Konohagakure – The Hokage's Office
Rain lashed against the windows of the Hokage Tower, drumming a rhythm that matched the tension inside the circular room.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat behind his desk. The pipe in his mouth had gone cold, unlit. In his hand was a scroll stamped with the urgent seal of the Frontline Commander, Sakumo Hatake.
Sitting in the shadows around him were the village elders: Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and the leader of Root, Danzo Shimura.
"Is it confirmed?" Homura asked, breaking the heavy silence.
"It is," Hiruzen sighed, placing the scroll on the desk. "Sakumo's report is detailed. Ren Uchiha, fifteen years old, and his father, Satoshi Uchiha, both engaged the Third Kazekage in combat."
Hiruzen tapped the paper, his expression grim. "They didn't just survive; they nearly killed him. Satoshi used a previously unknown Fire Release technique—a spinning sphere of compressed flame—that melted the Kazekage's Iron Sand and cooked him inside his own absolute defense. The lethality is estimated at S-rank."
He unrolled the scroll further. "Following that, Ren produced sixty solid Shadow Clones and stabilized the entire medical camp alone. Then, he utilized a medical ninjutsu of unknown potency to save Nawaki Senju from certain death."
"Sixty?" Koharu adjusted her glasses, her voice sharp with disbelief. "That level of chakra... it rivals a Jinchūriki. And he is an Uchiha?"
Danzo Shimura, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, finally spoke. His voice was like grinding stones. "Ren Uchiha. Son of Satoshi. I checked the registries before coming here. There is no Academy graduation record."
"It is not mandatory for Clan shinobi to attend the Academy, Danzo," Hiruzen reminded him, though his brow was furrowed. "The noble clans—Uchiha, Hyuga, Aburame—have the right to train their children within their own compounds and register them as Genin upon passing a village assessment."
"Technically true," Danzo countered, opening his single visible eye. "But in practice, Hiruzen, you never allow it. Not for the talent."
The room went silent. They all knew the unwritten rule.
While the clans could train their own, Hiruzen made it a priority to scout every potential genius and enroll them in the Academy. It was the only way to instill the Will of Fire—to ensure that a child's loyalty lay with the Village first, and the Clan second. If a child showed promise, Hiruzen would personally visit the parents to 'encourage' enrollment.
"I remember the file," Hiruzen admitted, rubbing his temples. "Satoshi petitioned for home-schooling years ago. The boy was reported to be sickly. Low chakra reserves. Mediocre talent. I saw no reason to force him into the Academy, so I let it slide. I didn't pay him any attention."
"And that," Danzo slammed his cane against the floor, "was your mistake."
Danzo stood up, pacing the room.
"Do you truly believe a 'sickly, mediocre' child suddenly wakes up at fifteen with Kage-level combat abilities and chakra reserves that dwarf our elite Jonin?"
"People grow, Danzo. Perhaps he overcame his illness," Hiruzen reasoned, though doubt lingered in his eyes.
"Do not be naive!" Danzo snapped. "This was not a recovery. This was a fabrication. The Uchiha lied to you, Hiruzen. They falsified his medical records. They downplayed his talent."
Danzo pointed a bandaged finger at the scroll.
"Think about it. Why keep a prodigy out of the Academy? Why hide him from your teachers? Because they didn't want him infected by your Will of Fire. They wanted a pure weapon. An Uchiha loyal only to the Uchiha."
Koharu looked disturbed. "You think he is a sleeper agent?"
"I think the Uchiha Police Force is no longer enough for them," Danzo hissed. "They feel their influence waning. They resent the Senju legacy. So, they forged a weapon in the dark."
Danzo turned to the window, watching the rain.
"Look at his father, Satoshi. To us, he was an average Uchiha Jonin. He clocked in at the Police Station, clocked out, and went home. He claimed neutrality in clan politics. Yet, he secretly developed an S-rank spinning fire sphere? He was hiding his strength, likely training the boy in secret."
Danzo turned back, his eye cold. "And the mother. She was a medic in the Uchiha clan, but retired immediately after giving birth. Reports confirm she possesses a fully matured Three-Tomoe Sharingan."
"Do you think this is a coincidence?" Danzo continued. "They were paired specifically. Their offspring would inherit her medical talent and chakra control, and his hidden fighting prowess. And now, the report says Ren Uchiha moves like a ghost—faster than the Body Flicker technique. He might even be faster than you, Hiruzen. Do you really think anyone achieves that speed in just 'one month' on the front lines?"
The implications hung heavy in the air. A multigenerational plan to breed and train a super-soldier, hidden right under the Hokage's nose.
Danzo leaned over the desk, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Look at what he did. He didn't just fight; he saved the Senju heir. He saved Nawaki. That wasn't just heroism; it was a political masterstroke. By saving Tsunade's brother, he neutralizes the Senju opposition. He creates a debt. He is winning the hearts of the common ninja and the gratitude of the founding clan."
Homura frowned. "You suggest they are grooming him for the Hat?"
"Precisely," Danzo declared. "They are preparing to usurp the Hokage position. Not by force, but by acclaim. Who would vote against a 'Superb Medic' who saved so many in the war? Who would suspect the 'Savior of the Senju'? He is the perfect Trojan Horse."
Hiruzen looked out the rain-streaked window. He wanted to trust his people. He wanted to believe that Ren was just a late bloomer who loved his village. But the Uchiha clan had been restless lately. The isolation of the Police Force had bred resentment.
If Ren really had been hidden away to avoid village indoctrination... it was a grave threat.
"What do you propose?" Hiruzen asked wearily.
"He cannot be allowed to return to the Uchiha fold as a hero," Danzo said immediately, his eye gleaming with cold intent. "Hand him to me. Root will—"
"No," Hiruzen cut him off sharply. The chakra in the room flared, cracking the window pane slightly. "He is a war hero, Danzo. He just saved hundreds of our shinobi. If we drag him into the darkness of Root, the Uchiha will riot. You would start the very civil war you claim to prevent."
"Then what?" Danzo challenged. "Do we let a weapon aimed at our throat walk free?"
"We observe," Hiruzen decided, his voice firm. "We welcome him back. We praise him. And we place him under direct observation. Not Root... but Anbu. Under my command."
Hiruzen picked up his pipe, though he didn't light it.
"I missed my chance to teach him the Will of Fire when he was a child. I will not make that mistake again. I will see for myself where his loyalty lies."
Danzo sat back down, his face impassive, but his mind was already racing.
'You are too soft, Hiruzen. The Uchiha have played you for a fool. A weapon forged outside the system will never submit to the system.'
Danzo looked at the name on the scroll again. Ren Uchiha.
'If the Hokage won't break him... then I must find a way to ensure he never reaches the seat of power.'
Danzo stood abruptly and left the office without another word, his cane clicking rhythmically down the hallway.
Hiruzen stayed silent for a long moment, staring at the rain. He looked back at the second part of Sakumo's request—reinforcements were needed to hold the line now that the Suna and Iwa forces were regrouping.
"Five hundred ninja," Hiruzen muttered. "We need a leader who is loyal, level-headed, and can manage the volatile situation on the front."
He thought for a second, a specific name coming to mind. Someone who was close to the Senju, loyal to the Will of Fire, and capable of balancing the rising star of the Uchiha.
"Summon Kato Dan," Hiruzen ordered the Anbu guard in the shadows. "He will lead the reinforcement squad."