284. The War Declaration

Danzo's simple statement instantly ignited the emotions of the villagers and ninjas alike.

The overwhelming roar of voices from all corners of the village converged into a single word—"Fight!!"

The scene of Danzo raising his arm and shouting "Fight" amidst the crowd's support was promptly captured by a reporter from the *Shinobi World United Press* and printed on the cover of that afternoon's emergency edition.

The sight of such unity was enough to stir anyone's blood.

The content of the declaration was unprecedentedly bold and explosive:

"*Shinobi World United Press*, October 14, Year 51 of Konoha.


By order of Konoha, the United Press issues the following statement on October 14, Year 51 of Konoha:
The Hidden Cloud Village has repeatedly ignored our warnings, persistently exerting extreme pressure on us in an attempt to force us into signing an unequal and humiliating treaty!

They have deployed a large number of ninja troops to invade the Land of Fire, severely threatening the lives and property of our border guards and residents.

Even under the guise of negotiations, they ordered a so-called envoy, aided by Cloud spies, to attempt the assassination of our high-ranking officials!

Under these circumstances, relations between the two sides have continued to deteriorate!

Having reached the limit of our tolerance, we have decided to launch a counter-war against the Hidden Cloud!!"

This was a blatant declaration of war.

As soon as it was issued, it garnered widespread support from the villagers of Konoha.

Many even offered their last remaining food and savings, hoping to contribute to this great war.

If ordinary villagers were so fervent, the professionally trained ninjas were even more eager for battle.

To them, what did it matter if they had no place to live? They could sleep under bridges, beneath trees, or even in the grass!

But the war—it could not wait a single moment!!

In no time, the entire village of Konoha swiftly transitioned into a wartime state.

On one hand, Danzo dispatched envoys to the capital to request funds, manpower, and supplies.


On the other hand, all the major clans, including the Nara and Akimichi clans, donated food and resources. They nearly emptied their clan storages to urgently support this great war of defense. Even the Uchiha clan, known for its rebellious nature, led by Fugaku, contributed large amounts of food and property.

The former ensured basic sustenance, while the latter helped accommodate displaced refugees.


As a result, the villagers' perception of this prominent clan improved significantly.

Regardless of the reasons, Konoha had achieved an unprecedented level of unity.

This left Danzo somewhat moved.

It seemed his efforts over the years had not been in vain—he had indeed brought about some change in this world...

On the streets, large numbers of ninjas had already gathered.

They moved in unison, swiftly heading to the training grounds to report and form units.

The civilians could only watch their retreating figures, silently offering their blessings.

"I hope this war ends quickly..."
Uchiha Itachi, watching this scene, spoke with a heavy heart.

At Danzo's suggestion, the eldest son of the Uchiha clan was assigned to a rather ordinary disaster relief post.

Originally, Fugaku had planned to take Itachi to the battlefield to witness the horrors of war. But Danzo intervened.

He believed that children should have their own childhood and should not be exposed to such cruel realities so early.

Although Fugaku didn't fully understand this perspective, he trusted Danzo's judgment.

In the end, he agreed to let his exceptionally talented son remain in the village as part of the Uchiha disaster relief team.

Speaking of which, the Uchiha clan, despite being a prominent family in Konoha, was politically inept.

If not for Danzo's guidance, they might not have even bothered to join the other clans in disaster relief and donations...

It seemed that fate was fair in some ways.

While granting the Uchiha clan extraordinary talents, it had also diminished their political acumen.

In any case, Itachi remained in the village.

Just as he sighed, Shisui appeared behind him.

Though not wearing a mask, he was already dressed in combat gear.

The perceptive Itachi immediately realized what this meant.
"Brother Shisui, are you heading to the battlefield?"

Itachi looked up at Shisui with his large eyes.

Shisui couldn't help but smile affectionately, a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor during missions.

He ruffled Itachi's hair and said,
"Don't worry, this war will end soon."

Hearing this, Itachi clenched his fists and mustered the courage to say,
"Brother Shisui, I want to go to the battlefield too!"
Shisui shook his head helplessly and lightly flicked Itachi's forehead.


"Remember, it's not your turn to fight until we've fallen. That's what Lord Danzo said, and it's the core of the Will of Fire!"

These words left Itachi speechless.

As a staunch supporter of the Will of Fire, he could only pout and mutter,
"Hmph, you always use the Will of Fire to pressure me!"

Seeing Itachi's sulky expression, Shisui laughed heartily.

"Alright, alright. Didn't you always want to meet Lord Danzo? After this war, I'll take you to see him."

Itachi's eyes lit up.

"Really?"
As a young prodigy, he had always been curious about Danzo, the hero of Konoha.

After all, Danzo was the teacher of Shisui, whom he deeply admired.

Surely, Danzo must have many remarkable qualities. Thus, Itachi had developed a desire to meet this great figure in person.

Under Itachi's expectant gaze, Shisui nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. But only if you do a good job with the disaster relief. Let me tell you a secret—this is also a great opportunity to mend the relationship between our clan and the village."

Shisui whispered this last part into Itachi's ear.

Sure enough, Itachi immediately understood the implication.

Once he grasped the significance, his spirits lifted. He waved his small fist at Shisui and declared,
"Don't worry, Brother Shisui, I won't let you down!"

Shisui couldn't resist ruffling Itachi's hair again, only stopping when Itachi began to protest.

"I'm off."

As Shisui walked away, Itachi's eyes dimmed almost imperceptibly.

Shisui had spoken more today than he ever did before missions...