After Hayashi finished describing the mission in full detail, he left the office without hesitation.
He had to. The four people in the room had been staring at him relentlessly, and the pressure was suffocating. In particular, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked as if he might charge forward and smack him if not for the others present.
Still, Hayashi could not blame him. Hiruzen himself had been overwhelmed by the information, muttering earlier that he needed two heart pills just to continue the meeting.
After a long silence, Hiruzen finally spoke. "What do you all think of this matter?"
"I refuse to believe the Daimyo knew nothing about any of this," Shimura Danzo said sharply, immediately jumping in as usual.
His voice carried absolute certainty. Manipulating village interests to gain personal benefit, then letting subordinates take the blame while pretending ignorance, was something Danzo understood well. It was a tactic he had practiced many times.
So to Danzo, the Daimyo's intentions were obvious. The difference was that this time, the Daimyo was sacrificing Konoha to enrich himself. Being one of those sacrificed left Danzo furious.
If anyone was going to pull something like this, it should've been me. How dare he turn me into a pawn. That thought fueled his anger.
"But right now is the most critical phase of the war," Mitokado Homura said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Is it really wise to break ties with the Daimyo? Suna should be a clear warning."
He was right. Sunagakure was a perfect example. The Third Kazekage had become a laughingstock across the ninja world.
His fallout with the Wind Daimyo led to a withdrawal of funding. With no resources left, he dragged Rasa through the desert to pan for gold under the excuse of training his ninjutsu.
In Suna, the most important qualification for becoming Kazekage was no longer power but the ability to find gold. This strange tradition had begun during the Second Kazekage's era.
"Homura, you're right. We cannot sever ties with the Daimyo at this time," Hiruzen said with a heavy sigh.
From his tone, everyone understood the Hokage was preparing to smooth things over again. The Daimyo possessed immense wealth. In peaceful times, Konoha could sustain itself through missions, but in war, it relied heavily on the Daimyo's support.
Danzo slammed the table, his voice rising. "It is precisely because this is such a crucial moment that we must warn the Daimyo to restrain himself. This is a major shinobi war, and every extra day is a huge burden on the village. We cannot allow ourselves to be restricted by the Daimyo's office. He must be made to understand exactly who protects the Land of Fire."
As he spoke passionately, droplets of spit sprayed across the table, landing on Hiruzen's face. The Hokage immediately turned to look at someone else.
"What do you think, Koharu?"
With his gaze shifted, Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
"I also believe we cannot let this issue continue unchecked," Utatane Koharu said slowly. "What we need is to end the conflict with Suna quickly, not let ourselves be dragged into further complications."
Danzo pretended to act indifferent, but the smug expression on his face gave away his satisfaction. Koharu's opinions usually carried significant weight among them.
"However," Koharu continued, "now is not the time for direct confrontation with the Daimyo."
Hiruzen frowned. "Then what are you suggesting?"
"We cannot break ties, but that does not mean we cannot monitor him," Koharu said. "The Daimyo requested ninja protection, did he not? Then we give him what he asked for."
She continued calmly, "Not only that, but we must also quietly allow his trade with Suna to proceed. If anything unusual happens, we ambush the site of their transaction."
Hiruzen wiped sweat from his forehead. "Excellent idea. You truly are the most cunning… no, I mean the sharpest mind in our team. The sharpest."
His slip revealed more truth than he intended. Still, the plan was solid. And in Hiruzen's mind, additional opportunities appeared. If they intercepted Suna's forces and secured their supplies, they could send those resources to Konoha. Repeating this process a few times, storing the goods, then selling them at high prices to the defeated Land of Earth… it would be a lucrative side profit. The thought nearly made his grin reach his ears.
"Then who should we send to protect the Daimyo?" Homura asked. His glasses glinted as he spoke.
The question was not easy. Protecting the Daimyo sounded far from the war, but the reality was demanding. Assassination attempts had happened before, and if anything happened to the Daimyo, the shinobi in charge would bear the responsibility completely. It was thankless work.
This was precisely why Hiruzen had always been reluctant to send Konoha shinobi for that role. It was far easier to let the Daimyo maintain his own guard.
So although the assignment sounded prestigious, it was difficult and unrewarding.
And because of that, who should take it?
ANBU?
Root?
The four elders exchanged glances. In that moment, they all understood one another perfectly.
The Uchiha Police Force.
"Let the Uchiha clan take the assignment," Danzo said immediately, pretending to be humble. "Root will not compete for this credit."
"Yes. Uchiha Yama has maintained order among the police force well. Those who are capable should contribute more, and now the opportunity has arrived," Homura said, adopting a tone of goodwill that fooled no one.
"The Daimyo wants famous figures to guard him. Is there anyone more well-known than the Uchiha clan?" Koharu added without hesitation.
"You're all correct," Hiruzen announced. "Then we will assign the task to the Uchiha."
Uchiha Yama had asked many times to send his clan to the battlefield. Seeing the Hyuga clan gaining recognition frustrated him. Even though the war was dangerous, it was also full of opportunity. A single achievement could instantly boost a clan's reputation.
Prestige was essential for anyone aspiring to become Hokage. Uchiha Fugaku, Yama's son, was still young, but with the weight of the Uchiha name behind him, even a minor accomplishment supported with some publicity could create the image of a rising genius.
Yama had discussed this with Hiruzen repeatedly. The largest clan of the village wanting to join the war could not be stopped; doing so would look terrible, both to the public and to the Uchiha.
Of course, the Uchiha could go to the battlefield, but they could not be allowed to stand out too much. This unwritten rule had existed since the era of the Second Hokage. Only a few top officials knew it.
But sending the elite Uchiha to protect the Daimyo served multiple purposes. It would please the Daimyo and keep the Uchiha away from key military achievements.
Uchiha Yama would not refuse such a chance.
"Bring the head of the Uchiha clan here," Hiruzen ordered.
He picked up his pipe, letting thin trails of blue smoke drift upward as he drifted into silent thought.
…