"You mean Uchiha Soren killed the Second Raikage, took his body, and avenged Lord Tobirama and his entire escort?"
Inside the command tent, Nara Kaminari's voice trembled despite decades of battlefield composure.
Yamanaka Shinchiku didn't answer—not with words.
He unrolled a storage scroll, formed a sequence of seals, and—
Thud.
A corpse materialized between them.
Kaminari stared. The body was hardened like forged steel, muscles lined with the unmistakable burn patterns of Lightning Release. This was no ordinary fighter—only a top-tier lightning master left such imprints even after death.
The aura…
The stature…
The Second Raikage.
Kaminari swallowed hard.
"And Soren fought off Kinkaku and Ginkaku… and walked away unscathed?"
Shinchiku finally spoke.
"Mangekyō Sharingan."
Six syllables.
Each one a weight heavier than stone.
Kaminari felt faint.
Silence settled like a funeral shroud.
At last, Kaminari found his voice:
"There are too many questions. Digging any deeper ourselves could cause more harm than good. Send everything to Lord Mito and let her decide."
He exhaled slowly, expression grim.
"Without Hashirama's Wood Release, and with the Hokage dead, the Senju are stretched thin. Only Lady Mito—the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—keeps the village stable."
"An Uchiha Mangekyō wielder returning with the Second Raikage's corpse… he'll have enough merit to erase any past sins."
His voice darkened.
"Everyone knows what he'll ask for."
Shinchiku nodded silently.
"Kaminari… should our three clans follow tradition?"
The answer came at once.
"Yes. The Ino–Shika–Chō follow the Hokage—not any one clan or man. We remain neutral, steady, dutiful."
"If we stay impartial, the three clans will survive."
This was the bedrock of Konoha's political stability.
Kaminari's voice softened.
"How is Chōha?"
Shinchiku's usual composure faltered.
"Guilt-ridden. Torifū was his brother."
"I'll go talk to him," Kaminari said. "Torifū joined the escort partly because of me—"
Shinchiku cut him off, gripping his arm.
"No. Prepare the official report. This one misstep could shake the village. I'll watch Chōha. And keep an eye on the Senju units in the army."
Kaminari nodded.
"With you watching, I can breathe easier."
He turned to writing the dispatch to Konoha.
Meanwhile, in the sensory division's shelter—
isolated from prying eyes—
Uchiha Soren sat peacefully, stroking the soft orange cat nestled in his lap.
Juno's tail curled nervously.
"Lord Soren… aren't you worried they'll turn on you?"
Soren scratched her chin and smiled.
"A clan without strength or restraint doesn't last long."
His voice carried relaxed arrogance.
"Besides—Ino–Shika–Chō are Konoha's backbone. They won't break principle. Whether Uchiha or Senju takes the throne, they stay untouched."
He tapped Juno's nose lightly.
"And only I know how Tobirama and his escort truly died."
Juno blinked slowly.
"So I can't brag about Lord Soren's achievements…?"
Soren smirked.
"Aside from Tobirama, the rest were trivial. Their friends may suspect something, but under the weight of Mangekyō and the Uchiha name, they'll swallow their doubts."
He scoffed.
"They called me 'born-evil Uchiha brat'—I'd wanted to kill them long ago."
He paused, voice turning disdainful.
"As for Uchiha Kagami… a natural cur. Why stay in a place unworthy of you?"
His eyes drifted, thoughtful.
"Torifū's death is regrettable. The rest? They dug their own graves."
Juno's ears drooped.
"But Torifū is Chōha's brother. Won't that hurt your chances to be Hokage?"
Soren shrugged lazily.
"With a clever Shika leading their trio, Torifū's death will be blamed on Kumo, not politics. As for the Hokage seat—heh. It's not something the Senju can award at whim."
He explained methodically:
"Uchiha and Senju—founders; first tier."
"Hyūga and the Ino–Shika–Chō—second tier."
"Aburame, Inuzuka, Sarutobi, Shimura, Kurama—third tier."
"And families like Hatake or Nohara—few jōnin, minor prestige."
Juno listened, whiskers twitching.
Soren continued:
"A Hokage needs seventy percent approval from the jōnin council. Hashirama had strength and prestige. Tobirama had reputation. But Hiruzen? What a joke. Who let that man represent Konoha?"
He laughed coldly.
"Meritless men deserve erasure. If they stand in my way, destiny will sweep them aside."
He lifted a canteen, drank, then offered a smaller one to Juno.
A grin curled his lips.
"Strength, prestige, deep roots—those make a true Hokage."
"And I, Uchiha Soren, satisfy every requirement."
Juno tilted her head.
"But… doesn't Lady Mito also meet those standards?"
Soren pinched her cheek—with mock menace.
"You noisy furball. Stop pretending to be logical. Go gather intel."
He let go, smiling.
"With a smart Shika, Torifū becomes Kumo's casualty. And the Hokage seat—"
He chuckled.
"—is no family heirloom for the Senju alone."
Juno puffed up and offered a single defiant:
"Meow."