[Konoha Village]
While Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure were all making preparations,
the elder council led by Ino–Shika–Cho began to grow anxious.
Because they all knew that Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchuriki had already fled to Hiruzen.
Although Konoha could still hold for now, once several countries launched an attack, Konoha wouldn't have decisive strength.
They immediately convened a high council meeting.
The first thing they did was...
"Right now Konoha has basically stabilized. A village can't be without a supreme leader. I propose that today we enthrone Elder Uchiha Rengoku as the fifth Hokage."
At the high council, an elder, somewhat unfamiliar to Rengoku, stood and made the proposal.
Rengoku glanced left and right; it was obvious this elder was the mouthpiece for the Ino–Shika–Cho trio.
As this elder spoke, the other elders one after another voiced their support.
Tsunade looked at the ruckus of elders and spoke directly, "Then let's vote immediately. Elders who agree to elect Uchiha Rengoku as Hokage, raise your hands."
All the elders raised their hands.
"Any objections or abstentions?"
Tsunade felt it was a bit troublesome, but this was a necessary procedure.
Not a single elder opposed or abstained.
The reason they hurried to nominate Rengoku as Hokage was simple: they feared Rengoku might run off too.
The Uchiha drove Hiruzen out, but Rengoku showed no hurry to inherit the Hokage position.
They were all anxious.
The Uchiha numbered only about a thousand people. If they left Konoha, they'd be welcomed anywhere.
But the rest of Konoha would suffer.
Only by pushing Rengoku onto the Hokage throne could they bind Konoha to him.
Rengoku had somewhat perceived these people's intentions and found it a little amusing.
He himself hadn't wanted to take the Hokage position simply because he was busy.
Others, not knowing Orochimaru's Edo Tensei capabilities, were naturally panicked.
Just imagine, Orochimaru captured some White Zetsu and directly Edo Tensei'd the First, Second, and Fourth Hokages; these three countries alone wouldn't be enough to fight them off.
But the others didn't know that; they only wanted to bind the Hokage office to Rengoku, since Rengoku was presently the strongest in the ninja world.
"Unanimously passed. Elder Rengoku, your thoughts?"
The elder's words pulled Rengoku's mind back.
"There's still the confidence vote procedure for the Hokage office. Also, Tsunade, you have no objections?", Rengoku said leisurely, glancing at Tsunade as he spoke.
Tsunade rolled her eyes at Rengoku. Although she knew Rengoku had depth, many things hadn't been revealed yet.
"In an emergency, use authority. If you don't ascend, Konoha's morale will collapse."
"Fine, arrange it as you see fit."
———
The Land of Fire, possessing the most fertile lands, had always been coveted by the other shinobi villages.
When they discovered Konoha so weakened, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure all went on alert.
Other small shinobi villages began watching the situation as well.
They clearly understood that a new great ninja war was likely imminent.
Just as all the nations were actively preparing for war, the Land of Demons was far from peaceful.
———
In the Land of Demons—
Outpost of a town: this was one of the three major town outposts of the Land of Demons, the outer outpost of Thornbloom Town.
Though called a relatively large town, it only had a few thousand people.
These outposts were established to prevent beast invasions into the town.
After all, the country was sparsely populated and much of the land was forested, with many beasts.
Tonight was no different from usual. The chance of a beast tide in early summer was small.
Guards chatted and smoked to pass the time.
The outpost had two tall towers; this was the only place that used electric lights, two giant spotlights shone toward the forest to keep watch.
Many traps circled the outpost, designed to warn of a large-scale beast tide.
Boom!
Boom!
Continuous, muffled sounds came, heavy objects falling into the bottom of a trap.
"Hey! What was that?"
Soldiers in the watchtower shouted in surprise, and other guards rushed over to investigate.
The forest traps kept triggering and thunderous footsteps sounded, causing the guards to shout loudly:
"Enemy attack!"
Rumble!
Row after row of trees were pushed down.
A long line of stone golems, stepping with slow and heavy strides, advanced toward the outpost.
"Hurry! Everyone to your posts!"
All the guards in the tower were roused, slinging composite bows on their backs and taking positions on the wall.
"Ready!", all the archers drew their bowstrings.
"Fire!", every arrow shot at the stone golems, but all that followed was a clanging sound.
The stone golems remained unharmed.
Seeing this, the guards' foreheads broke out in cold sweat.
"Useless? Could these be a phantom army of specters?"
Now the stone golems had reached the walls built by the outpost.
In unison, the stone golems extended their hands and pushed down the walls.
A mountain-crushing force pressed in an instant.
Guards on the wall all fell down amid violent shaking.
Rumble!
With the dull sound of the walls collapsing, the outpost's barriers were completely pushed down.
The stone golems marched on with an unstoppable pace!
"Quick, send word!"
"Someone must hold them off!"
The guards did their duty; aside from a few who escaped to deliver messages, the rest were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, crushed under the stone golems.
———
The Land of Demons had never been ruled by a daimyo.
Although the Miko (priestess) was nominally the highest leader, the Miko was a semi-divine position and did not actually govern; governance was handled by some noble families.
This place was too poor, with very limited resources in all regards. It was only because they were a buffer state between great nations that they had managed to remain at peace.
The nobles here were just the relatively better-off families.
In the Moryo resurrection incident three years ago, although the Miko had sacrificed herself, it didn't really affect the country's functioning.
No one paid much attention to the Miko's heir being an Uchiha; a child without the Miko's power staying in the country wouldn't do much.
Only the chief priest Shinnosuke knew that Miroku had not died, but continued to exist in another form.
Now that the specters had revived stone golems, they directly began attacking the towns of the Land of Demons.
Without shinobi villages, how could they resist these indestructible stone golems?
That night Thornbloom Town was trampled, and a large number of civilians could only flee while wailing.
The Land of Demons urgently sent word to the Miko's shrine, asking for solutions.
Ordinary people simply could not deal with the phantom army's stone golems.
With the Miko absent, Chief Priest Shinnosuke was the highest commander here.
At the first moment, he sent a plea for aid to Miroku, who was currently in Konoha.
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