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After Minato left, the command tent returned to an oppressive silence.
Occasionally, the groans of the wounded and the shouts of medical ninjas could be heard from outside the tent, but these sounds seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier.
Yashiro's aged fingers gently tapped the table. "Shun, you shouldn't have been so quick-witted just now. In the future, you need to be more steady in your actions."
Although his tone was calm, his sharp gaze was like a knife, making every word a heavy hammer striking Shun's heart.
Shun felt his throat tighten, he naturally understood what Yashiro meant.
Before, he had told Yashiro that after the war, in order to support Minato's rise to power, the Konoha higher-ups would inevitably heavily promote and praise him, shaping him into a savior. At that time, if they exposed the truth of Kannabi Bridge, Minato would lose the trust of the public and collapse.
Now, by driving away Minato and revealing this trump card, they would lose a reliance in the future.
Shun pondered for three seconds and said, "Last night, 4,000 of us fought against over 6,000 Iwagakure ninjas, and we captured over 5,000 Iwagakure ninjas. Today, Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki came to sign the surrender, promising to bring 30 billion Ryo this afternoon. In a short period of time, I reversed the defeat and gained many honors, so I got a bit carried away. I believe everyone can understand, and I will be more careful in the future."
Seeing Shun's sincere attitude of admitting his mistake, Yashiro's gaze softened slightly.
Before, they were at a disadvantage, so they needed some reliance and trump cards. Now that they had defeated Iwagakure, and their achievements surpassed those of Minato, the truth of Kannabi Bridge was actually irrelevant.
He warned Shun because he was young, and to prevent him from developing an arrogant personality, he gave him a lecture.
No one took the small interlude just now to heart.
Yashiro's gaze shifted to the map on the table in the center of the tent, which still preserved the layout of last night's battle.
"Now that Iwagakure has surrendered, we will get the money at noon. But after releasing the over 5,000 Iwagakure prisoners, what should we do next?" Yashiro's voice carried a hint of confusion.
Tetsu nervously tapped the rim of his teacup, and he whispered, "Yes, our war with Iwagakure is over. What should we do next?"
The surface of the water in the teacup trembled slightly, reflecting his tightly furrowed brow.
Everyone's gaze turned to Fugaku, as he was, after all, the commander of the front line.
Fugaku stood in front of the map on the table, his hands clasped behind his back, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly rotating. He stared at the map, as if analyzing every detail on it.
Everything changed after Shun returned with intelligence yesterday. Originally, the outpost was short on supplies, and they had planned to withdraw the front-line outpost to the border of the Land of Fire.
But after Shun's various analyses and arrangements, they actually defeated Iwagakure. Now, not only have they captured over 5,000 Iwagakure ninjas, but they have also successfully demanded 30 billion Ryo in war reparations.
Happiness came too quickly, and things changed too fast, so much so that Fugaku hadn't quite figured out what to do next.
Fortunately, he was the Uchiha clan head and the overall commander of the front line. He could be without ideas, but his subordinates must have ideas.
So, he shifted the responsibility, saying, "Shun, what do you think?"
Everyone in the tent turned their gaze to Shun.
This young ninja, only sixteen years old, displayed astonishing tactical talent in last night's battle.
Shun unconsciously straightened his back, cursing inwardly, 'I'm just a squad leader; you're the big shots. Why are you all looking at me? Fugaku doesn't want to use his brain and is throwing the problem at me. Watch me throw it right back.'
"What to do next depends on whether Fugaku-sama intends to become the Fourth Hokage. If Fugaku-sama doesn't want to become the Fourth Hokage, then after we get the 30 billion Ryo, we'll divide the money and return to Konoha to enjoy a peaceful life. After all, with Fugaku-sama's current achievements, the Konoha higher-ups certainly won't let him make any more contributions."
Shun's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring ripples in everyone's hearts.
Becoming Hokage, this was a goal that many Uchiha dreamed of.
There was a moment of silence in the tent as everyone silently re-evaluated. Shun really dares to say anything.
Fugaku, not getting the answer he wanted, wouldn't let him off so easily.
He frowned slightly and said, "Shun, tell me your true thoughts."
Shun took a deep breath, looked directly into Fugaku's eyes, and asked, word by word, "Fugaku-sama, do you really want to become the Fourth Hokage?"
This question was like a sharp sword piercing Fugaku's heart. He had thought about this question, but he hadn't thought about it in detail. His pupils contracted slightly, and his Three-Tomoe Sharingan unconsciously began to spin.
The higher-ups in the tent exchanged surprised glances, and Yashiro's hand unconsciously gripped the corner of the table, showing his inner turmoil.
Tetsu, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes, seemingly re-evaluating the young man's courage.
Fugaku's frown deepened as he asked, "If I want to be Hokage, what kind of price do I have to pay?"
Upon hearing this, Shun's mind was clear. He keenly caught the wavering in Fugaku's tone.
Fugaku's question could be interpreted as 'If the price is small, then I'll try to become the Fourth Hokage. If the price is too great, then I will give up'. This indicates that his belief in becoming the Fourth Hokage is not very strong.
He looked around, his gaze lingering on each person's face for a moment.
Yashiro's palm, pressing on the table, showed faint bulging veins.
Tetsu appeared calm, but water from his teacup spilled unnaturally onto the table.
Unkai stared intently at the map, as if the answer lay hidden there.
"With the achievements we have made so far, we are already qualified to be candidates for the Fourth Hokage. But to gain more support, we must go to the Kirigakure Battlefield. The problem is that Hiruzen and his faction will not agree to us supporting the Kirigakure Battlefield, and we even need to prevent them from causing trouble and holding us back. So, if we want to go to the Kirigakure Battlefield, we can only go against Hiruzen and his faction."
Yashiro's eyes gleamed with excitement, and his Three-Tomoe Sharingan unconsciously activated.
He excitedly slammed the table and rose to his feet. "Shun! If we follow your plan, what are our chances of success?"
Shun answered without hesitation, "Seventy percent. The key lies in whether we can achieve a quick victory on the Kirigakure Battlefield. If it drags on for too long, Hiruzen and Danzo will have enough time to interfere."
Fugaku closed his eyes, the faces of his wife Mikoto and young Itachi appearing in his mind.
If he chose to be conservative, he could at least ensure his family's safety. But if he chose to be aggressive, once successful, the Uchiha clan would gain unprecedented status, but if he failed, he might die on the Kirigakure Battlefield, or be surrounded by Anbu, his clan's emblem stained with blood, losing everything.
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