Toyoma listened to the Third Hokage.
To him, it sounded like a criminal who only regrets his crime when it is time for punishment.
Promises made when there is no other choice left.
Grand Elder Setsuna looked calmly at the Third Hokage.
When he heard that Hiruzen would step down after the war, he showed no reaction.
"Third Hokage," he said evenly, "we have already made our position clear. We do not care who becomes the next Hokage."
The hall grew quieter.
"What we care about," Setsuna continued, "is reinforcement and supplies now, and compensation for the Uchiha after the war. These three things are our only concern right now."
A murmur spread among the clan heads.
Uchiha Don't care about the Hokage position?
Grand Elder Setsuna looked at the grim face of the Third Hokage.
After this war, Konoha would not be the same.
Everyone knew that.
The village would lose power, resources, and stability.
It would take many years to recover.
So what did the Hokage seat mean to the Uchiha now?
Grand elder's thoughts were at this moment, as Toyoma suggested: the hokage has to make his word clear in front of the village.
That after the war, Uchiha will receive monetary compensation for their sacrifice.
Some clans exchanged looks.
If the Uchiha were not interested in the position, then perhaps they could push forward one of their own candidates.
Jiraiya frowned.
"Elder Uchiha," he said, "my teacher is stepping down. A new Hokage will be chosen. There is a chance that a Uchiha could take that position."
He looked confused.
Tsunade felt the same confusion.
Didn't the Uchiha always want to become Hokage?
Even Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
The Uchiha not wanting the Hokage seat? That was new.
Toyoma noticed the expressions of several mid-sized and major clan heads.
They tried to hide it.
But their relief was visible.
Toyoma smiled faintly.
Let's wake them up a little.
"Elder Jiraiya," Toyoma said calmly, "after this war, Konoha will be nothing more than an empty shell."
His voice remained steady.
"The Senju's legacy, the village's strength, the stored resources — most of it will be spent."
He looked around the hall.
"Do you expect the Uchiha to fill that empty shell with our own wealth so that others can continue ruling without worry?"
The Third Hokage's face darkened.
"No, Uchiha will not become Hokage," Toyoma continued.
"And we will not invest a single ryo into repairing what was drained under someone else's leadership."
The room felt heavier.
He looked at the third hokage.
"Or is this the plan," Toyoma added, "to keep authority as elders while letting the next Hokage clean up the mess?"
Several clan heads stiffened.
The Sannin's expressions turned grim.
"Instead of talking about the future," Toyoma said quietly, "focus on the present."
"Reinforcements. Supplies. Compensation."
He looked directly at Jiraiya.
"Empty promises in secret will not solve today's problems."
Jiraiya did not answer immediately.
His face was hard to read.
And for the first time—
He truly began to think about what the Uchiha boy had just said.
The clan heads who had been thinking about sending their own shinobi as Hokage candidates slowly grew uneasy.
Most of the village's resources had already been used during the Third Hokage's tenure.
After him, whoever became Hokage would have to fill that gap.
Nara Shikaku quietly observed the faces of the Third Hokage and the elders.
They were avoiding the several clan heads' questioning gazes.
That itself was an answer.
Shikaku then looked at Toyoma.
This Uchiha boy was thinking far ahead.
He understood what the next Hokage would have to deal with.
Shikaku let out a slow sigh.
The clan heads near him noticed his expression.
They understood.
Much of what Toyoma said… was right.
Their gazes shifted back to the Hokage.
This time, they were no longer respectful.
They were questioning.
"Third Hokage," Toyoma said calmly, "dragging this matter will not help. Please answer clearly. Will you send reinforcements and supplies to the Mist border or not?"
Homura tried to interrupt.
"Supplies and reinforcements are also needed at the Cloud bor—"
"We do not care about other borders right now," Toyoma cut in.
"Even when Uchiha were sent to the Mist border, we informed you that we needed supplies. And even now, you continue to delay."
His eyes did not leave the Hokage.
"If there is still no clear answer, then we will have no choice but to request the Daimyo to inspect how the funds for supplies have been used."
Homura fell silent.
That accusation caught him off guard.
The room grew tense.
The Third Hokage spoke at last.
"After this meeting, supplies for the Mist border will be prepared," he said.
He paused.
"As for reinforcements, we will need to discuss which clan will be sent."
Toyoma said nothing.
But the pressure in the room did not lessen.
The earlier announcement about stepping down now felt different to the people present.
It no longer sounded like a sacrifice.
It sounded like avoidance.
The Uchiha side relaxed slightly after hearing the promise about supplies.
"As for the Uchiha's request for compensation after the war," the Third Hokage continued, "the village will ensure their sacrifices are not in vain."
"Before you step down, correct?" Toyoma asked quietly.
The Hokage stopped mid-sentence.
"You brat—" he snapped, teeth clenched.
Toyoma lowered his gaze slightly.
"I was only confirming," he said in a calm tone.
"If a new Hokage takes office before compensation is settled, matters could become complicated."
The meaning was clear.
Responsibility must be taken before leaving the seat.
Tsunade watched everything in silence.
This was the first time she had witnessed a meeting like this.
In the past, meetings were simple.
The Hokage spoke.
Everyone listened.
Rarely did anyone question him.
But now—
Every decision was being challenged.
Every word examined.
Now she understood why she, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru had been called back.
This was no ordinary tension.
'This brat only brings trouble,' Homura thought as he looked at Toyoma.
The Third Hokage let out a slow sigh.
There was no way to avoid it anymore.
The stares from everyone in the hall made that clear.
They were waiting.
There was no space left for excuses.
"Yes," the Third Hokage said at last. "It will be completed before the next Hokage takes office."
He looked directly at Toyoma as he spoke, his expression calm but firm.
The Uchiha jonin behind Toyoma felt a wave of relief.
Some of them could not hide their excitement.
Grand Elder Setsuna inclined his head slightly.
"Thank you for confirming that, Hokage-sama," he said evenly.
The Hokage did not reply.
He shifted his gaze away from the Uchiha and looked at the rest of the hall.
"Now," he said, "let us discuss which clans will send how many shinobi to each border."
The atmosphere in the room changed again.
The matter of Uchiha had been settled for now.
But the real burden—
It was still ahead.
As the meeting in the Hokage's office came to an end—
At the Mist border, things were becoming much more difficult for Gendo's squad.
"Gendo, do you even understand how much trouble this can cause us?" Uzuku said angrily.
"Have you gone mad? Why would you do something like this?"
He was clearly furious.
The situation at the border was already tense.
And now, Gendo's squad had secretly brought the Sand Hero, Pakura, into their camp —
unconscious.
They had even given her chakra recovery pills and healing pills.
At first, Uzuku had thought of killing her quietly and burying the matter.
That would have been the safest option.
But Gendo had stopped him and explained everything that had happened.
At first, Uzuku had felt some pity for her situation.
But after thinking carefully, he realised the danger.
If news spread that Pakura was inside their camp, it would create serious trouble for the Hawk Squad.
Now, a full week had passed.
She still had not woken up.
And hiding her was becoming increasingly difficult.
Uzuku could not allow Gendo's impulsive decision to destroy the Hawk Squad's plans.
He was already considering sending her away from the camp—
Or abandoning her somewhere safe.
But Gendo refused to agree.
The tension between them only continued to grow.
Uzuku looked at Gendo again and tried to calm himself.
"Gendo, you should understand something," he said in a controlled voice.
"The whole of Konoha is already watching us Uchiha closely."
He exhaled slowly.
"I'm not even talking about you giving her the chakra recovery pill. But think carefully. If anyone finds out that Sand's hero, Pakura, is here in our camp… what do you think will happen?"
His eyes shifted to Pakura, who lay unconscious on the bed.
"And we don't even know what she will do when she wakes up. The first thing she might do is attack us… or send information back to her village."
Uzuku could not rely on assumptions.
Whether Pakura had been betrayed by her own village or not, it did not change one fact.
She was still a Sand shinobi.
"Uncle Uzuku…" Pochita finally spoke up.
He had been listening quietly while Uzuku kept scolding Gendo.
He felt that Senior Gendo was in trouble because of him.
"She could be useful to us," Pochita continued carefully.
"Her village betrayed her. She will want revenge. We could use her help in this war."
Uzuku turned toward him.
"And if she doesn't?" he asked sharply.
"Will you take responsibility when the border collapses because of your hope?"
Pochita fell silent.
Gendo looked at Uzuku and spoke in a low voice.
"Uzuku… I know what I'm doing."
His gaze moved toward Pakura.
"When I saw her being betrayed by her own village, I thought about my parents."
His jaw tightened slightly.
His fists clenched at his sides.
"You know what that rebellion did to our faction. We lost because of betrayal from inside."
"I saw the same thing happening to her."
His voice dropped.
"I couldn't just walk away."
He paused.
"There was something inside me that told me to save her."
Uzuku's eyes did not soften.
"And what if her thoughts are not the same as yours?" he asked.
"What if she wakes up and chooses her village over her pride?"
Gendo looked back at Uzuku.
"If anything goes wrong… put all the blame on me."
He let out a slow sigh.
"I will take responsibility."
Uzuku gave a short, humourless laugh.
" Haha, you think blame will fix it?"
Uzuku pressed a hand against his forehead.
"Just what am I supposed to do with subordinates like you?" he muttered in frustration.
Inside, his thoughts were harsher.
Why are all Uchiha so stubborn? They act first and think later. What if this decision destroys everything?
He looked at Gendo again.
Before he could speak—
"You Uchiha don't need to worry about me sending your intel to the Sand."
A calm voice filled the room.
Everyone froze.
They turned toward the bed.
Pakura's eyes were open.
Gendo stepped forward instantly.
"You're awake?" Pochita said, relief flashing across his face.
Pakura slowly pushed herself up, though her body was still weak.
"I've been awake for about an hour," she said quietly.
The room went still.
"I didn't understand where I was at first. So I stayed still."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"If something had gone wrong, I intended to strike first."
Uzuku's expression darkened.
So she had been listening.
Pakura lowered her eyes briefly.
But what she heard was not what she expected.
She had expected imprisonment.
Interrogation.
Maybe even torture.
Instead—
She heard arguments about protecting their own position.
About not wanting trouble.
About the risk of saving her.
She had heard Gendo's voice.
He saved her because of betrayal.
Because of his parents.
Because he couldn't ignore what he saw.
Her chest tightened slightly.
Her own village had tried to eliminate her.
The enemy had pulled her out of death.
The irony was bitter.
"I don't plan to return to Sunagakure," she said calmly.
"There is nothing there for me anymore."
Her eyes moved toward Uzuku.
"You are worried about your faction's safety. That much is clear."
She paused.
"You don't need my information. And I don't need yours."
Then her gaze shifted to Gendo.
It lingered there.
"You saved me because you saw something familiar," she said quietly.
Her expression was conflicted.
"I don't know whether to call that foolish… or admirable."
The room fell silent again.
But this time—
The silence was different.
Because now the problem had opened its eyes.
***************************************************************************************
Early access to more chapters ahead
Patr***n - hear_tteeth [18+]