Aburame Shibi's face was full of gratitude.
In this moment—he was utterly sincere.
Although Aburame Ryoma wasn't his direct son, only a child from a distant branch family, he was still the hope of the Aburame clan. Among the younger generation, only Ryōma had the potential to carry the mantle of clan leader.
To put it bluntly:
Had Danzo not intervened, Ryōma was destined to become the next head of the Aburame.
And yet, such an important figure had been snatched away by Danzo without hesitation. How could Shibi possibly accept that?
Just days ago, he had gone to Hiruzen Sarutobi, seeking justice. But the result was predictable—nothing but a lecture on the "Will of Fire," about how the village would remember Aburame's sacrifice, that everything was "for Konoha"… empty platitudes and nothing more.
Shibi was no fool.
He knew the real reason: the Aburame clan simply didn't matter.
A middling clan, of little importance.
Not worth Hiruzen's time to confront Shimura Danzo.
In the past, he had endured. Even when Danzo coerced them, he could only grit his teeth and swallow it, because the Aburame needed Konoha to survive.
If Danzo had demanded not Ryōma but himself, the current clan head, to "sacrifice for the village," Shibi would have had no choice but to accept—even if it meant joining Root himself.
But things are different now.
Uchiha Kai's sudden rise had opened another path.
That was why, last night, he hadn't waited even a quarter hour after the meeting ended before seeking Kai out.
"Lord Kai, my deepest thanks!" Shibi bowed.
"From this day forth, the Aburame will follow the Uchiha."
"The smaller clans like the Shiranui, Moonlight, and Mitarashi are close with us. Unlike the Hyuga or the Ino–Shika–Chō, they lack power to resist the village's unfair demands. Over time, we have formed a quiet alliance."
"If the Uchiha are willing to shelter us, I can persuade them to join your side. Even the Inuzuka and Kurama clans—both on good terms with us—I can attempt to sway."
No wasted words.
Since he had chosen to ally with the Uchiha, Shibi was determined to contribute fully.
That was only natural. Choosing a side was serious business. Once you boarded the cart, there was no getting off. If the Uchiha fell, the Aburame would be dragged down as well.
So of course, he wanted to make the Uchiha as strong as possible.
Uchiha Kai's eyes lit up at his words. Without hesitation, he replied:
"Then I'll trouble you, Clan Head Shibi."
"I, Uchiha Kai, give my word: anyone who joins our camp will be under the Uchiha's protection. As long as the Uchiha live, they will be safe."
"The Uchiha trade convoys will also welcome cooperation. And when we carve meat from the jaws of the Hokage faction, we'll share it with our allies."
"But in return—those who join us must follow the Uchiha's command. That is the price of our protection. And I promise, I will never throw them away as sacrifices."
Kai was not stingy.
Having lived two lives, he knew well that in this world, the strongest bonds were those of shared mutual interests.
Why did the Ino–Shika–Chō, the Koharu, Homura, and the like support Sarutobi Hiruzen?
Forget about ideals.
It was because Hiruzen, while embezzling the village's resources, had always given them a cut.
So long as that profit-sharing alliance remained intact, their support was unbreakable.
Yes,mutual interests-based alliances were fragile.a little distrust and allies turned to enemies overnight.
But compared to alliances of blood, or empty promises,mutual interests alliances were far more reliable.
Unless it was an ideological alliance—built on shared belief.
But that was too exhausting to build.
Kai smirked inwardly. I'll leave that to Itachi when he grows up. For now,mutual interests are enough to keep things stable.
"Good. No problem." Shibi rose sharply.
"Since it's decided, let's not waste time. I'll speak with the other clans at once!"
He was a decisive man. Once resolved, he would not delay.
Kai didn't stop him. After a few polite words, he personally walked Shibi out.
When he returned to the courtyard, he found Fugaku sitting in a troubled daze.
"Clan Head, what's wrong?" Kai frowned.
"The Aburame just joined us, and they'll even help recruit more allies. That's a boon to the Uchiha."
"With their support, even if we can't yet crush the Hokage faction, we'll at least be safe. So what's there to be worried about?"
He was genuinely puzzled. To Kai, the hardest part for the Uchiha was already behind them.
Hiruzen's hesitation last night had been a fatal mistake—proof he was on the decline.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha's bold actions had shown the other clans that they were no longer the same weak, cornered clan.
Otherwise, the Aburame wouldn't have come knocking today.
Last night was the watershed. From here forward, as long as the Uchiha made no grave missteps, their future would only grow brighter.
So why the long face?
"Ah, Kai…" Fugaku shook his head with a bitter smile.
"It's nothing. I'm just a little frustrated."
"Last night, I spoke with Shibi. But I was too timid, too hesitant, to give him a clear answer."
"And today, you accepted without hesitation—not even a second thought. That's when I saw the gap between us. I couldn't help but feel a little… disheartened."
Kai blinked, then chuckled softly. So that's it.
After a pause, he said:
"Being a leader is actually simple."
"All it takes is being willing to shoulder responsibility for your people, and daring to make decisive calls when it matters."
"Why did Aburame come to us? Because they believe the Uchiha can protect them. If you can't even rescue an ally or stand against the Hokage, why would they follow you?"
"Would you throw them under the cart to save yourself when trouble comes?"
"The Aburame have opened the way for others to follow. But from here on, we can't afford mistakes."
"This, Clan Head, depends on you. You must keep the Uchiha united—don't let schemers ruin everything. One slip, and our progress will crumble overnight."
"Especially… beware of Uchiha Setsuna."
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