The Patriarch's Aura

Inside the Hokage office, the atmosphere, which had started off harmonious, now felt as if it had solidified into heavy amber.

With a sharp hiss, a match flared to life.

A thin, straight trail of smoke rose from the pipe held between the fingers of Sarutobi Hiruzen, twisting and spiraling through the sunlight streaming in from the window.

Those eyes, usually filled with a touch of kindness and warmth, were now as sharp as a hawk's, locked tightly onto the Uchiha Clan Head sitting opposite him.

He was attempting to catch even the slightest hint of wavering or probing on that wrinkled yet resolute face.

However, there was none.

The Uchiha Clan Head simply looked back at him calmly; those eyes, which had weathered the storms of the Warring States period and two Great Ninja Wars, were like two bottomless ancient wells, undisturbed by a single ripple.

He had just finished stating his demands—that the Uchiha be dispatched to the Eastern Front, be appointed as commanders of the ninja army, be granted independent command authority, and...

That they be allowed to investigate Shimura Danzō and his Root for their repeated clandestine operations against the Uchiha—and having finished, he fell silent, casting the pressure of that silence right back at him.

This silence was not a sign of submission, but a confrontation based on strength and resolve.

With a clan of unified will backing him, the Uchiha Clan Head's spine was straighter than it had ever been in front of the Hokage.

Understanding this, Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep drag of his pipe, letting the acrid smoke swirl through his lungs before exhaling it slowly with a long, weary sigh.

He leaned back slightly, resting against the back of the Hokage's chair, and broke the suffocating silence.

"To become the commander of the Eastern ninja army and possess independent command authority..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke slowly, his voice raspy from the tobacco.

"Uchiha Clan Head, you should be well aware of what this implies."

"Since the founding of Konohagakure, there has never been a precedent for a ninja clan to completely detach from the Hokage's command structure on the front lines, let alone lead an entire front's ninja army!"

"Hokage-sama."

The Uchiha Clan Head's voice remained steady, yet carried an unquestionable firmness.

"The Uchiha is not an ordinary ninja clan. We possess sufficient strength to handle the challenge from Kirigakure on our own, and unified orders will better unleash the Uchiha's combat power. Furthermore..."

He paused slightly, his implication nearly explicit.

"...turning one's back to 'comrades' who cannot be trusted is far more dangerous than facing the enemy head-on."

"We cannot defend against the blades of Kirigakure while simultaneously having to guard against kunai coming from behind."

"On this point, regarding the many 'accidents' of the past, Hokage-sama should be even clearer than this old man."

He mentioned Danzō and Root once more; though he did not name them directly, the cold insinuation hung between them like a drawn blade.

The corner of Sarutobi Hiruzen's eye twitched imperceptibly.

He certainly knew what the other was referring to—those Uchiha jōnin who had vanished during missions, those unsolved cases... Some lids could not be lifted, at least not yet.

"Danzō is an elder of Konohagakure, and the existence of Root is also for the sake of protecting the village; he would not do anything to harm Konohagakure."

Sarutobi Hiruzen chose to avoid the heavy and dwell on the light, his tone turning stern.

"But in times of war, internal distrust and suspicion are more lethal poisons than any enemy!"

"Trust is mutual, Hokage-sama." The Uchiha Clan Head did not yield in the slightest.

"When one side is constantly subjected to suspicion, suppression, and even backstabbing."

"Is it not too much to demand that the other side maintain trust and loyalty?"

He leaned forward slightly, a sharp, piercing light erupting from his aged eyes, like a lion looking down upon all things.

"I did not come here today to beg, but to represent the entire Uchiha clan and state our conditions for entering the war."

"The Uchiha can bleed for Konohagakure, but every drop of blood shed must have value, rather than becoming a sacrifice for political infighting or being stabbed in the back by our own people!"

"The power of the Uchiha must be used on the blade that guards our clan and the village, not consumed by internal friction and suspicion. This is the Uchiha's bottom line!"

As his low words fell, another oppressive silence descended.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's fingers tapped against the tabletop, producing a rhythmic, hollow sound.

He lowered his gaze, looking at the curling white smoke from his pipe, his mind weighing the situation at high speed.

He desperately needed the Uchiha's combat power; if the eastern coast were breached by Kirigakure, the consequences would be unimaginable.

But the Uchiha's conditions, especially the demand for command authority—

It was no different than carving out a state within a state in Konohagakure's military system.

And their relentless pursuit using Danzō as a banner was a direct challenge to his authority as Hokage.

If he agreed, the future troubles would be endless.

If he refused, the Eastern Front would be in peril.

He wasn't even sure what these restless madmen of the Uchiha might do.

Could it be that Danzō was right, and the Uchiha are indeed pests that must be cleared out?

Did Danzō do something behind my back again to provoke the Uchiha?

After a long silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen raised his eyes, the sharpness in his gaze softening significantly.

"Konohagakure naturally values the power of the Uchiha."

He spoke slowly, choosing to compromise, though not to accept everything entirely.

"However, the Eastern Shinobi Army is a matter of great importance; even as Hokage, I cannot decide it by my word alone."

Sarutobi Hiruzen bypassed the topic regarding Danzo and Root, as if that part of the conversation had never occurred.

"Return for now and wait for my notification."

The Uchiha Clan Head listened quietly, his expression remaining unchanged.

Only after Sarutobi Hiruzen finished speaking did he slowly rise, his tall figure casting a long shadow across the office.

"In that case, I, on behalf of the Uchiha clan, shall await the Hokage's good news."

The Uchiha Clan Head did not bow, merely offering a slight nod before turning and walking toward the door with steady strides.

The moment he pulled open the office door, the noisy clamor and light from outside flooded in, forming a stark contrast to the silent, oppressive space behind him.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at his retreating back as he vanished beyond the door, the pipe between his fingers having gone out at some point.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, an indescribable gloom clouding his heart.

The hawk of the Uchiha had spread its wings, and the chains binding it were snapping one by one.

"...An eventful autumn, indeed."

A faint, lingering sigh finally dissipated into the empty Hokage office.

Not long after, the heavy wooden door was pushed open gently.

Having considered that "the Hokage faction's money would be returned in full, while the Uchiha's money would be split seventy-thirty," Utatane Koharu walked into the Hokage office.

Upon hearing from Sarutobi Hiruzen that the Uchiha had "forcibly seized" the Eastern Shinobi Army, she felt as if the sky were collapsing.

She seemed to see Uchiha shinobi like unleashed beasts, running rampant along the eastern coastline.

Taking the mission rewards, war dividends, and even the resources of the entire eastern region that should have flowed into the pockets of the Hokage faction...

Swallowing it all whole!

"Hiruzen, you absolutely cannot agree to this!" Utatane Koharu shrieked.