Sunagakure.
Suna Council.
Every top leader of the village was currently present in the hall, Third Kazekage, Chiyo and Ebizo present as well.
Sigh…
Despite the packed council hall there was absolute silence, everyone with serious faces going through the scroll in their hands. The more council members went through the contents of the scroll the more their expressions took a turn for worse, eventually the long sigh of third kazekage breaking the silence.
"Taking on Onoki along with four and five tails jinchuriki and still emerging out victorious… should we be glad on the fact that we didn't immediately jump into the war or should we mourn on our weakness…
Spoke the third kazekage in a tired voice, a helpless and defeated look on his face as the contents of the scroll had completely broke his fighting spirit.
He was the strongest kazekage ever and yet he didn't have slight hope of just being able to take on Onoki by himself but someone who grew up step by step right before him not only managed to take Onoki down but also killed two other shinobi nearly as strong as him.
Every shinobi of the village has been eagerly waiting for his orders to join the war so that they can wash the shame of the last war yet before they could even join the war the spirit of the top combat forces of the village was broken.
If someone like Onoki along with two other kage was unable to do anything to that man, then what could he do even if he joined forces with chiyo and the one tail jinchuriki.
"Even if by any chance our three top combat powers manage to hold of the hokage who would deal with the rest? Sannin, White Fang, Uchiha, Hyuga and many others… our whole army will be obliterated without any doubt…
Ebizo the smartest in the village with his foresight could already see the tragedy that would happen if Suna decided to step into this war, they had slight hope earlier because kumo and iwa were there to share the pressure with them and they had even hoped for Kiri to join but now with kumo and iwa out of the war, jumping into the war is no different from suicide.
Even if Kiri were to join now it would hardly make a difference before konoha's current strength, only if every other shinobi village besieged konoha together, only then there was a chance to defeat them.
"Sigh… I haven't felt so helpless for quite a while… the last time it was when the first hokage was still alive… guess I really have to put down my revenge against white fang…
Chiyo seemed to have aged many years suddenly after reading the contents of the scroll, the fire of revenge that always burned strongly in her eyes dim at the moment.
"The last thing I would do is send our shinobi to an obvious death but this decision would surely affect my reputation among shinobi even more… still I choose this over the blame of sending every shinobi to death…
"I have ruled over this village long enough and its time I step down… I hope Rasa leads the village towards the glory which I never could…
Thud!
Saying that the third kazekage stood up from his seat and walked out of the council hall, leaving everyone else silent and helpless on their seats.
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Iwagakure.
Iwa Council.
There was a deathly silence in the meeting room as complicated eyes of the elders of the village were on the man of short stature who sat on the tsuchikage seat, most of his body covered in bandages and even his head the same.
Onoki whose eyes never showed a lack of confidence were full of remorse at the moment, sitting on his seat quietly with a somewhat dull face.
"That hateful hokage… can we truly do nothing against him… first Han, then Roshi and Ran… were we of the Iwagakure always so helpless… can't even take revenge against one men…
Asked out an elder of the village in a pleading tone, in his eyes desire for revenge but on his face humiliation knowing they were too weak.
At his question Onoki finally raised his head to gaze back at everyone, for the first time ever since he returned back words leaving his mouth.
"Whether it was me, Roshi and Ran… we all gave everything we had learned our whole life in the battle against him but we failed to land even a single sold hit… he showed combat prowess of a totally different class and dealt with everything that we threw at him with ease and grace…
"I have no doubt he has already has achieved the strength that once the god of shinobi Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha possessed…
"What!!?"
"Strength equal to those two!!!?"
Onoki's words fell and a look of absolute shock and disbelief appeared on most of the council members, most of them were nearly as old as Onoki and had lived through the era of Hashirama and Madara so they naturally knew the overwhelming strength those two possessed.
Now knowing an eighteen-year-old hokage had managed to attain the same strength as those two completely blew their minds, a look of fear appearing in their eyes.
"As long as the fourth hokage stays alive… no one in this world has hope to challenge konoha alone unless everyone else join forces and form an alliance but that itself is as difficult as defeating konoha
alone…
"So revenge for roshi and others… it's impossible in my remaining life time… sigh…
Saying that in a defeated tone Onoki let out a long tired sigh, no one in the council able to refute his words.
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