Finally, the elite ninjas from the different clans began to gather. The Uchiha clan's head, Uchiha Fugaku, arrived first, followed by the Hyuga clan head, and then others came one after another. This was the true backing—the deep-rooted strength—that Konoha possessed. Yet even as all of them appeared, Shanks didn't show the slightest hint of unease. He wasn't flustered. He wasn't even remotely nervous. His calm presence alone seemed to defy the tension in the air.
Shanks then turned his gaze toward Hiruzen and said his final words to him. "Very well. Now that my first objective for coming to Konoha has been completed, you all may continue doing what you wish. Since your elite ninjas have already started to gather, it would be best for you all to hold a meeting and announce what we just discussed."
Hiruzen listened quietly, gave a slow nod, and said nothing more.
Then Shanks walked toward the Uchiha clan head. His steps were steady, his red hair catching faint traces of light as he stopped before Fugaku. "It's nice meeting you—the clan head of the Uchiha clan. This is our first meeting," Shanks said evenly.
Fugaku met his gaze and gave a brief nod in acknowledgment.
The Uchiha clan had already received word that members of the Uzumaki clan—especially the clan head himself—had arrived in Konoha and were causing trouble in the village. Upon hearing this, Fugaku had immediately gathered his elite clan members and come to the Hokage building. Of course, it wasn't to support Shanks directly; their relationship hadn't developed to that extent. If a line had to be drawn, Fugaku would stand with Konoha first. Still, his eyes watched Shanks carefully, as if weighing the power and intent behind every calm movement.
When Fugaku had rushed toward the Hokage building with the elite members of the Uchiha clan—Mikoto among them—his mind was sharp, but hers was restless. Mikoto's heart pounded as they leapt across rooftops; worry for Shanks shadowed every breath she took. Even from afar, they had all felt that massive surge of chakra that had shaken the village earlier. That pressure... it could only mean a battle between monsters.
By the time they reached the Hokage building, the clash was already over. The silence that hung in the air was heavy, almost oppressive. Around them, the ground was torn and shattered. Cracks spidered across the stone walls; the earth was scarred and blackened in places, as if scorched by raw energy. Both Uchiha and other clan members stood still, their eyes scanning the scene. Dozens of ANBU and Root operatives lay lifeless on the ground, their masks cracked, their flak jacket torn.
It was obvious a fierce battle had taken place—and judging from the devastation, Konoha had been forced onto the defensive. Only the Hokage, they deduced, could have stood on equal footing with the clan head of the Uzumaki. That was the conclusion everyone silently reached just by observing the aftermath.
Fugaku finally broke the silence, turning his calm but wary gaze toward the red-haired man before him. "Yes, this is definitely our first meeting. Before this, I never had the chance to meet you, Uzumaki clan head."
Shanks nodded lightly, his expression as composed as ever. "When you are done here discussing matters with the Hokage," he said, "I would like you to be present at the Uchiha clan compound. I will be going there next." His tone carried both respect and quiet certainty. "As you might have already guessed, my second reason for coming here is to propose marriage to Mikoto Uchiha. I promised her a month ago that I would come personally to propose the marriage to her clan."
Mikoto, standing slightly behind Fugaku, felt her breath hitch. He really came... just like he said he would.
"So once you're done dealing with matters here, we can have a good talk at your clan compound," Shanks said, his tone steady and respectful.
Uchiha Fugaku gave a curt nod in response. His eyes briefly shifted toward Mikoto, who stood quietly beside the other Uchiha. "Please take the Uzumaki clan head with you to the Uchiha compound," he instructed. "After I return, we'll have a proper conversation."
"Yes, clan head," Mikoto replied softly. Her voice carried a trace of warmth that slipped through her usual composure. She turned toward Shanks and gestured for him to follow, a small smile lighting her face. For a brief moment, the devastation around them faded from her mind. The shattered tiles, the scent of scorched air, the lifeless bodies of ANBU and Root—none of it mattered. What mattered was that Shanks had come, just as he had promised, to formally propose their marriage. Finally... it's really happening.
Still, beneath her joy, a faint thread of worry stirred. I just hope there won't be any opposition from within the clan.
Shanks noticed her smile and nodded before turning his attention toward Kushina. "While I'm heading there," he said, "why don't you come along as well? You'll get to spend some time with us—and I think I forgot to introduce you properly to your future sister-in-law, Uchiha Mikoto."
Kushina was already standing near him, flanked by Benimaru, Guy, and Mereoleona. She looked amused, her crimson hair swaying slightly in the breeze. "I've already heard the rumours about Uchiha Mikoto being your girlfriend," Kushina said with a light chuckle. "So yes—we've met before. I've spoken to her about you and the rest of the Uzumaki clan. We became good friends."
Shanks smiled faintly at that, his eyes softening for a moment. With that, he and Mikoto started walking, Kushina and the others following close behind as they left the Hokage building compound together. The air still smelled faintly of dust and smoke, but the tension that had once filled the grounds slowly began to fade with their departure.
…
When their backs disappeared over the horizon and the red flash of Shanks' hair was swallowed by the rooftops, Koharu turned to Hiruzen and asked, quietly but with a pointed edge, "Why didn't you stop Kushina from going with Shanks Uzumaki? Why let her go to the Uchiha compound?"
Uchiha Fugaku's brow tightened. "What do you mean by this, Elder Koharu? Are you implying the Uchiha would harm someone from Konoha?" His voice was cool, measured—an affront wrapped in civility.
Koharu met his gaze for a long beat, then gave a look that shut the conversation down. She said nothing further; whatever she'd implied hung between them like dust in the late light. She wouldn't press it while he was here, her silence seemed to say. Only now, when the heat has passed.
Hiruzen's eyes flicked to Koharu with something almost like reproach—an unspoken, Why didn't you say that to his face?—and then the ground shuddered beneath them. The rubble where Danzo had been pinned groaned and shifted. With grim efficiency, Root operatives and ANBU tore away stone and splintered timber until Danzo crawled free, coated in dust and reeking of smoke. He staggered upright, hair matted, robes torn, a fist-shaped bruise blooming across his cheek—Mereoleona's mark—while the scent of scorched flesh lingered faintly on the air.
Danzo's eye, small and cold, flashed with fury as he stared at Hiruzen. The words burst out, tight and dangerous. "Hiruzen, we cannot let the Uzumakis grow any longer. If we do, we are merely raising an enemy within our own reach. It is best we eliminate and utterly destroy the Uzumaki clan."
Hiruzen returned his stare, his face hardening into a cold, controlled calm. The wind picked up loose dust and let it dance between them like ash. "You couldn't find them when they were hiding," he said evenly. "Today, the only thing that kept Shanks from doing more wasn't a lack of power—he possesses enough strength to stand against me. The fight would not be decided quickly; it would be a long, costly battle." He paused, choosing each word. "You saw how formidable his siblings are—Erza, who acts as his deputy, has not even entered the field. The restraint you witnessed is not weakness. It is the restraint of a man who now bears the responsibilities of leadership."
Hiruzen's voice tightened around the final point, the old man's authority cutting through the heated air. "If we attack the Uzumaki village and try to destroy them, Shanks and his siblings will not hold back. They will retaliate without restraint—and that is the exact disaster I will not allow to happen to Konoha."
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