"So strong?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned even more upon hearing the news.
"What do you think?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
Uzumaki Mito glanced at the gathered Third Generation and replied, "You all know that she managed to quell the Uchiha civil strife and suppress the entire Uchiha clan all by herself. How could she possibly have done that without possessing extraordinary strength?"
She paused for effect before continuing, "As for Uchiha Ethan's apprenticeship to Tsunade, don't read too deeply into it. She merely wanted to secure a reliable backer and guarantee for Ethan—this way, his growth process can be smoother, and those lurking rats in the dark won't have an easy target to pounce on!"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room as one of the Third Generation members ventured, "Could it be that relying on a mere disciple of Tsunade—the granddaughter of the Hokage—truly makes him capable of becoming Hokage?"
Mito's eyes sparkled as she responded, "You're not wrong. If Ethan really manages to win the position of Hokage through this path, he will have earned it. And if he turns out to be a disappointment, well, you can't expect others to shoulder that blame."
She leaned in, her voice firm, "Right now, I'd much rather see Ethan ascend to Hokage than have Sarutobi Hiruzen continue to hold the title."
Taking a breath, she elaborated further, "With the master-disciple bond between Ethan and Tsunade, combined with our alliance with the Uchiha—and with our future marriage plans to further intertwine our clans—having Ethan as Hokage would only bolster the strength of both the Senju and Uzumaki clans. It's not a loss; it's an immense gain."
Mito added, "At least this way, the Uchiha won't need to consolidate their power by suppressing the larger ninja clans. That tactic is usually reserved for those small, less confident groups. Even though the Sarutobi clan is not exactly small—they're more of a medium-sized clan—we simply lack the extraordinary specialties that some possess."
Sarutobi Hiruzen interjected, "In the past, our clan won people's hearts by being law-abiding and obedient. That earned us recognition from the First and Second Generations. But ever since the Third Generation took over, everything has shifted."
At this point, the Third Generation immediately sensed that Mito's meaningful words carried a subtle reference to Danzo.
One of them spoke up, "You're right! I understand now. I'll keep Danzo in check and exercise extra caution with the Uchiha in the future!"
Another member added, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave for now."
Sarutobi Hiruzen considered their words for a moment before addressing Kaidō respectfully, "Indeed, the Uchiha's desire to claim the Hokage position solely through being Tsunade's disciple is pure wishful thinking. I will not allow such a notion to take root."
Mito waved her hand dismissively. "Well then—go!"
Without hesitation, the Third Generation departed quickly. Later, when they returned to the Hokage's office, the implications of their conversation still lingered in the air.
"Danzo and the other two surrounded them, their voices edged with impatience. 'How was it? What did they talk about? Has Uchiha Sarah really recovered completely?'"
A member of the Third Generation stepped forward and nodded affirmatively before repeating Lady Mito's words verbatim.
" 'What?' " came a puzzled murmur from the crowd.
" 'Damn it!' " Danzo roared in anger. "How could Lady Mito do this? She actually traded with the Uchiha by offering the Flying Thunder God Technique, the teacher's Water Style Ninjutsu, and the Sealing Technique!"
"Isn't this courting death?" Danzo fumed. "What qualifications does she have to pull off such a risky deal?"
His voice trembled with fury as he continued, "Once these techniques are in the Uchiha's hands, their strength will be further bolstered. Especially when it comes to sealing techniques—imagine the future when the Uchiha employ these skills in their own lands. It will be nearly impossible for us to monitor and control their activities."
He glared, emphasizing each word. "The Flying Thunder God Technique is a strategic-level ninjutsu. When mastered by the Uchiha, it will only make them more formidable. It could render them nearly invincible in the field of battle!"
Before anyone could retort, Danzo growled, "Well... Lady Mito is naturally qualified! These ninjutsu belong to the teacher and the Senju. Even if the teacher has recorded them in the sealed book or included them in the village's ninjutsu library, there must be at least one copy left in the Senju archives."
At that moment, Utatane Koharu spoke up, his tone cool and measured. He looked at Danzo in disbelief. "Do you really want to hear what you're saying? If Lady Mito isn't qualified to handle her own matters, then who in this village is?"
Danzo's face turned a deep shade of red as he retorted, "Koharu, which side are you on? Are you really siding with her? This is like aiding the enemy! Have the Senju forgotten that the Uchiha have been our age-old foes for a thousand years?"
Koharu curled his lips in disdain. "I'm simply telling the truth," he replied. "Besides, Lady Mito has already sealed the deal. What's the point of opposing it now?"
Danzo's fury boiled over as he sputtered, "You..." His anger was palpable, and his desire to lash out was evident.
Before the situation could escalate further, a member of the Third Generation interjected, "Enough! This is the current situation: Lady Mito has recovered a significant amount of vitality through this transaction. I feel confident that she can hold on for several more years."
He paused, then continued in a serious tone, "In the coming years, we may have to reconsider and restrain our actions against both the Senju and the Uchiha. Otherwise, our situation will become extremely troublesome."
Locking his eyes on Danzo, he warned, "Danzo, Uchiha Ethan is already Tsunade's disciple. Don't go after him—if you provoke Uchiha Sarah and Lady Mito, even I won't be able to protect you!"
His words were stern and carried an unmistakable warning. "This is part of the deal between Mito-sama and Uchiha Sarah. If you do anything to him, you will face the combined thunder of both of them. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
Danzo gritted his teeth. "Okay! I know," he muttered, though his expression betrayed his deep-seated displeasure. "I won't touch this kid for now."
Despite his reluctant agreement, Danzo seethed internally. Ever since he learned that Uchiha Sarah might have fully recovered, he had been scheming how to target and weaken her. His eyes, however, had also shifted in focus to Uchiha Ethan. But before he could put any plans into motion, the other side's countermeasures had clearly been set in place. He felt utterly exposed—and it frustrated him to no end.
"What a powerful woman!" Danzo muttered bitterly. "No wonder she was able to suppress the Uchiha for so long!"
He continued in a low, angry tone, "But if she doesn't die soon, it will be nearly impossible for me to continue targeting the Uchiha and obtain more Sharingan."
"Damn it!" he fumed, clenching his fists in frustration.
At that moment, another member of the Third Generation interrupted Danzo's spiraling thoughts. Lighting a pipe, he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke as he pondered aloud, "We're nearly at the end of this matter. Now, we must consider the issue of the Uzumaki clan."
He leaned forward, speaking in a measured tone, "Now that Lady Mito has regained so much vitality, should we send a large force to support the Uzumaki clan in the near future? Or should we stick with our original plan?"
He paused, considering the possibilities. "The Lady Mito we see now appears to have recovered only a portion of her strength. She may not have enough energy to fight if pushed too hard. But knowing her mastery over sealing techniques and her scheming nature, who's to say that she isn't concealing her full potential? If she has indeed recovered to her peak and we proceed as planned, we may well face the full force of her thunderous revenge—an outcome we cannot afford."
His tone grew somber as he continued, "Lady Mito's prestige in this village remains incredibly high. It might be an exaggeration to say that one call from her can mobilize a hundred responses, but it isn't far from the truth. The influence of the Senju has not yet faded. If she wishes, she could even force the Hokage to step down."
The weight of his words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the volatile balance of power—and the dangerous stakes involved for all the clans.
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