The moment the armistice negotiations broke down under the sudden, treacherous sneak attack by the Sunagakure delegation, Kagami immediately issued a sweeping mobilization order for the entire Suna front army of three thousand ninjas. Originally, the front had been held by four thousand shinobis, but that number had recently been reduced to three thousand as many of the regular Konoha forces were relieved and sent back to the village for a well-deserved break.
This strategic rotation had left behind the Uchiha garrison, who were permanently stationed on the grueling desert front under Tobirama's strict orders. For years, the Uchiha had simmered with a dissatisfaction, deeply resentful of this unfair treatment and feeling as though they were being used as mere weapons rather than treated as true villagers of Konoha.
In their brewing bitterness, they did not bother to think that their deterring presence on the Suna front lifted an immense amount of pressure from Konoha's shoulders; to Tobirama, their unmatched combat prowess was the only shield strong enough to keep the Suna at bay and simultaneously threaten Iwa. But the clan only saw a slight.
That resentment evaporated the moment the news of the sudden battle—and the staggering revelation of Kagami's awakening—swept through their camp. The knowledge that their gentle commander now wielded the ultimate power of their bloodline ignited a feral, competitive pride within the clan. Shaking off their exhaustion and fueled by an eager thirst for retribution, the Uchiha did not just follow Kagami into the Land of Wind; they hunted alongside him.
The resulting onslaught was not a battle, but a one-sided massacre.
Sunagakure's vanguard, unprepared for a treaty to dissolve into a bloodbath, faced four active Mangekyō Sharingan users leading the charge. The desert turned red as they shattered the Suna lines. Suna shinobi haphazardly fell back toward their hidden village, leaving a trail of over thousand casualties cooking under the desert sun.
By the morning of July 26th, the messenger birds swarmed into the communication towers of Konoha and its clans, including the Uchiha clan.
In the bustling streets of the village, the news spread like wildfire. The civilian population, exhausted by the looming threat of prolonged warfare, erupted into roaring cheers. To them, the Uchiha were the undisputed heroes of the Leaf—magnificent protectors who had decisively crushed a treacherous enemy sneak attack and secured the village's safety overnight. Crowds gathered near the Uchiha compound, shouting praises and throwing flowers.
But the clans and shinobi, especially the Jonin and higher-ranked elders, frowned at the sudden turn of events. Far from celebrating, they watched the civilian euphoria with a deep, mounting unease. They began to question if Hiruzen wanted to war more, or if he had already lost control over the Uchiha. To the political landscape of the Leaf, this unprovoked total annihilation shattered the fragile illusion of the new Hokage's command. Regardless of the civilian cheers, the clan heads and elders saw this crisis as a perfect opportunity to politically challenge and question Hiruzen's authority as the Third Hokage before he could gain experience.
***
Inside the Hokage's office, the air was dense with the scent of fresh ink and rising panic. Hiruzen sat behind the heavy wooden desk, surrounded by Homura, Koharu, Danzo, Torifu, and the elderly Senju advisor, Genshiro.
The initial messenger scroll had just arrived, plunging the room into confusion.
"Kagami did what?" Homura exclaimed, his glasses slipping slightly as he leaned forward in surprise.
"Kagami resumed the war with Suna," Torifu stated neutrally. He stepped forward, passing the tightly wound scroll directly to Hiruzen. A heavy shadow of doubt clouded his voice as he added the final sentence: "Supposedly, after the Suna delegates tried to assassinate him during the treaty signing."
Hiruzen didn't answer right away. He calmly read through the the scroll over and over again, his eyes narrowing.
"The Uchiha cannot be trusted!" Danzo barked, slamming his hand on his armrest as he stood up from his seat.
"Danzo! The report explicitly says Suna attacked first!" Koharu snapped, defending her teammate. "Don't let your personal biases twist the facts."
Hiruzen placed the scroll flat on the desk, interlocking his fingers tightly in front of his face. "This turn of events is illogical. Kagami was specifically sent to finalize this treaty to shield him from Sensei's death until the war ended. Furthermore, Sunagakure currently has neither the military capacity nor the political reason to antagonize us."
"What else could it be, Hiruzen?" Danzo countered coldly. "Kagami must have caught the entire Suna delegation in a Sharingan genjutsu to manufacture a reason for war."
Silence fell over the room. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, locking a fierce glare onto Danzo. Danzo held it for a tense second before subtly averting his gaze.
"I believe in Kagami," Hiruzen said, his voice dropping into a firm, unyielding tone. "He was—and still is—our comrade and teammate. He must have a valid reason. I will mobilize immediately and join him on the front—"
"NO!" Danzo shouted. The explosive outburst startled everyone in the room. "You are the Hokage now, Hiruzen! We cannot risk your safety when the village is at its most vulnerable."
The council stared at Danzo in surprise, caught off guard by his desperate urgency.
"Even Tobirama-sensei succumbed to Suna's chakra poison," Danzo pressed, his breathing shallow. "Who knows what trap awaits you out there!"
Hiruzen shook his head, completely unfazed. "I did my own intensive research on Sunagakure's poisons. The Kuchimoso clan can only harvest a minute dosage of that specific toxin each year. It is not enough to coat a military arsenal—only ten or so kunai at most. Its uses are highly coveted for assassination and not suitable as a consumable for warfare."
Danzo didn't back down. "It's not just Suna's poison that worries me, Hiruzen."
"What are you implying, Danzo?" Torifu asked quietly from the corner.
"Kagami's sudden transformation is likely due to the Uchiha clan deliberately exposing Sensei's death to him." Danzo turned to face the entire council, his expression grim. "Yes. I believe this is an internal Uchiha conspiracy. They will resort to any depravity to force the trauma required to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Hiruzen glared at his rival, his face contorted with fury. "That is nothing but baseless speculation, Danzo!"
The two men locked eyes again, but this time, Danzo stood his ground.
"If you do not mind me interrupting, Hokage-sama."
A harmless, grandfatherly voice drifted from the deep shadows of the room. Genshiro sat quietly in the corner, leaning heavily on his wooden cane.
"It is not just the Uchiha or Suna's poison that demands your urgent attention," the Grand Elder continued, entirely unperturbed by Hiruzen's sudden frown. "With the abrupt collapse of the Suna peace treaty, the noble clans of Konoha are already starting to doubt your control over the Uchiha."
"Control over the Uchiha?" Hiruzen muttered. He looked between Danzo and Genshiro, as if a cold realization settling into his chest.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Genshiro said smoothly. "You must immediately declare to the public that this offensive was your executive intention—a swift punishment against Suna. By masking Kagami's rogue aggression as a direct order, you can claim credit for the victory once the campaign ends. More importantly, it protects Kagami from being branded a war criminal, while signaling to the other clans that the Uchiha remain strictly under Konoha's leash."
"Protect Kagami..." Hiruzen's suspicion wavered, though his brow remained furrowed.
"As a newly appointed Hokage, leaving the village too often sends a dangerous message to the clans," Genshiro advised, capitalizing on Hiruzen's hesitation. "You must remain inside the village to stabilize public opinion. Leave the border warfare to your subordinates."
Genshiro offered a reassuring smile. "Do not worry. I will personally command Kenji to assist Kagami and terminate this conflict swiftly. For now, the civilians are ecstatic about the victory. You must capitalize on this momentum to secure the villagers' trust."
Hiruzen closed his eyes, weighing the political survival of the village against his instincts. When he opened them, he offered a tense nod. "Thank you for your guidance, Grand Elder Genshiro."
"I am merely a tool for the Konoha's longevity, Hokage-sama," Genshiro replied smoothly.
"But what about the rest of the Uchiha?" Torifu blurted out suddenly.
Koharu gasped, turning to him in shock. Torifu was traditionally the most silent, neutral member of their squad, rarely taking sides on clan politics.
"What about them, Torifu?" Homura questioned, adjusting his glasses.
"I hate to admit it, but Danzo has a valid point," Torifu whispered. He raised his hands, staring at them as they began to tremble violently. "That day... when Sensei returned on his deathbed after the Kinkaku rebellion... I felt Kagami's chakra. It was so cold. So utterly sinister."
The room froze.
"I never understood why Tobirama-sensei and the older generation called them a cursed clan," Torifu continued, clenching his shaking hands into tight fists. "But looking back at that malice... I think I finally understand. If someone as gentle and amiable as Kagami can warp into a monster overnight, what will happen to the rest of them?"
A suffocating silence blanketed the office. Hiruzen stared at Torifu in raw disbelief, feeling a deep pang of betrayal. Homura and Koharu lowered their heads, silently reevaluating their lifelong relationships with the Uchiha. Danzo calmly placed a hand on Torifu's shoulder, validating his fear.
In the shadows, Genshiro slightly opened his right eye, his pupil gleaming with hidden delight. The perfect wedge had been driven.
"Ahem." Genshiro cleared his throat to reclaim the room's attention. He stood up, pulling a scroll from his long sleeve. "I believe it is finally time you learned the truth of the Anbu."
Genshiro passed the scroll directly to Hiruzen, who began reading it, his eyes widening in horror.
"As some of you have suspected, Tobirama did not design the Anbu solely to empower the future Hokages," Genshiro revealed. He walked toward the large Fire (火) tapestry hanging on the left wall, pulling the fabric aside to reveal a hidden iron safe. Inside sat three rows of highly restricted dossiers.
"The Anbu's special division... the Anbu training ops were built to maintain a surveillance net over the Uchiha clan... to prevent the rise of another figure like Uchiha Madara."
"But you cannot damn an entire clan based on the historical madness of a single man!" Koharu protested fiercely. Though she carried Senju lineage, she hadn't lived through the bloody Warring States Era. Her years working alongside Kagami had convinced her that the village's anti-Uchiha prejudice was entirely manufactured.
To her utter shock, it was Hiruzen who cut her down.
"They haven't been broken, Koharu. They've merely been hiding their fangs until now," Hiruzen muttered dryly. He massaged his temples, his face completely dark as he handed the scroll to her.
Koharu's breath hitched as she read the classified logs. "Uchiha Fukashi... Uchiha Naka... Uchiha Naori... they all secretly possess the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
"And now, Uchiha Kagami makes four," Hiruzen added dryly.
"Four active Mangekyō?!" Homura slammed his hands on the table, his composure entirely shattering.
"I warned you!" Danzo shouted triumphantly. "Kagami's corruption is an Uchiha's scheme! He was purposefully isolated from the news of Sensei's death. Who else but the Uchiha could have the audacity to use this heartbreaking news to break him? Sensei's passing has emboldened them to make their move!"
"Recrimination does not solve our immediate crisis," Homura countered, sweating profusely. "What practical countermeasure do we even have against four Mangekyo?"
"We must order Kagami back to the village immediately," Koharu pleaded, her voice trembling. "He is reasonable. He will listen to us!"
"And if he refuses?" Danzo sneered. "Even without him, the Uchiha holds three Mangekyō users and kage-level shinobis like Sosuke and Shinichi commanding their shinobis. We cannot project weakness by demanding Kagami's return. If they defy your first official decree, Hiruzen, your first step as the Hokgae will be over."
"Shinichi hasn't reached that level yet, and he has the love for Konoha just like—"
"Just like Kagami?" Danzo cut him off. "Do you think Sensei predicted Kagami would fall so low? Don't you remember what Tobirama-sama said? Shinichi has the potential to become the next Ninja God!"
The room plunged back into a helpless, heavy silence. Hiruzen's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. The ghost of their teacher's warnings seemed to weigh visibly on his shoulders.
"We have Mito-sama," Torifu whispered into the quiet room. "And the Nine-Tails."
Every eye in the room snapped to Torifu, before slowly turning toward Genshiro.
Inwardly, Genshiro was reeling with absolute euphoria, but his weathered face morphs perfectly into a look of profound, heavy reluctance.
"Torifu... Mito has not recovered fully from healing and supplying Tobirama with chakra before. And the Tailed Beasts are notoriously incompatible when deployed directly against the genjutus of the Mangekyō Sharingan," Genshiro warned with a perfectly feigned hesitation. He paused, letting the despair sink into their bones before offering the trap. "However... if it is merely to establish a deterrent—a show of force so that the Uchiha would reconsider their ambitions—we could theoretically deploy Mito alongside an elite vanguard of Senju guardians."
The council members exchanged thoughtful glances. Homura adjusted his glasses, nodding slowly, while Koharu let out a defeated sigh. With four active Mangekyō Sharingan threatening to topple the balance of power, the council had no choice but to agree with Genshiro's suggestion. A supreme show of force was the only language the Uchiha would respect.
"The strategy is sound," Danzō declared, his voice cutting through the remaining hesitation. "But a deployment of this magnitude requires loyalty in its leadership. Who will command the vanguard?"
Genshiro stepped forward, leaning heavily on his wooden cane, portraying a perfect image of a dutiful elder sacrificing his final years for the village.
"If Konoha requires a steady hand to guide this reinforcement, especially against the Uchiha, I will volunteer to lead the Senju vanguard myself. My presence will signal that the Senju clan stands firmly behind the Hokage."
Hiruzen looked at the old man, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. He shook his head, holding up a hand to stop him. "No, Grand Elder. I cannot spare you from the village. With the other noble clans already questioning my control over the situation, I need you here. I must borrow the weight of the Senju name to help me stabilize Konoha and maintain order among the disgruntled factions."
Genshiro's brow furrowed, a flicker of genuine resistance crossing his face.
"Hokage-sama, I must disagree. Borrowing Senju's influence will only weaken the Hokage's authority in the eyes of the clans and shinobis. Moreover, the village needs to see decisive resolution on the border, not political shielding in the village."
Inwardly, Genshiro's calculations were firing rapidly. He had no desire to surface in the public eye too much; his true power lay in the comfort of the dark. More importantly, he desperately wanted to be present on the Suna front, where he could personally pull the strings to inflict maximum damage on the Uchiha forces.
But Hiruzen remained unyielding, matching the elder's gaze with a fierce determination.
"Konoha is the heart of Land of Fire, Genshiro-sama. If it rots from within due to political instability, the border won't matter. I need you by my side."
After a calculated pause, Genshiro let his shoulders sag slightly, offering a mask of reluctant submission. "If that is your final decree, Hokage-sama... I shall obey and remain."
With the Grand Elder anchored to the village, the council quickly moved to finalize the deployment list. Danzō immediately volunteered his own forces, securing the Shimura clan's elite to join the 'reinforcements'. And to provide a versatile assistance, Torifu also volunteered his forces of the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans. He was officially given command of the reinforcement. Together with the Senju guard detachment and Uzumaki Mito, this coalition will deter the 'threat' to the village.
With their directives set, the council members bowed and departed the room, the heavy oak doors clicking shut behind them.
Genshiro stepped out into the long, stone corridor, his cane making a slow, rhythmic click against the floorboards as he made his way toward the Senju estate to convince Mito. As the distance between himself and the Hokage's office grew, the grandfatherly warmth vanished from his features, replaced by a cold, calculating sneer.
His plans were shifting.
Originally, Genshiro had only intended to sow a quiet discord between Hiruzen and the Uchiha, creating a managed crisis that would force the young, inexperienced regime to rely entirely on the Senju's deep-rooted influence. But this sudden explosion of Mangekyō Sharingan changed the timeline. The threat was too volatile to manage from the shadows anymore; it required an open, aggressive intervention.
Genshiro paused by a high window, looking back toward the administrative tower. He had argued against staying behind because he feared it would weaken the Hokage's authority—an authority he needed to keep pristine. After all, he was certain that the next Hokage to sit on that throne would be of pure Senju lineage, and he wanted that future ruler to inherit an absolute, unblemished dictatorship over Konoha.
But Hiruzen had insisted. Hiruzen wanted to tie the Senju name to his own survival, forcing the old blood to legitimize his lies.
Genshiro smiled, a cruel, wrinkled expression that never reached his eyes. By forcing him to stay, Hiruzen had inadvertently invited the viper directly into his inner circle. He would not just advise the young Hokage anymore; he would systematically hollow him out, molding Hiruzen into a perfect puppet until the time was right to replace him.
He turned away from the window, his cane striking the stone floor with a sharp, echoing snap.
'You asked for this, Hiruzen.'