Furthermore, there was another undeniable factor restricting the development of the Uchiha Clan. Initially, though they held original shares in Konoha Village, their decision to reconcile with the Senju Clan was, to some extent, seen as a betrayal toward their original employer.
Precisely because of this, they lost the trust of the Daimyo. Added to that, since the time of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, continuous defamation against the Uchiha Clan has led the Daimyo to harbor deep doubts and concerns regarding their capability to assume the position of Hokage, naturally making it impossible for them to receive any support.
Moreover, the four favored disciples of Tobirama Senju had built an unbreakable defense line, guarding day and night with strict vigilance against the Uchiha Clan, never allowing them even half a step into Konoha's core regions.
Because of this, the Uchiha Clan was completely deprived of the right to participate in Hokage nominations. They became like "outsiders" within Konoha Village — only remembered when needed, like during the Third Great Ninja War, but left in the shadows at all other times.
Meanwhile, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and other families within Konoha remained somewhat delicate. Although interactions were relatively peaceful without direct conflicts arising, the ties weren't particularly close either, nor could they be described as hostile or resentful. This strained relationship left the Uchiha Clan unable to truly integrate into the greater Konoha Village family.
In recent years since Shiyu Uchiha took leadership of his clan, conditions had slightly improved. He had indeed tried to mend relations with other clans and build stronger ties. Unfortunately, time had been too short, insufficient for these changes to take root deeply or to cultivate a trustworthy and reliable image among those families.
Therefore, at the moment of decision-making, most people eventually turned their gaze toward Orochimaru — a figure of extraordinary strength and remarkable wisdom, possessing profound background:
Above him stood his mentor, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi;
Among his peers were former comrades-in-arms such as Tsunade;
Below followed a group of loyal subordinates always by his side.
Additionally, Orochimaru himself was a rare genius, excelling in both ninjutsu and leadership capabilities. In comparison, the Uchiha Clan at this point appeared notably inferior.
Thus, taking everything into account, Shiyu Uchiha's chances of becoming Hokage were extremely slim. However, faced with rising enthusiasm among his clansmen, Shiyu found the situation difficult to manage and had no choice but to intervene to calm things down. Thus, he painstakingly explained the facts and reasoned with his clansmen, clearly analyzing the advantages and disadvantages involved.
He earnestly informed everyone that if they recklessly joined this fierce Hokage competition and ultimately failed, they would certainly offend the current Fourth Hokage directly. As a result, the hard-earned harmonious atmosphere carefully built up between the Uchiha Clan and the villagers would suffer severe impact and damage.
However, if he himself didn't personally enter the race, no matter who ended up winning—of course, excluding that scheming manipulator Danzo—from considerations of political stability and balancing various factions, the newly elected Hokage would inevitably choose to pacify and court the Uchiha Clan.
In this situation, the Uchiha Clan could finally bridge the deep divide that had long separated them from Konoha, truly becoming part of the village's greater family.
After much careful consideration, Shiyu Uchiha deeply understood that for the future development and benefit of the entire Uchiha Clan, he absolutely couldn't recklessly participate in this unpredictable and risky Hokage contest.
For this reason, he racked his brains and exhausted every effort, working closely with others such as Renga Uchiha. Finally, through everyone's united persuasion and intervention, they managed—for now—to calm down those emotionally charged clan members who desperately wanted Shiyu Uchiha to run for Hokage.
The day after this important meeting concluded, Shiyu Uchiha secretly arranged a private meeting with Orochimaru. During their encounter, he honestly expressed his position and attitude, making it clear he had absolutely no intention of vying for the Hokage title at present.
At the same time, he explicitly promised that as long as Orochimaru successfully ascended to the Hokage seat, the Uchiha Clan would unhesitatingly devote themselves fully, offering him firm support and assistance. After hearing Shiyu's statement, Orochimaru keenly sensed that the Uchiha Clan indeed had abandoned all thoughts of becoming Hokage.
On top of that, Shiyu specifically asked Orochimaru for a maternity leave for Ling. Understandably, getting Ling pregnant hadn't been easy. Through Shiyu's relentless efforts, he nearly got completely drained physically—comparable to fighting through an entire Third Great Ninja War—before finally receiving this good news, which eased his prolonged anxiety about his own physical condition somewhat.
However, there were deeper reasons behind why he hurried to arrange this leave for Ling. First, the situation around Orochimaru had gradually become unsafe, facing possible investigations at any moment.
Secondly, Shimon Hiruko had already initiated research and development on the [Ghost Lotus Seed] jutsu, and Shiyu Uchiha planned to have Ling go assist with monitoring its progress.
Of course, Shiyu wasn't the kind of guy to stick to serious matters alone—he took the opportunity to stir up trouble for his rivals too. Thus, he told Orochimaru every single detail he had uncovered regarding Danzo, letting him clearly understand that Danzo not only wanted the Hokage seat for himself, but had also secretly laid traps for Orochimaru.
After listening, Orochimaru didn't seem particularly surprised or angry; instead, he gave Shiyu Uchiha a half-smile and casually asked, "So then, this is the reason why you cannot immediately offer me full support, huh?"
Shiyu Uchiha keenly sensed that Orochimaru seemed to have developed a certain misunderstanding, but he chose not to dwell on it.
To him, these matters were all cut from the same cloth — not worth getting worked up over.
A moment later, Shiyu Uchiha slowly spoke, "At the end of the day, it's just a family matter between the two of you. If I jumped in headfirst without thinking, I'd be the one taking the biggest hit. I've got no interest in dragging myself into a lose-lose deal like that.
Plus, with your skills and style, handling stuff like this shouldn't even be a challenge, right?" Having said that, Shiyu Uchiha quietly fixed his gaze on Orochimaru, waiting for a response.
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