Uchiha Setsuna's weary eyes gleamed faintly.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen's path?"
"Exactly," Rokuro said with a calm smile. "The Third Hokage's ascension was never legitimate to begin with—only secured by the dying words of the Second Hokage. It was an empty promise. The real reason Sarutobi managed to seize power—and keep it for so long—was because he drew the major clans to his side, turning them into his foundation. As long as those clans stand behind him, no one can challenge his position."
Rokuro raised his hands; chakra surged upward and formed glowing sigils in the air—each one representing the crest of a major Konoha clan.
That simple act of chakra manipulation made Setsuna realize once again just how frighteningly capable Rokuro was.
"Konoha's clans are numerous," Rokuro continued. "The Sarutobi, Shimura, Ino–Shika–Chō, Inuzuka, Aburame, Hyūga, and of course—the Uchiha."
"The Sarutobi and Shimura are a lost cause. They're competitors by nature—no chance of winning them over. The Ino–Shika–Chō trio hold great influence, but their loyalty lies with the Hokage's seat itself. Whoever sits there, they follow—no need to push too hard there.
"As for the Inuzuka and Aburame—they're strong, but not decisive. Worth befriending, not worth betting the future on."
As he spoke, each clan's glowing emblem flickered out one by one, until only two remained suspended in the air—the Hyūga and the Uchiha.
Setsuna understood immediately.
"You're suggesting an alliance with the Hyūga?"
Rokuro nodded. "This war may have been provoked by the Land of Lightning, but the spark came from the Hyūga's hands—the death of their envoy. Anyone with sense knows the Hyūga were in the right, but this world is full of fools who parrot what they hear. The Hyūga are now under immense pressure."
"When the war breaks out, the Hyūga will throw everything they have into the battlefield to prove their worth. At that moment, if the Uchiha step in to aid them—and considering my connection with Hyūga Hizashi—forming an alliance won't be difficult."
Setsuna had, of course, heard of Rokuro's feat in unraveling the Caged Bird Seal and had even stopped certain clansmen from causing him trouble over it.
He thought over Rokuro's reasoning carefully—and realized it was indeed a golden opportunity.
"The Hyūga's bloodline limit is invaluable on the battlefield," Rokuro went on. "Even the Sharingan doesn't match its reconnaissance value. Whoever wants to become Hokage must win the Hyūga's favor. And yet, Sarutobi Hiruzen—old fool that he is—tried to suppress them now of all times."
Rokuro could almost sympathize with Hiruzen's mistake. Hizashi had recently become clan head, overturning the old order. Hiruzen feared he might rebel, so he tried to 'remind' him of who held authority.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen had misjudged his opponent. Hizashi, born from the branch family, carried the weight of inferiority his whole life. Now that he had risen, his greatest fear was losing legitimacy. At such a moment, Hiruzen's attempt to subdue him was nothing short of self-sabotage.
"By making this blunder," Rokuro said, "Hiruzen has fractured his relationship with the Hyūga. If we seize this moment—if the Uchiha and Hyūga fight side by side—nothing builds bonds faster than shared bloodshed on the battlefield."
By the time Rokuro finished, Setsuna had fully grasped his intent.
"You're right," Setsuna said gravely. "This war is our chance. The Uchiha must not only fight—but make the world remember our strength."
Rokuro smiled, rose, and excused himself. He knew Setsuna now understood exactly what needed to be done.
When he returned home, he explained the clan meeting to his mother and to Uchiha Izumi.
Uchiha Ashikaga—his mother—looked deeply worried.
"Another Great Ninja War…?"
"Not quite a full-scale one," Rokuro said, "but a war between Fire and Lightning is inevitable. As for its scale—it won't be a small skirmish. I'd say tens of thousands will join the fight."
At that, Ashikaga's anxiety deepened.
Her late husband, Uchiha Taidachi—Rokuro's father—had died in the war between Fire and Water. Though unseen in the original story, Taidachi had been a true jōnin: a master of both Fire Release and genjutsu, his Sharingan a perfected three-tomoe.
Even so, he'd fallen on the battlefield. That alone spoke volumes about how brutal shinobi wars truly were.
"This war won't reach the level of the Fourth Great War," Rokuro said, "but without any 'plot armor'… casualties will still be immense."
Ashikaga sighed softly. "If only our experiments were complete by now… we might have had more protection."
While she worried, Uchiha Izumi looked almost eager. Her eyes burned with fighting spirit.
"I told you already," Rokuro said flatly. "You're not setting foot on that battlefield."
"Come on, Rokuro! I've improved a lot since awakening my three-tomoe Sharingan! And if I'm with you, what danger could there be?"
Still, Rokuro refused. Finally, to settle it, he made her an offer.
"Then let's make it simple—we fight. No ninja tools. If you can beat me—or even draw—I'll let you go."
"Fine! You said it yourself! No tools!"
Izumi smirked, confident. She knew Rokuro's ninja tools were terrifyingly advanced—especially his Flying Thunder God ones. She possessed a copy, but her use of it wasn't half as fluid as his. Without the tools, she believed she had the advantage; after all, genjutsu was her specialty, and Rokuro never crafted genjutsu-based weapons.
"Alright then," Rokuro said. "Let's go."
They arrived at the Forest of Death, setting their gear aside—only a few kunai and shuriken each. They stood several meters apart, eyes locked.
Izumi's Sharingan spun to life—three tomoe gleaming. Rokuro felt a rare spark of excitement.
"Huh… this'll be my first time fighting without tools. And that girl's a genius with a monster's talent. Guess I'll have to use my trump card."
He quickly weaved seven hand seals.
A soft radiance bloomed across his body—seven colors shimmering over his clothes and skin, even glowing symbols of the Uzumaki clan appearing at his stomach and shoulders.
Izumi froze, wide-eyed, awe replacing her battle stance.
"Rokuro! What is that? It's so beautiful! Teach me!"
"Teach you? You're supposed to be walking the genjutsu path! This isn't genjutsu!" Rokuro laughed helplessly.
But Izumi was already circling him, touching the rainbow glow like a child admiring fireworks.
"It feels… solid? But it's chakra! How can it feel real?"
Seeing that the duel was already over before it began, Rokuro sighed and dispersed the glow—leaving only a faint luminescence in his right hand, letting her touch it freely.
"This," he said quietly, "isn't ordinary chakra. It's chakra in its ultimate form—the Truth-Seeking Orb Mode."
END OF CHAPTER
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