[Ding! - Chaos Event triggered: The Second Great Ninja War! Event Level: S+]
[Hanzō, who calls himself a demigod, discontent with the scarce resources and harsh environment of Amegakure, resolves to conquer the former Land of Lightning. He has declared war simultaneously on the Land of Wind, the Land of Fire, and the Land of Earth.]
The sudden Chaos Event notification caught Torifu somewhat off guard. He had just been talking about how war would break out soon, and now Hanzō had declared it outright.
One had to admit, Hanzō was a man of great resolve, declaring war on three Great Shinobi Villages at once. While the outcome was uncertain, this single act was enough to ensure his name would be remembered throughout the history.
However, it would take some time, roughly half a month, for Amegakure's forces to reach the Land of Fire. This period would allow the shinobi to train more, serving as a critical safety net for the war.
"Sakumo, I plan to assign you to the elite squad. You'll train with Jiraiya and the others. Since you're returning a bit late, you'll need to work harder to catch up."
Sakumo nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I will follow your orders."
After discussing a few other mission-related matters, Torifu sent them to the Mission Assembly Hall to report their mission completion.
He decided not to announce Hanzō's declaration of war just yet. He would wait a while longer, until the shinobi's training was complete and the morale of the Konoha village was at its peak. When he announced the news then, the shinobi's fighting spirit would soar. Even if Amegakure had outside help, its population was limited. It would be no match for Konoha's flood-like force of ninja, and its defeat would only be a matter of time.
Before this, Hanzō had also inexplicably attacked the Land of Iron, which Torifu couldn't understand. Although the Land of Iron was rich in iron, it wasn't something that could be converted into a strategic resource overnight. Attacking it at this time would only worsen Hanzō's already dire situation.
Alone in the office, Torifu felt a sense of emptiness. He decided to summon his clone and sneak out. With his Concealment Jutsu active, even the secretary standing guard at the door wouldn't realize the Hokage had been replaced.
A tense atmosphere now hung over Konoha's streets. With war on the horizon, villagers worried if their family members would survive on the battlefield. This was why Konoha had always opposed war, but with Amegakure's brazen provocation, Konoha could not afford to be humiliated. If they did, Konoha's standing as a Great Shinobi Village would vanish, and in the future, no one in the ninja world would listen to a word they said. A great ninja village that had lost its credibility was no different from any ordinary place.
Torifu could only hope the villagers would understand. He would do his best to protect them.
When he arrived home, Torifu found Minato training in the yard. Sakumo had already gone to participate in his training sessions, so these children had to rely on their own initiative. During this war, the difference between those who trained diligently and those who slacked off would become evident once it was over, with a clear gap in their strength.
Minato was undoubtedly one of the most hardworking of these children. Whenever he had a spare moment, he would practice the Flying Thunder God Jutsu that Torifu had given him. He could now perform a simple flash, although he still needed to use hand signs, which made it difficult to be used for surprise attacks in combat.
Nevertheless, this was a very good first step, and Torifu was extremely pleased.
"Big Brother, you're back?" Minato asked, puzzled. Then, as if remembering something, he said, "Oh, I remember. You left your 'fake Big Brother' at the office, right?"
Torifu smiled and poked his head with a finger. "You little rascal, you know everything. Hurry up and practice. Your progress is good. You might become the second ninja in all these years to master the Flying Thunder God Jutsu!"
"If you do, the entire Konoha village will know your name! You won't be a nobody anymore!"
Being a child, Minato felt a surge of excitement. Torifu's words energized him like a shot of adrenaline, and he began performing the hand signs and flashing again and again. He didn't stop until his chakra was completely exhausted, collapsing onto the ground and breathing heavily.
"Big Brother, I feel like I've made some more progress."
"Of course. I've been watching your progress. But don't rush it. Just take it one step at a time."
Minato nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Big Brother. I will become the second ninja to master the Flying Thunder God Jutsu!"
Seeing his confidence, Torifu felt reassured. He had never doubted that Minato would succeed in mastering the jutsu; he had only been guessing when he would. And each time, Minato surpassed Torifu's expectations.
"Big Brother, is war scary?"
Hearing the question, Torifu turned to look at Minato, then walked over and sat down beside him.
"It is. Of course, it is."
"Even someone as strong as Big Brother is afraid of war?"
Torifu nodded. "Of course, I am. But I'm not afraid of being killed. What I'm afraid of is killing so many people that I eventually feel that killing is an ordinary thing."
"I fear reaching a point where a life ending in my hands feels no different than a small blade of grass being knocked down by a stick. That is what frightens me."
Killing too many people makes a person numb. This feeling had first emerged during the First Great Ninja War. At the time, his Crystal Release: Crimson Lotus jutsu had instantly claimed thousands of lives. Countless dismembered limbs flew through the air, and blood stained Torifu's white robes. It should have been a horrifying sight, but Torifu had felt it was completely normal, nothing to be afraid of.
That was when Torifu knew his mindset had irrevocably changed. His subconscious now believed that killing was perfectly normal and required no fear or apology.
Hearing Torifu's words, Minato seemed to understand a little. The first time he killed, his hand had trembled uncontrollably, but now, clearing out bandits no longer caused him any emotional reaction. Killing felt as ordinary and common as pulling weeds.
But he had yet to experience war, so he could not truly understand what a sea of corpses felt like.
"Always remember, no matter what, don't become just a killing machine. You need to know what you are swinging your blade for and why you are taking a life."
Minato nodded after hearing this. He understood the deeper meaning. "Don't worry, Big Brother, I'll remember."
He was only ten years old. According to Konoha's regulations, he couldn't go to the battlefield yet and had to stay in the village. Minato hoped that the next time a war broke out, he would be able to fight on the battlefield, but at the same time, he also hoped that the next war would never happen.