HSU: Ch. 286

When Masashi withdrew his hand, Obito's body slumped, his entire figure seemingly shriveled. Everything about Obito had come to an end. And this manner of death was not actually painful.

It was like having one's chakra extracted, the same method Akatsuki used to remove a tailed beast from a jinchūriki. The person would experience a gradual decline in physical strength, growing drowsiness, and eventually, unconsciousness.

For a missing-nin with countless crimes, this method could be considered as merciful as it gets, and no one objected.

In any large organization, there would always be some oversights. But this approach was something everyone accepted without issue. It wasn't that they wanted to become missing-nin themselves, but deep down, they hoped for this kind of treatment in such a harsh world.

No one wanted their leader to be ruthless and unfeeling, the kind of person who'd share a meal with you yesterday and chop you down today.

Back then, many stood up for Sakumo, not because they all liked him so much, but because when he committed suicide, it made the Third Hokage's administration seem cold and heartless. Having that kind of reputation attached to a leadership group was never a good thing.

Madara, for example, was never as popular as Hashirama. Not because he spoke harshly, but because of the way he handled things. Everyone was an adult, no one believed what they heard, only what they saw.

And what they saw was that anyone who crossed him never got away unscathed.

Hashirama, to be fair, also didn't let things slide, but he made an effort to de-escalate situations. When it came to the final step, he was always extremely cautious. Whether or not it made a real difference was debatable, but his demeanor was comforting and put people at ease.

Because of this, everyone gained a deeper understanding of the White Ghost Obito had truly dragged the Uchiha clan into ruin, yet Masashi proved that he was a man of true sentiment.

Had it been them, they couldn't have done the same.

If someone had betrayed the clan that badly, they would've probably tested every clan jutsu on him first.

"His name has also been engraved on the Memorial Stone. Give him a proper burial," Hashirama said, clapping his hands as a wooden coffin rose from the floor.

"Thank you for your generosity," Fugaku bowed respectfully, then turned to Shisui behind him and said, "Help Masashi."

"No need. I can manage this weight on my own," Masashi waved his hand, opened the coffin, and carefully placed Obito's body inside. Though his cellular energy had been drained, Obito's body hadn't fully stiffened yet, otherwise, given the awkward posture he died in, it would've been difficult to position him.

Once done, he closed the lid of the coffin and temporarily sealed it with Ice Release. He then took out a sealing scroll and sealed the coffin within it using a fūinjutsu.

As for the two Sharingan, he handed them to Fugaku. The standard three-tomoe Sharingan still had the Transcription Seal: Izanagi attached to it, but he erased it.

Everyone present was tactful enough not to stare too much at the two crimson Sharingan in his hand. After all, one of them was a Mangekyō Sharingan. But despite that, people couldn't help but glance at the Fourth Hokage.

Everyone knew that Obito's left eye... Because of this matter, it was certain that the Uchiha clan would eventually negotiate with the Hokage faction, but as for Kakashi...

Based on their years of experience, the crowd had a feeling that things wouldn't go smoothly when the time came. But right now, no one was going to bring that up.

Fugaku naturally understood that the eyes needed to be dealt with quickly. He took out a pre-prepared container and carefully placed each eye into it, then handed the container to Shisui took the container and left immediately.

Until he safely stored the eyes back at the Uchiha compound, anyone who laid a finger on them would be met with his Susanoo, no hesitation.

Over the years, under Masashi's influence, Shisui had matured greatly. He was no longer the soft-hearted boy who tried to win others' favor through weakness. When it was time to be firm, he didn't hold back, and now was exactly such a time.

As he walked away, Muzo noticed that a few people had an odd look in their eyes. He cleared his throat and said, "Let me remind everyone, if anyone thinks about touching those eyes, it won't be Hashirama and Tobirama who have to step in. I will."

He pulled out a kunai, which had a tag-like seal attached to it, and waved it in front of the crowd. Seeing the item, everyone's expressions immediately changed. Especially those few whose glances had just now been a bit questionable, they couldn't help but take a step back.

Everyone present came from powerful families, they recognized what he was holding.

That definitely wasn't a regular explosive tag.

"Even though you've retired, you still need to keep things in order," Muzo said, looking around before turning to Hiruzen. "There are always people who don't know their place."

"That's enough," Hashirama said. "We're all comrades here. The Mangekyō Sharingan is indeed a powerful ability, and it's normal for people to take a few extra glances, it hasn't reached the point where we need to make threats. Have faith in everyone. No one here would betray the village."

Tobirama added, "Inciting internal strife is betrayal. If that happens, we'll just cut our losses. Please keep your emotions in check."

Minato looked left and right and realized... he had nothing to say. To be honest, he too felt that some of the Sarutobi faction lacked discipline and couldn't even control their reactions. But with the Third Hokage standing right there, as the Fourth Hokage, he couldn't be too harsh in his words.

Hiruzen, however, had already mentally taken note of the few people who'd acted strangely.

"Pease rest assured. If anyone harbors ill intent, I won't tolerate it," he said solemnly.

"Don't blame yourself," Hashirama said, patting him on the shoulder. "These things are human nature. Over the years, you've done very well."

Hearing this, Hiruzen was visibly moved. For decades, he had constantly questioned himself, whether he had done enough, whether he had lived up to the expectations of these great men.

"All right," Tobirama said. "This matter is settled. Let's now formally organize the battlefield deployments. Minato, this is your task."

Minato nodded.

The Hokage group had already thoroughly discussed the deployment plans, taking various factors into account. Drafts had been prepared for troop numbers and strike strategies.

Now, it was time to finalize the deployment of elite combat forces to each battlefield and allocate manpower from the major ninja clans.

---

In the tea room, Minato began announcing the assignments according to the established strategy.

"The first is the Northern War Zone. The primary mission is to defeat Kumo. The zone will be led by the elite ninjas of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans. Based on the nominations of Fugaku and Hiashi, the overall commander will be Masashi, with Hizashi as deputy commander. Considering the possibility of coordination between enemies in the western and eastern zones, the northern zone's reserve forces might be limited. Therefore, until we defeat Kumo, the jonin from the two clans will be managed internally rather than being assigned through the standard jonin squads. Masashi, what do you think?"

"I have no objections," Masashi replied. "I'll coordinate with everyone to wrap up the fighting over there as soon as possible."

During the Third Great Ninja War, the Uchiha and Hyūga clans were sent to fight Kiri. Partly because Konoha was running out of manpower, and partly, arguably, as a way to use Kiri to wear down the core fighting strength of the two clans.

But with Hashirama present, that kind of scheme wouldn't be allowed again. Not even Tobirama would approve of it.

Against Kumo, the Uchiha and Hyūga were very suitable, though frankly, they'd be even better suited to taking on Suna.

"That's good, then. Next are the Western and Eastern War Zones. On one front, we'll be fighting Iwa; on the other, we need to coordinate joint operations with Suna. The stances of Ame and Kusa are also critical, and we need to guard against a possible Kiri naval assault on Suna. With so many tasks and complex battle conditions, this front will demand both strong offensive and high mobility capabilities, and heavy reliance on manpower. So we'll need the First Hokage to serve as the overall commander, with Muzo as the deputy. The elite ninjas from the Sarutobi, Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans will serve as support."

The clan representatives present all nodded.

Hiruzen felt a bit wistful. If possible, he'd still want to fight alongside Hashirama, Tobirama, and Muzo like in the old days.

"Lastly, the Eastern War Zone. Considering there is no geographic barrier between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, battles could erupt anywhere along the coastline, which will test both sides' maneuverability. For this front, the Second Hokage will be the overall commander. Kushina and I will also join, especially since the enemy is confirmed to be fielding jinchūriki. The elite ninjas from the Inuzuka and Aburame clans will form the core of this unit."

Once all three war zones had their commanders and team structures finalized, Minato announced the personnel remaining in the village. Naturally, this included the three Hokage, and Jiraiya.

As for Tsunade, he didn't assign her anything. He wasn't sure what she was thinking lately.

Both Jiraiya and Tsunade were present, though they'd remained silent the whole time.

"I'll stay too," Tsunade suddenly said. "If there's anything I can help with, I will."

"That's great news!" Minato said, delighted.

Tsunade nodded and said nothing more. She didn't have anything against Minato, he was Jiraiya's student, after all, and she had watched him grow up.

"If anyone has any objections, feel free to speak up now," Minato said.

Among those present, excluding Jiraiya and Tsunade, the various military leaders began thinking it over. To be honest, no one had major objections. Either they'd be fighting under the First Hokage or the Second, both were great options.

The Northern Zone would be led by the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, and since the jonin squads weren't interfering, those two clans had more autonomy. That suited them well, given how well they cooperated.

Even though they wouldn't be fighting alongside the First Hokage, Muzo would be there, and to be honest, the guy creeped them out a little. He'd done a lot of shady stuff in the past, and just now he'd pulled out some suspicious-looking items… It was clear he wasn't planning anything good this time either.

Being around him would definitely draw aggro.

Let him go mess with the Sarutobi side instead.

After a while, everyone expressed that they had no objections.

"Good, then the departure will be tonight," Minato said. "In the meantime, everyone should take care of any personal matters at home. This time is different from before, there will be no surprise attacks. Our army's departure will coincide with the repatriation of nobles from various countries. If we encounter forces from Iwa, Kumo, or Kiri, we'll hand over the nobles belonging to their respective nations."

Everyone gave knowing, amused smiles.

Indeed, that would make surprise attacks unlikely. And even if there were any, it would only be after the nobles had been handed over.

The Konoha ninja army could march openly and confidently to their assigned positions. However, before that, the garrison troops already stationed at the borders would have a tougher time. The enemy would likely try to inflict as much damage as possible on them before the nobles arrived. In fact, there were still many ordinary foreign nationals in the village. Konoha would hand them over to the daimyō's office, which would then be responsible for returning them to their home countries.

Even though this was a world dominated by nobles and ninjas, there was still a shred of humanitarianism. After all, those who could afford to travel to Konoha to watch the games were from relatively well-off families, and such people were vital for the healthy functioning of any nation.

With the meeting having reached this point, it was essentially concluded.

As Minato announced the end of the meeting, the attendees began leaving in small groups. Although everyone was confident that Konoha would come out on top this time, war always demanded its due in luck. Proper procedures still had to be followed.

Masashi prepared to leave with Fugaku. He wanted to go home, have a proper meal with his family, and put their minds at ease. He also planned to contact his parents. who had been having the time of their lives at the Association, practically enjoying a second youth, and advise them to temporarily return to Konoha for safety.

Enemy ninjas might talk about honor in peacetime, but during war, all bets were off.

"Masashi," came a sudden voice from behind.

He turned around and saw that Tobirama was looking at him with that unsettling, icy stare. Then, shockingly, the cold-faced man smiled.

"You don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

"Of course not," Masashi replied, while mentally speculating.

Did the guy have a change of heart? Had he finally dropped his bias against the Uchiha?

"You're an important asset to the village. While I regret having to interrupt your time with your family, I need you to stay behind a bit," Tobirama said. "There are some critical matters we still need to discuss."

"That's right," Minato added. "The Northern War Zone will be somewhat isolated from the eastern and western fronts, which puts us at a disadvantage in terms of force deployment. The duration of the war is hard to predict at this point, so we're exploring options, like whether it's possible to coordinate from the eastern front via sea routes to reduce the element of surprise."

He spoke with genuine sincerity. He vividly remembered how, back then, Iwa had used just a thousand ninjas to throw Konoha's western front into chaos, forcing a severely undermanned Konoha to resort to reckless, desperate measures. And that had happened after Iwa had already lost ten thousand troops in their conflict with Kumo.

That unexpected chaos had led to the rise of two heroes with Sharingan, and also twisted the mind of one of them.

Although Minato's explanation seemed honest, Masashi couldn't shake the feeling that Tobirama had other intentions. Because he noticed Muzo was avoiding his gaze.

He had definitely told Tobirama something he shouldn't have!

Masashi just hoped… he hadn't completely blown his cover.