Leaving Fugaku's residence, Eiya still felt a touch unsatisfied.
He'd wanted to linger and show Mikoto a bit more concern.
But Fugaku had bluntly shown him the door.
The clan head's eyes were so dark it looked like Susanoo might come out swinging at any moment.
If he pushed his luck, a "Uchiha Emergency Report" would probably land on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk soon enough.
"Can't drop by their place for a while," Eiya muttered. "Fine. No rushing this. Slow and steady."
His lips curled as he thought it over. "Come to think of it, Itachi isn't a bad entry point."
As Eiya mapped out his plan, an animal-masked ANBU dropped soundlessly in front of him.
"Uchiha Eiya. The Hokage summons you."
"What now?" Eiya frowned, annoyed.
One after another—endless.
The ANBU didn't answer, just gestured for him to follow.
Eiya rolled his eyes and grumbled, "So much hassle. Fine, let's go."
They reached the Hokage Building.
As Eiya stepped into the corridor, a heated argument rang from the office.
"I am the Hokage!"
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen."
A heavy bang.
The door slammed open and Danzō strode out, face like ice.
He shot Eiya a cold glance as he passed and left without looking back.
Eiya watched him go, then knocked on the office door.
"Enter," Hiruzen's voice called.
Eiya went in. Smoke still hung in the air, the sharp bite of tobacco not yet gone.
The Third Hokage stood at the window with his pipe, exhaling coils of white.
Hearing Eiya's steps, he turned.
He waved to a chair. "Sit."
Eiya dragged it out and sat. "What do you want?"
Hiruzen took his seat again, his timeworn face unreadable. "Your next assignment."
"With your strength, you should lead a squad and form a new team," he said, pausing. "But you haven't passed the jōnin assessment. By regulation, you can only join another team as a regular member."
"No one wants me?" Eiya cut in, one brow raised.
Hiruzen said nothing, which was answer enough.
"Two squads have openings, but both captains declined to take you."
"What you did yesterday was… too much for most people."
Eiya nodded. No surprise.
He'd never cared about others' misunderstandings.
And after the last mission, he had no wish to team with strangers.
Better to trust his own strength than bare his back to someone else.
"I don't need a squad," he said, calm but sure. "I can take missions alone."
Hiruzen tapped ash, voice even. "For now, you should rest."
"Why?" Eiya frowned.
Hiruzen drew on his pipe in silence.
Watching him, Eiya guessed, and the corner of his mouth lifted.
"You're worried I'll make trouble," he said, half-smiling.
Hiruzen sighed.
He was.
The war had just ended; Konoha needed time to heal.
If Eiya ran missions outside, the lawless brat might stir up something bigger.
He had killed a Konoha jōnin in front of the Hokage. Inside the village he was like that—outside, with no leash, who knew.
If he picked a fight to the death with a great nation, it would skew strategy and bring endless trouble to the village.
"Uchiha Eiya, you may one day shine on the battlefield like the Fourth," Hiruzen said, placating.
Eiya snorted. "Peace is a brittle façade. The great nations still grind against each other in the dark."
"You're not wrong," Hiruzen said. "But even a surface peace is enough for now."
Eiya held his gaze. "You've mastered countless jutsu. Your three pupils are legends now."
His tone shifted, probing. "So why fear war?"
"Because I am the Hokage," Hiruzen said, face turning stern. "From here, strength isn't the only measure."
Eiya smiled faintly. "Then all the more you should shoulder the weight."
"Konoha is the strongest of the Five Great Villages—today. One upheaval and 'strongest' can be snatched away."
Silence.
In Hiruzen's mind rose the night the Nine-Tails ravaged Konoha four years ago.
The Fourth Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina were gone; many of the village's backbone shinobi with them.
The losses in lives and wealth were beyond counting.
Konoha had been gutted.
If something like that happened again…
Eiya went on.
"A Hokage should plan ahead."
"If you're not confident about crushing Iwa, Kumo, or Suna, start with the small fry."
"Take Otogakure, Kusagakure. With Konoha's strength, they'd fall in two days."
"Seize their resources to build Konoha up, then find the next target. Repeat, and Konoha grows, with the depth to face any threat or 'accident.'"
"When the winds shift, those small nations become outposts, keeping the flames of war beyond the Land of Fire's borders."
Hiruzen's brows drew tight. He pulled a map from a drawer and studied it.
After a long look, he put it down with a sigh.
"I didn't expect… you had an eye for strategy."
"I'll consider your proposal."
"Until we find a suitable team, stay in Konoha."
He was clearly wrapping up, when a thought jumped into Eiya's head.
"I'm used to missions. I won't idle easily," he said. "If you're worried, I can join the ANBU."
Hiruzen blinked. "Why?"
"I've looked into the ANBU," Eiya said, tone steady.
"If the Hokage is the tree in the sun, the ANBU are the roots in the soil."
"They live in darkness and guard the tree in silence."
"No squad will take me. The only way I see to serve Konoha is to join the ANBU."
Hiruzen hadn't expected that.
Eiya had already refused the clan assembly and the Police Force. Perhaps he truly believed in the Will of Fire in his own Uchiha way.
Though his methods echoed those of the colleague who had just stormed out.
He was young. Perhaps…
Hiruzen weighed it.
Tension with the Uchiha had only grown in recent years.
Hardliners within the clan were inevitable.
If Eiya joined the ANBU like Itachi had, the Hokage could better grasp the clan's movements.
And under his eye, the boy might not run wild.
Hiruzen nodded slowly.
"It's good to see you think of Konoha," he said, a small smile finally showing.
"Kakashi," he called, voice rising.
Kakashi appeared without a sound.
"From today, Uchiha Eiya joins the ANBU under your command," Hiruzen said. "As captain, help him settle in and learn the ropes."