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But there was no way a Hokage would sit at the very end of the table.
And sitting shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of second-rate minor clans? That was out of the question.
So Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over to Homura Mitokado, face grim.
"Homura. I'll need you to move."
If someone had taken the Hokage's seat, then he could only step back and take an elder's position instead.
At least that way, he could salvage some shred of dignity.
Homura frowned. But when he caught sight of Hiruzen's pitch-black expression, he sighed inwardly. For the sake of their long-standing friendship, he gave in and stood up.
He glanced at the seat beside him and, imitating the Third's solemn tone, said,
"Clan Head Hiashi, I'll have to trouble you to move."
Hiashi Hyuga looked at Homura's stiff expression, then considered that they were allies on the same side. In the end, he chose to give face as well.
Hiashi rose and turned to Shikaku Nara, who was seated next to him. His expression turned serious.
"Shikaku, I'll have to—"
Before he could finish, a lazy voice cut in.
"Hey, white-eyes. You're sitting too close to me. Just looking at you annoys me. Get to the back. Don't make me do it myself."
Hiashi's face went green. He whipped around to glare at Uchiha Akira, teeth clenched, words rising to his lips.
He swallowed them.
Inwardly, he cursed Akira for being petty. Still holding a grudge against the Hyuga at a time like this? No magnanimity at all.
"You still standing there?" Akira raised a brow.
Hiashi snorted. "The Hyuga know when to bend and when to stand tall. We won't start a fight over something so trivial."
Chin lifted, he strode to the very end of the long table.
At that moment, only Fugaku Uchiha remained standing.
He looked toward Hiruzen.
The Third's face was cold as frost. Akira was far stronger than him; being forced out of his seat by that monster, he could barely swallow it.
But Fugaku? Another Kage-level ninja thinking he could pull the same stunt? Did he really think Hiruzen wouldn't strike back?
"Honestly, what a hassle," Shikaku muttered, scratching his pineapple-like hair as he stood. "It's just a seat. As long as you've got one, what's the big deal?"
"Fugaku, take mine. I'll sit in the back."
"Thank you."
Fugaku accepted without hesitation and sat down.
After two rounds of musical chairs, everyone was finally seated.
But the mood had gone ice-cold. The room was so quiet it felt unnatural.
Normally, the Hokage would open the meeting.
But Hiruzen sat there with a thunderous expression, clearly in no mood to speak.
And who could blame him?
This meeting had been called in advance to scheme against the Uchiha.
Instead, not only had the Uchiha avoided the trap, they'd lost one of their own—Koharu had been exposed and executed on the spot.
Even worse, Hiruzen himself had been shoved out of the main seat in front of everyone.
All the plans he'd carefully prepared had gone up in smoke the moment Akira walked in.
In this situation, how could he possibly feel like talking?
After more than ten minutes of suffocating silence, Fugaku finally cleared his throat.
"Elder… may we begin?"
He turned respectfully toward Akira.
Akira shot him a sideways glance. "Don't look at me. I'm just here to observe. Whatever you discuss has nothing to do with me. Speak freely."
He paused.
"And I have zero interest in the topic of this meeting. Just pretend I'm not here."
Everyone's faces remained blank.
Observe?
Who observes from the head seat?
Fugaku ignored the silent sarcasm in the room and got straight to business.
"This meeting concerns the vacancy among Konoha's elders, does it not?"
No one answered.
He continued calmly, "Due to recent events, Elder Koharu was found to have colluded with Danzo. The evidence was conclusive, and she has been executed. That leaves two elder positions vacant."
"We should now select two suitable candidates to fill them. Speak your minds."
He scanned the room.
Silence.
Everyone sat upright, faces stiff, thoughts unreadable. The atmosphere was… strange.
Fugaku coughed lightly.
"If no one has a candidate, I will recommend two."
He waited. No objections.
"First, I nominate Uchiha Akira."
He continued steadily, "Akira exposed Danzo's crimes and brought that scum to justice. He eradicated the Shimura clan, removing a major rot from Konoha's foundation."
"His contributions to the village are immense. Such merit surely qualifies him for an elder position. I trust no one objects?"
"I object."
The words fell immediately.
Fugaku frowned and looked over, wondering which fearless soul had dared speak up.
He froze.
The one objecting was Akira himself.
"Didn't I tell you already?" Akira said flatly. "I have no interest in being an elder. And since I'm only observing, don't drag my name into this."
"My apologies!" Fugaku shot to his feet and bowed. "I was too excited and forgot."
The others watched Akira with complicated expressions.
Not even interested in being an elder?
Then again… this was a man who'd slapped the Hokage around like it was nothing.
An elder's seat probably seemed beneath him.
"Since Akira declines," Fugaku said, straightening his clothes, "I will nominate two new candidates."
"First, my eldest son, Itachi Uchiha."
"Itachi has served in the ANBU for years. Most of his missions were high-risk, and he has never failed. His record speaks for itself."
"A ninja of such caliber is fully qualified."
"As for the second candidate… I will nominate myself."
He spoke without hesitation.
"During the Third Great Ninja War, I led the Uchiha in holding back the Mist's main forces, creating opportunities for Konoha's victory over the other villages. My wartime contributions are significant."
"As captain of the Military Police Force, I have also maintained order within the village, ensuring civilians can live in peace."
"With that record, I believe I am fully qualified for an elder seat."
He paused, catching his breath.
"Those are my nominees. Now—who agrees? Who objects?"
Hiruzen remained expressionless.
The others said nothing.
Fugaku took their silence as consent and struck the table lightly.
"Very well. Then the two elder seats will be filled by myself and my son, Itachi."
"I object."
At last, Homura couldn't hold back.
He turned sharply to Fugaku.
"Fugaku, your appetite is too obvious."
"It's fine if the Uchiha want an elder seat. But you only get one."
"The other position must go to someone else."
He cast a sideways glance at Akira. Seeing the man sitting there with eyes closed, seemingly asleep, he continued boldly.
"And if an Uchiha becomes an elder, then the Military Police Force must be relinquished. The Uchiha will no longer control it."
Hiruzen shot him frantic looks, silently urging him to stop.
Keep talking and you'll get us killed.
Homura saw—but ignored him.
Politician mode fully activated, arguments lining up in his head, he couldn't stop now.
"Yes, Akira exposed Danzo's crimes. But the battle he caused also brought massive destruction."
"Countless buildings destroyed. Heavy casualties. The economic losses alone are immeasurable."
He watched Akira from the corner of his eye. No reaction.
Emboldened, he pressed on.
"Originally, we could have used the Shimura clan's assets for reconstruction. But their entire compound was wiped out—nothing remains."
"So the reconstruction funds should come primarily from the Uchiha."
He slowly raised a finger.
"Not much. Just one billion ryo."
The meaning was clear.
If Fugaku wanted an elder seat, he would trade the Police Force—and pay one billion ryo.
Fugaku's palm slammed against the table.
"Impossible! You expect the Uchiha to pay a billion ryo? You're dreaming!"
Homura snorted.
"You're the one dreaming."
"No Police Force. No one billion ryo. No elder seat for the Uchiha."
Fugaku's eyes burned.
"And just what gives you the right?!"
"Your Uchiha people fight without the slightest regard for their surroundings. You've wrecked countless homes and buildings!"
The "Uchiha" he was referring to was, of course, Uchiha Akira.
He held back from saying the name outright, but everyone in the room knew exactly who he meant.
Before Fugaku could retort, Mitokado Homura pressed on.
"That's enough! I'm not here to trade pointless words with you. Two conditions. Agree to them, and we can talk. Refuse, and there's nothing more to discuss."
"You…"
Fugaku clenched his teeth, fury flashing in his eyes. He was about to speak when Akira, seated at the head of the table, slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a calm, almost lazy tone.
"Fine. I don't feel like wasting time either.
Root's invasion of the Uchiha compound caused massive destruction and heavy losses. Konoha should compensate the Uchiha ten billion ryō.
As for the two vacant elder seats, Fugaku and Itachi will take them. Any objections?"
The moment those words fell, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, nearly slammed the table in outrage.
The damage to the Uchiha district had nothing to do with Root.
It was the result of Akira and Itachi's battle. Root hadn't had a thing to do with it.
But after weighing the consequences of saying that out loud, he chose silence.
When you're weaker, the truth doesn't matter. Whatever the stronger side says becomes reality.
The humiliation burned in his chest.
Hiruzen could endure it.
Mitokado Homura could not.
Bang!
His palm struck the table so hard it rattled.
"Utter nonsense! The Uchiha compound was destroyed because of you. Don't you dare pin that on Root!"
At this negotiation table, the seasoned old politician believed himself the one in control.
And he absolutely would not allow anyone to outdo him in twisting words.
"You expect Konoha to hand over ten billion ryō to the Uchiha? Keep dreaming!"
He sneered coldly.
"And weren't you the one who said you were just here to observe? Now you're butting in. You really have some—"
He didn't get to finish.
Smack!
Akira flicked his hand through the air. An invisible gust exploded outward and sent Homura flying.
Boom!
He slammed into the wall, the impact caving it in. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
Akira's calm voice drifted over.
"You seem pretty worked up. In that case, the ten billion will come from the Mitokado clan."
"You bastard! We're negotiating! Why the hell are you attacking me?!"
Homura pointed at him, trembling with rage.
This was supposed to be a meeting, not a battlefield. Who throws hands in the middle of negotiations?
Anger rushed to his head. His vision swam red.
He'd even forgotten that the man sitting across from him was someone ruthless enough to strike at the Third Hokage himself.
"Not convinced? Then twenty billion."
Akira's expression didn't change.
"Like hell! I won't give you a single coin!" Homura roared.
"Thirty billion."
"Go screw yourself! You must be out of your damn mind!"
He'd completely abandoned any semblance of decorum, shouting curses like a street thug.
Whoosh!
An air bullet tore through the room.
Bang!
The wall behind Homura exploded open, a gaping hole blasted straight through it.
Gulp.
He stared at the hole. It was less than a few millimeters from his head.
Cold sweat poured down his face.
Only now did it sink in.
The man in front of him wasn't some smooth-talking bureaucrat.
He was a monster.
What the hell had he just been doing?
Arguing with someone like this? Was he tired of living?
"Forty billion," Akira said mildly.
Homura's face drained of color.
Forty billion.
An astronomical figure.
Even with all the wealth he'd accumulated over the years as a Konoha elder, even if he scraped together every hidden asset he possessed, it wouldn't be enough.
Unless he emptied the entire foundation of the Mitokado clan.
Maybe. Possibly. That might barely cover it.
This wasn't compensation.
This was digging up his clan by the roots.
Under Akira's steady, unreadable gaze, Homura made the wisest decision of his life.
He shut up.
One more word, and forty billion might turn into fifty.
After a brief silence, and seeing no further objections, Akira nodded, satisfied.
"Good. I'll take that as agreement.
In that case, the two vacant elder seats in Konoha will be filled by Fugaku and Itachi. The Police Force will remain entirely under Uchiha control.
Additionally, the Mitokado clan will generously donate forty billion ryō to the Uchiha for reconstruction.
That concludes this meeting. If anyone has objections, feel free to speak up."
Akira straightened in his seat, looking every bit the magnanimous leader inviting open discussion.
Heh.
Around the table, not a single person spoke.
It wasn't that they didn't have objections.
It was that none of them had a death wish.
"..."
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