Chapter 268: Training Soldiers for a Thousand Days, Using Them for One
Are you kidding me?
You're saying Hidden Leaf Village has attacked with a Tailed Beast?
The Elders of the Grass Ninja Village, wearing animal-head masks, all looked out the window at the giant beast in disbelief, and then at the envelope pierced through the heart of the Elder wearing a Snake-head mask before them.
Wasn't there intelligence just recently saying the Third Hokage abdicated and the Fifth Hokage Jiraiya succeeded him?
And now the Sixth Hokage has appeared?
Did this Sixth Hokage become Hokage through a military coup?
The Elder wearing the Monkey-head mask was the first to break the suffocating silence. His voice was somewhat dry due to tension, but he struggled to maintain his composure.
"Things have come to this... resisting would undoubtedly be seeking our own destruction."
The Monkey-head Elder swallowed hard, his gaze sweeping over his colleagues.
"Although the opponent came aggressively and issued an ultimatum, they... they also gave five hours to evacuate the civilians.
This shows that perhaps... perhaps the other party simply wants to use us to establish their authority, and there is still room for maneuver in this matter?"
He paused and proposed what seemed to be the only "wise" choice at the moment:
"Let's have peace talks first. No matter what, we must first find out the true intentions of this Sixth Hokage.
Is it to demand compensation? Or to force us to take a side?
Or... is it just a show of power for a new official taking office?
We won't know until we talk!"
"Makes sense!"
The Elder wearing the Pig-head mask echoed almost immediately, as if missing a second would lose this possible opportunity.
His mask could not hide the panic in his voice and the urgency of seeking a way out.
"We definitely can't win a fight; negotiation is the only way to survive!
We must talk! Talk immediately!"
The two Elders' proposal immediately received the approval of the other shaken Elders.
In the face of absolute crushing power, any thought of resistance seemed laughable.
Negotiation, even if it was just to stall for time, was the only life-saving straw at hand.
However, just a second after this "consensus" had formed, a realistic and fatal question was weakly raised by the Elder wearing the Rat-head mask.
The Rat-head Elder looked left at the Monkey-head, right at the Pig-head, and then glanced at the terrifying golden light and shadow outside the window. His voice was as thin as a mosquito's buzz, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears:
"That... peace talks... are all well and good..."
He hesitated.
"But... who should we send?"
"..."
The air froze once again.
The gazes of all the Elders instantly focused on the Rat-head Elder in unison!
The meaning in those eyes was more than obvious: You raised the question. For such a "heavy responsibility," if you don't go, are you expecting us to go?
The Rat-head Elder was startled by this sudden "limelight" and instinctively took half a step back, waving his hands repeatedly. His face under the mask had likely turned pale: "Ah? Me?
No, no, no... I can't do it!
Absolutely not!"
He was so anxious his voice turned shrill, and he pointed at the colossal figure outside the window: "Look! Look at what that is out there! That's the Nine-Tailed! It's an existence that could flatten our Village with one slap!
And that Sixth Hokage, he used a let... letter to kill the Snake Elder right from the start.
This clearly shows he comes with ill intent and a heavy killing intent!"
He spoke rapidly, trying to deflect: "I... I'm clumsy with words, I don't know how to speak, and I'm a coward. If... if we meet and I get nervous and say something wrong, or behave inappropriately and annoy that star of calamity..."
"If he gets angry and just throws a Tailed Beast Ball over... can you, can you all handle it?
The whole Village will be finished along with me!"
"..."
These words were like a basin of ice water poured over the heads of the other Elders who had just ignited a glimmer of hope for "peace talks."
True... who should be sent?
Send the Rat-head? Seeing how cowardly the Rat-head was, the other party might feel the Grass Ninja Village lacked sincerity and become even angrier.
Send themselves?
Who would be willing to face that madman who could control the Nine-Tailed?
If the talks fell through, or if the other party had no intention of talking and was just playing with them, then the person who went to negotiate would definitely be the first to die.
Just look at the Grand Elder's fate; that guy isn't someone to be trifled with.
Moreover, the Rat-head was right. If the person who went, out of fear or clumsiness, said something they shouldn't and provoked the other party... they didn't want to taste a Tailed Beast Ball at all.
The Monkey-head and Pig-head Elders exchanged a look, both seeing the same hesitation and... retreat in each other's eyes.
"What the Rat-head Elder said... is not without reason."
The Monkey-head Elder gave a dry cough, his tone softening.
"This matter concerns the survival of the entire Village; we indeed need a careful selection of personnel. They must represent the sincerity of our Grass Ninja Village and be... well... steady, adaptable, and eloquent."
The Pig-head Elder also nodded quickly: "Right, right, right, we can't be rash. We must choose the most suitable person!"
The two who were eager to push for peace talks just now now made no mention of the possibility of going themselves. Their gazes began to scan the others, looking for a "suitable" scapegoat.
Seeing this, the Rat-head Elder felt a bit more at ease, but immediately became anxious again, fearing this "heavy responsibility" would still fall on his head in the end.
For a moment, the Elder council, which had just reached a consensus on "peace talks," fell into a deadlock of passing the buck on "who goes to die"—no, to negotiate.
The Elder wearing the Sheep-head mask suddenly slammed the table:
"Wait! We... we don't necessarily have to just sit and wait for death, or beg for that madman's mercy!"
His urgent words drew everyone's attention.
"Have you forgotten Hozuki Castle? Have you forgotten Mui?"
The Sheep-head Elder's voice rose.
"As the Lord of Hozuki Castle, Mui's strength is far beyond ours.
More importantly, he holds that legendary object—the box of ultimate bliss!"
The words "box of ultimate bliss" were like a magic spell, causing all the Elders in the meeting hall to shudder, and the looks behind their masks instantly became complex.
There was fear, there was greed, and there was a crazy flicker of "hope" ignited in a desperate situation.
"That's right! The box of ultimate bliss!"
The Monkey-head Elder also remembered this legend, which was regarded as a taboo and the final trump card by the high-level officials of the Grass Ninja Village.
"Legend has it that as long as the box of ultimate bliss can be opened, one can obtain the ultimate power to destroy everything and fulfill any wish!
If... if we can convince Lord Mui to use the power of the box of ultimate bliss..."
"Maybe we can repel that monster outside and Hidden Leaf Village's crazy Hokage!"
The Pig-head Elder cut in, his voice shrill with excitement, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory.
This proposal was like seeing a piece of driftwood while drowning, instantly igniting a path other than despair in the Elders' hearts.
It wasn't humble pleading for peace, but a desperate counterattack.
Using their own taboo power to fight against the external terror!
However, the brief fanatical heat was quickly extinguished by practical problems.
The Elder wearing the Rabbit-head mask spoke up hesitantly, raising a key obstacle: "But... legend says that to open the box of ultimate bliss, an extremely massive, almost oceanic amount of Chakra is needed as a key.
Mui personally guards Hozuki Castle and watches over the box of ultimate bliss to prevent it from being misused.
How... how could he actively pour Chakra into the box of ultimate bliss to open that thing?
Besides, where are we going to find that much Chakra in such a short time?"
This question was like a basin of cold water, making the Elders, who had just felt a flame of hope, fall silent again.
Yes, the opening conditions were so harsh, and Mui himself was the greatest guardian. Why would he open Pandora's box himself?
Just then, the Elder wearing the Ox-head mask, who had always seemed a bit slow, spoke in a muffled voice.
"Isn't that simple?"
He shook his large Ox-head mask: "Aren't there many Chunin and Genin in the Village?"
He paused, his eyes behind the mask's holes scanning the other Elders, his tone chillingly flat:
"Training soldiers for a thousand days, using them for one. Now is the time when the Village needs them most."
"It's time for them to sacrifice themselves for the Village."
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