Chapter 707 Self-doubt
The newly built Konoha camp was reduced to ruins in less than a day.
Minato Namikaze held a meeting of jonin in a makeshift "command center" made of wooden boards.
Except for Tsunade who was leading the logistics department to clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded, all other Konoha jonin had arrived.
Someone said worriedly: "Although our perception force has been initially established and has played an important role, it has also revealed our shortcomings in other aspects."
Then another jonin stood up and pointed out another fundamental problem.
"Having mastered intelligence capabilities, although we can barely achieve self-protection, it seems to be insufficient if we want to stop being in a passive position."
"Our number of elite jonin is no longer enough to effectively contain the combat-type summoned beasts of the Hot Spring Village!"
"The ninjas below are still too weak to face the insect swarm attack of the Yugenin Village. I think we should strengthen how to protect the survival rate of the Genin and Chunin on the battlefield..."
People kept standing up and speaking actively.
However, none of these senior ninjas mentioned the primary problem that Konoha was facing now.
They are all practicing Tai Chi without making any noise and with righteous words!
Namikaze Minato watched this scene expressionlessly. "However, there is more to me than just this."
He coughed lightly, attracting everyone's attention.
As all eyes were on him, Minato's expression turned cold, with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"What do you think about whether to cede territory in exchange for peace?"
"..."
All the jonin present fell into silence.
"Speak up! Weren't you all so eloquent just now? I'm asking you if you want to surrender! Huh!?"
Minato Namikaze's stern shout was like a heavy hammer, sounding the alarm in the hearts of the jonin.
These post-war analyses are obvious to anyone. Do they still need to talk about them here one by one?
Namikaze Minato was extremely angry.
"After this war, do you think there is any ninja in Konoha who can resist the summoning beast named Uchiha Jerry? Not to mention that, even if it is the praying mantis that can escape into the void, who among you can resist it one-on-one!?"
Minato Namikaze looked around with sharp eyes.
The jonin's faces turned grim.
That Uchiha Jerry was worthy of being the strongest summoning beast in the Yugen Village. He even fought on par with his own Fourth Hokage.
And that Qingxu Mantis is uncontrollable on the battlefield.
It is no exaggeration to say that even if any of the three ninjas faced it alone, they would be helpless! Even if Minato Namikaze wanted to kill it, it would probably take a lot of effort! To find the flaws in its spatial ability and the loopholes in its combat habits.
No one spoke in the "command center" and everyone fell into silence.
Seeing this, the dissatisfaction in Minato Namikaze's eyes became even more difficult to conceal.
"Since everyone knows their own limitations, I will be honest with you. With only 12,000 ninjas left here, we are...
If we engage in a fierce battle with the summoning beast troops of the Land of Hot Water next time, we will have no chance of winning! The casualties will only be greater! What's more serious is that they will take the initiative to attack and continuously weaken our combat effectiveness, trapping the Konoha ninjas below in the Land of Fire, making us lose our fighting spirit in the endless war and eventually perish in despair! "
Minato Namikaze used cold and cruel words to reveal Shangguan Mo's true purpose.
The opponent's main strategy is to gradually erode the enemy's defenses. Not only are they gradually pushing down the defenses set up by the Konoha Ninjas on the front line of the Fire Country, but they are also gradually destroying the Konoha Ninjas' determination and will to fight to protect the village!
After hearing this, the jonin of Konoha couldn't help but feel their hair stand on end and their bodies stiffened.
Because if it were them, facing such a similar strategy, it would seem like a dead end with nowhere to escape!
Under this situation, it seems that human power is unable to reverse the situation!
The command center was dead silent.
"So, I think agreeing to that person's conditions is actually a feasible thing to do?" Fugaku suddenly spoke at this time.
Shisui frowned slightly, as if he had guessed something, and looked at him with a surprised expression. "Chief, are you saying that you agree to cede a large area of land in the northern part of the Fire Country?"
As if he didn't hear the anger hidden in Shisui's words, he spoke to himself. "Rather than continuing to fight and being defeated, it is better to admit our shortcomings and cede territory to survive! Let the people of Konoha and the Land of Fire have a break. During the days of recuperation, we will slowly find a way to defeat the soup ninja!"
"This is the answer I want to hear! Even if Patriarch Fugaku's words sound cruel, this is the reality!"
Minato Namikaze's words made Shisui, who was about to retort, shut his mouth instantly.
After hearing this, some of the Konoha jonin who had come to their senses looked ashamed and then gradually became serious, as if they had realized some extremely terrifying possibility.
"The enemy didn't send out all their forces in every battle. They only sent out one-third or one-half of their forces, in order to train their troops."
Fugaku's next words seemed to have a hidden meaning.
The expressions of the Konoha jonin present couldn't help but change.
Could it be that the purpose of using our front-line camp in the Yugu Village as bait is not to destroy us all at once, but to attract more Konoha reinforcements to come and reinforce, and eventually eliminate our Konoha's living combat power step by step?
Only a few people understood his true meaning.
"The Yugen Village only sent out less than half of its combat force and defeated Konoha!"
This is a very cruel reality, so cruel that most Konoha ninjas are unwilling to admit it, and even dare not think deeply about it!
You know, they are the Konoha Village, the number one ninja village in the ninja world!
Why did they lose to a village that had only been in existence for less than ten years? They were even easily defeated by less than half of the enemy's troops.
The long-standing pride of the Konoha ninjas made them unable to bear such a huge gap!
The command center fell into deathly silence again.
"Right now, we only have two options left. The first is to retreat immediately, withdraw from the Fire Country battlefield, and set up a defense line at the main location of Konoha Village.
But in this case, the Fire Country may suffer huge losses in an instant, and even the Daimyo will find it difficult to settle the matter! Our Konoha Village may become an isolated island without the support of any country from now on."
Namikaze Minato sighed helplessly.
"So, what's the other option?" Shisui couldn't help but ask.
"Take the initiative to admit defeat and cede land to seek peace, so as to buy precious buffer time for the village. Later, we can pay a huge price and unite with other ninja villages to effectively contain the Hot Spring Village."
Namikaze Minato said in a calm tone.
The Konoha jonin present all changed their expressions.
After displaying such terrifying combat power, the Yugen Village will undoubtedly be strongly feared by major countries, who are afraid that they will become the next Fire Nation.
Therefore, this gave Minato Namikaze a good opportunity to unite various countries.
So that Konoha does not have to face the huge pressure of the Tang Ninja alone.
Although this is undoubtedly a huge blow to Konoha's reputation, it is definitely the most practical interest and the best way to preserve Konoha Village's decades-long foundation.
Seeing that everyone present was silent again, Minato Namikaze sneered, waved his hand and stood up.
"Since no one is talking, let's vote as usual. Shisui, you take charge!"
"This is!"
Minato Namikaze walked out of the makeshift command post, stared at the smoke rising above the ruins, and fell into deep silence.
Is he...really wrong?
The fact that the Fourth Hokage's wife and teacher died, and Konoha is in its current state, seems to be directly related to his arrogance when he was young...
......
