The atmosphere inside the Hokage Building was heavy.
Every person present understood how serious the situation had become. The more they thought about it, the darker the future seemed.
Danzo, who had been reprimanded earlier by Hiruzen, was barely containing his anger.
His voice broke the silence.
"The Uchiha," he said coldly. "Why didn't they sell their stock to the village at a reduced cost first? Instead, they halted production and took everything away. We should confiscate their remaining stock and force them to restart production."
Homura turned sharply toward him.
"And on what grounds would we confiscate it?" he asked. "Because of supply shortages? Do you want the entire Uchiha clan to revolt against us?"
He shook his head.
"They are not fools. They can clearly see the pressure and schemes being placed on them."
Then Homura looked toward Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen, it would be better to call a jōnin meeting and discuss this openly. The village must take responsibility as well. Provide the Uchiha with funds so they can restart production. Otherwise, this war will leave a permanent stain on Konoha's history."
Koharu, who had been silent until now, felt a chill run down her spine.
She understood the implication.
After the White Fang's death, many eyes were already watching the elders closely—like hawks circling overhead. If they failed to act now, not only the Uchiha, but many clans might turn against them.
"Hiruzen," Koharu said quietly, her expression dark with concern, "Homura is right. If we don't take measures now, what comes next will be far more difficult to face."
Hiruzen sighed inwardly.
If nothing was done, history might remember him as the worst Hokage Konoha had ever known—and his clan would be dragged down with him.
He looked at Homura and Koharu.
"Calling a jōnin meeting will weaken our control over the village," he said slowly. "Many clans may look down on us for it."
Homura's expression turned grim.
"We don't have much choice," he replied. "If the Uchiha restart production—even if they sell weapons at half the current price—it will ease many of our problems. Though… their reputation will rise because of it."
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
"What if we shift the responsibility onto them?" he suggested. "Say this situation exists because the Uchiha raised prices in the first place. Let them clean up the mess they created."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura all looked at Danzo.
Koharu was the first to speak.
"We cannot force them directly," she said firmly. "It must be done indirectly during the meeting. If we openly blame the Uchiha, even other clans will see through it—and it may backfire."
Hiruzen understood the risk.
Placing all the blame on the Uchiha would permanently damage his relationship with them. But—
If he framed it as a moral lesson…
If the Uchiha had consulted the village before raising prices, this crisis might have been avoided.
That reasoning would sound reasonable to the jōnin.
After that, he could provide funds and have the Uchiha restart production at reduced prices—presented as a form of "responsibility" rather than punishment.
They would have no choice.
"…Good," Hiruzen said at last, his expression calm once more. "We'll call a meeting."
Hiruzen gave a short nod.
"Call the ANBU."
A masked shinobi appeared instantly, kneeling on one knee.
"Inform all clan heads," Hiruzen said calmly.
"A jōnin meeting will be held this evening."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The ANBU vanished.
At the same time, far from the Hokage Building—
In the capital city.
"Koji-dono," a ninja cat said respectfully, her tail swaying slightly. "Several merchants are asking about the new tricycles and bicycles. Noble families seem especially interested. Many want to introduce them to their regions."
Koji glanced up from the documents in his hand.
"Akari," he said evenly, "it has only been one week since sales began. Let the product become more well known first."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"As for those merchants—tell them we are willing to sell. But they must pay half the order in advance and wait one week for delivery."
Akari nodded, then hesitated.
"There are also inquiries from the Iron Country Merchant Guild," she added. "They are asking for a partnership in the bicycle business. Should I call them in?"
Koji's eyes narrowed slightly.
Elder Setsuna's words echoed in his mind.
Iron Country first. Then the Land of Snow in secret.
"No," Koji replied after a moment. "Make them wait two more days. For now, tell them we are only selling finished products."
Akari then left.
Koji exhaled slowly.
If they rushed negotiations with Iron Country, they would lose leverage. As Elder Setsuna had explained, Iron Country was a neutral nation—accepted by all great powers. Many essential materials would have to pass through them.
This deal had to be perfect.
Koji was no ordinary merchant.
He was a retired elite jōnin of the Uchiha Clan.
He had completed countless missions for the clan, but his fate had shifted when both his children failed to qualify as ninja. To secure their future, he had opened a shop, stepping away from the battlefield.
Yet now—
Elder Setsuna had entrusted him with something far greater.
The Breathing Sword Style.
A method his sons could practice.
A path that returned strength to his bloodline.
From his conversations with the Grand Elder, Koji finally understood the faction's true intent.
At first, the decision had terrified him.
The consequences would be heavy. His family would pay a price. The clan would move in shadows. Enemies would multiply.
But then the elder showed him the pills.
The techniques.
The possibilities.
If such things were used openly within Konoha, the Uchiha would be restrained—controlled—unable to expand freely.
But if they were developed in secret, outside the village's reach…
The faction would prosper.
Strength would return.
Just like during the Warring States Period.
Koji closed his eyes briefly.
The moment Elder Setsuna revealed the Breathing Sword Method, Koji had understood—
From this point onward, he no longer needed to hesitate.
The hawk faction would only rise from now on.
By afternoon, many families had gathered to offer their congratulations and blessings for the birth of the Uchiha clan head's child.
As the crowd slowly thinned, Minato walked alongside Fugaku through the Uchiha district. When they reached the training grounds, Minato's attention was immediately drawn to the activity there.
An Uchiha ninja stood in the centre of the field.
Lightning crackled around his hand.
What shocked Minato was not the Lightning Release itself—but the fact that the ninja performed it without a single hand sign. The chakra was precise, controlled, and sharp.
The lightning pierced straight through a wooden stake.
Minato's eyes widened.
Before he could recover, another scene unfolded.
An Uchiha chūnin raised his hand. Without seals, chakra gathered—compressed and spinning—forming a dense ball. In the next moment, it slammed into another wooden stake, exploding it apart.
Minato froze.
He turned sharply toward Fugaku.
"Th-this… Fugaku-senpai," Minato said, disbelief clear in his voice. "How?"
Fugaku watched Minato's expression with amusement.
A proud, almost smug smile appeared on his face.
"These are two Muji Jutsu developed by the Uchiha," Fugaku said. "In this war, Minato, you will hear our clan's name everywhere."
But the very next moment—
Fugaku's jaw dropped.
Right in front of him, Minato raised his hand.
Chakra gathered effortlessly, spinning and condensing into a perfect sphere.
No difficulty. No hesitation.
Fugaku stared.
"…Minato," he said slowly. "You—you don't happen to have the Sharingan, do you?"
Minato blinked, confused.
Fugaku stepped closer, staring at the technique in Minato's hand.
"How do you know about the Rasengan?"
Minato tilted his head slightly.
"This?" he asked. "This is the Spinning Halo Sphere, Fugaku-senpai."
Fugaku scratched his ear.
"…What?"
Minato repeated the name, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Spinning. Halo. Sphere."
Fugaku burst out laughing.
"Minato," he said, shaking his head, "this is the Rasengan."
Minato looked at the sphere in his hand, then back at Fugaku.
"Well," he said honestly, "I created it by studying the Tailed Beast Bomb of the Nine-Tails. Kushina told me about it. I thought—if I could form a chakra ball with similar destructive properties…"
Fugaku's expression slowly turned serious.
He understood.
Minato had created the same technique as Toyoma—but through a completely different inspiration.
Toyoma had developed it by observing whirlpools, forcing chakra to rotate in layers, compressing and spinning it faster and faster until it became lethal.
Different ideas.
Same result.
Fugaku explained Toyoma's method to Minato.
Minato listened intently, eyes shining.
"…Wow," Minato said at last. "I never thought someone else in Konoha could create the same kind of jutsu as me."
Then he added, after a pause,
"But his naming sense is terrible."
Fugaku looked at him flatly.
"…And yours is better?"
Minato coughed lightly and changed the topic.
"Can I meet him, Fugaku-senpai?" Minato asked eagerly. "I really want to meet the Uchiha genius who thought the same way I did."
Fugaku hesitated.
"Well… that might be difficult—"
Before he could finish, a calm voice spoke from behind them.
"I'm already here."