On the other side—
Inside the Hokage Tower.
After a full day of exhausting negotiations, Hidden Stone VIllage and Konoha finally signed a peace agreement.
Hidden Stone would retreat back to the border of the Land of Earth.
Konoha's frontline forces would also pull back to the Fire Country's border.
As for reparations?
This time, in the name of "peace in the shinobi world," Konoha decided not to demand much.
Of course, the optics of that were terrible.
So, Koharu Utatane improvised—she suggested that Hidden Stone officially ally with Konoha against the Land of Lightning.
Against Hidden Cloud Village
The Hidden Stone delegation thought it over, then agreed.
After all, their invasion of Konoha had already failed.
If Konoha wasn't demanding reparations, then cooperating against Hidden Cloud Village—an old enemy of Hidden Stone—was easy enough to accept.
And so, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Sarutobi Hiruzen personally escorted the Hidden Stone delegation to the gates.
Standing before Konoha's main gate, watching Hidden Stone's shinobi leave, his eyes lingered on the golden glow of the sunset.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Not bad. At last, one matter is settled.
With Hidden Stone standing against Hidden Cloud Village, and Hidden Mist Village helping us hold off Hidden Sand Village, this war may truly be nearing its end.
When peace returns… I can finally retire."
Hiruzen's voice was heavy with emotion.
He knew better than anyone—
since Hatake Sakumo's suicide, his own reputation had steadily declined.
Many clans had grown critical of him.
Then, with the outbreak of the Third War and the horrifying mortality rate among academy students, even the civilians had grown disillusioned.
If not for his constant preaching of the "Will of Fire" as a cover, the masses might have already turned against him.
And now—Uchiha Kai's meteoric rise.
The clan's repeated clashes with the Hokage's advisors.
The shifting loyalty of the other clans.
The Aburame and Inuzuka had already thrown their lot in with the Uchiha.
The rest, while not moving yet, were surely preparing to switch sides the moment things went sour.
Piece after piece, the burden wore him down.
Hiruzen understood—
if things continued unchecked, the Uchiha might truly rise again.
And his own reputation? Beyond repair.
So the only path forward was to step down voluntarily.
To retreat from the spotlight.
To elevate Namikaze Minato—a popular figure—as a puppet Hokage.
While he, Hiruzen, continued to pull the strings from the shadows.
With Minato in power, the Uchiha would lose their excuse to press the fight.
The clans would not dare to back them openly.
And Hiruzen could continue to control Konoha as he wished, without opposition.
"Koharu, Homura," Hiruzen said with a smile, "the future of Konoha rests with you.
Once this war ends, support Minato well.
He's still young, and he'll need guidance from his elders.
I've carried the burden long enough. It's time I had some rest.
The two of you must work hard."
His words were light, reassuring.
But his true meaning was simple:
He knew Koharu and Homura would have to shoulder the blame for today's peace deal.
So he dangled a carrot—telling them outright that even after his "retirement," they would remain Konoha's ruling elders.
Unfortunately, the two didn't hear the kindness in his words.
They only took it as a veiled warning: Even if I step down, don't you dare disobey me.
To gain power, one must also bear responsibility.
If you don't want the role, there are others who can replace you.
So—behave, and you'll be rewarded.
If not—Hiruzen had plenty of ways to bring them to heel.
"Don't worry, Hiruzen," they answered quickly.
"We'll guide Minato well."
They bowed their heads, meek and humble, as if they lived to follow his lead.
But in their hearts, hatred seethed.
They were already thinking about how, once they left work, they might provoke Danzo into lashing out at Hiruzen—just to stick a knife in his back.
BOOOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the air.
All three turned toward the source of the sound.
At the edge of the village—in the Forest of Death—
two towering figures of chakra were locked in combat.
One blood-red.
One violet.
Every clash of their colossal blades echoed like thunder, shaking the earth.
Whole swathes of forest were leveled.
The ground itself split apart.
"Uchiha… Susanoo!"
Hiruzen's face darkened instantly, his body trembling.
He knew that form.
As students of Tobirama, he and his comrades had seen Uchiha Madara's might firsthand.
And their late comrade, Uchiha Kagami, had wielded Mangekyo as well.
They were no strangers to Susanoo.
But the problem was—
how had the two Mangekyo users of this generation, Kai and Shisui, suddenly begun fighting each other?
Wait—
Hiruzen's mind raced.
Last night, hadn't he promised to support Shisui?
Could it be… that fool had actually taken him at his word?
Was Shisui really challenging Kai, right now?
"Shit…"
Hiruzen's scalp went numb.
He hadn't meant it.
It was just to stall Shisui until he could be properly investigated—until Shikaku returned.
Last night's promises were empty platitudes!
Could Shisui not understand that?
Was he really such an idiot?
But then again…
Hiruzen cursed inwardly.
Aside from Kai, most of the Uchiha really were that simple-minded.
It all made sense.
Shisui had clearly believed him, and now he'd raised his own banner against Kai.
If he lost, the consequences would be disastrous.
Would Kai, after crushing Shisui, turn his fury on the village's leadership?
The thought sent a chill down Hiruzen's spine.
"Anbu! Gather immediately!" he barked.
"Block every route between the Uchiha and the village.
Until I give the order personally, not a single Uchiha is to enter!
Seal squads, interrogation squads, Jounin squads—reinforce the Anbu!
Koharu, Homura—alert the major clans. Have them mobilize every shinobi.
Prepare for war. Guard against an Uchiha uprising!
Especially the Hyuga—bring me a team of Byakugan users immediately!
Summon all clan heads and every Jounin squad leader.
Come with me to the Uchiha compound.
Move! Quickly!"
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