Two Heavy Fists Tearing Konoha Apart

Minato Namikaze, upon leaving the Daimyo Manor, quickly returned to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Instead of heading to the Hokage Building, he subconsciously walked towards Hiruzen Sarutobi's residence.

Ever since resigning, Hiruzen Sarutobi had remained within the clan grounds, not venturing out.

The compound was quiet.

Pushing open the door, a strong scent of tobacco hit him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat alone on the veranda.

He was in a cross-legged position, with black and white stones scattered on the chessboard before him, untouched for a long time.

Hearing the sound, he lifted his eyelids slightly. "Minato."

Minato Namikaze sat down in front of him, feeling as though the Third Hokage had grown even older.

He steadied himself and said in a low voice, "The Lord Daimyo rejected the plan."

Hiruzen Sarutobi showed no surprise, picking up his pipe and taking a puff.

Smoke obscured his aged face.

He exhaled a ring of smoke and asked calmly, "What else did the Daimyo say?"

Minato Namikaze relayed Chiba Ran's proposal of concentrating resources, prioritizing strengthening the core before expanding outwards.

Finally, he added, "The Daimyo also wants to restart the selection process for the Guardians of the Twelve and will personally oversee the candidates."

A long silence fell over the room.

Only the puffing sound of the pipe could be heard.

"Heh heh..."

After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a light chuckle. "Minato, don't you understand yet?"

He looked at Minato Namikaze, his expression filled with despair.

"From the moment Danzo died by my hand, the era of the Hokage was already over."

"The Daimyo wasn't consulting you."

"He was merely informing you."

Minato Namikaze's expression grew grave. "Third Hokage-sama..."

"Don't call me Lord anymore," Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, looking weary. "I'm just an old man waiting to die now."

He tapped his pipe against the ashtray, producing a crisp sound.

"Remember this, Minato," his voice lowered. "Unless the Daimyo... harms Konoha."

"Don't try to guess his intentions, and certainly don't resist him."

"Just think about how to secure the greatest benefit for the village within the rules set by the Daimyo."

Minato Namikaze nodded, asking with confusion, "But... isn't this plan precisely harming Konoha?"

"No, the Daimyo needs a strong Konoha; he won't harm it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone was firm. "He is merely consolidating power. The Daimyo must hold the reins of this blade called Konoha."

He paused, a glint flashing in his cloudy eyes.

"Soon, there will surely be someone from Konoha among the Daimyo's consorts. Uchiha, or Hyuga, or someone else."

"This is also part of his consolidation of power. Once all obstacles are removed, Konoha will instead receive the Daimyo's full support."

Minato Namikaze was bewildered. "Full support?"

"Yes!" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded emphatically, his voice kept very low. "Judging by the Daimyo's series of decisive actions, the Land of Fire's territory is too small; he desires more!"

"You mean, the Daimyo wants to..." A storm raged within Minato Namikaze's heart.

"Hush, be quiet!" Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately cut him off. "Keep the rest of those words buried!"

"But..."

"Don't say anymore, Minato. Trust the judgment of this old man. Just do as I say!"

With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes and fell silent.

Looking at the disheartened Third Hokage, Minato Namikaze felt a sense of loneliness and powerlessness.

He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi's spirit had died along with Danzo.

Emerging from Hiruzen's clan grounds, Minato Namikaze stood in the sunlight but felt no warmth.

Taking a deep breath, the confusion in his eyes was replaced by resolve.

He summoned the Jonin squad, the heads of the various clans, and the two elder advisors to an emergency meeting at the Hokage Building.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were the first to arrive.

Following them were members from the Uchiha, Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans.

The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy.

Minato Namikaze, seeing everyone assembled, spoke in a deep voice, "I've called you all here today because there's a major matter concerning Konoha's future that needs to be conveyed."

Instead of directly stating the proposal, he first announced the Daimyo's rejection of the village's plan.

"The Daimyo's intention is to concentrate resources, making the strong even stronger."

As soon as he finished speaking, Utatane Koharu slammed her hand on the table.

"Absurd!"

Her voice was sharp, "A special fund for nurturing geniuses? Funded directly by the Daimyo Manor? This is an attempt to directly interfere with Konoha and our major clans!"

You can't find the book title? Try searching for the author, maybe they just changed their name!

Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses, his gaze sharp. "Exactly, this severely undermines the village's autonomy! Will the geniuses he selects listen to the Hokage or the Daimyo in the future? This is digging at the roots of Konoha!"

The intense reactions of the two elders represented the conservative faction of Konoha.

Fugaku Uchiha's expression was calm. He sat upright, seemingly in thought, his eyes gleaming.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I actually think the two elders are overthinking this."

"The fact that the Daimyo is willing to fund the village's talent cultivation is an acknowledgment of Konoha."

"We should focus on how to best utilize these funds to train more outstanding ninja for the village, rather than approaching it with hostility from the outset."

Utatane Koharu was momentarily speechless. She could sense Fugaku's underlying meaning.

Hyuga Hiashi, however, frowned, his expression more serious than when he arrived.

"I agree with the elders' concerns."

"Direct support for individuals by the Daimyo Manor is against protocol."

"If a genius from a branch family is selected, our Hyuga clan will inevitably be impacted."

For a time, everyone argued their own points, leading to a heated debate.

"That's enough," Minato Namikaze said after a moment of thought, raising his hand to stop them.

His gaze fell on Shikaku Nara.

The Jonin squad leader sat quietly, gently tapping his cheek.

Minato Namikaze asked, "Shikaku, what are your thoughts?"

Everyone turned their attention to him.

Shikaku Nara calmly swept his gaze over everyone present and said, "We have no choice."

His voice was not loud, but it silenced the entire meeting room.

"We cannot refuse this proposal."

"This money is both an opportunity and a seed that will tear Konoha apart."

"If we accept, new conflicts will inevitably arise within the village over the spots, and the authority of both the clans and the Hokage will be challenged."

"If we refuse, we will be branded as the sinners who stifled the village's geniuses and lose the hearts of all the young people."

Shikaku Nara looked around and concluded, "And we can only accept. Otherwise, we are isolating ourselves from the Land of Fire."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura fell silent, their faces ashen.

Having held power for decades, they were accustomed to being in control.

The thought of having to bow to the Daimyo from now on made their expressions even more grim.

When Minato Namikaze presented the second proposal, the meeting room erupted in renewed commotion.

"The Guardians of the Twelve!"

This time, there were no table slams or angry shouts.

The two elder advisors seemed to deflate almost simultaneously.

A chill ran down their spines.

They exchanged a look, seeing deep helplessness in each other's pale faces.

The first proposal was about money, about division.

The second proposal was about power, about co-option.

One push and one pull, one internal and one external.

This wasn't a conspiracy; it was an overt display of power.

It was the power to crush Konoha, a military village, using the resources of the entire Land of Fire.

Mitokado Homura's throat felt dry, his voice hoarse.

"The Daimyo... is forming an elite force... that will completely obey him."

"A force... capable of checking Konoha."

Utatane Koharu's hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

She looked at Minato Namikaze, her words heavy with sorrow.

"Hiruzen is gone, Danzo is dead... Minato, Konoha's autonomy is being stripped away piece by piece."

"What... can we still do?"

Fugaku Uchiha slowly rose.

His expression was solemn, not agitated at all, and he spoke in a declarative tone.

"Elders, the Guardians of the Twelve have always been direct retainers of the Daimyo; it's tradition."

"Now that the Daimyo has been reinstated, it is to demonstrate the might of the Land of Fire."

"If we refuse, wouldn't that be telling other nations that the Land of Fire is in disarray?"

He paused, then looked at Minato Namikaze, "Since it is the will of the Lord Daimyo, and for the prosperity of the Land of Fire, my Uchiha clan bears this responsibility without hesitation."

His words were grand and righteous.

He not only obeyed the Daimyo but also placed himself on a moral high ground of serving the country and the village.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were speechless.

The meeting ended in a suffocating silence.