Gomaru Akimichi let out a heavy, dramatic sigh as he adjusted his massive frame on the woven cushion.
Despite the tension of their recent defection, the internal atmosphere of the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance remained remarkably harmonious. This stability was largely due to the Nara Clan. By designing fair reward systems and managing the alliance's logistics with absolute impartiality, the Nara prevented the petty financial disputes that plagued other ninja factions. Consequently, the three clans rarely experienced internal friction or power struggles.
In fact, within the Nara Clan itself, ambition was actively discouraged. Their tradition for selecting a clan head was notoriously eccentric: the most brilliant mind of the generation "won" the right to live a lazy, comfortable life in the background, while the "loser" was burdened with the exhausting duties of Clan Head.
In their generation, Shikaichi Nara had been the undisputed victor. He had successfully secured a life of peaceful retirement, forcing the grueling position of Clan Head onto Shikaku. However, due to Jin Uchiha's sudden and aggressive rise to power, Shikaichi's comfortable retirement had been shattered. He was forced back into active duty to manage their defector faction.
"Enough complaining, Gomaru," Shikaichi drawled, his tone lazy but his eyes sharp. "If it makes you feel better, Shikaku and the others are going to be far more exhausted than we are."
Shikaichi took a slow sip of his tea. "I suspect Jin Uchiha's overarching plan is massive. He is employing a 'boiling the frog' strategy—slowly, methodically stripping away the Hokage's authority step by step. If he just wanted to cause chaos, he would have done it already."
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Inoichi managed to use his mind-reading jutsu on the corpses recovered from the Forest of Death a few nights ago. The truth of that battle is terrifying. Dozens of rogue ninja, a full Anbu battalion, and fifteen elite Root squads were completely annihilated. Jin Uchiha slaughtered them effortlessly. If Danzo Shimura didn't still possess some strategic value, Jin would have killed him that very night."
Shikaichi's eyes narrowed. "Jin possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan. In terms of raw power, he is virtually a second Madara Uchiha. He doesn't want to destroy Konoha; he wants to conquer it intact. Once he fully seizes power, Shikaku's faction—who stayed behind to play politics with the Hokage—will be scrambling just to survive the transition."
System Context: The Mangekyou Sharingan is an advanced, legendary evolution of the Uchiha's visual prowess, granting the user god-like abilities. Historically, only a handful of Uchiha, including Madara, have awakened it.
Shikaichi exhaled a breath of profound regret. When Inoichi first shared that intelligence, Shikaichi had strongly advised Shikaku to move the entire Ino-Shika-Cho alliance under Jin's banner. In the shinobi world, true security only came from aligning with absolute strength. But Shikaku was too cautious. By hedging their bets and splitting their forces, they had lost the opportunity to become Jin's core confidants. They would only ever be secondary allies.
Shikaichi's gaze drifted toward the far corner of the courtyard, landing on the silent, brooding figures of the Aburame Clan.
"The Aburame, on the other hand, are going to rise," Shikaichi predicted quietly. "Unlike us, they went all-in. They have no retreat. Combine that absolute loyalty with their incredibly versatile insect jutsu—which covers offense, defense, and tracking—and Jin will undoubtedly make them his vanguard."
Gomaru chuckled, popping a rice cracker into his mouth. "Well, as long as Shikaku is suffering behind a desk, I can live with this arrangement."
Beside him, Hayato Yamanaka smirked. While Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza were the famous public face of the alliance, only the elders knew the truth: Shikaichi, Hayato, and Gomaru were actually the strongest combat trio of their generation, hidden in the shadows as the alliance's ultimate trump card. Now, they were finally stepping onto the board.
---
By 9:30 AM, the courtyard was packed. Representatives from over a dozen clans and minor factions had taken their seats. Even Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy were present, sitting quietly on cushions near the back of the assembly.
The Uchiha clansmen sat on the far left side of the courtyard, led by their elders. While they still carried their innate pride, their usual cold arrogance was gone. Today, they greeted the arriving clans with genuine warmth and polite nods, acting as gracious hosts to their new allies.
Suddenly, the low hum of conversation vanished.
Jin Uchiha strode into the courtyard. He moved with a relaxed but commanding presence, walking directly to the elevated seat at the absolute front of the assembly. Tsuki Uchiha followed silently, kneeling dutifully slightly behind his left shoulder.
Looking out over the sea of elite shinobi, Jin felt a surge of profound ambition. He was officially just a Chunin on paper, but the reality was vastly different. With the sheer military weight gathered in this single courtyard, he now possessed the power to challenge the Third Hokage as an absolute equal. The right to define Konoha's 'Will of Fire' was finally within his grasp.
"Shibi Aburame. Kakashi Hatake. Might Guy," Jin's voice rang out, clear and authoritative, cutting through the silence.
The three men looked up in surprise.
"Why are you hiding in the back?" Jin asked, gesturing to the empty space directly in front of his own seat. "Come to the front. Someone, prepare three seats."
The Uchiha clansmen didn't hesitate. They immediately brought forward a premium low table, three woven cushions, and a fresh pot of tea, setting them up at the absolute center of the front row.
A ripple of shock passed through the assembly. The clan heads exchanged sharp, calculating glances. They all understood the unspoken politics of seating arrangements. This wasn't just a gesture of hospitality; Jin was establishing his new hierarchy. These three men were officially being recognized as the absolute highest tier of authority beneath Jin himself.
Shibi, Kakashi, and Guy felt the heavy stares of the entire courtyard pressing down on them, but they obeyed, walking to the front and taking their designated seats.
Once they were settled, Jin leaned forward, his expression turning entirely serious.
"Gentlemen," Jin began, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "I despise hypocrisy and empty political pleasantries, so I will get straight to the point. First order of business: The Aburame Clan."
Jin looked directly at Shibi. "I am placing my full backing behind your clan. I promise to provide all necessary support—including unrestricted funding, administrative backing, and dedicated industries. Our core objective is simple: within five years, we will expand the Aburame Clan's population to three thousand members."