Inside the Hokage Office, sunlight filtered through the half-open blinds, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
Fugaku sat behind a large desk, his fingers gently tapping the surface.
His voice was low and restrained, as if he was trying to suppress some emotion. "Shun, you are the most outstanding genius in the Uchiha clan. I have high hopes for you, which is why I made an exception and promoted you to Military Police Force Chief."
He slowly stood up, placing his hands on the desk, his voice gradually turning cold.
"But your performance in the meeting today disappointed me. Openly opposing me will make others think that there is discord within the Uchiha, weakening our prestige."
Shun's expression was calm, his black uniform making his figure appear as tall and straight as a pine tree.
He looked directly into Fugaku's eyes, showing no sign of backing down. "I have a reason why I must object."
Fugaku's pupils constricted slightly, and a vein throbbed faintly on his forehead. "What reason?"
Shun's voice was calm and clear. "I was the one who ordered Kakashi to assassinate Koharu and Homura, so I must protect him."
The air instantly solidified.
Fugaku's face suddenly darkened, his fingers clenched, and the teacup on the desk vibrated, jumping slightly. Tea splattered onto the documents, spreading a dark stain.
His voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth. "You... said... what...?"
Shun's expression remained calm. "I said, Kakashi's actions were at my behest."
But such a calm reaction only infuriated Fugaku more. His breathing became noticeably quicker, his voice still trembling. "Why did you do this? And such an important matter... why didn't you discuss it with me beforehand?"
Shun replied indifferently, "Because I knew you wouldn't agree, so I could only act first and report later."
"You...!"
Fugaku slammed his hand on the desk, scattering the documents on the floor. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, but his gaze remained as sharp as a blade. "Then tell me, why did you kill them?"
Shun's eyes were as sharp as a blade as he slowly began to speak, "First: Before the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had 24,163 ninjas, but now only 6,652 remain. The reduction in short-term missions will not affect the overall situation."
Fugaku's brows furrowed even tighter. He suppressed his anger and did not interrupt.
"Second: I let the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans leave Konoha with their wealth because I wanted to build a reputation that 'Konoha treats ninja clans well'. With this reputation, we can easily recruit other ninja clans to join, quickly restoring our strength."
Fugaku touched his forehead, seemingly pondering the rationality of this reason.
"Third: I had Kakashi assassinate Koharu and Homura to let the Ninja World know that betraying Konoha comes at a price."
Fugaku's eyes flickered, clearly indicating his approval of this reason.
"Fourth: I let the four clans leave with their wealth, and at the same time, spread the news throughout the Ninja World that 'they possess a large amount of wealth'. The deaths of Koharu and Homura are a signal to those greedy individuals that they, too, can seize this wealth."
Fugaku's brows furrowed, and his breathing paused slightly.
"Fifth: Before the establishment of ninja villages, ninjas were merely the noble's dogs, acting on orders. But after the establishment of ninja villages, ninjas banded together into military groups, and the Daimyo instinctively rejected us. His efforts to win over the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans were to suppress Konoha."
Shun's voice suddenly became as cold as ice. "I had Kakashi kill them to tell the Daimyo that the people he chose are completely unreliable."
"Sixth..."
Hearing Shun spout a long list of reasons, Fugaku felt a surge of irritation.
His gaze was complex, his voice tired and helpless. "Alright, Shun, let's end this matter here."
Shun nodded slightly, his expression serious. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
Fugaku's gaze was deep, carrying a hint of warning. "Next time you have such a plan, tell me in advance."
"Understood."
After speaking, Shun slowly walked out of the room and gently closed the door, leaving Fugaku alone in the office.
Fugaku looked at the spilled tea and murmured in a low voice, "Shun, this kid is even more dangerous than I imagined."
...
Fugaku ordered: Kakashi is to be listed as an A-rank rogue ninja, wanted throughout the Ninja World.
This news quickly reached the Daimyos' Mansion.
Inside the magnificent council hall, the Land of Fire Daimyo reclined on a soft couch, toying with an exquisite fan.
Kneeling before him were several ninjas, representatives of the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans.
An elder of the Utatane clan spoke with indignant sorrow, "Daimyo-sama, clam head Koharu and Homura were tragically killed by the Konoha rogue ninja Kakashi. Please uphold justice for us."
The Daimyo lazily raised his eyelids, gently tapping his palm with the fan. "Oh? Hasn't Konoha already designated Kakashi as an A-rank rogue ninja?"
A ninja of the Mitokado clan gritted his teeth. "But that's far from enough. Fugaku is clearly just placating you. He has no sincerity in severely punishing the culprit."
The Daimyo chuckled softly, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Then what do you want me to do? Send troops to attack Konoha?"
Everyone paused, falling silent.
The Daimyo closed his fan, his tone leisurely. "Since your four clans have chosen to pledge allegiance to me, you should understand that what I need are pawns who can share my burdens, not liabilities who only know how to cry."
Hiruzen stood in the corner, silent. His injuries had not fully recovered, and his face was still somewhat pale but his eyes were clearer than anyone else's.
He sneered inwardly, 'The Daimyo doesn't care about their lives or deaths. He only cares about how to use them to restrain Konoha.'
...
Daimyo's Mansion, the temporary residence of the Shimura clan.
In the dimly lit room, the high-ranking members of the Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans sat around, the atmosphere heavy.
An elder of the Shimura clan slammed his hand on the table in anger. "The Daimyo is completely unreliable. We must find another way out."
An elder of the Utatane clan gave a bitter smile. "What other way out is there? Konoha is no longer an option, and now even the Daimyo is unwilling to stand up for us."
The usually silent Mitokado elder suddenly spoke, "No, we still have a chance. As long as Hiruzen is still here, we still have value. From today onwards, our three clans must cling tightly to Hiruzen . Only by the four clans banding together can we have a say in front of the Daimyo."
Everyone exchanged glances, a hint of astonishment appearing on their faces.