Konoha's lack of confidence in a decisive frontal battle stemmed not only from troop disadvantage but also from the fact that Iwagakure's collective combat power was too strong.
Any Ninjutsu, when reaching a certain scale, becomes extremely terrifying, and Earth Release is especially potent.
Was Madara's Fire Release impressive?
Yes!
But over a hundred Chunin jointly using Water Release, converging into a tidal wave, managed to extinguish his Great Fire Annihilation, let alone several thousand.
Even if most could only throw shuriken, use explosive tags and kunai, with less than one-tenth truly capable of using Ninjutsu, it was still an extremely formidable force.
Gathered together, they could cause earthquakes and landslides at the very least; at worst, trigger mountain collapses and ground ruptures.
Some could even directly alter terrain.
For most Shinobi who could only rely on basic Ninjutsu and weapons in battle, this was simply a disaster.
The Konoha's higher-ups didn't know why the enemy also didn't want a decisive frontal battle, but the war developing as they desired gave them some relief.
Now, they wanted victory more.
"If the ground could form a thick layer of ice, it would hinder Earth Release usage to some extent. We could seize the opportunity to end this war."
After hearing Danzo's suggestion, Hiruzen and the other two advisors nodded slightly.
The war had dragged on long enough, and Konoha had suffered too many losses; they didn't want to continue fighting.
This winter was indeed colder than usual. If thick ice could form, it would indeed weaken Earth Release.
However...
"We know this, but wouldn't those who practice Earth Release also know?" Hiruzen said while smoking his pipe, "The current situation is that Iwa-Kusa forces also don't want a decisive frontal battle with us. When conditions become unfavorable for Earth Release, they'll likely avoid battle even more. Even if we want to crush the enemy in one strike, there's no way."
"That is indeed a problem." Danzo had to admit the issue. He pondered, "In any case, it's better to be prepared. Make pre-war preparations first, then see if an opportunity arises."
"Then let's end this meeting here."
Hearing this, Danzo and the others stood to leave.
Suddenly, an Anbu flickered into the office.
"Hokage-sama, Karura of the Sunagakure's delegation requests an audience."
"Let her in."
"Yes."
Seeing the Anbu's departing back, Danzo thought of the Root elites he had sent to assassinate Ryuji, a gleam flashing in his eyes.
"You all stay as well. Let's see what the Sunagakure's people want with me." Hiruzen shook out the residue from his pipe, refilling it with fresh leaves as he spoke to the three.
Thus, Danzo and the others sat back down.
Moments later, a young woman with sandy brown shoulder-length hair entered the office.
"Hokage-dono."
Karura gave a slight bow to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen nodded slightly, asking, "Karura-dono, as the acting leader of the Suna's delegation, what brings you to me at this time?"
Karura smiled gently, saying, "I, no, Sunagakure has something to ask Hokage-dono."
Hiruzen's smoking paused.
His gaze shifted to Danzo, Koharu, and Homura. Seeing their blank expressions, he turned back, saying seriously, "Please ask."
"Does Konoha wish to unilaterally dissolve the alliance between our villages?" As Karura spoke, her face still had a gentle, soft smile, her voice as ever gentle and pleasant.
But her words were like a stone causing a thousand ripples, shaking the four Konoha's higher-ups physically and mentally, their expressions freezing.
They had just been discussing how to end the war with Iwagakure and Kusagakure. Now Sunagakure came asking this.
What did it mean?
'Seeing the war about to end, they wanted to tear up the alliance and get involved for benefits?'
This thought barely surfaced before being suppressed.
It was impossible.
Even if Sunagakure wanted to tear up the alliance, they would wait until the 'exchange students' returned.
Doing it now would only force them to return all benefits gained from negotiations five months ago.
They didn't believe Sunagakure would be that foolish.
Then what did Karura's words mean?
Hiruzen and the others thought long but couldn't figure it out. Only Danzo, thinking of the Ryuji assassination, felt a sudden pang.
"...What does that mean?"
After thinking to no avail, Hiruzen frowned and asked.
"Our village just received news. The leader of our Puppeteer Corps, also the Jonin leading this delegation, Senki Ryuji, was assassinated."
"Assassinated?"
Homura and Koharu were somewhat confused.
'Your Suna's higher-up was assassinated. What does that have to do with Konoha?'
Only Hiruzen, as the Third Hokage, seemed to realize something, giving Danzo a meaningful look.
Danzo closed his eye, meditating, acting as if it had nothing to do with him.
"Ha~"
Hiruzen took a deep breath, turning to Karura, "I sympathize with Ryuji-dono's plight. May I ask if he..."
"Ryuji-sama is naturally unharmed." Karura still had her gentle smile, her tone full of reverence, "In this Shinobi World, perhaps there exist those equal to Ryuji-sama, but certainly none stronger. The assassination naturally failed."
Hearing this, Koharu snorted dismissively.
Homura glanced at her but said nothing. Danzo continued meditating, but internally pondered matters.
Assassination failure wasn't surprising. After all, the target was such an expert. He had prepared for failure long ago.
But the people he sent were all Root's members… no past, no future, no names, no identities. They shouldn't have been discovered as Konoha's doing.
'Why was their identity exposed?'
'Or was this Karura bluffing?'
Danzo's mind raced, calculating quickly. Hiruzen couldn't think that much.
Hearing Ryuji was unharmed, he showed a look of relief, "It's truly excellent that Ryuji-dono is unharmed."
Hearing this, Karura's expression changed for the first time, her brows slightly furrowing.
She felt uncomfortable with this person's reaction.
'The person was too fake.'
If she didn't know the assassins were Konoha's Anbu, she'd have thought he genuinely cared about the safety of their Shinobi.
Although she knew leaders in such positions must possess considerable shrewdness, she had come unexpectedly to hold them accountable. Without prior reaction time, he could still subconsciously put on such a performance, which truly disgusted her.
Actually, Karura appreciated shrewd leaders.
After all, shrewdness was one criterion measuring a leader's qualifications. If the Kage of one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages lacked any shrewdness, with everything seen through at a glance, it would be hard to inspire confidence.
However, when she herself became the victim, it was a different matter.
After all, the other party sent people to attack her, she resolved it, then came to hold them accountable, yet they pretended ignorance, putting on a show of special concern. Anyone would feel disgusted.
Immediately, Karura stopped playing diplomatic games with the Konoha's higher-ups, directly stating her purpose.
"But when we examined the bodies, we discovered the assassins' identities trace back to Konoha."
"What!?"
The four Konoha's higher-ups jolted, staring wide-eyed at Karura, expressions of disbelief.
"That's impossible!"
Hiruzen was first to regain composure, saying confidently.
The other three chimed in agreement.
Especially Koharu, who stood up excitedly, slamming the table, analyzing logically, "Whether from an ally's standpoint or Konoha's situation, we would never do something as foolish as assassinate Ryuji-dono."
Danzo's lowered brows twitched slightly, then returned to normal.
"I'm not here to hear your explanations, sirs. I represent our village to ask you, does Konoha wish to unilaterally dissolve the alliance?"
Karura still had her spring-breeze-like smile, her tone ever gentle. It seemed negative emotions like anger, seriousness, rage... couldn't change this smile, always giving a gentle, kind feeling.
But the four present didn't dare view this young woman as a naive fool.
Although she was gentle and kind in every sense, gentleness and kindness didn't mean foolishness, nor did it mean she would let others bully her without retaliation.
Ryuji thought Karura's personality might hinder her performance… this was actually a misunderstanding from insufficient understanding.
While there are people in the world who spare enemies out of sympathy, there are also those who, sympathizing with enemies, attack even harder with the intent of releasing them from suffering, letting them die painlessly.
Both are gentle and kind, yet are completely different kinds of people.
And Karura was undoubtedly the latter.
The Third Kazekage originally intended her to lead the delegation to Konoha for a reason.
In daily life, she would be an angel in people's hearts, but on the battlefield, she would become the angel of death sending people to the land of spirits.
Her well-intentioned smile now seemed somewhat chilling to the four.
Silence.
After the girl spoke, the scene instantly quieted.
Hiruzen, Danzo, even Homura and Koharu stared sharply at Karura. Karura remained calm, still having a faint smile, but the small hands hidden in her sleeves couldn't help but clench.
The air grew more solid, the atmosphere increasingly tense.
Just as everyone's tension reached its peak, Hiruzen suddenly laughed.
Due to the Hokage's work, he looked much older than his true age. A man in his forties looked fifty or sixty, laughing like a kindly old grandpa.
"You jest. Konoha would naturally not do something like unilaterally dissolving the alliance."
Would not do something like dissolving the alliance, not would not dissolve the alliance… a double meaning.
It affirmed Konoha's stance while denying the assassination on Ryuji. Unless one paid close attention, they might miss this and get drawn into it.
But Karura didn't buy it.
"I'm not asking if you would do such a thing. I represent our village to ask you, does Konoha wish to unilaterally dissolve the alliance?"
Karura still smiled, her tone gentle, but everyone sensed the aggressive undertone.
The four present, long in high positions, naturally understood the implied meaning: I'm not asking if you did this, but demanding an explanation from you.
Either give Sunagakure an account, or pretend nothing happened, letting the alliance rupture… your choice.
Hiruzen's hand under the desk clenched involuntarily, veins bulging on his withered hand, but his face remained composed.
Danzo, eyelid lowered, a glint of killing intent flashing in his nearly closed, narrow eye.
Koharu and Homura looked ugly, wanting to rage but held back by the larger situation, wishing to speak yet hesitating.
In the office, the tense atmosphere, barely broken earlier, once again became confrontational.