Ninja School Teacher, I Can Become Stronger by Teaching - Chapter 128

Sarutobi Hiruzen saw that all the Jonin had arrived and began the meeting. The Third Hokage, along with Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura, were seated in the four available chairs while the Jonin stood in front of them.

“Not long ago, Iwagakure of the Land of Earth declared war on us,” Hiruzen revealed the reason for this emergency Jonin meeting.

“Iwagakure, huh? They are on the same level as us,” one Jonin remarked.

“Are they eyeing the abundant resources of the Land of Fire?” another speculated.

Hiruzen’s announcement stirred the Jonin, who began discussing the implications. Iwagakure was no minor threat; even if it wasn’t as powerful as Konoha, it was still one of the five great ninja villages.

“Hmph, for Iwagakure to dare declare war on Konoha, they must have forgotten the hierarchy among the five great villages!” Danzo scoffed.

Danzo continued, “We should immediately gather our forces and declare war on Iwagakure, launching a swift attack to remind them that the number one ninja village cannot be challenged!”

Of course, Danzo had ulterior motives. With war on the horizon, his Root division would undoubtedly need more leeway and fewer restrictions. However, these discussions need to take place privately with Hiruzen.

“Declaring war on Iwagakure is necessary,” Hiruzen agreed. After being challenged, Konoha couldn’t back down without losing face in the ninja world.

Konoha’s primary sources of income were the funds provided by the daimyo and the commissions from various nobles and wealthy merchants. These clients weren’t fools; they would always seek out the most robust and most reliable ninja village for their missions. If Konoha showed weakness now, it would lose many commissions to Iwagakure.

“However, amassing our forces for an offensive is unwise given the current unstable situation in the ninja world. Kumogakure recently had conflicts with us. With Iwagakure declaring war, they might also seize the opportunity,” Hiruzen continued.

The Land of Earth lay to the northwest of the Land of Fire, while the Land of Lightning was to the northeast. If Iwagakure and Kumogakure both attacked, Konoha would face enemies on two fronts.

If Konoha mobilized its forces to attack the Land of Earth, Kumogakure could easily intercept the returning troops or directly invade the Land of Fire.

Understanding Hiruzen’s reasoning, Mokutsuki realized that the Third Hokage wanted to proceed cautiously to avoid any unexpected setbacks.

“Lord Third, I believe our first step should be to inform Kusagakure to monitor the situation in the Land of Grass and report any Iwagakure ninja movements immediately,” Nara Shikaku suggested.

For Iwagakure ninjas to enter the Land of Fire, the quickest routes were through either the Land of Rain or the Land of Grass. Other longer routes were impractical for a large-scale invasion.

Traveling a long way would mean passing through the Land of Birds into the Land of Wind, then into the Land of Rivers before finally reaching the Land of Fire. Such a route was not only lengthy but also required passing through the Land of Wind, one of the five great nations. Seeing a large group of Iwagakure ninjas, Sunagakure would likely perceive them as invaders.

Additionally, the Land of Rain’s Amegakure was much stronger than the Land of Grass’s Kusagakure. Nara Shikaku reasoned that Iwagakure would likely choose the Land of Grass as their entry point.

Furthermore, the Land of Grass was an ally of the Land of Fire, while the Land of Rain was not. Konoha could command Kusagakure but not Amegakure.

“Secondly, we should strengthen our border defenses to prevent Iwagakure ninjas from breaking through and initiating battles on our territory,” Nara Shikaku continued.

The war brought immense destruction, so it was crucial to prevent the conflict from reaching the Land of Fire itself.

Hiruzen nodded slightly, finding Shikaku’s plan very much in line with his thoughts.

The meeting continued as Hiruzen sought further suggestions. After hearing none better than Shikaku’s, Hiruzen concluded the Jonin meeting, assigned several Jonin to lead border defense teams, and then dismissed everyone.

“Minato, who is this?” A slightly chubby ninja with a kind smile approached Minato and then noticed Mokutsuki.

“This is my friend Mokutsuki, a newly promoted Jonin,” Minato introduced with a smile.

“Mokutsuki, this is Choza Akimichi, a very reliable senior,” Minato then introduced Choza to Mokutsuki.

“Haha, I may be older, but Minato here is the more reliable one,” Choza laughed heartily. He had been on missions with Minato and knew the young ninja’s capabilities well.

“Senior Choza,” Mokutsuki greeted warmly.

“Hey,” Choza responded, looking at Mokutsuki’s gentle smile and then at Minato’s, noting their similarities. “Minato, your friend here seems a lot like you. Could he be a relative?” Choza asked.

“See, I told you they look alike,” Kushina chimed in, jumping at the chance to point out the resemblance she had always seen, not in physical appearance but in their demeanor.

“No, we’re just friends,” Minato explained with a resigned smile.

With Minato’s help, Mokutsuki met several other Jonin. Mokutsuki noticed that Minato seemed well-acquainted with ninjas from the clans specializing in secret techniques, such as the Akimichi, Inuzuka, Nara, and Aburame clans.

While these clans didn’t have the sheer power of the top-tier Uchiha, they were integral to Konoha’s strength and formed a significant force when united.

After the meeting, Mokutsuki quickly headed to the southern forest to check on his students’ training progress.

He used his appraisal jutsu on each of them.

He found that only Obito had progressed from fifteen to sixteen in proficiency, while Shisui remained at fifteen and Guy at nineteen.

Mokutsuki couldn’t be sure if the spicy food had helped Obito, as Guy’s experience suggested that the previous step could reach up to nineteen proficiency.

This was easy to test: if Shisui’s proficiency increased after eating the spicy food the next day, then it was effective.

“Hey, Shisui, it’s just a bit spicy. The taste is really good,” Obito comforted Shisui, unable to hide his smile.

(This chapter ends here. Updates to follow.)

(End of Chapter)

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