The moment Ryosuke finished speaking, Fugaku didn't doubt him for a second—he trusted every word. To him, Ryosuke wasn't the type to lie about something so serious. If Ryosuke said that the Senju and the Uchiha shared the same ancestor, then Fugaku believed it wholeheartedly.
The revelation that the Uchiha and the Senju were "brother clans," both descended from the Sage of Six Paths, shook him deeply. For generations, the Uchiha and Senju had waged bloody wars, from the Warring States era to their uneasy alliance under Hashirama's vision of Konoha. And now, after centuries of animosity, Ryosuke had managed to accomplish the unthinkable—he had reconciled the two clans by joining with Tsunade.
In Fugaku's mind, this was more than clever politics; it was true righteousness, an act of great benevolence that could heal a centuries-old wound.
Elder Yatsushiro, however, was far less convinced. His face remained clouded with skepticism. The notion that Uchiha and Senju were "brothers" might hold water historically, but to him, that history was irrelevant. The wars weren't decades old—they were centuries old. The bonds of brotherhood had long been erased, replaced with scars of hatred and rivalry.
To Yatsushiro, Ryosuke's decision was baffling. The Uchiha finally had the perfect chance to claim the title of Hokage for their clan. With Ryosuke's overwhelming reputation and Fugaku's candidacy, the Fifth Hokage seat was practically theirs already. Even Tsunade's return to the village hadn't changed that—after all, her fear of blood and her long absence weakened her position considerably.
And yet, Ryosuke had just thrown it away.
Suppressing his frustration, Yatsushiro forced his voice into something steadier, though the edge of displeasure was obvious.
"Clan Head," he muttered to Fugaku after Ryosuke left, "why do you agree with Ryosuke's decision so easily? This is an enormous mistake. The Senju may share ancestry with us, but that was countless generations ago. Now, they are rivals, not family. The Senju suppressed us for decades—our clan has lived under their shadow. And now, when the chance finally came for us to rise above them, Ryosuke tossed it away like it was nothing! They've already produced two Hokage—soon to be three—while we Uchiha haven't had a single one. Doesn't this feel like betrayal to you? Doesn't this dishonor the sacrifices of our clan?"
Yatsushiro's voice was tight, the weight of frustration in every word. He had always been one of the more radical elders, dreaming of a time when the Uchiha would no longer bow their heads. The Hokage seat wasn't just power—it was vindication for centuries of humiliation. And now it slipped through their fingers.
Fugaku, however, sat back in his chair with a rare, untroubled smile. His tone was calm, almost reassuring.
"Yatsushiro, you're looking at this the wrong way. Yes, we've lost the position of Fifth Hokage. Yes, the Senju seem to have surpassed us yet again. But Ryosuke… Ryosuke is playing a deeper game."
Yatsushiro blinked, still unconvinced. "Deeper game? How can throwing away Hokage be a deeper game?"
Fugaku leaned forward, voice dropping slightly, as if sharing a profound secret.
"Think about it. Tsunade isn't just another candidate—she is the last heir of the Senju clan. And now, Tsunade is Ryosuke's woman."
Yatsushiro froze, his expression flickering between shock and disbelief. Fugaku continued, his tone carrying the weight of logic that was hard to dismiss.
"If Tsunade belongs to Ryosuke, then in a way, she belongs to the Uchiha. Which means that when she becomes Hokage, the Uchiha already control her through him. Tell me, Yatsushiro—does that not mean that we have won without even needing to compete?"
Yatsushiro's eyes widened, and for the first time since the meeting began, he faltered. He had been so blinded by the symbolic prestige of the Hokage title that he hadn't considered this angle. If Tsunade was Ryosuke's partner, then politically and personally, she was tied to the Uchiha. And Ryosuke was no meek man—he would never allow Tsunade to stray from his influence.
Fugaku pressed on, seeing Yatsushiro's shift.
"Think further. The Senju clan, once our greatest enemy, has dwindled to nothing. Tsunade is their last true inheritor. By binding her to Ryosuke, we haven't just gained influence over the Hokage. We have effectively swallowed the Senju clan whole. Their legacy, their name, their power—it all falls under Uchiha now."
The words hit Yatsushiro like thunder. He had spent his life resenting the Senju, viewing them as the ones who robbed the Uchiha of their rightful place. To imagine that centuries of rivalry ended not with Senju triumph, but with their absorption into Uchiha's future… it was a victory sweeter than he could have dreamed.
Slowly, a grin spread across his face, his earlier anger melting away. "I see… I see now. Fugaku, you're right. This is bigger than just becoming Hokage. This is true dominance. To swallow the Senju… that is a victory beyond compare."
Fugaku nodded, pleased to see the elder's resistance fading.
"Exactly. Our clan's destiny isn't just to hold office—it's to reign supreme. Hashirama may have been the First Hokage, but history will remember that in the end, it was the Uchiha who consumed the Senju legacy entirely. And Ryosuke… Ryosuke is the one leading us there. He's the chosen one for our clan."
Yatsushiro sat back, his chest swelling with new pride. The resentment that had festered in him eased, replaced by something close to exhilaration. For so long, the Senju were a thorn in their side. Now, that thorn had been plucked—and twisted into their triumph.
He exhaled slowly, nodding in acknowledgment. "You're right, Clan Head. I shouldn't have doubted him. Ryosuke is indeed the man destined to lead us. From this day on, I won't question his decisions again."
Fugaku smiled faintly, his eyes glinting. Yatsushiro's loyalty was now secured, and that would make his position as clan head far easier. Truly, being allied with Ryosuke was the greatest fortune of his leadership—he barely had to lift a finger to guide the clan anymore. Ryosuke's presence alone had turned the tide of Uchiha's fate.
Beeut Fugaku wasn't careless. He knew the radicals in the clan wouldn't take this decision as easily. Some of them lived for the dream of an Uchiha Hokage. To them, abandoning the chance at the Fifth seat would feel like betrayal. Fugaku's tone grew firmer.
"Still, Yatsushiro, we need to be careful. Do not spread the true reason behind this decision. The clan doesn't need to know about Ryosuke's… personal relationship with Tsunade. Some would see it as betrayal, others as weakness. We will simply tell them that this is a strategic decision, one in line with Ryosuke's greater vision for the clan. Make sure the radicals are appeased. They trust him, but we cannot allow doubts to spread."
Yatsushiro nodded firmly. "Understood, Clan Head. I will handle it."
And with that, the matter was settled.
Ryosuke, meanwhile, returned to his quarters, unconcerned. To him, this was merely another step in his larger plan. Beey binding Tsunade to himself, he had not only gained the affection of one of the most powerful kunoichi alive, but he had secured a legacy: the once-proud Senju name now lived on only as a branch beneath the Uchiha.
The Uchiha clan had always dreamed of surpassing the Senju. Now, thanks to him, they hadn't just surpassed them—they had absorbed them entirely.
For the first time in centuries, the Uchiha stood not as rivals in Konoha's history, but as victors.
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