Chapter 435: A Stalemate in Our Favor!
In the end, the Fourth Raikage compromised with Haneda.
His stance was consistent with what he had shown at the Five Kage Summit—refusing to believe in a world of illusion and directly confronting Tobi's ideology.
Even though he knew everything was part of Haneda's plan, for the sake of the ninja world, or rather for the sake of the people of the Cloud Village, he once again stood on the podium he had used before.
"Are you all planning to wallow in defeat any longer?"
The Fourth Raikage's voice spread throughout the entire camp through a special jutsu, causing the vast majority of ninjas to instinctively look in the direction of the sound.
"Are you longing for your hometown? Missing your family and friends? Or perhaps your mother's cooking, and your father's nighttime guidance?"
The Fourth Raikage knew that when people realize they are about to face an almost invincible enemy, their eyes are filled with hopelessness, avoidance, and cowardice.
Silence and concession would dominate, but only by touching upon the softest parts of their hearts would they be forced to confront their fears.
Because in these moments, humans never lack courage.
When the crowd heard words like hometown, family, and parents, a glimmer of light appeared in their eyes.
In the face of adversity, people always think of home as a safe haven, a habit formed during childhood.
Fathers are strong, mothers are warm.
There are always moments of memory that leave a deep impression.
And in those moments, the consensus among everyone was clear—returning home!
The Fourth Raikage continued, "Are you all thinking of home? I understand your feelings, because I'm thinking of home too. I want to go home, but I have no home left. My parents sacrificed their lives to protect the village, and I lost them. Now, I consider the village they protected with their lives as my home."
"But now someone wants to destroy our homes, to drag us from our homeland into a world of illusion!"
"You know what illusion is, right? It's the fake stuff, used to deceive enemies, to extract information from them."
"Can such a world bring hope? Do you want to leave your parents' embrace and enter that cold world?"
"Madara does! He's always been committed to it! He wants to take away everything we hold dear!"
"This isn't just about me, it's about the entire village, the entire world! No one can remain unaffected!"
"Will you accept it? I ask you all, will you accept such an illusory world?"
The Fourth Raikage didn't dwell on the supposed beauty of Infinite Tsukuyomi but instead focused on the essence of illusion as a ninja tool—something used to deceive and manipulate.
This was a fact known to every ninja.
Using this shared understanding, he stirred up the ninjas' resentment toward Madara.
And the desire to protect home was another shared sentiment.
Talking about villages, the ninja world, or the entire world felt too abstract and grandiose.
Not everyone had such lofty awareness.
But nearly everyone wanted to protect their parents and children, those they cared most about.
Most ninjas were moved by the Fourth Raikage's words.
As the leader of one of the five great ninja villages, each qualified ninja had some knowledge of his history.
It was true that the Fourth Raikage's parents had died in battle, sacrificing themselves for the Cloud Village.
It was also true that the Fourth Raikage had always been dedicated to the village's development, doing everything for its sake.
The shared love for parents and home was something nearly all ninjas possessed.
Many of them could empathize, understanding deeply:
If they didn't resist, not only would they fall into a world of illusion, but their family and friends would as well.
They had no choice but to resist.
But…
The opponent was Uchiha Madara!
That terrifying man who seemed undefeatable—how could they fight against him?
Hesitation and doubt clouded their hearts.
Someone shouted to the Fourth Raikage, "Raikage-sama, what about Uchiha Madara?"
"Yes, Uchiha Madara is too frightening, we can't possibly defeat him."
"And Konoha! Konoha is also our enemy!"
…
Voices rose in agreement; Uchiha Madara had become their greatest fear.
At this moment, Haneda appeared.
Dressed in the Hokage robe, with the Hokage hat on his head, the five large characters for "Fifth Hokage" fluttered in the wind behind him.
He turned around, immediately capturing everyone's attention.
"Uchiha Madara will be dealt with by Konoha."
"This is a war that involves the entire world, and Madara is also Konoha's enemy!"
"Konoha will join the fight."
"And this war will have only two outcomes: either the enemy eliminates us, or we eliminate the enemy!"
Haneda's gaze swept across the crowd as he spoke.
He drew the sword at his waist, Dawnbreaker, slicing through a pillar of earth in front of him.
The scene was reminiscent of the time he cut down a meteor.
"Ladies and gentlemen, whether it's for yourselves or for your loved ones, draw your swords."
Haneda wasn't skilled in speechcraft, especially not in giving speeches.
After showcasing his power and expressing Konoha's and the ninja world's resolve to win, he ceded the stage back to the Fourth Raikage.
The Fourth Raikage shouted:
"This great battle is a righteous war fought by Konoha and our allied forces for the world, for all humanity, against Uchiha Madara!"
"Uchiha Madara, he wantonly massacres the weak, attempts to alter the will of all humanity, and plunge them into a void of illusion. He is ruthless and tyrannical!"
"Uchiha Madara, he betrayed his clan, his village, and even his country. He has no sense of morality!"
"Justice against tyranny—that's our first advantage."
"Our alliance has gathered the strength of almost every ninja village and organization in the ninja world. We are united and unbeatable!"
"And now, with Konoha joining us, our alliance embodies the full might of the ninja world, while Madara stands alone!"
"The entire ninja world against Madara—that's our second advantage."
"In terms of top-tier strength, we have two Gods of Shinobi, five Kage, and the resurrected former Hokage!"
"Once, the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, known as the God of Shinobi, led the Senju Clan to repeatedly defeat Uchiha Madara. This proves that the Uchiha are not invincible!"
"Now, the new God of Shinobi, Fifth Hokage Uchiha Haneda, wields the same power as Madara—an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Wood Release, and the Rinnegan, just like Madara!"
"With equal power facing off, and the First Hokage assisting, that's our third advantage."
"With these three major advantages on our side, I don't see how we can lose!"
"This battle is destined to be in our favor!"
"The autumn leaves of the ninja world now return to unity."
"Wherever our alliance goes, the people will welcome us with open arms."
"The vibrant scene of rebirth and thriving life is right before us!"
"I will emphasize one last time: in this battle, we hold the advantage!!!"
...…