Inside the Hokage's office.
Danzo's face was dark and grim. His cane struck the floor with a heavy thud, the sound hard and cold as iron.
"Hiruzen, do you truly trust the Uchiha? Answer me!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo's furious expression and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. Through the drifting haze, his gaze was deep and calm.
After a moment, he asked in return.
"Danzo, what has been the Uchiha's conduct over these past years?"
Danzo's brow furrowed, and a shadow flickered through his eyes.
He knew full well what the Uchiha had done in recent years.
The reforms to the police force, the outstanding execution of missions, the contributions to the village, the love and respect they had earned from the villagers.
Even Chiya's conduct at the Hokage Council meetings had been beyond reproach.
But that was precisely why he felt uneasy.
"Hmph. Nothing but a facade."
Danzo let out a cold snort.
"The Uchiha still have arrogance running in their blood. Sooner or later, they will..."
"Enough."
Hiruzen cut him off. His voice was light, but it carried an authority that left no room for argument.
"Danzo, your bias only blinds you.
The contributions the Uchiha have made to Konoha over these years, you and I have both witnessed them.
Even if our teacher were still alive, he would approve of my approach now!"
Danzo's expression grew even darker. His fingers tightened around his cane, the knuckles turning white.
This Hiruzen, he had even brought their teacher into this!
He fixed his gaze on Hiruzen, his voice low and dangerous.
"Hiruzen, you have changed. Are you actually starting to side with the Uchiha?"
"I am not siding with anyone."
Hiruzen said plainly.
"I am simply stating the facts. As long as the village moves in a better direction, I would rather the Uchiha do more!"
"The facts?"
Danzo let out a cold laugh.
"Hiruzen, you will regret this!"
He spun around sharply. The black hem of his robe flared as he stormed toward the door in a fury.
Just as he was about to slam it open and leave, Hiruzen's voice rang out again, calm but impossible to ignore.
"Danzo."
Danzo's footsteps halted, but he did not turn around.
"Go back and organize the elite members of the Shimura Clan."
Hiruzen said slowly.
"The war has already begun. The village needs every ounce of strength it has."
Danzo's fists clenched tighter. In the end, he let out a cold snort, and slammed the door hard behind him.
"Bang!"
Silence returned to the office. Only rings of smoke continued to drift upward.
Hiruzen shifted his gaze to the portraits of the First and Second Hokage hanging on the wall.
His eyes were deep. He murmured quietly to himself.
"I hope... my decision is not wrong."
On the training ground of the Uchiha compound.
Chiya stood on the raised platform, his gaze sweeping over the rows of Uchiha clan members standing at attention below.
The eyes of every one of them burned with the will to fight. Their Sharingan flickered with crimson light in the fading dusk.
"Clan Head!"
A young Uchiha ninja stepped forward, his voice unable to contain the excitement within.
"The Suna-nin dare to provoke Konoha. Our Uchiha Clan should serve as the vanguard and let them see the true power of the Sharingan!"
"That's right, Clan Head!"
Another clan member echoed, fists clenched tight.
"The Uchiha have been quiet for too long. It is time to let the shinobi world remember our strength again!"
Chiya listened quietly to his clan members' calls for battle, his expression calm as still water.
When the crowd quieted slightly, he finally spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it reached every pair of ears clearly.
"Everyone has trained hard for so long, and this is the moment you have been waiting for. I understand your feelings very well."
Chiya's gaze passed over each eager face.
"But war is not a game. It is not a stage for reckless bravado."
He stepped down from the platform and moved in among his clan members, his voice steady and firm.
"The Suna-nin's declaration of war is only the beginning.
Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure are all watching in the shadows, waiting for their chance."
A senior jonin frowned and said.
"Does the Clan Head mean... this war could expand to engulf the entire shinobi world?"
Chiya nodded. A trace of depth passed through his eyes.
"The situation where the four great villages join hands to encircle and attack Konoha could very well arrive before long.
If we throw all our strength into the front lines right now, who will be left to guard our home when that day comes?
Who will protect our clan members?"
The clan members exchanged glances. The restless energy in the air gradually settled.
Chiya continued.
"The Uchiha's glory does not lie in a single moment of courage. Waiting for the right moment to act is the correct path."
He raised a hand to quiet the crowd.
"I have already assigned tasks to each major clan at the Hokage Council.
The Uchiha Clan will continue to be responsible for village security and intelligence gathering.
"But Clan Head..."
A young clan member could not help but speak up.
"Won't that mean we miss the fighting on the front lines? Then the Uchiha..."
Chiya's gaze sharpened abruptly. The pattern of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated in his eyes.
An invisible pressure instantly fell over the entire training ground. The young clan member went silent on the spot, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"What do you think war is?"
Chiya's voice turned cold.
"A stage for you to show off your Sharingan? An opportunity for you to earn glory and merit?"
He swept his gaze across everyone present, his tone severe.
Chiya remembered. In the original timeline, Konoha had suffered terribly trying to fend off the assault of four villages. The fighting had left the village completely depleted of experienced shinobi.
They had been forced to send those young ninja into battle!
"Remember, every member of the Uchiha is precious. I will not send you to die for nothing, and I will not let you make pointless sacrifices.
You can rest assured of that. The training the Uchiha have put in all these years will not go to waste.
The true battle will come sooner or later. When that day arrives, I will personally lead you into the charge.
But for now..."
Chiya's voice rose sharply.
"Your mission is to guard the village and protect the clan members! Is that understood?"
"Yes! Clan Head!"
The clan members answered in unison. The doubt and confusion in their eyes had been replaced with resolve.
Only then did Chiya's expression ease.
"Good. I will now assign the specific tasks."
He drew a scroll from his sleeve. When he unrolled it, detailed markings of Konoha's defensive positions were laid out across it.
"First squad is responsible for patrolling the eastern district of the village. Focus on monitoring for spies that may appear in the commercial area."
"Second squad, take your team and handle the security around the training grounds perimeter. At the same time, guide the younger clan members in live combat drills."
"Understood!"
"Third squad, lead a team to form a special unit and work with the ANBU to root out suspicious individuals within the village.
..."
The task assignments proceeded in an orderly manner. Each person received a clear directive.
Chiya finally closed the scroll.
"Remember, our enemies do not only come from outside. We must also stay vigilant against threats from within. Any suspicious situation is to be reported immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone answered in unison.
Chiya gave a satisfied nod.
"Dismissed. Shisui, stay behind."
The clan members filed out of the training ground one after another. Only Uchiha Shisui remained standing where he was.
Shisui was now wearing the Uchiha uniform. The young man had shed much of his boyish air. His dark eyes carried a composure that went beyond his years.
"Shisui."
Chiya walked over to him, his voice considerably softer.
"Come with me."
"Yes, Sensei!"
The two of them walked one after the other along the path back into the Uchiha compound.
Shisui followed quietly behind Chiya, neither rushed nor hesitant.
"Do you know why I asked you to stay behind?"
Chiya suddenly spoke.
Shisui thought for a moment.
"Sensei wants to give me a special task?"
Chiya smiled slightly, but said nothing.
They arrived at Chiya's residence. Mikoto had already prepared tea and refreshments.
When she saw Shisui, she smiled gently.
"Shisui is here. Come, sit."
Shisui bowed politely to Mikoto.
After the three of them took their seats, Chiya went straight to the point.
"Shisui."
"Have you ever seen that stone tablet beneath the Nankashinsha?"
━━━━━━━━━━━━
❤️ Enjoying the Story?
⭐ Every 500 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter!
📖 Read 120 chapters ahead on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
Thank you for your support!
━━━━━━━━━━━━