Chapter 20: Blood Stains the Clan Crest Red
After Namikaze Minato left, the oppressive silence returned to the main command tent.
Outside the tent, the occasional groans of the wounded and calls from medical ninjas drifted in, but these sounds seemed blocked by an invisible barrier.
Uchiha Hachidai's aged fingers lightly tapped the table: "Sanpō, you shouldn't have spoken so rashly just now. In the future, you need to be more steady in your actions."
Though his tone was calm, his sharp gaze cut like a blade, each word striking Uchiha Sanpō's heart like a heavy hammer.
Uchiha Sanpō felt his throat tighten—he understood exactly what Elder Hachidai meant.
Earlier, he had told Hachidai: after the war ended, to prop up Namikaze Minato as Hokage, Konoha's higher-ups would inevitably launch a massive propaganda campaign, shaping him into a savior. At that point, revealing the truth of Shinobazu Bridge would shatter Minato's heroic halo and lose him the people's trust.
By driving Minato away and laying that card bare now, they had lost a major bargaining chip for later.
Uchiha Sanpō thought for three seconds: "Last night, our 4,000 fought and defeated over 6,000 Iwagakure ninjas, capturing more than 5,000 of them. Today, Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki came personally to sign the surrender and promised to deliver 300 billion ryō by afternoon. In such a short time, I turned the tide of defeat… gained immense honor… so I got a little carried away… I believe everyone can understand. I'll be more careful in the future!"
Seeing Uchiha Sanpō's sincere apology, Elder Hachidai's gaze softened slightly.
Previously, when they were at a disadvantage, they needed every card and leverage they could get.
Now that they had defeated Iwagakure, their achievements already surpassed Namikaze Minato's—the truth about Shinobazu Bridge had become irrelevant.
His warning to Sanpō was only because the youth was still young; he wanted to curb any budding arrogance before it took root.
The small incident was quickly set aside. Uchiha Hachidai stroked his sparse beard and turned his gaze to the sand table in the center of the tent, still showing last night's battle layout.
"Now that Iwagakure has surrendered and we'll receive the money by noon, what do we do after releasing the more than 5,000 Iwagakure prisoners?" Elder Hachidai's voice carried a trace of uncertainty.
Clan Head Kazami tapped the edge of his teacup uneasily and murmured: "Exactly… our war with Iwagakure is over. What comes next… where do we go from here?"
The water in the teacup trembled slightly, reflecting his furrowed brow.
Everyone's eyes turned toward Uchiha Fugaku—he was, after all, the frontline commander.
Uchiha Fugaku stood before the sand table, hands clasped behind his back, Three Tomoe Sharingan slowly spinning.
He stared at the sand table as though dissecting every detail.
Everything had changed since Uchiha Sanpō returned with intelligence yesterday.
Originally, with supplies running critically low, they had planned to abandon the frontline outpost and withdraw to the Land of Fire border.
But after Sanpō's various analyses and arrangements, they had truly defeated Iwagakure. Now they held over 5,000 prisoners and had successfully demanded 300 billion ryō in reparations.
Happiness had come too fast—and changed too quickly—even Uchiha Fugaku hadn't fully figured out the next steps.
Fortunately, as Clan Head and frontline commander, he could afford not to have ideas—his subordinates could not.
So he passed the buck: "Sanpō, what do you think?"
Every gaze in the tent turned toward Uchiha Sanpō.
This sixteen-year-old young ninja had displayed astonishing tactical talent in last night's battle.
Uchiha Sanpō unconsciously straightened his back, inwardly cursing: I'm just a squad leader—you're the big shots! Why are you all looking at me? Uchiha Fugaku doesn't want to think, so he dumps it on me—watch me throw it right back!
"What comes next depends on whether Clan Head Fugaku intends to become the Fourth Hokage! If you don't want to be Fourth Hokage, then once we receive the 300 billion ryō, we divide the money and return to Konoha Village to live comfortably. After all, with your current achievements, Clan Head, Konoha's higher-ups definitely won't let you rack up any more merit."
Uchiha Sanpō's words were like a stone dropped into still water, sending ripples through every heart.
Becoming Hokage—this was the dream of countless Uchiha clansmen.
The tent fell silent. Everyone silently reassessed: this Uchiha Sanpō really dared to say anything!
Not getting the answer he wanted, Uchiha Fugaku wouldn't let it go so easily.
He frowned slightly: "Sanpō, tell me your real thoughts!"
Uchiha Sanpō took a deep breath. He looked straight into Fugaku's eyes and asked word by word: "Clan Head Fugaku… do you truly want… to become… the Fourth Hokage?"
This question pierced Uchiha Fugaku's heart like a sharp blade.
He had thought about it—but never deeply.
His pupils contracted slightly; the Three Tomoe Sharingan spun unconsciously.
The higher-ups in the tent exchanged surprised glances. Uchiha Hachidai's hand tightened on the table edge, betraying his inner unrest. Clan Head Kazami narrowed his eyes, seemingly reevaluating this young man's audacity.
Uchiha Fugaku's frown deepened: "If I want to become Hokage… what price would I have to pay?"
At these words, Uchiha Sanpō's mind became crystal clear—he keenly caught the wavering in Clan Head Fugaku's tone.
Fugaku's question could be interpreted as: if the cost is small, then he'd give becoming Fourth Hokage a try. If the cost is too high, he'd give up. This showed his conviction to become Hokage was not particularly strong.
He scanned the room, letting his gaze linger on each face for a moment.
Elder Hachidai's palm pressed hard enough to raise veins; Clan Head Kazami appeared calm, yet tea had spilled unnaturally onto the table; Clan Head Kurama stared fixedly at the sand table as though answers were hidden there.
"With our current achievements, we already qualify as candidates for Fourth Hokage. But to gain broader support, we must go to the Kirigakure front. The problem is that Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others will never allow us to reinforce the Kiri front—they'll even try to sabotage and hinder us. So if we want to go to the Kiri front, we'll have to go against Hiruzen and the rest head-on."
Excitement flashed in Uchiha Hachidai's eyes; his Three Tomoe Sharingan activated unconsciously.
He slammed the table excitedly: "Sanpō! If we follow your plan—what are our chances?"
Uchiha Sanpō answered without hesitation: "Seventy percent. The key is whether we can end the Kiri front quickly. If it drags on too long, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura will have enough time to interfere."
Uchiha Fugaku closed his eyes. Images of his wife Mikoto and young Itachi surfaced in his mind.
If he chose caution, he could at least ensure his family's safety. But if he chose boldness and succeeded, the Uchiha clan would gain unprecedented status. Yet if he failed… he might die on the Kiri front, or be surrounded by Anbu, blood staining the clan crest red… losing everything…
Early access to upcoming chapters is available on Patreon.
Support the translator and binge ahead! patreon.com/arthursink Means a lot – thank you! ✍️