Chapter 14 - Sarutobi Hiruzen's Scheming!
"Hiruzen, what are you hesitating for? Didn't I tell you the Uchiha clan can't be trusted?"
Just moments ago, after Itachi and Shisui relayed part of Renji's words to Sarutobi Hiruzen, he immediately called a meeting with the council of elders.
There was no other choice.
In Hiruzen's eyes, Renji's way of thinking was far too dangerous.
It seemed that, just as Itachi and Shisui had said, the radical faction had taken control. If it weren't for the two of them coming to inform him, he might have still held onto the hope of taking things slowly.
"Hiruzen, I think we should just take action now."
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane exchanged a glance before agreeing with Danzō's suggestion.
In the past, they had always been hesitant, torn between wanting to take a bite out of the Uchiha's resources and fearing that losing such a powerful fighting force would lead to war.
Moreover, if a war broke out between the Uchiha and Konoha, the Fourth Great Ninja War would be inevitable. Even if they didn't act, other villages would surely seize the opportunity to demand concessions from Konoha.
"Hiruzen, what are you hesitating for?"
Seeing Hiruzen silently smoking without saying a word, Danzō grew increasingly impatient.
He couldn't understand why Hiruzen was still hesitating. In the past, it might have been excusable, but now that the radical faction within the Uchiha had risen, how could he remain so calm?
"Do you even realize what taking action now would mean?"
Hiruzen took a final drag from his cigarette, exhaled deeply, and looked at the others.
"It would mean war between Konoha and the Uchiha clan."
Koharu wasn't a fool. She knew that if the radical faction had risen, any action against the Uchiha would inevitably lead to war.
Even the dovish faction wouldn't stand idly by.
"Exactly. Acting now means war, and I don't want to see that happen. Even if we could eliminate the Uchiha clan, what would the cost to Konoha be?"
How many elite shinobi were in the Uchiha clan?
It could be said that one Uchiha could take on two ordinary shinobi, right?
Given the Uchiha's current numbers, they likely had at least 600 to 800 shinobi, and that didn't even include the clan's private forces, which weren't listed in the village's official records.
So, if they clashed with the Uchiha, Konoha would have to sacrifice 1,000 to 2,000 shinobi to eliminate them.
With the Uchiha's several hundred shinobi added to that, Konoha would lose thousands of fighters. How would they then defend against other villages?
Even if most of them were chūnin and genin, it would still be a significant loss.
"But Hiruzen, have you considered that delaying will only put us in a more passive position?"
Danzō had always advocated for taking action against the Uchiha. He believed that since they would have to act eventually, they might as well do it now.
After all, if the Uchiha found a way to counter them, they would be the ones at a disadvantage.
"Who will take action?"
Hiruzen turned his gaze to Danzō, his eyes filled with exasperation.
Seriously?
Could Danzō think of anything other than brute force?
If they were to act against the Uchiha, they at least needed a reason. The Uchiha hadn't even rebelled yet, and Danzō was already talking about taking action?
Wouldn't that just send a message to the other clans: "Wait your turn, and if I ever get annoyed with you, you'll end up like the Uchiha"?
Who would respect him then?
So Hiruzen absolutely could not take action, and he had to make sure Danzō didn't either.
If we can create internal strife within the Uchiha clan, letting them destroy themselves, that would be the best outcome.
So, back when he learned that Fugaku Uchiha wanted Itachi to join the Anbu as a spy, Hiruzen had two goals in mind: to temporarily stabilize the Uchiha clan and to cultivate allies who could deal with the Uchiha.
Imagine if the Uchiha clan fell into internal chaos, consuming themselves until only a few remained. Even if one or two were left, the Anbu could finish them off. But most of the damage would be done by their own people.
At that point, he could simply shift all the blame onto them, say a few comforting words, and the matter would be over.
The Uchiha threat would be gone, he wouldn't have to bear the blame, and the other clans in the village, even if they sensed something was off, wouldn't say much.
After all, once the Uchiha clan fell, everyone could take a piece of the pie. Naturally, no one would speak up.
No one would stand up for a clan that had already been wiped out. But he couldn't take direct action.
If he acted directly, the nature of the situation would change.
This was why Hiruzen had been playing both sides, giving the dovish faction hope while simultaneously pressuring the Uchiha clan to push the radical faction toward rebellion.
Once internal conflict broke out, that would be his moment to strike.
But what he hadn't anticipated was that Renji seemed to have gained the support of the radical, conservative, and moderate factions alike. Now, the Uchiha clan was united like a solid block.
That left him with no justification to act.
"Danzō, you need to think carefully. We can't take action. The Uchiha clan, after all, are still part of Konoha."
Hiruzen spoke with a meaningful tone, reminding Danzō.
Destroying the Uchiha clan couldn't be done hastily. Such a large clan couldn't be eliminated silently without a thorough plan. Otherwise, it would leave room for criticism. If the other clans in the village turned against them, it would spell real trouble.
"But you can't just sit back and watch them head down the path of rebellion, can you?"
Danzō narrowed his eyes, his words laced with implication.
He was hinting that Hiruzen needed to come up with a plan. The Uchiha would inevitably rebel, and inaction would only lead to greater trouble later.
"After he takes power, he'll need to do something to earn the respect of his clan. In the meantime, we must protect Konoha's interests and the interests of the other clans. We can't let the Uchiha clan go to extremes. We should try to placate them if we can."
Hiruzen spoke with a meaningful tone.
That's right.
His message was simple: Renji's rise to power came with pressure. Otherwise, the moderate and conservative factions wouldn't have compromised.
But if Renji failed to deliver, Fugaku Uchiha would likely be reinstated.
The last part, about protecting the interests of everyone in Konoha, was essentially pushing the Uchiha clan into opposition against both Konoha and the other clans.
This was Hiruzen's usual tactic. Claiming to placate, he was actually manipulating the Uchiha's emotions, giving them hope one moment and taking it away the next, exacerbating the conflict between the factions to achieve his goal without shedding blood.
(End of Chapter)
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