Well... not everyone perked up their ears to listen. At least Orochimaru and Kimimaro were completely uninterested.
Terumī Mei was stunned by these words, wondering if Kageyama Kogetsu was just saying it casually or if he was serious...
If he was serious, then... she couldn't agree.
If she married the Hokage, Konoha would truly become the sole superpower. Would the future fate of Kirigakure be good or bad?
Besides, as the Mizukage, she certainly couldn't marry out before cultivating a qualified successor.
Chōjūrō was still too green and needed more experience.
Zabuza's record wasn't clean, and his personality wasn't suitable. He could hold a high position in Kirigakure to assist the Mizukage, but he couldn't be the Mizukage.
Thinking of this, Terumī Mei chuckled, "Giggle... Lord Hokage really knows how to joke."
"Hahaha... although no one among the Kage is more suitable than me, it was indeed abrupt."
Gaara was much younger than Terumī Mei, and the Raikage A was a bit older. They were the closest in age.
"How can the dignified Mizukage share a husband with others?"
"My joke went a bit too far. Please don't mind, Lord Mizukage."
Terumī Mei smiled. "It's fine. I'm not a petty person."
Changing the subject, the two chatted about other things. After a while, they stopped chatting and focused on traveling.
This group consisted of experts in the eyes of ordinary ninja, so their travel speed was naturally fast.
In the latter half of the night, the two flying summoning beasts arrived.
Kageyama Kogetsu fed the Golden Eagle and the monstrous bird some food, then sent the groups from Sunagakure and Kirigakure away.
Without the burden, Kageyama Kogetsu took Fū Yamanaka and Torune Aburame back to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
It was late, and there was no need to rush, so Kageyama Kogetsu went home to rest.
The next morning, Konoha's high-ranking officials, notified by the ANBU, came to the small meeting room in the Hokage Tower for a meeting.
Kageyama Kogetsu recounted the results of the Ninja Village Summit in the Land of Iron, then told everyone to perform their duties. After speaking, the meeting was adjourned.
Konoha was already a mature war machine. The operation of war naturally followed a mature process, and there was no need to intervene casually.
Of course, intervening was fine too, as long as one didn't mind the fatigue and trouble.
Returning to the Hokage's office, just as Kageyama Kogetsu sent a trusted aide to notify Kakuzu, Kisame, and Jūzō to gather in Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived.
The two sat down in the guest area. After each drinking half a cup of tea, Sarutobi Hiruzen stated his purpose.
"Kogetsu, I don't want to stay and guard Konoha. Let me go to the battlefield."
Looking at the thin, small, and aged Sarutobi Hiruzen, Kageyama Kogetsu smiled. "Guarding Konoha is also contributing to the war. I don't feel at ease with others guarding our home."
"Don't coax me. Although I'm old, I'm not senile yet. You just don't want me to take risks."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said earnestly, "Kogetsu, although dying of old age is a rare fortune for a ninja, isn't it also a kind of sadness?"
"I don't want to die of old age in bed. While I can still move and have some strength, I want to participate."
Kageyama Kogetsu said somewhat helplessly, "Alright, you can come with me to the Allied Forces Headquarters."
With him there, the Allied Forces Headquarters would be the safest place. Even a Ten-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb wouldn't be able to destroy it.
"You're coaxing me again. I'm not a child."
Well... to some extent, old people weren't much different from children.
"I want to lead or follow the Konoha ninja in a frontal charge."
"I don't want to miss this grand event of defending the ninja world. Please grant me my last dance."
With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to stand up and bow...
Kageyama Kogetsu quickly stopped him, saying helplessly, "Have you obtained your family's consent?"
"Nani? I still need to obtain my family's consent?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was dumbfounded, then blew his beard and stared. "I am a father, a father-in-law, a grandfather. Do I still need their consent?"
"To use your words, it's simply reversing the natural order!"
"Besides, if I insist, can they stop me?"
"If you don't agree, I'll go secretly."
Kageyama Kogetsu was speechless. Wasn't this acting shamelessly? How was it different from a child?
Fine, fine. If he wanted to go to the battlefield, let him go. At worst, he could arrange for him to be in a battlefield with lower intensity.
As long as he wasn't with Naruto and Kushina, it wouldn't be a big problem.
The intensity of the war where those two were would definitely be the greatest, sooner or later.
"Alright, I agree," Kageyama Kogetsu said helplessly.
"That's more like it. Choosing you as Hokage was indeed a wise decision. I'll be going now."
Sarutobi Hiruzen left beaming with joy.
Watching Sarutobi Hiruzen's disappearing back, Kageyama Kogetsu sighed with emotion...
Sure enough, no matter which world, there are people who give everything for what they value, just like the predecessors who held up bones as torches!
He certainly couldn't reach that level, but it didn't stop him from admiring these people.
...
As the war machine started, the atmosphere in Konoha instantly became tense. Ninja were preparing for the upcoming war.
With the war imminent, business in various shops in Konoha and surrounding towns improved significantly, and the consumption level rose sharply.
At the same time, reconnaissance units from various villages were also dispatched, each responsible for an area, conducting a carpet search of the ninja world...
Regarding the reconnaissance units, Kageyama Kogetsu's arrangements weren't as stingy as Konoha's in the original story, with just a few people and mediocre combat power.
For every reconnaissance squad, Kageyama Kogetsu arranged for a powerful ninja to lead it. Even Jiraiya accompanied a squad.
Under the carpet search of the various villages, it could be said that the exposure of the White Zetsu army's hiding place was only a matter of time.
As the saying goes, a thousand soldiers cover the fields, ten thousand soldiers are boundless, and a hundred thousand soldiers connect the sky and earth!
A hundred thousand White Zetsu was a huge number. Even if they moved underground, with such massive chakra, it would be difficult to hide from the detection of sensor ninja from various villages.
Unless all the nearby sensor ninja defected and turned a blind eye to it.
The vast majority of ninja in the ninja world had a change in mindset due to the impending war. Even the Kage of the various villages were not calm.
Only Kageyama Kogetsu remained as steady as an old dog, living and working happily as always.
Two days later, Kakuzu, Kisame, and Jūzō, wearing Konoha forehead protectors and black hooded robes, entered Konoha led by ANBU ninja...
After touring along the way, the three arrived at the Hokage Tower and met Kageyama Kogetsu in the Hokage's office.
"Lord Hokage." The three bowed in unison after entering.
"Haha, no need for formalities. Come and have some tea."
The three nodded and walked to the guest area, sitting on the long sofa.
After chatting about recent events, Kakuzu reported the situation of the Gengetsu Society.
"I have already gathered all the official members of the Gengetsu Society. They will definitely be assembled within two days at most."
"Mm. I will give them the identity of Konoha ninja and members of the Allied Shinobi Forces. At that time, they will be under the command of you three."
Kisame asked somewhat impatiently, "Lord Hokage, is the unification plan about to begin?"
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled. "Yes. If we can defeat the Masked Man and his group, then the unification plan can begin smoothly."
"Great. If anyone dares to disobey, I'll kill them!" Jūzō grinned.
"I think they will most likely obey, but they will definitely be unwilling in the short term. There might be some actions, or maybe not."
"Mere unwillingness is fine, but if there are actions, they must naturally be eliminated!"
Kakuzu said with a ruthless expression, "The Gengetsu Society will do this secretly, guaranteeing a thorough job!"
Kisame and Jūzō shared the same opinion.
Towards elements that destroyed unification and peace, the three had a strong killing intent.
Kageyama Kogetsu shook his head. "No, no, no."
"Such things cannot be resolved secretly. Evidence should be found, and punishment should be meted out in public according to the law!"
"If some separatists die secretly, wouldn't that play right into the hands of more separatists and ambitious people?"
"Remember, schemes and plots cannot achieve great things. The larger the power and the wider the territory, the more open and upright the strategies must be."
After a moment of thought, the three agreed in unison.
"Alright, have fun in Konoha. Peaceful days won't last long."
The three nodded and left to experience the increasingly prosperous Konoha...
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