131. You Konoha Can Play It By Yourself

Konoha, after the Third Hokage returned, immediately held a high-level meeting. The goal was to form a ninja coalition—a move no different from launching a ninja war.

Learning about the origin and strength of the organization, many high-level officials in Konoha were stunned.

Setting aside the strength of Amegakure, all the members of the Akatsuki organization possessed Kage-level combat capabilities. It was overwhelmingly shocking!

Take Uchiha Obito, for instance. Last time, even with Konoha dispatching an elite force, they failed to capture him, which left them embarrassed just thinking about it.

Then there was Kakuzu, a contemporary of the First Hokage! It was said he even fought against the First Hokage. Who could claim he was weaker than Uchiha Obito?

Additionally, the leader of the Akatsuki organization wielded the Rinnegan. He could suppress even the others with ease, and his strength was on par with Madara. The thought of this alone made people despair!

Adding to this were Orochimaru and Kakuzu. While the Five Kage together might balance such high-end combat power, the pressing question was, "Can the Kage of each village leave their villages for an extended period?"

No one could assume that forming a ninja coalition would prevent other villages from taking advantage of the situation. The ninja world wasn't a place for such naive thinking.

"Alright, that's the situation. There's no point dwelling on the strength of the Akatsuki organization now. Let's discuss who we are sending to join the coalition and who will lead it!" 

The Third Hokage tapped the table gently, silencing the senior officials engaged in heated discussion.

The decision to confront the Akatsuki organization had been made at the Five Kage Summit. For now, there was no room for debate.

From Konoha's perspective, defeating the Akatsuki organization would be advantageous. After all, their enmity with Konoha ran deep.

With the five villages joining forces, the Akatsuki organization's high-end combat power became a collective headache. If Konoha alone were to face them, it would spell disaster.

The heads of Konoha's major ninja clans wore conflicted expressions. Knowing the Akatsuki's strength, none were eager to see their clansmen sacrificed.

Although crowd tactics could sometimes overwhelm even Kage-level opponents, it depended on the individual. Against someone like Obito, sheer numbers alone were futile.

"Third Hokage, some of the forces previously stationed at the border can be recalled. However, considering the opponent's strength, the troops must be led by seasoned shinobi.

What if we formed small units tailored to the unique abilities of each ninja clan in the village?" 

Nara Shikaku suggested. Though Konoha's current situation was grim, forming a coalition was feasible. Thanks to several consultant elders, some clans had an overabundance of members.

In other words, Konoha lacked funds, not manpower or ninjas.

The challenge lay in ensuring Konoha's contribution to the coalition reflected its strength—not only to combat the Akatsuki but also to maintain Konoha's reputation.

If Konoha sent a group of mediocre Jōnin, who were clearly cannon fodder, what impression would that leave on the other villages?

This created another issue. While Konoha had numerous skilled shinobi, very few possessed truly exceptional combat prowess.

The Sarutobi clan was in a precarious position. Relying on their Chakra nature, they could utilize powerful Fire Release and multi-attribute Ninjutsu, but their potential was limited. Aside from the Third Hokage, their strength lay more in numbers than exceptional talent.

Most ninja clans with secret techniques had primarily supportive roles. While these techniques could produce miraculous effects in battle, they were ineffective against overwhelming power, reducing them to little more than cannon fodder.

The Third Hokage was clearly aware of this troubling reality. Forming a coalition wasn't the issue—it was a matter of Konoha's reputation. The delicate balance between appearing strong and protecting their own made the situation difficult to navigate.

Unintentionally, the Third Hokage's gaze shifted to Mingfeng, who was staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. If the Uchiha clan had participated, this awkward predicament wouldn't exist.

However, given Yagami's attitude, even imagining such a scenario seemed futile.

The Hyūga clan? No. Although the Byakugan was a renowned Kekkei Genkai of Konoha, its strengths were in detection and perception. Moreover, the Hyūga clan's relationship with the village was strained. While they wouldn't refuse to participate in the war, they were unlikely to contribute significantly to its outcome.

Then, there was the matter of who should lead Konoha's forces. Tsunade had left, Jiraiya was absent, and Yagami seemed entirely detached from Konoha's inner circle.

Although the advisory elders could manage village operations in the Hokage's absence, could Konoha withstand such a scenario in its current state?

Once again, the Third Hokage found his thoughts returning to Yagami. From every perspective, Uchiha Yagami seemed the most suitable choice.

There was no question about the Uchiha's strength, and Yagami was an undoubtedly capable leader. More importantly, he was incredibly powerful.

"Elder Yagami, Uchiha Obito is a member of your Uchiha clan. Don't you intend to participate?" 

The Third Hokage attempted to reason with him, thinking it prudent to bring the Uchiha into their fold. This would solve both practical and reputational concerns.

"I don't think so.

Uchiha Obito was expelled from the family register. He has no ties to us anymore.

Furthermore, we don't possess the tailed beast he's after, so there's no immediate hostility between us.

We have no reason to create trouble for ourselves. The Uchiha clan is growing rapidly, and we require a stable external environment," Yagami replied without even looking at the Third Hokage, fully aware of the older man's machinations.

If you want the Uchiha dragged into this mess, think again. Fighting is far less appealing than making money.

"That's true," the Third Hokage pressed on, "but Obito has caused harm to the Uchiha and tarnished your reputation for years. Are you simply going to let it go?"

Yagami's tone remained even. "I already killed Obito once. 

Though he survived using Izanagi, he still died. 

While he bears responsibility for the incident, his death was enough to settle our grievances.

If we're discussing accountability, the village bears some responsibility for the infamy cast on the Uchiha. 

By your logic, Third Hokage, should I address those matters with the village as well? And what about the villagers who ignorantly participated? Should I show them firsthand what it feels like to die?"

Yagami's casual glance toward the Third Hokage chilled the atmosphere in the conference room, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

"The Uchiha will not involve themselves in the Akatsuki matter. Whatever actions you take are your business. Leave us out of it. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to revisit unresolved matters. You may proceed; I'm leaving."

With that, Yagami stood and departed, leaving the room tense and silent. 

Dammit, I knew attending a high-level meeting was a bad idea. Why would you even try to drag the Uchiha into this mess? What's going on in that old man's head?

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