Tsunade's abrupt decision to turn on him had been unexpected. She hadn't even given Choza Akimichi time to prepare.
"Getting old," Choza muttered to himself, hands clasped behind his back as he shook his head and left the Hokage's office.
After Choza's departure, Fugaku Uchiha hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "Hokage-sama, do you think that might have made him uncomfortable?"
"That's not an issue," Tsunade replied flatly.
"He's always been that way, which is why he retired early and chose to live a quiet life. Besides, given the position the Ino–Shika–Cho alliance is in, he really didn't have a choice."
Tsunade's gaze turned sharp as she shifted her focus. "Now, about the Uchiha…"
The Ino–Shika–Cho alliance's stance, coupled with Choza's own tendencies, made it clear he had no appetite for political conflict. Yet his habit of offering advice—always from the perspective of the Third Hokage's generation—only fueled Tsunade's irritation.
When faced with a situation that left no room for negotiation, his behavior made it impossible for her not to show her displeasure.
Fugaku, sensing Tsunade's shift in attention, stiffened slightly. "Hokage-sama, please rest assured. I'll address the internal issues within the Uchiha clan immediately. I—"
Before he could finish, Tsunade cut him off.
"Enough. It's just a matter of perspective. You're all from the same clan. There's no need to tear each other apart. Focus on changing their mindset instead."
Fugaku blinked, startled. He had intended to purge the hawks within the Uchiha clan as a gesture of loyalty to the new regime. Tsunade herself had implied this was necessary to ease the tensions between the village and his clan.
But now, she seemed to have changed her mind.
"Are the hawks really the Uchiha's problem?" Tsunade asked rhetorically. "No, the issue runs far deeper than that."
If the underlying issues weren't resolved, eliminating the hawks would achieve nothing. It would only weaken the Uchiha without addressing the root causes of their unrest.
While Tsunade didn't particularly like the hawks, she saw their value. At the very least, they were a force to be reckoned with if properly managed.
Unlike the Third Hokage, who might have insisted on wiping out dissent, Tsunade believed in her ability to control the situation.
With Fugaku as her anchor within the clan, she was confident that the hawks wouldn't pose a significant threat.
Her focus returned to Fugaku, whose typically stoic demeanor faltered slightly under her scrutiny. Tsunade's expression softened just a fraction, though her thoughts were more critical.
Who would have thought this quiet, serious man could be so ruthless—toward his own people, no less?
"You were planning to cull the hawks entirely, weren't you?" Tsunade asked pointedly.
Fugaku hesitated but nodded slightly.
"I assumed that was what you wanted, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade scoffed. "Do you want half your clan dead?"
The Uchiha were divided into three factions: the Clan Leader's faction, the hawks, and the doves. The Clan Leader's faction was the largest and strongest, followed by the hawks. Purging the hawks would be a costly endeavor, leaving the clan significantly weakened.
"I don't want that, Hokage-sama. I just thought…"
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other and tapping her finger on the desk.
"I'm the Fourth Hokage now, Fugaku. I won't tolerate internal strife within the village. Handle the Uchiha's issues yourself. As for the hawks, leave them for now—they may still prove useful."
Fugaku was stunned. He had prepared himself for significant losses within the clan, but now Tsunade was suggesting the hawks be spared.
"Hokage-sama, those individuals are ambitious. If—"
Tsunade interrupted him with a cold laugh.
"I wouldn't keep them around if I were worried about what they might do. Konoha may seem weak right now, but that's only on the surface. The village's actual strength is at an all-time high.
"What could a handful of hawks possibly accomplish?"
On the surface, Konoha might appear vulnerable, but a closer examination revealed a village at its peak.
The village had a vast base of shinobi. Its elite forces alone were enough to deter most enemies.
The elders of the Third Hokage's generation were still alive. While their abilities may have diminished somewhat, they remained formidable.
The next generation—led by the Sannin—was fully intact and thriving.
Add to that the likes of Sakumo Hatake, who commanded the ANBU, and rising stars like Takuya, Kushina, and Minato. With such a lineup, Konoha was a force to be reckoned with.
Against this backdrop, the Uchiha hawks were hardly a concern.
"Tell them this," Tsunade instructed, her tone icy. "Takuya's been irritated with them for a long time. If they want to make a scene, they're welcome to try. He'd be more than happy to deal with them."
Fugaku's face tightened.
Takuya's reputation preceded him, and anyone who crossed him would be asking for trouble. The hawks wouldn't even be able to stir up a ripple, let alone a storm.
Shaking his head, Fugaku decided it wasn't worth the headache. His focus would be on keeping the hawks in check and preventing them from dragging the entire clan into trouble.
Rising to his feet, Fugaku bowed deeply.
"Hokage-sama, I will convey your words exactly as you've said them. I'll also ensure that those within the clan are kept in line. If the village ever needs them, they'll be ready to fight on the front lines."
Tsunade nodded, satisfied.
"There's no glory in turning on your own people, Fugaku. Let them prove their worth when the time comes. Use them wisely."
Fugaku understood.
Ambition wouldn't be quelled by threats or temporary incentives. The best way to deal with such individuals was to gradually wear them down, turning their ambitions into contributions for the village.
And if some of them chose to defect?
Fugaku didn't care. For the sake of the Uchiha, he would handle whatever came next.
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DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING