Chapter 122: Hiruzen's Grand Vision; A Strategic Promise to the Uchiha
"Hiruzen!"
The moment Hiruzen handed the Hitomi-maru to Isshin Uchiha, Danzo spoke up, his
voice a low, urgent hiss. "Shouldn't we consider this further? This is a
national gift from the Mist. Making a snap decision to hand it over to a single
clan... it's borderline reckless."
Hiruzen shot Danzo a look of genuine curiosity.
Is he serious?
The sword was already in Isshin's hands. Was Danzo suggesting the Hokage reach
out and snatch it back? It would look like a group of toddlers playing
"take-away" in the middle of a high-level diplomatic summit.
"Danzo, Isshin is a founding elder of this village," Hiruzen said, shaking his
head with a light chuckle. "I'm not trying to embarrass you, but playing 'Shadow
Games' in front of a man of Isshin's experience is a waste of breath."
"Besides... we're all family here, aren't we?"
Hiruzen offered a polite nod to Isshin, as if apologizing for his Assistant's
"impulsiveness."
Danzo stared at Hiruzen, speechless. He wasn't trying to be petty—at least, not
this time.
In truth, Danzo had actually wanted that blade. Not to keep for himself, but to
use as a memorial for Tobirama Senju. In Danzo's mind, the ultimate revenge was
for the student of the Second Hokage to possess the weapon Izuna Uchiha had
built specifically to counter him. It was the ultimate closure for the "decoy"
incident that still haunted Danzo's dreams.
Danzo lived in a world of regret. He was the guard who failed his Kage. He was
the man who had been too afraid to raise his hand first. Every "Hawk" policy he
pushed was a desperate attempt to prove he had finally found his courage. Seeing
Izuna's blade was a trigger for his obsession.
Isshin Uchiha remained motionless.
He had initially assumed this was a "Good Cop / Bad Cop" routine—Danzo scaring
him so Hiruzen could look like the savior. But looking at Danzo's face, Isshin
realized the Assistant was being sincere. The "Darkness of the Leaf" actually
wanted the Uchiha's heritage.
"The Mist's strategy is simple," Hiruzen said, breaking the silence.
"They wanted to use the old blood-feud between my Master and Lord Izuna to trap
me. By presenting the blade as a gift to me—the Second's student—they hoped I
would accept it as a trophy of war. It would have bolstered my 'Master's Legacy'
while simultaneously spitting in the face of every Uchiha in the village."
Hiruzen didn't use flowery diplomatic metaphors. He laid the "Heart-Killing"
logic bare on the table.
"If I had kept it, I would have confirmed your fears: that the administration
views the Uchiha as a conquered enemy rather than a partner. It would have been
a PR win for the Mist and a disaster for the Leaf."
Isshin and Fugaku both nodded slowly. They appreciated the clinical honesty. In
a world of super-powered warriors, the truth was often the most lethal weapon.
"The history of the Senju and Uchiha is written in blood. That is a fact,"
Hiruzen continued.
"But in the Ninja World, who hasn't bled? The Sarutobi and the Shimura were at
each other's throats for a century before the village was born. My Master killed
Izuna, yes. But how many Senju were killed by Uchiha blades? My own Master's
younger brothers were among them."
"And then there is the Great Patriarch," Hiruzen said, his voice dropping to a
somber note.
"His contributions and his crimes are both undeniable. Without Madara, Konoha
wouldn't exist. He caught the Tailed Beasts. He served as the ultimate deterrent
against our neighbors."
"But he also attacked Lord Hashirama. How do we balance those books?" Hiruzen
asked, looking at Isshin with a piercing gaze.
Isshin felt a cold sweat on his back. Hiruzen was moving the conversation toward
the "Uchiha Original Sin."
"Lord Hokage... the clan did not follow the Patriarch when he left," Isshin said
defensively.
"I know," Hiruzen smiled, but his eyes remained sharp. "But let's be honest
between brothers, Isshin."
"Back then, everyone was terrified of Hashirama Senju. They knew that if a war
started, only Madara could match him. The clan stayed behind not just because
they loved peace, but because they were playing the odds. If Hashirama won, you
had the reputation of 'loyalty' to protect you. If Madara won, he was your
Patriarch—he would have simply handed you the keys to the village."
"By staying neutral, the Uchiha ensured they were on the winning side regardless
of the outcome."
Isshin's breathing became heavy. Hiruzen had just reached into the dark corners
of Uchiha history and pulled out the one truth they never admitted: their
"Loyalty" was actually a masterful Strategic Hedge.
Fugaku felt his collar growing tight. He had never seen a leader analyze his
clan with such clinical ruthlessness—all while maintaining a friendly smile.
Danzo's framing is just noise, Fugaku realized. Hiruzen is the one who sees the
bone under the skin. He's counting our sins one by one.
"However," Hiruzen said, the pressure vanishing as quickly as it had arrived.
"I'm not interested in auditing the past. I'm interested in building the
future."
"The 'Setsuna Rebelion'... the Police Force friction... those were the growing
pains of a young village. Neither side was perfectly innocent."
"The Uchiha are performing excellently today. You're in the Patrol Net. You're
in the High Commission. You bled for us in the Grass. That is the 'Data' I care
about."
Isshin felt a wave of relief so powerful it was almost spiritual.
"I brought this up to address the Mist's plan. They think our history is a
weakness they can exploit. They think we're still stuck in the 1st War."
"But we aren't. My 'Will of Fire' isn't a speech—it's a system."
"I am officially establishing the Konoha Orphanage. It will be a world-class
facility for the children of our fallen comrades. It needs an endowment. It
needs a soul."
Hiruzen gestured to the blade in Isshin's hands. "The Uchiha will 'purchase'
that national treasure from the treasury. Every ryo of that 'Price' will go
directly into the Orphanage Fund. Let a sword that once drew blood now build a
roof for our children."
"I think that is a much better way to honor the 'Will of the Kage' than any
funeral ritual, Danzo. What do you say?"
Danzo went silent. He looked at the blade, then at the Uchiha. He realized
Hiruzen had just pulled off a triple-play:
1. He funded a vital social project.
2. He returned a sacred relic to the Uchiha, securing their eternal gratitude.
3. He forced the Uchiha to spend their own money to "buy" the village's favor,
turning a gift into a public act of philanthropy.
"Hmph. Fine," Danzo muttered. "It's a logical allocation of resources."
"Isshin," Hiruzen said, leaning forward. "The world keeps trying to erase Madara
Uchiha from our history. I think that's a mistake."
Isshin and Fugaku both froze. What?
"You can't teach history by skipping the chapters you don't like. The Valley of
the End is a physical landmark; it isn't going anywhere. We shouldn't treat the
Patriarch as a 'Stain' we ignore. We should treat him as a Strategic Warning."
"Konoha is the name he gave us. Lord Hashirama accepted that name because he
loved his friend."
"I'm ready to solve the 'Uchiha Stigma,' Isshin. If the clan continues to show
this level of dedication, I am prepared to issue a formal, Hokage-Level
Historical Re-evaluation of Madara Uchiha."
"We will acknowledge his role as a Founder. We will acknowledge his strength. We
will frame his 'fall' not as an act of treason, but as a tragic philosophical
disagreement that the modern village has finally resolved."
Isshin's eyes blurred with tears.
This was the "Big Pie"—the ultimate strategic promise. For decades, the Uchiha
had lived as "Founders who were also Traitors." To have the Hokage publicly
restore their Patriarch's honor was a dream that none of them had even dared to
voice.
"Lord Hokage... are you serious? You would really..." Isshin's voice was
trembling.
"I will," Hiruzen said, his voice resonant and full of power.
"Prove to me that the Uchiha belong in the light. Lead them, Isshin. And when
the time is right—when the village sees the Uchiha as their truest defenders—I
will sign that decree."
Isshin dropped to one knee, a gesture of absolute, soul-deep submission. "We
will not fail you, Lord Hiruzen! The Uchiha will be the sword and the shield of
your reign!"
Hiruzen smiled, patting Isshin on the shoulder.
The Pie is painted, Arata thought. Now I just have to wait for the Master to
bake it.
"Alright, that's enough politics for one morning," Hiruzen said, lighting a
cigarette. "We have a 'Cultural Exchange' to attend at the Academy. I need to
make sure the 'Azure Dragon Study Group' hasn't embarrassed my son too much."
Hiruzen stood up and walked toward the door, his silhouette looking like a giant
in the morning sun.
I've given them a reason to fight for me, Arata mused. Now I just need the
Master to move into the driver's seat of the clan. Once Tobirama has 'Uchiha
Seisui' at the top of the hierarchy, the last variable of Konoha's internal
instability will be solved forever.
"Danzo, move it! We're late for the kids' show!"
"Hmph! Coming, Hiruzen!"
☆☆☆
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