Uchiha Ran communicated with the System.
"System, I have a bad feeling. Something is about to happen. Do you know why?"
The System fell silent.
Then a large projection unfolded before his eyes, displaying scenes one after another—Hiruzen Sarutobi's abdication, Danzo Shimura's surging ambition, and the Fire Daimyō's covert scheming.
---
Iwagakure
Ōnoki convened an emergency meeting overnight.
"Now," he said gravely, "let's discuss the internal strife in Konoha."
Akatsuchi stood behind him and began listing the key issues one by one:
"First: should Iwagakure intervene and support the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in suppressing the Uchiha Clan?"
"Second: after the conflict, do we extort Konoha for compensation, or launch a full-scale war to seize territory?"
"Third: if war breaks out, how should Konoha be divided, and how will the benefits be allocated among the villages?"
"Fourth: to prevent the Hidden Cloud from taking advantage of the situation and attacking Iwagakure, who will defend the village, and who will lead the expeditionary force?"
The room fell into deep thought.
Mūga crossed his arms, sneering.
"Why help the Third Hokage? I don't get it. Supporting the Uchiha would be far better. Are you all getting senile?"
The tense atmosphere instantly dissolved into laughter.
Akatsuchi struggled to keep a straight face. Ōnoki chuckled twice. Kurotsuchi, completely lost, kept swinging her legs.
Mūga froze.
"What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?" he asked seriously. "The Uchiha are arrogant and domineering. If they rise to power, Konoha will tear itself apart!"
Mūga was one of Iwagakure's strongest young shinobi, possessing overwhelming Earth Release power. His strength alone rivaled multiple elite jōnin. That was why, at only twenty years old, he was allowed to attend high-level meetings.
Ōnoki raised a hand.
"Enough. Akatsuchi, explain it to him."
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage."
Akatsuchi turned to Mūga.
"You asked why we help the Third Hokage. The reason is simple—he's ruthless, cold-blooded, and extremely skilled in political maneuvering."
Mūga was stunned.
"That's… praise?"
"But precisely because of that," Akatsuchi continued calmly, "he sacrificed his own people for power and stability."
"To prevent war with the Hidden Cloud, he handed over Hyūga Hizashi's body and paid enormous compensation."
Mūga frowned.
"Later, Hatake Sakumo—known as the White Fang—became so renowned he was regarded by many as the next Hokage."
"Hiruzen grew uneasy. He allowed Danzo Shimura to orchestrate the downfall of the White Fang. Unable to bear the slander, Sakumo committed suicide."
Mūga looked around in disbelief.
Some sneered. Some remained silent. Others gave small, confirming nods.
"And when the Uchiha Clan became too powerful to control," Akatsuchi continued, "the Nine-Tails incident occurred."
"The Uchiha could have helped suppress the disaster—but Danzo's Root surrounded their compound and forbade them from acting."
"Afterward, the Uchiha were expelled from Konoha's core under the excuse of suspicion and forced into isolation."
Ōnoki raised a hand, stopping Akatsuchi, and looked at Mūga.
"What do you think now?"
Mūga's expression was conflicted.
"I never imagined a Hokage would do such things… Those powerful clans are the backbone of a village."
"But he eliminated them one by one…"
At last, understanding dawned on him.
"So as long as Hiruzen Sarutobi remains in power, he'll continue weakening Konoha from within."
Ōnoki nodded in satisfaction.
"Exactly."
"It's better to let him rule and rot the village from the inside," Mūga said slowly. "Once Konoha is weakened enough, it'll be meat on the chopping board."
Ōnoki smiled faintly.
The discussion continued.
---
Uchiha Ran watched everything through the System's projection, his expression darkening.
Sure enough, the ones who understood Konoha best were its enemies.
Every major village was planning to support Hiruzen Sarutobi on the surface—while preparing to carve Konoha apart for profit.
Ran closed the System interface.
"System," he said softly, "what do you think my purpose is in coming to this world?"
No response.
"Was it just to change the Uchiha Clan's fate?" Ran shook his head. "No."
"Since I'm here, I'll do what those before me did—press forward without hesitation."
"I'll unify this world."
The System stared at the host it had summoned, momentarily stunned.
Ran smiled faintly.
"But before that, this coup is unavoidable. Many will die—but only by cutting away rot can a dying tree grow into something towering."
He looked toward the horizon.
The darkness was receding, and the sun was slowly rising.
------
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