The Village, the Clan, and the Hawk Project
"Uchiha Miyue?" The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe. "Her father is the Fourth Elder of the Uchiha. There's no need to worry too much about her."
"As for Uchiha Taiyi," he continued, turning to Nakamura, "you need to pay closer attention. That boy doesn't have much standing in the clan. He can only rely on the Village to support him."
"I understand, Hokage-sama," Nakamura replied respectfully.
The meaning behind the Hokage's words was clear. Compared to Taiyi, who lacked strong backing within the clan, Miyue had the advantage. The Fourth Elder was a powerful figure in the Uchiha and held considerable influence.
Still, no one in the Hokage's office thought of trying to win over the Fourth Elder through Miyue. That was unrealistic. Because of this, Nakamura and his companions could only sigh inwardly.
The Uchiha were powerful, yes, but ultimately, even their clan could not compete with the authority of the Village. Konoha controlled the economy, the missions, and the distribution of resources—everything that ensured survival.
Even so, Pingyi felt slightly relieved. At least the Hokage hadn't suggested removing Miyue from the squad. That alone was good news.
The truth was, the Hokage had assigned Miyue to their team precisely because of her father. Not because he intended to recruit the Fourth Elder, but because Miyue herself might one day become a bridge between the Uchiha and the Village. She had talent, and her lineage meant she was someone worth keeping an eye on.
Still, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no plans to pour Konoha's resources into her—not yet. His policy toward the Uchiha was largely assimilation: he preferred to invest in young shinobi who had no strong family backing.
Take Uchiha Obito, for example. Despite being clumsy and impulsive, his talent was undeniable. That was why he had been placed on Namikaze Minato's team. With the Village's support, such geniuses could be molded into loyal shinobi who valued Konoha over their clan.
The Uchiha were not blind to this. They also worked hard to nurture and keep their talented youth close. But as a clan, their resources were limited. Inevitably, those with strong family ties received more support, leaving orphans or those of weak bloodlines neglected.
The Village was different. Konoha was a system. It needed as many skilled shinobi as possible, and to the Hokage, there could never be too many geniuses. Every promising child was an investment.
Of course, there were always risks—some shinobi proved ungrateful. That was why the Hokage carefully placed talented genin under trusted jōnin, who would evaluate them. Only after these reports would the Hokage decide whether they were worth further investment.
This system was one of the reasons Konoha had remained the strongest of the Five Great Villages. Without it, even the greatest bloodline limits would be wasted, as had happened in Kirigakure.
The Hidden Mist was overflowing with bloodline clans, yet their fractured system and internal purges left them in ruins. Konoha, by contrast, had the Hokage system. Even though some criticized it for nepotism, the fact remained: no single clan ever monopolized the Hokage seat.
The First and Second Hokage had both been Senju, true—but the Senju clan itself had faded into history. Whether they had died in battle or quietly dispersed into the Village, only Tsunade and her brother Nawaki remained. Their disappearance was proof of how fully the clan had merged with Konoha.
Each Hokage since then had been from different families, but none ruled as a "clan leader." That, in Sarutobi's eyes, was Konoha's greatest strength.
The Uchiha's future, however, was another matter. Their failure to reconcile with the Village would one day prove fatal.
For now, though, neither Nakamura nor Pingyi questioned the Hokage's judgment in favoring Taiyi. They trusted that his decisions were always for Konoha's benefit.
"Swish!"
An ANBU operative appeared, kneeling before the Hokage. "Hokage-sama, the three elders request an audience."
"Very well. You two may leave," Sarutobi said to Nakamura and Pingyi. "I'll inform you if anything changes."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
They bowed and exited, passing Danzo and the other advisors on their way out of the building.
Once the door closed, Danzo spoke. "Sarutobi, what have you decided about the Hawk Project?"
"No, Danzo," Hiruzen said firmly, pipe still in hand. "This plan affects too much. If the Village tries to monopolize it outright, the clans will push back. That cannot be allowed."
"But we can't simply hand this power away," Mitokado Homura interjected, his voice low. "It's too dangerous."
"The key issue," Utatane Koharu added, "is cost. If production costs can be lowered, perhaps we could share profits with the clans without losing too much." She hesitated, then said, "How about reducing Emiya Shirō's share? He's only one person, after all."
"No," Danzo said at once, to everyone's surprise.
"Why not?" Koharu frowned. "If you're worried about Hatake Sakumo, we can compensate him separately. He won't suffer any real loss."
"It's not Sakumo I'm worried about," Danzo said coldly. "It's Shirō himself. I've investigated him. He once approached the Uchiha and even Yuan Lai about joining the Hawk Project. When he realized the situation was impossible, he withdrew immediately. That shows awareness—and caution.
"He's not as naive as he seems. He knows how to protect his interests, even if his methods are still rough. That's why we can't reduce his share. In fact, we must increase it."
Danzo's single visible eye narrowed. "Never forget—the core of this technology lies with him. Yes, he's built us a production line. Yes, we can now mass-produce without relying on him directly. But the project must evolve. Its upgrades will depend entirely on his cooperation.
"The more he profits, the more invested he becomes. The more invested he becomes, the more loyal he'll be to Konoha."
For once, even Sarutobi remained silent.
Danzo Shimura was ruthless and manipulative, yes. But the unsettling truth was that at the heart of his schemes, he always acted with one goal in mind: the survival of Konoha. Even his obsession with the Hokage seat had been rooted in that belief—his conviction that only under his leadership could Konoha truly thrive.
History, however, would prove him wrong.
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