Seeing everyone watching him intently, their eyes eager yet tinged with hesitation, Shikaboshi Nara's lips curled into a confident smile. He cleared his throat and said unhurriedly, "Cutting off the source will take three steps. First, we send hostages. As 'parasites' in Konoha, we must willingly place leverage over us in Tobirama Senju's hands, so the Senju Clan will fully accept and trust us. How do we do that? We send our clan heirs to Tobirama Senju as his students and let him teach them."
The moment he said it, Sasuke Sarutobi sprang to his feet, eyes wide and face full of disbelief. "A clan's heir is its foundation!" he roared. "How can we casually let someone else teach them? What if Tobirama Senju brainwashes them? If they only recognize Konoha's Hokage and turn their backs on us clan elders, our clans will be finished!" He waved his arms excitedly as he spoke, veins bulging on his forehead. Clearly, the proposal had shocked him, leaving him full of worry and anger.
Dansuke Shimura hurriedly chimed in, his brow deeply furrowed. "Shikaboshi, that's a bad idea," he said worriedly. "If something goes wrong with a clan heir's thinking, the whole clan will be like a building on the verge of collapse, in imminent danger!"
All the clan heads erupted at once, arguing fiercely among themselves. Without exception, they believed their heirs could never be entrusted to someone else. Anxiety and unease were written all over their faces. Some shook their heads repeatedly, while others frowned deeply, their eyes full of concern for their clans' futures.
Shikaboshi Nara remained calm. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and let them talk. He knew their reactions were only to be expected; he had to give them time to digest the bold proposal. Only when the discussion gradually died down and everyone turned back to him did he continue his explanation.
"You all understand how important a clan heir is, so how could Tobirama Senju not know? That's why he won't be able to refuse when we put this bargaining chip on the table. And there are three benefits for us. First, we'll gain the Senju Clan's complete trust. Second, we'll have a legitimate claim to the Senju Clan's legacy, including the right to inherit the Hokage Position. Third, we'll have a powerhouse above Clan Head Level train our heirs. The Senju Clan's forbidden techniques are treasures, every one of them capable of bringing prosperity to a clan!"
Hearing these benefits, all the clan heads began to waver. The worry in their eyes gradually gave way to a trace of greed and anticipation. They exchanged glances, seemingly communicating their thoughts to one another. Yes, the benefits were simply too tempting. Weighed against the safety of their heirs, perhaps it wasn't an impossible trade-off.
Shikaboshi Nara watched their reactions and smiled faintly. "Don't imagine it will be quite so simple or wonderful. There's no guarantee your heirs will even catch Tobirama Senju's eye! But as long as he takes one of them as a personal disciple, that disciple will effectively have the right to inherit the Hokage Position. If one of them does become Hokage, you can imagine how much their clan would stand to gain."
Dansuke Shimura's face immediately flushed with excitement, and his eyes gleamed. He couldn't wait to speak up. "Clan heads, please hear me out! My son, Shimura Danzō, has the makings of a Hokage. I'm willing to sacrifice my son and send him to study under Tobirama Senju!"
The clan heads were rendered speechless by his almost shameless eagerness. Some couldn't help rolling their eyes, while others silently criticized his selfishness and impatience.
Shikaboshi Nara looked at Dansuke Shimura with a hint of amusement, then grew serious again. "I know what worries you. You're afraid Tobirama Senju will brainwash your heirs. But how could he do that? At most, he'd make them loyal to Konoha, put its interests first, and treat every clan and villager fairly and impartially. Surely he wouldn't make our clan heirs turn around and wipe out their own clans!"
"Think carefully. If a Hokage came from one of our clans, we would naturally be his supporters. No matter how fair and impartial he was, he couldn't hand benefits to people who didn't support him, could he? Tobirama Senju wouldn't think much of a fool like that, either. So sending our heirs to study under the Hokage can only benefit us, not harm us. What we need to do now is send as many heirs as possible to become Tobirama Senju's students. The more we send, the greater the chance one will be chosen as his successor. And I must remind you all: we absolutely cannot interfere with the heirs in any way. Otherwise, with how shrewd Tobirama Senju is, all our efforts will come to nothing. I hope you will all remember that!" Shikaboshi Nara swept his gaze over the others, his eyes showing an unshakable resolve, as though declaring the plan both feasible and necessary.
Sasuke Sarutobi's face was full of eagerness and anticipation. He leaned forward slightly, his hands clenching into fists without his realizing it, his knuckles white with the force. Staring intently at Shikaboshi Nara, he said impatiently, "When it's time to send our heirs to Tobirama Senju as students, we'll all send them together. Whether they're chosen will depend on our respective luck. Clan Head Shikaboshi, hurry and tell us the second step of cutting off the source!" His words carried a barely restrained excitement, as if he could already see a glimmer of hope for his clan's future, and he was eager to learn the next part of the plan.
Shikaboshi Nara narrowed his eyes slightly, and a barely perceptible flash of malice crossed his face. He looked like a hunter lurking in the dark, ready to deliver a fatal blow to his prey. Lowering his voice, he enunciated every word. "The second step is to kill the promising younger members of the Senju Clan. Of course, it must be done in secret. We would rather miss an opportunity than let it be known that we were responsible. That is extremely important." He paused briefly, casting a cold look around the room, then continued, "As everyone knows, the Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, and the Hyuga Clan all produce many geniuses. And true geniuses are the greatest variables. What we must do is eliminate as many of those variables in the cradle as possible."
All the clan heads drew sharp breaths, their bodies stiffening involuntarily. Their eyes were full of shock, and some even covered their mouths, as if trying to suppress their fear. Shikaboshi Nara was truly ruthless! Yet, shocked as they were, they had to admit to themselves that he saw far enough ahead. After a brief silence, they all nodded slightly, acknowledging the necessity of this step, though they were still somewhat apprehensive.
Momiji Yamanaka's heart pounded as though a little rabbit were bouncing inside her chest. If the second step was so ruthless, what about the third? Driven by curiosity, she found herself asking, "What's the third step?" Her question was like a stone cast into a still lake, sending out ripples. It voiced what every clan head present wanted to ask. Once again, everyone turned toward Shikaboshi Nara, who looked refined yet somewhat languid, their eyes full of curiosity and anticipation.
Seeing their eagerness, Shikaboshi Nara knew there was no need to keep them in suspense. He sat up straight, his expression turning solemn and grave. Clasping his hands in front of him, he said slowly, "The third step is the most important. We must have as many of our clansmen as possible marry women from the Senju Clan. Of course, Uchiha and Hyuga women will do as well." He paused briefly, his eyes bright as he looked around at the others, seemingly observing their reactions. "That way, our clans' bloodlines will improve, and outstanding young members will emerge in a steady stream. This is also a clan's most important foundation."
"Moreover, only if outstanding young members continue to emerge from our clans can we replace the Senju Clan as Konoha's new overlords after their destruction, have the strength to stand against the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans, and keep other countries from daring to invade the Land of Fire. Only then can our clans truly stand at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World." He spoke more forcefully, every word ringing out. "Otherwise, even if we scheme the Senju Clan to death and destroy the Uchiha and Hyuga, we'll only be swallowed up by other countries. We'll have brought about our own destruction. When our own strength isn't great enough, we must never kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. So everyone must remember: the plan we've discussed today is a long-term one. We must not rush it."
All the clan heads watched Shikaboshi Nara in silence, their eyes full of admiration and respect. At that moment, they truly understood that this was what a first-rate strategist looked like. While they had still been racking their brains over how to stand against the Senju Clan, he had already looked far ahead and planned how to reach the pinnacle of the Shinobi World. Every step of his plan was linked to the next, making it practically flawless. They couldn't help admiring him.
In the silence, the heads of the eighteen clans exchanged looks, communicating a wordless understanding. Then, one by one, they picked up their pens and solemnly signed their names to the alliance treaty. As they signed, some looked grave, their brows slightly furrowed, as though silently swearing an oath. Others looked resolute, their eyes showing both longing for the future and determination. After signing, they exchanged treaties and checked that everything was in order. It was as if that simple act had bound their fates tightly together, to strive for their clans' common interests.