NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Individual Choices
Chapter 62: Individual Choices
After Fugaku was carried away by the two Uchiha elites, Jiraiya slowly approached.
The commotion earlier had naturally caught the attention of someone as skilled as one of the Legendary Sannin.
Kagami had already sensed his presence and made no effort to hide anything.
Just as he had once given Minato a choice, Kagami was now extending the same to Jiraiya.
Fugaku had been given that opportunity too, but he had chosen wrongly.
---
Jiraiya's gaze was heavy with a mix of emotions as he looked at Kagami.
The scarlet hue of Kagami's Sharingan faded as he turned and offered a faint smile.
"Jiraiya-sensei."
In Jiraiya's mind, the image of the young, eager boy who had first called him "sensei" resurfaced.
Though only a few years had passed, it felt like a lifetime ago.
"Kagami... was this battle truly necessary?"
Fugaku had seen it; Jiraiya could see it too.
The conflicts and grievances between the Uchiha and the village were beyond reconciliation.
With Kagami now as the head of the Uchiha, the situation had escalated beyond control.
"Opportunities for reconciliation once existed, but it was Tobirama Senju who severed those possibilities."
---
"I know," Jiraiya murmured.
"But still…"
He struggled internally, caught between his loyalty to his student and his sense of duty to the village.
---
After a long silence, Jiraiya spoke, his expression a mix of anguish and resignation.
"Kagami."
His face seemed to wear two masks, one smiling, the other crying.
"Tsunade has left… and once this war ends, I plan to travel as well."
"Forgive me, Kagami."
"I'm a coward and lack the courage to stand by your side…"
"But at least… the village will remain, won't it?"
---
So, this is your choice, Jiraiya-sensei.
"Of course," Kagami replied smoothly.
"The Uchiha were always part of the village's foundation."
"I'm simply reclaiming what rightfully belongs to us."
---
Jiraiya exhaled deeply.
Whatever happens next, let Orochimaru handle it…
After all, you're the one vying to be Hokage.
"Ah, I originally wanted to ask you to help gather material for my book, but you're such a troublesome brat."
"I'll tell Sarutobi-sensei that Fugaku was injured on the battlefield and sent back to the village to recover."
Walking closer, Jiraiya hesitated to pat Kagami's head as he had done years ago.
The boy had grown nearly as tall as him, so instead, he settled for patting his shoulder.
"Come on. Let me show you—I've managed to add a nature transformation to the Rasengan too."
---
A month passed.
The Western Front.
The Wind Country had announced its surrender months ago, and Sunagakure had signed a peace treaty with Konoha.
Though not a declaration of capitulation, the treaty signaled their withdrawal from the Third Great Ninja War.
Konoha, exhausted from fighting on four fronts, had little choice but to accept.
Even if they knew Sunagakure could not commit significant forces to aid them, ceasing hostilities allowed Konoha to reallocate resources to the Iwagakure front.
Thus, the Wind Country became the first major player to withdraw from the war, licking its wounds amidst the endless sands.
---
In the Western Front command room, Konoha's elite forces gathered.
Orochimaru, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and members of various clans like the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka, stood at the ready.
The Uchiha and Hyūga clans were stationed on the Eastern Front, where Jiraiya and Kagami managed the Northern Front.
This gathering represented the bulk of Konoha's military strength.
Minato's expression was heavy; he had learned about Obito's death after the fact, as he had been entrenched in the battle against Iwagakure.
With Kirigakure's entry into the war, the situation on the Eastern Front was dire.
Were it not for Nara Shikaku's tactical brilliance, the Mist ninjas might have already breached the Land of Fire's borders.
Konoha had deployed every available ninja. Nearly every household had suffered losses.
War was cruel—two simple words that bore an immense weight.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, unable to endure the mounting losses, had decided to gather the majority of their forces for a decisive battle against Iwagakure.
The armies would converge at Kannabi Bridge, with Hiruzen himself leading the charge.
The goal was clear: to crush Iwagakure's main force and turn their attention to Kumogakure.
If successful, they could focus their efforts against the Mist, whose overseas incursions posed less of a threat.
On the other side of Kannabi Bridge, a massive sandstorm loomed—likely caused by Iwagakure's vast ninja forces.
Even Iwagakure couldn't afford a prolonged war. Their resources paled compared to Konoha's.
For Ōnoki, this war was an opportunity to trade his weaker forces for Konoha's elite.
"I don't care how many die," he thought. "But Konoha's clans… their loss will bleed them dry."
---
Soon, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived, clad in battle armor, and entered the command tent.
"Lord Third!"
"Third Hokage-sama!"
"You're here, Sir!"
"With you leading us, victory is assured!"
"Old man, so you really came!"
---
Despite his advanced age and years of combat, Hiruzen Sarutobi's presence reinvigorated the troops.
Many had grown up hearing tales of his exploits and revered him as a living legend.
Even someone like Orochimaru found reassurance in his presence.
"If it's the old man, there's no need to worry," Orochimaru thought.
"You've ended two great wars and led Konoha to its peak prosperity. You'll do it again."
---
"Orochimaru, Minato, what's the current situation?"
Hiruzen trusted battlefield commanders over intelligence reports for accurate insights.
"Three days ago, Iwagakure launched a major offensive with a force of about 15,000. Their Jinchūriki also appeared," Orochimaru explained, his voice hoarse from lack of rest.
"We relied heavily on Kushina to bridge the gap in combat power."
"Our scouts report an even larger force gathering near Kannabi Bridge."
---
"So that's Ōnoki's plan," Hiruzen mused.
"My old rival wants to end this war too."
Hiruzen had faced Ōnoki multiple times, both in the First and Second Great Ninja Wars.
Though their skirmishes often ended inconclusively, Konoha always emerged victorious in the larger conflict.
---
After assessing the situation, Hiruzen issued a series of directives.
His decades of experience revealed several flaws in Orochimaru's strategy, which he addressed with precision.
As his gaze shifted between Orochimaru and Minato, a thought lingered.
When this war ends, I must step down…
I need to choose the right person to carry the village forward.
But his mind drifted northward, to the Northern Front, where Jiraiya had sent word of troubling developments.
Fugaku…
He had tried to visit the Uchiha compound to investigate Fugaku's condition, but the clan, led by Jinhi, had barred his entry.
A group of red-eyed, scarred, or crippled Uchiha stood resolute, and Hiruzen couldn't bring himself to force his way through.
Danzo, as usual, was nowhere to be found.
These problems would have to wait until after the war.
I cannot leave this burden for the Fourth Hokage to inherit.
Kagami…
You've squandered the last chance I gave you.
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End of Chapter.
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