Before Konoha's gates, where the morning mist had yet to fully disperse—
Hiruzen Sarutobi, clad in the Hokage robes and wearing the Hokage hat, stood solemnly at the very front.
Behind him, slightly to either side, stood the three senior advisors: Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.
Further back were the heads of the great ninja clans—Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Aburame, Inuzuka, and others.
They stood along the road leading to the village gates.
On both sides of the street, however, the scene was one of overwhelming crowds.
Even with the Konoha Military Police Force maintaining order, villagers continued to surge forward relentlessly—shoulder to shoulder, voices roaring like a tide.
"Clan Head."
A member of the Uchiha clan named Uchiha Yashiro flashed behind Uchiha Fugaku using Body Flicker. Seeing Fugaku's relatively rearward position among the clan heads, Yashiro frowned briefly before lowering his head.
"Everything has been arranged."
Yashiro wore tight black underclothes, over which was fitted a green sleeveless jōnin flak vest, the insignia of the Konoha Military Police embroidered on his shoulders.
Fugaku, by contrast, wore a dark blue robe bearing the Uchiha fan crest on the back—clearly indicating that he was present today as the head of the Uchiha clan, not as captain of the Military Police.
"Good," Fugaku replied calmly.
"Maintain order at all costs. No mistakes. Otherwise, it will be the entire clan's disgrace."
His features were sharp and stern. After giving a few quiet instructions, he turned his gaze forward again.
Looking at Hiruzen standing at the very front, Fugaku's eyes flickered, and he sighed inwardly.
Once Konoha and Kumogakure formalize this alliance, the Third Hokage's prestige will only grow.
Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing… who can say?
The Konoha Military Police Force had been established by Tobirama Senju, and its members were primarily Uchiha.
Its duties included maintaining internal order, enforcing village laws, arresting criminals and rogue ninja—excluding those under the direct jurisdiction of the Hokage's ANBU.
Tobirama's intention had not been malicious.
Though he did see the Sharingan-bearing Uchiha as unstable, he had nonetheless sought to integrate and guide their power.
However, after Hiruzen Sarutobi assumed the role of Third Hokage, the ANBU, a true covert operations unit, began to overlap with—and later partially replace—police functions.
With the rise of Root, this overlap became even more pronounced.
Thus, conflicts over jurisdiction between the ANBU, Root, and the Military Police became increasingly common.
In that regard, Hiruzen and Danzō truly were old comrades—both steadily expanding their own personal power structures.
Officially, ANBU existed for reconnaissance, assassination, protecting the Hokage, and preventing foreign infiltration.
Yet in practice, they increasingly intervened in internal security.
Meanwhile, most Uchiha were rigid and uncompromising by nature. Compared to the more flexible ANBU operatives, civilians often resented the Police Force's harsh judgments.
As a result, clashes over law enforcement became routine.
Hiruzen's method of "soft yet firm" suppression only deepened Uchiha dissatisfaction.
Even someone as level-headed as Yashiro had begun to feel the pressure of the clan's atmosphere.
Thinking of all this made Fugaku's head ache.
He found himself missing the days when Minato Namikaze had been Fourth Hokage.
Not only because their families had been close—but because the Uchiha genuinely respected that man.
Hiruzen had already stepped down once.
After Minato's death, he returned to office—and showed no inclination to name a successor.
Frankly speaking, it wasn't a good look.
I'll wait until the alliance is signed, Fugaku decided.
While the Third is in a good mood… I'll raise the issue then.
At this moment, Hiruzen was indeed in high spirits.
Hearing the villagers' excited chatter and praise behind him filled the old man with quiet satisfaction, and he deliberately ignored the sour expression on Danzō's face.
Then—
Noticing an empty space behind him, Hiruzen frowned slightly.
"Has Hyūga Hiashi not arrived yet?" he asked without turning around.
Behind him, Nara Shikaku forced a wry smile and stepped forward.
"We sent someone to remind them half an hour ago, but—"
Before he could soften matters, an ANBU shinobi appeared beside Hiruzen and whispered into his ear.
Shikaku only caught fragments—
"…today is the Hyūga main family's eldest daughter's third birthday…"
He sighed deeply.
The Hyūga clan had made a foolish choice today.
They might excel at self-preservation more than the Uchiha, but neither clan truly possessed political wisdom.
And today made that painfully clear.
Hiruzen's eyes flickered faintly, displeasure flashing briefly through their clouded depths.
Hiashi, as a father and clan head, could choose not to attend.
But if the Hyūga truly valued the village, they could have at least sent a main-family elder of weight.
This display amounted to one thing—
They didn't care.
To them, the third birthday of the Hyūga heiress—the clan's future—outweighed something as "minor" as a Konoha–Kumo alliance.
And nothing irritated Hiruzen more than clans placing their own interests above the village.
The Uchiha did it.
The Hyūga did it.
"All right," Hiruzen said calmly, despite his inner displeasure.
"The Hyūga clan has urgent matters and cannot attend. Fill the position and prepare to receive Kumogakure's delegation."
Several people stiffened.
Koharu and Homura frowned.
Danzō, whether intentionally or not, let out a faint scoff.
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
But Danzō had delivered results this time. The fruit had already been harvested; rebuking him now would be petty.
So the resentment was quietly transferred—
—to the Hyūga.
"They're here!"
Among the sea of villagers, a child who had climbed a tree suddenly shouted.
The crowd instantly erupted.
In the distance, several figures entered Konoha's gates under the escort of Leaf shinobi. At the front were three Kumogakure ninja, their headbands and rugged, dark features sharply contrasting with Konoha's people.
Women leaning out of second-story windows on both sides of the street scattered flower petals into the air.
Amid the crowd, Hyūga Y Gin watched silently, a cold smile in his heart.
What a sight—
flames at full boil, flowers in full bloom.
The more joy they showed now—
The deeper their fear would be later.
Peace through compromise?
That chance no longer existed.
"The world is already a labyrinth," Y Gin thought, eyes glinting.
"Why build another one on top of it?"
The shinobi world held too many secrets.
Enough for him to do many things.
But only by stirring this stagnant water into chaos—
Could he fish within it.
So—
He would make war arrive early.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789