Dawn broke over Konoha, soft golden light spilling across the Hidden Leaf Village.
From atop the Hokage Rock, the entire settlement resembled a slowly unfolding fan.
At its core lay the administrative district, with the Hokage Tower standing tall and imposing.
Surrounding it were the official institutions—the administrative offices, the academy, the hospital.
A little farther out, the Police Force headquarters bore the unmistakable Uchiha fan crest, declaring the clan's authority within the village.
From this central axis, the land spread outward in a semicircle—home to the various shinobi clans.
The deep compounds of the Uchiha and Hyūga retained the austere elegance of the Warring States era.
Faint barking echoed from the Inuzuka district, while the Nara clan's herb gardens shimmered green beneath the morning mist.
These territories, arranged in careful layers, surrounded the administrative center like stars around the moon.
Between them lay the academy training grounds and the quiet courtyards of Konoha Hospital.
Beyond that, the civilian districts stretched outward along the curve of the fan.
Rows upon rows of tightly packed homes filled the landscape, shop signs gradually coming into view under the morning light.
Smoke rose from countless rooftops, mingling with the dust and chakra haze from early-morning training.
Roads radiated outward from the Hokage Tower like veins across the fan, binding the entire village together.
At the massive Konoha gates, Mitokado Homura stood with several guards.
The morning sun cast long shadows from the towering doors—like a clear boundary line.
He turned back for one last look at the village.
His gaze settled not on the Hokage Tower—
But on another structure in the central district, even more grand and imposing.
A colossal tower.
Dark walls etched with a massive Uchiha fan crest, its metallic lines gleaming brilliantly under the rising sun.
The glare made his eyes twitch involuntarily.
No matter where one stood within Konoha—so long as nothing obstructed the view—the first thing seen upon looking up was that bold, unmistakable emblem.
Even at the village gates, what greeted visitors first was not the stone faces of past Hokage—
But the Uchiha.
A commercial colossus that proclaimed both wealth and power.
This towering structure had become a landmark of Konoha itself—a place called a "village," yet home to over two hundred thousand people.
Homura's thoughts stirred.
"If only Hiruzen can handle the Uchiha properly… If they could be restrained and guided, like Kagami was under Lord Tobirama…"
The thought barely formed before he cut it off, releasing a quiet sigh.
"…But this is wartime. There are limits to what can be done."
Adjusting his glasses, he turned and stepped beyond the gates.
Under the watchful eyes of the guards and passersby, his group departed—gradually disappearing into the forest road leading toward the Fire Daimyō's capital.
—
Inside the Hokage Tower, Utatane Koharu—having rested briefly—stood by the window.
Her gaze fell heavily upon that same towering structure piercing the sky.
As the advisor responsible for Konoha's logistics and finances, she saw it not merely as Uchiha property—
But as a deeply troubling gap in taxation.
In Konoha's early days, the village had been poor.
All clans had entered with their own resources, laying the foundation together. At the time, the concept of taxation had barely existed.
As peace endured, more people were drawn to Konoha.
Especially after the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, had famously provided housing through Wood Release—building homes freely with a clap of his hands.
Refugees and hopefuls alike poured in.
The village flourished.
It was only during the Second Hokage Tobirama's rule that a formal tax system began to take shape.
But faced with resistance from all clans—and never expecting his own life to end so soon—Tobirama had focused taxation primarily on mission rewards.
As for clan-operated businesses, only a symbolic fixed tax was imposed.
Small enterprises were often exempt entirely.
When Hiruzen inherited the position, he simply continued the system.
And so, over time, each clan quietly expanded its industries—
From weapon forging to medicinal trade, from land leasing to high-interest lending.
Wherever profit existed, the clans followed.
At first, everyone prospered peacefully.
Koharu had thought little of it.
Until the Uchiha rose.
With a series of "irreplaceable" products—and especially after the rise of that towering structure—
Everything changed.
Rumor had it that a single day's revenue from that tower surpassed the monthly income of smaller clans.
The dazzling building had not only reshaped Konoha's skyline—
It had cast a restless shadow into the hearts of every clan.
Seeing the Uchiha's explosive profits, many began secretly imitating their products.
Some even attempted to steal trade secrets using clan techniques.
The result—
They ran straight into the Uchiha's iron fist.
The current Uchiha were nothing like the weakened state under Fugaku's later years.
Under the dominant leadership of Ren and the hawkish faction, retaliation came swift and absolute.
A single Sharingan genjutsu was enough to trace every thread.
Every infiltrator was exposed.
Every culprit dragged out.
Those involved were imprisoned without exception.
Most came from the Shimura and Sarutobi clans.
The rest were minor clans that had followed suit.
As for major clans like the Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka alliance—and the Hyūga—
They had remained cautious observers from the start.
Once the situation escalated, Hiruzen had no choice but to intervene personally.
Not only were the offending clans forced to pay massive compensation—
But the Uchiha were granted prime land in the heart of the village.
There, they constructed the tower that now overlooked all of Konoha—
A commercial empire combining daily goods, shinobi equipment, dining, entertainment, and leisure.
Ginza.
All Uchiha-run shops across the village were consolidated within it.
At the same time, it drew in businesses from other clans.
While absorbing Konoha's economic flow like a vortex—
It also allowed the Uchiha to:
Collect rent.
Provide positions for non-combat clan members.
Strengthen internal cohesion.
And use profit as leverage to bind other clans to them.
In doing so, they had created a gold-consuming paradise renowned throughout the Land of Fire.
Koharu tapped her fingers irritably against her ledger.
Her mind churned with one thought—
How to extract money from the Uchiha.
But she knew better.
Demanding it openly would be like courting disaster.
The Uchiha would not hesitate to shut down every business tied to her own clan.
And they would have plenty of "legitimate" reasons to do so.
Such was the authority granted to them by Tobirama—
The Konoha Police Force.
A body combining enforcement, legislation, and judiciary power.
Even more fearsome than any secret police.
Her gaze darkened.
"The Uchiha are not united."
"The clan head's faction… and the doves… both lean toward us."
A thought formed.
"If Hiruzen speaks as Hokage—appealing to reason, to loyalty…"
"Then perhaps… the clan head won't refuse the olive branch."
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