The morning sun cast soft beams through the canopy of the familiar grove where Ryosuke Uchiha often trained. His breath was steady, each movement precise, as he pushed his body through a routine of exercises meant to refine both stamina and chakra control. He could feel the warmth of his chakra surging, circulating with greater fluidity than the day before.
A gentle heat coursed through his body, soothing aches and reinvigorating muscles strained from battles and… other nightly exertions. The exhaustion that had gnawed at him seemed to fade, replaced by a fresh burst of energy. Most importantly, he could feel his lower body—the very core of his stamina and virility—renewed with strength. He chuckled under his breath, a wry grin tugging at his lips.
Good… I won't have to worry about keeping up anymore. No matter how many women come my way, my body can handle it.
Satisfied, Ryosuke straightened and exhaled. It was time to return to clan matters. Though he had once promised Fugaku Uchiha that he would support his candidacy for the position of Fifth Hokage, things had changed. Tsunade—granddaughter of the First Hokage, medical genius, and a woman of unmatched renown—had become his. This was no ordinary opportunity. To let her slip away, both as a political ally and a partner, would be foolish.
"Forgive me, Fugaku," he muttered to himself, steeling his resolve. "Beeut this path cannot be avoided."
At the Uchiha clan's council chamber, Fugaku sat in quiet conversation with Yatsushiro, one of the more vocal hardliners of the clan. They were discussing strategy, preparations for the reforms they intended to implement once Fugaku officially took the Hokage's seat.
When Ryosuke pushed open the sliding door, both men immediately stopped talking. Fugaku rose quickly, a rare warmth in his eyes, and hurried to pour Ryosuke a cup of hot tea.
For the Uchiha clan, Ryosuke was more than a hero. He was a savior, the one who had turned the tide at their darkest hour. His strength had forced the village to acknowledge them, his cunning had secured them leverage, and his mere presence had shielded them from annihilation. Treating him with anything less than the highest respect would be unthinkable.
Fugaku believed the dream of every Uchiha—to finally see one of their own become Hokage—was close at hand. This time, unlike Madara's failed attempt generations ago, the village had no choice but to accept. He himself would sit in the Hokage's chair, with Ryosuke at his side as his greatest pillar. Together, they would inscribe their names in history.
Yatsushiro's expression mirrored this confidence. From the start, he had wanted to bring Ryosuke into the radical faction, to use his overwhelming power to sweep away the Third Hokage's dominance and the Senju-leaning establishment. Though Ryosuke's approach had been far more measured, the results were undeniable—the Uchiha were no longer a pariah clan but rising stars once again.
When Ryosuke took a seat, sipping his tea with an unreadable face, Fugaku and Yatsushiro leaned forward expectantly.
That was when Ryosuke dropped the bombshell.
"Fugaku san. Yatsushiro san. Circumstances have changed. The Uchiha will not be participating in this round of the Hokage election."
For a moment, the air froze. Fugaku blinked in disbelief, while Yatsushiro's jaw went slack. They had just been discussing reforms under the assumption that the Hokage title was practically theirs—and now Ryosuke was saying it was over?
Their dream, within arm's reach, was being pulled away.
Yatsushiro's face twisted with frustration. His voice rose with controlled anger.
"Ryosuke, why? Haven't we waited for this chance for generations? Beeecoming Hokage has always been the Uchiha's dream. You gave us this opportunity—why destroy it now? Don't tell me you want us to fade back into the shadows, to suppress our power again!"
Fugaku, though quieter, was no less shaken. He had believed Ryosuke's vision—to integrate the Uchiha into the village, to erase mistrust through legitimacy and responsibility. It had been difficult, but he trusted the younger man's instincts. Still, the Hokage seat itself was now within grasp, even with Tsunade's return.
And yet Ryosuke's face carried only calm certainty.
"I spoke with Tsunade," he admitted, his tone firm. "She is already mine. Beeecause of this, I intend to step aside and allow her to take the position. Our clan will not contest it this time."
The words struck like a kunai to the chest. Fugaku's hand trembled slightly as he set down his teacup. Yatsushiro all but slammed his fist against the table.
"Y-You're telling me Tsunade, the granddaughter of Hashirama, that Tsunade… has become your woman? Impossible!"
It was unthinkable. Tsunade was the very definition of untouchable—one of the Legendary Sannin, the so-called "Slug Princess," famed for her temper and her strength. She was the living legacy of the Senju, a clan that had warred with the Uchiha since the founding of the village. For centuries, blood had been spilled between them. And now Ryosuke claimed to have not only subdued her, but won her willingly?
Even Fugaku's usually stoic face cracked with shock. "Ryosuke… is this true?"
Ryosuke nodded without hesitation. "It is. And more than that, it marks the end of our clans' blood feud. The Uchiha and the Senju need not remain enemies forever."
He leaned back slightly, his Sharingan gleaming faintly in the dim chamber light. "The stone tablet in our Naka Shrine records the truth, visible only through our eyes. I saw more than most. The Senju, like us, are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths. In other words, they are not rivals, but brothers. This cycle of conflict has been meaningless."
Fugaku's eyes widened. His own Mangekyō had shown him glimpses of the stone tablet's secrets, but much of it remained veiled. He had known the Uchiha were descended from the Sage, but not that the Senju shared the same origin. If what Ryosuke said was true, then the endless clashes had been fratricide all along.
It explained why the Senju's power had always matched the Uchiha's blow for blow. Why Hashirama could stand against Madara. Why, even now, their legacies remained intertwined.
He exhaled, a heavy weight settling in his chest. If this truth was real, then Ryosuke's decision carried profound meaning beyond politics.
Yatsushiro, however, still scowled, his pride wounded. "So we give up the Hokage seat just like that? For a woman?"
Ryosuke's gaze cut to him, sharp and cold. "Not for a woman. For peace. For the future. If Tsunade takes the role, it will be as my ally, not my enemy. Through her, the Uchiha will wield influence without drawing the hatred of the village. We will wait. There will be other chances."
The weight of his words pressed against them. Fugaku closed his eyes, torn between the sting of lost ambition and the realization of Ryosuke's broader vision.