Konoha's forces had been deployed.
From clan shinobi to civilian ninja, the village had emptied itself of those capable of fighting.
What remained behind was silence—heavy and suffocating.
Families understood what war truly meant.
Not victory.
Not glory.
Only two outcomes existed: fame… or sacrifice.
The elderly, wives, and children of the shinobi did not voice their fear, but it grew quietly inside them.
A worry that would not fade until the war ended—if it ever truly did.
No one desired war.
Yet everyone knew they were not the ones who decided whether it would happen.
Wars were born from countless reasons—some grand, some trivial—and ordinary people had no power to stop them.
All they could do was pray.
Pray for survival.
Pray for success.
Pray that their loved ones would return.
This was the word Hiruzen Sarutobi had created.
A village dependent on its pillars—those who now march into blood and uncertainty for the sake of those left behind.
Mothers held their children close, gently comforting them when small voices asked, "When will father come home?"
They answered, "Soon."
Even when they themselves did not know if that was a lie.
Clan families suffered no less than civilians.But unlike ordinary villagers, they had their clans to rely on.
They had lived with war as part of life.
They understood loss.That understanding dulled the fear—just slightly.
Yet this time, the burden was heavier.
Because now, it was not just individual lives at stake—but the survival of entire clans.
From the jōnin meeting, the truth had become clear.
The Uchiha were not alone.
Many clans carried grievances born from the village's indirect policies.
But seeing how great clans like the Uchiha—and even the Senju—had been shaped, weakened, and divided by those same forces sent a chill through them all.
If such clans could fall…What chance did the others have?
Discussions erupted behind closed doors.
Every clan searched for answers.
For solutions.
For a way forward.
And found none.
At the Nara clan compound, a rare gathering was underway.
Nara Shikaku sat at the centre, his expression unusually grave.
Beside him were Yamanaka Inoichi, the patriarch of the Yamanaka clan, and Akimichi Chōza, head of the Akimichi clan.
Two Nara elders—Kagetora and Mokuhai—sat quietly nearby, listening.
This time, no one spoke lightly.
Chōza was the first to break the silence.
"So… the village has pressured the Uchiha this far," he said, concern evident on his face. "Is it possible they might revolt?"
His thoughts went further than words.
If that happened now—during a war—Konoha would be torn apart.
Other villages would never miss such an opportunity. And in the end, it wouldn't matter who won—Uchiha or Konoha.
The village itself would suffer.
Shikaku exhaled slowly.
"No," he replied after a moment. "From what they said during the meeting—and by making everything public—the Uchiha made one thing clear."
"They've been pushed too far," he continued.
"But they never mentioned rebellion. If anything… it felt like they still want dialogue."
Chōza visibly relaxed.
"That's good," he muttered.
Inoichi, however, frowned deeply.
"I don't understand what the higher-ups are thinking," he said, irritation seeping into his voice. "Do they want the Uchiha to rebel by pressuring them like this?"
"They're testing limits," Shikaku replied calmly. "And not just the Uchiha's."
He looked at both men.
"This pressure is on every clan in Konoha. The village wants to increase the number of civilian shinobi and reduce reliance on clan forces. Control becomes easier that way."
He paused, thoughts drifting.
"Strengthening civilian ninja isn't wrong. Loyal shinobi reduce the burden on clans. But the problem lies in how it's being done."
"Deliberate pressure. Gradual weakening."
"And now," he added quietly, "that anger is surfacing."
Inoichi's expression darkened.
"Danzo is crossing the line," he said coldly. "ROOT members come to my clan again and again, demanding shinobi."
"At first, I cooperated. I gave those without close family—thinking of the village."
"But his demands keep growing."
His hands clenched.
"That man comes with his half-rotten face and speaks in the name of Konoha… and expects me to hand over my clan."
Shikaku listened carefully.
"You can delay further requests," he said. "I'll speak to the Hokage."
"This time, he has to answer. All the clans are watching him now."
Inoichi nodded, though the tension didn't leave his face.
Shikaku knew the truth well.
The Yamanaka weren't the only ones suffering.
The Aburame had lost many to ROOT as well.
But now—now that it was clear the village was deliberately weakening clans—those who had endured silently would no longer remain quiet.
No one wished to suffer alone.
Elder Kagetora, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Shikaku," he said, "a Uchiha shinobi came to the clan earlier. He said there is something they wish to discuss."
Shikaku stiffened slightly.
"What kind of discussion?" he asked.
Kagetora shook his head.
"He said it would be better to speak directly with their Grand Elder."
Chōza frowned.
"Now that you mention it," he said slowly, "a Uchiha jōnin came to my clan a day before the meeting as well. He said they wished to conduct some… business."
"You weren't present then," he added, glancing at Shikaku. "So I told them we would discuss it later."
"They asked us to meet their Grand Elder—whenever we were ready."
The room fell silent once more.
After a moment of silence, Inoichi spoke again.
This time, his expression was noticeably calmer.
"Shikaku," he said, meeting his gaze, "I think we should meet the Uchiha."
Shikaku looked at him.
"At the meeting," Inoichi continued, "their elders mentioned that they've shifted their business toward nobles—and that it's thriving."
"I want to understand what they're doing," he said plainly. "And more importantly… what their next move is."
Chōza nodded in agreement.
"Yes," he added. "We shouldn't let the Uchiha feel isolated."
He hesitated for a second, his brows furrowing.
"The way the village has treated them… if they start believing they stand alone, there could be consequences. Ones none of us want to deal with."
Shikaku remained silent.
His mind was already several steps ahead.
Meeting the Uchiha now could easily be misinterpreted by the higher-ups.
In the wrong eyes, it might look like factions forming—or worse, quiet alignment against the village.
But refusing to meet them carried its own dangers.
Isolation bred desperation.
And desperation led to mistakes.
After a brief pause, Shikaku finally nodded.
"Alright," he said. "We'll meet them."
"Tomorrow."
"We'll hear what they want to say—and decide our next step after that."
The decision settled heavily in the room.
But none of them objected.
At the Hokage Tower, only two figures remained.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the desk, a stack of reports spread before him. Beside him, Homura Mitokado stood quietly, reviewing intelligence delivered by ANBU from the borders.
The room was silent—heavy with responsibility.
After a long moment, Hiruzen spoke.
"Orochimaru should move to counter the Cloud," he said calmly. "With the Uchiha deployed toward the Mist, this is the best balance."
He looked toward Homura.
"What do you think?"
Homura nodded slowly."It's a sound strategy," he replied. "Orochimaru can handle the Cloud's shinobi."
Then, after a brief pause, he added,"What about Tsunade and Jiraiya? Any new reports?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"No news from Jiraiya," he said. "As for Tsunade… she's agreed to create an antidote to Chiyo's poison on the Sand front."
"She'll withdraw from the war after that."
His thoughts drifted briefly—to Tsunade's reply, cold and distant, given without hesitation as she returned to her work as a medical ninja.
Homura sighed softly.
"Let her be," he said. "We both know her condition. The fact that she came at all is already more than expected."
"I've also heard she plans to take Kato's niece with her," he added. "That she accepted the girl's request."
Hiruzen's guilt surfaced openly this time.
"I agreed," he admitted. "Danzo mentioned the girl in front of Tsunade."
"That angered her."
"And… this was her response."
He leaned back slightly.
"I believe it's for the best," he continued. "Tsunade training her as a medical ninja will benefit the village."
From the reports, Hiruzen already knew the truth.
Shizune was a genius—both in theory and practice.
Under Tsunade's guidance, she wouldn't just become a jōnin.
She would become elite.
Homura's expression hardened at the mention of Danzo.
Memories of the meeting—of places exchanged, words unsaid—rose to the surface.
"Hiruzen," he said quietly, "I think it's time you restrain Danzo."
"The times are unstable," he added. "And he's becoming… willful."
The words lingered in the room.
Hiruzen's thoughts drifted back to the meeting.
What should have ended in the village's favour had instead descended into chaos—because of Danzo.
For years, Danzo had served a purpose.
A shield.
A shadow that took the hatred meant for the Hokage himself.
But now, that shield was cracking.
Danzo's willfulness had crossed a line.
His actions had not only provoked the Uchiha but also ignited resentment among the clans as a whole. And that anger no longer stopped at Danzo.
It reached the village elders.
It reached the Hokage.
Hiruzen understood this truth clearly.
In times like these, a blade swung without restraint did more harm than good.
And Danzo… was swinging freely.
Hiruzen did not respond immediately.
But his silence was heavier than agreement.