Konoha Council Chamber.
After the Uchiha and the Hyuga made their pledges, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Once Hiashi finished speaking—
Silence.
The remaining clan heads sat there like a flock of quails, heads lowered.
They had agreed to war.
But how much effort were they willing to put in?
That was another matter entirely.
What if the Uchiha and Hyuga were just putting on a show—appearing enthusiastic while holding back in reality?
If the smaller clans committed too much and the great clans didn't carry their weight—
Wouldn't they be the ones getting crushed?
They were all Konoha shinobi.
But trust?
Trust had limits.
After all—
One must guard against others.
In their minds, this war was ultimately caused by the Uchiha and Hyuga incident.
So naturally, those two clans should be the main force.
Their own members would "assist from the sidelines."
They called each other comrades—
But when it came to dividing responsibility, the lines were very clear.
Why should their clans charge into the front lines for someone else's mess?
Providing support was already generous.
Unlike the Uchiha or Hyuga, these smaller clans had no realistic shot at producing a Hokage.
Elite jonin was already their ceiling.
There was no reason to gamble the lives of too many clan members on a war like this.
If they won—
The credit would belong to the big clans.
If they lost—
The blame wouldn't fall on them anyway.
Risking everything?
Not happening.
This was the kind of situation where you survived by doing just enough.
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Yusuke with quiet satisfaction.
You might be good at stirring things up—
But winning the full support of Konoha?
The Uchiha still lacked something.
Still, with war imminent, Hiruzen couldn't openly undermine Yusuke.
He could help gather troops—
But overwhelming numerical advantage?
That wasn't happening.
The Uchiha had already committed two-thirds of their elite forces.
Privately, Hiruzen almost hoped they would clash fiercely with Kumogakure and weaken each other.
If that happened—
Both internal and external threats would be diminished in one stroke.
Two birds with one stone.
Yusuke, of course, saw through that little calculation.
Facing Kumo carried real risks.
But if handled correctly—
It was also the perfect opportunity to elevate the Uchiha's prestige.
Hiruzen had his strategy.
Yusuke had his.
This was a high-stakes gamble.
But where there was risk, there was reward.
If you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you catch its cub?
The Uchiha were seeking fortune in danger.
Hiruzen cleared his throat.
"The Uchiha and Hyuga understand righteousness."
"Everyone, don't hold back. This is a war to protect the village."
With the Hokage speaking directly, the others could no longer remain silent.
After all, war wasn't the responsibility of just two clans.
Sending only the Uchiha and Hyuga against Kumogakure was unrealistic.
Nara Shikaku stepped forward first.
"The Nara clan can send ten jonin and one hundred chunin."
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza immediately followed.
"We'll match that."
The Ino–Shika–Cho alliance was one of Konoha's established noble groups.
Combined, their numbers nearly rivaled the Hyuga.
It was a respectable contribution.
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
"You three have shown commitment."
"For this war, the position of chief strategist will go to Shikaku."
The Nara intellect was legendary in Konoha.
Even Yusuke couldn't object to that decision.
The battlefield strategist held significant decision-making authority.
Hiruzen assigned the position early for a reason—
To prevent the Uchiha from stepping into the core of command power.
In Hiruzen's mind, no matter how many troops the Uchiha sent—
They would not be given central authority.
At most, Yusuke would receive a title like "Deputy Commander."
Nothing more.
Hiruzen then turned toward the remaining clan heads.
"The Ino–Shika–Cho alliance has committed half their strength."
"The rest of you will contribute one-third."
War was not just about weakening the Uchiha and Hyuga.
It was also an opportunity to subtly suppress the other clans.
The Sarutobi clan had been steadily rising in recent years.
If the Uchiha and Hyuga were trimmed down—
Sarutobi would stand as Konoha's undisputed foremost clan.
"…This…"
The smaller clan leaders looked troubled.
Their clans were tiny compared to the Uchiha and Hyuga.
Some didn't even have one hundred shinobi total.
Losing even a few would be devastating.
But Hiruzen had spoken firmly.
The larger clans were sending half.
Was one-third really unreasonable?
Under the Hokage's gaze, the smaller clans swallowed their complaints and nodded.
One by one, commitments were made.
In total—
Konoha assembled three thousand shinobi.
They would soon march to the front lines against Kumogakure.
Interestingly, the civilian shinobi representatives looked relieved.
This time, more than two thousand of the committed troops came from the major clans.
Less than one thousand were civilian-born.
In past wars, civilian shinobi had borne the brunt of casualties.
For once—
They weren't the primary sacrifice.
Meanwhile, many clan heads cast resentful glances at Yusuke and Hiashi.
The Third Hokage was too respected.
Danzo hadn't stepped forward to take blame.
So naturally—
Yusuke and Hiashi became the lightning rods.
The Uchiha and Hyuga were large clans.
Even after committing over half their forces, they still had hundreds remaining.
But the smaller clans?
One-third was crippling.
With troop numbers finalized—
The most critical question remained.
Who would command?
Hiruzen stepped forward with a warm smile.
"Hiashi."
"This conflict began with the Hyuga incident."
"The position of Supreme Battlefield Commander shall be yours."
Hiashi stood and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your trust, Hokage-sama."
"But I fear I may not be suited for the role."
The two advisors immediately darkened.
"Hiashi, what are you saying?"
"If not you, then who?"
"Do you refuse to serve Konoha?"
The decision to appoint Hiashi had already been settled behind closed doors.
It was not open for debate.
Yet Hiashi remained calm.
"Honored advisors."
"I believe Clan Head Yusuke is more suitable."
"He bears the title 'Flame Demon.'"
"He has defeated Uchiha Fugaku."
"His strength surpasses mine."
Repay a peach with a plum.
Yusuke had once helped the Hyuga.
Hiashi now returned the favor.
Hiruzen's smile did not fade.
"Yusuke's strength is undeniable."
"But he is still young."
"Hiashi, your maturity and steadiness make you the better choice."
"Do not be modest."
"The position of commander is yours."
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