Chapter 203: War Mobilization

That night, Konoha's senior officials held an all-night discussion regarding the critical information Kirito had brought back. Kirito attended the meeting, though he played the role of an observer.

The intelligence Konan provided matched much of what Kirito already knew in his mind. Obito planned to unleash a massive attack, commanding both the Reanimated Army and tens of thousands of White Zetsu clones. However, there was one key difference—this time, Obito chose to launch the assault from the eastern coastline of the Land of Fire, near the Land of Waves.

In the original version of events, the Akatsuki organization launched its attack from the coastline near the Land of Iron, marching towards the Ninja Alliance Headquarters in the Cloud Village. But with Konoha Village serving as the headquarters for the Joint Investigation Team, the offensive route had shifted.

The sea offered natural concealment for the White Zetsu clones, making it difficult for the ninja forces to detect and intercept them early.

When the meeting reached the intelligence stating "Madara" commanded an army of 100,000 White Zetsu, everyone present gasped audibly.

The Five Great Nations combined didn't have a force of that size. Worse, the report confirmed the strength of each White Zetsu far surpassed that of an average ninja.

The real shock, however, came from the alliance between Kabuto and "Madara". Their combined forces included powerful shinobi reanimated through the Edo Tensei, including legendary figures and even past Kage.

Faced with such overwhelming strength, Konoha's leaders agreed: it was impossible to take on the Akatsuki organization alone.

The meeting's resolution was swift:

Immediately contact the other Four Great Ninja Villages. A united alliance would be the only hope against such a threat. Jiraiya would take Naruto to the Cloud Village. There, Naruto would train to master the Nine Tails' power while staying far from the battlefield. If Konoha fell, Naruto had to remain hidden to prevent the Akatsuki from seizing him. Once Naruto mastered the Tailed Beast's power, he would serve as both a devastating combat force and a surprise counterattack against the Akatsuki.

Above all, the plan was to maintain secrecy to avoid alarming the enemy prematurely.

As the meeting adjourned in the early hours of dawn, the participants exited the Hokage's office, yawning. Jiraiya approached Kirito with a hand on his shoulder.

"Kirito, you got this information from Konan, right?" Jiraiya asked, his tone unusually serious.

"Yeah," Kirito replied, recounting the exchange briefly.

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully. "I hope I don't see her on the battlefield…" His voice trailed off, filled with unspoken regret. Then, with a grin, he slapped Kirito's back. "Still, you did a great job! How about we celebrate with a trip to the hot springs?"

"Thanks, but I'm going home to sleep," Kirito declined with a polite wave.

Jiraiya smirked slyly, wrapping an arm around Kirito's shoulder. "Are you sure? There are plenty of lovely young ladies at the springs—"

"Nope, I'm good! Thanks!" Kirito cut him off, ducking out of Jiraiya's grasp and making a quick escape.

Watching Kirito disappear, Jiraiya chuckled to himself. "Tsk, that kid's already under TenTen's thumb."

"And you're about to be under mine," a calm voice chimed in.

Jiraiya froze. Turning slowly, he saw Tsunade standing behind him with her arms crossed and a dangerous smile.

"Wait, wait—Tsunade! How long have you been there?!" Jiraiya stammered.

"Long enough to hear about your hot spring plans," Tsunade replied coolly.

Jiraiya paled. "No, no! I was just joking—"

"Is that so? Let's discuss this further," Tsunade said, cracking her knuckles ominously.

"Help me~!" Jiraiya wailed dramatically as Tsunade dragged him away.

Kirito, already outside, shook his head with a small smile as Jiraiya's cries echoed faintly from the Hokage Building. It was a lighthearted moment amidst the dark tension of what lay ahead.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Kakashi summoned all the key leaders of the Joint Investigation Team. He informed them of the Akatsuki's war plans and instructed them to contact their respective Kage under the guise of "inspecting the progress of the investigation."

Days later, the leaders of the Five Great Ninja Villages arrived in Konoha, ostensibly to check on the team. Rumors began to spread that Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails' Jinchuriki from the Cloud Village, had accompanied the Raikage.

Now, with the Five Kage and two remaining Tailed Beasts gathered in Konoha, the village became the focal point of the entire ninja world.

In the familiar breakfast shop, Kirito and TenTen sat enjoying their meal. This time, the street outside was alive with activity, a stark contrast to its usual quiet mornings.

Watching the bustling crowd, TenTen remarked suspiciously, "It feels like something big is about to happen. The village seems… different."

She thought back to recent missions—delivering food, weapons, and medicine—all under strict confidentiality. It was all too reminiscent of preparations for war. But the ninja world had been at peace for years, and with the villages united, it made no sense.

Kirito noticed the concern on her face and said nonchalantly, "If the sky falls, the taller ones will hold it up. Nothing for you to worry about."

TenTen smiled softly, resting her chin on her hands. "Then I'll count on you to protect me, okay?"

"Don't worry." Kirito picked up a small steamed bun, offering it to her. "Here, try this one. It's really good today."

"Ah—" TenTen obediently opened her mouth, taking a bite.

(End of this chapter)