Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 530 The Meeting of the Wind Shadow, Pride Amidst the Gravel

Thus, in this quiet snowy night, an extremely comical yet bizarre scene unfolded.

A person who has lost their left hand is helping a person who has lost their left leg.

A person who has lost their right hand is helping a person who has lost their right leg.

Four people, two one-armed men and two cripples, supported each other and staggered out of the deep pit.

Their shadows stretched long in the moonlight, looking both comical and pathetic.

The cloaked figure at the head of the group glanced back at the ruins one last time, the crimson light filled with resentment and bitterness.

"Just you wait, heretic..."

"The next time the evil god descends, it will be your death day..."

After saying that, he didn't hesitate any longer. Together with his companions, he dragged his injured body and disappeared into the vast snowy night.

------

The Land of Wind, Sunagakure Village.

Inside the enormous circular conference room, the air felt as solid as a piece of sandstone that had been baked by the scorching sun for a thousand years—heavy, scalding, and with a suffocatingly granular texture.

The beams of light cast by the domed skylight cut distinct bright areas into the dim interior. Countless tiny dust particles silently tumbled and danced in the light, like the restless souls of countless dead ninjas on this land, unwilling to leave.

In the very center of the conference room sat Retsumon, the Third Kazekage, hailed as the "strongest of all time."

He wore a white divine robe symbolizing his status as the Kazekage. His figure appeared somewhat thin on the large chair, but no one dared to underestimate the power contained within that body.

Beneath his short, dark blue hair, his cold, expressionless face remained expressionless, his yellow pupils reflecting the dimness of the conference room, unfathomable.

However, in the deepest part of that ocean of consciousness, there lies a barely perceptible black will, like the most patient predator, quietly lurking.

Below him lies the core of power in Sunagakure.

Granny Chiyo, the puppet master with a face full of deep wrinkles, closed her eyes and unconsciously rubbed her withered fingers repeatedly on a smooth puppet joint. The sound of her fingernails hitting the wood made a soft tapping sound, the only sound in the silence.

Her younger brother, Ebizo, who was in charge of the village's secret service, was bowing his head and wiping his glasses again and again with a clean white soft cloth.

The lenses reflected a cold light, making his facial expression indistinct.

Rasa, the user of the Magnet Release bloodline limit, crossed his arms in front of his chest, with a few wisps of barely perceptible golden sand floating in the air around his body.

They rose and fell very slowly with his suppressed breathing, exuding a sinister and dangerous aura.

In the corner, Yekura, known for her Scorching Release, had a face that should have been bright and beautiful, but was now filled with grief, indignation and resentment.

Her fists were clenched tightly under the table.

In addition, there is the newly appointed Jonin squad leader, Baki, and the few remaining elders of the village, such as Ryusuna.

A lingering shadow of defeat hung over everyone's face.

"I'm sure you've all seen the battle report from the Land of Lightning."

Liemen's hoarse voice finally broke the frozen air; the sound was like two rough stones rubbing against each other, devoid of any warmth.

"Tell me about it."

As those three words were spoken, the air in the conference room seemed to grow even heavier.

Battle report.

The report, written in blood and shame, that came back from the border of the Land of Lightning, was like a scalding poison needle, piercing the hearts of every high-ranking member of Sunagakure present.

The combined forces of Iwagakure and Sunagakure were defeated head-on by a young force from Konoha, and then stabbed in the back by Hanzo the Salamander from Amegakure.

The army was utterly routed.

Corpses are everywhere.

"Kazekage-sama!"

Yekura was the first to jump up, her chair scraping against the floor with a piercing shriek. Her chest heaved violently, trembling with extreme rage.

"We lost nearly forty percent of our elite troops, and... and so many young ninjas, some of whom didn't even have a chance to make their mark on the village, never to return!"

Her voice was choked with sobs as she denounced the cruelty of war.

"All of this! It's all because of that despicable and shameless traitor, Hanzo of the Salamander! I request that we send troops now to raze Amegakure to the ground and use that old bastard's head to pay tribute to our fallen comrades!"

The impassioned words echoed in the meeting room, carrying the flames of revenge and igniting the anger in the hearts of some.

Several of the younger Jonin also showed expressions of excitement.

Liemen remained silent, but deep within his consciousness, a barely perceptible smile appeared on the black will.

"Revenge? A meaningless emotional outburst. Hanzo... is merely an opportunist who has seen the winds shift. The real problem lies with the source that can change the winds... Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"To crush Rain's Den?"

A cold voice came from the other side, interrupting Yekura's excitement.

Luo Sha slowly raised his head, and the golden sand floating around him circulated slightly faster.

"Use what? Use our remaining forces to attack the fortress that Hanzo has built up over decades?"

He poured cold water on the situation without any mercy.

"Don't forget, we're barely managing to keep the three supply lines along the border running. How long can the village's food reserves last? Are you going to pay for the war, Ye Cang?"

"Even if we manage to take it over, the Rain Kingdom's resources aren't much better than ours. Have you thought about the consequences of this war?"

"you!"

Ye Cang was speechless and blushed deeply.

Luo Sha did not look at her, but continued to state the facts in that emotionless tone.

"Besides, have you forgotten who's standing behind Hanzo the Salamander now?"

These words were like an invisible hand, suddenly gripping the hearts of everyone in the conference room.

Leaf.

That name, like a nightmare.

The mere mention of it extinguished the tiny spark that had just ignited in the room, leaving only cold ashes.

Everyone subconsciously recalled the despairing intelligence that had been relayed back from the battlefield.

The Konoha's warships, like steel behemoths; the overwhelming combined fire-style attacks unleashed by the Uchiha clan; the young commander who reaped lives like a golden flash; and... the unfathomable Third Hokage who single-handedly slew several powerful figures.

Yecang's lips moved, but she couldn't utter a single word. In the end, filled with resentment and humiliation, she could only sit back down heavily.

The conference room fell into a suffocating silence once again.

After a long time, Granny Chiyo, who had been resting with her eyes closed, finally slowly opened her cloudy eyes.

Her gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Liemen.

"Liemen".

Grandma Chiyo's voice was old and dry, yet it carried a sense of powerlessness.

"We lost."

"A complete and utter defeat."

She offered no words of comfort, but calmly stated the bloody reality.

"The rules of the ninja world have remained unchanged since the Warring States period. The victor is king, and the loser... must be prepared to be a loser."

"Right now, the most important thing for our Sunagakure is not to think about those vague ideas of revenge, but to close the door, recuperate, lick our wounds, and preserve the remaining strength of the village."

"Any impulsive action will only lead us into a deeper abyss. We...can't afford to lose anymore."

Chiyo's words brought this debate to a close.

She was a village elder and a master of puppetry; her prestige was second only to Fengying.

Her words represented the most rational, and also the most conservative, opinion in the village.

Luo Sha nodded slightly in agreement.

Even Ye Cang, who had just been burning with anger, lowered his head and remained silent.

All eyes were focused on Feng Ying at the highest point, awaiting his final decision.

However, Liemen's response took everyone by surprise.

He neither agreed with nor disagreed with Chiyo's proposal.

It was as if they hadn't heard the heated debate about revenge versus forbearance at all.

Those yellow pupils calmly turned to Ebizo, who had been silent in the corner.

His voice remained hoarse and emotionless.

"Ebizo".

"What's going on in Konoha?"