Everyone's gaze shifted away from Might Guy and focused squarely on the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Everyone knew that this emergency Jonin meeting was called to discuss a major choice concerning the future fate of Konoha.
And Uzumaki Naruto, a name both familiar and strange to them, would become the unavoidable core of this meeting.
As the meeting began, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked around the room, his gaze pausing slightly on Might Guy with a complex, indefinable praise. He spoke in a deep voice, "First, I want to commend Jonin Might Guy. The will he showed in the heavenly screen, willing to burn his life to protect his comrades and the Village, is the ultimate manifestation of the 'will of fire'! He is the pride of Konoha!"
This tone-setting praise loosened the atmosphere in the meeting room slightly, and many Jonin looked at Might Guy with softer and more admiring gazes.
Might Guy himself was so moved that his eyes filled with tears, and he almost jumped up to shout about 'youth,' but he was held down firmly by Kakashi's stare.
But after a brief softening, Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone shifted, his face becoming incredibly solemn again as he pushed a thick stack of documents to the center of the table.
"After the praise, we must face reality." His voice lowered. "I assume you all know. Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and the Hidden Mist—the Four Great Shinobi Villages—have sent a series of sternly worded inquiry letters. Even the Land of Fire Daimyo's Office has expressed 'deep concern.'"
He paused, his gaze scanning the face of every Jonin present, as he slowly spoke the most core and sensitive question:
"They have only one demand—that we, Konoha, must 'deal with' Uzumaki Naruto."
"I have gathered you all today to hear your opinions. Faced with such immense external pressure, how... should we respond?"
As his voice fell, the meeting room sank into a deeper silence than before.
Those who could sit here were the elites of Konoha, and neither their strength nor their intellect were ordinary. They knew all too well what the four words 'Uzumaki Naruto' represented.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Village's most important ultimate weapon.
The "future world destroyer," someone who, if handled poorly, would become a target for everyone and the fuse for a Ninja World war.
How to handle it? Who dared to speak lightly?
Agree to hand him over?
Setting aside whether it was acceptable emotionally or for the Village's strategic interests, if there were a reckoning in the future, the person who proposed this would be the first to suffer.
Agree to protect him?
That would mean Konoha would have to bear the wrath and pressure of the entire Ninja World alone, potentially even triggering a war. Who dared to take on that responsibility?
More importantly, after the heavenly screen incident—especially the exposure of the Sarutobi Clan's hidden strength and the Uchiha massacre—deep in the hearts of many Jonin present, a huge crack had appeared in their trust for the high-level officials, especially for the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
They weren't sure of the Hokage's true thoughts, and they dared not express their stance easily on such a sensitive issue, fearing that one wrong step would make them a victim of political struggle.
This collective silence was like an invisible wall pressing down on Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
He clearly felt a sense of alienation and distrust, which made him feel a wave of powerlessness and heartache.
He, the Hokage known as the 'Professor of Ninja' who had ruled Konoha for many years, had begun to lose the trust of his own people.
Seeing that the meeting was about to end in a deadlock without any results, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, knowing he had to break the impasse and state his position.
He tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention, and then spoke in an unquestionable, decisive tone:
"Since no one has a better suggestion, then I will decide."
"Uzumaki Naruto is still just a child! He has done nothing wrong!"
"We, Konoha, must never convict a Ninja of our own Village just because of some so-called 'future' shown by a 'heavenly screen' of unknown origin and dubious authenticity! This is absurd and unjust!"
"Naruto has always been a good child. Who knows if it's because he was persecuted that he ended up on the path of a world destroyer?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice suddenly rose, carrying the authority of a Hokage:
"Furthermore, Naruto's status is special and concerns the stability and safety of the Village; there must be no room for error!"
"My decision is—"
He scanned the room with a sharp gaze and announced word by word:
"Konoha refuses to hand over Uzumaki Naruto! I will bear all external pressure alone!"
"However," his tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of helplessness and resolve, "to appease the outside world and for... the safety considerations of the Village, starting today, Uzumaki Naruto will be placed under the highest level of 'protective supervision.' No one is allowed to approach him without my direct permission!"
After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave no one else a chance to object or ask questions. He stood up immediately and left the meeting room with the two Advisors, leaving behind a room full of Jonin with varying expressions and heavy thoughts.
Kakashi's exposed eye narrowed slightly, his thoughts unknown.
Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, and others had solemn expressions. They knew that this decision by the Third Hokage was no different from pushing Konoha to the forefront of a storm.
But they wouldn't say anything; after all, at this time, it was likely no one had the mind to start a war.
Faced with the surging public opinion from the entire Ninja World and the pressure of internal undercurrents, Hiruzen Sarutobi made a decision that was both for the public good and mixed with private interest.
He could no longer place Naruto under any uncontrollable risks, whether it was assassination from other Villages, potential radical behavior within the Village driven by fear, or even... Danzo's 'Root'.
He personally ordered that Uzumaki Naruto be taken from that simple apartment directly to the Hokage Residence to live with him.
He wanted to keep this child under his own eyes, to personally supervise him, and also to personally... observe him.
When the Anbu brought the somewhat bewildered Naruto, whose face bore bruises and deep resentment, before the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi dismissed his attendants.
"Grandpa Third!" As soon as Naruto saw him, the strength he had been forcing himself to maintain instantly collapsed, and his large blue eyes quickly filled with tears.
With a sob, he almost lunged forward to grab the Third Hokage's hem, pleading urgently, "That wasn't me! I really wouldn't do those things! I won't destroy the world! I want to be Hokage and gain everyone's recognition!"
Looking at the thin, lonely child before him, who was enduring countless gazes of fear and rejection because of an unproven "future."
Hiruzen Sarutobi crouched down, a kind and benevolent smile appearing on his face as he gently stroked Naruto's messy blond hair, his tone warm and certain:
"Yes, Grandpa believes you."