Chapter 306 - 307
At the Allied Ninja Headquarters.
The war was in full swing, and no one expected Gensou to break through their defenses so quickly. A heated discussion was underway.
When Mei, the Fifth Mizukage, learned that Gensou had arrived alone, she exclaimed in surprise, "Taking on ten thousand by himself? Gensou is being far too arrogant!"
Beside her, the First Mizukage, Byakuren, remained calm and said, "He has always been like that."
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, was unsurprised by Gensou's bold actions, especially with a similar example present.
He glanced at the burly, long-bearded Third Raikage among the Raikage's team.
The Third Raikage had once held off more than ten thousand Iwa ninjas for three days and nights before succumbing to exhaustion. It was an extraordinary feat that had deeply impressed Onoki at the time.
Given Gensou's abilities, it wasn't surprising that he could face off against the ninja alliance head-on.
However, Onoki was more concerned with another issue.
Turning to Yamanaka Inoichi, he asked, "What about the Akatsuki members, the Uchiha ninjas, and the hundred or so unexpected Edo Tensei summons that followed Gensou? Why haven't they appeared yet?"
After a moment of concentration to contact the sensory unit, Inoichi replied, "The sensory unit reports no signs of enemy movement aside from Gensou."
Hearing this, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Are they lying in wait? Is Gensou planning to take down the alliance on his own?"
The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, twirled his mustache with a sly smile and remarked, "Why not? It's completely in line with his character."
"If that's truly his plan, even if he makes it here, his strength will be greatly diminished," the Third Raikage finally spoke, breaking his silence.
"Ninjas aren't sacrificial lambs. Even if Gensou manages to overcome them one by one, his stamina, chakra, and energy will be severely drained. When he faces us, who have conserved our strength, his chances of victory will be slim."
The Third Raikage, with his extensive experience in battles against overwhelming odds, doubted that Gensou would be so reckless.
"Or maybe Gensou is stronger than you think," Gengetsu countered lazily.
The Third Raikage glanced at Gengetsu but didn't engage further in pointless debate.
"In war, unknown enemy movements pose the greatest danger," the First Tsuchikage, Ishikawa, interjected, steering the discussion back to the main issue. "Especially with the unexpected appearance of those Edo Tensei summons."
Hearing this, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, turned to the Second Hokage, Tobirama, before shifting his gaze to Orochimaru in the corner. With a cold expression, he asked, "How did Gensou learn Edo Tensei? Orochimaru, did you hand over the technique to him?"
Orochimaru looked up at Rasa, spreading his hands with an innocent expression.
"Fourth Kazekage, I'm not that foolish. Especially when it comes to aiding someone who killed me."
Rasa's gaze darkened.
Remembering the rumors he'd heard about Orochimaru betraying and killing him, then using his identity to initiate the destruction of Konoha, Rasa was about to retort when the First Kazekage, Reto, interrupted, "Enough! This isn't the time for such discussions. Gensou's talent is undeniable. It's entirely possible he developed Edo Tensei independently."
As the First Kazekage, Reto held significant influence in Sunagakure.
With his intervention, Rasa reluctantly backed down.
Reto continued, "The key issue now is the strength of those Edo Tensei summons. If they're as powerful as us..."
He didn't finish, but everyone understood his implication.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen, habitually sucked on his unlit pipe before offering some reassurance.
"The alliance's Edo Tensei summons not only outnumber theirs but also include many of the strongest figures in the history of the Five Great Ninja Villages. We've already summoned every notable individual from history. Gensou couldn't possibly summon them again, so the strength of his Edo Tensei forces shouldn't be too concerning."
Many nodded in agreement.
In the ninja world, while powerful individuals existed outside the Five Great Ninja Villages, their numbers and quality were far inferior.
They weren't too worried about such figures.
But before anyone could relax, Tobirama, who had been silent until now, scanned the room and spoke slowly:
"You've only considered the village's strongmen. Have you thought about those from before the villages existed?"
"Before the villages? The Hagoromo clan?"
"It's been so many years. The Hagoromo clan's domain was destroyed long ago. Could they still find DNA samples of their past warriors?"
"Even if they could summon those from the Hagoromo clan's past, could they match our strength?"
The room fell into discussion, everyone voicing their thoughts after Tobirama's statement.
Suddenly, a hesitant voice broke through.
"Um..."
The room went silent, and all eyes turned toward the speaker.
It was Hashirama, who had been spacing out the entire time.
Battle strategies and analyses were never his strong suit. In the past, he had always left such matters to Tobirama, and now, he relied on the others.
He had planned to continue daydreaming, but something about the recent discussion piqued his interest, prompting him to speak.
Unaware that everyone's attention had been on him the entire time, Hashirama scratched his head awkwardly and said:
"Well... I remember hearing from Madara that the Hagoromo clan had a tradition of secret burials."
As allies of the Uchiha clan for many years, Gensou's clan and the Uchiha shared a close history. While Gensou and Madara didn't get along well personally, Madara still knew some things about the Hagoromo clan.
After Konoha was founded, Hashirama, as Madara's close friend, had heard about this during their casual chats.
No one doubted Hashirama's information.
Building on this revelation, a new round of discussion began.
Nara Shikaku, the head of the strategy unit, soon wore a grave expression and said, "It seems we need to adjust our deployment plans."
"We do indeed need adjustments!"
The Fourth Raikage, A, stepped forward and slammed a hand on the map, pointing directly at Gensou's current location. With resolute determination, he declared:
"There's no need to overthink this. Since Gensou has appeared, we should focus all our strength, including everyone here, and overwhelm him. We'll bury him under sheer numbers!"
"As long as Gensou is dead, we'll win!"
"No!" Onoki immediately stood to oppose him. "Gensou's bold appearance might be a trap. If we all leave to kill him, the God Tree's site will be left unguarded. What if something happens there?"
The Allied Headquarters had been established at the God Tree's site.
The Great Toad Sage had only revealed a fragment of the future.
No one knew exactly how Gensou would bring disaster to the world or how the progenitor of chakra might descend.
But one thing was clear: the God Tree's site was crucial.
That was why Onoki believed A's plan was too reckless.
"With Gensou dead, all problems will be solved!" A insisted stubbornly.
The room split into factions, some supporting A's plan and others siding with Onoki.
As the supreme commander of the alliance, Tsunade pondered which course of action to take.
Suddenly!
Inoichi removed his helmet, his face filled with shock and solemnity as he reported to Tsunade:
"Latest intel! The first interception force has suffered heavy casualties and has withdrawn from the battle!"
"So soon?!"
Everyone's expressions changed dramatically.
(End of Chapter)
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