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Night fell, yet the Hokage Tower remained ablaze with light.
Konoha's final war mobilization was—terrifying.
After Gojo Kaigetsu set the mobilization age at ten, the final number of Shinobi amassed was...
"Eleven thousand, one hundred and eighty-five."
Gojo Kaigetsu slowly exhaled.
This number was—astounding. Even he couldn't believe that Konoha, besieged during the Third Shinobi World War, could still field such a massive force.
From the seven thousand Shinobi listed in the Hokage Tower's roster, they had surged to over ten thousand.
Nearly doubling their previous numbers.
Undoubtedly, Konoha's war mobilization was a resounding success!
A Village's strength was evident in its ability to mobilize.
The organizational capacity to prepare and convert human, material, and financial resources for wartime.
Shinobi mobilization, civilian economic mobilization, technological mobilization, strategic resource reserves, resource development and utilization...
These were the foundations of modern hidden Village warfare, directly impacting a Village's overall strength, its ability to sustain a prolonged conflict, and ultimately, the war's outcome.
As the anticipated intensity of the war increased, Konoha's Shinobi numbers continued to climb. Villagers spontaneously donated supplies to the front lines. A thousand-bed field hospital rose from the ground. Konoha's scientific research division worked day and night, developing new Shinobi tools...
In a parallel world, both sides raced to develop nuclear weapons. If one side gained an advantage, the other's ability to mobilize more scientists for research was a testament to its mobilization capacity. In the Shinobi World, this translated to the development and utilization of Tailed Beast Bombs—Could the other side keep up?
Clearly, in every aspect, the Allied Shinobi Forces were thoroughly outmatched.
In terms of sheer numbers, Konoha's Shinobi force already surpassed that of any single Village in the Alliance.
And this was after setting the ten-year-old age limit.
If they'd disregarded all costs, even drafting ten-year-olds graduating from the academy, or those nearing graduation, the number might have exceeded twelve thousand...
This was Konoha's true hidden strength!
With a single decree, a hospital capable of accommodating over a thousand wounded could be erected. With a single decree, men, women, old, and young could be mobilized into the Village's fighting forces. With a single decree, Konoha's Shinobi, inspired by the Will of Fire, would charge fearlessly into the heart of battle.
Terrifying. The Will of Fire—was terrifying.
"Good thing I am the Will of Fire," Gojo Kaigetsu muttered to himself.
Nara Shikaku, serving as temporary strategist, observed the final mobilization numbers with a worried expression. Looking at Gojo Kaigetsu, he assumed the Hokage was also dissatisfied.
Konoha's potential—was far from exhausted.
Shinobi under ten, while not numerous, still existed. And there were rogue Shinobi scattered throughout the Land of Fire who could be conscripted.
But the Fifth Hokage had already spoken. Reversing his decree now would be—unseemly.
Not just unseemly, but detrimental to the Hokage's authority. This was when someone needed to step forward, to take the blame, to offer themselves as a stepping stone for the Hokage.
A Human shield!
Thus, the Hokage's authority would be preserved. The loyalty of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio would be demonstrated.
The bond between the Hokage and the Ino-Shika-Chō would deepen.
Each Hokage, their own loyal retainers. Every generation of Hokage, the Ino-Shika-Chō.
As a staunch supporter of the Hokage, Nara Shikaku knew it was his time to act. He stepped forward.
"Fifth Hokage, perhaps we should rescind the ten-year-old age limit. Firstly, the number of Genin graduating under ten is considerable, further bolstering our forces. Secondly, public opinion polls indicate these Shinobi are eager to demonstrate their loyalty to Konoha's great cause."
"Furthermore, the Allied Shinobi Forces have already done so! They've set their conscription age at eight. Anyone capable of throwing a shuriken has been drafted."
Nara Shikaku tactfully avoided mentioning past precedents, not wanting to criticize the Second or Third Hokage. That would be—inappropriate.
Gojo Kaigetsu looked at Nara Shikaku with newfound respect.
In ancient times, if Gojo Kaigetsu were emperor, Nara Shikaku would be a favored minister, having perfectly grasped the Hokage's intentions. If he truly was dissatisfied with Konoha's current numbers, yet reluctant to reverse his decree, Nara Shikaku's suggestion offered the perfect solution...
If word got out, Nara Shikaku would bear the blame.
A true Kage-in-waiting.
Gojo Kaigetsu shook his head. "Ten years old—is the red line."
"I hope that from now on, everyone in the Hokage Tower will adopt this mindset. Ten years old is the red line, the bottom line!" Gojo Kaigetsu reiterated. "Don't keep lowering your standards every time a crisis arises!"
"Unlike the barbaric Allied Shinobi Forces, we in Konoha are civilized. They may send eight-year-old children to the battlefield, but Konoha will not! Otherwise, my oath beneath Hokage Rock would become—meaningless, empty words, terrorism!"
"Do you want me to lose face before the Villagers?"
"The First Hokage established this Village to protect children, to keep them off the battlefield. Yet, after his death, children continued to die in war, their numbers increasing year after year—To have lived in this beautiful world for only ten years, only to lose one's life? I cannot accept such a thing."
Gojo Kaigetsu spoke quietly. "I'm not blaming the Second or Third Hokage. Forced by circumstance, sending children to war was unavoidable. But now that I possess the ability, I will not allow the tragedies of the past to be repeated."
Sending ten-year-olds to war—in another world, that would be considered terrorism—No, even terrorist organizations wouldn't stoop so low.
Only in the Shinobi World, where everyone was a mini-superhuman, was a ten-year-old Shinobi considered a viable killing machine.
Gojo Kaigetsu had a promise to keep!
Having received a boon from the Sage Venerable, he had to act like a true successor to the Shinobi Creed.
Even if it was an act, he had to maintain it for a lifetime!
Objectively speaking, without bias—The Konoha depicted in [Iki] and [Forest Reader] was a fabrication. No such civilized, advanced hidden Village existed in the Shinobi World.
But though [Iki] was fictional, Gojo Kaigetsu sincerely hoped that Konoha would one day embody its ideals of truth, goodness, and beauty, becoming a true utopia.
The path—lay before them. It began with not sending Shinobi under ten to the battlefield.
On the other hand, setting aside grand ideals...
Though no official statistics existed, Gojo Kaigetsu suspected the average lifespan in the Shinobi World was less than thirty. In less fortunate times, even esteemed figures like the Hokage perished in their twenties, defending the Village—Life offered no guarantees.
Population was a precious resource. While possessing self-recovery and self-regulation capabilities, excessive losses in war would severely hinder a Village's future development.
Population was the primary productive force. A Shinobi who lived to sixty or seventy could contribute far more to Konoha's wealth than one who died in their twenties or thirties.
Setting aside everything else, when peace eventually arrived, and the Hokage Tower began manipulating the real estate market, preparing to empty the pockets of young Shinobi...
If all the young Shinobi were dead, who would need new housing? If the older Shinobi perished, whose pockets would Konoha pick?
Though crudely put, the logic was sound.
Therefore, from a Village development perspective, Gojo Kaigetsu had to prevent the premature deaths of Shinobi, striking a balance between winning the war and ensuring the Village's future potential.
Nara Shikaku, hearing this, lowered his head in shame.
Ultimately, he couldn't compare to Advisor Gojo's noble heroism...
"Fifth Hokage—Very wise!"
"Fifth Hokage—Very heroic!!"
"Fifth Hokage—Very wise and heroic!!!"
"Ahem!" Gojo Kaigetsu cleared his throat. "The Allied Shinobi Forces outnumber us significantly. A few hundred child Shinobi won't change the tide of battle."
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