Chapter 223: Reactions from All Sides
By this time, the other major powers in the ninja world had also figured out what had happened within Konoha.
After receiving the news, Onoki immediately shut himself in the quiet room of the Tsuchikage Building and contemplated a shogi board for a whole night. To be honest, he didn't understand what A was thinking, to dare to provoke an Uchiha who possessed a Perfect Susanoo in such a direct manner.
"Father, should we still send troops to support the Cloud?" Kitsuchi, after waiting for a long night, took the initiative to walk into the quiet room. However, just as his words came out, he saw that on the shogi board in front of his father, his own king was already surrounded by the opponent's pieces. It was a checkmate in at most three moves.
"Is the situation already this severe? Father?" Kitsuchi hurriedly asked. He knew his father's habit of using shogi games to sort out his thoughts when facing difficulties. But even during the Third Great Ninja War, when Kannabi Bridge was destroyed and their army's supply line had a major problem, the shogi board Onoki laid out was nowhere near as perilous as today's.
At this time, Onoki also came back to his senses, looked up at Kitsuchi, and then instructed, "In the name of Iwagakure, issue a statement in the ninja world strongly condemning the Cloud's actions. Then, send a message of condolence to Konoha."
"As for aiding the Cloud... let's forget it. Once we join in, it will be the Fourth Great Ninja War. If we hadn't experienced the war with the Land of Waterfalls before, we could have tried to see if we could seize some benefits from it, but now..."
Onoki shook his head, his face full of helplessness. "More importantly, in the current ninja world, no one can stop Uchiha Douhuan anymore."
"Is Uchiha Douhuan really that powerful?" Kitsuchi was somewhat uncomprehending.
"Fighting two major battles in one night, first seriously injuring A, and then single-handedly defeating two Tailed Beasts. This level of strength has already surpassed the category of a Kage," Onoki sighed. "I have only seen two people who possessed such strength. One was named Senju Hashirama, and the other was Uchiha Madara."
"After several decades, the Uchiha clan has produced another figure like Uchiha Madara. However, the ninja world can no longer find another Senju Hashirama to stop him," Onoki said.
"However, Father, this Fifth Hokage seems to be a person who loves peace. After all, according to the intelligence, not only did they accept the Cloud's surrender, but they also have not launched a counter-attack on the Land of Lightning. It seems they want to let this matter end here," Kitsuchi said at this time.
"Heh heh, loves peace?" Onoki, upon hearing this, looked as if he had heard something incredible. After shaking his head, he said with a bitter smile, "If this Fifth Hokage's surname were Senju, then I would really believe he loves peace. But his surname is Uchiha."
"Uchiha..." Kitsuchi nodded upon hearing this. "This surname indeed makes it difficult to believe that what they seek is peace."
"No, the Uchiha clan does indeed pursue peace," Onoki corrected his son at this point. "The strong individuals born from this clan throughout history, after their strength reaches a certain level, will definitely contemplate the ultimate proposition of peace."
"Huh?" Kitsuchi's face showed astonishment upon hearing this.
"Take Uchiha Madara back then, for example. What he pursued was also ending the chaos of the Warring States period and ushering in an era of peace. Otherwise, he wouldn't have started the current ninja village era together with Senju Hashirama," Onoki said. "It's just that the Uchiha clan's conclusions on peace are not something everyone can accept."
"Uchiha Madara's specific plan is now unknown to us. However, if his plan were truly acceptable to people, then the God of Shinobi of that time, Senju Hashirama, would not have stopped him," Onoki sighed. "The current Uchiha Douhuan is the same. I believe that with the blood of the Uchiha clan flowing in him, what he pursues should be long-term peace. But the impact his plan will have on the ninja world, no one can predict."
If Uchiha Douhuan were here, he would probably have to admit that sometimes, your opponent might be the one who understands you best. Onoki's understanding of the Uchiha clan probably far surpassed that of most people in the ninja world.
In the entire ninja world, most people's impression of the Uchiha clan was that they were powerful, cold-natured, and extremely dangerous.
However, Onoki could see the deeply hidden core of the Uchiha clan from this surface appearance. The last outsider who understood the Uchiha clan so well was probably Senju Tobirama.
However, it was precisely because of his understanding of the Uchiha clan that Onoki could better understand the danger hidden beneath the peaceful facade that Uchiha Douhuan currently displayed.
After all, to put it bluntly, if the Uchiha clan were just a bunch of fanatical warmongers, then Senju Tobirama really wouldn't have been so wary of the Uchiha clan back then. But for this clan to produce a lunatic with strength far beyond ordinary people every so often, and for this lunatic to always ponder grand propositions like world peace, that was truly terrifying.
"So, is there really no way to stop him?" Kitsuchi, after understanding this matter under his father's guidance, couldn't help but feel a chill.
"From the current situation, we can only hope for another Senju Hashirama to appear in the ninja world," Onoki said helplessly, looking down at the shogi game that had already reached a checkmate.
"The only good news is that this Uchiha Madara of the new era is not cruel in his methods," Onoki said. "If it really comes to that day, the people of the Land of Earth should not suffer too much harm."
"By the way, revoke that kid Deidara's bounty," thinking of this, Onoki suddenly remembered his troublesome disciple and casually instructed.
"I understand," Kitsuchi nodded. After a while, Kitsuchi looked at his father's somewhat desolate back and the already unsolvable shogi board in the quiet room. After some hesitation, he couldn't help but ask, "Father, our Iwagakure, when that day comes, can we only surrender?"
"Surrender? How is that possible?" Upon hearing Kitsuchi's question, Onoki's eyes suddenly became sharp. "When that day truly comes, even if our Iwagakure has no chance of winning, we must show them what our Will of Stone is. Our Iwagakure has no traitors like Takagi Shōban."
"Only in this way can the ninjas of our Land of Earth truly have a place in the new era," Onoki said, picking up the besieged king piece on the shogi board. With a resolute gaze, he made a move of desperate charge.
...
Konoha, in the Hokage's office. Uchiha Douhuan stood by the window, watching the construction of the Konoha Hero Memorial Monument outside.
In the office, Nagato and Konan sat on the sofa, looking at Uchiha Douhuan's back, and did not interrupt, but quietly drank the tea Uchiha Douhuan had prepared for them.
"I've made you two wait. I originally thought we could finalize the specific cooperation plan that day, but I didn't expect such a thing to happen," Uchiha Douhuan finally turned around after a while and said, sitting down in front of the two.
"Lord Hokage is too serious. After all, no one could have predicted that the Cloud would do such a thing," Nagato said. "However, I do have some questions that I need Lord Hokage to clear up for me. Why didn't Lord Hokage take this opportunity to directly launch a counter-attack on the Land of Lightning? After all, for Konoha, with the Raikage seriously injured and one of the Cloud's two Jinchuriki dead and the other injured, the current Konoha is fully capable of taking the opportunity to occupy the Land of Lightning."
"Yes, the current Konoha is indeed capable of occupying the Land of Lightning," Uchiha Douhuan said. "However, what follows would be the Fourth Great Ninja War. Although I am confident that Konoha and our allies will be the final victors of this war, in this process, how many meaningless sacrifices would there be? How many civilians would lose everything they had just managed to acquire because of this hasty war?"
"I understand," Nagato nodded. "I was being shortsighted. I shouldn't have questioned your pursuit of peace before."
It was only after hearing Uchiha Douhuan's answer that Nagato truly and completely trusted everything Uchiha Douhuan had said before. Before he was fortunate enough to meet Jiraiya and become a ninja, he was a civilian who had truly experienced the suffering brought by war. Therefore, after hearing Uchiha Douhuan's answer, Nagato also let down his last bit of guard and prepared for full cooperation with Uchiha Douhuan.
"Lord Hokage, in a while, I will send the Five-Tails to the Land of Fire's Tailed Beast Protection Area," Nagato said at this time. "I wonder how Lord Hokage plans to arrange our Akatsuki organization after this?"
"Your Akatsuki organization should continue to operate as mercenaries in the ninja world for the time being," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile. "After all, if the full strength of your organization is laid bare and you publicly cooperate with us Konoha, that old fellow Onoki will become restless. Before we are fully prepared, it's better not to provoke that old man's fragile nerves."
"Alright," Nagato nodded, then looked back at Konan.
Konan took out an exquisite small box from her personal sealing scroll and then handed it to Uchiha Douhuan with both hands.
"Please accept this," Nagato said with a smile, looking at Uchiha Douhuan.
"What is this?" Uchiha Douhuan opened the box with some curiosity. Inside, a pale gold ring lay quietly. On the special chakra gem atop the ring, the character "薇" was engraved.
"This is a medium for the Magic Lantern Body Technique, one of the Rinnegan's special abilities. With this, if you need our Akatsuki organization to do something for you, you can contact me at any time," Nagato said. "As for the meaning of this codename, the codenames of our Akatsuki organization are all named after constellations or divine beasts. I think nothing can represent you better than the legendary Emperor of Stars, the Purple Forbidden Star. This is also the sincerity of our Akatsuki organization."
(End of chapter)
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