"Since everyone is here…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a slow drag from his pipe, his usual gentle smile resting on his face.
"…then I'll explain why both the Senju and Uchiha clans have been summoned today."
The Second Great Ninja War—
Had already entered its most intense phase.
The Land of Earth.
The Land of Wind.
The Land of Fire.
Three great nations had deployed massive forces along the borders of the Land of Rain. Advance units had already penetrated deep into its territory, clashing in brutal, unrelenting battles.
There were no true alliances.
No permanent enemies.
Any two nations could become allies—
Or enemies—
At any moment.
Even cooperation was nothing more than a temporary exchange of interests.
And in the middle of it all—
The Land of Rain.
The true victim.
Geographically, it lay directly between the three great nations. None of them were willing to let the war unfold on their own soil.
So—
Without ever stating it outright—
They reached a silent agreement.
They would turn the Land of Rain into the battlefield.
Conflict erupted not only between the great nations, but also between them and the Land of Rain itself.
At the center of it all stood its leader—
Hanzo.
A formidable shinobi.
A man worthy of respect.
He led his forces desperately, fighting against all three nations in an attempt to preserve his country's peace.
But it was futile.
No matter how powerful an individual was—
He could not change the tide of an entire war.
When this war ended, regardless of which great nation emerged victorious—
The one destined to suffer the most…
Would be the Land of Rain.
That was an unavoidable truth.
As Hiruzen spoke, he let out a quiet sigh.
He admired Hanzo.
But admiration changed nothing.
Because for the sake of Konoha—
Other nations could be sacrificed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was gentle.
But he was not soft.
"…That's the current situation."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"I believe both the Senju and Uchiha clans already have a general understanding of the war."
A brief pause followed.
Then—
His expression turned serious.
"The most difficult front right now… is the Land of Wind."
"Their puppet masters have developed a new type of poison."
"Many of our shinobi have already fallen to it."
"Even Jōnin are losing their combat ability after being poisoned."
"Ordinary medical ninja cannot handle it."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Only Tsunade has the capability to treat these toxins."
He turned toward the Senju representative.
"Elder Suzuki… I hope the Senju Clan can send Tsunade, along with a unit of their shinobi, to support the front lines."
This war extended far beyond a single battlefield.
Aside from the Land of Rain—
There were multiple active fronts.
On the border with the Land of Wind, the legendary White Fang had already been dispatched on a classified mission.
To the east, both the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water were stirring, with conflicts already beginning to erupt.
Meanwhile—
Konoha itself required protection.
And above all, Hiruzen had to keep watch over the other Kage.
If any of them personally entered the battlefield—
The balance of power would collapse instantly.
At that point—
Only two people in Konoha could stand against them.
Hiruzen.
And Danzo.
And yet—
Neither of them could leave the village.
Because everyone in this room understood one thing—
The Uchiha Clan…
Was a potential threat.
Hiruzen and Danzo would not risk leaving Konoha unguarded.
"Of course."
Senju Suzuki responded without hesitation.
"For the safety and peace of Konoha, the Senju Clan is willing to dispatch our forces."
"And Tsunade-sama will personally lead the support unit."
The answer came too quickly.
Too smoothly.
Ryujin's eyes flickered slightly.
As expected…
They had already discussed this beforehand.
After all, everyone present—
Had their own issues with the Uchiha.
Especially the Senju.
The moment the Senju agreed, Hiruzen turned his gaze toward Ryujin.
"The situation at the front is critical."
"As Hokage… I ask that the Uchiha Clan Head personally lead a force to support the battlefield."
His tone was serious.
But beneath that seriousness—
Was something else.
A test.
Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto Ryujin.
If the Senju had already agreed—
Then the Uchiha had no reason to refuse.
And if they did refuse—
It would confirm suspicion.
That they were planning something dangerous.
In that case—
Hiruzen could begin preparing immediately.
But if Ryujin agreed—
Then at the very least—
There would be no internal conflict during the war.
That was what Hiruzen and Danzo believed.
Ryujin leaned back slightly in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.
Slow.
Measured.
Then—
He raised his head.
A faint smile appeared.
"Of course."
"We, the Uchiha Clan… are willing to fight for Konoha's peace."
Silence—
Then relief.
"Good… that's good."
Hiruzen let out a quiet breath.
At least—
Until the war ended—
Things could remain stable.
Ryujin's words represented the entire Uchiha Clan.
For now—
There would be no rebellion.
Across the room—
Danzo's expression darkened slightly.
A trace of disappointment flickered in his eyes.
If Ryujin had refused—
He would have had the perfect excuse.
A reason—
To act.
But this unexpected agreement—
Caught him off guard.
Something's wrong…
The intelligence reports he had received—
Didn't align with this outcome.
Had there been a mistake?
Or…
Was something else at play?
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