The faces of the other clan heads turned sour. Good grief, they thought, is even going to war a competition now?
Most of them were already finding it hard to accept having to provide troops. Aside from the Hyuga and the Senju—who were chomping at the bit to get to the front—the other clans preferred to preserve their strength and focus on their own growth.
But being hand-picked by the Hokage left them with no choice. And for those clans whose members weren't drafted, Hiruzen had made it explicitly clear: pay up to support the effort.
But look at the Uchiha! Not only were they offering money, they were volunteering troops too. They looked like they were ready to empty their family vaults for the village. What was the play here?
It wasn't just the clan heads who were stunned; even Hiruzen, who had initiated the call for funds, looked at the Uchiha Patriarch with surprise. When he heard "thirty million Ryo," he had been ready to agree on the spot.
However... as he thought of the Uchiha's eyes, Hiruzen's own eyes narrowed slightly. He began to weigh the situation with caution.
After a long pause, Hiruzen spoke. "Taku, as the head of the Sarutobi clan, I understand your feelings perfectly. You've only been the Patriarch for a few years, and it's natural to want to make a mark to inspire confidence in your people."
He shifted his gaze, his tone becoming grave. "But the Uchiha and the Hyuga are the most vital clans in this village. If both were to deploy to the battlefield simultaneously, other villages might see it as an opportunity to invade the Land of Fire while our defenses are thinned. If you are willing to take my advice, I suggest the Uchiha clan remain on standby in the village to guard against any potential incursions."
Uchiha Taku's expression darkened. He pursed his lips and said, "The Hyuga's utility on the battlefield is far inferior to mine. If the Hyuga can scout, the Uchiha can scout. And in terms of pure combat prowess, the Hyuga don't even compare! Therefore, having the Uchiha replace the Hyuga to crush the Suna forces with lightning speed is the most logical choice for the village!"
"Uchiha Taku! Are you claiming the Hyuga are inferior to the Uchiha?!"
Hyuga Mitsuru bolted upright, pointing a finger at Taku in a rage. Taku's brow furrowed as he prepared to snap back, but Hiruzen intervened.
"Enough! We are all part of the same village. I am sure Taku did not mean to disparage the Hyuga; he is simply eager for victory and wants what is best for Konoha. Let there be no more strife."
Hiruzen turned to the Uchiha Patriarch. "Regarding this campaign, the Hyuga will still lead the scouts. Taku, I understand your zeal, but you must understand the Hyuga's position. While we are all Leaf shinobi, clan honor and dignity are very real things. If Uchiha clansmen were killed by a foreign enemy, I doubt you would want the Hyuga to step in and take your revenge for you, would you?"
The tension in both Mitsuru and Taku's faces softened slightly. Hiruzen seized the opening. "Furthermore, the Uchiha clan oversees the Konoha Military Police Force. Now that war has been declared, it is inevitable that spies and infiltrators will try to sneak into the village. This is exactly when we need the Police Force most. If the Uchiha deploy, who will maintain order at home?"
By shifting the argument to the "importance" of the Police Force—a major point of pride for the Uchiha—Hiruzen successfully hit Taku's sweet spot. Taku's expression smoothed out, though he still looked somewhat disgruntled.
"For the sake of the village and our unity, the Uchiha are willing to set aside personal glory for now," Taku conceded. "But if any other village makes a move, I hope the Hokage will consider the Uchiha first for deployment."
"Of course," Hiruzen promised.
He nodded, then continued to look at Taku with a beaming, expectant smile. Beside him, Nara Shikato couldn't help but palm his face. Could the Hokage make his greed any more obvious?
Taku, who was about to sit down, caught Hiruzen's gaze. His improved mood soured instantly. But the Uchiha did not go back on their word. Taku thought quickly, a new plan forming.
"Regarding the thirty million Ryo in war funding... it represents thirty years of our clan's savings. I am willing to hand it over, but there may be... grumblings among the kinsmen..."
"I understand, I understand..." Hiruzen said, his smile becoming even more fatherly now that the money was still on the table.
Taku allowed a small smirk. "Perhaps it would be best if my son, Fugaku, leads an elite team of our clansmen to personally escort the funds and supplies."
"Escort?"
Hiruzen frowned. The distance from the Uchiha district to the Hokage Building was barely a walk; who would dare steal from them inside the village? But then he realized the subtext. Taku had given up on sending the whole clan, but he wasn't willing to be left out of the war entirely.
After a moment of weighing the pros and cons, Hiruzen decided to yield. In fact, he decided to give Taku more than he had even hoped for.
"Then we shall leave it to the Uchiha to escort the war resources to the front and deliver them to Tsunade's team. Furthermore, the Uchiha clan shall be responsible for providing the Explosive Tags needed for this campaign. You can coordinate the quantities and procurement prices with Shikato."
Hearing that his clan would also handle the lucrative explosive tag contract, Taku nodded in satisfaction. He immediately began calculating which elites to send. His son, Uchiha Fugaku, was a definite.
Fugaku was eighteen years old and had already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. It was time for him to be tempered on the battlefield. While he might not achieve the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan like that infamous renegade of the past, experiencing a war would surely lead to growth.
He decided to add a few more promising young Uchiha to the squad, balanced by several mainstays of the clan to ensure their safety.
Taku snapped back to the present to find the meeting had adjourned. Nara Shikato was standing beside him with a tired smile. "Patriarch Taku, regarding the tags... how many can the Uchiha provide before the departure date?"
Back in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen had just finished a "discussion" with Danzo Shimura about whether he was being too lenient with the Uchiha. The debate ended with the usual clash of philosophies and a heavy slamming of the door.
Hiruzen reached for his pipe, realizing his smoking habit had grown significantly worse in recent years. Just as he filled the bowl, a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
The door swung open, and two figures entered—one tall, one small. Seeing his student and grand-student, Hiruzen allowed himself a genuine smile. "Mission complete?"
Jiraiya nodded and tossed a mission scroll onto the desk. "Just got back. I missed the meeting."
"Hmph! I saw you at the bathhouse this morning!"
Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly. Beside him, Namikaze Minato looked utterly confused. He knew his teacher sneaked to the bathhouses for "research," but how did the Hokage know? Was he... also observing the bathhouses?
Hiruzen lit his pipe and took a puff. "If you didn't come for the meeting, why are you here now? Don't tell me it was just to hand in a report."
Jiraiya didn't answer. He looked back at Minato. Minato nodded, stepped forward, and looked at the Hokage with determination.
"Lord Hokage, I wish to apply for deployment to the front lines."
"Oh?" Hiruzen frowned, taking the pipe from his mouth. "And why is that?"
"Because Tatsuma is already there."
Hearing the answer, Hiruzen studied the boy closely. He wondered if this was merely the competitive streak of a young genius—or if the bond between the two boys had already reached such profound depths.