Hiruzen tried to change the subject, setting aside his pipe and saying, "By the way, not only in the Land of Waves... We've also received news from the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water."
"Minato has defeated the A-B Duo of Kumogakure, forcing them to begin their retreat!"
Upon hearing this, Homura clenched his fists in excitement. "Minato has finally managed to prove his worth on the battlefield!"
Koharu smiled and added, "Minato is Minato... gold shines wherever it is."
However, Danzō smiled grimly and sighed. "Unfortunately, Minato is unlucky. If it weren't for all the commotion caused by Luo Lei defeating Madara, he would be the star of the moment. After all, the A and B duo are not just any opponents."
The joyful expressions on Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu's faces vanished immediately. The shadow of Luo Lei always seemed to overshadow everything else.
Since Luo Lei's rise at Kikyoyama Mountain, everything had gone out of control. Minato had been relegated to the background, no matter what he accomplished.
He had defeated the son of the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki in the Land of Hot Water, but Luo Lei defeated Madara... How could he compete with that?
'Too complicated!' Hiruzen thought, feeling frustrated.
If this continued, Minato could be sidelined forever.
Hiruzen sighed, waved his hand as if wanting to dismiss the conversation. "Forget it, let's end the meeting here..."
There was nothing more to say. The situation would only become more and more difficult if they continued.
Danzō shrugged indifferently and stood up to leave the office along with Koharu and Homura.
Either way, things had reached this point. The pressure was mainly on Hiruzen, but Danzō... he still had his ambitions. If the opportunity presented itself, he could take the position of Hokage.
"Sigh..."
After they left, Hiruzen took his pipe again.
He took a few long drags before slumping in his chair, his gaze lost.
Since the beginning of the war, his only priority had been to win. Now, Konoha had the advantage, but he felt no satisfaction.
The situation was far from ideal.
There were too many things at stake: Danzō's ambitious thoughts, the Uchiha clan awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, and, of course, that madman... Everything seemed to be falling apart.
Being the strongest Hokage in history was a title that weighed more and more on him...
"I hope they don't push me to the limit..." Hiruzen murmured, slowly exhaling a puff of smoke, his gaze icy.
_____
The Land of Hot Water.
Within a hidden valley.
More than 8,000 Iwagakure troops were stationed there.
At that moment, in the main camp, inside a large tent in the central area.
"What? Madara is still alive? He controlled the Mizukage and was still defeated by Luo Lei?!"
"How the hell is that possible?" exclaimed the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, looking at the intelligence document in his hand.
Although his expression showed horror, there was a glimmer of calm in his eyes.
He never thought something so big could happen on the battlefield of the Land of Waves. That man, Madara... still alive! It was incredible! Even until that moment, Ōnoki couldn't forget the terror he had felt when facing him.
"Father, don't you think this situation is too dangerous?" Kitsuchi asked solemnly after a moment of hesitation.
"Kirigakure has been captured along with more than 2,000 ninjas... And Madara, who was supposed to be dead for years, has reappeared. Shouldn't we be more cautious?"
As he said this, he swallowed hard. "Luo Lei defeated the Mizukage using the full Susanoo. Could it be that his strength is comparable to that of the legendary Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju?"
"NO, IMPOSSIBLE!" Ōnoki replied vehemently as he shook his head. "Hashirama and Madara at their peak were something out of this world."
"Even the First Tsuchikage submitted in front of them, not daring to breathe when they were near. Luo Lei only defeated the Mizukage controlled by Madara. He is nowhere near that level."
"...."
Kitsuchi gathered courage and said solemnly after a moment of silence, "Father... with all due respect, Luo Lei is a monster. Perhaps we should withdraw from this war and return to Iwagakure before it's too late."
Ōnoki frowned and remained silent. He was not a stubborn man; he understood what his son meant.
But more than 2,000 Iwagakure ninjas had been killed by Luo Lei, and it wasn't something he could easily let go.
"Not for now!"
After some time in silence, he spoke seriously. "This battle is at a crucial point. I want to see if our army can take advantage of the chaos and gain some benefit."
Kitsuchi could only nod firmly, trying to hide his nervousness.
"If the A-B Duo is defeated by Minato Namikaze... then everything will depend on whether the Third Raikage arrives on the battlefield," Ōnoki took a deep breath, a spark of determination shining in his eyes. "And if Luo Lei also arrives, then... that is when this war will show its true face."
"THE WILL OF STONE WILL NOT RETREAT! IT WILL ONLY GROW STRONGER!"
________
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