The Konoha F4 gathered once again.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane stared at the battle report from the front lines in silence.
Uchiha Yusuke had actually defeated Kumogakure's Two-Tails' jinchūriki head-on.
That was indeed beyond their expectations.
"Thud."
Shimura Danzō tapped the cane in his hand against the floor, his expression dark.
The next Hokage of Konoha must be me.
Trash like Uchiha Yusuke will never lay a finger on that seat.
Danzō suddenly spoke in a cold voice.
"Uchiha Yusuke poses a tremendous threat to Konoha. Hiruzen, perhaps we should…"
Yusuke's great victory on the battlefield had given Danzō a powerful sense of danger.
He was already beginning to show signs of becoming the people's choice. If he were allowed to continue growing, what would happen then?
The Third Hokage's gaze was deep and unreadable.
After a long moment of contemplation, he slowly shook his head.
"The war is not yet decided. It would be unwise to act rashly at this time."
Danzō let out a cold snort.
He knew exactly what Hiruzen was thinking—simply using Kumogakure's hands to eliminate Uchiha Yusuke and avoid criticism.
In Danzō's eyes… Hiruzen had grown old.
He no longer possessed the boldness of the once-renowned "Professor" of the ninja world.
Relying on others was unreliable. Only by acting personally at the right moment could success be guaranteed.
A faint sneer tugged at the corner of Danzō's lips.
If the Hokage hesitates, then don't blame me for taking matters into my own hands.
Over the years, Danzō had done no shortage of questionable things in secret.
Once everything was already set in motion, Hiruzen would have no choice but to acquiesce.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane also stepped forward.
"Uchiha Yusuke's strength is rising too quickly. We must remain cautious."
"If the Uchiha were to stage a coup, Konoha would be placed in a very passive position."
Hiruzen once again put on his benevolent expression.
"The Uchiha are also comrades of Konoha."
"I believe they would not betray the village so easily."
He saw further than the two advisors.
While the Uchiha were indeed a threat, he himself was walking a tightrope as well.
This time, the Uchiha elites had deployed in full force, and Yusuke had personally defeated Kumogakure's Two-Tails' jinchūriki. How could the hot-tempered Fourth Raikage possibly let this go?
If the Fourth Raikage personally entered the battlefield, Uchiha Yusuke's situation would become extremely dangerous.
And whether to dispatch reinforcements to the front lines—that decision rested in his hands as Hokage.
With a little maneuvering—
Even delaying the arrival of reinforcements might be enough to doom the Uchiha beyond recovery.
Eliminating this internal threat without sacrificing a single soldier and without bearing any blame—would that not kill two birds with one stone?
Of course, Danzō's line should also be kept dangling.
If unforeseen changes occurred, he could still be pushed to act from the shadows.
The darkness of Konoha existed to handle the dirty work, did it not?
And if something went wrong, he would take the blame.
If anyone sought the mastermind behind it all—what would that have to do with Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Hiruzen and Danzō each harbored their own schemes.
The two advisors were little more than tools—occasionally used as weapons when convenient.
The four of them once again conspired regarding the Uchiha.
Uchiha Yusuke's prestige was growing by the day, already faintly reminiscent of Sakumo Hatake.
Konoha's higher-ups had no desire to see a second "White Fang" emerge—
Especially one born from the Uchiha clan, whom they regarded with deep suspicion.
Land of Earth — Iwagakure
The Third Tsuchikage received the battle report immediately.
Ōnoki wore an expression of undisguised schadenfreude.
Kumogakure's jinchūriki had actually been defeated by that brat of the Uchiha clan.
Konoha truly produced talents without end.
For a fleeting moment… Ōnoki recalled the man once known as the "Yellow Flash."
Upon encountering him, Iwagakure shinobi were permitted to abandon their missions and flee immediately.
That was a humiliation Iwagakure could scarcely speak of.
Now that Kumogakure had stumbled badly against Konoha, it was deeply satisfying.
In his youth, he had witnessed the might of the "Shura of the Ninja World," Uchiha Madara.
With a single glare from Madara, he had been forced into battle as if dancing on strings.
Though he had served as Tsuchikage for many years, Ōnoki had never forgotten that nightmare.
Even his revered teacher, the Second Tsuchikage Mū, had not been a match for Uchiha Madara.
Now another Uchiha—"Blazing Demon" Yusuke—had emerged.
That was more than enough to give Kumogakure a headache.
The Third Tsuchikage waved his hand and issued an order.
"Closely monitor the battlefield. Be ready to move at any time."
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.
The more fiercely Konoha and Kumogakure fought, the happier he would be.
After all, they were both enemies. Mutual destruction would be ideal.
Land of Wind — Sunagakure
Upon receiving the report, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, felt a trace of relief.
Fortunately, he had not followed Elder Chiyo's advice to declare war on Konoha.
Otherwise, the losses might have outweighed the gains by now.
For Uchiha Yusuke to defeat Kumogakure's Two-Tails' jinchūriki—
The new Uchiha clan head was clearly not someone to be underestimated.
Rasa himself possessed Kage-level strength, yet even suppressing a rampaging Shukaku was no easy task.
Sunagakure did not possess Kumogakure's method of steadily controlling Tailed Beasts.
For them, Tailed Beasts were a double-edged sword.
At one point, Rasa had even considered sacrificing his own son, Gaara, to prevent Shukaku from losing control.
Since their previous unpleasant disagreement, Elder Chiyo and her younger brother Ebizō had chosen to retire.
Though Sunagakure's internal disagreements had settled, its top-tier combat power had become severely lacking.
With only one Kage-level fighter presiding, it was difficult to ensure that others would not harbor ill intentions.
Rasa decisively ordered Sunagakure to closely monitor the war while maintaining a defensive strategy.
Joining the war was out of the question.
At most, they would seek an opportunity to gain some benefit.
Land of Water — Kirigakure
The Fourth Mizukage, under Obito's control, was occupied with enforcing the Bloody Mist policy and had no time to concern himself with the conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure.
Kirigakure had dared to cause the death of his beloved Rin.
He would plunge the village into chaos before he was satisfied.
While stirring turmoil within Kirigakure, Obito had also set his sights on one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—Hoshigaki Kisame.
The Akatsuki still lacked capable fighters.
And this Swordsman, who was just as disillusioned with the world as he was, was undoubtedly a suitable candidate.
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