"I hear the Hyuga Clan is already preparing for him to take over. Building a good relationship with him is a wise choice," Utatane Koharu advised Uchiha Yi. "You're powerful, and there may be no one in the Shinobi World who can match you now. But you can't run a village well without help."
"I understand, Aunt Koharu." Uchiha Yi took no offense at her advice.
He knew she was looking out for him.
"The Hyuga, Uchiha, Sarutobi, and Ino-Shika-Cho are among Konoha's most prominent clans. You don't need them all to serve you, but you do need them not to oppose you." After a pause, Koharu continued, "Still, you're much luckier than Kagami and the others were.
"There isn't much standing between you and becoming Hokage anymore.
"The greatest obstacle may be the Daimyō."
"The Daimyō? They're the least of my worries." Uchiha Yi shook his head. "If they cooperate, they can keep enjoying their comfortable lives. If they don't know what's good for them, they can't blame me for what happens.
"Their contingencies may be troublesome, but they're not impossible to handle.
"And once the other villages see us successfully move against the Daimyō, they won't stand by either."
No ninja village truly liked the Daimyō!
Koharu nodded slightly. "If you're confident you can handle the Daimyō, I won't say more. You're a mature young man, and I trust you to know where to draw the line. To us, Konoha matters more than our own lives. We've spent the past several decades working for it."
"I know, Aunt Koharu." Uchiha Yi didn't care whether she had selfish motives. She was on his side, after all. As long as she didn't go too far, he wouldn't object.
If he wanted people to follow him, he had to give them