Konoha Village — Hokage's Office.
Without even knocking, Uchiha Setsuna pushed open the heavy wooden door of the Hokage's office and walked in with casual arrogance. His black cloak swayed slightly as he made himself comfortable in the chair opposite the desk, pouring himself a cup of tea with practiced ease.
He raised the cup with a smirk.
"Oh, if it isn't our illustrious Commander of the Ninja Army — Senju Tobirama-sama. Not busy preparing for war today? Or did you come to share a quiet cup of tea with me?"
The mockery in his tone was razor-sharp. Tobirama's brows furrowed, and his expression darkened immediately.
Inside, the Second Hokage cursed silently. Damn Uchiha — naturally evil, every one of them.
More than once, Tobirama had felt the urge to cut Setsuna down where he stood with a Flying Thunder God Slash.
But he couldn't. Not yet.
The atmosphere in the Village had been volatile for days. Whispers, rumors, and outrage spread through every street like wildfire. News that the Akatsuki Village had annihilated over a thousand Cloud Ninja overnight had already swept through the entire Land of Fire. Tobirama had tried to suppress it, but the effort was futile.
Sooner or later, everyone would know. Still, every hour of silence bought him precious time. The wave of public unrest that had previously shaken Konoha had only recently been calmed by his efforts — and Tobirama had no desire to see it reignited.
He had plans. Calculated ones.
If the people's outrage flared again, it would threaten everything he'd carefully constructed — and the timing wasn't right. Konoha's forces weren't yet ready to march. He needed more time to let the Akatsuki and the Hidden Cloud Village wear each other down first.
That had been the plan.
But the world rarely followed plans.
This new report from the front lines — the Akatsuki's shocking victory — had destroyed his carefully maintained balance. The news spread faster than wildfire, carried by every mouth in Konoha.
Still, Tobirama had believed it manageable. After all, Konoha had already been preparing for war. He could control the narrative — delay the deployment, feed the public reasons about strategy and timing.
The average villager, he thought, wouldn't question military matters they didn't understand.
He underestimated them.
Within days, the streets of Konoha were filled with discussions, debates, and dangerous opinions.
> "When our allies move, we remain still — when they retreat, we chase the wind.
When the battle is favorable, we burn like fire.
When it is uncertain, we stay calm like the forest."
Quotes like this echoed through the markets and teahouses — parodies of the "Way of the Ninja."
And then came the sharper ones:
> "Akatsuki wins three battles in a row. Konoha loses them all!"
"Has Konoha forgotten its virtues — Benevolence, Righteousness, Courage?"
"Perhaps the Senju Clan no longer deserves to lead."
"Wouldn't the Uchiha be better suited for the Hokage's seat?"
That last remark chilled Tobirama to the bone.
The villagers had crossed a line.
He slammed his fist against the desk in frustration, the papers scattered like leaves.
Do they think the ANBU exist for decoration?
Insolence. Treason. The villagers questioning the Senju Clan's authority — that was unforgivable.
But beneath his anger, Tobirama's political instincts were sharper than ever. The more he listened, the more he realized something wasn't right.
The tone of the rumors.
The coordination of their spread.
The timing.
This wasn't random gossip.
Someone was orchestrating this. Someone with influence and motive.
And there was only one clan in Konoha that fit both conditions.
"The Uchiha," Tobirama muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
Naturally evil. Naturally ambitious. Naturally dangerous.
He dispatched ANBU immediately to investigate in secret. Within a day, they returned with confirmation.
All the seditious rumors originated in areas under Uchiha patrol.
Without their approval, such talk could never have spread so freely.
"Those damn Uchiha…" Tobirama seethed. "They're already impatient. They want to seize what they couldn't earn."
He had worked tirelessly to build Konoha from the ashes of endless war — and now these people dared to plot against the very foundation he'd created?
And right now, sitting before him, was one of the main culprits — Uchiha Setsuna.
---
Tobirama's eyes were sharp as kunai.
"Uchiha Setsuna," he said coldly, "did you order those inflammatory statements to spread through the village?"
With that, he threw a thick stack of papers onto the table. They landed with a heavy thud.
Setsuna didn't flinch. He simply picked them up, scanned them from start to finish, and smirked.
In truth, even he didn't know who had first started these rumors. But whoever it was — they'd done what he secretly wished someone would.
He decided to fan the flames.
That old ghost Tobirama has been riding on his brother's glory for too long.
He abandoned the Akatsuki, sneered at me, treated the Uchiha like pawns. Enough is enough.
As Setsuna placed the papers down, his expression turned dark with contempt.
He finally spoke.
"What's the matter, Tobirama? You've exposed some grand conspiracy, and now you expect me to tremble?"
Tobirama's glare was ice-cold. "Don't play dumb, Setsuna."
"Schemes? My, my — you choose your words too harshly." Setsuna leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered. "Let's say, for the sake of argument, I did spread these words. What then? What will you do?"
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Kill me? Do you think Lord Madara's Susanoo has lost its edge?"
The provocation was deliberate, and it worked. Tobirama's chakra flared.
But he refused to rise to the bait.
"Hmph." Tobirama's expression darkened. "My brother's Wood Golem hasn't lost its edge either. And let's not forget — the outcome between our clans was decided long ago."
He smiled thinly. "Need I remind you?"
The reminder was cruel.
Tobirama had slain Uchiha Izuna. His brother Hashirama had defeated Uchiha Madara.
The Senju Clan had won. The Uchiha had lost. That truth burned in Setsuna's chest like a wound that never healed.
Setsuna clenched his fists beneath the table. Always the Senju's victory, always the Uchiha's defeat…
Tobirama's voice cut through the silence, calm but sharp as steel.
"The war is over, Setsuna. Don't make the mistake of reigniting it."
Setsuna rose slowly to his feet. His Sharingan glowed faintly, three tomoe spinning lazily.
"You think the war ended because you say it did?" he asked, voice low but trembling with emotion. "You think peace exists because you've declared it? You've built this village on illusion, Tobirama. On control and fear. You fear us — the Uchiha — because you know what we're capable of."
Tobirama's eyes narrowed. "What you're capable of," he said coldly, "is destruction."
Setsuna laughed softly, almost sadly.
"Maybe. But at least we don't hide behind masks of righteousness. You call us evil, but who was it that turned brother against brother? Who sealed our eyes and labeled our hearts cursed?"
He stepped closer. "You, Tobirama. You and your Senju pride."
For a moment, the air in the Hokage's office was suffocating. The tension between them felt like two blades crossing unseen.
Finally, Tobirama broke the silence.
"If you think you can take the Hokage's seat by spreading rumors, you're mistaken. Konoha's heart belongs to the Senju. Always will."
Setsuna chuckled. "Oh, really? The Hokage's seat isn't a birthright. It's power — and power can change hands."
His words lingered in the air like poison.
---
Outside the Hokage Building, the Village was restless.
Crowds murmured in the streets. Posters appeared overnight, bearing bold inked slogans.
> "The Uchiha share Konoha's blood and burden."
"Equality for all Clans."
"One Village, two hearts — how long can peace last?"
The seeds had sprouted. The whispers had turned into voices. And those voices were slowly becoming a roar.
Inside the office, Tobirama sat back down after Setsuna left, eyes clouded with thought.
He wasn't blind. He knew the Uchiha were growing restless. And deep down, part of him feared this was only the beginning.
He murmured to himself,
"If this continues… Konoha won't need an external enemy. It'll destroy itself from within."
But he didn't stop the investigation. He didn't reach out to reconcile.
Instead, he strengthened the ANBU.
Expanded surveillance.
And tightened control.
Because in his heart, Tobirama Senju didn't believe in peace — he believed in order.
And if maintaining order meant suppressing the Uchiha once more… so be it.
---
In another corner of Konoha, Uchiha Setsuna stood before a gathering of his clansmen.
Lantern light reflected in dozens of Sharingan eyes.
"The Senju think they own Konoha," Setsuna declared, voice firm and loud. "But half this village stands on our blood and sacrifice! They call us cursed — evil — untrustworthy. But I say, it's time we take what's ours."
The Uchiha roared in agreement, their voices shaking the walls.
Setsuna raised his hand for silence. "We won't start a war — not yet. We'll let the truth spread. We'll let the people see who truly protects this village."
He smirked. "Let Tobirama drown in his own paranoia. When the time comes, even the Villagers will beg for a Uchiha Hokage."
---
Back in his dimly lit office, Tobirama stared at the flame of a single candle.
The shadows it cast flickered across the carved wood walls — the same walls that once echoed with his brother Hashirama's laughter.
But now, those same walls seemed to whisper of betrayal and blood.
He closed his eyes, the faintest sigh escaping his lips.
"Brother… perhaps the seeds you planted are already rotting."
The candlelight trembled, and outside, the wind carried the faint echo of unrest — a sound that would soon grow into the thunder of civil war.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)