The council hall remained silent for a long moment as everyone took their seats.
The tension from earlier had not vanished—it merely settled, heavy and suffocating.
Once all were seated, the meeting resumed.
"Cough… cough."
Elder Homura cleared his throat twice before speaking.
"Our current reserve supplies," he said calmly, "can sustain Konoha for six months at most. Based on our projections, this war will last more than a year—possibly longer."
Several clan heads frowned.
"There is also a possibility," Homura continued, "that the Hidden Sand Village may surrender within a year. Their supply lines are collapsing, and according to our intelligence, their daimyo has withdrawn financial support."
He paused, then turned his gaze toward the Uchiha side.
"Clan Head Fugaku," Homura asked, "is there any possibility that the Cat Clan may reopen their shops in Konoha?"
Fugaku did not answer immediately.
For a brief moment, he considered negotiation—but his eyes shifted toward the Grand Elder Setsuna. Among the Uchiha, no one understood the Cat Clan better than him.
Setsuna met Homura's gaze and spoke evenly.
"The Cat Clan has recently developed a new vehicle for the nobles," he said. "Demand for it has surged beyond expectation. Their businesses in the Fire Capital are flourishing."
He shook his head slightly.
"They will not return to Konoha at a time like this."
Homura's expression darkened.
Depending on the Uchiha for war supplies was becoming… difficult.
At that moment, Nara Shikaku spoke.
"Elder Homura," he said thoughtfully, "why don't we negotiate with the merchants still operating in Konoha?"
Several eyes turned toward him.
"From what we understand," Shikaku continued, "the recent price increases are a reaction to our previous exploitation. They made little profit during the early stages of the war."
He folded his hands.
"They likely have demands of their own. If we address those, our supply issue could be resolved."
A faint pause.
"After all," he added, "they cannot simply take their goods back. That would ruin their reputation and business."
Hiruzen and Homura exchanged a glance.
Shikaku's reasoning… made sense.
As the council members considered Shikaku's proposal, the atmosphere shifted.
Hiruzen slowly lifted his gaze, addressing the jōnin and clan heads present.
"The village will open negotiations with the merchants," he said firmly."We will attempt to reach an agreement that ensures a steady flow of supplies."
The jōnin nodded in unison.
"Next," Hiruzen continued, "each clan is to submit a list of shinobi available for deployment. Registration will begin tomorrow."
His eyes then moved to the Uchiha delegation.
"Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha," he said, "your clan will be among the first to join the warfront. As discussed, the village will arrange supply support as swiftly as possible."
Fugaku inclined his head.
"The Uchiha will mobilize immediately," he replied."We will reach the border by the end of the week—or sooner, if circumstances allow."
Hiruzen gave a small nod and turned to the rest of the hall.
"All necessary funds and supplies have already been allocated," he announced."Each of you may now assemble your squads and prepare for departure."
The assembled jōnin voiced their agreement.
With that, the meeting was adjourned.
One by one, the council members rose from their seats and began to leave.
Across the hall, Danzo remained standing near the wall.
His bandaged arm throbbed faintly beneath the wrappings, but he paid it no mind.
Pain was irrelevant. It always had been.
His single visible eye stayed fixed on the Uchiha delegation—occasionally drifting, briefly and carefully, toward Toyoma.
That boy.
Danzo no longer underestimated him.
A space-time technique capable of instant, unmarked switching.
A mind sharp enough to turn the entire council against him without ever raising his voice.
Too dangerous.
Not now, Danzo told himself.
But later.
One by one, the clan heads and jōnin departed—returning to their compounds, their duties, their preparations for war.
Danzo waited until the hall had nearly emptied.
Only then did he turn away from the Uchiha.
"The board has shifted," he thought calmly."And when it does…"
His visible eye darkened.
"…someone must be removed."
Without another glance back, Danzo stepped into the shadows—already planning his next move.
Outside the Hokage Tower, the Uchiha elders walked in silence.
Grand Elder Setsuna led the way.Behind him walked Toyoma, with Elder Kohaku close at his side.
After several moments, Kohaku finally spoke.
"Was that worth it?" he asked quietly.
Toyoma stopped.
Kohaku looked at him, his expression heavy.
"From today onward," he continued, "the village higher-ups will watch the Uchiha far more closely. Surveillance will increase. Every step we take will be measured."
Toyoma understood that fear.
"It was necessary," he replied calmly."The village must know the truth about the Uchiha. If we stay silent, they will fabricate another lie—one that destroys our reputation completely."
He met Kohaku's eyes.
"Did you notice?" Toyoma asked."Several clans acknowledged us today. That recognition matters."
Kohaku let out a short, bitter laugh.
"What kind of recognition?" he said."They didn't see the Uchiha as the strongest clan of the Warring States anymore. They saw a weakened clan—pressured by the village where its daily life was already affected."
He shook his head.
"That recognition felt more like pity."
Toyoma smiled faintly.
"For an elder of the Uchiha's neutral faction," he said, "you still carry a great deal of pride."
Then his smile sharpened.
"And that is exactly what I want to break."
Kohaku looked at him sharply.
"We cannot continue living on the fame of our ancestors," Toyoma continued."Their sacrifices were never made for glory. They were made so we could survive."
His voice remained calm—but firm.
"I want the Uchiha to understand something simple: we are human, just like everyone else. I will not allow us to be sacrificed for hollow honour—not for Konoha, and not for a village that won't even acknowledge our sacrifice as one."
Silence followed.
Kohaku exhaled slowly.
"You're right," he said at last."We can't live in the past forever. We must think about the future—and work for it."
He looked at Toyoma, his gaze clearer than before.
"Thank you," Kohaku said quietly."We were sacrificing everything for pride… without asking what truly mattered to us."
Grand Elder Setsuna finally spoke.
"Yes," he said calmly."It was worth it."
Both elders turned toward him.
"Because now," Setsuna continued, "the other clans understand something important."
He paused.
"If the village can reduce the Uchiha to a tool—or erase us as 'necessary sacrifice'—then it can do the same to them."
His eyes hardened.
"From today onward, every action the village takes will face resistance. The higher-ups can no longer move openly."
Setsuna stepped forward.
"And that," he said, "is how balance is restored."
Kohaku understood Setsuna's meaning.
Many things would change for the Uchiha from this day forward.
There was now a real chance for them to grow closer to other clans—no longer seen as an untouchable, prideful relic of the Warring States, but as a clan that could be spoken to… understood.
Indirectly, that alone was a victory.
Kohaku looked back once at the Hokage Tower and let out a quiet sigh.
Inside the Hokage Tower
Hiruzen stood facing Danzo, with Homura and Koharu beside him.
"That boy is dangerous," Danzo said flatly."If he is allowed to grow, he will become our enemy."
Homura nodded grimly.
"His jutsu…" he said slowly. "It surpasses even the Flying Thunder God. I still remember how my position changed in an instant—how the Uchiha surrounded us before I could even react."
A bead of sweat formed on his brow.
"If they had chosen to strike," Homura admitted, "we would have had no counter."
Hiruzen listened in silence.
After a long moment, he sighed.
"For now," he said, "we cannot move against the Uchiha—or that boy."
He turned toward the window, his gaze distant.
"Our situation has become far more complicated. The clans no longer see us as protectors. They see us as a threat to their existence."
His voice remained calm—but heavy.
"Every move we make from now on will be watched. Judged."
He looked back at Homura and Koharu.
"Many will believe that the suffering in this village was engineered by us—to preserve our power."
The words lingered.
Finally, Hiruzen spoke again.
"After this war," he said quietly, "I will abdicate as Hokage."
The room went still.
"If I do not," Hiruzen continued, "civil war will be inevitable. The Four Great Clans will stand alone against the rest of Konoha."
His eyes hardened—not with fear, but resolve.
"I will not allow the village to tear itself apart."
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances.
Neither spoke.
They both knew Hiruzen was right.
Danzo looked at Hiruzen when he heard the words abdicate as Hokage.
For a fleeting moment, something stirred within him.
A smile—small, restrained, almost imperceptible—tugged at the corner of his lips.
Hiruzen saw it.
Their eyes met briefly.
Hiruzen understood his old friend's dream better than anyone else. He had always known what Danzo desired… and what he was willing to become for it.
But he said nothing.
Some ambitions could not be extinguished by words alone.
And after today—
the era of quiet control was truly coming to an end.
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Today is my birthday, so to celebrate with all of you, I'm uploading three chapters at once—because who likes waiting? This is my way of sharing the day with my readers.
I also want to let you know that my next two original works—Astra Lok: The Thief of Karma and Kingdom of Broken Balance: The Third Path—will begin uploading on Patreon from 15 January and on WebNovel from 1 February.
These two books are my personal creations, and I truly believe many of you will enjoy them. If you like my work in this fanfiction, please leave a comment. And if you notice any mistakes in my writing, don't hesitate to point them out—I want to keep improving.
Thank you for reading and supporting me.—hear_tteeth