Naruto: Uchiha Rejects Konoha

It's just that Sunagakure has never placed much trust in Konoha.

For a long time, the relationship between Konoha and Sunagakure has been officially termed an alliance, with Konoha providing considerable resources to support Sunagakure's development.

However, whenever a shinobi war breaks out, Sunagakure invariably turns on Konoha. The so-called alliance is more fragile than paper.

Under normal circumstances, it might be better not to form such alliances. But now, Konoha has no other viable options. Kirigakure, isolated on an island and across the vast sea, is unlikely to become involved in the inland conflict unless they choose to do so.

Even if an alliance were formed with Kirigakure, the help they could provide would be minimal. Sunagakure remains Konoha's only practical option.

As for the smaller shinobi villages—forget it. They lack the numbers to be impactful and would not meaningfully contribute in either case.

"You mean Sunagakure? What concerns me most is the possibility that they could eventually turn against Konoha," Hyūga Hiashi remarked after some thought. "Alliances between shinobi villages have always been based on mutual interests.

"At present, it wouldn't be difficult for Sunagakure to agree to avoid war and form an alliance with Konoha. However, if the time comes when both Iwagakure and Kumogakure focus their attention on the Fire Country, Sunagakure would likely join the attackers without hesitation. After all, the benefits of invading the Land of Fire outweigh the risks."

"It's not impossible," Yagami added, smirking slightly. "An alliance built solely on shared interests won't last long.

"But you could strengthen the arrangement with a political marriage. To make the deal more robust, the parties involved in the marriage should hold significant status. Otherwise—Third Hokage—you could consider marrying Chiyo yourself. A high-level marriage like that would guarantee that Sunagakure wouldn't break the alliance so easily."

Yagami's suggestion, delivered in an offhand tone, stunned everyone present. Even the Third Hokage looked momentarily frozen.

A political marriage between Konoha's Hokage and a senior member of Sunagakure was certainly a strong diplomatic solution—but the problem was glaring. Both the Third Hokage and Chiyo were elderly, and both had long since passed the stage in life where marriage would be seen as remotely feasible.

Moreover, both were grandparents. Even though they were technically single, such an arrangement would be absurd and laughable if it ever reached the public.

The Third Hokage's face darkened as the corners of his mouth twitched.

Yagami, why do you always have to make me miserable?

Listen to yourself! Do these words even sound human? Let me marry that old woman, Chiyo? Why don't you, Yagami, go marry the Third Kazekage yourself?

"Ahem!" The Third Hokage cleared his throat and took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself. "Yagami, this is a serious discussion. If you're joking, please be mindful of the occasion."

Although his wife, Sarutobi Biwako, had passed during the Nine-Tails Rebellion, the Third Hokage had no intention of pursuing another relationship at his age. He also had no personal needs that required such an arrangement. Additionally, as someone who valued his reputation, he would never voluntarily agree to such a plan—unless Konoha's survival truly depended on it.

"It's your choice," Yagami replied nonchalantly, spreading his hands. "I'm merely proposing the best solution. It's not up to me to decide whether or not you follow through."

"Yagami! Please be mindful of the tone of your words!" Utatane Koharu snapped, her irritation finally boiling over. She had long harboured a dislike for Yagami, and his cavalier attitude towards Konoha's challenges made her anger impossible to contain.

"Call, scream, scream! That's all you know how to do! I've been hearing you scream for years, and yet I haven't heard a single effective measure from you. Aren't you tired of screaming by now?"

Yagami shot a glance at Utatane Koharu, rolling his eyes before releasing a sudden surge of pressure, forcing the elderly woman to collapse to the ground.

"You… you…"

"What? You're an elder consultant, and so am I. We're equals! Do you think you can throw your weight around as an elder in front of me? Do you really think you have the ability or the qualifications?" Yagami's disdain was palpable.

Setting aside her past actions alongside Danzō, these two advisor elders were always an annoyance. In the past, Yagami tolerated them for the sake of maintaining appearances and his tenuous relationship with Konoha. But now, with the shifting dynamics, he had no reason to hold back.

"Enough!" the Third Hokage intervened, stepping between Yagami and Koharu. "Elder Koharu was impatient and misspoke. Please show some patience."

"That's easy for you to say," Yagami responded with mock civility. "We Uchiha are cruel by nature, remember? If we disagree, we tend to kill. So bear with us."

The Third Hokage's face tightened in frustration.

Good grief, are you really threatening me with a knife at my throat?

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Everyone present understood the veiled warning in Yagami's words: if Koharu dared to provoke him again, he might not hold back next time.

The Uchiha, now based far from Konoha's reach, were virtually untouchable. Yagami's personal strength alone was enough to make him an unstoppable force within the village. With a single Susano'o, he could dominate Konoha, protecting Sasuke and Mikoto from any repercussions.

If Yagami ever decided to act against one of the elders, what could Konoha realistically do? Retaliate against the Uchiha? That would risk destabilizing the entire region. Kumogakure and Iwagakure, currently embroiled in conflict, might seize the opportunity to invade the Land of Fire. Kirigakure, with its ties to the Uchiha, could be drawn into the chaos. Sunagakure might even join the fray, repeating the infamous alliances of the past.

Konoha fighting on multiple fronts against multiple villages? That was laughable.

The tense atmosphere gradually dissipated as Mingfeng showed no further intention of pressing the issue. The discussion returned to forming an alliance with Sunagakure. Despite their history of betrayal, there was little choice but to hope for Sunagakure's stability this time.

If an alliance with Sunagakure failed, they would have to consider aligning with either Kumogakure or Iwagakure to hasten the end of this senseless war.

In front of the Konoha Memorial Stone, Hatake Kakashi stood as he often did, quietly mourning the fallen. As an ordinary member of the Police Force, he was largely unaffected by the larger political and military machinations of the village.

Though his demeanour and outlook had shifted over time, Kakashi remained a mission-driven shinobi, disconnected from the upper echelons of Konoha's power.

Perhaps lost in thought, Kakashi failed to notice a masked figure silently appearing behind him. The intruder stood in an optimal position to strike but made no move. Instead, he simply stared at Kakashi.

Hiding nearby, Zetsu observed the interaction, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"Obito, why don't you act already? At this distance, you could use Kamui and drag him into your dimension to talk!

"This is Konoha, for crying out loud! Are you addicted to danger? Do you seriously want to risk being obliterated by Yagami's dōjutsu?"

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