The meeting hall was silent.
Every face was grave, but not a soul spoke.
Instead, the clan leaders were already turning the matter over in their minds.
The Uchiha had made it clear—the whole "legal reform" affair had only been a move to rally allies.
Which meant, if they chose to side with the Uchiha, their clans might secure significant benefits in the future.
Of course, there were risks. Aligning with Uchiha meant opposing the Hokage.
In the past, none of them would have considered it. Uchiha minds ran differently—stubborn, prideful, not exactly reliable allies.
But now… things had changed.
Uchiha Kai was the one leading.
His ability to scheme and maneuver was every bit the equal of the Hokage's camp. Even Nara Shikaku, sharp as he was, likely could do no better.
And Kai was not only ruthless and powerful—he was cautious, always planning three steps ahead.
This was a man who could accomplish great things.
With the strength of the Uchiha behind him, who was to say he might not succeed?
One by one, the clans began weighing their options.
The "legal reform" itself barely mattered. After all, when Konoha was founded, the Police Force already had those powers—it was just that past Uchiha leaders never knew how to use them.
But now?
With Kai at the helm, the Police Force would not stay quiet.
The clan leaders' eyes were sharp—they could see the potential.
The Police Force didn't just enforce the law. They held legislative authority, the power to arrest, interrogate, judge, and execute.
In Kai's previous world, powers like these were separated—legislative, executive, and judicial.
But in Konoha?
The Police Force held all three.
And if they wanted, they could even raise an armed unit of their own—because their full name was the Konoha Police Force Unit.
That's right—unit.
All they had to do was claim it was for the sake of village security, and they had the right to conscript shinobi.
Think about it.
The Police Force wasn't just a police station. It was police, court, prosecutor, detention, prison—all rolled into one. Add in the powers of a legislature, and on top of that, the ability to form their own armed corps.
How terrifying was that?
It became clear just how steep a price Tobirama Senju had paid, back when he tried to placate Madara after denying him the Hokage's seat.
Only… the Uchiha had been too foolish to use it.
Any other clan with such authority would have swelled from minor to major power in no time.
And so, tonight—
The clans still hadn't decided whether to back the Uchiha or the Hokage.
But one thing was certain: not a single one would join an assault on Uchiha now.
Because Kai hadn't broken the rules of the game. This was still a power struggle between Hokage and Uchiha.
It had nothing to do with them.
Their only question was: which side would they back, when the struggle continued?
"Enough. Everyone understands the situation."
"Tonight's assault on the Uchiha is canceled."
"As for Uchiha Tekka—send word to Kai for me. Tomorrow morning, I will pay him a visit."
"Dismissed."
Hiruzen's voice was heavy.
When he finished, he drew in a deep breath, his face lined with defeat, and left the hall.
Koharu and Homura opened their mouths, but in the end said nothing.
With Uchiha Jounin lying in wait around their compounds, the moment they moved, their own clans would be slaughtered.
Who wouldn't fear that?
So they let it go.
A helpless sigh escaped them both. They were old now. They wanted to strike at Uchiha—but not at the cost of their families.
Moments later, as the "Konoha F4" departed, the remaining clans looked around at one another and sighed in unison.
Their eyes grew complicated, wary, calculating.
The meeting might have ended without resolution, but their true test was only beginning.
Which side would they choose?
Elsewhere—
Outside the Sarutobi compound, near the Hokage's home, Uchiha Kai and Fugaku crouched atop a tree, waiting.
If a red signal flare rose from the Uchiha district, they would immediately strike, butchering Hiruzen and his kin first.
Then they would move on to the Sarutobi clan as a whole.
The Sarutobi had numbers, yes—but Kai and Fugaku hardly cared.
Living fat off the village coffers was no substitute for true battlefield experience.
Against two Mangekyo, ten minutes would be enough to wipe them all out.
Yes—just moments earlier, Fugaku had revealed his own secret.
He too wielded Mangekyo.
Two such eyes against one clan—more than worthy of the Hokage.
"…Kai," Fugaku finally spoke, voice tight.
"That letter you wrote—are you certain? Do we truly have no retreat left?"
He was in torment.
Once the flare rose, they could indeed annihilate the Sarutobi.
But the price would be the Uchiha themselves. His wife, his children… all gone.
Kai, by contrast, was calm.
In truth, he was nearly alone within his clan. Only Tekka, his loyal subordinate, and young Itachi, his disciple, weighed on his heart.
But he had no choice.
If the Uchiha were doomed anyway, then at least under his plan, their deaths would not be meaningless.
"Fugaku. Don't worry."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is old. He's not the shinobi he once was."
"Chances are—we will win."
"You must understand, Clan Head—Uchiha were never given a choice. Either we die slowly, like frogs boiled in warm water… or we fight to the death."
"No madness, no survival."
"Our only hope is to wrest life from death itself."
"No matter the cost."
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