Sarutobi Hiruzen's face was sour.
Did they think he didn't understand something this simple?
If it were really just that, why would he even need to consult Nara Shikaku?
But—
Though inwardly frustrated, out of trust for Shikaku he forced himself to keep reading.
And then… silence.
Only after finishing the letter did he truly grasp Shikaku's reasoning.
In Shikaku's words, withholding the Police Department's funding had been a mistake from the start.
The only reason it hadn't caused problems before was that the Uchiha were stupid enough to tolerate it.
The other clans weren't going to speak up for them, so there was no risk.
But now things were different.
Uchiha Kai's sudden rise had completely changed the equation.
In this situation, winning or losing a single round didn't matter.
The most important thing was to shore up weaknesses and ensure there were no vulnerabilities.
So—
Replenish the Police Department's budget as soon as possible.
Even lowering the Hokage's posture to do so was acceptable.
Only then could this weak point be eliminated.
And once that flaw was gone, the Hokage could deal with the Uchiha far more comfortably in the future.
Otherwise, no matter how clever his schemes, even if he managed to prevail this time—
So what?
The flaw would remain.
Even if the Uchiha lost now, they could still seize on that weakness to launch a second attack, a third, even countless more.
Take a step back, and the sea and sky open wide.
He who cannot plan for the ages cannot even plan for the moment.
He who cannot see the whole board cannot win even a single corner.
It was the same as in shogi: fighting for short-term gains was the most foolish move.
The more one did here, the more mistakes one made.
In this current conflict, the Uchiha already had the advantage—
This was their home ground!
And the greatest taboo in warfare was to fight the enemy on their own terrain.
If conceding here didn't cost much, and all it required was some money—
Then why not concede quickly?
Admit defeat, end this skirmish, and then carefully prepare for the next clash.
Once the board was set, draw the enemy into your own field of battle—
That was how you could be calm and confident, striking with ease.
There was even another advantage.
By conceding, the opponent would lower their guard, believing you were no real threat.
And when their vigilance dropped, future plots had a higher chance of success.
Conceding—
Was for the sake of greater victory.
"…That makes sense." Hiruzen exhaled faintly. "I really was losing my head.
Almost walked straight into a dead end over such a trivial matter.
As expected of Shikaku—he's truly convincing.
He's right: if this path is blocked, then just change paths.
The days ahead are long.
Uchiha Kai… I'll remember you."
Moved by clarity, his mood brightened instantly.
His body and mind felt unburdened.
Seated behind his desk, he puffed on his pipe again before speaking into the empty air:
"Summon the three elders."
"By your command."
An Anbu agent appeared, knelt, and departed.
Time passed slowly.
About an hour later, the three elders finally arrived.
"Hiruzen, things are completely out of control.
The Uchiha have gone too far—their actions are nothing but negligence toward the villagers.
They must… they must be dealt with!"
Koharu Utatane's face was grim.
These past few days had given her constant headaches, especially seeing the village in chaos.
She truly wanted to storm the Police Department and butcher the lot of them.
Outrageous!
If the Uchiha were unhappy with the leadership, they should confront the Hokage directly.
But throwing the village into turmoil, using civilians as hostages to pressure the leadership?
Was that not utterly vile?
Yes.
Double standards.
When they themselves used the same tactic to frame Hatake Sakumo, they weren't nearly so indignant.
"Koharu's right. I fully agree." Homura Mitokado immediately spoke up. "Those damned Uchiha—they're cancer in Konoha.
We must find a way to root them out completely."
His face was ashen with fury.
Indeed, the Uchiha's behavior these days had driven him mad.
Worst of all, he couldn't even vent his rage directly on them.
Infuriating!
But then—
The one most familiar with Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, spoke up bluntly.
"Enough, Hiruzen!
I can tell from your look—you already have a plan.
We're all comrades here, don't put on an act.
Out with it already!
I've despised the Uchiha for ages—I want them gone as soon as possible."
Danzo's tone was confident.
The moment he entered, he noticed something.
Hiruzen was far too calm.
That kind of composure, Danzo knew well—it meant he already had an answer.
On the other side, Koharu and Homura realized this too only after Danzo spoke.
They immediately urged:
"Hiruzen, say it quickly."
"I'm curious as well. What's the plan?"
Three pairs of eyes burned into him.
Hiruzen: "…"
He could only smile bitterly.
It wasn't that he was putting on airs—he really had made up his mind to accept Shikaku's advice.
But damn it—
The decision was so humiliating that even now, he could hardly bear it!
Still, there was no choice.
The issue had to be resolved.
As Shikaku said, the longer this dragged on, the worse for him.
With a long sigh, he said:
"Don't rush me, I'll say it.
I do have a plan, but it's not what you expect.
I just worried you wouldn't accept it, so I hesitated.
But since you insist, I'll be direct.
I plan to concede.
We'll convene a Jounin meeting, and in front of everyone, I'll admit the Hokage's mistake to the Uchiha.
And I'll repay every single coin owed to the Police Department over the years."
Hiss!
The three elders froze.
They had never imagined that the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, would propose something so… pathetic.
"Hiruzen, are you insane?
I absolutely won't agree. How can we bow our heads to the Uchiha?
No! Absolutely not!"
"…!"
In an instant, all three erupted, their voices heated.
Danzo especially looked ready to smash the Hokage's desk to splinters.
Hiruzen, however, remained calm.
He had predicted this exact reaction.
So there was nothing surprising in it.
Without wasting words, he took out Shikaku's letter, placed it before them, and spoke in a low voice:
"This is from Shikaku.
Don't get angry yet—read it first."
"…."
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