Naruto: Blacksmith

"What…?!" Hiruzen was stunned.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

This can't be possible!

Itachi, the child who, at the age of four, reflected on the village's problems, the perfect heir to the Will of Fire.

Hiruzen had always believed that if Itachi had to choose between his clan and the village, he would, without hesitation, choose the village.

But what had he just heard?

"The Uchiha have done nothing wrong. They shouldn't have to make concessions. It's the village that should yield."

For a moment, Hiruzen doubted his hearing. He even suspected that the Itachi before him might be someone using the Transformation Technique.

No, that wasn't the issue.

What truly shocked him wasn't Itachi's choice but the fact that he hadn't used the Kotoamatsukami to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha and the village.

A technique so powerful, usable only once every ten years, wasn't something anyone would use lightly.

For Itachi, both his clan and the village were pillars of his life.

If he hadn't used it to ensure peace between them, then what had he done with it?

Even if Itachi had used it against the Village Council, Hiruzen wouldn't be as surprised. But he hadn't.

He hadn't used it to subjugate the Uchiha or to rise to the top of the village.

Unable to hide his confusion, Hiruzen allowed his expression to reveal his thoughts.

"I made my clan abandon their arrogance and prejudice," Itachi explained calmly.

"Arrogance and prejudice?" Hiruzen repeated, perplexed.

Itachi nodded slowly. "Because of our long history, the superior chakra we naturally possess, and the power of the Sharingan, the Uchiha have developed a strong sense of belonging to their clan.

"That sense of belonging makes it difficult for them to fully integrate into Konoha. Though they consider themselves ninjas of the village, that loyalty to the clan creates a clear divide between them and other villagers."

"That arrogance and prejudice toward others is the root of the current issues between the Uchiha and the village. Even if we manage to resolve this conflict peacefully, tensions will resurface, and next time they'll be even worse."

Hiruzen listened in silence.

Finally, he let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair.

He took a puff from his pipe while staring at the ceiling, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.

After a while, he straightened up and sighed again. "You're right."

He had never imagined that the root of the problem was so simple or that Itachi had understood it so clearly.

This child has a broader vision than I do…

But... while his reasoning was correct, the current conflict remained unresolved. What would he do to guarantee its resolution in the future?

"You know that, when it comes to collective interests, even as Hokage, I can't decide everything on my own," Hiruzen said seriously.

Itachi didn't seem surprised by the response.

"That's why I've prepared with both hands."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, intrigued, as Itachi continued.

"The Konoha Military Police, led by the Uchiha, controls the village's defense system, barrier nodes, and personnel arrangements.

"Additionally, the ANBU Root division, where Shisui and I served, has access to key information about border defenses."

He paused before revealing his ace:

"If a civil conflict breaks out between the Uchiha and the village, this information will be delivered to enemy nations immediately."

Boom!

Hiruzen slammed the table hard and sprang to his feet.

His usually tired and cloudy eyes blazed with intensity as a powerful aura radiated from his body.

The pressure in the room became suffocating, bearing down on Itachi, who remained kneeling before him.

"Itachi, do you understand what this means?"

"War," Itachi replied calmly.

The weight of that single word made the atmosphere in the office heavy.

Hiruzen stared at Itachi, his eyes filled with seriousness. Itachi held his gaze without fear.

He's serious.

From Itachi's eyes, Hiruzen could perceive the conviction of his will.

After a moment, he leaned back into his chair again, closed his eyes, and began to think.

Questions and doubts flowed through his mind like an endless stream. After a long while, he opened his eyes, straightened up, and looked at Itachi intensely.

"Tell me, why are you doing this? You're not such a foolish person."

Threatening war to protect peace was a concept Hiruzen couldn't comprehend.

If there wasn't something more behind this, he wouldn't even believe it.

Itachi stared indifferently at the elderly man he had always respected. In Hiruzen's tired eyes, there was a trace of fatigue.

Forgive me.

"Because I know you would never let Konoha fall into the flames of war."

It was thanks to Kuro that Itachi's perspective had shifted.

Kuro had given him Shisui's crystal, granting him a similar opportunity to resolve the conflict between the clan and the village that Shisui had once had.

But Shisui had failed.

As he devised his plan, Itachi pondered the reasons for that failure.

Why did Shisui fail? Was it because he trusted someone he shouldn't have?

No.

The real reason was that Shisui wasn't a player but a piece on the board. He couldn't make decisions; he could only follow them.

Itachi realized that both he and Shisui, by prioritizing the village and peace above all else, had become ideal tools. Their desire to protect Konoha and avoid conflict made them predictable.

Hiruzen and Danzo knew this.

That's why they trusted them as spies, using their beliefs to keep them under control.

If they can use my beliefs to manipulate me, why can't I use theirs to achieve my goals?

With this new perspective, Itachi began to see things differently.

Hiruzen was determined to protect Konoha at all costs.

But after the Fourth Hokage's death and the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails attack, the village was at its weakest. If a conflict with the Uchiha coincided with a foreign invasion, Konoha could be destroyed.

That was his leverage: the threat of war at a critical moment.

If Hiruzen were in the prime of his youth, he might not yield to such pressure. But now, aged and aware of the village's fragility, he knew he couldn't take that risk.

Especially because, in its current state, any war would bring devastating losses, even if the village emerged victorious.

However, Hiruzen raised a crucial point:

"How can you guarantee that I won't settle scores after resolving the conflict?" he asked sharply. "You're using threats to force a compromise. Even if I don't retaliate, what about the others?"

It was a valid point. Danzo, in particular, wouldn't accept this situation. Once the village recovered and the risk of invasion disappeared, he would seek to settle scores with the Uchiha as soon as possible.

Itachi didn't waver.

"That's why I've made a second preparation," his eyes sharpened, and his voice grew grave. "Tonight, Danzo will die."

________

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