"This might be it," Uchiha Makoto murmured, his eyes calm but sharp.
Vortex Shinji, sitting across from him, hesitated before replying. "If they're still preparing military supplies, that would explain the delay. After all, Konoha's army is massive. Once they mobilize, they consume enormous amounts of food and resources every day. Preparing everything properly must take time."
Makoto smiled faintly but said nothing, watching Shinji struggle to justify what he himself didn't fully believe.
Under the weight of that silent stare, Shinji finally gave a nervous laugh, his excuses crumbling.
More than a month had passed since the war began—almost two. A ninja village, by its very nature, existed for battle. Even if Konoha's response had been slow, by now they should have been able to dispatch at least one division to support their allies in the Akatsuki Village and the Uzumaki Clan.
Even assuming their claims were true—that they were still preparing supplies—surely they could have mustered a few jōnin teams for emergency support.
But the reality was obvious.
No reinforcements had come.
Not even a shadow of one.
Makoto broke the silence first. "You're right, Shinji. I'm sure Konoha's reinforcements are still in preparation." His tone was mild, but his words dripped with irony. "After all, we are their allies. Perhaps their messengers are simply… taking their time. It's fortunate that the Akatsuki Village is strong enough to win this war without them."
He set down his spoon and added, "Let's just hope that when the Uzumaki Clan faces danger, Konoha doesn't react this slowly again."
Then he returned to his dessert. Vanilla ice cream—sweet, cold, and uncomplicated.
Shinji stayed quiet. He continued to eat, though the ice cream now tasted bitter on his tongue. Makoto's words had struck home. Konoha was supposed to be an ally of both the Akatsuki Village and the Uzumaki Clan.
If this was how they treated one ally today, how would they treat another tomorrow?
Would they again stay motionless, watching from afar while their supposed friends bled on the battlefield?
The thought was painful.
When Makoto finished his bowl, he rose without another word. As the Kage of the Akatsuki Village and supreme commander of the joint Akatsuki–Uzumaki forces, his responsibilities were endless—inspecting the wounded, planning counterattacks, and most importantly, securing the lifeline of war: logistics.
War was fought with money and food.
No matter how powerful an army, without supplies it was doomed.
Makoto remembered the turning point of the Third Ninja War—the Kannabi Bridge mission, when Konoha destroyed Iwagakure's supply route and forced them to retreat. From that single operation, the tide of the war had shifted.
He would not allow the same mistake here.
Before the campaign began, he had already established three main supply routes and two secret emergency lines that only a handful of people knew about. The Akatsuki Village would never starve for lack of planning.
Kumogakure, by contrast, was struggling. Their own supply routes were stretched thin, so they tried to cripple Akatsuki's. But so far their efforts had yielded little—only a few stolen shipments, hardly enough to change the course of the war. At most, those raids had improved the raiders' rations, a small comfort in a losing effort.
---
When Makoto entered the medical camp, every head turned. Even the wounded who could still move tried to sit up straight.
"Lord Kage!" someone called.
Makoto raised a hand. "No need to salute. You are all heroes of the Akatsuki Village. Please, sit."
His warm tone eased the tension in the tent. Despite his countless duties, Makoto always made time to visit the wounded. A few words of comfort could strengthen morale more effectively than any medicine.
He moved from bed to bed, checking bandages, nodding to each ninja who saluted him. "How are the new medical-nin performing?" he asked one of the healers. "And what about the medicines we purchased?"
A wounded chūnin, his arm bound in fresh linen, answered proudly. "At first they struggled, Lord Kage, but they've adapted quickly. They're skilled now—and the healing salves are excellent. Every time they're used, we see improvement."
Makoto nodded. "Good. Medical-nin must master medical ninjutsu, and medicine must heal. Anything less is unacceptable."
The injured ninja around him smiled at the remark. In truth, Akatsuki's medical division was performing far better than expected. Most villages lost countless soldiers not to enemy blades but to poor treatment—delays, infections, or lack of supplies. Makoto's heavy investment in training new medical-nin and acquiring high-quality herbs had paid off handsomely.
It was one of the reasons Akatsuki still held the upper hand.
Makoto stepped to the center of the tent, his cloak brushing the floor. "Everyone," he began, his voice carrying through the quiet air, "we will win this war."
He looked around at the bandaged faces. "No one will harm the ninjas of Akatsuki and walk away unpunished. When this war is over, every ninja in the world will remember your courage. Wherever our people go, others will step aside in respect."
His tone rose with conviction. "So live. Live long enough to see that day with your own eyes. Every scar you bear will shine as proof of your valor."
A murmur swept through the tent, swelling into cheers.
Makoto smiled inwardly. This was leadership—winning hearts through hope.
Wars had always baffled outsiders. Many still couldn't understand how a conflict this large had erupted over the deaths of two chūnin. But the answer was simple: Akatsuki Village stood for loyalty. Uchiha Makoto protected his subordinates with absolute resolve. To harm one of his own was to invite his wrath—and his vengeance was swift and merciless.
In the end, his generosity and strength had become the pillars of his rule. Every ninja who fought under him knew they would be rewarded for their service, whether in coin, honor, or both.
As Makoto left the medical tent, a thunderous shout followed him.
"LOYALTY!"
The word echoed again and again, shaking the camp.
He allowed himself a faint smile as he walked, humming softly. The morale of his troops was soaring—exactly as he intended.
---
Back in his command tent, stacks of reports awaited him. He began to read, signing a few, discarding others. Just as he reached for the next scroll, a soft sound interrupted him.
"Meow~."
A small ninja cat leapt gracefully onto his desk. Makoto chuckled and reached into a drawer, taking out a tin of catnip. "You've worked hard," he said, rubbing its ears before unfastening the scroll tied around its neck.
The letter was from Uchiha Setsuna. Since receiving Makoto's secret instructions, Setsuna had thrown himself into action—spreading news of Akatsuki's victories throughout Konoha and demanding that the Hokage dispatch aid to their ally.
But Senju Tobirama had remained unmoved. Despite repeated petitions, no reinforcements were sent. Setsuna, furious, had stormed into the Hokage's office himself.
"Senju Tobirama!" he had shouted. "Akatsuki Village is our ally! They are under attack by the Hidden Cloud. Why hasn't Konoha deployed its army?"
Tobirama's reply was cold and official.
"Preparations are not sufficient. The time is not right," he said. "I am the supreme commander of Konoha's army, appointed by the Hokage. The safety of Konoha and the peace of the ninja world are my responsibility. I decide when we depart—and only then shall we depart."
It was an unyielding stance.
Frustrated, Setsuna had gone to Uchiha Madara for support. Madara had been ready to confront Tobirama himself, but when he arrived at the office, the Hokage's chair was once again occupied by Senju Hashirama. The timing, as always, favored the Senju.
After a series of unproductive arguments, the result remained the same: Konoha would not move.
Makoto lowered the letter, his eyes narrowing. "Senju Tobirama… evil old ghost," he muttered. "He's plotting something."
He continued reading. Setsuna's tone grew angrier with every line, accusing Tobirama of abusing his authority under Hashirama's shadow. Why doesn't Lord Madara simply deal with him in secret? the letter ended bitterly.
Makoto sighed. None of this surprised him. In fact, it was precisely what he had expected.
Had Konoha actually rushed to Akatsuki's aid, that would have been unexpected.
Still, Tobirama's appointment as supreme commander was worrying. The man was cunning—likely waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in and profit from the struggle between Akatsuki and the Hidden Cloud.
"Konoha has the strength to sit and watch," Makoto said quietly. "Only the powerful can afford patience."
With Hashirama alone, Konoha possessed enough might to intimidate the entire ninja world. No village would dare challenge them openly. Akatsuki, on the other hand, had no such luxury.
Makoto needed this war—not just for survival, but for legitimacy. Victory would solidify his leadership, silence internal dissent, boost the economy, and draw noble sponsors to the rising Akatsuki Village. Externally, it would establish them as a true power in the ninja world.
He also valued his alliance with the Uzumaki Clan. Nothing forged friendship like standing shoulder to shoulder in the trenches, hurling explosive tags at a common enemy.
This war was inevitable. Better to fight it now, while allies still lived who could intervene before things spiraled out of control. With Hashirama and Madara both alive, the conflict would never go too far. Once those titans were gone, future wars would not end so easily.
Makoto took a deep breath, then unfolded the final part of Setsuna's letter. As he read, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
Despite Konoha's inaction, Akatsuki's reputation there was soaring. Setsuna, thwarted in his attempts to secure aid, had instead turned to propaganda—spreading stories of Akatsuki's valor and contrasting it with Konoha's hesitation. His efforts, combined with Uchiha Kazuma's coordination inside Akatsuki Village, had produced an unexpected result: the villagers themselves began to mock their leaders with a new saying.
> "When allies attack, Konoha is immovable as a mountain.
When allies retreat, Konoha is swift as the wind.
When the battle favors others, Konoha burns like fire.
When the outcome is uncertain, Konoha stands calm as the forest."
Each line dripped with satire.
Then came the comparisons that spread through every tavern in the village:
> "Akatsuki Village sought justice for the chūnin who died for them—that is benevolence.
Compared to Konoha's silence, Akatsuki wins once.
Akatsuki Village negotiated compensation before the war—that is righteousness.
Compared to Konoha's hesitation, Akatsuki wins twice.
Akatsuki Village annihilated over a thousand Cloud ninjas—that is courage.
Compared to Konoha's passivity, Akatsuki wins thrice!"
The punchline had become famous overnight:
> "Led by Lord Kage Uchiha Makoto, Akatsuki Village embodies the three virtues of the ninja—benevolence, righteousness, and courage. In this conflict, they have defeated Konoha three times!"
Makoto chuckled softly, rolling up the scroll. Even without Konoha's help, he had won something greater—public opinion.
The people were beginning to see the truth:
In this era, only action commanded respect.
And among all the ninja of the world, none acted faster—or struck harder—than the Akatsuki Village.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)