Inside the Hokage's office,
Danzo sat beside the Third Hokage, his eyes closed in silent contemplation.
Below them, the clan heads of several major families wore solemn expressions.
The reason for this tension was simple—Kirigakure had declared war on Konoha.
"Hokage-sama, the Uchiha clan is willing to go to the Land of Waves and fight for Konoha against Kirigakure."
Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward, his expression resolute.
Since the war had begun, Fugaku had already requested to join the frontlines multiple times, only to be denied by the Third Hokage and the Council each time.
The Third hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.
"Konoha has already deployed a significant number of shinobi to the front lines. The village is understaffed, and we need the Uchiha Police Force to maintain internal security."
Fugaku's face remained calm, but there was a hint of frustration in his eyes. Silently, he took his seat once more.
Danzo could see that Fugaku truly wanted to fight for Konoha—perhaps even as a means to ease tensions between the village and the Uchiha clan.
Ever since the Senju clan had faded from prominence, the Uchiha had become Konoha's largest and most powerful family. And yet, they remained distanced from the political core of the village, even facing deep-seated suspicion from the leadership.
Much of this stemmed from the ideology of the Second Hokage.
The Uchiha needed intense emotional stimulation to awaken their true power—this very trait made them dangerously unstable, capable of posing a serious threat to Konoha.
Sending them to the battlefield might result in the return of a handful of incredibly powerful but completely unhinged individuals. That was something the leadership would never allow.
During the Second Hokage's reign, the Uchiha had been largely sidelined. The establishment of the Police Force was a calculated move to keep them occupied, ensuring that very few Uchiha served as regular shinobi outside the village. Most of them remained within the Police Force.
After much deliberation, the final decision was made: the Hyuga clan would lead the forces in the Land of Water, commanding an army of three thousand shinobi. The Aburame and Inuzuka clans would provide support.
Their abilities were particularly effective in countering Kirigakure's Hidden Mist Jutsu.
Unlike the other four great nations, the Land of Water was an isolated island country with a closed-border policy.
It had remained uninvolved in both the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, with little influence on the mainland.
Kirigakure's involvement in the current war seemed more like opportunism—if either the Land of Earth or the Land of Lightning could be subdued, the Mist would naturally retreat.
With the strategy settled, the clan heads dispersed to prepare for the upcoming battles.
But Fugaku remained behind.
"Fugaku… is there something else?" the Third asked.
"Hokage-sama… many young members of our clan lack real combat experience. If this continues, they may struggle to fulfill their duties within the Police Force in the future. I would like to send our younger shinobi to the Land of Water to gain some battlefield experience."
Fugaku's tone was sincere, but the Third Hokage frowned. The two elder advisors also looked displeased.
Danzo, however, regarded Fugaku with newfound interest.
In the manga, he had seemed passive, allowing the situation to deteriorate until he eventually accepted death at the hands of his own son.
But this Fugaku was different.
"The Hyuga clan is leading the operations in the Land of Water," the Third Hokage replied tactfully. "Your request puts me in a difficult position."
Both clans were known for their powerful dojutsu and had a long-standing rivalry—something well known throughout Konoha.
"All Konoha shinobi fight for the village," Fugaku said firmly. "As long as the commander treats them fairly, even if they all die on the battlefield, the Uchiha clan will have no complaints."
The Third Hokage's furrowed brows relaxed slightly as he looked at Fugaku, deep in thought.
Koharu Utatane's expression shifted from mere displeasure to outright disdain.
Fugaku's words carried an underlying accusation—that the leadership was not treating all shinobi equally.
The room fell into silence.
Then, Danzo finally spoke.
"Konoha's internal security does rely on the Uchiha clan," he said. "However, war is unpredictable. Have your clan prepare. If any of our battlefronts begin to falter, the Uchiha will reinforce them."
He then turned to the Third Hokage. "Hiruzen, what do you think?"
"…Very well. Fugaku, follow Danzo's plan."
Fugaku opened his mouth as if to say more but, seeing the cold expressions around him, he ultimately chose to remain silent.
"…Understood, Hokage-sama. I will take my leave."
After Fugaku left, Koharu no longer bothered to hide her disdain.
"The Uchiha are growing increasingly brazen," she said, making no effort to conceal her displeasure at Fugaku's defiance.
Neither the Third Hokage nor Homura Mitokado spoke, but their silence was telling.
"Enough of this," Danzo muttered. "I have matters to attend to within Root. I'll be going as well."
He had no desire to waste any more time with the so-called elders. Spending too much time around them made him feel as if he were aging alongside them.
As he left the Hokage's office, Danzo's mind remained on the meeting.
The Third had agreed to his proposal because he believed the war's outcome was already set in stone.
After two years of fierce battles, all the great nations had suffered heavy losses. The war had reached a point of equilibrium—no side could gain a decisive advantage over the others.
At this stage, continuing the war would only serve political interests and deepen the existing grudges between nations.
That was why Hiruzen had so readily accepted Danzo's plan.
But Danzo knew the war wasn't going to end anytime soon.
Root's intelligence on Kirigakure suggested something was very wrong.
Danzo suspected Uchiha Madara had long since taken control of the village.
Otherwise, how could one explain the absurd events that would follow?
The Three-Tails being sealed into a mere Genin, Nohara Rin, as part of a scheme to destroy Konoha.
The Fourth Mizukage becoming a perfect jinchuriki—an incredibly rare and difficult feat.
And then, the village's own Kage wandering outside the village alone, only to be easily controlled by Uchiha Obito?
The sequence of events was too suspicious.
Root's intelligence over the past two years only reinforced Danzo's theory.
Madara was likely the true mastermind behind Kirigakure's actions.
And if that were the case, Kirigakure wasn't fighting this war for its own benefit.
Its role was merely to tip the scales against Konoha.
Even if it meant sacrificing itself in the process.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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