surrounded by Opponents—But I Haven't Lost. On What Grounds Do You Call Me a War Criminal?
"Start a war?"
Kaguya Masao had barely finished speaking when Uchiha Makoto saw the senior leadership of Akatsuki Village exchange uneasy glances, followed by a burst of overlapping discussion.
"Isn't this too rash?"
"How can a war be treated so frivolously?"
"Clan Head Kaguya, don't bring your clan's bad habits into Akatsuki Village's council meetings."
"…"
War wasn't something that could be decided with a few words.
It meant death—and it meant spending enormous sums of money.
Once explosive tags started detonating, gold burned like water. That wasn't a joke.
And that was only part of the military supplies. Kunai, shuriken, and other everyday consumables weren't even included yet. Beyond that were logistics, medical support, and postwar compensation for the fallen—every single item carried a staggering cost.
Moreover, the era of ninja villages had only just begun. The constant warfare between clans had only quieted down for a year or two at most. This brief window was an exceptionally rare period of peace.
Every village was feeling its way forward, struggling to adapt to this brand-new era.
At least for now, the vast majority of villages were pouring their funds into internal development. Military spending made up only a small fraction of their budgets.
Only a handful of villages were like Akatsuki Village—pouring massive sums into military expenditures. Since the secret explosive tag factories were put into operation, they had never once stopped production.
More importantly—
Wars between ninja villages were unprecedented in the history of the shinobi world.
Once such a war began, when would it end?
No one could predict how brutal it would be, but one thing was certain: the intensity would be unlike anything before. Countless people would die.
Everyone sitting here had barely survived the wars of the Warring States Era.
If they could live in peace—
who would willingly choose death?
And above all else…
was it really reasonable to start a war of this scale over two chūnin?
Shouldn't the most important priority for a ninja village right now be development—investing precious funds into cultivating the next generation and maintaining stable relations with neighboring forces to avoid major conflicts?
Especially in incidents involving deaths from two major villages, shouldn't both sides do everything possible to reduce the impact, negotiate compensation, shake hands, and preserve this hard-won peace?
Why choose to go straight to war?
It wasn't just the minor clans opposing it.
Most of the major clans were against it as well. Even fellow kekkei genkai clans like the Yuki Clan and the Kurama Clan firmly rejected Kaguya Masao's stance.
Could someone just drag this battle-crazed lunatic from the Kaguya Clan out of the room?
Uchiha Makoto frowned.
He understood perfectly what Akatsuki Village's leadership was thinking.
This peace had not come easily.
And it was all for two chūnin—
two chūnin who were already dead.
Everyone knew this truth:
No one willingly pays an excessive price for fallen ninja.
If Akatsuki Village launched a war against another great village right now, the gains would be far outweighed by the cost.
They were all adults. Adults thought in terms of cost and benefit. Acting purely on emotion would only make things worse.
It was like how the Hyūga Clan once sacrificed Hyūga Hizashi as a scapegoat to preserve peace.
From Hiruzen Sarutobi's perspective at the time, that deal was immensely profitable—Konoha desperately needed time to recover and develop.
Relations between ninja villages were about political maneuvering, not blind violence.
However, Uchiha Makoto and the people before him were thinking on entirely different levels.
What the leadership cared about was the present: Akatsuki Village was thriving. Funds were abundant, the economy was booming, clan heirs were growing steadily—everything was flourishing.
Why shatter such a beautiful life over two chūnin?
But Makoto had the god's-eye view.
He knew the future.
Once Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara fell out, once Madara defected from Konoha, the First Great Ninja War would enter its countdown phase.
The battle at the Valley of the End would be the fuse igniting the powder keg.
That fuse-burning time was the preparation window.
Konoha would eventually face four great villages at once.
How could Akatsuki Village possibly escape unscathed?
For the sake of the long-term future—
since Kumogakure had already handed them a perfect pretext, Akatsuki Village absolutely could not miss this opportunity.
This was the best possible moment to weaken the Hidden Cloud.
With Hashirama and Madara backing things up, defeat was impossible.
It would practically be a one-sided slaughter.
But these thoughts had to remain buried in Makoto's heart.
He couldn't say any of this out loud.
Even if he told them the First Great Ninja War was coming, they wouldn't believe him.
People always care more about immediate gains and losses.
"Everyone, be quiet."
The moment Makoto spoke, the conference room fell silent.
All eyes turned toward him.
"In situations like this, there are generally six ways to respond."
"One: Ignore it."
"Two: Issue a statement expressing regret."
"Three: Lodge a formal protest."
"Four: Suspend aid."
"Five: Sever diplomatic relations."
"Six: Declare war outright."
"Ignoring it would only make others think Akatsuki Village and Konoha are weak and easy to bully. Statements and protests don't demonstrate strength."
"As for suspending aid—Akatsuki Village and Konoha don't provide Kumogakure with any aid, so that option doesn't exist. Severing diplomatic relations is the same—we don't have diplomatic ties to begin with."
"So that leaves only one option."
"Direct war."
Makoto laid out all six choices—then eliminated the first five at lightning speed, leaving only one.
The leadership stared at him in shock.
They barely followed the long, complex explanation.
All they heard was—
"Direct war."
"Lord Hokage, please reconsider!"
"This isn't that serious!"
"Is it really necessary to start a war over two chūnin?"
"…"
As expected, Makoto's decision was met with unanimous opposition.
No one wanted to start a war that might never end.
For most of them, a ninja war could happen—
but absolutely not now.
"Quiet!"
Makoto once again suppressed the room.
"You think avoiding this fight means eternal peace? Is that even possible?"
"As villages continue to grow stronger, conflicts will only increase—just like during the Warring States Era. A war of unprecedented scale is inevitable."
"Right now, we hold the advantage. We have funds, manpower, and momentum. Since we already have a reason to fight, why not take this chance to weaken—or even eliminate—other villages?"
"You're not fighting for yourselves. You're fighting for your descendants!"
"One decisive punch prevents a hundred future blows!"
"This war will establish Akatsuki Village's position in the shinobi world and make every village watching us tremble."
"After this battle, the moment they see an Akatsuki shinobi, they'll retreat without hesitation."
"Because they'll understand one thing—Akatsuki Village values its comrades."
"Even if it's just two chūnin, we will descend like starving wolves to avenge them!"
Makoto's impassioned speech made the leaders begin to waver.
Especially the representatives of the minor clans.
During the Warring States Era, minor clans had no power against major ones.
Even encountering them on missions meant backing off. If deaths occurred, most minor clans didn't even dare ask for compensation.
They joined a great village to seek protection.
If they still had to cower like before, what was the point?
Who wouldn't want the confidence to say:
"If you dare touch a single hair on us, our Hokage will lead an army tomorrow and wipe you out."
Just imagining such a scene made their blood boil.
A great village should have the kind of presence that says:
"Putting everything else aside—aren't you the ones at fault? Why didn't you just get lost the moment you saw an Akatsuki shinobi?"
Seeing the minor clan leaders wavering, Makoto pressed on.
"You say it's not worth starting a war over two chūnin. Then tell me—when is it worth it?"
"At the final moment," someone replied.
"And when exactly is that?"
"If two chūnin aren't enough, what about one jōnin?"
"Still not enough?"
"What about an entire jōnin squad?"
"Still not?"
"What about losing over a dozen jōnin?"
"Still not the final moment?"
"What if Kumogakure enters full war readiness and prepares to invade us—do we still wait?"
"Do we only act once their army is at our doorstep?"
"By then, you'd probably still say—it's not the final moment yet."
The room fell silent.
Makoto's relentless questioning—classic salami-slicing logic—left them speechless.
"When is 'the final moment'? And what if it comes too late?"
"This war is inevitable."
"I have decided to fight."
Having said everything, Makoto made his final decision.
On matters of war, as Hokage, he held ultimate authority.
Still, he had spent enormous effort aligning opinions.
After all, wars were fought by ninja.
Mobilizing emotions and unifying ideology was essential.
He was already drafting several propaganda essays in his head—focused on the rise of the village and the dignity of shinobi.
He would make every Akatsuki ninja imagine themselves as those fallen chūnin.
That even if they died on a mission, Akatsuki Village would carve their names onto the memorial stone, provide compensation, and publicly execute those responsible.
No exceptions.
Even if the enemy was Kumogakure.
Every ninja knew how dangerous this profession was.
The average lifespan of a shinobi barely exceeded thirty.
Death could come on any mission.
If the village you served was this domineering—
if someone had to pay with their life for your death—
then dying for Akatsuki Village would be worth it.
The pre-war meeting ended.
Under a heavy atmosphere, the clan representatives filed out.
At least half of them didn't want this war.
But no one was willing to stand up and openly oppose Makoto yet.
They were waiting.
Waiting for the war to turn bad.
For the front lines to stall—or worse, for defeat.
The moment that happened, Makoto would be torn down.
Founder or not, his reign as Hokage would end.
He might even be pushed out as the scapegoat.
But—
that was a defeat scenario.
Damn it.
Lose?
How was that even possible?
Would Konoha join him in war against Kumogakure?
Makoto thought not.
With Hashirama's personality, he'd probably do what Akatsuki's leadership wanted—pay compensation to the chūnin's family and make peace.
If Hashirama had even a shred of ambition, the future shinobi world wouldn't look the way it eventually did.
But Makoto didn't care.
Akatsuki Village only lost to Konoha.
Did they really think Akatsuki Village was weak?
They might not be able to fight four great villages at once—but facing Kumogakure alone?
What was there to fear?
Akatsuki Village's hundreds of billions of ryō hadn't been earned for nothing.
Even if they just bombed them with explosive tags, they'd blast straight through the Cloud.
Let the shinobi world witness what true Van Fleet–level firepower meant.
Even if Kumogakure were filled with jōnin and Kage-level elites, if they somehow broke through—
So what?
Makoto would just run to Konoha and pull Uchiha Madara into it.
"Lord Madara, the Uchiha are being beaten like this, and you still won't act?"
"You're really going to let the entire shinobi world laugh at the Uchiha Clan?"
In short—
Even if everyone around me is against it,
I haven't lost.
So on what grounds do you call me a war criminal?
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