"From this day onward," Toyoma said quietly, "any person in Konoha will think twice."
No one spoke.
Grand Elder Setsuna studied Toyoma's face. Elder Kazuto did the same. They had seen Toyoma angry before. They had seen him decisive.
This expression was different.
It was calm.
Whatever he was planning was not born from emotion—but calculation.
"Toyoma," Setsuna said after a long pause, his voice low, "as long as it does not mean open war against Konoha… the clan will stand with you."
Kazuto nodded.
Experience had taught them one thing—trusting Toyoma had never once harmed the Uchiha.
Toyoma did not acknowledge their words.
His gaze shifted instead to the bodies lying on the floor.
"Kaede," he said, pointing casually, "remove their masks."
A ripple of unease passed through the gathered Uchiha shinobi.
One of the masked men stiffened."You can't do that!" he shouted. "Removing ANBU masks violates village law!"
Toyoma finally looked at him.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"You are not ANBU," he said softly. "And even if you were—I do not care."
"Kaede," he repeated, without raising his voice, "start with him."
The masked leader struggled as Kaede reached down.
The room remained silent as the mask was pulled away.
A sharp breath echoed through the hall.
"Yamanaka… Kuroto," an Uchiha jōnin said, disbelief clear in his voice.
Toyoma turned his head slightly.
"Yamanaka clan," he repeated. "Good."
He looked at the gathered shinobi.
"I want everything," Toyoma said evenly."Names. Positions. Families. Anyone who knows something—speak."
Yamanaka Kuroto stared at Toyoma as though he were looking at a devil.
"My family has nothing to do with this," he said hoarsely. "Don't involve them."
The jōnin hesitated, then spoke.
"He is a cousin of the Yamanaka clan head."
Toyoma nodded once.
"Sister Suki," he said calmly, "take a jōnin squad. We're going to the Yamanaka clan lands."
Kuroto's face drained of colour.
"Just kill me!" he screamed. "You bastard—just kill me!"
Toyoma stepped closer and looked down at him.
"If I kill you," he said quietly, "what lesson does Konoha learn?"
He turned away, already losing interest.
"No," Toyoma continued, his voice cold and steady."You will live."
"Only then," he added,"Will everyone understand fear?"
An Uchiha chūnin broke the silence.
"These two are from the Aburame clan."
Kaede followed immediately, his tone flat."The rest are civilian shinobi."
Toyoma gave a single nod.
"All of them," he said. "I want everything."
Names.
Affiliations.
Families.
No emphasis was needed.
Everyone understood.
Orders were relayed at once.
The Uchiha shinobi moved without question, but unease lingered in their eyes.
This was no interrogation meant for answers.
It felt like preparation.
Grand Elder Setsuna watched silently.
Elder Kazuto stood beside him, his gaze fixed on Toyoma's back.
After a moment, Kazuto leaned closer and spoke under his breath.
"Grand Elder… can you tell what Toyoma is trying to do?"
Setsuna did not answer immediately.
His eyes moved from the unmasked shinobi to the Uchiha gathering information, and finally back to Toyoma, who stood calm amid it all.
"…From what I see," Setsuna said slowly, "he intends to seek answers from the clans themselves."
Even as he said it, there was hesitation in his voice.
He turned and raised his voice slightly.
"Toyoma," Setsuna asked, "do you intend to demand explanations from the clans of these shinobi?"
Toyoma did not answer right away.
He remained facing forward, hands clasped behind his back.
Then he spoke.
"Grand Elder," he said evenly, "take all available Uchiha jōnin."
He finally turned, his eyes calm, unreadable.
"Come with me to the Yamanaka clan."
A pause.
"You will understand what I want," Toyoma added, "when we arrive."
No further explanation followed.
And somehow, that silence was more unsettling than any threat.
Outside the Hokage Tower
Shisui arrived at full speed.
The guards barely had time to react before he was already moving past them, his expression tight, his breath controlled—but only barely.
Something was wrong.
Inside the Hokage Office
"Minato," the Third Hokage said calmly, smoke curling lazily from his pipe,"These two will complete your squad. You'll be leading Team Seven together with Kakashi."
Minato stood straight, attentive.
It had been some time now.
Kakashi had already worked under him on several missions, and the results had been consistent.
Efficient.
Clean.
Reliable.
From Hiruzen's perspective, Minato was ready.
Minato unfolded the file in his hands and read the names.
"Nohara Rin… and Uchiha Obito."
His eyes paused—just for a moment—on the second name.
"Hokage-sama," Minato asked carefully, "will the Uchiha clan allow Obito to be assigned to a village squad?"
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
"Yes," he said. "They will."
He exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"Obito would much rather serve outside the Uchiha Guard. I know this for a fact. You won't face resistance."
Minato nodded slowly, but his mind was already working.
"I chose them deliberately," Hiruzen continued, his tone casual—almost offhand.
"According to the reports, Obito and Kakashi share a history. A childhood rivalry. Friction, yes—but also familiarity."
He tapped the file lightly.
"And Rin," he added, "anchors them. Same academy class. Same generation. They'll form bonds quickly."
He did not say balance.
He did not say control.
But Minato understood.
A squad was not just built on strength—it was shaped by relationships.
"If guided properly," Hiruzen concluded, "this team will stabilise itself."
Minato closed the file.
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
Outside the office, Shisui reached the door.
And whatever calm existed inside was about to be tested.
The guards stiffened as Shisui walked past them.
"Wait—what are you doing?" one of them demanded, stepping into his path.
"I have urgent information to report to the Hokage-sama," Shisui replied without slowing.
Two guards moved at once, blocking him.
"You'll wait," one said firmly. "We must inform the Hokage first."
"There's no time," Shisui said, his voice tight.
"Let me through. This is urgent."
He tried to move past them, but a hand caught his arm.
Inside the Hokage's office, raised voices carried faintly through the door.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.
Before either he or Minato could speak, the door slid open.
"Hokage-sama," one of the guards said quickly,"A Uchiha shinobi insists he has important information to report—"
The sentence was cut off as Shisui slipped free and stepped into the office.
"Hokage-sama," Shisui said immediately, bowing only halfway, his breathing uneven,"I have something critical to report."
"Hey—what do you think you're doing?!" the guard shouted, reaching for him.
"That will be enough."
Hiruzen's voice was calm, but it carried weight.
The guards froze.
"Leave us," he ordered. "Close the door."
They hesitated only a moment before obeying.
Silence returned to the room.
Minato studied Shisui closely. He had seen him before—composed, respectful, controlled.
This was different.
"Shisui," Hiruzen said, his tone steady,"Tell me."
Whatever had driven him here like this…It was not small.
"Hokage-sama," Shisui said, his voice strained,"An ANBU unit just attacked a Uchiha child."
The room froze.
Hiruzen's pipe halted halfway to his lips.Minato's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…What?" Hiruzen asked, his tone suddenly heavy."Explain yourself. Why would ANBU lay hands on a Uchiha child?"
This was the worst possible timing.
The relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan was already stretched thin, fragile as dry grass.
A single spark was all it would take.
"I don't know the reason," Shisui said quickly. "I only know what I saw."
He clenched his fists.
"The Grand Elder was furious. And Toyoma—"Shisui swallowed. "Toyoma won't wait for explanations."
"If anything happens to that child," he continued, voice tightening,"he may act immediately. Without restraint."
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"That child," Shisui added urgently, "is Uzuku's nephew."
Silence fell.
"Please," Shisui said, bowing deeply now, his worry unmistakable,"Hokage-sama—if there has been any misunderstanding, it must be clarified now.Before Toyoma decides the answer himself."
Minato finally spoke, his voice low but firm.
"Where did this happen?"
Because if Shisui was right—
This wasn't just an incident.It was the beginning of something far worse.
"I came as fast as I could," Shisui said, his voice still tight.
Before Hiruzen could respond, another presence flickered into the room.
An ANBU knelt instantly.
"Hokage-sama," he reported, voice controlled but urgent,"The Uchiha clan is moving."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
"They are transporting six ROOT corpses," the ANBU continued,"along with Yamanaka Kuroto."
He paused—just a fraction too long.
"The Uchiha are escorting them with a full jōnin formation. Their destination is the Yamanaka clan grounds."
The words settled like a blade pressing against the village's throat.
Hiruzen closed his eyes briefly.
This was no longer an incident.
This was a declaration.
If the Uchiha entered another clan's territory in force—dragging ROOT bodies behind them—every clan in Konoha would read it the same way.
An accusation.
A warning.
A challenge.
If mishandled, it would not end in negotiations.
It would end in blood.
"This…" Hiruzen said slowly, opening his eyes,"will ignite the village."
Minato understood instantly.
A single wrong order now—one misstep—And Konoha would tear itself apart from the inside.