No one spoke in the great hall.
Several elders spoke in turn, laying out all the potential problems that might arise once they became the treaty's guarantor.
Once the world peace treaty was signed, the Uchiha would no longer be merely a clan with formidable military strength. They would become a target watched by every power.
The nobles, merchant associations, and shinobi villages whose interests suffered would never stand idly by while the Uchiha established rules restricting war.
They might not dare provoke them openly, but they could manufacture conflicts in secret, deliberately break agreements, and then shift the blame onto the Uchiha.
When that happened, the Uchiha would not only have to face disputes between all sides, but also bear the immense pressure of upholding the treaty.
One mishandled incident could rapidly damage the prestige they had built over the years.
After Uchiha Jian Zhen finished speaking, he looked at Ren.
"Clan Leader, this isn't something strength alone can solve."
"If the Uchiha want to become the treaty's guarantor, we must convince everyone that we can be fair."
"But wherever interests are involved, true fairness is impossible."
"No matter what ruling we make, someone is bound to think they've been wronged."
"If this continues, sooner or later every power will regard the Uchiha with suspicion."
His words prompted another round of quiet discussion in the great hall.
Many clan members looked worried.
They were willing to let the Uchiha bring peace, but they did not want to see the entire clan dragged into endless disputes because of it.
An elder responsible for the clan's commerce frowned and said,
"Besides, the Uchiha already have extensive business holdings. If we also take on the role of treaty guarantor, everyone in the clan will be tied down by outside affairs."
"There are