Reconciliation

"Young Patriarch Fugaku, it has been less than forty years since the village was founded. The legal foundation for its establishment still carries enormous weight.

The legal foundation of Konoha's founding was the reconciliation between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan. They set aside centuries of disputes and hatred, unwilling to see any more casualties among the two great shinobi clans, and established Konoha Village.

After the two clans reconciled, the other shinobi clans within the Land of Fire could not survive independently. They could not endure the joint efforts of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan, and could only seek refuge in Konoha Village.

Therefore, if one falls, the other cannot stand.

If the Senju Clan is exterminated, the legal foundation for Konoha's establishment will no longer exist. If someone wishes to deal with your Uchiha Clan, they will no longer have any psychological reservations.

During the First Hokage's and Second Hokage's eras, the village had always promoted peace and reconciliation.

Peace and reconciliation are the legal foundation of the village's establishment. Under that foundation, conflicts among shinobi within the Land of Fire have lessened.

If the Senju Clan is exterminated, the village will put forth a different legal foundation. At that time, the Uchiha Clan will no longer have that foundation to protect it and will become the largest shinobi clan in the village.

Should certain incidents or schemes arise, it would not be impossible for everyone to turn against you."

"Legal foundation? A new legal foundation?" Fugaku Uchiha suddenly said.

"The Will of Fire?

At the Jonin Meeting at the beginning of this year, and at this year's Ninja Academy opening ceremony, the Third Hokage spoke of the Will of Fire.

Where Konoha's leaves dance, fire will burn eternally. Its light will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.

Everyone must sacrifice for the village. The Will of Fire proposed by the Third Hokage... could it be..."

Minato nodded.

"The Third Hokage is a man of great talent and strategy. The Will of Fire he proposed is of vital importance to the village.

The village will continue to develop. That is the tide of the times, and no one can stop it.

Yet while helping the village, the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan must also find ways to secure their own basic safety.

A tall tree catches the wind. That is also an idiom left behind by Master Jianzhen, the Monk Who Crossed the Sea.

While traveling abroad, Princess Tsunade specifically wrote to the Senju Clan within the village, telling them to cooperate with the village by selling their properties and courtyards.

Princess Tsunade is very clever. She understands the hearts of the people in the village, and she understands the Senju Clan's predicament.

The Senju Clan's predicament is one the Uchiha Clan may face in the future.

The Senju Clan has become too conspicuous. Once it falls, will the Uchiha Clan not become too conspicuous as well?"

Fugaku's expression grew increasingly agitated.

"But ever since the Valley of the End Battle between the First Hokage and our traitorous clan head, Uchiha Madara, the Senju Clan has viciously suppressed us.

Even though the Second Hokage was broad-minded and showed us goodwill, even taking my uncle, Uchiha Kagami, as his disciple, there has always been intense hostility toward the Uchiha Clan within the village.

After the Second Hokage sacrificed himself, no one remained to suppress that hostility.

My uncle Uchiha Kagami also died under unclear circumstances. How are we supposed to trust the Senju Clan, or trust the village?"

Mikoto was startled. She had never seen the young patriarch so emotional—so agitated.

Minato Namikaze took Kushina's hand and rose to his feet. Looking at Fugaku, he said, "Young Patriarch Fugaku, I have said everything I can and cannot say. That is all.

The Valley of the End Battle indirectly caused the First Hokage to age prematurely, so the Senju Clan and the village have indeed not treated you very kindly.

The choice is in your hands. Whether you choose, like the Second Hokage, to forgive and seek a way to mend the divide, or choose to stand by and watch, or even kick them while they are down, the initiative is yours.

I will only emphasize this one last time: peace and reconciliation, and the alliance between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan, are the legal foundation upon which Konoha Village was built.

Without the Senju Clan in Konoha, there would be no Uchiha Clan either."

After saying that, Minato greeted Mikoto and took his leave.

Leaving the Uchiha Clan Grounds and crossing Konoha's Central Avenue brought him to the entrance of the Senju Clan Grounds.

The gates of the two clan grounds faced each other, identical in scale, yet they now inspired entirely different feelings.

"Goodbye, Kushina."

Kushina looked regretfully at Minato's withdrawn hand. Just moments ago, when he had held it, she had felt so peaceful. The Nine-Tails Chakra had not affected her in the slightest.

"Minato, will the Uchiha Clan really help us?"

"I don't know. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. It depends on what the Uchiha Clan chooses."

After returning home, Minato went to sleep early. In the middle of the night, he was suddenly awakened by the system's voice.

Host chakra volume: 122 units.

As the Host's reforms have caused the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan to once again show signs of reconciliation, the crisis of both clans' extermination has eased.

The Host is rewarded with 5 units of chakra. The Host's chakra volume is now 127 units.

Minato felt somewhat emotional. Was the shinobi world truly so cruel? The extermination of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan apparently did not have such a great impact on the shinobi world. It had only awarded 5 units of chakra, far less than Guangxia's changes to agriculture.

For the world, eating was the most important matter. Nothing was more important than food.

As expected of the profoundly reformative Reformation System that regarded all things as straw dogs—the shinobi world was truly heartless.

And that was the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan. If it had been some Inuzuka Clan or Akimichi Clan being exterminated, the impact on the shinobi world would have been even smaller, without the slightest ripple.

Deep within the Uchiha Clan Grounds, Fugaku stood before his father, Uchiha Ishijima.

"Father, if one falls, the other cannot stand! The reconciliation between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan is the legal foundation upon which the village was established!

After the Valley of the End Battle, the Senju Clan took the lead in suppressing us. Many of our clansmen died under unclear circumstances.

But a tall tree catches the wind. Even Princess Tsunade, with her violent temper, had no choice but to bow to the Third Hokage and agree to sell the clan grounds' properties and courtyards. There is no guarantee that we will not be the next tall tree to catch the wind.

The Senju Clan being weakened but not destroyed would be best for us.

At this time, not only should we refrain from kicking them while they are down, we should take the initiative to cooperate with the Senju Clan and help them."

Uchiha Ishijima kept turning the shuriken in his hand, clearly deep in fierce contemplation.

After a long while, Uchiha Ishijima said, "Fugaku, I never expected you to have such mature thoughts. Your growth gratifies me."

Fugaku Uchiha let out a breath of relief. From his father's tone, he had accepted his argument. Fugaku said, "Father, I did not think of all this. Minato Namikaze did. He specifically brought an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan to the clan grounds and spoke with me for a long time."

"Minato Namikaze? The Third Hokage's disciple's disciple?"

"Yes." Fugaku could not help asking, "Father, do you think this is the Third Hokage's scheme? Why would his disciple's disciple come and tell me these things?"

Uchiha Ishijima thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Perhaps it was not arranged by the Third Hokage.

Jiraiya is unrestrained and unruly. He squats outside Konoha's Women's Bathhouse to peep, and his reputation is too poor. He has personally cut off his own possibility of becoming Hokage.

His disciple, Minato Namikaze, is equally bizarre. Today, I heard that Minato Namikaze was investigated for teaching ninjutsu to people outside the village.

After the investigation, Minato Namikaze actually began teaching farmers how to use ninjutsu to cultivate land. It is too bizarre, so it does not seem fake.

Jiraiya's disciple is as incomprehensible as Jiraiya himself.

Tomorrow, I will set out to find Tsunade and see what she thinks.

Even if we are willing to show goodwill, the Senju Clan must cooperate as well. I wonder whether Tsunade has such awareness."