I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 84 - : Hiruzen, You’ll Regret This

"Hiruzen, putting a sixteen-year-old jōnin in command of the eastern front—this decision is far too reckless!"

"The forbidden technique before this, and now this appointment—you've been acting too impulsively. You didn't even consult with us."

The two advisors were at it again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt like his head was splitting. He had never imagined that after trying to push for change, his greatest opposition wouldn't come from Danzo, but from his two long-time comrades.

He hesitated to speak but eventually sighed. "If we don't send him, do either of you want to go to the front lines and lead the battle?"

"This..."

Homura Mitokado hesitated.

Koharu Utatane paused as well before finally saying, "It's not that we can't..."

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist aren't easy opponents."

"Uh..." That statement hit hard.

She might as well have just admitted she didn't believe in their own abilities.

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Koharu's mouth twitched slightly, but she didn't argue against Hiruzen's words.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were indeed no pushovers. Even back in their younger days, they wouldn't have dared to claim they could take on all seven—let alone now. And while a commander didn't necessarily need to engage in combat, there would inevitably be times when stepping in was unavoidable.

"I had Kyoichi start studying the Hiding in Mist Technique months ago, and his progress has been significant. He can now use the mist to cast genjutsu, making it impossible for the enemy to pinpoint his location."

"Moreover, he's a master of swordsmanship—the Seven Ninja Swordsmen won't have an easy time dealing with him."

Only now did Hiruzen explain his reasoning.

Homura and Koharu had nothing to counter with. Hiruzen's "If you think it's a bad idea, then go do it yourself" argument was devastating.

After so many years away from the battlefield, neither of them had the confidence to take on such a role.

It wasn't that they feared death—rather, the weight of thousands of shinobi lives was too heavy a burden for them to bear.

"Hiruzen, we understand that you want change, that you want Konoha to grow stronger—but you're being too aggressive. You'll regret this."

Homura Mitokado's words felt weak.

And more than that... strangely familiar.

Hiruzen didn't dwell on it. He just felt exhausted.

These two old friends of his didn't understand him or Kyoichi at all. Their opposition felt more like resisting for the sake of resisting.

They were relics of the past.

Losing patience, Hiruzen waved them off and sat in silence for a long time.

There was one thing he hadn't told them—both Kyoichi and Tsunade had contracts with Katsuyu, meaning they could communicate through the slug. In reality, appointing Kyoichi as commander was indirectly putting Tsunade in charge as well.

But that wasn't something he could openly explain.

Besides...

The war hadn't even begun, yet Jiraiya had already sent intelligence reports that both Iwagakure and Kumogakure were restless in the north. However, despite the tension, there was no direct conflict between the two villages.

That didn't make sense.

Hiruzen had reason to believe...

Some kind of agreement had likely been reached between them.

And with Kirigakure stirring trouble in the east, Konoha's situation was precarious.

At a time like this, he needed to boldly promote capable young shinobi—just as the Second Hokage had done back in the day. At least for now, this old body of his could still move.

And if things truly went south, he could step in himself.

After all, he had successors now.

With a plan firmly set in his mind, Hiruzen's resolve hardened.

No changes!

The younger generation needed experience, but there wasn't much time for them to grow. He could only hope that Kyoichi would hold up under pressure and mature quickly.

While Hiruzen carried the weight of these decisions, Kyoichi, on the other hand, wasn't overthinking things.

Leading an army was difficult, sure.

But...

He had his own advantages—he understood Kirigakure's situation very well.

Kirigakure wouldn't go all-in.

The best they could send were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Strong, but not unbeatable.

---

Gekko Hayate Was Discharged

At the same time, Kyoichi's new chakra blade had arrived.

It was a short-length ninjato.

Its biggest advantage was its compatibility with Iaido (quick-draw techniques) and various elemental sword techniques. While it didn't amplify chakra as powerfully as Kakashi or Asuma's weapons, its versatility more than made up for it.

Kyoichi was satisfied.

He had originally planned to head to the front lines soon, but another matter forced him to stay put for now.

The forbidden jutsu were being lifted!

With war looming, Hiruzen had no time for hesitation. He made an immediate decision to implement the forbidden jutsu policy that Tsunade and Kyoichi had proposed.

And so...

All of Konoha's jōnin were secretly summoned to a designated facility.

"Lord Hokage."

Hundreds of shinobi gathered.

The lowest-ranked among them was a special jōnin, and many came from established clans. This was, without a doubt, Konoha's elite force.

"Today, I've gathered you here for one purpose—to introduce two techniques."

Hiruzen got straight to the point.

With that, he raised two scrolls and unfurled them for all to see.

Moments later...

"Lord Hokage, this... isn't this a bit..."

Inoichi Yamanaka was visibly shocked.

The first scroll contained the methods to open the First and Second Gates of the Eight Gates Release. The second described a technique to enhance cellular activity through specialized breathing, increasing strength and speed.

These were forbidden jutsu!

Hiruzen was about to make forbidden jutsu accessible to the public—without any prior discussion!

"Let's hear what Lord Hokage has to say first."

Shikaku Nara spoke up.

He already knew the reasoning behind this plan and had no objections.

It was an excellent strategy—there was no reason to oppose it.

"I'm sure you're all aware of the dire situation. Three major villages are preparing to make their move. War could break out at any moment."

"These techniques are classified as forbidden jutsu, but our goal isn't reckless misuse. Rather, we want to give you all a better chance of survival in battle."

"Konoha cannot afford too many losses. Of course, this is entirely voluntary—if you don't wish to learn them, that's understandable. However, those who do will be required to undergo periodic medical examinations and treatment, free of charge."

Hiruzen's voice was heavy with responsibility.

Every jōnin took years to train, and losing even one was a severe blow to Konoha. This was another reason he had made the decision so quickly.

The room fell into silence.

Everything Hiruzen said was true.

In Konoha's wars, it wasn't the genin or chūnin who were sent as cannon fodder—jōnin bore the brunt of the battlefield pressure. As a result, jōnin casualties were always significant.

If learning these two techniques could improve their survival rate...

Then compared to that, the side effects were practically negligible.

Staying alive was the top priority!

"Lord Hokage, I'm willing to learn!"

"I'll learn as well."

"Me too..."

Kyoichi noticed that the first ones to step forward were the jōnin from civilian backgrounds. The first was Tekuno, a shinobi who had climbed the ranks from genin, specializing in projectile weapons and traps.

Tekuno was well aware of the situation.

Those from clan backgrounds had various secret techniques and support systems. Even without these two jutsu, they had higher survival rates on the battlefield. But for shinobi like him, it was different.

These two forbidden jutsu...

Could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

By the end...

Almost every jōnin present had volunteered.

You can never have too many skills.

Learn them first—whether to use them or not could be decided later.

"Good. From here, Kyoichi will instruct you all in the Breathing Activation Technique."

Hiruzen stepped aside.

Kyoichi stepped forward.

He understood—this was part of Hiruzen's plan to prepare him for future leadership.

By personally training them, these jōnin would feel indebted to him when he took command later.

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