"Just a village official? Is that really such a big deal?"
"A village official... Is it really that significant?"
"Is it really that significant?"
Aozora's offhand remark slammed into Fugaku and Kyudai like a thunderclap.
Although Aozora had previously shown disdain for the Hokage, it was this particular remark that struck both men more deeply than any before.
Fugaku and Kyudai were stunned speechless, their eyes wide with shock.
Was Aozora talking about the Hokage?
Calling the Hokage a village official?
Well, technically speaking, it wasn't wrong—but still! That was the Hokage!
How could it not be a big deal?
...
It took quite some time before they finally regained their composure.
Anger burned in Fugaku's eyes, though his discipline prevented him from exploding.
Kyudai, however, was younger and far less restrained.
He shot to his feet and challenged Aozora. "How dare you call the Hokage a village official?!"
Aozora regretted saying those words the moment they left his mouth, but faced with Kyudai's accusation, he didn't feel inclined to apologize.
Once spoken, words were like water already spilled—a flood no dam could contain.
Aozora glanced at both Fugaku and Kyudai, weighing his thoughts carefully.
Fugaku needed no explanation—he was the leader of the Uchiha clan.
As for Kyudai, being the son of Captain Hachidai and valued by Fugaku himself, he would inevitably play a role in shaping the Uchiha's future direction.
In short, both men would help shape the Uchiha's future.
Aozora didn't doubt either man's love for the Uchiha, nor did he question their intelligence—especially Fugaku's. But their vision and perspective lacked depth.
This was an opportunity to help them break free from Konoha's narrow point of view.
Rather than respond directly to Kyudai's accusation, Aozora calmly asked, "May I ask, are we currently inside Konoha Village?"
Kyudai retorted, "What of it then?"
Aozora continued serenely, "Then as high-level officials of this village, what exactly is wrong with calling the Hokage a village official?"
"You're just being unreasonable!" Kyudai spat angrily.
Fugaku's eyes flashed with anger, though his tone remained calm. "Konoha may technically be a village," he said coldly, "but in terms of land size, commerce, and military might, it rivals even great cities like Kyoto."
Aozora shrugged. "Fine then—the Hokage is a city official!"
"A city official?"
Kyudai flared up again. "Do you even know what the Hokage represents? He is the supreme leader of all Konoha ninja, the greatest ninja in the entire village."
Aozora replied indifferently, "Understood. The number one person in the village!"
"You!"
Kyudai was so enraged he wanted to throw a punch, but being in Fugaku's private study held him back. In frustration, he turned away and began drinking tea compulsively.
Fugaku gave a cold snort. "So you're trying to belittle the title of Hokage?"
Anger couldn't cloud Fugaku's judgment. Observing the situation quietly, he quickly recognized Aozora's intentions.
Aozora shrugged again. "Fact is, the Hokage is merely a village official—even if this village happens to be rather large."
Then he shifted his gaze toward Kyudai seated beside him and added, "The Hokage is just an official. 'The strongest ninja in the village'? Hah—that's just hype. Do you really think the current Third can defeat Jiraiya in battle?"
"Still think you can defeat the Clan Chief?"
Whether it was because he had just been flattered, Fugaku's voice no longer carried anger.
"I'm still weaker than the Hokage back then!"
Aozora considered the words for a moment. Heh, so does that mean you could beat him now?
But Aozora just listened without taking it seriously. It's like they say — talk is cheap. Only a fight decides who's stronger.
Fugaku puffed out his chest slightly and said, "However you put it down, the Hokage is still one of the strongest individuals in the Ninja World, leading one of the most powerful factions."
Aozora nodded indifferently and replied, "Right, one of them, not the only one."
Kyudai heard that and turned his face away, saying, "Only five people in the entire Ninja World are qualified to bear the title 'Kage!'"
"Oh," Aozora responded, "one-fifth of them!"
Kyudai let out an "Ah!" sound, lifted his hand to cover his mouth, and turned his head away again.
Fugaku gave a cold chuckle and remarked, "No wonder you're dreaming about becoming the strongest ninja in the world, Uchiha Aozora!"
Though Aozora heard the mockery in Fugaku's words, he locked eyes with Fugaku directly and said solemnly, "Exactly! That should be the goal of us Uchiha. What we should pursue is being the strongest, the absolute number one."
Under Aozora's gaze, Fugaku gradually became serious.
After a long pause, he said slowly, "I have to admit, you never fail to shock me. But to become the strongest and stand alone at the top, you must take things step by step."
Pausing briefly, Fugaku continued, "Now tell me why you look down on the Hokage?"
"Just stating a fact."
Under Fugaku's stare, Aozora added, "Besides, I don't think sending large numbers of Uchiha into battle has anything to do with your competition for the position of Hokage."
"Hmm?"
Fugaku frowned deeply.
Aozora explained, "Whether you can become the Hokage doesn't depend on how many achievements the Uchiha as a whole have made, but rather on how many achievements you personally have accomplished. It's not about how much prestige the Uchiha earn, but how much you yourself earn. After all, there is only one seat for the Hokage!"
Hearing Aozora's analysis, Fugaku finally understood why he hadn't even made the candidate list for Hokage after the Third Great Ninja War.
At that time, both himself and the clan had believed their battlefield accomplishments would guarantee him nomination as Hokage. Yet the moment he linked his personal achievements too closely with those of the entire Uchiha clan, he had already lost.
Aozora continued, "The more achievements our clansmen earn, the more harmful rather than helpful it becomes to your bid to become Hokage. Because others will worry that if you were to become Hokage, you might overly reward those Uchiha who earned merit, turning Konoha into a village controlled solely by the Uchiha."
Fugaku nodded thoughtfully; indeed, other ninja would certainly fear such a possibility.
"Finally—"
Aozora stated his last point, "Though the Uchiha may seem strong, most are like spoiled children of fortune — rarely tested by real battle. If suddenly sent to the Front Line, heavy losses would be inevitable. While this might train a group of excellent elites, the cost may outweigh the benefits."
After laying out all his arguments, Aozora concluded, "Therefore, I firmly believe we should move the surplus forces of our clan to Kyoto and establish a Second Safe Haven for the Uchiha."
By concealing our clan's true strength, we avoid becoming a sitting duck for others to envy and target. Although we will still participate in battles, our involvement will appear similar to other clans, giving you, Clan Head, much more room for maneuvering. Furthermore, with fewer participants in battles, we can handpick elite members to fight, which would greatly cut down on losses.
Finally, taking Kyoto will also boost your campaign for the Kage title. After all, appointing a Kage requires the Daimyo's nod of approval!"
Fugaku nodded. Although the Daimyo's nod of approval was basically symbolic, it was indeed indispensable.
Convinced afterward, Fugaku and the others began discussing specific strategies for attacking Kyoto.
Ultimately they decided to secretly seek out outstanding members within the clan, then send them one by one to join the Daimyo's military system for testing purposes.
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