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"Pass my order, gather the village Chūnin, and organize at least 5,000 troops to move to the front line."
"Yes!"
Nara Shikaku stood up and quickly left.
"Summon Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade!"
"Yes!"
The Anbu ninja acknowledged the order and departed.
"Sakumo!"
"I'm here, Hokage-sama!"
Ishigami Hara's gaze was fixed on him, his expression also grave at this moment.
"From now on, set aside your Anbu duties and return to the regular ranks. The southwest front is now yours. As the front-line commander, your task is not to defeat those White Zetsu; you only need to hold them off."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Hatake Sakumo accepted the order without hesitation.
Soon, the Sannin arrived in the Hokage's office one after another, feeling the solemn atmosphere and becoming serious themselves.
Ishigami Hara didn't waste words and recounted the latest information. Noticing the sudden change in their expressions, he said in a deep voice, "You understand the situation, so I won't ask for your opinion. Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru stepped forward without a word, ready for his assignment.
"I'll assign you a thousand troops. Go to the Land of Rain, and your task is to hold off any assault by Zetsu."
"Yes, Hokage!"
"Jiraiya!"
Ishigami Hara pondered briefly, then continued, "You will be sent to the Land of Hot Water with a thousand troops. Your mission is the same as Orochimaru's—can you handle it?"
"Don't worry, Hokage!"
Both accepted their tasks without hesitation, understanding the urgency of the situation.
Ishigami Hara finally looked at Tsunade, whose expression was equally serious, with a hint of anticipation. She had been inactive for too long. Since developing hemophobia, she hadn't returned to the battlefield. The Senju clan possessed a warrior's spirit; otherwise, they wouldn't have fought the Uchiha for so long.
But Ishigami Hara denied her this opportunity and said firmly, "You need to rest and focus on your pregnancy. I called you here only to ensure you understand the gravity of the situation."
"Damn you!"
Tsunade gritted her teeth but held her tongue, understanding her condition. Fighting while pregnant was out of the question.
Everyone present knew Tsunade was pregnant. In different circumstances, it would be a cause for joy, but bringing it up now felt out of place.
"I'll assign the Land of Water to Namikaze Minato. Third Hokage, I'll need you to assist Minato-kun."
As Ishigami Hara finished speaking, everyone grew solemn. Sarutobi Hiruzen understood the deeper meaning behind his words and asked directly, "Hara, are you intending to make Minato the next Hokage?"
Ishigami Hara did not say anything, but nodded and replied, "Minato-kun is outstanding in all aspects and has an excellent strategic perspective. Cultivating him now is ideal, and a war is the perfect opportunity to establish his reputation."
Sarutobi Hiruzen considered this and nodded. "I see, I understand. But… you're not even 20 years old. Isn't it too early to think about these things?"
Ishigami Hara smiled. "Not too early. I can't be Hokage for life. I accepted this position for Konoha's sake. You've seen the development of Konoha yourself. I've done what I should; I don't need to worry about the rest."
He shook his head. "To be honest, compared to being Hokage, I'd rather conduct experiments, explore possibilities, and pursue the truth. That's what I want most. I believe Orochimaru-senpai understands me in this regard."
Orochimaru couldn't help but lick his lips, a grin appearing on his face.
The relationship between them was quite unique. They were close in interests, but not personally close; they shared an understanding of each other's thoughts to a certain extent, an alternative form of confidant relationship.
"Is that so?" Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head helplessly.
Having been a Hokage himself, he couldn't help but admire Ishigami Hara. He knew how challenging it was to hold the Hokage position and understood how extraordinary it was that Ishigami Hara had brought Konoha to its current level. He doubted he could have achieved the same without risking the village's stability. His own efforts had been devoted to maintaining the status quo, and he felt the weight of his years whenever he reflected on this.
"But it's still early, and the matter of the next Hokage isn't settled. I'll train Minato first; I don't know when I'll step down."
Ishigami Hara was sincere; he had no attachment to the Hokage position. Exploring the world's mysteries brought him a greater sense of accomplishment.
With this, the necessary arrangements were made, and others set the plans in motion. A Jōnin meeting was held to discuss details, such as personnel allocation, mobilization, and battle plans. Ishigami Hara didn't need to oversee everything personally; he made the key decisions, and the others implemented them.
All of Konoha mobilized, and the atmosphere grew intense and charged. Everyone knew that war was imminent—some felt excitement, others fear, but they understood there was no retreat; Konoha's future was at stake.
Over the years, Konoha hadn't only improved in prosperity and infrastructure; the strength of its shinobi had also grown. Ishigami Hara never revealed Konoha's true strength to the other villages, but if he had, it might have alarmed them.
In just a few years, Konoha's shinobi forces had exceeded 30,000. This increase was not solely due to the Shinobi Academy; beyond it, Konoha had developed alternative training methods, including internal clan training and civilian recruitment programs, creating multiple avenues for advancement.
This growth laid a solid foundation for Konoha's military strength. With their numbers and strength, Konoha could face any conflict with confidence.
And so, a few days later, the war would officially begin!