Boom!
Those words instantly opened every elder's eyes!
Everyone shuddered, suddenly seeing through all of Konoha's schemes!
It was not a lack of jinchūriki, nor a lack of Sealing Jutsu.
It was fear!
It was distrust!
They feared that Uzushio Village would use a tailed beast's power to rise above Konoha!
One elder muttered bitterly, "So that's it... They feared we would grow too powerful, feared we would hold leverage over Konoha. They would rather destroy the alliance than cooperate openly."
"But why didn't they say so? We could have volunteered to let our young clansmen become citizens of Konoha, belonging entirely to Konoha, with no ties to Uzushio Village!"
Another elder growled, his eyes red with indignation, "We never had the slightest selfish intent. We upheld the alliance, yet in the end, all we received was our ally's betrayal!"
"They betrayed the Uzumaki Clan's trust, betrayed our friendship, and above all, betrayed the Uzumaki Clan Crest on the backs of the Konoha Ninja's flak jackets!"
The atmosphere inside the Main Hall sank into utter desolation.
Everyone felt wronged, furious, and bitterly disillusioned, yet there was nothing they could do.
The clan leader slowly raised a hand to quiet them, his expression grave.
"There is no point in discussing this now."
"Our trust is gone, our alliance is broken, and Konoha's plans are set. If we keep dwelling on right and wrong, we will only throw away the lives of our entire clan."
His gaze swept over the grief-stricken elders as he said solemnly:
"From this day forward, abandon all illusions, prepare an escape route, and plan for the worst!"
Everyone instantly understood what he meant by "the worst."
Total defeat, the destruction of their clan, and the loss of their legacy!
The elders turned deathly pale, their eyes reddening