Chapter 23 The Possibility of the Uchiha Forming an Independent Army
"Of course I know I can't agree!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, stung by the sharp voice, and couldn't help but raise his voice.
He waved his hand irritably, as if to brush away the unpleasant vibrations in the air, then pointed to the seat opposite him, gesturing for Koharu Utahara to sit down quietly, before reaching for his pipe.
The faint light from the struck match briefly illuminated his tightly pursed lips as the tobacco was lit, making a soft crackling sound.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath.
Thick, grayish-white smoke rose up, obscuring the complex expression on his face.
From behind the smoke came his deliberately lowered voice, "Don't tell Danzo about this, lest it cause unnecessary trouble."
Koharu Utatane naturally knew Danzo Shimura's temperament and knew that this matter would inevitably lead to a huge argument.
She calmed herself down, quickly sorted through the situation in her mind, and said in a deep voice, "Hiruzen, tell me your considerations."
After a brief pause, her tone became even more stern.
"The Uchiha's sudden demand for power is not something they are after, but something far beyond the Eastern Ninja Army. We must see through their true intentions."
"Yan has already set off for Daming Prefecture. Now, only the two of us are left to discuss this matter."
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his throbbing temples, trying to dispel the heavy fatigue from a sleepless night, and spoke slowly in a slightly hoarse voice.
"The Ninja Army is the backbone of Konoha's operations and must not be handed over to the Uchiha. Even if we plant people within them, we cannot predict what those unruly Uchiha will do, let alone effectively control them."
If the Uchiha clan were to gain control of the cause, driven by both prestige and power, it would be inevitable that the Eastern Ninja Army would fall under their control.
The loss of a ninja army was a reality that Hiruzen Sarutobi could never accept.
He then changed the subject, "But seeing the Uchiha's attitude today, they won't let this go without a reasonable explanation."
"We don't know when Wuyin will advance westward, and we don't have much time to think about it."
At this point, the Third Hokage, who was always known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu" and the "Strongest Hokage," was mentioned.
Recalling the unwavering, calm gaze of the Uchiha clan leader, a surge of anger at being openly challenged by a former follower, mixed with a sense of powerlessness, finally broke through the dam of reason.
He gripped his pipe tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white, and he whispered through gritted teeth.
"They are all founding fathers of the village, so why can't the Uchiha... be like Tobirama's Senju clan, willingly burning their lives for Konoha?!"
Koharu Utatane, whose values and thought processes were the same as hers, nodded in deep agreement.
Immediately, a glint flashed in her eyes, and a "brilliant plan" that seemed to be a concession but actually threw the problem back to the Uchiha came to mind.
"Since our standing ninja army can't provide it." She leaned forward, her voice low but sharp with a calculating edge.
"Why not go with the flow and allow the Uchiha... to raise their own ninja army?"
A cold, sharp smile curved the corners of Koharu's lips.
"Don't they always consider themselves the 'number one powerful clan in the ninja world'? They must have the strength to form an independent army, right?"
"Ideally, the Uchiha should also raise the costs and supplies for this ninja army themselves."
"It would not only preserve their 'prestige,' but also relieve the pressure on the village on other fronts, and weaken the Uchiha's strength. Wouldn't that be a win-win-win situation?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe, the gray smoke still swirling between his brows, like the thoughts swirling within him at that moment.
He carefully considered every word of Koharu's suggestion, weighing its pros and cons and its possibilities.
After a long silence, Sarutobi finally spoke in a deep voice.
"This... could be a direction for solving the problem."
He first offered limited affirmation, then abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharply fixed on Koharu Utatane.
"But the Uchiha are by no means foolish people who can be manipulated at will. How could they not see through the deeper meaning behind this?"
"Moreover, once a completely independent and self-sufficient Uchiha ninja army is formed, what reins will we have left to restrain this tiger that has been unleashed?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, worried about the possibility of two Konoha members appearing, shook his head in the end.
He temporarily suppressed this tempting yet perilous proposal.
"This matter is of great importance; it has far-reaching consequences... We need to consider it carefully."
If they could quickly defeat any one of the villages of Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or Kumogakure, the initiative to confront Kirigakure would no longer be in the hands of the Uchiha, but would return to the hands of the Hokage.
Realizing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi then remembered that Koharu Utatane must have come for important business, and asked, "By the way, Koharu, what brings you here? Is it about logistics?"
Koharu, seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had asked her about it, told him her carefully prepared explanation.
"It's all about logistics and finance."
She placed her hands on her knees and said clearly, "Hiruzen, we are currently fighting on multiple fronts, which is extremely costly."
"Relying solely on the funds allocated by the government, which are of unknown amount and origin, is probably unsustainable. We must develop new and stable sources of revenue."
"Currently, the largest concentration of wealth within Konoha is the Uchiha's 'Ginza'."
Xiaochun, who was turning over to the dormitory, bluntly stated, "They make a fortune there every day; the profits are astonishing."
"It's just that according to the old system established by the Second Hokage, the tax on the ninja clan's industries is extremely low. This might have been acceptable in the past, but it's no longer appropriate now."
She stared intently at the Hokage.
"I believe it's time to push for tax reform. We should no longer be limited to fixed-rate taxes, but should instead adopt a commission-based system, taxing all commercial activities with a certain turnover based on a percentage of their profits."
"It's not targeting the Uchiha clan, but for the overall benefit of Konoha."
"Tax reform… is easier said than done." Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was bitter. "It's like cutting into the wallets of all ninja clans, especially the Uchiha clans."
"At this sensitive time, could this backfire and further escalate the conflict?"
"Precisely because it is wartime, we have even more reason to fight!" Koharu Utatane argued.
"To support the front lines and to protect the village, everyone who is capable should make a greater contribution."
"We can define this as a 'special war tax,' with a clear time limit and purpose, and then gradually implement it."
"Even the Uchiha, under the guise of 'protecting Konoha,' find it difficult to openly oppose it. Unless they want to bear the infamy of disregarding the survival of the village."
She paused, then continued.
"We can set a high threshold for the tax, with the main target being giant commercial complexes like Ginza."
"Most small and medium-sized businesses and family businesses will not be significantly affected, so the resistance will naturally be much smaller."
"We are not trying to make enemies of all ninja clans, but rather to make the biggest beneficiaries bear the corresponding responsibilities."
Both of them knew exactly what those words meant.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't speak, but looked out the window at the towering "Ginza"—the Uchiha clan crest—which gleamed in the sunlight.
"...Go and draft the plan, Xiaochun."
End of this chapter...