Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Konoha on the Brink of Collapse
The Hokage's office was silent.
During this high-level meeting, the Third Hokage, Koharu, and Homura had thought that given the dire situation Konoha was facing, the Uchiha clan would have no more excuses and would have to step forward to protect the village.
But who would have thought...
Dan, who represented the will of the Uchiha clan, not only refused to help but was also intimidated by the enemy's formidable power, even suggesting that they "surrender to Amegakure."
It was utterly absurd.
The Third Hokage's brow furrowed into a frown, falling into deep thought and remaining silent for a long time.
Surrender was absolutely impossible.
But if Nagato was as strong as Dan said, it would also be impossible for Konoha to win this war.
With this in mind...
"Sigh."
The Third Hokage let out a long sigh, and after some contemplation, made a difficult decision.
From now on...
Konoha would completely abandon its offensive and switch to a full defensive posture, pulling all its forces back to its homeland.
To prepare for the attack from Akatsuki.
"That's all we can do."
Koharu and Homura nodded, then stood up and left the Hokage's office.
After the two left...
Jiraiya came out from behind the screen, his expression more serious than ever before.
"What do you think about what Dan said just now?" The Third Hokage looked at his disciple and asked.
"I believe... everything he said is true, and it's no different from the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage." Jiraiya said solemnly.
As expected...
Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage couldn't help but worry deeply. He looked up at the ceiling and muttered to himself, "Could it be that Konoha really has to surrender to Nagato, or else face destruction?"
Jiraiya's face was gloomy, filled with guilt and self-blame:
"All of this is because of me. I was the one who saved Nagato and took him as my disciple, but I failed to guide him properly. The annihilation of Konoha's three thousand-strong army is my greatest responsibility."
With that said, he had made up his mind and asked the Third Hokage for permission.
"Let me go to Amegakure."
"But your hand..." The Third Hokage looked worriedly at Jiraiya's bandaged arm. What Jiraiya needed most right now was obviously to rest and recover.
And besides...
Even if Jiraiya hadn't lost his arm, could he really defeat Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan?
"The Great Toad Sage once said that this is my destiny. So I will infiltrate Amegakure and confront Nagato personally, doing my utmost to strive for peace. If I fail, I will do my best to bring back information about Nagato and the Rinnegan to Konoha. At that time, I can only ask for your help."
Jiraiya's eyes were firm.
The Third Hokage was silent for a long time, but in the end, he reluctantly nodded.
He knew...
That once Jiraiya left, it would be a matter of life and death, and it was almost impossible for him to return.
...
Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, the ninja world had enjoyed a relatively peaceful period, and it had been almost seven years since a large-scale war had broken out.
Therefore...
When Konoha declared war on Amegakure and sent out an army of three thousand, it naturally attracted the attention of the entire ninja world.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the entire ninja world, this army was wiped out overnight.
The one who annihilated them was the leader of Akatsuki, Pain.
This news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the ninja world at the fastest speed.
A single person taking on an army of thousands of ninjas.
The last time such a shocking feat was accomplished was during the Third Great Ninja War by the Third Raikage, hailed as the strongest in history.
He single-handedly faced ten thousand Iwagakure ninjas to cover the retreat of his subordinates, fighting for three days and nights.
However...
The Third Raikage eventually succumbed to the overwhelming numbers and died from exhaustion, proving that even the most powerful ninja has a limit.
But this time...
Pain shattered the entire ninja world's understanding.
This man, who proclaimed himself a god, effortlessly wiped out Konoha's three thousand-strong army, like a high and mighty deity, raining divine punishment down on mere mortals.
Countless people were awestruck by Pain's power, filled with deep fear.
For a time...
The names of Pain and Akatsuki echoed across the entire ninja world, overshadowing the Uchiha clan's reputation from a short time ago.
Amegakure's status in the ninja world also rose, and as the "children of God," the ninjas and villagers of Amegakure were incredibly proud.
Where there is joy, there is sorrow.
As the losers, Konoha was shrouded in gloom, the entire village enveloped in an oppressive and despairing atmosphere.
The news of the army's annihilation was like a bolt from the blue for the villagers of Konoha.
Many people lost their families and friends, some heartbroken, others filled with despair and anger.
The Third Hokage had initiated this war in an attempt to divert the internal conflicts within the village, but an unprecedented defeat only compounded the internal and external conflicts.
More and more people began to express strong dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage was old, incompetent, and unable to resolve the conflicts between the clans internally, nor could he win wars externally.
Such a person would only lead Konoha to decline, or even destruction.
For a time...
The villagers were full of complaints about the Third Hokage, and the support rate for this once highly respected and trusted "strongest Hokage in history" dropped to an all-time low in the village.
However, it wasn't just the Third Hokage who was being criticized, but also the Hokage's assistant, Dan Uchiha.
Dan's stance at the high-level meeting somehow leaked out and quickly spread throughout the village.
The tens of thousands of villagers in Konoha were all outraged.
Dan, as the esteemed assistant to the Hokage, turned out to be a surrenderist at heart, even uttering the words "the Uchiha will be the first to surrender to Akatsuki."
The Uchiha clan, who were usually arrogant and domineering in the village, were left bowing and scraping in the face of a powerful enemy.
This was the true face of Dan Uchiha.
For such a Hokage's assistant who was only "domineering at home and submissive outside," the villagers of Konoha naturally cursed him incessantly, wishing that Dan would step down immediately.
In response...
Dan did not make any response.
The Uchiha clan's main gate was tightly closed, and they adopted an attitude of ignoring all external comments.
In short...
Konoha was now like a powder keg filled with explosives, with various conflicts piled up. Just a little spark could set it off at any time.
Konoha was on the brink of collapse.
In the Anbu
prison...
"The village can't seem to manage without me, huh?"
Danzo looked at the Third Hokage in front of him, seemingly having anticipated his visit.
The Third Hokage also looked at Danzo, speaking in a deep voice:
"This is a decision made by Koharu, Homura, and myself. Konoha is at its most critical moment, and the village needs your strength to get through this crisis. However, you are no longer the Hokage's assistant, so you need to act discreetly. Do you understand?"
"...Of course."
Danzo's eyes flickered as he agreed.
After secretly releasing Danzo, the Third Hokage returned to his office.
He was preparing to cancel the Chunin Exams.
In this time of internal and external troubles, how could Konoha have the mood to hold the Chunin Exams?
However, the bad news was...
The Cloud shinobi, led by the Fourth Raikage, had already arrived in Konoha with a formidable momentum.
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