At this moment, such an opportune chance—one perfectly suited for weakening the Uchiha Clan's influence—was not something Danzō Shimura would easily let slip away.
A slight smirk curled at the corner of his lips, while a glimmer that seemed to resemble wisdom flashed in his eyes. With a tone laced with sarcasm, he slowly spoke, "In ancient times, the Senju Clan once bore the responsibility of guarding the Land of Water's border. Now, the top clan in Konoha is the Uchiha. Are you saying they really can't measure up to the Senju?"
His words struck like a volley of arrows aimed straight at Shiyu Uchiha. Yet, Shiyu remained completely unmoved, as if he had already anticipated such remarks.
He merely smirked slightly and scoffed, "Of course we're far behind them. Otherwise, the position of First Hokage wouldn't have gone to the Senju Clan in the first place. Moreover, the Senju have always excelled in Water Release and Earth Release techniques. Forming an alliance with the Land of Whirlpool made it easier for them to effectively counter attacks from Mist ninjas.
Nowadays, however, the Land of Whirlpool no longer exists. Our Uchiha Clan has always been small in number, and the environment there simply isn't suitable for our strengths. How could we possibly shoulder alone such a long and perilous oceanic defense line?
Therefore, I respectfully suggest, Hokage-sama, you look elsewhere and seek someone more capable. Of course, if you could offer our clan sufficient support, we would certainly take it under advisement."
Shiyu Uchiha's words were crisp and clear-cut, without hesitation or unnecessary elaboration—as if he had rehearsed them beforehand—and put particular emphasis on two specific words.
Although it was somewhat humiliating to admit openly that the Uchiha truly lagged behind the Senju in strength, in his own view, it wasn't a big deal. At worst, it was just a bit embarrassing on the surface but wouldn't significantly impact the actual situation within the clan.
Nevertheless, his response truly enraged Danzō Shimura. All the carefully prepared provocations he had planned in advance now felt stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered.
Furrowing his brows tightly, rage flickering in his eyes, he once again silently vowed to find an opportunity to teach this arrogant and disrespectful Shiyu Uchiha a much-needed lesson, making him understand the gravity of his mistake in showing so little respect.
Sending the Uchiha Clan to the border of the Land of Water had been a meticulously plotted and mutually agreed-upon decision by their group after much discussion. Initially, they had planned to arrange a discreet meeting with Shiyu Uchiha, hoping to convince him to take up the assignment willingly.
They well understood the Uchiha Clan's ambition for the position of Hokage, so they planned to entice him with the highly tempting offer of Hokage candidacy, firmly believing that Shiyu would hardly resist such an offer. Even if he hesitated at first, success was still considered highly likely.
And if all else failed, they could always quietly pass some relevant information to the Uchiha Clan from the shadows.
They knew all too well that the Hokage position had long been a cherished ambition of the Uchiha Clan, a deep-seated obsession buried in their hearts. Even if Shiyu Uchiha himself had personal hesitations, the clan members would still push him forward.
As for whether the Uchiha Clan could actually take the Hokage seat—that wasn't even within their consideration. They absolutely refused to allow it. The Hokage title must remain passed down exclusively within their own faction.
However, what they had never anticipated was that Shiyu Uchiha would be so sharp and decisive, directly addressing the matter so openly at a prestigious Jonin assembly watched by countless eyes.
Everyone understood that during such a gathering, there was no way one could carelessly speak words with far-reaching consequences in front of such a large audience. Otherwise, once the Uchiha Clan truly achieved their goal as planned,
At that point, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other top-level figures would no longer have room for regret—they would only be able to watch helplessly as the situation spiraled out of control.
Finally, sensing that Danzo Shimura was clearly not gaining any advantage in this negotiation, Hiruzen's heart filled with growing unease. He started to worry that if things kept going this way, unexpected chaos might break out again.
Therefore, he decisively spoke up: "How could that ever happen? We should put our sharpest tools to the best use. I believe our most pressing need right now is to send the Uchiha Clan into the Land of Earth, where they can engage in fierce combat against the Iwa-nin there, thereby demonstrating the overwhelming strength of Konoha Ninja Village.
Additionally, I've decided to assign the Inuzuka Clan, Aburame Clan, Gekko Clan, and Izuno Clan to assist your Uchiha Clan in completing this crucial mission. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter, esteemed Uchiha clan chieftain."
At this moment, Hiruzen's mind was crystal clear. He realized that Shiyu Uchiha had already made up his mind and wouldn't play along—like going off to fish by the seashore. Since that was the case, in order to effectively weaken the Uchiha Clan while safeguarding Konoha's balance and stability, he had carefully arranged for them an equally arduous yet significant alternative mission.
Although he had allocated additional forces to provide support, it was undeniable that these four ninja clans had relatively small numbers. Even combined, they likely wouldn't match any single one of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio. And that's exactly why the main burden of this operation would still fall squarely upon the shoulders of the Uchiha Clan—they were expected to make the greatest contribution.
Just when Hiruzen assumed Shiyu Uchiha would start bargaining, Shiyu immediately stepped forward boldly, determination gleaming in his eyes. He declared loudly, "Hokage-sama, I, Shiyu Uchiha, stand here today on behalf of my entire Clan, pledging with absolute determination to lead our forces to the frontlines in the Land of Earth.
With our strength and courage, we will undoubtedly hold firm against the Land of Earth at Fire Country's borders, leaving not a single opportunity for our enemies to exploit. Please, Hokage-sama, rest assured!" His voice rang out powerfully, brimming with boundless resolve and strength.
When Shiyu Uchiha heard the satisfactory response, he knew there was no need to utter another word. To him, going into battle was not something to fear or avoid; rather, it was the most precious touchstone that could truly test his actual strength.
It would also help him clearly define his future and decide the path he should take moving forward.
Furthermore, after careful consideration, Shiyu Uchiha had come to see the Land of Earth as undoubtedly the best target. The reason behind this was the Iwa-nin Village's crazed unit-spamming strategy, which caused the Land of Earth to possess the highest number of ninjas among all nations today, yet their quality was indeed worrying, ranking as the worst among all countries.
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