Naruto: I Became a Sword Saint in Konoha Chapter 130 130: Konoha's Sword Saint [130]

Uzumaki Masahiko looked at Gekkō Hoshiyomi and quickly understood what he ant. Tsunade and the others beside him also brightened. The combined forces of the Four Great Shinobi Villages had arrived at Uzushiogakure by ship. If their ships were destroyed in advance, wouldn't that leave them stranded?

But Masahiko frowned.

"But if that happens, what if they realize they have no retreat? Wouldn't that provoke their ferocity, making them even more reckless in slaughtering our Uzumaki clan mbers?"

Hoshiyomi nodded.

"That's why we can't destroy the ships imdiately."

"You an...?"

Hoshiyomi didn't say more. Instead, he took out a scroll from behind him. It was filled with at least a hundred Explosive Tags.

"I'll send a Shadow Clone back to Konoha with Kushina to report the situation. It'll take Konoha about three to four days to mobilize troops and dispatch reinforcents. We'll begin our operation on the third day."

Masahiko hesitated, then asked with difficulty,

"Could we move it up by one day? I estimate the sealing barrier at the ancestral shrine can only hold until tomorrow night at most. If we wait too long... our people may..."

Before Hoshiyomi could reply, Orochimaru cut in, voice cold and decisive:

"That's impossible. Acting even one day earlier already puts us at extre risk. If we move any sooner, the reinforcents won't make it in ti—and we'll all die there."

Hoshiyomi followed, calmly,

"Uncle, you know this too—without Konoha's reinforcents, the six of us won't stand a chance. Acting too soon would be suicide."

The fact that we can act even one day earlier already gives us a real chance to save many of your people. Without us, the Uzumaki Clan might be wiped out before Konoha's reinforcents even arrive."

Masahiko knew all of this. He just couldn't bear to stand by and watch his clan perish in front of him. But after hearing Orochimaru and Hoshiyomi lay it out so clearly, he returned to his senses.

Lowering his head, he said,

"Apologies. I was being unrealistic. Let's go with your plan."

Hoshiyomi imdiately dispatched a Shadow Clone carrying Kushina, rushing back to Konoha. anwhile, he waited for Jiraiya's return with the boat, intending to refine the third-day attack strategy during the voyage.

...

While Hoshiyomi and the others rested and recovered on the boat, his Shadow Clone, carrying Kushina, finally made it back to Konoha after a long and exhausting journey. But instead of heading straight to the Hokage's office, the clone first went to the Senju Clan compound.

He suspected that in the original tiline, Konoha had delayed its response because Mito Uzumaki had received word too late.

Upon arriving, he first handed Kushina to Mito, then quickly explained the situation in the Land of Whirlpools. Mito's face turned pale as she listened—but she didn't faint like so frail old woman. After hearing the full report, she imdiately summoned a maid to care for Kushina and then turned to Hoshiyomi.

"Co with to the Hokage's office," she said curtly.

With that, she leapt effortlessly over the compound wall. In just two bounds, she was on the rooftop. Though her life was nearing its end, she could still unleash formidable power.

The two arrived at the Hokage's office and relayed everything to Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Third Hokage was visibly shaken. He imdiately turned to the ANBU beside him.

"Summon all village elders to the council chamber. eting starts in thirty minutes."

With that, he led Mito and Hoshiyomi to the eting room in the Hokage Building.

Half an hour later, Konoha's high-level officials, including leaders of the major clans, had all gathered in the conference room. The high-level eting began.

This was Hoshiyomi's first ti participating in a eting of this scale, but like all etings, it followed a familiar rhythm. Because of Mito's presence, Hoshiyomi wasn't placed in the lowliest seat at the back. Instead, he moved a small chair to sit just behind her.

Many of the elders took notice of him—and quickly realized he was only a Shadow Clone. When they saw Mito's grim expression beside him, they imdiately sensed that sothing serious was going on. One by one, they fell silent, sat upright, and waited for the Third Hokage to open the session.

Given the urgency, Hiruzen wasted no ti.

"We've just received word: the Land of Whirlpools is under joint attack from the Four Great Ninja Villages. They are requesting our assistance. This eting is to discuss how we should respond."

The mont he finished, the room stirred.

So, aligned with the Hokage or indebted to the Senju Clan, imdiately tensed up and expressed willingness to fight. Others glanced between Hiruzen and Mito, clearly planning to wait and see who gained the upper hand before committing.

And of course, there were those like the Uchiha and Hyūga, whose clans had grown powerful and who were reluctant to get involved in the Uzumaki's ss—or like Danzō, who had long been at odds with Mito and now sat quietly, watching coldly from the sidelines.

The truth was, not everyone feared Mito anymore. Many within the village knew that the Senju Clan was in decline, and that Mito had only a few years left to live. News of the Land of Whirlpools facing ruin was, frankly, welco to so.

If Mito were gone, they'd be ready to light firecrackers and celebrate.

With the Senju declining, only Tsunade and Nawaki were left to carry the na. And if the Uzumaki Clan were wiped out too, it would be the perfect chance for other clans to expand their influence.

So of the more ruthless minds in the room were even imagining—if sothing unfortunate were to happen to Tsunade and Nawaki as well, what kind of future would that bring for Konoha?

Those thoughts stirred ambition in many hearts.

Hoshiyomi had expected Danzō to be the one to speak up, but to his surprise, the man remained calm and composed, sitting there with an air of serene detachnt.

Just as the discussion was growing heated, a Jōnin seated at the end of the chamber stood up and spoke with severity:

"Lord Third, I believe we cannot send reinforcents. The joint attack by the Four Great Ninja Villages on the Land of Whirlpools clearly signals their intent to start a war.

If we intervene now, wouldn't that be tantamount to declaring war ourselves? If they take that as a pretext, and we end up at war with all four villages... Konoha would be in grave danger."

Many in the room imdiately grew serious. It was a valid point. The Land of Whirlpools might be an important ally, but provoking all four great nations on its behalf was a dangerous gamble.

The debate intensified—so much so that few paid attention to the Jōnin who had spoken.

But Hoshiyomi, seated behind Mito, noticed sothing.

When the man sat back down and offered polite bows to those around him, his final bow was directed toward Danzō.

And while Danzō didn't nod, he subtly wiggled his index finger in reply.

No wonder he looked so calm. He already had his mouthpiece prepared.