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"....."
This absurd reason left everyone speechless.
If Obito had some deep-seated grudge against Konoha and sought revenge against the village, people might have understood.
But to turn against the village, his own teacher, and his teacher's wife—just because the girl he liked died?
This reasoning was simply unacceptable.
Just as Kazuki had said, you could never predict what a madman would do.
Who would have thought that someone as naive as Uchiha Obito would turn into such an unreasonable lunatic?
If it had been someone with an inherently extreme personality, people might have accepted it.
But Obito?
That straightforward, boisterous, and somewhat foolish boy—no one saw this coming!
Are all Uchiha this irrational when it comes to women?
Hiashi instinctively glanced at Fugaku sitting beside him, and others followed his gaze.
Fugaku's veins bulged on his forehead, his face darkening as he ignored them.
Yes, the Uchiha were prone to extremes due to their bloodline limit, often developing volatile personalities.
But someone like Obito—who would seek vengeance against everything just because the girl he liked died?
That was unheard of.
If you said he had completely turned to darkness, why did he repeatedly spare Kakashi, never targeting his former teammate?
Yet if you thought he still had a shred of conscience, how could he be so ruthless as to attack his own teacher and his teacher's wife, who had just given birth?
The contradictions were baffling.
"In the coming days, Kirigakure might become his next target for revenge."
"....."
Damn, Kazuki, you're ruthless.
The Allied Shinobi Forces' cooperation wasn't even over yet, and here he was, already diverting the heat toward another village.
But...
Well played.
As long as Obito wasn't fixated on Konoha, it didn't matter who else suffered.
Whether Kirigakure got dragged into this mess was none of their concern.
At most, they'd lend some support if Kirigakure asked for help.
"Obito wants his Sharingan back. After discussions with the other Kage, we've decided that the Five Great Shinobi Villages will jointly seal this Sharingan and hide it away."
"You made the right call."
As Hokage, Tsunade had to prioritize Konoha's interests. Kazuki's decision undoubtedly benefited the village.
None of the clan heads had any objections—even if they did, they had no power to interfere.
"And one more thing..."
Kazuki pulled out a small bottle filled with preservative fluid, inside which floated a pair of eyes.
"Byakugan?!"
Hiashi's eyelid twitched, and his gaze toward Kazuki shifted.
Did you... target someone from the Hyuga main family?
Where else would you get a pair of Byakugan?
The branch family's eyes were protected by the Caged Bird Seal, meaning only a main family member's eyes could be taken.
For Kazuki to casually produce a pair of Byakugan—many in the room were stunned.
Is this the son-in-law turning against his wife's family?
It wasn't an overreaction. Stolen Byakugan could only come from the main family—that was a fact.
Hell, if Hiashi suddenly pulled out a pair of Sharingan, everyone would be just as shocked.
"What's with the looks? Have you all forgotten the basic trust between comrades?"
Seeing the exaggerated reactions, Tsunade slammed the table in irritation.
"Do you really think Kazuki would be stupid enough to attack the Hyuga main family and then flaunt the eyes like some trophy?"
"Ahem! Lord Hokage, we didn't mean it like that. It's just... the sudden appearance of a pair of Byakugan caught us off guard."
Those who had jumped to conclusions coughed awkwardly, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Well..."
Just as Hiashi was about to speak, Kazuki tossed the bottle toward him. Reflexively, he caught it.
Kazuki clapped his hands together.
"It's natural to be suspicious when I suddenly pull out a pair of Byakugan. If any of you here took out a pair of Sharingan, Patriach and I would also have questions. These Byakugan did indeed come from the Hyuga main family—but I secured them by pressuring the Mizukage during our Five Kage collaboration, forcing Kirigakure to return them."
That's insane!
The room erupted in shock.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kirigakure had killed a Hyuga main family member and stolen their eyes.
The Hyuga clan had tried every method to retrieve them, but Kirigakure refused to budge—not even the Third Hokage's negotiations had worked.
And now?
Kazuki had brought them back.
Not through negotiations, but by force.
He had pressured Kirigakure and the Fourth Mizukage into surrendering the eyes.
For a moment, the looks directed at Kazuki were a mix of admiration and complicated emotions.
Admiration, because Konoha finally had a high-ranking leader who was both strong-willed and capable—a boon for the village.
Complicated, because this leader was an Uchiha.
If only the village hadn't oppressed the Uchiha so harshly in the past...
Many couldn't help but think this, though they quickly suppressed the thought.
"Retrieving these eyes did come at a cost. Konoha will need to provide Kirigakure with some compensation. We'll match whatever the other villages offer—nothing excessive."
Kazuki didn't care much about the compensation and didn't dwell on it.
"The Third Hokage will remain behind to assist with the sealing process. Once Obito's Sharingan is secured, he'll return. It shouldn't take long."
With the main discussion concluded, Tsunade dismissed the clan heads, wanting to speak privately with Kazuki.
The moment they left, her composed expression cracked, replaced by frustration.
"That old man... I told him not to go, but he insisted. And now? He got over a hundred elite shinobi from the Sarutobi clan killed for nothing! If he hadn't been so stubborn, Konoha would have suffered zero losses in this operation."
The consumed resources were negligible compared to the loss of over a hundred elite shinobi—a devastating blow.
Though Tsunade had little love for the Sarutobi clan these days, such a loss was still a heavy hit to the village's strength.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have let their past transgressions slide so easily.
Well, that's not my problem.
Kazuki shrugged, leaning against the desk. He reached out and pinched Tsunade's cheek playfully.
She shot him a glare—Try that again and see what happens.
He wisely withdrew his hand and poured himself some tea instead.
"At the very least, this operation exposed the Akatsuki's true nature and their terrifying power to the entire shinobi world. From now on, it'll be much harder for them to operate in the shadows. I'm certain the other villages will keep sending scouts to hunt down their hideouts."
The Five Great Shinobi Villages weren't known for letting grudges go—especially Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
Given A and Ōnoki's personalities, covert investigations would be relentless. Even Rasa and Yagura would follow suit—or rather, they'd have no choice.
*****
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