In a dimly lit room, Akashi and Kuroko Uzumaki were seated facing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura.
Maric and Mikami Uchiha could also be seen nearby.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, what can. This old man does for you?" Kuroko asked, sipping his tea, there was no warmth or respect in his tone, while Akashi was looking at them with anger, hiding his deep hatred for those two men behind that childish display.
"First I would like to apologize to you and your clan for our failure to support you in your time of need," Hiruzen spoke bowing his head, and Danzo follower suite
"Humph," Kuroko scoffed at that "Indeed. Even with our deep relationship between our villages you didn't have any qualms about abandoning us to our fate when we needed you,"
"This... When we learned of the real situation at the time things were already out of control, I intended to deploy the anbu to assist when the combined force of the other villages launched a combined attack on Konoba, to stop us from going to your rescues, once again I apologize for my failure toward you and your clan,"
Hiruzen continued his explanation filled with regret, apologies, promise to do better in an attempt to rekindle the broken bond between the two villages.
Akashi looked at all that with a mix of deep disgust and admiration, 'If I didn't already know what kind of men those two are, even I could've been tricked into believing him.
People in his old world would think that his powerful mind eyes would allow him to see the darkness in Hiruzen and Danzo's, but in truth, it is much harder than that, plus, other than the children, everyone present in today's ceremony carried deep darkness in them.
It was also true for Akashi, who was using people as guinea pigs for his experiments.
The truth that his mind's eye allowed him to see is that ninjas, all of them, are rotten inside.
Slowly, as the discussion continued Akashi let his expression ease.
"I have something that I must ask, before we talk about reconciliation," Kuroko said seriously, his eyes locked in Hiruzen and Danzo.
'His mind's eye is fully activated,' they thought, exchanging a knowing look. It was the moment of truth.
"Is Konoba involved in the attack on Uzushiogakure?"
The temperature dropped at that question.
"I can swear to you that I have nothing to do with the attack on Uzushiogakure," Hiruzen said firmly, looking Kuroko in the eyes.
"I can swear that Konoha has nothing to do with the attack on Uzushiogakure," Danzo colf face added with perfect composure
"You are telling the truth," That answer made the oppressive atmosphere disappear, and the old men let out a breath of release
'It worked!'
On the side Old Mikami and Maric exchanged a knowing look.
"I understand that you are not responsible for the attack. But one thing that the near extinction of our clan showed is that we need a way to defend ourselves from enemies in case of attacks, we need to be strong enough to defend ourselves..."
"We can't and won't stop the initiative that we took to defend ourselves, but we can renew our cooperation, under new terms,"
Hearing that, Danzo and Hiruzen shared a look. After all those years, those two shared a deep understanding.
"We understand, and agree,"
Before a new round of negotiation agree.
Are you interested in coming back to Konoha with me? From what I heard, your actual situation is somewhat precarious," he asked Mikami Uchiha, who had been silent until now, and finally spoke.
Danzo shot him a fierce look, for him everything a born evil Uchiha did was wrong.
"Yes, and Kushina and Tsunade will be glad to have family with them," Hiruzen interjected,
"Humph, I still don't trust you," Akashi replied with a huff
"How about we leave them to their negotiation, tell me how you have been,"
With that, they left the room, leaving only four people inside to negotiate the terms of the new alliance between them.
Outside Akashi and Mikami walked side by side.
"I am surprised that it really worked as we thought it would, how did they deal with the mind eye of the Uzumaki?" Mikami asked his grandson.
The Uchiha dealt with the Uzumaki for a long time during the Warring States, so they know how troublesome their abilities are.
"Well, they simply didn't lie, Hiruzen said that he had nothing to do with the attack, which means that he probably learned of it a little later or while it was happening. Danzo said that Konoha wasn't involved; he probably considered himself above Konoha. If it's not that, you can also use self-hypnosis, it's a way to bypass the mind eye."
"I see, very useful, they must have a lot of experience in dealing with Uzumaki due to Mito Uzumaki,"
"I am surprised to see you here, and I am more surprised that the Hokage allowed you to follow them. You aren't on good terms with them right?"
"They want you on konoha side, after all you are the future of Uzushiogakure, they have a lot of benefits in exchange for me convincing you,"
"
"Luckily we have the same goal." Mikami said, "With you by our side, the Uchiha could have a path toward the Hokage seat,"
"I guess," Akashi nodded, "but it would be stupid to trust them," he said
Even though he tried, Akashi never managed to make the old man accept that Konoha would never allow the Uchiha to ascend to the seat of Hokage.
Even with all those years of suppression, the Uchiha always manage to produce geniuses. If they were allowed to reach the seat of Hokage, all the resources they would gain would put them far above all the other clans, something that Hiruzen will and many clans will never allow.
Unfortunately, after all those years that position had become an obsession to the Uchiha.
"I have some business to attend to in the capital. Are you interested in accompanying me?" Mikami asked, eager to spend time with his grandson.
They have managed to become closer over the years.
"Of course." He nodded, "Plus, I, too, with grandpa Kuroko, am inspecting our business in the capital, and we are also trying to expand our connection with the nobles."
"Ah, we have the same goal then. I usually don't bother with the business side, but I made an exception this time, we multiples business in the capital. I am going to use that opportunity to present you to the associates of the Uchiha."
Following that, the two spent days touring the capital, with his mind's eye, Akashi was able to charm quite a few merchants, nobles, and nobles' daughters, and via his two grandfathers, he even had a meeting with the Daimyo of the land of fire and of the land of wind.
In a mansion in the capital, Hiruzen and Danzo could be seen seated face to face.
"Things went relatively well this time, the matter of the destruction of Uzushiogakure is now resolved, let's never talk about that again,"
Hiruzen still felt some guilt for betraying the Uzumaki when they had been allowed for years; he had a few friends among them after all.
"Those great clans always believe their Kekei genkai to be unfaillaible," Danzo snickered. From his teacher's research, he knew how to deal with various kiwi genkai.
"But in the end that old man didn't agree to stop his deals with the nobles nor the underworld,"
"Did you really expect that after what happened, they would let bygones be bygones and fully trust us once again. The only reason they agreed to rekindle some form of relationship with us is that their location was exposed, they need allies, but not necessarily us."
"They hate the other villages, they won't work with them,"
"Aren't they already selling their seals to them, they hate them maybe even less than they hate Konoha,"
After years of political maneuvering, Hiruzen could see it clearly, if he were in their position, he would probably act similarly.
"So what, are we supposed to let them develop like that, if they one day learn that my root had a hand in leaking the pattern of the whirlpool-"
"Then make sure that anyone knowing about that is dealt with. Konoba had no part in that attack,"
Seeing the seriousness on his old friend's face Danzo nodded
"Understood," he said, and Hiruzen picked up his tea.
"But, was it a good idea. Letting Mikami interact with Akashi, it could give bad ideas to those Uchiha."
"I gave them a few concessions, like some Uchiha will be allowed to enter anbu and climb the ranks, and others if they manage through Akashi to make them work with us again,"
"You can't do that. Have you forgotten what our teacher taught us about the Uchiha?"
Danzo shouted after all the time and energy they spent suppressing the Uchiha, that policy could unravel everything.
"Are you blind that Kuroko is giving us even less than what he gave the other villages? They are buying more and more seals at a price lower than what Konoba can produce in preparation for the next war. Do you want them to have more supplies than Konoba?"
"And in case you didn't notice the Uchiha already have ties to Uzumaki through the black market they get weapons and seals at a lower price than everyone else, do you want us to get weaker while they get stronger,"
Hiruzen's relentless barrage left Danzo reeling, but he could only accept the truth of that statement.
"We need Mikami to use his relationship with the boy to bring them back to our side, we need them... for now. But, old friend, like for the Senju we will use the war to weaken them all and get on top,"
Hearing that Danzo nodded as a cold smile spread on his face.