Late morning, inside the Hokage's office.
The weather outside, which had been bright and sunny, suddenly turned gloomy. Heavy gray clouds pressed low over the sky, weighing down the air with a suffocating heaviness.
Inside the office, the atmosphere was even more oppressive—yet wrapped in a thin layer of formalized "warmth."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the large Hokage chair as usual. When he saw the elderly Uchiha clan head enter, he set aside the pipe that was still releasing faint wisps of smoke and put on a gentle smile.
This time, Koharu Utatane sat beside him.
Her back was straight and her expression solemn. Her gaze resembled that of a kindly grandmother next door, carefully observing every reaction from the Uchiha clan head seated across from her.
The old clan head ignored her scrutiny entirely.
He calmly took the guest seat, like a mountain that had endured countless storms—silent, yet radiating a heavy, immovable presence.
Hiruzen's gaze lingered on the old man's face for several moments before he spoke directly.
"Regarding the Uchiha clan dispatching forces to the eastern front to resist Kirigakure, the village leadership has held careful discussions and reached a preliminary decision."
The Uchiha clan head slightly raised his eyes and assumed the posture of a listener.
"I would like to hear the details."
Koharu Utatane took over at that moment. The sharp edge that normally accompanied her voice had been strangely softened, as if deliberately slowed.
"The Uchiha clan is undeniably one of Konoha's great bloodline families. We fully understand your clan's determination to serve the village."
She paused briefly, observing his reaction before continuing.
"Given the urgency of the ninja world's current situation—and considering that the Uchiha clan indeed possesses the strength to stand on its own…"
"Lord Hokage has approved a special arrangement. The Uchiha clan will be permitted to independently form a ninja army. This force will cooperate with the eastern army and jointly take responsibility for defending the eastern coastline against Kirigakure's invasion."
After learning from Homura Mitokado that the Fire Daimyō had been avoiding clear commitments—and that Konoha's battle with Sunagakure was not progressing smoothly while both Iwagakure and Kumogakure were advancing—
The Konoha leadership had held a small internal meeting.
They reached a certain consensus.
The matter of the Uchiha could no longer be delayed.
Even if they had to deceive themselves, they had to throw the Uchiha into the battlefield's meat grinder.
Just like the Senju before them—
Let the Uchiha willingly burn like leaves to fuel Konoha.
A sharp glint flashed in the Uchiha clan head's eyes, but he did not respond immediately.
With Konoha's leadership, the real point always came afterward.
Hiruzen supplemented Koharu's words at the right moment, speaking in a tone that sounded rather generous.
"The commander of this ninja army will naturally be appointed by the Uchiha clan themselves."
"During wartime, they will have the authority to make independent decisions on the battlefield. They will not need to request approval from the village for every action."
"Reports can be submitted afterward."
At first glance, this sounded like an enormous concession—granting the Uchiha almost complete military autonomy.
But the old clan head knew very well that the two people before him would never be that generous.
"And the conditions?" he asked bluntly, his gaze sharp.
Koharu answered without hesitation.
"The condition is that all expenses for this independent army—including personnel arrangements, logistics, and medical supplies…"
"All military equipment and weapons must be prepared and supplied entirely by the Uchiha clan."
She paused briefly.
A look of difficulty and embarrassment appeared on her face as her voice softened.
"The village is currently surrounded by enemies on all sides. Resources are stretched thin. We truly cannot afford to support an additional ninja army."
"I believe that with your foresight, Clan Head, you can understand the village's current predicament."
Koharu even leaned forward slightly, bowing her upper body in a humble gesture as she spoke sincerely.
"The Uchiha are one of the founding noble clans of the village. Your clan's foundation runs deep—far beyond most families in Konoha. Even the Hyūga would struggle to compare."
"At this critical moment of survival, we ask that the Uchiha shoulder this responsibility for the sake of protecting our shared Konoha."
The office fell silent.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Hiruzen quietly picked up his pipe again, appearing calm. But the corner of his gaze remained fixed on the Uchiha clan head's face.
Such shameless demands—expecting the horse to run without feeding it grass—
Even though Koharu had spoken them aloud, he felt a deep sense of shame.
But what worried him even more was whether the Uchiha would seize the opportunity to demand even more.
Koharu, however, remained expressionless as she waited for the old clan head's reaction.
At this critical time, reforming the tax system might damage the morale of the ninja clans.
But there were still many ways to extract wealth from the Uchiha.
Prepare all military equipment themselves.
That meant the Uchiha would not only have to provide manpower—they would also have to finance and arm the entire army.
This was a burden that could cripple even a ninja village, let alone a single clan.
The Uchiha clan head remained silent.
His fingers tapped lightly against his knee.
His face revealed neither joy nor anger.
This was an open scheme.
And it was one of the possibilities the clan had already discussed.
The village needed the Uchiha's power to resist Kirigakure.
Yet it did not want them to grow stronger through battlefield achievements and military control.
So they used economic chains to restrict and weaken them.
If they accepted, the Uchiha would pay a tremendous price.
If they refused, all their previous tough rhetoric would become a joke.
They could even be labeled as cowards unwilling to sacrifice for the village.
But Uchiha Anlan had said—
Authority and power must never be lent to others.
This time, Konoha had given it.
Once the Uchiha army was outside the village—
Would the Hokage's orders truly determine whether the clan army obeyed?
After a moment, the clan head lifted his gaze and calmly met the eyes of Hiruzen and Koharu.
"Very well."
His reply was crisp and decisive.
"The Uchiha accept these conditions."
"We will form an independent army, prepare our own funding, and hold the authority to make independent decisions during wartime."
He paused before adding firmly,
"I ask that the Hokage issue an official document announcing this decision to all of Konoha."
His straightforward acceptance caught Koharu slightly off guard.
She had expected far more negotiation.
She had even assumed the Uchiha would demand additional jonin council seats to challenge the Hokage position that could never truly belong to them.
"That will be done."
Hiruzen's eyes also flashed with brief surprise, though he quickly concealed it.
"The clan head truly understands the greater good. On behalf of the village, I thank the Uchiha for their sacrifice."
"All for Konoha."
The Uchiha clan head slowly stood up.
His tall figure carried an invisible pressure.
"In that case, I will return immediately to begin preparations. Time waits for no one."
"Kirigakure's blades will not wait for us to be ready."
He said nothing further.
After a slight nod, he turned and left.
As the door closed behind him, Koharu frowned slightly.
"Hiruzen… he agreed far too easily."
Hiruzen set down his pipe and gazed deeply at the gloomy sky outside the window.
"Today's result is exactly what we hoped for."
"As for whether the Uchiha truly possess the financial strength to support this… or if they have other plans…"
He paused, his voice heavy with age and fatigue.
"At least the eastern crisis has been temporarily resolved."
"And we are still trying to keep the Uchiha on a leash."
His gaze remained fixed on the dark sky.
"What happens next…"
"Will depend on how they perform."
He spoke quietly.
"Send the order."
"The Uchiha Independent Ninja Army Plan has been officially approved."
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