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Manji's words quickly put an end to Tajima's fighting spirit.
The killing intent around him receded, and he fell silent, waiting for the rest of Manji's plan.
Manji stood up and flipped his hand. A detailed map of the Land of Fire appeared in the air between them. It showed mountains, rivers, cities, clan lands, and borders, all drawn with great care.
He tapped the center of the map.
"I'll deal with the daimyō and his court. You bring the major shinobi clans to our side. We'll work both angles at once—political support from above and military strength from below."
Tajima frowned. "Grandpa, wouldn't it be easier to kill the daimyō?"
Manji shook his head. "No. We'll have plenty of uses for him later."
Tajima considered that, but his doubts remained. "The daimyō and his ministers are seasoned politicians. They've spent their whole lives scheming against one another. They won't be easy to control."
"Building a village will threaten their interests. If they remain in power, they'll interfere sooner or later. Why use them when we can remove them?" His expression darkened.
"Those bastards claim the Sage of Six Paths personally granted their ancestors these lands, making their rule sacred and beyond challenge. That story is the only reason half the country accepts their authority."
Manji glanced at him. "Do you believe it?"
Tajima laughed and shook his head. "Of course not. It's just propaganda, nothing more than a story the daimyō use to keep themselves in power... Without the Sage of Six Paths lending them divine legitimacy, their rule would collapse under its own weight."
Manji smiled but said nothing.
After Tajima left, Manji cleared his throat.
A White Zetsu rose from the ground.
"You understood everything we discussed?"
White Zetsu bowed. "I'll take care of it at once."
..............
Several days later, the daimyō of the Land of Fire issued an official decree granting the Uchiha Clan control over a vast tract of territory.
The Uchiha had received their charter to build a shinobi village.
Tajima mobilized the entire clan and moved immediately to the land they had selected.
The site matched the future location of Konohagakure down to the last ridge and riverbank.
The Uchiha were shinobi—so they worked much faster than ordinary laborers. Within a few days, they cleared the roads, raised the walls, and built a new settlement for the clan.
Manji personally chose the village's name.
KONOHA.
The first outline of the Hidden Leaf Village had appeared.
Manji then drafted an Open Letter to Every Shinobi Clan in the Land of Fire.
The letter, sent in the Uchiha Clan's name, invited every clan in the country to move to Konoha, join their strength, and build a future together.
News of the announcement spread quickly across the Land of Fire.
Every clan was shocked.
The Uchiha were already powerful and secure. No one understood why they would work so hard to build a village and invite possible rivals in.
Even worse, the Uchiha had never been known for warmth or compromise. Most clans saw them as proud, strict, and quick to answer disagreement with violence.
To many, moving into their village felt less like forming an alliance and more like stepping into a trap. No one wanted to make the first move...
Then something happened that surprised everyone in the Land of Fire.
The Hyūga Clan answered the invitation. Not only did they agree to join Konoha, but they also moved their whole clan there.
"..." The decision baffled everyone.
The Hyūga were known for their isolationism. They stayed out of conflicts and rarely got involved in other clans' plans. But now, they had chosen to join the growing Uchiha.
No one could understand why!!
...
Among the Hyūga migration caravan—Hyūga Tennin supervised the movement of supplies and clan members while voicing his frustration to his father.
"Father, I still don't understand. The Hyūga were living peacefully. Why uproot the entire clan and place ourselves under the Uchiha? You know what they're like. You know what Tajima wants. Why would we put ourselves at their mercy?"
The Hyūga Clan Head looked toward the distant land where Konoha was being built. "Tennin, you're still seeing this as a young shinobi. One day, when you are responsible for the clan's survival, you'll understand."
He offered no further explanation.
Centuries ago, the Sage of Six Paths had taken most of the Hyūga away from the shinobi world.
The two branches of the clan had remained separated ever since, but their most secret channels of communication had never been severed. Only the Hyūga Clan Head and a handful of senior elders knew the truth.
The moment news arrived that the Uchiha had received permission to build Konoha, the Hyūga Clan Head received a private order.
The Hyūga were to cooperate fully.
Konoha Had to Succeed.
..............
At the Senju compound, six-year-old Hashirama rushed to find his younger brother.
"TOBIRAMA, DID YOU HEAR? The Uchiha built a huge village! They sent us a letter inviting the Senju to live there too!"
Tobirama looked up at his excited brother with a slight frown. "So the Uchiha built themselves a village. Why should that concern the Senju?"
"I think it could be incredible," Hashirama said, scratching the back of his head. His eyes shone with earnest hope. "If all the clans lived together and finally put aside their grudges, there wouldn't be any more clan wars."
"NO MORE CHILDREN DYING. NO MORE FAMILIES DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES!!" Even at six years old, Hashirama already wanted peace more than anyone else around him.
"..." Tobirama was much more cautious.
"What if it's a trap? The Uchiha could be trying to lure the Senju into Konoha so they can weaken us from the inside."
Hashirama's smile faltered.
"But the Hyūga already joined them. Their whole clan moved to Konoha—and nothing happened to them. Doesn't that prove the invitation is real?"
"You're overlooking something important," Tobirama replied. "The Hyūga are protected by a sacred safeguard granted by the Sage of Six Paths. The Uchiha would never risk attacking them."
"The fact that the Hyūga are safe tells us nothing about how the Uchiha would treat the Senju."
Hashirama lowered his head and thought it over. He had to admit that Tobirama's point made sense. Still, the idea of the village would not leave him.
He imagined a place where rival clans could put down their weapons, live together, and raise children without sending them to war—
That was the world he wished for.
..............
Inside Konoha, Manji and Uchiha Tajima sat across from one another, discussing the village's next stage.
Konoha did not yet have a Hokage.
Its highest authority consisted of only two people:
Manji and Tajima.
"Grandpa, the village has been established, but the Hyūga are still the only clan that has joined us." Tajima tapped a finger against the table. "At this rate, the larger unification plan may never gain momentum."
He had been worried at first. Then he saw Manji calmly drinking tea and decided there was little point in panicking before the old man did.
"There's no need to rush. Building a village and integrating rival clans cannot be done overnight. Push too hard, and the whole project will collapse." Manji said.
He set down his cup. "Begin accepting civilians displaced by the wars. Give them homes and bring them into Konoha. A village cannot survive on shinobi alone."
"Next, invite merchants, craftsmen, and investors. Build an economy. Konoha has to be more than just a military settlement. It should be a place where people can make a living and raise their families."
"Finally, implement the mission system and shinobi administration framework I prepared."
Manji pushed a neatly organized stack of documents across the table.
Tajima picked them up and began reading.
His eyes widened with every page. "Grandpa... this is brilliant!"
He looked at Manji with open admiration, amazed at how carefully every part of the village had been planned.
"There's no need for praise." Manji leaned back and began to explain the basics of his plan. "Shinobi have always served daimyō, nobles, warlords, and wealthy families. The entire profession revolves around the upper class."
"No one has ever built a mission system for ordinary people. Farmers, merchants, travelers, and small villages all have needs—yet no organized shinobi force serves them."
"That market is untouched."
"We begin there."
"Konoha will accept affordable missions from civilians and complete them with better results and greater reliability than any independent clan can offer. Once the public learns that our shinobi are trustworthy, the village's reputation will spread."
"Then we move upward—Civilian work first, merchant contracts next, followed by nobles, regional governors, and finally the daimyō's court."
"Step by step, Konoha will take control of every level of the shinobi mission market!"
Manji got the idea from the business society he remembered from Earth.
Independent shops had a hard time competing with big chains. Without steady customers, good distribution, or a known brand, most ended up closing or joining a bigger group.
Shinobi clans were just the same.
If Konoha controlled the contracts, the clients, and the flow of money, the independent clans would slowly lose their livelihood.
Their choices would narrow with every passing year. Eventually, they would have to set aside their pride and join Konoha themselves.
Of course, there was always the chance they might unite and attack the village instead.
Manji would welcome that.
Then the Uchiha could absorb them with a clear conscience!
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