"Of course I know we can't agree to it!"
The sharp tone caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows to knit together. Unable to restrain himself, he raised his voice slightly.
With an irritated wave of his hand—as if trying to disperse the tension lingering in the room—he gestured toward the seat opposite him, signaling Koharu Utatane to sit.
At the same time, his hand instinctively reached for his pipe again.
A match flared.
The brief light illuminated the tight line of his lips.
The tobacco caught fire with a faint crackle.
Hiruzen took a deep drag.
Thick gray smoke rose slowly, shrouding the complicated expression on his face in shifting shadows.
From within the haze came his deliberately lowered voice.
"Don't tell Shimura Danzō about this matter. There's no need to create unnecessary complications."
Koharu naturally understood Danzō's temperament. If he found out, the result would certainly be a chaotic argument.
She steadied her emotions and quickly organized the situation in her mind before speaking gravely.
"Hiruzen, tell me your reasoning."
After a brief pause, her tone grew even more severe.
"The Uchiha suddenly demanding authority like this—what they want is certainly more than just one Eastern army. We must clearly understand their real intentions."
"Mitokado Homura has already departed for the Daimyō's residence. At the moment, the only ones who can discuss this matter are the two of us."
Hiruzen pressed his fingers firmly against his aching temples, trying to push away the heavy fatigue brought on by a sleepless night.
His voice was slightly hoarse as he spoke slowly.
"The ninja army is the arms and legs through which Konoha acts."
"It must never fall under the control of the Uchiha."
"Even if we placed people within their ranks, we could never predict what those arrogant Uchiha might do. And it would be nearly impossible to restrain them effectively."
If the Uchiha gained legitimate authority, then with both status and strength on their side, control of the Eastern ninja army would inevitably fall into their hands.
Losing an entire ninja army was something Hiruzen Sarutobi could never accept.
He shifted the topic.
"But judging from the Uchiha's attitude today, if we don't give them a reasonable explanation, they won't let this matter go."
"No one knows when Kirigakure will advance westward. The time we have to consider our options is limited."
At this point, the Third Hokage—famed as the Professor of Ninjutsu and the Strongest Hokage—recalled the calm yet immovable gaze of the Uchiha Clan Head.
A surge of anger, mixed with helplessness, finally broke through the dam of his rational restraint.
His grip tightened around the pipe until his knuckles turned pale.
Through clenched teeth, he muttered in a low voice:
"They are founding heroes of the village as well… so why can't the Uchiha…"
"…be like Tobirama-sensei's Senju clan, and willingly burn themselves away for Konoha?!"
Koharu Utatane—whose worldview and way of thinking closely mirrored his own—nodded firmly in agreement.
Then a flash of calculation appeared in her eyes.
A scheme emerged—one that seemed like a concession, yet would actually return the problem to the Uchiha themselves.
"If we cannot give them our standing ninja army," she said, leaning forward slightly, her voice quiet but sharp with calculation,
"why not go with the flow… and allow the Uchiha to raise their own ninja army?"
A cold smile curled across Koharu's lips.
"Don't they always claim to be the number one noble clan of the ninja world? Surely they have the ability to form an independent force."
"Better yet, let the Uchiha bear all the expenses and supplies for that army themselves."
"It would satisfy their so-called prestige, ease the village's burden on other fronts, and weaken the Uchiha's overall strength."
"Wouldn't that be killing three birds with one stone?"
Hiruzen set down his pipe.
Gray smoke still drifted around his brows, mirroring the tangled thoughts in his mind.
He carefully weighed every word of Koharu's proposal, considering both its advantages and risks.
After a long moment, he finally spoke.
"…It is not without merit."
He gave it limited approval—but not acceptance.
"But the Uchiha are not fools who can be easily manipulated. Do you really think they wouldn't see through the deeper meaning behind this?"
"And if a completely independent, self-sufficient Uchiha ninja army truly takes shape…"
"What reins would we have left to control such a beast once it leaves the cage?"
The possibility of two separate "Konoha" forces appearing in the future made Hiruzen shake his head.
For now, he suppressed the alluring yet dangerous proposal.
"This matter is too important. One wrong move could affect everything."
"We must consider it carefully."
If they could quickly defeat Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or Kumogakure, then the initiative to confront Kirigakure would return to the Hokage rather than falling into the Uchiha's hands.
Realizing this, Hiruzen finally remembered that Koharu must have come here for another reason.
"By the way, Koharu," he asked,
"why did you come to see me? Something about logistics?"
Koharu nodded. Seeing him bring it up himself, she presented the explanation she had already prepared.
"It concerns logistics and finances."
She folded her hands on her knees and spoke methodically.
"Hiruzen, we are now fighting on multiple fronts. The consumption of resources is enormous."
"The Daimyō's funding—who knows how much it will be or when it will arrive. Relying on it alone is unsustainable."
"We must open new and stable sources of revenue."
"At present, the greatest concentration of wealth within Konoha lies in the Uchiha's 'Ginza.'"
Koharu stated bluntly.
"It generates enormous profits every single day."
"However, under the tax system established by the Second Hokage, the taxation on ninja clan businesses is extremely low. That may have been acceptable in the past, but now it is outdated."
Her eyes burned as she looked at the Hokage.
"I believe it is time to reform the tax system."
"We should no longer rely on fixed taxes. Instead, we should adopt a model similar to the mission commission system—taxing commercial activities based on a percentage of their profits."
"This would apply to all businesses that reach a certain scale."
"It is not aimed at the Uchiha," she added.
"It is for the overall benefit of Konoha."
"Tax reform… is easier said than done."
A bitter expression appeared on Hiruzen's face.
"That would mean cutting into the profits of every ninja clan—especially the Uchiha."
"At such a sensitive time, could that not backfire and further intensify tensions?"
"That is precisely why wartime gives us justification," Koharu argued firmly.
"To support the frontlines and protect the village, those with greater means must contribute more."
"We can define it as a 'Special Wartime Tax.' It would have clear limits and purposes, and later we can gradually expand it."
"Even the Uchiha would find it difficult to openly oppose such a measure under the banner of protecting Konoha—unless they wish to bear the reputation of ignoring the village's survival."
She paused before continuing.
"We can set a high threshold so that only large-scale operations are affected."
"The primary target would naturally be commercial giants like Ginza."
"Most small merchants and family businesses would barely feel the impact. Resistance would therefore be minimal."
"We are not trying to make enemies of every clan."
"We are simply asking the greatest beneficiaries to shoulder their proper responsibilities."
Both of them understood exactly what that meant.
Hiruzen said nothing.
Instead, he looked out the window.
In the distance stood the towering Ginza, the Uchiha crest shining brilliantly in the sunlight.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"…Draft the proposal, Koharu."
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