The heavy silence was finally broken by the leader of the Uchiha clan.
"The Uzumaki clan brought this entirely upon themselves," Uchiha Yohei stated, a note of contempt in his voice. "If they hadn't spurned the First Hokage's invitation to join Konoha at its founding, would they find themselves in this predicament now?"
Yuta could identify him as the Uchiha leader based on presence alone. The man was simply too recognizable.
His bearing—the distinctive clan fan pattern on his clothes, the carefully styled hair, the icy aloofness in his expression, and that posture of innate superiority—was a signature that belonged solely to the Uchiha. No other clan in the shinobi world could quite pull it off.
His words caused a ripple.
Beside Yuta, Tsunade's expression tightened, as did the faces of several Jonin closely aligned with the Senju. Yet, Yuta could see that Yohei's sentiment resonated with others in the room.
The Uzumaki's decision to remain independent, to build their own village and nation separate from Konoha, had fostered a sense of "otherness." That they were now in trouble and turning to Konoha for aid only underscored that distance.
However, the Uzumaki were still kin. They were the clan of Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife—and Mito-sama was still very much alive in Konoha. Such a blunt, dismissive statement could likely only come from an Uchiha.
"Clan Leader Uchiha, that's not entirely fair," a new voice countered. The speaker was a Jonin Yuta didn't recognize, but the fact he dared to directly challenge the Uchiha head meant he had considerable backing. "The Uzumaki are Konoha's allies. Our ties are close. The decisions you refer to were made by a previous generation. I believe we cannot stand idly by. We should dispatch reinforcements."
'This guy… he looks familiar,' Yuta thought, brow furrowing in concentration.
Tsunade, noticing his confusion, leaned close to his ear, her voice a soft whisper that carried a faint, pleasant scent. "That's Sensei's son. Sarutobi Shinnosuke."
'Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Konohamaru's father. Asuma's older brother. A character who'd never appeared in the original story. He should be quite young at this time, shouldn't he? Why did this "uncle" look so… mature?'
Then Yuta remembered the young Asuma, who also sported a full beard and the weary visage of a man in his forties. A wave of understanding washed over him.
'Ah. So it's a Sarutobi family trait. That explains it.'
'No wonder he had the confidence to face down the Uchiha clan head. If I had the Hokage for a father, I'd be bold too.'
"Hmph! Easy for you to say," Uchiha Yohei retorted. "Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure—three Great Shinobi Villages—are allied. For the Uzumaki to request our aid now is nothing but an attempt to drag Konoha into the quagmire of war with them. Everyone, the last great war ended only ten years ago. Surely you haven't forgotten?"
Yuta quietly clicked his tongue, a spectator's anticipation flickering in his eyes. The stage is set. Let the debate begin.
He had no intention of wading into the policy discussion himself. While he was Danzo's student, he lacked the fame, status, or seniority for his words to carry weight here.
Ultimately, it didn't matter what was decided; he would find a way to go and offer support. Tsunade still held a deep emotional connection to the Uzumaki and their home. With the Senju clan largely faded into Konoha's history, Yuta didn't want that last tether of hers to be severed.
If the village leadership refused to send aid, he would do what he could on his own—save as many Uzumaki as possible and deliver a uniquely "Konoha-style" shock to the forces of the Sand, Cloud, and Mist.
The murmurs in the room grew into a contentious buzz.
Finally, the Third Hokage cleared his throat—two sharp, authoritative coughs that cut through the noise instantly. Over a decade in office had granted him sufficient presence; the room fell silent, all eyes returning to their leader still in his prime.
"I will report this situation to the Daimyo," Hiruzen announced, his voice calm but firm. "We will request he contacts the Daimyos of the Land of Water, Wind, and Lightning to formally condemn their villages' actions."
He paused, his hand twitching slightly for the pipe that wasn't there. 'I really should have brought it, he thought,' taking a steadying breath instead.
"Concurrently, we will dispatch a reinforcement squad to the Land of Whirlpools."
He let the implication hang in the air.
"This course of action carries a significant risk of escalating the conflict. Therefore, we must be fully prepared. In addition to the first squad, a second reinforcement unit will be assembled and placed on standby, ready to enter the Land of Whirlpools at a moment's notice."
From his seat, Danzo felt a flicker of disdain. In his view, Hiruzen was still being weak.
'How could a Hokage fear war? Such timidity and hesitation would never lead Konoha to dominate the shinobi world. If it were up to me,' Danzo thought, casting a glance at the young man beside him, 'my student would be enough!'
But this was a formal Jonin Council, not a private strategy session. The Danzo of this era had not yet fully shed his loyalty; for now, the Hokage and his three advisors were still largely unified. He held his tongue.
Watching Danzo's unusual silence, Yuta felt a twinge of unease.
'This old geezer… shouldn't he be the most vocal hawk right now? Why is he so quiet? Is he plotting something unspeakable in that head of his again?'
He knew this was stereotyping, a prejudice born from future knowledge, and intellectually he recognized it was unfair. But one look at Danzo's stoic, scheming face made the thoughts bubble up uncontrollably.
'You can only blame yourself for all the evil you'll eventually do,' Yuta reasoned internally.
Of course, Yuta had no idea what Danzo was actually thinking. If he had, his response would have been a firm, "Keep me out of your delusional bragging."
Mastering two Sage Modes had made him vastly stronger, arguably placing him at the Kage-level. But he was no Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara.
Taking on three Great Villages single-handedly was a fantasy. At best, he could cause some serious trouble and make them bleed.
Seeing the pensive looks on the faces of the assembled Jonin, the Third Hokage delivered his closing argument, his tone light.
"Let us not forget," he said, his gaze sweeping the room. "Uzushiogakure is Lady Mito's home. I trust none of you wish to see Lady Mito heartbroken by its destruction."
"???"
'Huh?'
Yuta's mental record scratched to a halt.
'Is this the Hiruzen Sarutobi I know? Since when did he play the emotional guilt-trip card so masterfully? Is this… allowed?'
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