness Lord Garp strike even once would be more than happy to explain to you… what it truly means to shatter the sky with a punch."
...
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