Chapter 387 – That's the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki!
Kumogakure's mobilization was so grand and blatant that nearly the entire shinobi world became aware of it. Naturally, Konoha was no exception.
In fact, Konoha had received warning signs long before the Cloud's army officially moved.
For instance, troop deployments within the Land of Lightning had begun to shift.
Forces originally stationed along the coast to guard against Kirigakure were partially withdrawn and redeployed near the borders of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Iron.
On the surface, this was to prevent a sudden Konoha incursion—but at the same time, it also served as a precaution against their longtime rival, Iwagakure.
This intelligence reached Namikaze Minato's desk almost immediately.
And after reviewing it, Nara Shikaku was already able to confirm one thing with near certainty—
Kumogakure was preparing for war.
Sure enough, only three days later, confirmation arrived:
The Fourth Raikage was personally leading the army—
and he was bringing the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki with him.
The news sent shockwaves through Konoha.
These Cloud shinobi weren't just posturing—they were going all in.
Mobilizing such a massive force was one thing, but sending out both the Raikage and a tailed-beast host?
Did they really have no fear of their homeland being attacked while their strongest forces were away?
Kei also received the report.
Unlike most, however, he understood exactly why Kumogakure wasn't worried.
The answer was simple:
Heavenly Transfer Technique (Tensō no Jutsu).
Space–time ninjutsu was far from rare in this world.
Obito's Kamui, Minato's Flying Thunder God—both were spatial techniques.
Beyond those, there were also Summoning Jutsu, Amenotejikara, Heavenly Reverse, Yomotsu Hirasaka, Limbo: Border Jail, and many more.
Most of these techniques could ultimately be traced back to Ōtsutsuki-derived powers—
except for a few.
And by sheer coincidence, Kumogakure happened to possess one of those few.
The Heavenly Transfer Technique.
This jutsu transported targets to a designated location through extreme high-speed movement.
The violent friction with the atmosphere was so intense that ordinary human bodies would be torn apart almost instantly.
Because of this, the technique was primarily used to transport objects, not people.
However, exceptions always existed.
The Third Raikage, who once fought ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi for three days and nights, successfully used Heavenly Transfer for battlefield movement—
Simply because his body was strong enough.
And the Fourth Raikage, inheritor of that monstrous physique, could do the same.
Aside from these two near-inhuman figures, the only other person known to survive such transport was Tsunade, thanks to her Strength of a Hundred Seal.
This was the true reason the Fourth Raikage dared to personally lead the expedition.
If anyone tried to exploit his absence and strike Kumogakure—
He could return instantly
and give them a very unpleasant surprise.
Of course, Kei had no intention of explaining any of this.
Knowing something was one thing.
Explaining how he knew it was another.
He had no desire to create unnecessary complications.
Regardless of motive—
The war had already begun.
"Hard to believe," Minato murmured quietly, standing in a conference room atop the Hokage Tower and gazing at the Hokage Rock outside the window.
"Only two years of peace… and the flames of war are already back."
"This time," he continued, turning to face the room,
"they've moved with terrifying speed—crossing the Land of Iron and the Land of Hot Water, and already reaching the borders of the Land of Fire."
The conference room was full.
Every seat was occupied.
These were Konoha's true core decision-makers.
And every single one of them understood—
This time, the enemy was not testing boundaries.
They were coming for blood.
These were the people who truly determined the scale and direction of this war.
Only through their cooperation—through absolute coordination—could Konoha truly force the Cloud shinobi into a corner, even make them retreat in defeat.
Minato understood this very clearly.
More importantly, he needed this war to remain within the scope of a "high-intensity localized conflict."
Taking a deep breath, Minato spoke loudly:
"Everyone—now is the time for full cooperation. We must teach those arrogant fools who think they can use Konoha as a stepping stone a painful lesson."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Everyone present responded in unison, fully aware of how serious the situation had become.
"We must immediately establish our defensive strategy," Minato said calmly.
"All personnel, follow my commands. Shikaku—how many shinobi can the village mobilize right now?"
Technically, this question shouldn't have been answered by the head of the Administration Department.
However, the Administration Department handled population statistics. Moreover, after Minato became Hokage—and due to policy reforms proposed by Kei—the position of Jōnin Commander had yet to be filled.
As a result, Shikaku was the only one who could provide a clear answer.
He stood up immediately and bowed slightly.
"Since the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars, the village has suffered heavy losses. Many injured shinobi were forced to retire and become civilians. Training output has also failed to fully keep pace."
He spoke rapidly and precisely.
"At present, Konoha has 37,200 active shinobi.
"Among them:
27,000 Genin,
9,600 Chūnin,
and Jōnin—"
"I understand," Minato interrupted, nodding.
The numbers were… not encouraging.
Especially the Jōnin.
They were a severely limited resource.
Outside of the major clans, even one or two hundred civilian-background Jōnin would be considered impressive.
Kei, however, couldn't help being surprised.
He knew Jōnin were rare—but he had expected at least a thousand.
Now it seemed the number was far lower than he had imagined.
And with stricter standards coming in the future, that number would only decrease.
Kei shook his head faintly.
"What about the shinobi stationed outside the village?" Minato continued.
"How many can we realistically mobilize inside Konoha?"
"1,000 are stationed along the western border near the Land of Rivers," Shikaku answered immediately.
"From the northwest to the northeast—Rain, Grass, and Ridge—roughly 5,000 shinobi.
From the northeast to the east—Sound, Hot Water, and Whirlpool—another 4,000."
He continued without hesitation:
"The forces defending the Land of Iron and the Land of Hot Water have already consolidated at border strongholds—around 2,000 shinobi.
"Excluding administrative personnel, Konoha can mobilize 13,000 combat-capable shinobi within the village. However—"
"I know," Minato nodded.
Border forces could not be moved. That was non-negotiable.
Who knew if someone might try to strike Konoha's rear while its main force was deployed?
While Konoha technically had over 20,000 shinobi in total, many were young Genin, or dedicated solely to education, medicine, or administration.
Maintaining internal order was also critical.
With over 100,000 civilians, any lapse in security could allow enemy agents to spread rumors or assassinate officials—both potentially catastrophic.
A war was never as simple as "using everyone you have."
Only when the village itself faced annihilation would total mobilization even be considered.
"In that case," Minato said decisively, standing up.
Everyone in the room rose with him.
"I hereby announce—
We will deploy 4,000 shinobi, reinforced by 2,000 from frontline strongholds, forming a 6,000-man force."
"Shikaku, recall Jōnin stationed outside the village as quickly as possible—but ensure that each region retains at least two Jōnin commanders."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"As for these 4,000—"
Minato hesitated briefly, then sighed.
"Third Hokage-sama. Clan Head Fugaku. I will entrust each of you with 2,000 shinobi.
"Clan Head Fugaku will handle the frontal engagement.
"Third Hokage-sama will provide support and coordination, and attempt to strike the Cloud's logistics lines."
He took a deep breath.
"You may choose your own personnel—but I expect your units formed quickly. And I expect no internal conflict.
"This battle concerns Konoha's future."
"Please rest assured, Hokage-sama," Uchiha Fugaku said immediately.
"I will not disappoint you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing, but nodded.
The decision to take the field had been his own.
Konoha simply lacked experienced commanders.
Privately, he would have preferred full command of the entire force.
But he understood—if he were Hokage, he would never allow a political opponent such authority either.
Minato had already been generous.
Hiruzen's assignment—logistics disruption and battlefield support—was no less critical than Fugaku's role.
Though he harbored some disdain for Fugaku's past performance, he also understood—
Command was forged through experience.
Even the Legendary Sannin had grown this way.
"As for logistics," Minato continued, scanning the room,
"I'll be counting on all of you."
"This time—we will win.
We will repel Kumogakure's advance.
We will be victorious."
"Yes! Hokage-sama!"
The mobilization meeting concluded swiftly.
Clan leaders and department heads immediately departed to prepare their responsibilities.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane left without delay.
Yet several people remained seated.
Kei.
Nara Shikaku.
Uchiha Fugaku.
The Third Hokage.
Even Imai Kenta and Kakashi stayed.
Everyone knew—there was more to discuss.
As he exited, Hiashi cast a glance back filled with quiet envy.
He wished he could remain.
But he knew he could not.
Not yet.
Once the room cleared, Minato turned back to those remaining.
"Alright," he said calmly.
"Now we can discuss the rest."
"Kei—I want you to remain in reserve."
He met Kei's gaze.
"You won't be deployed immediately. I need internal security stabilized first. But if the front runs into trouble—"
"No problem," Kei nodded.
"The Police Force will keep Konoha completely under control."
Then he added lightly,
"But Hokage-sama—we'll need to expand the Police Force."
This had been implied earlier by Minato himself.
Konoha's population was vast, and the Police Force was no longer the Uchiha's private arm.
Its authority and responsibilities had expanded rapidly.
With manpower diverted to the battlefield, the Police Force was stretched thin.
"I agree," Minato said after a brief pause.
"I've reviewed the reports. Your four divisions are overloaded.
"You may promote internally or hire shinobi unfit for frontline combat. After the war, we'll formalize it.
"If numbers warrant, I'll approve increasing the divisions' official size."
"Increase… the divisions?"
Both Kei—and Hiruzen—froze.
That meant a massive expansion of Kei's influence.
Kenta looked pleased.
Kakashi remained neutral.
Shikaku and Fugaku gave nothing away.
"After the war," Minato added.
"For now, protect Konoha."
He looked around.
"Any other thoughts?"
"Fourth," Hiruzen finally spoke.
"The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki is with the Cloud army.
"How is Kushina's recovery progressing?"
Minato stiffened.
Against a Jinchūriki, only another Jinchūriki truly sufficed.
Yet—
"I believe that won't be necessary," Kei said calmly.
Hiruzen frowned.
"Kei—don't underestimate a Jinchūriki."
Fugaku spoke next.
"The frontal battlefield is my responsibility. Please trust our judgment."
Hiruzen sighed heavily.
"…Very well.
I only hope Kushina is prepared.
After all—
that is the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."