266-270

Chapter 266: The Five Kage Summit (Part II)

As the saying goes, "A person’s name casts a long shadow." Anyone who has carved out a legendary reputation in the ninja world is no ordinary individual.

Uchiha Madara stands as one of the most extraordinary among them.

As one of the founders of Konoha, Madara’s only true rival was Senju Hashirama.

During their lifetimes, no other ninja village dared to invade Konoha, a testament to their overwhelming strength.

Now, years after Hashirama’s passing, the shocking news broke: Uchiha Madara had been resurrected and was leading the Akatsuki. This revelation struck the assembled leaders like a hammer blow, leaving them utterly stunned.

“Is this… is this news reliable?”

“Impossible! He should’ve been dead for decades!”

“Exactly! That guy was supposed to be long gone… Could he be immortal?”

Terumi Mei, Ōnoki, and the Fourth Raikage all displayed expressions of disbelief upon hearing Hattori’s words.

Only Danzō maintained his usual composed demeanor and nodded slightly.

“I’ve received the same information. While it seems unbelievable, the source is credible.”

“…”

Hearing Danzō confirm the report, everyone fell silent.

*“Ahem.”*

At that moment, Mifune, the neutral party presiding over the summit, cleared his throat and spoke up.

“As a representative of a neutral nation, allow me to say this: the Akatsuki leader has capitalized on the suspicions simmering beneath the surface peace among nations to amass power.”

Before he could continue, the Fourth Raikage furrowed his brow. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Patience!” Mifune raised a hand to calm the Raikage before continuing in a measured tone.

“This could be an opportunity in disguise. The gathering of Five Kage is a rare occasion. To deal with the Akatsuki, why not form an unprecedented Allied Shinobi Force from the five great villages?”

“Not a bad idea!”

Before Mifune’s words fully settled, Danzō quickly voiced his support. “These are extraordinary times, and unity is paramount!”

“Hm?”

The other Kage fell into contemplation, considering the feasibility of the idea.

Only one person remained unmoved: Hattori.

As Mifune and Danzō spoke, Hattori’s face lit up with an amused smile.

“Danzō’s already using Shisui’s transplanted eye to manipulate Mifune? Interesting. Let him play his hand—it won’t be long before someone exposes him.”

With that thought, Hattori kept quiet, merely watching Danzō with a faint grin.

As Hattori predicted, Mifune—under the influence of Danzō’s Kotoamatsukami—proposed that Danzō should lead the Allied Shinobi Force.

Mifune deftly highlighted each Kage’s shortcomings to justify his proposal:

- The Fourth Raikage was too hot-tempered, risking disunity among the alliance.

- Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage, was too old and had previously hired the Akatsuki, making him untrustworthy.

- Terumi Mei’s Kirigakure was the Akatsuki’s origin, and there might be spies among her ranks.

As for Hattori? Mifune dismissed him outright: his methods were too aggressive, and his past actions—like killing the Third Mizukage—would make him unacceptable to Kirigakure.

This left Danzō as the sole “suitable” candidate, with Mifune arguing that, as Konoha’s representative and the custodian of the Nine-Tails, Danzō was the natural choice to lead.

The room fell into a tense silence. Even the usually impulsive Raikage struggled to refute the logic, though he firmly opposed Danzō.

Meanwhile, Ao—Terumi Mei’s bodyguard—noticed something unusual. Years earlier, in a battle with Konoha, Kirigakure had obtained a Byakugan, which had since been implanted into Ao. Using its powers, he discerned the unique glow emanating from beneath Danzō’s bandages.

Ao immediately stepped forward and exposed Danzō’s plot to manipulate Mifune with Kotoamatsukami.

The revelation shocked the room. Fourth Raikage, enraged, prepared to strike Danzō.

Before he could act, however, a strange plant-like structure emerged from the floor. As it unfurled, it revealed a humanoid figure entirely white—Zetsu.

“Hello! Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Sasuke have arrived! Are you scared yet? Rawr!”

“Rawr my foot!”

Before Zetsu could finish his second roar, Hattori dashed forward with a Body Flicker and landed a punch square on his face.

*BANG!*

The sound was like a hammer striking a tire. Zetsu crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Hattori spat on the ground. “Pfft… Rawr, rawr—who cares if others can’t take it? Do it again, and I’ll stab you to death!”

He then casually pulled out a scroll, sealed the unconscious Zetsu into it, and tucked it into his belt.

Turning back to the stunned onlookers, he grinned.

“Heh, since I caught this one, I’ll just consider it my loot. Hope no one minds!”

“…”

You’ve already sealed it away—what’s the point of asking?

Despite the interruption, the focus soon returned to Danzō. But before anyone could act against him, two figures suddenly appeared in the center of the room: Uchiha Sasuke and the resurrected Uchiha Madara.

Sasuke, dressed in a white robe adorned with the Uchiha fan, carried the Kusanagi sword at his waist and exuded an air of arrogance.

Madara, clad in dark red armor and wielding a giant war fan, scanned the room with disdain before his gaze settled on Hattori.

A faint smirk tugged at Madara’s lips.

“Never thought I’d see someone like you emerge from Uchiha clan after me. I, Uchiha Madara, acknowledge you.”

Extending a hand toward Hattori, Madara continued, “Come. Join me, and together, we can change this accursed world and break the chains of the Uchiha’s destiny. It is our clan’s mission.”

“What?”

Madara’s words stunned everyone, including Sasuke, who now realized Hattori was part of the Uchiha lineage despite his position as the Fifth Kazekage.

The room was steeped in an uneasy silence, the air thick with tension.

Then, to everyone’s shock, Hattori swatted Madara’s hand away.

“Sorry, Uncle Madara. I’m more into money and women than your dream projects. Could you not bother me? Otherwise…”

Hattori’s eyes narrowed as he flashed a wicked grin.

“I’ll kill you.”

“…”

His words left everyone utterly flabbergasted.

*Chapter 267: Susanoo vs. Susanoo*

If Uchiha Madara’s arrival was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, shocking everyone, then what Hattori just said was an unexpected thunderclap, leaving everyone dumbfounded! Daring to threaten Uchiha Madara to his face—such an act could only be described with two words: pure guts!

Even Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, who always held a grudge against Hattori, showed an expression of admiration upon hearing these words.

"To challenge Uchiha Madara face-to-face… even disregarding his strength, that courage alone is indeed worthy of respect!"

If even the strict Ōnoki thought so, there was no need to mention everyone else; their gazes toward Hattori were full of admiration.

Including Uchiha Madara!

"Kid, I admire your courage. Killing you would be a waste. As a fellow survivor of the Uchiha clan, I’ll give you one more chance. Join forces with me!"

"No need! Not interested! Now get lost!"

“(╬￣皿￣)”

Hattori’s blunt refusal instantly exhausted Madara’s patience, his Mangekyō Sharingan now filled with killing intent.

"You’ve lost your last chance, you—"

"Wait!"

Before Madara could finish, Hattori interrupted him, pointing to his eyes and asking:

"Before you start throwing threats, can you tell me what’s up with your eyes? I remember I flushed one of them down the toilet—how did you get it back?"

"You’re asking for death!"

Madara roared in fury, swinging his war fan down at Hattori.

"Boom!"

With a muffled sound, Madara's fan stopped half a meter from Hattori's head, blocked by a layer of semi-transparent black chakra.

Seeing this, and noticing the star-like pupils in Hattori’s eyes, Madara's brow furrowed.

"The straight tomoe Sharingan… and Susanoo. Such achievement at a young age is truly rare, but you made the wrong choice. So this is where it ends!"

With that, a surge of dark blue chakra erupted from Madara, forming a massive dark blue chakra giant that broke through the roof!

"Crack… crack…”

The shattered roof began to collapse, with beams and broken tiles falling down.

Seeing this, everyone quickly dodged—everyone except for three people: Hattori, Madara, and Sasuke!

As the roof collapsed, all three activated their Susanoo. Not only were they untouched by debris, but not even dust landed on their clothes.

Of course, they hadn’t activated Susanoo just to block falling tiles—they were ready to fight!

Before the dust could settle, Madara’s dark blue Susanoo swung its two chakra swords down at Hattori!

Not daring to be careless, Hattori also controlled his black Susanoo, lifting its black chakra blade to parry.

"Boom!"

Their weapons clashed, producing an ear-splitting roar as energy erupted, destroying nearby walls and columns, causing the entire hall to collapse faster.

Seeing this, Hattori shouted.

"I’m dueling Uchiha Madara! If you don’t want to die, get out of here!"

After saying that, he swept aside Madara’s swords with a single strike and slashed directly at Madara’s head!

“Boom!”

Though this slash missed Madara, it split the Iron Country’s main hall in half, speeding up its collapse.

Seeing this, Mifune’s face started twitching.

"My hall!"

When he first heard that the Five Kage Summit would be held in the Iron Country, he was thrilled, thinking it would be a great opportunity to enhance the Iron Country’s influence.

But he hadn’t expected that, after the summit began, he would first be controlled by Danzō, then witness Madara’s appearance and his battle with Hattori, which had practically torn down his hall.

"Are they really here for a meeting? Feels more like they came just to mess with me! But this isn’t the time to think about that!"

With that in mind, he immediately shouted to everyone around him, as well as the Iron Country samurai stationed in the hall.

"The building is collapsing! Evacuate now!"

Hearing his words, the samurai of the Iron Country quickly ran outside.

The Fourth Raikage and the other four also retreated to avoid getting caught in the aftermath of Hattori and Madara’s battle.

With everyone gone, Hattori shed his last reservations and activated the full form of his Susanoo!

"Boom!"

A blast resounded as chakra exploded from his body.

Under the influence of this immense chakra, black armor began to form on his Susanoo, its size and oppressive aura dramatically increasing!

Hattori had thought that Madara would also activate his complete Susanoo and clash with him.

But to his surprise, Madara didn’t do that. Instead, he pulled back with Uchiha Sasuke and spoke to Hattori from a distance.

"Impressive power. I admit you have earned the right to dance, but you’re not my target this time, so I’ll spare your life. As for the others..."

He turned to the Fourth Raikage and the others outside the hall, his eyes flashing with disdain.

"I’m short on patience. If you know what’s good for you, you’d better hand over the Eight and Nine-Tails. Otherwise…”

"Or what? Kill us all?"

Before Madara could finish, Hattori sneered.

"Madara, your era is over. Don’t take yourself too seriously, okay?

Besides, are you so sure there’s no flaw in your plan? The stone tablet in the Uchiha’s sacred ground—are you certain it was left by the Sage of Six Paths? Ever thought it might have been tampered with?"

"Hmph, don’t try your tricks!"

As soon as Hattori finished speaking, Madara sneered disdainfully.

"In front of me, your little schemes are useless. I admit your power is strong, equal to what I once was, but… don’t overestimate yourself!"

With that, he ignored Hattori and turned his attention back to the other four Kage, speaking to them once more.

"I’ll give you five days to hand over your hidden Tailed Beasts. This is your final chance; otherwise, the only thing awaiting you is war!"

With that, before anyone could respond, he vanished along with Sasuke using the Body Flicker Technique.

After they disappeared, Hattori quickly used his Kagura Mind’s Eye to confirm their departure. Only then did he deactivate his Susanoo and head outside.

Seeing Hattori emerge, Ōnoki, who had been waiting, immediately asked him.

"Fifth Kazekage, what are your plans now?"

As soon as he asked, everyone turned to Hattori, seemingly viewing him as their leader.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Hattori grinned.

"What else can we do? We’ll defend against every challenge! If he dares to start a war, then we’ll fight him. Are we really afraid of him with all of us here?"

"Hahaha, well said!"

Hearing Hattori’s words, the Fourth Raikage burst into laughter, patting Hattori’s shoulder.

"I’m starting to like you. Tell us, what should we do?"

"It’s simple!"

In response to the Fourth Raikage, Hattori smiled slightly and gave his answer.

"Gather the strength of the Five Great Shinobi Villages and form an Allied Shinobi Force to fight Madara together!"

(Chapter End)

*Chapter 268: Hattori's Proposal*

"Form a Ninja Alliance?" Upon hearing Hattori's suggestion and recalling Danzo's past schemes, the four Kage present frowned deeply.

Seeing their expressions, Hattori quickly guessed what they were thinking and couldn't help but laugh.

"I know what you're thinking. While Danzo certainly had ulterior motives, the idea of forming a Ninja Alliance itself isn't flawed."

As he said this, Hattori glanced around the room before speaking again:

"Madara Uchiha just declared his intent to wage war. Clearly, he has significant forces under his command. Only by forming a Ninja Alliance can we effectively counter this threat!"

"Hmm, the Fifth Kazekage has a point," Onoki said, nodding immediately. He then raised another question, "But who should be the Supreme Commander of the alliance?"

The question caused everyone to frown once more, as it clearly struck a nerve.

Hattori, understanding their hesitation, laughed again.

"Haha, don't worry! I have no interest in power and won't compete for the position. Let the Raikage be the Supreme Commander. He is the most suitable candidate here!"

Hattori's words left everyone surprised, even the Fourth Raikage himself, who was momentarily taken aback. But he quickly composed himself and looked toward Onoki and Mei Terumi.

"The Kazekage suggested me as the Supreme Commander. What do you think?"

"I agree," Mei Terumi said with a nod. "Given the current situation, Lord Raikage does seem to be the most appropriate choice."

With three of the Kage already in agreement, Onoki chuckled.

"Hahaha, since it's recommended by Kazekage, Iwakagure also agrees!"

Mei Terumi couldn't help but roll her eyes as she noticed Onoki subtly gaining favor from Hattori.

Fourth Raikage, however, didn't overthink it. Seeing that everyone agreed, a smile of satisfaction flashed across his face. He nodded resolutely.

"Alright, since everyone agrees, I will take on the role of Supreme Commander. Kumogakure will contribute 20,000 ninja to the alliance and face off against Madara Uchiha!"

"Well said, Raikage!" Hattori beamed and gave him a thumbs-up, then turned to Onoki and Mei Terumi.

"And what about you two?"

"Our Kirigakure will provide 5,000 ninjas," Mei Terumi said with a hint of helplessness. "That's all we have left."

"In that case, Iwakagure will contribute 10,000," Onoki said with a grin. "That's the extent of our forces too!"

Nonsense!

Kirigakure, having just recovered from the brutal reign of the Fourth Mizukage, was genuinely depleted, making Mei Terumi's 5,000 contribution sincere. But Onoki was lying through his teeth. Iwakagure had significant military strength after years of rebuilding and could definitely spare more.

Everyone present knew Onoki was holding back but couldn't find fault with him.

Hattori shot Onoki a knowing look but didn't press further. Instead, he turned to the Fourth Raikage with a smile. "Sunagakure will also contribute 10,000 ninjas!"

"Hmm?" The Fourth Raikage, Onoki, and Mei Terumi were all surprised.

After the Third Great Ninja War and a decade of recovery, everyone knew the relative military strengths of each village. Kumogakure was the strongest, followed by Konoha, then Iwakagure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure. The idea that Sunagakure, barely stronger than Kirigakure, would send 10,000 ninjas was shocking.

Seeing their surprise, Hattori laughed again.

"Surprised, are you? Wondering why I didn't hold back? You may not fully grasp the gravity of this situation yet. Let me explain," he said, then shared Madara's plan: to capture all the tailed beasts, become the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails, and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi to trap the entire world in a dream.

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.

"If Madara succeeds, not only will we die, but the entire world will fall into an illusion, and the Five Great Nations will cease to exist. So what's the point of holding back?" Hattori concluded with a grin.

"That madman, Madara, is truly insane!" Fourth Raikage gritted his teeth, then took a deep breath.

"Fine. Given the circumstances, there's no room for hesitation. Kumogakure will add another 10,000, making it 30,000!"

"Kirigakure will add 2,000, totaling 7,000!" Mei Terumi declared.

With everyone contributing more, Onoki nodded.

"Alright, Iwakagure will also increase its number by 10,000, making it 20,000 in total!"

He then turned to Danzo, who had been silent and under guard. "Danzo, what about Konoha?"

"Konoha will send 20,000," Danzo said unhurriedly. "But I need to return first to give the order."

That sly old fox! Everyone knew Danzo was looking for a way to escape. Normally, they wouldn’t have let him go so easily, but with a major threat looming, they hesitated.

The Fourth Raikage turned to Hattori. "Kazekage, what do you think?"

"I think Konoha sending 20,000 is generous," Hattori replied with a smile, then turned to Danzo. "But I can't fully trust Lord Danzo's word. How about you leave a written statement as proof? I assure you that no one here will trouble you if you do."

Danzo didn’t respond immediately but glanced at the other Kage. Realizing he had no choice, he reluctantly wrote a statement on a scroll and handed it to Hattori.

"Is this satisfactory?"

"Yes, it is," Hattori said, observing Danzo closely as he wrote. He took the scroll and nodded.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Lord Danzo. You are free to go. Safe travels!"

"Thank you, then... farewell!" Danzo, with his guards, practically fled, vanishing from sight.

The Fourth Raikage let out a huff. "Hmph, letting him go like this feels too lenient. If it weren't for Madara, I'd make him pay!"

Hattori laughed. "Haha, don't worry. He'll get what he deserves. Now that the Five Kage Summit is concluded, let's gather our forces and meet in Kumogakure!"

Hattori’s gaze shifted to Mei Terumi, drifting from her beautiful face to her impressive curves.

So fierce!

Hattori swallowed involuntarily, flashing a grin. "Lady Mizukage, let’s put our past disputes behind us. I have a major project to discuss with you, one that could strengthen the bond between Sunagakure and Kirigakure. How about we... find a place to sit down and chat?"

Mei Terumi narrowed her eyes. "Did you just misspeak?"

Although she sensed Hattori’s intentions, his power and charm made him hard to resist for marriage-minded Mizukage.

Seeing Mei Terumi’s hesitation, Ao quickly stepped in. "Absolutely not, Lady Mizukage!"

He leaned in and whispered nervously, "This man is called the 'Shadow of Roots'! Rumor has it that he’s... notorious with the women of Sunagakure. He might be looking to... satisfy himself!"

"Marriage?" Mei Terumi's eyes lit up. She turned to Hattori and smiled.

"Fine, let’s go talk right now. How about the hot springs in the Land of Hot Water?"

Hattori: " (ω`) "

Ao: "Σ(°△°|||)"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 269: On the Eve of Battle (Part 1)*

As Terumi Mei gazed at Hattori with an undisguised look of desire, Hattori immediately felt uneasy.

His instincts warned him that getting involved with this woman might lead to serious trouble, even the risk of "fires in the backyard."

"My goal is to pass through a field of flowers without a single leaf sticking to me. Terumi Mei is too dangerous; she might ruin my principles. I'd better play it safe!"

After a brief moment, Hattori made a sensible decision and suddenly slapped the back of his own head.

"Oh no, I just remembered my wife is at home, about to give birth! I need to get back quickly. Farewell, everyone!"

With that, he immediately activated the Flying Thunder God technique, disappearing in a flash of golden light, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

After a moment, confirming he was truly gone, the Fourth Raikage addressed the group.

"Then, as agreed, let’s meet at the Village Hidden in the Clouds in ten days. Darui, C, let’s go!"

"Yes!"

At the Raikage's command, his two guards quickly followed him as they set out for home.

After the Raikage left, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki also departed with his guards, while Mifune returned to direct his men to clean up the ruined palace, destroyed by Hattori and Uchiha Madara.

Seeing that everyone else had left, Terumi Mei sighed and then turned to her two guards.

"Let's go back too, Ao, Chojuro!"

"Yes, Lady Mizukage!"

Upon hearing her command, Ao and Chojuro responded immediately, escorting her back to the Village Hidden in the Mist.

As described in the original storyline, their journey home was not smooth. Danzo, who harbored ulterior motives, wasn’t someone to let things go. He ordered Yamanaka Fuu to ambush Ao, intending to reclaim the Byakugan he possessed. Fortunately, Chojuro and Terumi Mei arrived in time to defuse the crisis.

The predator becomes the prey.

Ao’s crisis was resolved, but a new one awaited Danzo and his followers.

Sasuke was targeting Danzo, now that he knew the truth about the Uchiha clan's massacre. Danzo had naturally become someone he was determined to kill.

Uchiha Madara also had no fondness for Danzo, the disciple of Tobirama Senju. Wanting to test Sasuke’s strength, the two blocked Danzo at a bridge between the Land of Iron and the Land of Fire.

As the saying goes, "Those who live by the sword will die by the sword."

The events that followed were only natural.

Sasuke unleashed his Susanoo, while Danzo revealed his "Shin Arm," an arm implanted with ten Sharingan. The two engaged in an elaborate battle on the bridge in the Land of Iron.

Danzo was particularly flashy, pulling off moves like "punching Susanoo" and "stabbing Susanoo with kunai," one bizarre maneuver after another.

If not for the abundance of Sharingan in his arm allowing him to use Izanagi for a "rewind," Sasuke would have ended him in the first round.

If Danzo had a hundred Sharingan, he could have kept his moves going until Sasuke's nerves frayed. Unfortunately, he didn’t have that many.

Under Sasuke’s furious attacks, Danzo soon exhausted all ten Sharingan he’d been using to cast Izanagi, leading him to his demise.

Realizing escape was impossible, he decided to sacrifice himself for the Leaf. He activated the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing, intending to take Madara and Sasuke down with him.

Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated.

The speed of his sealing was too slow. Madara, a seasoned fighter, and even Sasuke, avenger, easily evaded the attack by leaping back.

In the end, Danzo only managed to seal half of the bridge, ending his not-so-honorable life as the Leaf’s “King of Burdens.”

However, he did make a small contribution by destroying the Sharingan he took from Uchiha Shisui, preventing it from falling into enemy hands.

Missing Shisui’s eye was a minor disappointment for Madara. The greatest reward of this encounter, in his view, was confirming Sasuke’s worth.

Compared to the desolate Obito, Sasuke, filled with hatred, was more satisfying to Madara.

Moreover, Madara felt Sasuke resembled his own brother Izuna in both looks and temperament, which made him unconsciously develop a sense of closeness to Sasuke.

Seeing Sasuke exhausted from his fight with Danzo, Madara brought him back to the base and gave him Itachi’s eyes.

Strictly speaking, it was more a "fusion" than a "replacement."

Since the eyes came from his brother, the fusion went smoothly.

Madara believed that in a few weeks, Sasuke would possess the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, just like him.

By that time, executing the "Eye of the Moon" plan would be easier and more efficient.

Naturally, he didn’t stay idle while waiting for Sasuke’s recovery.

Following Madara's orders, Kabuto captured Yamato from the Hidden Leaf and used his Wood Release ability to enhance and mass-produce White Zetsu clones.

When Sasuke’s eyes healed, Madara’s forces had already reached a hundred thousand White Zetsu clones!

An army needs generals.

Using Kabuto’s Reanimation Jutsu, former Akatsuki members who had perished in past missions and previous Kage, who once dominated the battlefield, were resurrected.

These even included the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!

In the original story, these two were supposed to have been sealed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sacrificed his life during the Chunin Exams in the Hidden Leaf. But because of Hattori’s interference, Hiruzen survived, and these two Hokage were left as part of Orochimaru’s "legacy," falling into Kabuto’s hands.

Thus, despite missing Uchiha Obito, Madara's side gained the Eternal Mangekyo Sasuke, plus the First and Second Hokage, resulting in no loss of strength, but rather an increase!

Of course, Allied Shinobi Forces had their own trump card: Hattori!

In terms of power, Hattori, wielding the Rinnegan, could rival Madara. In terms of knowledge, his awareness of the storyline made him practically a *Prophet*!

With him, Allied Shinobi Forces had little chance of defeat!

"There are only two possible outcomes for this battle: either we quickly achieve victory, or Madara quickly meets defeat. There is no other possibility!"

Upon arriving in the Village Hidden in the Clouds, Hattori confidently declared to the other four Kage.

"I will be stationed at the command center with the Fourth Raikage. The moment Madara appears, I will intercept and defeat him. This time, we will be victorious!"

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 270: The Eve of the Great Battle (Part 2)*

The conflict between Uchiha Madara and the Five Great Ninja Villages was irreconcilable, making the Fourth Great Ninja War inevitable.

The Five Great Ninja Villages gathered an alliance of approximately 87,000 ninjas, while Uchiha Madara deployed 100,000 White Zetsu, bringing the total number of troops on both sides to roughly 180,000.

Compared to the previous three Great Ninja Wars, this one was on a much larger scale.

However, from Hattori’s perspective, when compared to world wars on Earth, where billions of people could be involved, a ninja war involving fewer than 200,000 was a relatively small skirmish.

Furthermore, victory in ninja wars depended primarily on high-level combat power. The presence of Tailed Beasts made numbers even less significant.

Take Hattori, for example. With his current strength, even if surrounded by 100,000 White Zetsu, he could disperse them with a single Almighty Push. If one wasn't enough, he'd use another, and if necessary, activate the Hundredfold Yin Seal. With his immense MP reserves, sheer numbers would be meaningless.

Of course, he wasn’t about to reveal any of this to the other village leaders. To him, this war presented a rare opportunity.

An opportunity to bring lasting peace to the ninja world.

The first three Great Ninja Wars had left deep grudges between the villages, grievances that wouldn’t be easily resolved. Only a significant turning point could bring about change.

Uchiha Madara and the Fourth Great Ninja War were undoubtedly the perfect catalyst.

Faced with a common enemy, the villages had no choice but to set aside past animosities and fight side by side.

The bonds forged through the shared experience of life-and-death struggles on the battlefield would be unbreakable.

These bonds would help dissolve old grudges and lay a solid foundation for long-lasting peace in the future.

And that was Hattori’s true purpose in proposing the formation of the Ninja Alliance!

To achieve this, when the Kage were discussing how to organize the forces and whether to divide them by village, he immediately objected.

“We shouldn’t divide the forces by village. Otherwise, there’s no point in having an alliance. We should organize based on combat specialties.

“For example: close combat, long-range attacks, surprise tactics, intelligence, and medical support. Only then can the forces’ true strength be realized!”

Hearing his proposal, the Kage pondered for a moment and agreed. After further discussion, the Ninja Alliance was split into five main combat divisions.

- The First Division was composed of mid-range fighters, specializing in weaponry and projectiles, led by Darui, the right-hand man of the Fourth Raikage.

- The Second Division consisted of close-combat specialists stationed at the front lines, led by Kitsuchi, the son of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

- The Third Division was a support unit for short- and mid-range combat, made up of agile and physically strong ninjas, commanded by Kakashi.

- The Fourth Division was a long-range unit, responsible for supporting the front lines and protecting the rear divisions, led by Gaara.

- The Fifth Division, made up of specialists in unique jutsu and stealth tactics, handled intelligence and surprise attacks, commanded by Mifune of the Land of Iron.

Initially, the Fourth Raikage wanted Hattori to command the entire combat force, but Hattori declined.

“To defeat the enemy, we have to capture their leader. My job is to take down Uchiha Madara. Leave the combat strategy to the division leaders. I suggest Gaara as the overall commander. He’s my chosen successor, and he’s trustworthy.”

His suggestion surprised the other Kage. The Fourth Raikage, in particular, couldn’t help but ask, “Are you planning to step down as Kazekage?”

“Yeah, more or less. It’s time to give the younger generation a chance, haha,” Hattori laughed, though he didn’t reveal his true reasons.

Part of his decision came from his own disinterest in continuing as Kazekage, but more importantly, it was for the sake of peace in the ninja world.

His hands were stained with the blood of countless ninjas, particularly those from Iwagakure and Kirigakure. As long as he remained Kazekage, the enmity would persist, and Sunagakure would remain target of suspicion.

Only by stepping down could Sunagakure better engage with the other villages, and a new era for ninjas would truly begin.

The other Kage didn’t know Hattori’s true intentions. Seeing how mature and forward-thinking he sounded, they exchanged odd looks.

Despite thinking his plans were unusual, they respected his decision. Since he had nominated Gaara, they agreed to let him lead the combined forces. However, Gaara’s ability to command respect and unite the troops would be a test of his leadership.

Hattori had no intention of interfering. He believed Gaara was up to the task.

And he was right.

When a minor conflict broke out among the ranks, Gaara immediately stepped in and addressed the troops.

“For the sake of our villages and countries, we’ve hurt and hated each other in the long wars from the First to the Third Great Ninja Wars. This hatred bred power, which led to my birth.

“I was once hate, power, and a Jinchuriki. I hated the world and humanity, want power to destroy everything—much like what the Akatsuki are trying to do now.”

The ninja alliance fell silent, gazing at Gaara with mixed emotions.

Gaara continued, his voice resolute.

“But one person saved me from that darkness. He rescued me from a pit of hatred and despair and helped me find the meaning of life.”

His tone grew strong and determined. “He taught me to live for myself, not to rely on someone else’s dreams, and to fight anyone who tries to trample on those dreams with all I have.”

Gaara clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resolve. “Those with dreams are not our enemies. Here and now, we are united, all bearing scars from the Akatsuki!”

“Right now, there are no divisions—no Suna, Iwa, Konoha, Kiri, or Kumo. Only ninjas fighting to protect what’s most precious from the Akatsuki!”

He paused, then added, “If you still cannot forgive Sunagakure, you can take my head after this war. But right now, our enemy threatens our villages, our loved ones, and our world. I’m too young and inexperienced to protect everything alone. So please, lend me your strength!”

His final words rang out, echoing through the troops.

Moved by his speech, many ninjas shouted their support.

“We’ll fight for you, Lord Gaara!”

“Yes, we all have people we’d die to protect! Now’s not the time to quarrel!”

“That’s right! Let’s crush the Akatsuki together!”

Hattori smiled, satisfied, and turned to the astonished Kage. “See? He’s the right choice. Now, let’s defeat Uchiha Madara. Raikage, give the order to advance!”

“Understood!” The Fourth Raikage stood up and roared, “I hereby declare the Ninja Alliance’s battle against Uchiha Madara! Attack and crush them!”

(End of Chapter)