The Uchiha's words hit home. Inuzuka Xiaotian understood every point. The Uchiha needed allies, needed to break the Hokage faction's political blockade, and his clan had been cornered by the Hellhound summons with almost no room to maneuver.
The Grand Elder had put it bluntly. "What belongs to the Uchiha cannot be taken, not even by the Hokage. As friends, we share meat and wine. As enemies, fend for yourselves. Watching from the middle is not an option."
This wasn't a banquet. It wasn't a negotiation either. It was a demand to choose a side. Stand with the Hokage faction and watch the clan wither. Stand with the Uchiha and grow stronger together, while enduring pressure from all around.
Die now or live hard.
Xiaotian sighed. There was no choice to make. The moment he chose, the weight on his shoulders lifted.
He rose, lifted his cup, and spoke. "The Inuzuka stand with the Uchiha. Now and in the future. For the sake of both our clans, let us drink."
Cups rose. Wine went down. The room warmed again. The Inuzuka knew exactly what had happened and that there was no going back. They were a straightforward people. No more holding back. Laughter rose. Hands stroked the great hounds. The beasts leaned into those touchpoints as if the Inuzuka always knew the sweet spots. The mood turned openly joyful.
Renji slipped outside and settled on the rooftop, looking up at the sky. One step forward at last. Lucky to have arrived at the tail end of the Second War. If this were after the Nine Tails, there would be no time to play chess with the Hokage faction. The only options would be rebellion or flipping the table.
The game was still playable. The Uchiha's base was intact. He had been adding weights to the clan's side of the scale, and at last it was tipping back.
Only adding to their side was not enough. The gap was still too big. He needed to remove weights from the Hokage's side. With Koharu dead, power at the top had shifted and the Koharu line's prestige collapsed. A weak family became Sarutobi's vassal.
Next chance, remove Mitokado Homura. Break Hiruzen's carefully tended triangle. Force him and Danzō face to face with no buffer. That would be a show.
The Uchiha had drawn in a neutral house. The Aburame were placed into Jiraiya's squad, clearly with political intent. That left the Hyuga and the Shiranui. Neither would be easy.
If neutral clans could not be won quickly, then keep cutting the other side's strength. The timing was about right. Let the Hokage faction enjoy its father and son harmony. The next Uchiha step was a kill by praise.
Now to watch the Hokage's reaction. It should not be extreme. The maniac woman was gone. Homura was mild. The Third pretended to be benevolent. Even if Danzō jumped, he could not jump far. At most he would stir public opinion and smear the Uchiha.
The direction of cooperation would not change, but the old fox Hiruzen would feed Danzō some fuel. Renji thought of Fugaku. Time to give the boy lessons. Do not let a good kid be molded into the Third's ideal like Uchiha Itachi.
Jiraiya's charisma was real. His talk-no-jutsu came straight down the line. The Third's Will of Fire. Naruto's mouth could talk people to death and flip the rest.
While Renji laid out the Uchiha's future, the Hokage's office received a report.
"This morning at Naka Shrine, the Uchiha held a clan assembly. They signed contracts and performed a mass summoning. They called it the Great Summoning Ceremony. Afterward, Uchiha leadership convened a secret meeting. Contents unknown.
"Their giant hounds are summons usable only by Uchiha with awakened eyes. Each shinobi bonds to a single hound. The summoning clan was recovered by Renji's squad. The beasts appear to enjoy sweets.
"Inuzuka suffered a devastating blow, potentially existential. Their hounds cannot leave home due to bloodline suppression. In size and ability, the two kinds of hounds are not on the same level.
"It appears the Inuzuka clan head was intercepted en route to the Hokage Tower and invited to the Uchiha compound. Reliable sources say the Uchiha Third Elder and Takuma Uchiha received them at the gate.
"A lavish banquet followed. Food and drink kept entering the Grand Elder's residence. Applause and cheers were frequent. Latest update indicates the Inuzuka representatives have blended in well with the Uchiha present. Sounds of happy celebration continue.
"My assessment is that this concerns the summoning beasts," the ANBU finished, handing over a stack of intel.
The Third praised the work and ordered continued collection, especially on the talks' content. Then he waved the operative out.
Only three remained in the office. The Third. Homura. Danzō. Silence weighed the room.
Homura spoke first. "This is not simple. From the intel, the Uchiha summons have deep potential and synergize with the Uchiha for more than the sum of their parts. That is lethal to the Inuzuka, whose heritage rests on hound coordination.
"Before, everyone minded their own houses. Now the Uchiha have bloodline power the Inuzuka lack. What was unique to the Inuzuka, the Uchiha now do better. The Inuzuka's dogs are effectively sidelined.
"They likely sought the Hokage's mediation. That was our chance to win them over. Yet the Uchiha intercepted them and apparently succeeded. Their motives are not simple. Our relationship needs careful review."
"The Uchiha must have coerced them into a compromise. The goal is against us. Increase pressure. If the Inuzuka chose the Uchiha, they should pay the price. Divide and isolate them," Danzō said flatly.
Hiruzen hesitated. Sanctions would disrupt the integration plan. If the Uchiha were punished without concrete wrongdoing, the rift would grow worse than before.
"Report, Lord Hokage," another ANBU arrived. "The Uchiha and Inuzuka have concluded talks and publicly announced the results. They are en route to the Hokage Tower.
"Main points. The Uchiha will share summoning hounds with the Inuzuka. Both clans will jointly breed a new ninja-dog line and ensure logistics for the hounds.
"Several agreements are signed. They request your review and official certification." He handed over documents and departed.
"Ambition laid bare," Danzō narrowed his eyes. "Open provocation. Let me handle it and I will make them pay."
"Calm yourself," Homura shot back. "They are signaling a wish to integrate with the village. Their plan both solves the Inuzuka crisis and strengthens Konoha. If we crush that, what will the village think?"
"If the Uchiha show goodwill, we cannot chill it," the Third decided. "Konoha belongs to all of us. There is no them and us, only we. We must stand together. Do not overdo hostility toward our own. Danzō, that is the end of it. No extreme methods."
"Indulging the Uchiha is raising a tiger," Danzō snapped. "You will pay for your softness." He slammed the door and left.
After he was gone, Homura said, "Even if the Uchiha's plan is good, we should still prepare safeguards."
The Third smiled through pipe smoke. "We need not worry. Danzō is watching. That is enough."
Danzō left the tower with a thin smile. So the Uchiha changed their tune. I underestimated you. A bold gambit in the open. Don't worry. I will still see you dead.
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